| Image | Date | Title | Summary | View | hf:categories | hf:tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | May 27, 2021 | “Do You Work in the Forest or the Mill?” | By: Rachel Harris, DOF Utilization & Marketing Specialist Every so often, loggers emerge from the woods and sawmill operators shake … | View | marketing-utilization water-quality | harvesting water-quality |
 | July 9, 2021 | (Don’t) Pick Your Poison | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator Walking along a forest path this time of year, it’s tempting to reach … | View | education public-information | native-species woodland-plants |
| May 30, 2023 | 2023 Agency Fiscal Year End Closing Procedures | Important deadlines and requirements for closing out the end of the fiscal year (FY23) are as follows: 1. DEPOSITS All checks … | View | employees-only finance | ||
| January 3, 2024 | 2024 Mileage Rate Updates | The IRS Mileage rate increases to 67 cents, effective Jan. 1, 2024. Internal resources will be updated to reflect this … | View | administration employees-only | ||
 | January 8, 2021 | A Christmas Present for Stony Creek | The walking track in Sussex County’s Stony Creek Park is a well-used community resource. Citizens use it for exercise, and … | View | financial-assistance urban-community-forestry | tree-planting urban-forestry |
 | December 22, 2022 | A Getaway in the Middle of It All | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator Are you looking for a family day trip during the school holidays? Consider … | View | education state-forests | state-forests urban-forestry |
 | January 25, 2022 | A Natural Partnership | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator This is a tale of partnership, program creation, and a great idea brought … | View | education public-information | conservation partnerships |
 | April 18, 2022 | A Park, a Planting, a Partnership | By Delaney Beattie, DOF Riparian Buffer Specialist- James River Buffer Program At Greene County Community Park, partners recently came together … | View | education forest-management urban-community-forestry water-quality | partnerships riparian-forest-buffers tree-planting water-quality |
 | March 28, 2022 | A Pollinator Primer | By Scott Bachman, DOF Senior Area Forester Recently, I attended the Virginia Association of Forest Health Professionals meeting held in … | View | education forest-health | insects native-species |
 | October 5, 2022 | A Prickly Problem | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator Did you know that one of Virginia’s State Forests was established specifically for … | View | education forest-health research state-forests | forest-health-impacts native-species |
 | October 13, 2021 | A Walk at Whitney | By Ellen Powell, Conservation Education Coordinator Last week I took a hike at Whitney State Forest, located in Fauquier County, … | View | education state-forests | acorns-nuts fall |
 | April 26, 2021 | A Woodcock Encounter | By Scott Bachman, DOF Senior Area Forester, Blackwater team Now that it’s April I will declare that spring is officially … | View | education | birds wildlife |
| July 30, 2020 | Abigail the Green Ash in Alexandria | On July 22, DOF’s urban & community forestry (U&CF) manager Lara Johnson traveled to Alexandria, Virginia to visit a well-known … | View | urban-community-forestry | arborists ash heritage partnerships roots urban-forestry | |
| December 9, 2025 | Agency Migration from the Common Drives to SharePoint | DOF Migration from the Common Drives to SharePoint The SMT and Office of Information Technology (IT) have been working to … | View | employees-only | ||
| June 6, 2023 | Agency Survey Responses | Back in April, I wrote to express how important it is for you to share feedback about your experiences working … | View | administration employees-only human-resources | ||
 | March 5, 2020 | Agricultural-Forestal Districts in Louisa County | In Louisa County, Virginia, Agricultural-Forestral Districts (AFD) have recently played a crucial role in discussions about the conservation of working … | View | ||
 | March 20, 2020 | AlterNATIVES | In Virginia, you know spring is just around the corner when you begin to see blooms on cherry, magnolia, pear, … | View | forest-health | invasive-species native-species |
 | November 7, 2019 | American Chestnut Harvest at Lesesne State Forest | Chestnut trees have all but disappeared from the landscape; the Virginia Department of Forestry recently had a rare opportunity to … | View | state-forests | chestnut research timber-harvesting |
 | March 15, 2021 | An Exciting Mass Timber Project in Charlottesville | During a sunny March morning, a team from the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) and the Virginia Department of Agricultural … | View | marketing-utilization | mass-timber |
 | June 9, 2021 | An Ode to Dead Trees | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator Contributors: Lisa Deaton, Kenny Thomas, Chris Thomsen Recently, I’ve received photos from … | View | education forest-management | whats-in-the-woods-today |
 | June 22, 2021 | Announcing DOF Employee Photo Contest | Public Information is having a photo contest to create the 2023 DOF calendar and the best way to get photos … | View | employees-only | photos |
 | May 4, 2021 | Arbor Day in Pandemic Times | By Molly O’Liddy, DOF Community Forestry Partnership Coordinator Despite these uncertain times, communities across the Commonwealth have continued to celebrate … | View | education urban-community-forestry | arbor-day tree-planting |
 | July 26, 2021 | Attn: Field Staff – Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers Available | USDA announced the Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers program (PATHH) now available to timber loggers or truckers whose … | View | employees-only | |
 | September 10, 2021 | Autumn = Asteraceae! | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator Virginia’s forests in fall are showstoppers, dazzling us with their vibrant colors. But … | View | education public-information | fall wildflowers |
 | August 18, 2021 | Beech Leaf Disease Confirmed in Virginia | Beech leaf disease has now been confirmed in Prince William County – the first detection in Virginia. The disease affects … | View | forest-health | diseases forest-health-impacts |
| February 19, 2025 | BIL/IRA Funding Update | DOF has received guidance that the BIL and IRA grant programs are under review at the federal level and grant … | View | employees-only | ||
 | October 6, 2020 | Bridges for Water Quality | By Chris Thomsen, DOF Western Regional Forester Loggers in the Lower Cowpasture River Watershed now have two sets of portable … | View | financial-assistance water-quality | grant-programs logger-resources pre-harvest-planning |
| April 18, 2024 | Callery Pear Tree Exchange Event at DOF HQ on Saturday | On Saturday, April 20, DOF’s Forest Health team is hosting a Callery Pear Exchange pickup event in the employee parking … | View | employees-only forest-health | ||
 | November 10, 2021 | Can Trees Save a Sinking Island? | By Cory Swift-Turner, Public Information Specialist — Tangier Island is known for its soft-shell crabs and the unique lifestyle of … | View | public-information urban-community-forestry | conservation tree-planting urban-forestry |
| July 10, 2023 | Cardinal Timesheet Mid-Period Reporting Change | Mid-Period Reporting Change Due to the pay increases effective July 1, you may notice your timesheet displaying the message “mid-period … | View | employees-only | cardinal | |
 | March 13, 2019 | Centipede-shaped Galleries, Made by a Beetle! | The southern pine beetle typically gets all the attention, but there are other native bark beetles in our forests that … | View | forest-health | insects |
 | March 17, 2023 | Citizen Science? Yes, You Can! | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator and Cory Swift-Turner, DOF Communications Specialist A middle school class documents the … | View | education research | partnerships volunteer |
| September 13, 2023 | Common Drive Maintenance This Evening | VITA will shut down the Common Drive today from 5 – 6:30 p.m. for scheduled maintenance. The Common Drive will not … | View | employees-only | ||
| August 28, 2023 | Connectivity Issues? | The Cisco Secure Client recently received an update that may affect your laptop’s connectivity. If you have issues connecting to … | View | administration employees-only | ||
 | February 8, 2022 | Continued Operations in a COVID-19 Environment 02/07/2022 | As we enter our second month of 2022, we still find ourselves combating the impact of COVID-19 in our daily … | View | employees-only | covid-19 |
 | June 9, 2022 | Deadly Jewels of Virginia Forests | By Amanda Conrad, DOF Forest Health Technician The vibrant, metallic green of an emerald ash borer (EAB) makes it look … | View | forest-health | ash emerald-ash-borer firewood insects invasive-species |
| January 21, 2025 | Digital Signatures for Agency Cost-Share Applications | DOF is now accepting digital signatures for application packages for agency cost-share programs. Employees can use the DocuSign app available … | View | employees-only | ||
