New Web site provides forestry, wildlife links

ORONO – Looking for the latest on enhancing wildlife habitat around your home? Or thinking about starting a Christmas tree farm? Maybe a student in your home needs information for a class project on the Maine woods. A new virtual library of resources from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension may be just the place to look.

Located online at www.umaine.edu/umext/forestry/, the new site offers more than 100 active links to publications, news articles, fact sheets, regulations and even textbooks about wildlife, forestry and wood products.

Jim Philp, forestry specialist for Extension, said that the site is being expanded on almost a daily basis. He envisions it as a quick source of credible information about the forest-related resources of Maine and the United States.

The site includes several features that make it user friendly. A search function will retrieve links to documents on a specific topic, whether it’s butterflies or tree harvesting. Users also may submit links to documents or other Web sites that may be useful for the public. Philp will review suggested links to make sure they are appropriate for the site.

Users may view the site with Netscape 6.2 and higher or Microsoft Internet Explorer.