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Forest

Technical Service Providers

In June 2021, the West Virginia Forest Farming Initiative, in partnership with Appalachian Beginning Forest Farming Coalition, hosted an online training for Technical Service Providers called, Forest Farming Training for Natural Resource Professionals: Capacity for Landowner Assistance. Below are the links to the recorded sessions and pre-recorded videos that were part of the training.

Forest Farming 101: Introduction to Growing & Marketing Non-Timber Forest Products

51 minutes - Instructor: Tanner Filyaw*

This presentation provides an introductory overview of common forest farming methods, as well as market options for producers.

Commonly Produced Forest Botanicals

40 minutes - Instructor: Robin Suggs**

In this presentation we explore some of the more commonly produced eastern North American NTFPs used in the botanical trade. Topics include general range, site and habitat requirements along with information regarding their chief uses and markets.

Introduction to Site Assessment
& Evaluation

60 minutes - Instructor: Tanner Filyaw*

This presentation will provide a more in depth discussion of site selection and evaluation, and compare and contrasts potential production sites using photographs and habitat characteristics.

Site Assessment Video Tour

10 minutes - Instructors: Tanner Filyaw* & Robin Suggs** @ The Yew Mountain Center

This video provides an on the ground perspective of the site selection and evaluation process, including identifying and discussing site conditions as they relate to the production of forest botanicals.

Forest Farming in Practice

35 minutes - Instructor: Katie Commender** and Kate MacFarland~

This presentation helps put forest farming into practice and content for natural resource providers. It highlights how forest farming meets the needs and interests of forest landowners, how it addresses natural resource concerns, and even hot it ties into state forestry action plans and federal cost-share programs, like NRCS's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

Instructor Affiliations

*Tanner was with Rural Action when these videos were made. He is currently with United Plant Savers.

**Robin and Katie are with Appalachian Sustainable Development.

~Kate MacFarland is with the USDA National Agroforestry Center.

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