Spring Meeting April 12

The spring meeting of the Neshoba County Forestry Association will be held at the Neshoba County Coliseum, beginning at 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 12. We have two program possibilities: We hope to have a speaker from the new Mississippi Children's Museum. This project of the Jr. League of Jackson, is one of the premier children's museum in the nations, and is already a huge hit. My grandchildren visited during spring break. The museum was alive with children, all of whom were having a blast. The Mississippi Forestry Association is a sponsor. We committed $250,000 and only lack $29,000 paying our commitment. We have a major exhibit at the museum. It is a mock up of a tree farm being harvested. Children can "cut" foam rubber trees with a toy chain saw, then climb aboard a loader and turn cranks and move levers to lift the log with a grapnel and deposit it on a log deck. "Static" parts of the exhibit show how forests grow and tell all about different forest types and trees that grow in Mississippi. The museum is filled with similar exhibits all about Mississippi, the people who live there, and the work they do. The people from the Children's Museum have a very tight speaking schedule, and there is some doubt that they can make our meeting. As an alternative, I have asked Butch Bailey, MSU Forestry Extension, to present a program on the MFA- sponsored Teachers Conservation Workshops. For 48 years, the MFA has been sponsoring these week-long teachers' camps. We now hold two each summer -- one at Northeast Mississippi Community College at Booneville and another at Jones County Jr. College in Ellisville. I have been on the staff at these workshops for about 20 years, and Butch has been on the staff of the south workshop for many years. Teachers visit forest industries, a tree farm, tree nursery, logging sites, learn about soil and water quality and how loggers work to protect these resources. They learn about timber cruising, and form teams of "timber buyers" and cruise a small block of timber and submit competitive bids for a mock timber sale. A complete Project Learning Tree Workshop is part of the week's agenda. Teachers can earn five Continuing Education Units (CEU's) or three hours college credit by attending this workshop. Five CEU's is enough for a teacher with a Master's Degree to renew his/her teaching license for five years, so this is a BIG deal. Several teachers from this area have attended. Teachers can attend a TCW only once each five years. A local teacher attended five years ago and applied to attend again this coming summer. The NCFA board voted to sponsor him. The MFA pioneered teacher workshops. Other states followed Mississippi's lead, and these workshops are now help all over the nation. Butch Bailey takes photos of teachers in action and presents a very humorous "The Week That Was" wrap-up program at the conclusion of each workshop. Butch has many excellent photos and will use these to present an informative and entertaining program if he is our speaker.

Extension Forestry Programs

Following is a list of Short Courses, Workshops and Evening Programs available from Miss. State Extension Service. For a description, contact County Agent Mike Reed.

Short Courses

Profitable Marketing and Harvesting of Timber
Forest Regeneration: An Investment in the Future
Introduction to Woodland Mnaagement
Forest and Wildlife Management for Profit and Recreation
How to Manage your Pine Plantation
Introduction to Hardwood Management
Forest Investment Analysis
Timber Tax Fundamentals
Forest Herbicides
Longleaf Pine Management

Workshops

Global Positioning System (GPS)
Forestry for Baby Boomers
Forest Certification
Tree Identification
Tree Farm
Pine Thinning

Evening Programs

Tree Farm Update
Timber Tax Update
Biomass and Energy

Minutes from Sept. 9, 2010 Board Meeting

Members present were: Joe Spinks, Chad Grantham, Willie Jackson, Robert Baskin, James Paul Mason, Arvis Eldridge, Bob Henson, Jackie McKee, Rayford Williamson, Mary Maruvia, Harold Anderson, Debbie Webb, David Moody and D.D. Jackson. Also present were the county agent, Mike Reed and Priscilla Williamson from the NRCS.

The meeting was called to order by the president, Bob Henson, the minutes of the January 28, 2010 meeting were read by the secretary, Willie Jackson, and stood approved after no corrections were noted. Debbie Webb, treasurer, gave a financial report stating that the association had $3,079.73 in the checking account as of August 31, 2010.

President Henson stated that the annual county forestry association meeting would be held at Thursday, October 28 at the Coliseum, with Dr. Randy Rousseau from MSU presenting a program on biomass and bioenergy. President Henson also stated that the 50 year old family tree farms in the county would be recognized and presented with a sign at the annual meeting. The association should be receiving a $100 grant from the Tree Farm Program for this project. President Henson appointed Harold Anderson, Chad Grantham and Willie Jackson to give a report recommeding new officers and directors at the annual meeting.

The following events and dates were called to the attention of the group:
1. Mississippi Forestry Assoication Convention, October 13 and 14 in Hattiesburg.
2. Firewise Forestry Program, October 22 at the coliseum.

There being no further business, the meeting was declared adjourned.

