According to Kentucky Agriculture Statistics, Clay County has 301,000 acres of total land mass with 263,849 acres that is forested.  Seventy percent of the forested land is controlled by private land owners but not actively managed for timber, recreation or wildlife.  The Kentucky Division of Forestry reports that 67% of the measured timber is Grade 3 or below.  

With this in mind, Clay County was able to host the Getting to Know Your Woodlands:  Next Steps Webinar Series in February and March.  The program was a five night, 1 1/2 hour program on topics that would be beneficial to private woodland owners.  The topics were Woodland Management, Understanding the Financial Aspects of Woodland Management, More than Timber: Income Opportunities from Non-timber Forest Products, Launching your Woodland Legacy: Intact, In Forest and In Family Ownership and the series was closed out with UK and Kentucky Forest Officials talking about Kentucky Forest and Wildlife Assistance.  The Webinars were conducted via Blackboard and Zoom, partnering with University of Kentucky and other Forestry Extension Units from the Southeastern United States.

Clay County had 5 landowners attend the sessions representing over 1500 acres of forested land.  Two master loggers attended 4 sessions and received continuing education hours because of their attendance.

Evaluations from the webinars showed that Clay County participants gained knowledge about their woodlands.  One land owner indicated that he was going to see a professional about passing his forested land on to his children.  Another was exploring some non-timber uses for his forested land.

Long-term impacts from this program will result in participants' enhanced ability to address a variety of woodland related issues, resulting in increased revenue, increased productivity and improved woodland health.  These benefits occur to the individual, their county, and our Commonwealth.