 | October 13, 2022 | Does Every Picture Tell a Story? | By Scott Bachman, Area Forester This summer, my colleague Evan Richardson was asked by a landowner to prepare a Forest … | View | education | whats-in-the-woods-today |
 | May 23, 2018 | DOF Employee Earns 2018 National Smokey Bear Award | The 2018 National Smokey Bear Awards were recently announced and Fred Turck (wildfire prevention program manager), along with other prevention … | View | education fire-emergency-response human-resources | partnerships smokey-bear wildfire-prevention |
 | May 10, 2018 | DOF Headquarters Named | Virginia Department of Forestry Dedicates Building to Former State Forester Jim Garner The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) dedicated and … | View | administration | forest-legacy |
| May 11, 2018 | DOF in the Spotlight at Project Plant It! Event | by Suyapa Marquez, Senior Community Affairs Representative for Dominion Energy DOF representatives visited Oak Grove Elementary (Richmond Public Schools) on April … | View | urban-community-forestry | partnerships project-plant-it | |
 | April 15, 2020 | DOF Pine Projects Continue Despite Unusual Circumstances | In late March, DOF personnel completed a longleaf pine grafting project at the New Kent Forestry Center (NKFC). The longleaf … | View | nurseries | genetics longleaf-pine native-species |
 | March 5, 2018 | DOF Responds to Hundreds of Wind-Related Fires | Spring wildfire season, which began February 15, is in full swing and the high winds that raged across Virginia since … | View | fire-emergency-response | emergency-response wildfire-prevention wildfire-suppression |
| July 31, 2023 | DOF Safety Bulletin: Heat Stress | As you certainly know by now, we are facing our hottest days of the year so far. In 2022, OSHA … | View | employees-only | safety | |
 | April 18, 2018 | DOF Sends Help to TX and OK | A very long siege of wildfire activity, which shows no signs of coming to an end, is taking its toll … | View | fire-emergency-response | emergency-response wildfire-suppression |
| March 20, 2026 | DOF Uniform Order Receiving Quick Reference Guide | As part of the new uniform contract, DOF has implemented electronic confirmation of receipt through the DOF uniform site. This replaces … | View | administration employees-only finance | ||
 | August 25, 2022 | Don’t Judge a Tree by Its Color | A Brief Guide to Late Summer Tree Pests By Amanda Conrad, DOF Forest Health Technician As the summer heat fades … | View | forest-health | forest-health-impacts insects tree-health |
| April 2, 2024 | Email Tag Alert | You will soon start seeing a new email tag to alert you when an email is coming from an external … | View | administration employees-only | ||
| November 13, 2023 | Emergency Declaration Employee Time Reporting Details | Due to the Emergency Declaration that was issued on Monday, Nov. 6, for the wildfire response, a majority of employee overtime and any … | View | employees-only fire-emergency-response human-resources | ||
| April 2, 2024 | Employee Assistance Program Services Available | We can all use a little help sometimes. For emotional well-being support anytime, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) counseling sessions are … | View | employees-only human-resources | ||
 | November 15, 2022 | Employee Photo Contest | The Office of Communications is again having a photo contest to obtain images for use in our educational and promotional … | View | employees-only public-information | |
| November 18, 2025 | Employee Self Evaluations Due COB Tomorrow! | This is a reminder to complete your annual employee self-evaluation by the close of business tomorrow, Nov. 19 You must … | View | employees-only human-resources | ||
 | January 13, 2023 | Evergreens? Ever Useful! | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator In a bare winter landscape, our eyes are often drawn to any remnants … | View | education | tree-benefits wildlife |
 | September 21, 2022 | Far-Flung Seeds | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator Plants are endlessly fascinating. Not only do they make their own food out … | View | education | native-species woodland-plants |
| December 2, 2025 | FERB Offers Boot Allowance | DOF’s Fire and Emergency Response Branch (FERB) is once again offering a boot allowance to support the wildfire PPE needs … | View | employees-only fire-emergency-response | ||
 | February 19, 2021 | Field Notes: (Hopefully Not) Spotting the Spotted Lanternfly | By Katlin Dewitt, Forest Health Specialist The spotted lanternfly is an invasive, sapsucking insect that was first detected in … | View | forest-health | invasive-species spotted-lanternfly |
 | November 10, 2020 | Field Notes: A Crop of Cones | By Jim Schroering, DOF Longleaf Pine Coordinator, and Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator Fall is harvest time in Virginia … | View | nurseries | conservation genetics longleaf-pine research species-restoration |
 | December 19, 2017 | Field Notes: A Galling History | by Urban Forest Conservationist Jim McGlone While leading a forest hike with a landowner and group of her friends, I was … | View | forest-health | insects oak |
 | February 27, 2018 | Field Notes: A Proud Forest Legacy | by Area Forester Kyle Dingus In 2014 the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) celebrated its 100th anniversary. At the time, … | View | forest-management | forest-legacy tree-farm |
 | September 10, 2019 | Field Notes: A Rare Tree Adventure | By Emerald Ash Borer Coordinator Meredith Bean It was August 27, very late in the season to be treating ash … | View | education water-quality | big-tree water-quality |
 | March 15, 2018 | Field Notes: A Sure Sign of Spring! | by DOF Senior Area Forester Scott Bachman It is not quite spring, but the signs of spring are abundant at … | View | nurseries research | genetics loblolly-pine |
 | August 27, 2018 | Field Notes: A Tale of Cypress Trees and Floods | by Senior Area Forester Scott Bachman Earlier this summer my co-workers and I were finally able to get out and … | View | water-quality | riparian-forest-buffers water-quality |
 | August 15, 2019 | Field Notes: An Intern’s Day at Conway Robinson State Forest | By Intern Marissa Ardovino As the summer comes to an end, I’ll recall one day I spent in Conway Robinson … | View | state-forests | intern wildlife |
| October 26, 2020 | Field Notes: An Oak with Special Roots | by Patti Nylander, Senior Area Forester Every year the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) puts out the call to … | View | nurseries | acorns-nuts oak tree-planting | |
 | March 18, 2021 | Field Notes: Atlantic White-cedar Makes a Comeback? | By Scott Bachman, DOF Senior Area Forester, Blackwater Work Area A number of years back, a hurricane made landfall on … | View | forest-management research | partnerships species-restoration tree-planting wildlife |
 | November 20, 2018 | Field Notes: Be Thankful for the Good Bugs! | by Forest Health Specialist Katlin Mooneyham Here in the forest health program at DOF, we spend a lot of time … | View | forest-health | forest-health-impacts insects |
 | April 16, 2020 | Field Notes: Bottomland Forests and Flooding | By Scott Bachman, senior area forester I will confess, when I moved to Isle of Wight County as a much … | View | forest-management water-quality | ecosystem-services roots water-quality |
 | April 15, 2021 | Field Notes: Buffer Benefits for River and Trail | By Deya Ramsden, DOF Middle James River Forest Watershed Project Coordinator A newly expanded riparian forest buffer in Nelson County … | View | water-quality | partnerships riparian-forest-buffers tree-planting |
 | June 28, 2018 | Field Notes: Buy It Where You Burn It! | by DOF Forest Health Specialist Katlin Mooneyham Independence Day is just around the corner, and that means travel season is … | View | forest-health | firewood invasive-species |
 | August 13, 2018 | Field Notes: Castles in the Field | by Senior Area Forester Scott Bachman In my youth I spent hours playing in the creeks around my home. I … | View | education | wildlife |
 | February 2, 2021 | Field Notes: Catawba Hospital Ford Crossing | By Chad Austin, Water Quality Engineer, Western Region Members of the western region and water quality team recently installed a … | View | water-quality | water-quality |
 | October 20, 2020 | Field Notes: Covey Call in the Big Woods | By Scott Bachman, Senior Area Forester, Blackwater Region In the pre-dawn hours, Venus and Mars were the brightest objects in … | View | state-forests | conservation partnerships wildlife |
 | December 22, 2020 | Field Notes: Disturbance Ecology in the Swamp | By Scott Bachman, Senior Area Forester, and Meghan Mulroy-Goldman, Community Forester – Blackwater Work Area Earlier this year, Meghan Mulroy-Goldman … | View | forest-management | ecology |
 | June 24, 2019 | Field Notes: DOF Supports Dominion Energy’s Project Plant It! | by Sara Hunt, Project Plant It! Page Hutchinson, the DOF’s forest education specialist, shared her knowledge of trees with students … | View | education urban-community-forestry | partnerships project-plant-it |
