Extension
It Starts With Us
Forestry Education
Sustainable Agriculture Practices
Harned
Forestry Industry Education
Sustainable Agriculture
Farm Management
Local Food Systems
Due to several factors, including the turn-over in ownership of many farms as the original owner is no longer able to or wants to continue farming, the large number of forested acres in the county that is getting to the point of having economically harvestable commercial timber on them, several highly visible logging jobs along major roadways, a new saw mill setting up operations and others, the Ag Advisory Council identified forestry education programs as a high priority need in the next several years. This would include expanding the use of the forested land with crops or activities considered non-traditional and with an eye towards sustainability going forward into the future.
The nature of forest and woodlands have been as long term economic assets that traditionally produces significant income for the property owner about once every 3 generations or so when mature timber is harvested and sold. This programming will not change that fact but can help improve and increase the management of the tree stand towards helping maximize that income when the time comes to harvest the timber. And maybe just as or more importantly, they should help increase the opportunities to generate additional, non-traditional revenue in the ensuing years and do both in ecologically and environmentally responsible manners, safely.
In the upcoming years following these programming efforts, it is expected that woodland property owners would implement some of the possible income and/or environmentally sustainable undertakings that they were exposed to at these educational programs. By doing so, these would produce additional income from the farm and do so in a manner that would help protect the water sources on the property and the land itself.
The attendees should gain knowledge and skills to make decisions and start to implement certain ventures and endeavors that they may not have thought they could, or may not have known about, as viable alternatives to or in conjunction with growing timber. They should also gain the knowledge of how to do this in sustainable and environmentally friendly manners.
Initial Outcome:
Indicator: The number of landowners/attendees who put one or more of the presented economic enterprises into action
Method: Personal contact over time
Timeline: 1-3 years
Intermediate Outcome: Having early success at implementing successfully, financially and ecologically, the projects that they undertake as a result of attending the programs
Indicator: Number of projects started and continuing
Method: Personal contacts
Timeline: 3-10 years
Long-term Outcome: Producing sufficient additional income to enable them to have an increased standard of living and have a clean, sustainable environment in which to do so.
Indicator: On-farm income in excess of what it would have been without the programs and clean water and healthy environment on the farm.
Method: Personal contact and comparisons to properties that did not implement any of the suggestions that were presented.
Timeline: 10-80 years
Audience: Woodland owners
Project or Activity: Field Day(s), dedicated programs
Content or Curriculum: Firewood types and BTUs; woodland crops, i.e. mushrooms, mast crops, herbs, etc.; wood pellets; managing for timber; utilizing the woods for livestock, i.e finishing hogs on acorns; on-farm saw milling of lumber; etc.
Inputs: Forestry Dept. Specialists; KDF personnel; Extension agents; local woodland owner
Date: 2016 - 2017
Audience: People who actively use chainsaws
Project or Activity: Part of a larger farm safety program/mini field day
Content or Curriculum: Chainsaw safety, operation, maintenance
Inputs: Local farm store personnel; chainsaw company personnel; Extension agents; local land owner
Date: 2016 -2017
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