Success Stories By MajorProgram FY2025Jul 1, 2024 - Jun 30, 2025





Campus Wood Program Continues to Give New Life to Old Trees (Managing and Upcycling Trees Removed From Our Campus Urban Forest

Author: Chad Niman

Major Program: Forest Education: Health, Management, and Utilization

There is an abundance of urban wood in any city that ends up in a landfill or is underutilized. With our large and very mature canopy on UK campus trees are needing to be removed for many reasons, but life/health/safety take priority. The cross-campus collaboration between Forestry, Architecture, Fine Arts, campus Arborists, the Office of Sustainability and others continues to make strides in utilizing trees that must be removed for public safety and construction purposes. The Campus Wood P

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Quality Forest and Wood Industry Program Training in Hardwood Markets and Grading Systems Saves/Earns Wood Industry $8.9 Million in 2023

Author: Chad Niman

Major Program: Forest Education: Health, Management, and Utilization

Hardwood grading systems provide a mechanism for agricultural products to be assessed and an economic value determined to conduct business. Training of employees and entrepreneurs to understand the details of grading systems is vital to a company staying in business. Only a few trainings of this nature are available in the region each year and the cost of training is quite expensive. In 2023, 2 programs were delivered covering hardwood grading systems, hardwood lumber inspection, cant produ

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White Oak Barrel Stave Seasoning and Degrade Assistance Continues- Over $50 Million Saved/Earned as Stave Drying Study Completed at the Wood Utilization Center in Breathitt County KY (RCARS)

Author: Chad Niman

Major Program: Forest Education: Health, Management, and Utilization

The Bourbon industry has been booming in Kentucky and long-term availability of White oak wood for barrels is a concern for the industry. This has emphasized the importance of efficient utilization of the White oak wood that stave mills and cooperages have in inventory. UK Forestry and Natural Resources extension through our wood products team have been engaged in work with several large stave and cooperage facilities in Kentucky that were having significant moisture variation and breakage

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Ohio Valley Lumber Drying Association Celebrates 40 years of Providing Wood Drying Education

Author: Chad Niman

Major Program: Forest Education: Health, Management, and Utilization

Drying of lumber is a meticulous process that can be very costly if done incorrectly. Thus, the need for knowledgeable kiln operators is vital as society and workforce shift with retirement of many very knowledgeable operators.The Ohio Valley Lumber Drying Association celebrates 40 years of providing wood drying education throughout the Ohio Valley region and beyond. Two Ohio Valley Lumber Drying Association program meetings were hosted by University of Kentucky Forestry Extension personnel with

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Teens Survive in Nature

Author: Lacey Kessell

Major Program: Forest Education: Health, Management, and Utilization

Describe the Issue or Situation.During the Pandemic, National and State Parks such as the Great Smokey Mountain National Park, Daniel Boone National Forest, Red River Gorge all experienced record numbers of visitors at their parks which led to a major increase in Search and Rescue calls due to lost or injured visitors.  The demand put tremendous pressure an agencies responsible for visitor safety, to the point that they requested individuals not prepared or unfamiliar with the area stay hom

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