 | March 9, 2021 | Field Notes: EAB-Killed Ash – Use It or Lose It! | By Joe Lehnen, DOF Forest Utilization & Marketing Specialist, and Katlin DeWitt, DOF Forest Health Specialist The emerald ash borer (EAB) … | View | forest-health marketing-utilization | ash emerald-ash-borer |
| April 11, 2018 | Field Notes: Everyone’s Happy When the Dozer Shows Up | by DOF Forester Sarah Long On March 2, most of Virginia experienced a prolonged period of high intensity winds at … | View | fire-emergency-response | equipment wildfire-suppression | |
 | May 15, 2020 | Field Notes: Fantastic Ferns | By Ellen Powell, Conservation Educator Woodland walks in May are a study in fresh, vibrant green. Tree canopies have leafed … | View | education | woodland-plants |
 | March 22, 2018 | Field Notes: Field Day at Zuni Pine Barrens | by DOF Longleaf Pine/SPB Coordinator Jim Schroering Several DOF staff participated in a field tour of the Zuni Pine Barrens … | View | forest-management | heritage partnerships pine |
 | March 24, 2020 | Field Notes: Finding Green in the Winter Woods | By Ellen Powell, Conservation Educator Central Virginia’s hardwood forests in winter are a study in neutrals; everything is some … | View | education | winter woodland-plants |
 | February 11, 2021 | Field Notes: Fire Season is Coming – Be Prepared! | By Heather Tuck, DOF Eastern Region Fire Specialist Happy February! As we move into this month, my mind, along with … | View | fire-emergency-response | wildfire-prevention wildfire-suppression |
 | October 13, 2020 | Field Notes: Fruits of Fall | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator With the autumn foliage season getting underway, it’s easy to miss a key … | View | education public-information | fall fruit |
 | April 10, 2018 | Field Notes: Good Fire or Bad Fire? | by DOF Forester Manij Upadhyay Wildfire is a serious environmental issue in The United States and may cause significant damage … | View | fire-emergency-response forest-management | prescribed-burning |
 | April 7, 2020 | Field Notes: Good Green, Bad Green | By Ellen Powell, Conservation Educator The calendar and the plants agree – spring has arrived in central Virginia! Patches of … | View | education forest-health | invasive-species native-species woodland-plants |
 | October 9, 2019 | Field Notes: Goodness Gracious Goats! | by DOF Forest Health Specialist Katlin Mooneyham Our DOF Forest Health Program staff are often asked how to control certain … | View | forest-health state-forests | invasive-species pest-management |
 | January 22, 2021 | Field Notes: Ground Truthing Forest Data | By John Pemberton, DOF FIA Program Manager, and Ryan Hewitt, FIA Specialist When you read facts about Virginia’s forestland, do … | View | resource-information | forest-inventory-analysis |
 | August 31, 2020 | Field Notes: Hitchhiking Seeds | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator When you think of summer hitchhikers, you probably think of chiggers and … | View | education | woodland-plants |
| April 19, 2018 | Field Notes: Hope for Hemlocks? | by DOF Forest Health Specialist Katlin Mooneyham Since its introduction to the United States in the 1950s, hemlock woolly adelgid … | View | forest-health | hemlock invasive-species | |
 | March 9, 2018 | Field Notes: How do Trees Grow in the Nursery? | by Area Forester Manij Upadhyay I went to Garland Gray Forestry Center, Courtland Virginia to learn about pine seedling production … | View | nurseries | pine |
 | November 2, 2018 | Field Notes: How Old is that Tree? | by NOVA Area Forester Sarah Long The answer may surprise you. There is a common misperception that there is a … | View | education | |
 | June 12, 2020 | Field Notes: In This Together, Apart | by Sarah Parmelee, Area Forester Despite a spring shrouded in uncertainty, DOF forester Sarah Parmalee found hope and normalcy in … | View | urban-community-forestry | covid-19 partnerships riparian-forest-buffers tree-planting volunteer |
 | August 16, 2019 | Field Notes: It’s A Bird, It’s A Plane, It’s A Drone! | by DOF Forest Health Specialist Katlin Mooneyham The Virginia Department of Forestry is taking forest management to new heights! The … | View | fire-emergency-response forest-health water-quality | drone forest-health-impacts pre-harvest-planning water-quality wildfire-suppression |
 | January 19, 2021 | Field Notes: January’s Least Wanted – English Ivy | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator A brand new year brings a brand new feature to Field Notes! Each … | View | forest-health | invasive-species landowner-resources |
 | December 29, 2020 | Field Notes: Longleaf Pine Planting at Big Woods | By Jim Schroering, DOF Longleaf Pine/Southern Pine Beetle Coordinator On a cold but sunny Saturday in December, the Virginia Department … | View | state-forests | longleaf-pine native-species prescribed-burning reforestation |
 | January 24, 2020 | Field Notes: Looking Down on Tree of Heaven | By Katlin Mooneyham and Lori Chamberlin The City of Winchester and Frederick County are in the midst of an invasion. … | View | forest-health | forest-health-impacts invasive-species partnerships |
 | October 2, 2020 | Field Notes: Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator There’s an old saying that you plant an oak tree for your grandchildren. … | View | nurseries | acorns-nuts oak |
 | September 18, 2020 | Field Notes: Milkweed Magic | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator For a plant with ‘weed’ in its title, milkweed is a pretty awesome … | View | education | insects wildflowers wildlife |
 | February 22, 2018 | Field Notes: Name Those Tracks! | by Forestry Technician Jesse Bander Can you identify these tracks found on a muddy stream bank? If you guessed a raccoon … | View | education | wildlife |
 | September 17, 2018 | Field Notes: Nepal: A Pioneer Country in Community Forestry Management | by Area Forester Manij Upadhyay About a year ago, I transitioned from working in the Department of Forests in Nepal … | View | urban-community-forestry | firewood international |
 | August 20, 2020 | Field Notes: Out of the Ashes | By Joe Lehnen, Forest Utilization & Marketing Specialist Until about two years ago, the fate of trees removed from the … | View | marketing-utilization urban-community-forestry | urban-wood-utilization |
 | April 19, 2021 | Field Notes: Partnerships at Pleasant Grove | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator Pleasant Grove Park in Fluvanna County offers a nature-rich experience for visitors and … | View | featured fire-emergency-response | prescribed-burning wildlife |
 | December 17, 2018 | Field Notes: Pine Yellows | by Senior Area Forester Joe Rosetti Every year, about 4-8 weeks after the deciduous trees lose their leaves, the pines … | View | forest-health | pine tree-health |
 | March 11, 2020 | Field Notes: Protecting the Northern Source Longleaf | By Senior Area Forester Scott Bachman The official start of spring may be only weeks away, but forester Scott Bachman … | View | nurseries research | genetics longleaf-pine native-species |
 | August 21, 2018 | Field Notes: Quail on the Comeback? | by Forester Travis Tindell All photos courtesy of Dwight Dyle, DGIF Imagine a quiet morning. You stop and listen, the … | View | education | partnerships wildlife |
 | April 12, 2021 | Field Notes: Restoration Planting at the Mariners’ Museum and Park | By Meghan Mulroy-Goldman, DOF Community Forester Photography by Amanda Shields, The Mariners’ Museum and Park Right in the heart of … | View | urban-community-forestry | partnerships shortleaf-pine tree-planting |
 | July 2, 2018 | Field Notes: Riparian Buffers and the Sargasso Sea…What’s the Connection? | by DOF Senior Area Forester Scott Bachman An SMZ or streamside management zone, also known as a riparian buffer, is … | View | water-quality | best-management-practices chesapeake-bay riparian-forest-buffers wildlife |
 | August 13, 2020 | Field Notes: Scouting for Trees | An Isle of Wight County Boy Scout recently earned his Eagle rank by designing and installing a tree identification trail … | View | education | partnerships |
 | July 20, 2018 | Field Notes: Shedding Light on the Situation | by Area Forester Sarah Long If you were out in the Conway Robinson State Forest around the end of June, … | View | forest-management state-forests | hardwood |
 | February 28, 2018 | Field Notes: Signs of Spring | by Area Forester David H. Terwilliger The red maple (Acer rubrum) is one of the first native trees to burst … | View | forest-management water-quality | hardwood water-quality |
 | April 10, 2020 | Field Notes: Sounds of Spring | by Ellen Powell, conservation educator The flush of green suffusing our woodlands isn’t the only signal that spring is here. … | View | education | spring wildlife |
 | March 26, 2021 | Field Notes: Spring Break for Salamanders | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator The woods are alive, with the sound of … frog calls? Yes, it … | View | education | wildlife |
