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Open Forest Restoration

Ecological Silviculture Webinar Series

Open Forest Restoration: Practical Considerations for Long-term Maintenance of Woodlands

April 16, 2025 | Noon-1 p.m. CT

Ben Knapp has two decades of research experience working in frequent-fire ecosystems of the eastern U.S., including longleaf pine, shortleaf pine, and oak habitats. In this presentation, he will discuss important considerations for restoring oak woodlands, including topics such as ground layer diversity, economic considerations, and regeneration and recruitment. Concepts draw from unique field experiments, including an on-going prescribed fire study that was started in 1950.

Watch the Recorded Webinar

PRESENTER

Benjamin Knapp, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Silviculture, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri

Benjamin Knapp is an Associate Professor of Silviculture in the School of Natural Resources at the University of Missouri. He received his BS in forestry at Purdue University and his MS and PhD degrees in forestry at Clemson University. Through understanding ecological processes, his research seeks to refine silvicultural practices to address contemporary issues, often related to restoration or conservation objectives. Specific research topics include tree regeneration, fire ecology and the use of prescribed burning as a silvicultural tool, and understanding how disturbances, through management or natural, affect stand dynamics.

MODERATOR

Brad Hutnik

Forest Ecologist/Silviculturist, Division of Forestry – Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Co-Host of SilviCast​

Brad Hutnik is a forest ecologist / silviculturist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Since 2012, Brad has served as a member of the WDNR Silviculture​​ Team. As such, Brad currently works statewide on forest ecology and silviculture issues and has been involved with prescribed fire as a management tool throughout his career. Brad previously served as the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway forester (2002-2012) and worked as a staff forester at Clark Forestry, Inc. (1997-2002). Brad received a bachelor’s degree in forest management at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 1997. He is a Certified Silviculturist (USDA-FS) and co-host of UWSP’s SilviCast podcast.​​

Additional Resources

Continuing Education

We are seeking pre-approval for the following:

Certificates of completion are available by emailing wfc@uwsp.edu. Certificates will be emailed to you within 7-10 business days.

Resources

Open Forest Restoration: Practical considerations for long-term maintenance of woodlands – Knapp

Structure and composition of an oak-hickory forest after over 60 years of repeated prescribed burning in Missouri, U.S.A. – Knapp et al., Forest Ecology and Management 334 (2015) 95-109.

Escaping the fire trap: Does frequent, landscape-scale burning inhibit tree recruitment in a temperate broadleaf ecosystem? – Knapp et al., Forest Ecology and Management 513 (2022) 120191.

Landscape- and site-level responses of woody structure and ground flora to repeated prescribed fire in the Missouri Ozarks – Maginel et al., Canadian Journal of Forest Research. Vol. 29, No. 8, August 2019.

Effects of fire frequency on long-term development of an oak-hickory forest in Missouri, U.S.A. – Knapp et al., Forest Ecology and Management 387 (2017) 19-29.

 

Evaluation

The Wisconsin Forestry Center and the webinar presenters appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback. Please check back after the webinar for an evaluation link.

Thank You!

This series is possible through a grant from the Wisconsin SFI® Implementation Committee. The Mission of the Wisconsin SFI® Implementation Committee (WI SIC) is to promote and enhance SFI and sustainable forestry practices within Wisconsin through grassroots collaboration with stakeholders, partners, and those who benefit from managed forests. With a focus on SFI’s core SIC’s priorities, the WI SIC ensures that forests and their many benefits will perpetuate into the future.