FREEPORT — The Tri-State Forest Stewardship Conference has a 25-plus year tradition of providing great information and resources to forest landowners in the Illinois/Iowa/Wisconsin tri-state area. It has been one of the largest conferences for forest landowners in the Midwest.  

The University of Illinois Extension office announced that Tri-State will return to its historic format from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on March 2, in Freeport. 

This conference is sponsored by Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin Extension Services. This year’s keynote speaker is Jason Meyer, executive director of the White Oak Initiative. Meyer will discuss the importance of white oak ecologically and economically along with efforts underway to sustain white oaks on the landscape. Other topics on the agenda include bottomland forest management, timber harvesting, forest taxes, invasive species control, prescribed fire, tree diseases and pathogens, wildlife management, tree physiology, streambank erosion, forest soils, tree identification, and silvopasture.

The day will end with a discussion with experts from each of the state’s Extension professionals on the state of forestry in the tri-state area.

The Tri-State Forest Stewardship Conference is designed specifically for forest landowners in the Midwest, but forestry professionals, consultants, volunteers, Master Naturalists, and students are all encouraged to attend. 

The conference is will be held at the Highland Community College Student Conference Center (Building H, Parking Lot A), 2998 W. Pearl City Road, Freeport. Check in will be from 8-9 a.m. that morning. The conference begins promptly at 9 a.m.

Pre-register online at https://go.illinois.edu/TriState or by calling the University of Illinois Extension at (815) 235-4125. Registration, including lunch, is $40 by Feb. 23 and $50 afterwards. Early registration is required to ensure seating and lunch. 

If reasonable accommodations are needed to participate in this program, contact Nikki Keltner at (815) 235-4125.