 | March 13, 2020 | Field Notes: Teamwork on the Fan Mountain Fire | On March 9, a wildfire was reported in southern Albemarle County — DOF and local partner agency Albemarle Fire Rescue … | View | fire-emergency-response human-resources | wildfire-suppression |
 | March 23, 2018 | Field Notes: The Beauty of March | by DOF Area Forester Richard Reuse March and April are the most beautiful months in Virginia. Relative humidity is low, … | View | education | spring wildflowers woodland-plants |
 | March 31, 2021 | Field Notes: The Early Shrub Gets the Sun | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator With recent warm weather, Virginia’s woods are greening fast. After a dormant winter, … | View | education | invasive-species spring woodland-plants |
 | March 8, 2018 | Field Notes: The Wind in the Willows, Oaks, Pines … | DOF Urban Forest Conservationist Jim McGlone March 2018 came in like a lion, roaring with sustained winds of 25 to … | View | urban-community-forestry | arborists oak pine safety |
 | June 13, 2018 | Field Notes: Virginia Wildland Fire Academy 2018 | by Fred Turck Prevention – Program Manager- Emergency Response Branch The Virginia Wildland Fire Academy 2018 is now just a … | View | fire-emergency-response | emergency-response training wildfire-suppression |
 | March 16, 2021 | Field Notes: Wandering the Winter Woods | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator A few weeks ago, on a cold but sunny day, I visited Paul … | View | state-forests | birds education spring wildlife |
 | October 30, 2017 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? | by Lisa Deaton, DOF Area Forester It’s Deer Time! Last week I walked around a forested property to prepare a … | View | forest-health | fruit whats-in-the-woods-today wildlife |
 | April 22, 2019 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? April 22, 2019 | by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Two Snake Day! Last week the sun was shining, and the fresh spring foliage and … | View | education | spring whats-in-the-woods-today wildlife |
 | September 11, 2019 | Field Notes: What’s In The Woods Today? August 14, 2019 | By Area Forester Lisa Deaton Dung Beetles A local farmer asked me to examine a 40-year-old stand of loblolly pines … | View | education | insects whats-in-the-woods-today |
 | August 13, 2019 | Field Notes: What’s In The Woods Today? August 7, 2019 | By Area Forester Lisa Deaton Spiders August is spider month. If you have ever been the first person in line … | View | education | whats-in-the-woods-today wildlife |
 | December 12, 2017 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? Dec. 12, 2017 | by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Lumpy Trees Sometimes trees respond to injuries or stress (such as a virus, fungus, mold, … | View | forest-health marketing-utilization | whats-in-the-woods-today |
 | December 27, 2017 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? Dec. 27, 2017 | by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Creek Treasures An important skill for foresters is hopping across creeks without falling in, especially … | View | water-quality | chesapeake-bay riparian-forest-buffers water-quality whats-in-the-woods-today |
 | December 5, 2017 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? Dec. 5, 2017 | by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Baby Longleaf Last week was finally time to plant a longleaf pine project. The landowner … | View | nurseries | longleaf-pine roots whats-in-the-woods-today |
 | February 21, 2018 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? Feb. 21, 2018 | Owls and Berries by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Last week began with finding an owl pellet in my yard. Lately … | View | education | fruit loblolly-pine whats-in-the-woods-today wildlife |
 | January 10, 2018 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? Jan. 10, 2018 | by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Snack Bars for Birds Winter is a time of year when people start to notice … | View | education | whats-in-the-woods-today wildlife yellow-poplar |
 | January 23, 2018 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? Jan. 23, 2018 | by Area Forester Lisa Deaton English Ivy English Ivy is a non-native species introduced to North America by European settlers. … | View | forest-health | invasive-species whats-in-the-woods-today |
 | January 31, 2018 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? Jan. 31, 2018 | by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Those Hidden Roots Homeowners often contact our local Department of Forestry or Virginia Cooperative Extension … | View | education | loblolly-pine roots whats-in-the-woods-today |
 | July 10, 2018 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? July 10, 2018 | Turtles by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Why do turtles cross the road? The answer turns out to be the same … | View | education | whats-in-the-woods-today wildlife |
 | August 6, 2019 | Field Notes: What’s In The Woods Today? July 23, 2019 | By Area Forester Lisa Deaton Country Roads The last few generations of trees have literally grown over top of numerous … | View | education | whats-in-the-woods-today |
 | July 26, 2018 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? July 26, 2018 | Kids! by Forester Lisa Deaton Many localities and organizations offer great opportunities for kids to enjoy the outdoors at summer … | View | education | camp whats-in-the-woods-today |
 | June 26, 2018 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? June 25, 2018 | Bird’s Eye View by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Once a year, area foresters have the opportunity to fly over DOF … | View | forest-health research state-forests | genetics partnerships pest-management pine safety whats-in-the-woods-today |
 | March 23, 2018 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? March 23, 2018 | by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Wildlife and Clearcuts, Part-One Cutover tracts of timber can look bleak during winter, but this … | View | education | whats-in-the-woods-today wildlife |
 | June 5, 2019 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? May 15, 2019 | Brush Piles and ‘Possums and Other Little Surprises By Area Forester Lisa Deaton As I was walking through a clearcut … | View | education | whats-in-the-woods-today wildlife |
 | November 14, 2017 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? Nov. 14, 2017 | by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Mushrooms! When you work in the woods every day, it can be joyful to see … | View | education | mushrooms whats-in-the-woods-today |
 | November 21, 2017 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? Nov. 21, 2017 | by Area Forester Lisa Deaton A Day of Double Takes It is still close enough to Halloween that I thought … | View | education | whats-in-the-woods-today |
 | November 28, 2017 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? Nov. 28, 2017 | by Area Forester Lisa Deaton ‘Tis the Season! Trees provide us with a colorful show every autumn, and then … | View | education | whats-in-the-woods-today |
 | November 8, 2017 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? Nov. 8, 2017 | Snack Time by DOF Area Forester Lisa Deaton Last week I was asked to see if a 16-year-old loblolly pine … | View | forest-health | insects loblolly-pine whats-in-the-woods-today wildlife |
 | October 12, 2018 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? October 12, 2018 | by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Wind Damage Last night was not a good night for sleeping in southeastern Virginia. The … | View | fire-emergency-response forest-health | whats-in-the-woods-today |
 | September 5, 2018 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? Sept. 5, 2018 | by Forester Lisa Deaton Fruit Every August, our agency assists the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries with their … | View | education | acorns-nuts fruit whats-in-the-woods-today |
 | September 13, 2019 | Field Notes: What’s In The Woods Today? September 2, 2019 | By Project Learning Tree Coordinator Page Hutchinson Look A Little Closer… Although I work for the Virginia Department of Forestry, … | View | education | insects mushrooms whats-in-the-woods-today wildflowers |
 | January 16, 2020 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods? Best of Summer 2019 | By Area Forester Lisa Deaton A Round-up of Interesting Moments & Encounters in the Woods from Summer 2019 When a … | View | education | insects mushrooms wildflowers wildlife |
 | February 3, 2020 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods? Cold Bullfrogs Don’t Jump | by Area Forester Lisa Deaton For many of us who work in the natural resources arena, it is a joy … | View | education | wildlife |
 | February 14, 2019 | Field Notes: What’s In The Woods? February 14, 2019 | Kissing Trees! by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Valentine’s Day seems like an appropriate time to share these images of “kissing” … | View | education | |
