HAWLEY — While chainsaws are an essential tool for landowners in managing their properties, improper use results in hundreds of injuries every year in the U.S.

This spring, the Massachusetts Forest Trust, a conservation education nonprofit, is holding two-day workshops on safe chainsaw operation for area landowners and tree farmers. These hands-on workshops, which normally cost $300 per person, are being offered at a reduced rate of $100 thanks to a grant from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation.

According to a notice from Massachusetts Forest Alliance Program Director Gregory Cox, topics that will be covered by instructor Bill Girard include personal protective equipment; chainsaw safety features and reactive forces; bore cutting; pre-planning the fell; understanding hinge wood strength; maximizing chainsaw performance through basic maintenance, carburetor setting and filing techniques; limbing and bucking techniques; and spring pole cutting.

“Learning to use a chainsaw safely is very important to help landowners care for their properties and avoid injuries,” Cox said in a statement. “Anyone can buy a saw, but that doesn’t mean they know how to use one safely.”

Workshops will be held at Cox Tree Farm in Hawley on May 20 and 21, and at Notchview Reservation in Windsor on June 17 and 18. They will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine, and are limited to nine participants each to allow for individual instruction. Participants must be at least 18 years old and in good physical condition.

Participants are advised to bring their own chainsaw to use, with a new chain, as well as safety equipment such as a hard hat, hearing protection, eye protection, boots, safety chaps and gloves. For participants who don’t have a chainsaw or safety equipment at the time of the workshop, there will be equipment available to use. Attendees are also advised to wear clothing with long sleeves and pants, and bring tick repellent as ticks are common in the woods at this time of year.

To sign up for one of these workshops, call Greg Cox at 413-339-5526 or email gcox@crocker.com by May 16.

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