The Rusk/Smith County Forest Landowners Association is sponsoring a meeting and field tour of two Smith County family tree farms on Thursday, November 5, 2009.
The association invites the public to learn more about forestry and their non-profit organization whose goal is to encourage and assist in the development of forestry in Rusk and Smith Counties.
The tour will start with registration at 8:30 AM and conclude following a catered barbecue lunch around noon. Cost to attend is $10 per person which includes lunch. Please note that minimal walking is required for this meeting. Attendees are encouraged to wear appropriate clothing for being in a forest setting and bring a lawn chair for resting during the presentations and at lunch.
The tour begins at M & M Tree Farm which is located on Smith County Road 26 (Jamestown Road). County Road 26 is located off of Smith County Road 246. County Road 246 can be accessed from State Highway 31 (8.1 miles west of Kilgore or 13.7 miles east of Tyler) or from State Highway 64 (1.7 miles west of Arp or 13.5 miles east of Tyler).At 10 AM the tour will move to the Wayne Lacy Tree Farm which is located on Smith County Road 223 (Old Omen Road) approximately 5 miles south of the M & M tree Farm.
Presentations and speakers for the field day include: Stream Side Management Strategies by Hap Hachtel (CJT and Associates); Successful Pine Seedling Planting by Justin Penick (Acron Outdoor Services, Inc.); Thinning Pine Plantations by Mike Hartman (Carter, Johns & Hartman, LLP); and Regeneration Strategies, Use of Seed Trees by James Houser (Consulting Foresters, LLC.).For more information or to RSVP please contact Mark Walters at mwalters@wildblue.net or 903-983-1765 by November 3.