 | April 5, 2018 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today April 5, 2018 | by DOF Area Forester Lisa Deaton Wildlife and Clearcuts Part 2 A beaver hut in the middle of a pond … | View | forest-management marketing-utilization | loblolly-pine timber-harvesting wildlife |
 | December 21, 2018 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today ? December 21, 2018 | by Forester Lisa Deaton Surprises We expect to see Christmas trees at Christmas tree farms, but this decorated eastern red … | View | administration education water-quality | chesapeake-bay christmas-tree wildlife |
| May 9, 2018 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? May 9, 2018 | by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Flowers, Birds and Bugs When the songbirds and wildflowers reappear each spring, it feels a … | View | education | wildflowers wildlife | |
 | February 12, 2018 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? Feb. 5, 2018 | Waiting for Spring by Area Forester Lisa Deaton This great blue heron, like many of us, seems to be contemplating … | View | education | mushrooms wildlife woodland-plants |
 | March 7, 2018 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? March 6, 2018 | Big Trees and Little Trees by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Lately we have been recertifying trees for the Virginia … | View | forest-management | big-tree loblolly-pine oak shortleaf-pine tree-planting yellow-poplar |
 | September 20, 2018 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? September 20, 2018 | by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Boogie Woogie Aphids Near the end of August, beech blight aphids, Grylloprociphilus imbricator, appear on … | View | forest-health | insects |
 | April 11, 2019 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? March 18 2019 | By Area Forester Lisa Deaton Parasitic Plants American or eastern mistletoe, Phoradendrum leucarpum, is a common parasite of oaks and … | View | forest-health | black-walnut tree-health |
 | February 25, 2020 | Field Notes: What’s in the Woods? Daffodils! | by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Daffodils, Narcissus spp., are always a welcome sight — they are nature’s colorful announcement that … | View | education | spring wildflowers |
 | November 27, 2018 | Field Notes: Whats in the Woods Today? November 27, 2018 | Its Deer Time by Area Forester Lisa Deaton It is autumn in Virginia, so white-tailed deer are on the move … | View | education | wildlife |
 | May 21, 2020 | Field Notes: When Volunteers Go Bad | by Sarah Parmelee, Area Forester Last fall, a little seedling popped up in my yard. It was too young to … | View | forest-health | invasive-species native-species wildflowers |
 | April 29, 2019 | Field Notes: White Pine Monitoring in Western Virginia | By Forest Health Specialist Katlin Mooneyham Eastern white pine is a species commonly found in forests in the western part … | View | forest-health | forest-health-impacts pine |
 | May 8, 2019 | Field Notes: WTREX: Newly Discovered Dinosaur, Latest Workout Craze or Something Better? | by Area Forester Sarah Parmelee What is TREX? TREX is a prescribed fire training (TR) exchange (EX) held by the … | View | fire-emergency-response | partnerships training wildfire-suppression |
 | July 23, 2019 | Field Notes: Yellow-Poplar Weevil Makes Presence Known in Southwest Virginia | by DOF Forest Health Program Manager Lori Chamberlin The yellow-poplar weevil has made its presence known again in southwest Virginia. … | View | forest-health | forest-health-impacts insects yellow-poplar |
 | December 9, 2022 | Fighting Bugs with Bugs | By Cory Swift-Turner, Communications Specialist Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) is a coniferous tree that favors the cool and humid climate … | View | forest-health state-forests | eastern-hemlock forest-health-impacts insects invasive-species tree-health |
 | April 23, 2021 | Fighting the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid on State Forests | By Lori Chamberlin, DOF Forest Health Manager Hemlock trees have been under attack since the introduction of the hemlock woolly … | View | featured forest-health | |
 | February 28, 2020 | Fired Up about Camp | Did you know there’s a camp where teens get to fight fire? Not a scary western wildfire, but a well-behaved … | View | education public-information | camp |
 | October 16, 2019 | First Mountain State Forest Dedication | On the afternoon of October 7, a crowd of more than 70 people gathered in Rockingham County for the dedication … | View | state-forests | forest-legacy governor secretary-of-agriculture-and-forestry state-forester tree-farm |
 | May 27, 2021 | Fiscal-Year-End Deadlines are Fast Approaching | Please review and note the fiscal year end deadlines. As we enter one more year end, be reminded of the importance … | View | employees-only | |
 | April 28, 2021 | Flower Power | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator As a botany enthusiast, I spend a lot of spring hikes looking down, … | View | education | spring wildflowers |
| January 3, 2024 | FLSA Work Week Change | Effective Jan. 1, the FLSA work week for DOF has changed to Monday – Sunday. When you log into Cardinal, the … | View | administration employees-only | ||
 | July 30, 2021 | Forest Health – Scout It Out! | By Lori Chamberlin, Forest Health Manager Dead and declining trees are a natural component of healthy forests. But determining what … | View | administration forest-health | forest-health-impacts |
 | February 22, 2019 | Forest Health: A Small But Mighty Pest | The southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis) (SPB) is a small, seemingly innocuous beetle that brings new meaning to the phrase … | View | forest-health | forest-health-impacts insects loblolly-pine native-species pine shortleaf-pine |
 | January 24, 2019 | Forest Health: A Winter Pest Survey | Each month, Field Notes will bring you news from our forest health team. We kick off 2019 with a focus … | View | forest-health | forest-health-impacts hemlock insects |
 | August 3, 2022 | Forester Takes an Acting Gig | By Scott Bachman, DOF Senior Area Forester, Blackwater Work Area New Kent County, east of Richmond, experienced a rash of … | View | fire-emergency-response | fire-investigation new-kent-forestry-center training |
 | February 26, 2020 | Foresters on Bear Den Duty | DOF foresters are lending a hand to locate foster moms for orphaned bear cubs in Virginia. DOF’s sister agency Virginia … | View | forest-management | wildlife |
 | July 14, 2018 | Forestland Transfer Workshops Help Sustain Virginia’s Woodlands | Virginia’s forestland is a valuable asset to society, providing clean air and water, wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities and renewable wood … | View | conservation estate-planning generation-next partnerships | |
 | June 11, 2020 | Forestry for Water Quality | The results are in, and the 2019 annual Silviculture Best Management Practices (BMP) Implementation Monitoring Report shows that the logging … | View | water-quality | best-management-practices chesapeake-bay logger-resources riparian-forest-buffers water-quality |
 | December 8, 2020 | Fourth Edition of the Virginia Tree Steward Manual Now Available | The Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia Tech, and Trees Virginia are excited to announce the release of the newest edition … | View | urban-community-forestry | partnerships trees-virginia urban-forestry volunteer |
 | July 6, 2022 | Ghosts of Forests Past | By Ken Sterner, DOF Senior Area Forester, and Josh Bennicoff, DOF Nursery Manager In eastern Mathews County, on the Chesapeake … | View | forest-health nurseries | chesapeake-bay forest-health-impacts loblolly-pine |
 | May 4, 2021 | Goshen Wildfire Shines a Spotlight on Cooperation | April 30 is the last day of Virginia’s spring fire season, and it typically goes out like a lamb. Not … | View | fire-emergency-response | partnerships wildfire-suppression |
 | August 23, 2021 | Grand SLAM! (Slowing Ash Mortality) | By Lori Chamberlin, DOF Forest Health Manager, and Joe Lehnen, DOF Forest Utilization and Marketing Specialist The emerald ash borer … | View | forest-health marketing-utilization | ash emerald-ash-borer forest-health-impacts wood-products |
 | May 18, 2021 | Growing a Food Forest | By Meghan Mulroy-Goldman, DOF Community Forester Ever wonder where the fruit in the grocery store comes from? In today’s supermarkets, … | View | urban-community-forestry | fruit partnerships tree-planting urban-forestry |
 | January 20, 2022 | Hardwood Forest Habitat Initiative Update Webinar 01/20/2022 | State Forester Rob Farrell held a Hardwood Forest Habitat Initiative Update Webinar January 20 to provide an overview to DOF … | View | employees-only forest-management | hardwood |
| June 21, 2024 | Heat Warning Issued for Virginia | The National Weather Service has forecast an excessive heat event for most of the Mid-Atlantic, particularly the Appalachian Mountains. Much … | View | employees-only | ||
 | February 26, 2021 | Historical Landscape of James Monroe’s Highland | Property managers at James Monroe’s Highland recently conducted preservation work on the estate’s tree canopy using cost-share funding from the … | View | financial-assistance urban-community-forestry | ash emerald-ash-borer |
