(KNOXVILLE, Tenn.) - A new natural resource management tool is now available to private landowners and managers around the nation to conserve and improve the uses of private forests and rangelands.

The University of Tennessee is coordinating efforts by the National Learning Center for Private Forest and Range Landowners, which was established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Cooperative State Research, Extension and Education Service.

The National Learning Center for Private Forest and Range Landowners is a “virtual” natural resource education center found at www.forestandrange.org. The website provides interactive online resources for private forest and range landowners, affording them the opportunity to learn about effective natural resources management.

“The idea for our new website was conceived and developed to provide additional resources to landowners to help them improve the management of their natural resources,” said Center Coordinator Sam Jackson.

“Over that last several years, there has been a large increase in the number of private landowners, especially absentee landowners. Many of them are not being reached by natural resource educators or professionals,” Jackson said. “We see the website as a way to give these people information that will help make their properties as economically beneficial and environmentally sound as possible.”

The Web site is a means of educating landowners in ways of forest, range, wildlife and fisheries management, Jackson said. “We’re targeting private landowners of less than 100 acres but individuals with more acreage would certainly benefit form the information.”

“The site also utilizes interactive technologies to increase the teaching capacity of educators, primarily extension educators,” Jackson said. “The Center will provide presentations, hand-outs and other resources to help educators deliver information to landowners.”

The Center’s goals are to increase the number of forest, wildlife and management plans; increase use of consulting foresters, biologists and range scientists on private land; increase adoption of sustainable resource management practices, and increase knowledge in forest, wildlife and range management.

The website utilizes educational modules delivered on line and will address regional and national issues and is available to anyone who registers on the site free of charge.

For more information, contact Center Coordinator Sam Jackson at (865) 974-2946 or samjackson@utk.edu.

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Contact:

Sam Jackson, National Learning Center for Private Forest and Range Landowners

(865) 974-2946

Linda Cabage, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Marketing and Communications

(865) 974-7364