Harrison & Chatham, MI –Michigan State University Extension will host a Silvopasture Train the Trainer Introductory Workshop on Wednesday, January 23 and Thursday, January 24 from 9 am until 4 PM each day. The workshops will be held in the Cafeteria at the Mid-Michigan Community College Harrison Campus, 1375 S. Clare Avenue, Harrison, MI 48625, on January 23^rd, and will repeat at the Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center, E3774 University Dr. Chatham, MI 49816 on January 24^th.

The goal of this event is to provide agricultural, forestry and natural resource professionals in the state of Michigan with the opportunity to receive professional development opportunities related to agroforestry.

Agroforestry rotations such as Silvopasture and alley cropping have not been explored, to our knowledge, in Michigan. We want to provide professionals in the agriculture and forestry sectors the opportunity to learn about agroforestry rotations.

This workshop is designed to be “train the trainer” opportunity. If you are a member of the following audiences, then this training is for you:

Agriculture and Forestry Educators

Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource agency personnel

Invested farmers including research cooperators and/or farmers with agroforestry rotations Private

Service Forestry Professionals

Guest Speakers for this event include:

Joe Orefice, Ph.D., is the Director of Forest & Agricultural Operations for the Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies; Steve Gabriel is an agroforestry specialist with the Cornell Small Farms Program; and Brett Chedzoy, MF, is a regional extension forester with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schuyler County, and the Forest Manager of Cornell’s Arnot Teaching and Research Forest.

There is no cost to attend, however, registration is required to attend this event. Please register by January 17, 2019, by going to https://events.anr.msu.edu/SilvopastureTraining/

For more information, please contact Kable Thurlow for the Harrison location at thurlowk@msu.eduor 989-426-7741; or Monica Jean for the Chatham location at atkinmon@msu.eduor 906-786-3032.