Willie Jackson, Secretary

Financial Report

Beginning Balance 8-31-10 $3,079.73 Income 450.00 Interest Earned 1.56 Misc. Wal-Mart Donation 500.00 1/12/2011 from sponsors Henson, B&G Equip 450.00 Total Income 1,401.29 Total Cash on Hand 1,481.29 EXPENSES Annual Meeting Expenses Vowell's (94.35) 10/28/2010 Williams Bros. (507.88) 10/28/10 Harvin Hudson (slaw) (42.80) 10/28/2010 Jerry Smith (70.00) 10/28/10 In Sports (32.99) 10/28/10 Tot. Annual Meeting (748.02) Board Meeting Mike Reed (20.22) 09/09/10 Elsie cumberland (6.55) 09/09/10 Tot. Board Meeting (26.77) Total Expenses (774.79) Cash on Hand 1/24/11 -- 3,706.50 PENDING: CHECK FOR $100.00 FOR 50TH ANNIVERSARY SIGNS (TREE FARM PROGRAM)

Agenda for Board Meeting on Jan 25, 2011

Welcome -- Harold Anderson, NCFA President
Financial Report -- Debbie Webb, Treasurer (entered in a separate post)
Minutes -- Willie Jackson (entered in a separate post).
NCFA Annual Meeting --

April 5th or 12th? Tentative set for April 12
Time 6:00 p.m., Nesh. Coliseum
Program Ideas

Cogongrass Suppression, Southern pine Beetle Cost Share Program, Wood Pellets, Pine Plantation Thinning Cost-Share Program, Others?

We have already had programs on the above topics, so two others were suggested -- MFA pres. Roy West is now working for Kior, which is putting in a plant at Columbus to make synthetic petroleum from wood. Randy Rouseau went into the technical aspect of this at our last meeting, but it would be good for Roy to talk to us about the progress of the project, and how it will impact timber markets.

Another program was for Dick Molpus to talk to us about the future of the sawlog market, considering high supply and poor demand.

(Note: Roy West's program is the first choice, with Molpus's being second. Harold Anderson will contact West about presenting the program. If he is unable, Joe Spinks will contact Molpus.

Suggested that we invite a local teacher who has attended the MFA's Teachers Conservation Workshop to come to the spring meeting and give a short presentation about his/her experience.

Tree farm Program -- Certification standards revised in 2010

CFA District Leadership Workshops -- February 24th 5:oo p.m., Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Newton

2011 MFA/CFA Legislative Luncheon -- March 3, Jackson. THE NCFA VOTED TO BE A SPONSOR FOR $250

Report from other Agencies

FSA and NRCS -- very little to report. Forestry programs are not very active at this time.

MFC -- business as usual. Expecting 8-10 percent budget cuts, but thinks they can keep operating without layoffs.

Project Learning Tree --Had another good year. Trained 708 students in 2010. Goal is to train 400. 43 Workshops held statewide in Universities, Colleges, Junior Colleges, Nature Centers and public and private schools. Harold will lead "A Walk in the Woods" for senior citizens at Plymouth Bluff Environmental Center, Columbus fro 2 - 3:30 on March 23. Invited everyone to attend.

Reader thank-you letter from Jake Luke, who received the Neshoba County Forestry and Cattleman's scholarship.

Minutes of January 28, 2010 Board Meeting

Present were: Ferrell Alexander, Harvin Hudson, Bob Henson, Bill Gilley, Harold Anderson, Joe Spinks, Robert Baskin, Ross Williamson, Steve Cumberland, Mary Meruvia, James Paul Mason, Willie Jackson, Kent Stribling and Brad Cain.

The meeting was called to order by the president, Bob Henson. The minutes of the Sept. 2, 2009 meeting were read and stood approved after no corrections were noted. Debbie Webb, NCFA treasurer, gave a financial report. County Agent Harven Hudson stated that Walmart had given a $1,000 educational grant to the NCFA

The following events were scheduled for the spring.

1. CFA District Leadership Workshop, Feb 1, Newton County Coastal Plain Experiment Sta.
2. Timber Tax Workshop -- Dr. Debbie Gaddis -- Feb 23, Coliseum
3. 2010 MFA/CFA Legislative Luncheon, March 3, Jackson
4. NCFA Annual Meeting -- Butch Baily, Southern Pine Beetle Cost-share Program and Dr. Andy Londo, Pine Plantation Cost-share Program, April 6, Coliseum
5. There being no further business, the meeting was declared adjourned

Board Meeting Agenda Sept. 9, 2010

Welcome -- Bob Henson, President
Financial Report -- Debbie Webb, Treasurer
Minutes -- Willie Jackson, Sec.
NCFA Forestry Field Day
Set Date, time, location
Program
- Pine plantation thinning cost share program -- Dr. Andy Londo
- Forestry Biomass and Bioenergy -- Dr. randy Rousseau
- Ms Tree Farm Program
- Wood Pellets -- Wayne Tucker
- ??????
Purchase of fish cooker
Firewise Forestry Program - October 22, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Report from other agencies -- FSA, NRCS, MFC
Other items.