‘Voice of Forestry’ builds AFA brand
May/June 2015
70th AFA Annual Meeting, October 6-8, features ArborGen CEO, ‘Dr. Deer’
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n 2009, AFA established the following vision: The Arkansas Forestry Association strives to be the respected leader and credible information source for all issues related to forestry.
To build on this vision, the AFA Communications Committee brainstormed ideas and voted for a tag line to accompany the association’s logo to serve as a concise description of AFA’s vision as well as a compelling picture of how we want internal and external audiences to perceive our brand. The committee members voted and the top two were presented to the AFA Executive Committee, which approved “Voice of Forestry.” “All of our efforts, activities and programs support AFA being the Voice of Forestry,” said AFA Executive Vice President Max Braswell. “Whether we’re working with lawmakers, landowners, the media, educators or the general public, our goal is to advocate on our members’ behalf—be their voice.” Since 1947, AFA has been the only nonprofit organization that represents the entire forestry community. AFA’s mission is to advocate for favorable public policy that contributes to the sustainable use and sound stewardship of Arkansas’s forests and related resources to benefit members of the state’s forestry community and all Arkansans today and in the future.
n 1945, a small group of Arkansans involved in the forest products industry met formally for the first time to discuss their most pressing concerns. The group went on to establish the Arkansas Wood Products Association in 1947. This year, AFA will hold its 70th Annual Meeting, October 6-8, at the Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa in Hot Springs. Recreational activities on Tuesday include golf and skeet and trap shooting, leading up to a forest management workshop, forester ethics training, a board of director meeting and ArborGen Opening Reception in the exhibit area. The general session on Wednesday kicks off with a keynote address by Andrew Baum, ArborGen president and CEO. He will address increasing supply and volume through better genetics.
“Building Your Own Deer Factory.” Learn more about Dr. Kroll at www.drdeer.com. The Deltic Bluegrass and BBQ event will again be held at the Hot Springs Farmers and Artisans Market and will feature Baggo and a gun drawing. On Thursday morning, the meeting will conclude after AFA honors a select group of individuals for their contributions to forestry at the awards breakfast. Look for additional information in the coming weeks and be sure to put the 70th AFA Annual Meeting on your calendar. If you would like to be a meeting sponsor and/or exhibitor, please contact Jennifer Lambert Johnson at jjohnson@arkforests. org or (501) 374-2441.
Rounding out the morning will be Barry Shiver, with Smarter Forestry in Georgia, who will speak on the actual forestry methods and applications related to improved seedlings and a panel that will discuss issues related to demand, delivery and sustainability. U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman has been invited to speak during lunch on his first months in office and issues impacting forestry, which will provide the foundation for an afternoon panel on government issues, particularly the Endangered Species Act and its impact on forest management. Wrapping up the day will be Dr. James Kroll, aka “Dr. Deer,” a renowned wildlife management expert, who will present
Above: Networking opportunities like the BBQ are always popular and well attended. Right: Dr. James Kroll will share information on “Building Your Own Deer Factory.”
Employment opportunities good for natural resource grads Provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
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uring the next five years, U.S. college graduates will find good employment opportunities if they have expertise in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources, or the environment. Between 2015 and 2020, we expect to see 57,900 average annual openings for graduates with bachelor’s or higher degrees in those areas. According to projections, almost half of the opportunities will be in management and business. Another 27% will be in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Jobs in sustainable food and biomaterials production will make up 15%, while 12% of the openings will be in education, communication, and governmental services.
CALENDAR May 28 South Central Arkansas Log A Load For Kids Golf Tournament Glenwood Country Club May 30 South Central Arkansas Log A Load For Kids Event Arkadelphia June 9 Governmental Affairs 10 a.m. - AFA Office June 15-19 Teacher Conservation Tour June 18 Tree Farmer Conference Benton
The projections in this report are based on data from several sources. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 10.8% increase in the U.S. labor force between 2012 and 2022 due to job growth and openings. We expect employment opportunities in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources, and environmental occupations to grow more than 5% in the next five years for people with bachelor’s or higher degrees. Expect the strongest job market for plant scientists, food scientists, sustainable biomaterials specialists, water resources scientists and engineers, precision agriculture specialists, and farm-animal veterinarians. Also, we expect to see a strong employment market for e-commerce managers and marketing agents, ecosystem managers, agriscience educators, crop advisors and pest control specialists.
