Work and Meetings

This week started with firebreaks being cleaned out.  We are going to burn 125 acres next week if the weather cooperates.  Nic Jordan with the Alabama Forestry Commission is the best and deserves an award because of his commitment to doing a good job. 

The next day I was in Birmingham for a State Wildlife Committee meeting at the Farmers Federation Commodity Organizational meetings.  One speaker spoke on the best trap doors to use to catch wild hogs.  The next speaker spoke on the black bears in Alabama and how there are probable more than we know.  He told about several bears that they  had worked with to try to help them survive.  The last speaker spoke on Whitetail deer and the research Auburn University is doing at the deer research facility.  The next day I had a major pre-commercial thinning project started.  The pines are too thick and we are trying to cut down on competition.

Before thinning.

After thinning, more sunlight comes through and not only helps the trees grow but it helps the wildlife have more browse.

This is what the ground looks like after the machine has gone through the trees and cut them down.  The mulch helps keep the water clean and makes for no erosion.  

The next day we had a meeting with Tree Farm at Auburn University put together by Dr. Salem Saloom on Private Family Forest advocacy.  Melissa Moeller with the American Forestry Foundation in Washington DC was the main speaker for the seminar.   The meeting started with dinner at the Auburn University Conference Center.  The meetings started the next morning at breakfast at the Forestry and Wildlife Science Building.

Melissa Moeller and Dr. Salem Saloom

Dr. James Shepard, Dean of the School of Forestry and Wildlife Science, is a great asset to Alabama.  He is such a worker wanting to help the people of this state.

The Speaker of the House in Alabama, Mike Hubbard, spoke about forestry issues and gave his support for forestry and what we are doing to make Alabama a Great State.  Tom Saunders and Chris Isaacson with the Alabama Forestry Association also spoke on Alabama forestry issues.

Dr. Shepard had graduate students do posters on their research projects so we could see what is going on as far as research in forestry and wildlife.  This was very interesting.

That night at the Conference Center was the forestry awards banquet.  Dr. Shepard put his support behind this and made it a great success.  A huge plaque was unveiled at the meeting with all of the names of the  former Helene Mosley Award winners.  This will hang in the School of Forestry and Wildlife Science Building  at Auburn.  It is such an honor to be on that board with other great individuals that love and care for our natural resources.

It was a good two days visiting and spending time with old friends and meeting and making new friends.  Looking forward to next year!