On March 13, the Penn State Cooperative Extension and the state Chapter of the Association of Consulting Foresters will host a forest landowner conference at the Penn State Beaver Campus in Monaca.

The conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the student union building auditorium, 100 University Drive. The cost to attend is $20, which includes lunch, refreshments and six workshops throughout the day. Registration is required.

Proper forest management is very important to sustaining Pennsylvania forests. Private forest landowners own more than 70 percent, or 12 million acres, of Pennsylvania's forested land. The conference this year will offer a wide variety of topics landowners can apply to their own property.

There will be six different sessions offered throughout the day. Topics include:

• Emerald ash borer update

• Gas leasing

• Forest and timber sales and market conditions

• American chestnut

• Setting goals and objectives

• Attracting wildlife

Speakers include professionals from the Penn State Extension, Penn State University, and members of the state Chapter of The Association of Consulting Foresters.

To receive a complete agenda for the day or to register, call Penn State Cooperative Extension in Forest County at 814-755-3544 or send an e-mail to forestext@psu.edu. Checks should be made payable to "PSCE Forest County" and sent to Penn State Cooperative Extension, 9 Highland St., Tionesta, PA 16353. Deadline for registrations is March 5.

Farm-City Banquet scheduled March 15

To help foster communication between rural and urban communities, the annual Farm-City Banquet is planned for March 15 in conjunction with National Agriculture Week.

Along with all segments of our community, the farming community also is dealing with economic and environmental pressures on a daily basis, along with a number of factors over which they have no control.

Pennsylvania is a national leader in agricultural production, yet many residents don't know what is being produced in their own communities. The need for effective communications between all segments of the population is more important than ever.

Co-sponsored by the Butler Rotary Club, the Butler County Conservation District, Penn State Cooperative Extension and cooperating agricultural agencies, the dinner will be held at Butler County Community College's Founders Hall. There will be light refreshments beginning at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m.

The program will include a presentation by the Western Pennsylvania Tractor Cruisers Association and the presentation of the annual Bullshipper Award.

Registration is required. Ticket prices and reservation information will be announced next week.

This material is submitted by Donna Zang, extension director, and the staff of the Penn State Extension office at the Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center complex.