 | December 2, 2022 | Holiday DIY from the Yard | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator Want to save some money during the spending season? With a little creativity, … | View | education public-information | christmas-tree native-species |
 | December 3, 2020 | Holiday Special Delivery | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator Early Tuesday morning, a team of foresters gathered at Claybrooke Farm near Mineral … | View | administration | christmas-tree tree-farm |
 | February 3, 2022 | How Do Trees Survive the Winter? | By Cory Swift-Turner, DOF Public Information Specialist – Have you ever looked at a tree covered in snow and wondered, … | View | education | hardwood tree-biology |
 | September 28, 2017 | Hunting in State Forests: What you Need to Know Before you Go | October in Virginia brings cooler weather, eye-popping fall foliage and Pumpkin spice-flavored everything. But October in this state of natural … | View | state-forests | |
| January 31, 2024 | IFRIS Training Environment Updates | The IFRIS training environment has a new URL: https://www.ifristest.dof.virginia.gov/IFRIS_Training/Login.aspx Please update any bookmarks you may have for the IFRIS … | View | administration employees-only | ||
| March 4, 2024 | IFRIS Training Environment Updates | Effective March 1, all IT and IFRIS requests (phones, network (broadband), hardware, software, etc.) will need to be submitted to … | View | administration employees-only | ||
 | December 7, 2021 | In Memory of Joe Schaefer | By Janet Muncy, integrated media manager The Virginia Department of Forestry mourns the loss of a member of the DOF … | View | administration human-resources | |
 | February 4, 2021 | In Memory of Page Hutchinson | The Virginia Department of Forestry is mourning the loss of Page Hutchinson, Virginia’s Project Learning Tree Coordinator and member of … | View | education human-resources public-information | |
| September 13, 2023 | Job Openings | Please help spread the word, we are hiring! Forest Legacy Program Coordinator: http://jobs.virginia.gov/cw/en-us/job/517139?lApplicationSubSourceID=View all of DOF’s open positions at jobs.virginia.gov Please contact … | View | employees-only | ||
| June 13, 2024 | John Maclean Speaker Event June 27 | All employees are invited to a special event on Thursday, June 27 from 10 a.m. to noon at Piedmont Virginia Community … | View | employees-only | ||
 | September 14, 2021 | Laurel Wilt Confirmed in Virginia | By Katlin Dewitt, DOF Forest Health Specialist There is officially a new threat to Virginia’s forests. The USDA Diagnostic Lab … | View | forest-health | forest-health-impacts |
 | April 18, 2022 | Longleaf Grafting 101 | By Jim Schroering, DOF Longleaf Pine Coordinator and Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator Forestry usually takes place on a … | View | forest-management nurseries research | genetics longleaf-pine |
| May 10, 2023 | Mandatory Department of Accounts SPCC Training | All DOF SPCC Cardholders, Travel Cardholders and Cardholder Supervisors: The following 2023 trainings are available in the Commonwealth of Virginia Learning … | View | employees-only finance | ||
 | July 28, 2023 | Meet the Interns! | Each year, DOF hires interns for about two months to support our work and introduce students to the world of … | View | education | intern |
| August 22, 2023 | Message from the State Forester | In July, the State Forester sent an email with an update on recent agency accidents. As a follow-up to that … | View | employees-only | ||
| October 23, 2025 | Message from the State Forester: 2026 Calendars | Each year, DOF creates a calendar to highlight our work and promote our mission. For our 2026 calendar, we’re celebrating “Virginia’s Historic Oaks” … | View | employees-only | ||
| April 18, 2024 | Microsoft Training Opportunities | VITA is coordinating Microsoft – Powering productivity training opportunities for all Commonwealth of Virginia (COV) employees this spring and summer. The 90-minute, … | View | education employees-only | ||
 | January 3, 2020 | NASF Centennial Challenge | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) is excited to participate in the Centennial Challenge put forth by the National Association … | View | forest-health | ash emerald-ash-borer forest-health-impacts partnerships tree-health urban-forestry |
 | February 26, 2019 | National Invasive Species Awareness Week | National Invasive Species Awareness Week kicked off this week. A series of events and webinars offered throughout the week aim … | View | forest-health | firewood invasive-species |
 | September 2, 2022 | National Wildfire Deployments: A POV | By Kinner Ingram, DOF Rappahannock Senior Area Forester As a forester for the Virginia Department of Forestry, our phones go … | View | administration fire-emergency-response | emergency-response wildfire-suppression |
 | February 16, 2021 | Native Ecosystem Restoration Expanded in Southeastern Virginia | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) and the Meadowview Biological Research Station (MBRS) recently acquired land that expands an existing … | View | administration | conservation longleaf-pine partnerships wildlife woodland-plants |
 | July 21, 2022 | Native Plants for Hummingbirds | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator You’re working in the garden when you notice a low-pitched hum, and you … | View | education | native-species wildlife woodland-plants |
 | March 9, 2022 | New Life for Old Trees | By Meghan Mulroy-Goldman, DOF Community Forestry Specialist Spend some time in Hampton Roads, Virginia, and you will probably notice that … | View | marketing-utilization urban-community-forestry | |
| December 6, 2023 | New NameDrop Feature on iPhones | Apple’s latest iOS 17 update (iOS 17.1.2) includes a new feature, NameDrop. This feature enables users to share contact information when two iPhones are within tapping range … | View | administration employees-only | ||
| November 8, 2023 | New Phish Alert Button | The Phish Alert Button (PAB) is a new email plugin from KnowBe4 that gives you a safe way to handle … | View | administration employees-only | ||
| October 18, 2023 | New Security Training – KnowBe4 | New Security Training – KnowBe4 Each year, DOF administers information security training for all employees. We have a new training … | View | administration employees-only | ||
| November 21, 2024 | New UTV Policy in Effect | The new agency UTV Policy is now in effect: https://dof.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/PP_08-019_utv-operations.pdf All safety policies and procedures have been updated. Please make … | View | employees-only | ||
 | April 7, 2021 | New Website Coming Soon | Virginia Department of Forestry is excited to announce a new website coming soon! The new website has been under development for about … | View | employees-only | |
| October 23, 2025 | New: Use FORcast for Procurement Requests | Effective immediately, all Office of Procurement requests must be submitted through the Forestry Catalog for Administration Systems Tracking (FORcast). This … | View | employees-only | ||
| March 12, 2025 | NOTICE: Pause On All Non-essential Government Expenditures | Due to the current pause regarding government expenditures, all non-essential expenditures agency-wide should be paused for the next two weeks … | View | employees-only | ||
| February 20, 2026 | OKTA MFA Changes Coming March 2 | We first let you know about the change to OKTA MFA (multi-factor authentication) last August. Most of our DOF staff … | View | employees-only information-technology | ||
| October 23, 2025 | OKTA SMS Retirement | VITA is retiring short message service (SMS) authentication as a login option. All users are required to enroll in either … | View | employees-only | ||
 | September 21, 2021 | Old-Timey Apples | By Zach Olinger, DOF Forest Management and Education Specialist The property that is now the Matthews State Forest was donated … | View | education state-forests | fruit |
| July 24, 2020 | On the Wings of a Tiny Wasp | The fate of Virginia’s stately ash trees might rest on the wings of a tiny wasp. For more than a … | View | forest-health | ash emerald-ash-borer invasive-species pest-management | |
| April 24, 2018 | Petersburg Third-Graders Boost Science Skills With Project Plant It! | by Suyapa Marquez, Senior Community Affairs Representative for Dominion Energy Page Hutchinson, DOF’s forest education specialist, gave a special forestry … | View | education urban-community-forestry | partnerships project-plant-it | |
| November 13, 2024 | Policy Change: Adobe Acrobat Reader Engine | Adobe Acrobat Reader has been integrated into Microsoft Edge. This integration provides additional features, such as improved performance, security and … | View | employees-only | ||
 | December 15, 2021 | Praise for Fallen Leaves | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator December is here – time to look forward to gifts, family visits, amazing … | View | education urban-community-forestry | fall |
