Success Stories - Kentucky Extension Reporting System

Fiscal Year: 2025

2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Jul 1, 2024 - Jun 30, 2025

Success StoriesKentucky Extension Reporting System

Invasive Plant Control Program

Author: Brandon Sears

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

Invasive plants have major biological, economical and aesthetic impacts on Kentucky by degrading native habitats, decreasing the richness of native species and contributing to the loss of biodiversity. Also, invasive plants may negatively affect the state’s economy when they effect forestry and agriculture production. Additionally, the removal of invasive plants typically requires a significant investment of time and money. Questions or concerns about controlling invasive plants is a

Full Story

Northern Kentucky Public Workers Tree Seminar

Author: DJ Scully

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

Northern Kentucky Public Workers Tree Seminar

Many public works employees are the ones tasked with on-the-ground tree care efforts. The Northern Kentucky Urban and Community Forestry Council and the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service provide our local public workers with an informative seminar at a low cost to cover a wide range of topics relating to tree care, management, and safety. While geared toward public works, this event is also open to tree board members, local tree care companies, and the public.The seminar was h

Full Story

Harlan County Master Logger Education

Author: Jeremy Williams

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

Harlan County is comprised of 259,784 acres of forest land, with 93% privately owned. Kentucky’s timber industry relies heavily on Certified Master Loggers to maintain a robust timber economy. Without certification, loggers cannot perform their jobs or meet industry objectives. Certified Master Loggers must receive six hours of continuing education credits every three years to maintain their certification.In response to this need, the Harlan County Agriculture and Natural Resources agent c

Full Story

Maple Day at Hitchel Farms

Author: Gregory Comer

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

Native Americans made maple sap into maple sugar long before the Europeans arrived in America. U.S. consumers are demanding more natural, chemical free food sources. Thus, a rebirth of tapping trees for maple syrup in Kentucky. Hitchel Farms started making maple syrup about 5 years and is currently the only maple syrup producer in Ohio Co. Maple Day was created as an educational and celebration event centered around how maple syrup is produced. The program is coordinated statewide by the Un

Full Story

Maple Syrup Production

Author: Jeremy Williams

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

Kentucky's abundant maple trees present an opportunity for landowners to diversify their income and contribute to local economic growth through maple syrup production.The Harlan County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Kentucky Maple Syrup Association collaborated to provide educational programs on maple syrup production. These programs included a Backyard Maple Syrup program at the Kentucky Maple Syrup School and another held in Harlan County.   A total

Full Story

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

Full Story

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

Full Story

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

Full Story

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

Full Story

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

Full Story

Showing 1 to 10 of 10 entries

Show entries

College Resources

Contact Information

Craig Wood, Ph.D
Acting Associate Dean & Director
UK Cooperative Extension Service

College Resources

Contact Information

Craig Wood, Ph.D
Acting Associate Dean & Director
UK Cooperative Extension Service

Search the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment