Forests are very important to Kentucky both environmentally and economically.  Nearly half of the commonwealth is forested.  The economic impact of the forest products industry in Kentucky is nearly 14 billion dollars annually.  The Whitley County ANR agent regularly conducts forestry trainings.  These trainings span a gambit from elementary school classrooms to professional logger workshops.  Often programs are presented at 4H Camp.  One particular 4H camper took a special interest in the forestry class he took.  He later said that that tree identification class at Feltner 4H camp caused him to decide on majoring in forestry at the University of Kentucky.  The Whitley County ANR agent has had continuing contact with this student as he pursued his professional degree.  The student participated in the Win With Wood contest at RCARS multiple years.  As a college student he  assisted the Whitley County ANR agent with the Kentucky Wood Expo forest landowner education program.  After successfully completing his forestry degree, he entered the education field teaching in the classroom for a while.  Currently he is employed by the University of Kentucky Department of Forestry and Natural Resources as the assistant program director of the Kentucky Master Logger Program.