 | July 16, 2021 | Prescribed Burning with Dragon Eggs! | By Lisa Deaton, DOF Area Forester; contributor: Rod Newlin, DOF Water Quality Engineer The Virginia Department of Forestry has many … | View | education forest-management public-information | prescribed-burning |
| September 28, 2017 | Pretty is as Pretty Does: The Tale of an Emerald Insect Eating its Way Across Virginia | Watch: Emerald Ash Borer: Fighting Back with Biocontrol This video shows how The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) is using … | View | forest-health | arborists ash emerald-ash-borer insects pest-management | |
 | May 5, 2020 | Recognizing Virginia Public Service Professionals, May 3-9, 2020 | from Hector Rivera, DOF’s Director of Human Resources For many, the beginning of May is a period of both anticipation … | View | human-resources | |
 | April 20, 2021 | Reforestation of Timberlands Program – 50 Years Strong! | By Todd Groh, DOF Forest Resource Management Program Manager The Reforestation of Timberlands (RT) Program is turning fifty years old … | View | featured forest-management | reforestation |
 | July 6, 2021 | Registration Open for Virginia Certified Prescribed Burn Managers Course | Prescribed burn professionals are encouraged to complete training and certification to become a Certified Prescribed Burn Manager. The VA Certified … | View | fire-emergency-response | prescribed-burning training |
| November 18, 2024 | Reminder: Action Required to Submit Performance Evals | Supervisors: Please submit a signed copy of the performance evaluations to Human Resources as soon as possible. All staff: Completing your performance … | View | employees-only | ||
| October 27, 2025 | Reminder: Complete Safety Survey by Oct. 31 | Reminder – We want to hear your concerns and feedback about your on-the-job experience. If you haven’t already done so, … | View | employees-only | ||
| April 17, 2024 | Reporting Emergency Response Hours in Cardinal | Cardinal Emergency Response Hours As our agency responds to current wildfire activity, below are a few reminders about recording this work … | View | employees-only finance fire-emergency-response human-resources | ||
| June 26, 2023 | Reporting Grant and Project Hours in Cardinal HCM | We understand there is confusion regarding how to apply hours to grants or projects in Cardinal HCM. Here’s what you … | View | employees-only finance | ||
 | February 15, 2021 | Restoring Canopy at Camp Kum-Ba-Yah | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) helped Camp Kum-Ba-Yah give some much-needed care to their campground’s forest. The wooded property … | View | financial-assistance urban-community-forestry | ash emerald-ash-borer urban-forestry |
 | November 6, 2019 | Restoring Urban Canopy at the James W. Garner Building | On the morning of November 4, a crew of volunteers from Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards (CATS) and a University of … | View | urban-community-forestry | urban-forestry volunteer |
 | August 3, 2021 | S.O.S. – Save Our Shorelines! | By Kendall Topping, DOF Community Forester As rapid development and population growth continue in Hampton Roads, stormwater runoff and sea … | View | urban-community-forestry water-quality | urban-forestry water-quality |
| June 9, 2020 | Saving Pumpkin Ash | In late May, Lara Johnson and Meghan Mulroy-Goldman (DOF urban & community forestry team), along with the Virginia Beach Urban … | View | forest-health urban-community-forestry | ash emerald-ash-borer invasive-species | |
| November 13, 2023 | Security Training Reminder | KnowBe4 Security Training Reminder Each year, DOF administers information security training for all employees. We have a new training platform … | View | administration employees-only | ||
 | May 26, 2022 | Sounding the Fire (Ant) Alarm! | By Katlin Dewitt, DOF Forest Health Specialist Can a fire alarm alert you to an invasive insect? Technically, no, but … | View | forest-health | forest-health-impacts insects invasive-species |
 | February 23, 2022 | Spotted Lanternfly Egg Mass Scouting – DIY! | By Lori Chamberlin, DOF Forest Health Manager If you are in search of a fun winter activity, look no further! … | View | forest-health | forest-health-impacts invasive-species |
 | February 11, 2022 | Springtime in February? | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator Nothing says springtime like birds carrying food to the young in their … | View | education | wildlife |
| April 17, 2025 | STARS Radio Q2 Update | The Virginia Department of State Police has pushed the second quarter encryption update to all STARS portables, mobiles, base stations … | View | employees-only | ||
| October 23, 2025 | STARS Radio Q4 Update | STARS radio users: We are entering the final quarter of 2025, and with that comes a STARS radio system security update. … | View | employees-only | ||
 | September 28, 2023 | State Forest Maps and Hunting Briefs Available | Under Maps and Additional Resources, each state forest now has a general map showing roads, trails, water resources, parking areas, … | View | employees-only state-forests | |
 | May 1, 2021 | Take Action! May is Wildfire Awareness Month | May 1, 2021 is Wildfire Community Preparedness Day and the entire month of May is considered National Wildfire Awareness Month. … | View | fire-emergency-response | wildfire-prevention |
 | September 7, 2022 | Tales from the Fireline | Contributors: Delaney Beattie, DOF Riparian Buffer Specialist- James River Buffer Program; Chad Briggs, DOF Forest Technician; Jack Colyer, DOF Forest Technician; Bill Perry, … | View | fire-emergency-response | emergency-response wildfire-suppression |
 | May 19, 2022 | The Ant-Plant Connection | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator Readers of my Field Notes posts will know that I like to introduce … | View | education | insects woodland-plants |
 | December 3, 2021 | The Benefits of a Live Christmas Tree | By Cory Swift, Communications Specialist Updated Dec 8, 2024 — Every holiday season, thousands of Virginians carry on a family … | View | education marketing-utilization | christmas-tree |
 | June 22, 2022 | The Bike Shack | By Joe Lehnen, DOF Forest Utilization & Marketing Specialist Sometimes a chance meeting leads to multiple connections, with wonderful results. … | View | marketing-utilization | emerald-ash-borer partnerships urban-forestry |
 | May 12, 2021 | The Early Caterpillar Gets the Leaf! | By Katlin DeWitt, DOF Forest Health Specialist Spring is a welcome season for many living things, signaling the end of … | View | education forest-health | forest-health-impacts insects spring |
 | January 5, 2024 | The Quaker Run Fire from a Wildland Firefighter’s POV | By Joe Rossetti, DOF Hardwood Initiative Coordinator – The Quaker Run Fire in Madison County garnered a great deal of … | View | fire-emergency-response | wildfire-suppression |
 | February 17, 2023 | The Smell of Spring? | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator I’m on a mission to teach you that plants are cool. They may … | View | education | spring woodland-plants |
 | November 1, 2024 | The Understory – Nov. 1, 2024 | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) launched this newsletter to connect with forest landowners and all who love forests. Here … | View | education public-information | fall-fire-season the-understory throwing-shade-va wildfire-prevention |
| November 22, 2024 | The Understory – Nov. 22, 2024 | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) launched this newsletter to connect with forest landowners and all who love forests. Here … | View | education public-information | the-understory |
| April 28, 2025 | The Understory – April 28, 2025 | Virginia Celebrates Arbor Day On Friday, (pictured from left to right) Deputy State Forester Ed Zimmer, State Forester Rob Farrell, … | View | education public-information | the-understory |
| December 11, 2024 | The Understory – Dec. 11, 2024 | Fire Activity Continues Into December While Virginia’s official fall fire season (Oct. 15 – Nov. 30) has ended, continued dry … | View | education public-information | the-understory |
| December 13, 2025 | The Understory – December 12, 2025 | Be Fire Safe This Holiday Season Virginia’s fall fire season wrapped on Nov. 30. Since its start on Oct. 15, … | View | public-information | the-understory |
| February 27, 2025 | The Understory – Feb. 27, 2025 | Spring Fire Season Arrives Virginia’s spring fire season is here. The statewide 4 p.m. burning law is now in effect … | View | education public-information | the-understory |
| February 26, 2026 | The Understory – February 26, 2026 | Spring Fire Season Arrives Spring fire season is officially underway, marking the time of year when Virginia’s 4 p.m. burning law is in effect. “Virginia … | View | public-information | the-understory |
| January 31, 2025 | The Understory – Jan. 31, 2025 | Improve Your Home’s Wildfire Defenses Our thoughts remain with Southern California residents and first responders as they continue to battle … | View | education public-information | the-understory |
