Excellence in teaching extends to the woodlot
Nearly 50% of U.S. forestland is privately owned, says Jonathan Kays, natural resources specialist for University of Maryland Cooperative Extension. And many of the owners are individuals and families earning their living as doctors and plumbers, far removed from wildlife or forest management.
Which is where Kays comes in. The 2006 University System of Maryland Regents’ awardee for excellence in teaching offers an array of educational programs to forest owners, homeowners, and the just plain interested. The goal of his forest stewardship workshop is turning out students who can "manage forest resources in a way that meets the needs of the current owners, but doesn’t detract from nor degrade the use by future generations." Kays teaches onsite or from the Western Maryland Research and Education Center in Keedysville.
Through the Coverts Project , Kays is known to change people’s lives. A covert—pronounced like the word "cover" with a "t" on the end—is a thicket providing sheltering habitat for wildlife. During outdoor classes, he shows how sound, multiple-use forest management practices can improve wildlife habitats, timber and fuelwood growth, and aesthetics. And at the same time the woodland owner can earn a long-term financial return. A key part of the program is that attendees, who become known as "cooperators," perform personal outreach, passing on what they’ve gained to others. Says one cooperator, "I realized my motives for attaining the knowledge were somewhat selfish: I had two farms badly in need of guidance. Now that Ive gotten my own house in order I’m better equipped to help other landowners."
