When you hear the words “firewood operation,” you may envision large, desolate sections of land absent of hickory, oak, and maple trees. That’s not the case here. As Reed looks over a tract of land they farmed for firewood in recent years, he bends down to point out oak and maple saplings flourishing on the forest floor.
Read MoreNearly 1,330 acres of the property has a long history of logger choice harvest and occasional wildfire. This left mostly small-to-medium saw timber with a large percentage of low quality, less desirable species. The family has been working to improve timber quality through cull tree removal and mid-story removal for regeneration.
Read MoreTreeSnap, new phone app developed by the University of Kentucky Forest Health Research Center and the University of Tennessee Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology for Android and iOS cell phones is designed to connect scientists with foresters, landowners and interested citizens in an effort to protect and restore the nation’s trees.
Read MoreIt’s taken eight years, but the hard work has finally paid off at Shelby Christmas Tree Farm & Nursery.
In 2008, Vivek Sarin and Ron Stella formed a partnership. Sarin owned a 4-acre field in Shelbyville but had no agricultural experience. Stella had farming experience but no land to put it to use.
Read MoreIt starts with a pinecone. Like any other seed, pine seeds must be pollinated and allowed to germinate before the possibility of growth can occur. External conditions, such as soil quality and weather must also be right for a new tree to take root. That process is surprisingly lengthy, sometimes taking a year or more.
Read MoreThe forestry sector plays a major role in Kentucky’s economy. The state has recently been hit hard by forest fires in the eastern and southern regions, and the damage will be felt statewide.
Read MoreWith 47 percent of Kentucky’s land in forest, it is no doubt that the Commonwealth has been a prime location for paper mills. In fact, paper production and finishing brought more than $5 billion to the Kentucky economy last year, according to the 2015 University of Kentucky Forestry Economic Impact Report.
Read MoreIn an effort to teach students the value of Kentucky’s vast woodland and forestry industry, Harlan County Farm Bureau (HCFB) implemented a plan last fall to reach all 5th graders in the county through a forestry field day.
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