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o provide the state’s certified Tree Farmers an opportunity to network and learn more about forest management practices and the American Tree Farm Certification Standards, the Arkansas Tree Farm Committee is hosting a Tree Farmer Conference on Thursday, June 18, 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the Gene Moss Building, 913 E Sevier St., in Benton. The cost to attend is $25 and includes lunch and materials. 8 a.m.
Registration
8:30 a.m.
Welcome
8:45 a.m.
Tree Farm Program Update Highlights of the 2015-2020 Tree Farm Standards, management plan requirements and the 2016 Tree Farm Program assessment.
9:15 a.m.
Tree Farmer of the Year 2014 Tree Farmer of the Year John McClellan will discuss what this designation means to him and his family.
August 10 Program Committee 10 a.m. - Hot Springs August 27 Executive Committee 10 a.m. - AFA Office October 6-8 70th AFA Annual Meeting Hot Springs
College graduates with the aforementioned expertise are essential to address food security, sustainable energy, and environmental quality. Graduates in these specialties not only are expected to provide answers and leadership to meet these growing challenges, but they also must exert global leadership in providing sustainable food systems, adequate water resources, and renewable energy in a world of population growth and climate change.
Conference designed for Tree Farmers
June 18-20 InWoods Expo July 28 Forest Practices 9:30 a.m. - AFA Office
Employers in some food, agriculture, renewable natural resources, and environment areas will struggle to find enough graduates to fill jobs. An average of 35,400 new U.S. graduates with expertise in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources, or the environment are expected to fill 61% of the expected 57,900 average annual openings.
9:30 a.m.
Selling Your Trees Pete Prutzman, Kingwood Forestry As the forest products market continues to rebound, woodland owners may be considering harvesting trees. Knowing how
to market products correctly can make a substantial difference in your financial return. 10:15 a.m.
Break
10:50 a.m. Managing for Wildlife Jeff Taverner, Arkansas Game & Fish Commission Information on managing for wildlife and where to get financial assistance through cost-share programs. 11:30 a.m. Insects & Disease Caroll Guffey, UA Coop. Extension Service Insects and diseases are always present in our forests. Caroll will discuss the most pressing problems in the state. Noon Lunch Sponsored and Provided by Farm Credit Services 1:30 p.m.
InWoods Expo
Conference participants are invited to attend to the InWoods Expo with a complimentary pass, including VIP parking and Expo welcome. For more information, look online at www.arkforests.org/event/ tfconference or contact Jennifer Lambert Johnson at jjohnson@arkforests.org or (501) 374-2441.
Clippert inducted posthumously into Forestry Hall of Fame
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n May 5, during the registered foresters’ meeting in Ferndale, the family of George H. Clippert received a plaque honoring him as a 2015 inductee in Arkansas Forestry Hall of Fame. There have been only 20 honorees since the Hall of Fame was established by Arkansas Division of the Society of American Foresters in 1994. George Clippert was President of Southern Pulpwood Company in Camden for more than 50 years. He was also past President of AFA. In 1999, George and his wife Maxine made the largest single donation in the history of the University of Arkansas at Monticello to establish the George H. Clippert Endowed Chair in Forestry. His legacy continued in 2008 as the Clippert family presented another generous gift to finance new construction/renovation of the forest resources complex which became the George H. Clippert Forest Resources Annex. Election to the Hall of Fame is the highest honor and recognition of professional service to forestry. Congratulations to the Clippert family.
