This October, seven students in the Forest Health course at the University of Maine at Fort Kent visited Tearmunn Hardwoods in Van Buren and Cyr Plantation, which is owned by Craig and Nancy Troeger and conserved by an FSM conservation easement. Led by Assistant Professor of Forestry at UMFK Caroline Kanaskie, the class came to learn about and look for signs of alternate host relationships utilized by different species of rust fungi.
Ribes species (currants and gooseberries) are well known alternate hosts for the blister rust fungi and are infected first before affecting Maine’s white pines. However, did you know about other similar host pairings essential for other rust species? Spruce needle rust and Labrador tea, Witches’ broom of blueberries and balsam fir, and Fir-Fern rust between balsam fir trees and certain fern species (especially bracken and sensitive). These are just a few examples that students learned about during their visit. Craig noted, “If Dr. Kanaskie had had more time, she could have told us of even more alternate host relationships”. He was happy to have the class visit this special spot. The students, some of whom had never seen some of the unusual plants that live in bogs, were curious and enthusiastic.
Tearmunn Hardwoods was conserved by FSM with two conservation easements in 2007 and 2009 and is a great example of working with conservation-minded landowners with a passion for sustainable forest management.
We’re hiring! If you are interested in working for a successful nonprofit organization to help conserve Maine forestlands, then come join us! Forest Society of Maine (FSM) is a statewide land trust conserving Maine’s forests to sustain their ecological, economic, cultural, and recreational values.
Read more about the position and how you can apply on our
Jessica Masse is the Managing Partner at Designlab, a design and branding firm in Millinocket, Maine. Prior to joining Designlab, she was an Information Analyst at the Jackson Laboratory, managed a research lab in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at Harvard Medical School, and was an adjunct Instructor of Chemistry at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy. She attended Bowdoin College and the University of Maine. Jessica is originally from Caribou, Maine. Professionally, Jess maintains the 25/75 “good neighbor” rule, devoting 25% of her time to pro-bono work, supporting initiatives that prioritize rural economic development and have long-term impact on Maine. Jess is a founding member of Katahdin Revitalization, a member of Our Katahdin BOD (redeveloping the former mill site, One North, in Millinocket), a member of the Eastern Maine Development Corporation BOD, and the Vice-Chair of the Maine Arts Commission. Jess was also a member of the Governor-appointed Economic Recovery Committee and a member of the Maine EDA Project Advisory Committee in conjunction with Northeastern University’s Global Resilience Institute.
Kyle Burdick is a Maine Licensed Forester, SAF Certified Forester, and owner of Forest Geek LLC. Based in Lee, Maine, Kyle has spent nearly two decades managing investment, conservation, and family-owned forestlands throughout eastern Maine and the Northeast. Kyle has built a career focused on sustainable forest management, timber harvesting, forest certification, woodland investment, and emerging carbon markets. Over the course of his career, he has overseen management activities on more than 200,000 acres of Maine forestland, sold over one million tons of timber, and advised on the acquisition of more than 24,000 acres of forestland. He also managed the first carbon project established on commercial timberland in Maine. Prior to starting his own consulting business, Kyle was most recently the vice president of Baskahegan Company, worked as a contract forester for Lyme Timber and served as both a forester and contract forester for the Downeast Lakes Land Trust. Kyle has more than 18 years of experience administering and implementing forest certification programs, including FSC, SFI, and American Tree Farm standards. He is also pursuing certification as a Master Pesticide Applicator. Kyle is a past Chair of the Maine Division of the Society of American Foresters and a past Chair of the Maine Tree Farm Committee. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Maine Woodland Owners, is a member of the Outcome Based Forestry Panel, and remains active with the Forest Stewards Guild, Project SHARE, and the Maine Tree Farm Program as an inspector and facilitator. Through his professional work and volunteer leadership, Kyle remains committed to ensuring that Maine’s forests continue to provide economic, environmental, and community benefits for generations to come.
September 22, 2026