| January 29, 2026 | The Understory – January 28, 2026 | Terry Lasher Appointed State Forester Terry Lasher has been appointed by Governor Abigail Spanberger as DOF’s ninth State Forester. Most … | View | public-information | the-understory |
| July 3, 2025 | The Understory – July 3, 2025 | Celebrate Safely, Virginia 🇺🇸 🎆 As you get ready to celebrate this 4th of July, make plans to enjoy a public, … | View | education public-information | the-understory |
| March 21, 2025 | The Understory – March 21, 2025 | DOF Plays Defense in Southwest Virginia When not responding to wildfires during the last week of February, DOF’s Western Region … | View | education public-information | the-understory |
| May 29, 2025 | The Understory – May 29, 2025 | Landowner Reforestation Success in Amelia When Amelia County landowners Stuart and Melissa Price bought their 16-acre property in 2010, only … | View | education public-information | the-understory |
| October 9, 2024 | The Understory – Oct. 9, 2024 | The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) launched this newsletter to connect with forest landowners and all who love forests. Here … | View | education public-information | emergency-response invasive-species native-species the-understory tree-planting |
| October 30, 2025 | The Understory – October 30, 2025 | Fall Fire Season is Underway While leaf-peeping season is one of Virginia’s most beautiful times of year, it also brings conditions that increase the … | View | public-information | the-understory |
| September 26, 2024 | The Understory – Sept. 26, 2024 | *This is the web version of our first “The Understory” newsletter which was mailed out on Sept. 26. Get future … | View | education public-information | acorn-collection fall-foliage firewood the-understory |
| September 17, 2025 | The Understory – September 17, 2025 | Helene left a lasting impact on Virginia’s forestry communities Additional Disaster Relief Funding Announced Thanks to funding from the U.S. … | View | public-information | the-understory |
 | September 29, 2021 | The Vine That Ate Charlottesville | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator I know what you’re thinking. But no, the vine that ate Charlottesville isn’t … | View | education forest-health public-information | forest-health-impacts invasive-species |
 | April 7, 2022 | Thinning Out Southern Pine Beetle | By Katlin Dewitt, DOF Forest Health Specialist The southern pine beetle (SPB) is the most destructive native insect that threatens … | View | forest-health forest-management | forest-health-impacts pest-management pine |
 | September 28, 2017 | To Do: Enjoy Virginia’s Fall Foliage | Have you looked outside lately? The leaves are beginning to change colors and it won’t be long before parts of … | View | administration | fall fall-foliage |
 | September 24, 2024 | Upcoming Events for Landowners | Staunton Generation NEXT Workshop Oct. 26 If you own woodland, you have a legacy worth passing on. Legacy planning can … | View | generation-next landowner-resources | |
| November 20, 2025 | Update DOF Alert Settings | Reminder – Verify your settings in DOF Alert With winter right around the corner, this is a reminder to all … | View | employees-only | ||
| January 10, 2022 | Updated Agency COVID Guidelines | By Rob Farrell, State Forester Effective January 6, 2022, agency guidance for the next two weeks is to renew our … | View | administration employees-only human-resources | covid-19 |
 | July 29, 2021 | Urban Forestry Comes Full Circle | By Joe Lehnen, DOF Forest Utilization and Marketing Specialist, and Molly O’Liddy, DOF Community Forestry Partnership Coordinator Trees may have … | View | marketing-utilization urban-community-forestry | urban-forestry |
 | January 28, 2022 | Urban Trees “Releave” the Heat | By Eli Podyma, DOF Community Forester A large part of my work as a community forester involves collaborating with local … | View | urban-community-forestry | partnerships tree-planting urban-forestry |
| February 19, 2025 | Use FORcast for Facilities Requests | Effective Feb. 18, all Facilities requests must be submitted through the Forestry Catalog for Administration Systems Tracking (FORcast), a ticketing … | View | employees-only | ||
 | April 11, 2018 | Virginia Department of Forestry Warns of Increased Fire Danger | In response to weather forecasts for Thursday, April 12, the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) urges people to help prevent … | View | fire-emergency-response | safety wildfire-hazard wildfire-prevention wildfire-suppression |
 | October 25, 2017 | Virginia Fall Foliage Report: UPDATE (Weekend of Nov. 11) | Each week during the fall foliage season DOF shares information about leaf color around the state. Tree color is influenced … | View | administration | fall fall-foliage |
 | November 27, 2019 | Virginia’s Capitol Christmas Tree, 2019 | Each year, a live Virginia-grown tree is selected and harvested by the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) to serve as … | View | administration | christmas-tree tree-farm |
 | December 6, 2019 | Virginia’s Capitol Tree Lighting, 2019 | On the evening of December 5, State Forester Rob Farrell and Raina DeFonza (public information specialist) attended the Capitol Tree … | View | administration | christmas-tree governor secretary-of-agriculture-and-forestry state-forester tree-farm |
 | September 23, 2024 | Virginia’s Least Wanted: Wavyleaf Grass | This grass may look harmless, but it wants to use you and your pets for a free ride. The seeds … | View | forest-health state-forests | invasive-species |
| July 13, 2018 | Virginia’s Forests and Forest Economy Continue to Grow | Virginia set a new record for the volume of timber harvested with slight increases in both hardwood and softwood volume … | View | marketing-utilization | forest-economics secretary-of-agriculture-and-forestry state-forester | |
| February 20, 2026 | Volunteer at DOF’s Camp Woods & Wildlife! | DOF staff are encouraged to apply to be camp counselors for the 78th annual Camp Woods & Wildlife, scheduled for … | View | education employees-only | ||
 | March 14, 2022 | Wake Up, Seedlings! | By Todd Groh, DOF Forest Resource Management Program Manager Can you feel it? The temperatures are rising and the daylight … | View | forest-management nurseries | hardwood pine tree-planting |
| October 18, 2023 | We’re Hiring | Please help spread the word, we are hiring! Are you ready to prove yourself? Test your limits, grow forest products and … | View | employees-only human-resources | ||
| October 12, 2023 | We’re Hiring! | Please help spread the word, we have additional positions we’re hiring for! Program Support Technician – Sussex Nursery Buyer Specialist … | View | employees-only human-resources | ||
 | May 24, 2021 | Website is Live! | By Janet Muncy, DOF Integrated Media Specialist It has been a long time coming… the new website is live! While … | View | employees-only | |
 | January 28, 2020 | What’s Happening at Whitney State Forest?: Part One | Edited from a December 2019 notice from Whitney State Forest. You may have noticed that the trail along the Shortleaf … | View | state-forests | prescribed-burning shortleaf-pine |
 | September 18, 2024 | What’s in the Woods: September | This time of year there are several berry-producing shrubs in Virginia. Let’s compare two you’re likely to see: the native … | View | forest-health | insects invasive-species |
 | February 27, 2020 | What’s Happening at Whitney State Forest?: Part Two | On January 22, the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) successfully conducted a burn on the first of two units (“the … | View | state-forests | prescribed-burning shortleaf-pine |
 | January 25, 2023 | Which Settled First: the Oak or the Acorn? | By Dean Cumbia, Director of Forest Management — As the site of the first permanent English settlement and a hotbed … | View | research | genetics history oak partnerships |
 | July 1, 2019 | Wildland Firefighter Week of Remembrance | by DOF Wildfire Prevention Program Manager Fred Turck June 30 through July 6 provides an opportunity for those who manage … | View | fire-emergency-response | smokey-bear wildfire-suppression |
 | May 24, 2021 | Witnessing a Miracle | By Sarah Parmelee, DOF Forestland Conservation Coordinator This spring I didn’t go to many tree plantings, but I was able … | View | fire-emergency-response | emergency-response |
 | May 7, 2021 | Woodland Weirdos | By Ellen Powell, DOF Conservation Education Coordinator There’s a lot going on underfoot in Virginia’s forests, from wild to wonderful … | View | education | native-species woodland-plants |
 | November 15, 2021 | Woodpecker Attends New Employee Orientation | By Scott Bachman, DOF Senior Area Forester Several weeks ago, the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) Eastern Region had the … | View | education human-resources | conservation partnerships wildlife |
| September 28, 2017 | You Can Help Ensure Virginia has More Hardwoods! | The Virginia Department of Forestry needs your help to continue producing quality seedlings for Virginia landowners. Virginia-grown seed generally produces … | View | nurseries | acorns-nuts black-walnut chestnut hardwood oak |