George H. Clippert was recently inducted posthumously into the Arkansas Forestry Hall of Fame. Left to right: Susan Clippert (David’s wife), David Clippert (son of George and Maxine), Maxine Clippert (George’s widow) and Nancy Clippert Broach (George and Maxine’s daughter).
AFA President Prutzman honored with alumni award
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eter W. “Pete” Prutzman, a native of Reading, PA, was recognized as one of four recipients of the 2015 Outstanding Alumni Award from the Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) Forest Resources Alumni Group. The award was presented in April at the Forest Resources Alumni Group banquet in State College, Pennsylvania. Pete earned his B.S. in Forest Science in 1977. He is currently President and co-owner of Kingwood Forestry Services, Inc., a firm that manages over 150,000 acres of private, nonindustrial timberland, plus an additional 110,000 acres for institutional owners in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. Pete is considered an expert on timber and timberland appraisal and marketing, with Kingwood Forestry serving as seller’s agent in the sale of over 160,000 acres of timberland in past ten years. Pete worked for the U. S. Forest Service 1976 -1978 on Gifford Pinchot National
Pete is a Registered Forester in Arkansas and Oklahoma. He served five years on the Arkansas Board of Registration for Foresters and as Chairman in 2005.
(Left to right) Peter W. Prutzman with Dr. Michael Messina, head of the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at Penn State. Forest (in Washington State) and Allegheny National Forest, Ridgway District. He then moved to Arkansas, accepting a position with Davis Forestry. Kingwood Forestry Services, Inc. was founded in 1983 with Jim Foster, Glen Dabney, and Pete as owners. Kingwood now has 18 full-time employees in three offices—Arkadelphia and Monticello, Arkansas and Texarkana, Texas.
Pete serves on the Board of Directors of Forest Landowners Association. He is on the Board of Directors of the Arkansas Forestry Association (AFA) since 1995 and is current President of AFA (20142016). Long active in the Society of American Foresters, Pete was elected Fellow in 2006. He is a member of the Association of Consulting Foresters and is a past Chair of the Arkansas Chapter. Pete’s community involvement includes Boy Scouts of America Cubmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster (Pete and son Steve are both Eagle Scouts); past President of the Arkadelphia Rotary Club, sports, music, and active in his church. He has been active in Log A Load For Kids for many years. An American Tree Farm Inspector for more than 30 years, Pete and his family own and manage two small Tree Farm properties.
DataScout:
Meeting data demands of the timber industry and beyond
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he data-driven era has become part of daily life. From social media to grocery shopping, data is constantly gathered and distributed amongst countless industries to make better business decisions. One of the largest sectors in the data industry is real property information. Foresters, real estate brokers, and others in the timber industry constantly search for up-to-date sales of comparable properties and adjacent ownership information. Data-driven companies such as DataScout, LLC, have been able to assist the demand and develop products that aggregate many forms of data into one convenient search portal. Our product, DataScoutPro.com, allows users to thoroughly search over 2.6 million Arkansas real property ownership records, tax information, document images and parcel level mapping in all 75 counties. Some of the timber industries prominent businesses speak of their success from using data driven companies such as DataScoutPro.com. Suzie McAllister of
Neeley Forestry Service, Inc., said she has used the site to, “find adjacent landowners to gain access for logging and let landowners know of land we have for sale in the county.” While Tim Kibe at Green Bay Packing, Inc. said, “We identify who owns a specific tract of land that might need some assistance in managing their timber.” Lastly, Zach Thicksten of Davis BuBose Knight Forestry & Real Estate, PLLC said, “The ability to access digital ownership information on the fly enables our team to accurately identify adjacent
landowners, ensuring that they are the first to know about an upcoming ownership opportunity.” Data-driven companies are constantly evolving to continually meet the demand of the timber industry, saving time and money. DataScout,LLC is a Web-based data solutions provider, offering the timber industry bulk data services, custom GIS and web application development, GIS mapping and other IT related services. For more information, visit www. DataScoutPro.com.