Woods and Wildlife for your Wallet is a program that was developed in Greenup County after forestry training was identified as a need by a local community member.  A logic model was constructed by a group of local individuals and representatives from Cooperative Extension Service, Soil and Water Conservation District, Kentucky Department of Forestry and local FFA teachers. This group became a committee that formed partnerships to develop this training to educate landowners about the services available to them in our community. 

The goal of the Cooperative Extension Service is to encourage woodland landowners to become connected with services that can help them manage their woodland. It is also our goal to educate landowners about Timber and Wildlife Management and Non-Timber Forest Products.  The Woods and Wildlife for your Wallet program has become a connector between landowners and experts/educators in the field of forestry in Greenup and surrounding counties. The event also includes a vendor fair where landowners can meet service providers and discuss options one on one at the event.  

Survey feedback also identified a need was to target KY Master Loggers in our community.   Master Loggers are required to receive six hours of continuing education every 3 years.  Master Logger training are provided across the state but generally are located at least two hours away and a fee is involved in attending the training.    The committee wanted to make training more accessible and easier for loggers. 

The sessions were held at the local high school.  In the previous five years Greenup County Extension and Soil and Water Conservation held Woods and Wildlife for Your Wallet in conjunction with Kentucky Department of Forestry, University of Kentucky Forestry, KY Department of Fish and Wildlife, KY Woodland Owners Association and many local volunteers.  

All participants were surveyed and the results indicated that 70 percent of the individuals plan to implement a woodland management change they learned from the program.   Participants surveyed shared that they learned how to identify KY trees and invasive species and plan to work with KY Division of Forestry to develop a forestry plan for their woodlands.