Extension Supports Education for the Michigan Logging Industry

Bringing Knowledge to Life! / Partner Report /
Houghton-Keweenaw County
1500 Birch Street
Hancock, Michigan49930-1062
Phone: 906-482-5830 / E-mail:
Fax: 906-487-5960
Web: msue.msu.edu/houghton
June 2009

MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thomas G. Coon, Director, MSU Extension, East Lansing,MI48824. This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned.

Extension supports education for the Michigan logging industry

MSU Extension has provided loggereducational programs through the Sustainable Forestry Education (SFE) program since 1996.Supported by a grant from the American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA), more than 2,400 forest products industry members have completed the five-module training in the Upper Peninsula,representing more than 900 companies.

Michigan’s forest products industry got its start in the mid 1800s with the white pine boom and has grown into a 12 billion dollar business that supports 200,000 associated jobs statewide, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR).

Logging contractors are required to attend the core program and participate in annual continuing education training, which is also provided by MSU Extension, as a requirement to obtain supply contracts with participating companies.

In addition to the core program, which offers training in forest management, logger safety and water quality protection, continuing education sessions are offered that cover a range of topics including, threatened andendangered species protection, aestheticsmanagement,hydraulic equipment maintenance,safety and forest health.

This year’s SFE training emphasis this year is on the newly established Sustainable Soil and Water Quality Practices on Forest Land guidelines.

There’s also a great deal of new information on the woody bio-mass harvesting guidelines that are currently being developed in advance of a projected fall release.

The MDNR, which manages the largest state-owned forest land system in the country, has completed a forest certification process and as a result, all harvest contractors operating on state contracts must participate in the SFE training program.

The MDNR requirement also extends to commercial firewood producers.

Updated information on the program, as well as the complete training schedule of sessions being offered through MSU Extension, can be visited on the Web athttp://wildfire.for.msu.edu/extension/sfe.htmor on the Houghton/Keweenaw County MSU Extension web site atwww.msue.msu.edu/houghton.

Mike Schira
County Extension Director

How does your garden grow? For Calumet-Laurium-Keweenaw Schools, MSU Extension is there to help

The Calumet-Laurium-Keweenaw (CLK) Schools have planted a garden at the elementary school with help from MSU Extension and support from a Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative Grant from the Western UP Center for Science, Mathematics And Environment Education.

Three classrooms completed MSU Extension’s Junior. Master Gardener Program. In the future, the teachers plan to run the program in conjunction with science classes.

The work began May 30 during a celebration-work day that drew about 40 people of all ages to prepare gardens, build fencing and place wood chips. Music and food were provided.

MSUExtension’s 4-H program staff helped the students make recycled pots and plant a sunflower. This community event not only included work on the gardens, but also helped the youngsters learn the value of citizenship and service learning.

Before the day concluded, five classrooms comprisingabout 125 students were involved the planting.

While school is out for the summer,participants in the Great Explorations program of Baraga, Houghton, and Keweenaw Child Development will maintain the gardens with the children in who are enrolled in daycare there. A local 4-H club may be involved as well.

Carol Kreher
4-H Program Associate III

Teen mom finds assistance a SNAP

The MSU Extension Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed), is designed to help low-income mothers with young children learn about good nutrition and how to help their youngsters grow up happy and healthy.

Houghton-Keewenaw SNAP-Ed program manager Debby L’Heureux recently helped a very young woman prepare to become a mom and give her child a healthy start in life.

In January she began working with a 17-year-old, first-time-mother-to-be who wanted to learn about prenatal nutrition. She also wanted to know more about breastfeeding, so she could decide if this was something wanted to do.

The young woman had many concerns about what to expect after the baby came. Her mother died two years ago and her only prenatal checkup was when she found out she was pregnant. A friend told her about SNAP-Ed, and because it isfree,she decided to try it.

L’Heureuxbegan by counseling the young woman about her diet. She was eating poorly and had not applied for nutrition assistance. L’Heureux helped her fill out paperwork to get food stamps so she could purchase nutritious foodsand helped her develop a meal plan. Fruit, vegetables and whole grains became her favorite foods. The young woman began taking vitamins and gaining energy because she was eating better.

L’Heureuxalso talked with her about breastfeeding and shared materials from the TIFS (The Infant Feeding Series) program. Many of her concerns centered around feeding her baby, whetherthe baby would eat enough and how she would know when the baby is full.

She quickly learned what the signs of a hungry baby and a full one and how to tell whether a baby was getting enough breast milk. She liked knowing that that breast-fed babies have a better immune system, andwas assured that the baby was gettingall the nutritional needs necessary.

The young mom learned that breastfeeding a baby, especially the first six months of his life, helps him get off to a great start in life and saves money that doesn’t have to be spent buying formula.

Now the mother of a young son, L’Heureuxspoke to the young woman recently and found out that the young woman, who decided to breastfeed her infant, said her baby is“doing great.” She now has a regular doctor who told her she had a very healthy baby.

"If it were not for Debby and the SNAP-Ed program, giving me all the information and helping me, I don’t think that my baby would be as healthy as he is now."

Debby L’Heureux

SNAP-ED Program Manager