The Family Forest Landowners and Managers Conference, March 29-31, will center on forestry and wildlife and offer tools to better navigate the complex trade-offs facing forest landowners.

Nationally recognized speakers and information will be available at the conference, which takes place at the Best Western University Inn in Moscow.

The forum is organized by the Idaho Forest Owners Association, in partnership with the Idaho Tree Farm Program, the Idaho Department of Lands, and the USDA Forest Service.

Idaho Fish and Game Regional Wildlife Biologist Morgan Pfander is slated to talk on how people and wildlife can coexist more effectively. 

“If you live someplace where’s there’s wildlife on the landscape as we’re lucky enough to have here, just know you’re going to have the opportunity and sometimes the challenge to interact with that wildlife out in in the woods,” Pfander said. 

Much of her work focuses on grizzly bears, but in working with Fish and Game over the years, anticipating wildlife behavior in certain situations has often been the best defense against unwanted encounters. 

“We're always looking to balance various desires from different groups of people and the wildlife on the landscape as well,” Pfander said.  

In big-game species management, Pfander said, it often comes down to managing people’s wants and needs regarding the environment. 

“A lot of it I see as a balance between what people need and what people want out of the landscape and what species need and how they act on the landscape alongside the humans that are sharing it,” she said.  

With grizzly bears, food or trash is the source of most of the conflicts with humans. The easiest resolution is to make that food resource unavailable to wildlife one way or another. 

“Around the house, we're looking at chicken coops and livestock feed if there’s a big store of grain for cattle, they can be interested in that as well,” Pfander said. “A lot of times, we’re working with folks to put up fencing or ground-based electrified mats. We call them ‘unwelcome mats.’” 

A bear sniffing for easy sources of food will walk up and feel a zap. 

Pfander said that way, the bear is discouraged from continuing to use that avenue as a food source. 

“I see it as understanding wildlife behavior and how they’re going to act given a situation,” Pfander said. “If there’s no food in it for them a lot of times, they’ll leave the area. 

The conference keynote speaker is Keith Argow, founder and president emeritus of the National Woodland Owners Association. 

With more than 50 years of experience shaping national forestry policy, Argow's presentation will outline the top 10 concerns of forest landowners nationwide and offer insight into prospects for progress on these critical issues. 

Timothy Gilloon, supervisor of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, will discuss plans for increased harvests on National Forest lands.  

Patrick Lair, public affairs officer for Idaho Panhandle National Forests and the U.S. Forest Service, said the agency is working to increase timber harvests.

"The Idaho Panhandle National Forests is working to offer 120 million board feet of timber to commercial operators this year, which is the maximum annual harvest level allowed on this national forest by our 2015 land management plan," Lair said. "The forest has offered around 80 million board feet annually in recent years."

Keeping forests open, healthy and productive is the current goal.

"Boosting timber production also supports local mills, more jobs and stronger local economies that fuel rural prosperity," Lair said.

The Forest Service is using tools like the Good Neighbor Authority, which allows them to better cooperate with the state and other partners.

Increased collaboration has also helped improve productivity and increased efficiency, Lair said, giving the Forest Service "a greater ability to meet our land management responsibilities."

Coeur d’Alene Tribe member Jesse Steele will share an overview of the Tribe’s forest management goals and how they have put them into practice.  

Early-bird registration is open through March 16.

Registration for the full conference is $75. A one-day ticket is $50. Late registration or registration at the door costs an additional $10. 

Info: www.idahoforestowners.org/event-registration