Future foresters and agricultural leaders from 4H and FFA programs around East Texas will gather at Attoyac Farm near San Augustine, Texas to compete in the Upper Neches Woodland Clinic on April 1, 2015.
Winners of the forestry contests held locally by Soil and Water Conservation Districts advance to the Woodland Clinic, sponsored by the Texas Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Texas Forestry Association.
“The clinics are designed to provide a real-life scope of the skills needed in maintaining the best woodlands possible in Texas,” said Ron Hufford, executive director of TFA. “This is great preparation for careers in forestry or timber, a major industry in Texas.”
At the competitions, students will compete in a variety of skills such as pine identification, hardwood identification, forage-wildlife relationships, tree measurements and volume determination, compass and pacing, site management concerns, and site productivity. The winners will advance to the State Woodland Clinic held April 22, 2015.
TFA’s Educational Fund provides cash scholarships to the high-scoring junior or senior participant at each of the three district competitions, providing $2,000 for the senior winner and $1,500 for the junior.
“The participants’ passion for forestry and the outdoors could eventually lead to advances in technology and development in sustaining Texas forests,” Hufford continued. “We are proud to be part of making that a possibility.”
TFA’s Texas Forest Landowners’ Council provides a cash scholarship to the high-scoring participant at the state level.
New to this year’s competition, TFA will provide drawings for the adult leaders present at the State Woodland Clinic for Travelling Trunks, tree-trunk shaped coolers filled with contest supplies. “Without these leaders, we would not be able to see such a tremendous impact for forestry with these students,” said Hufford. “We appreciate all they do to help prepare these students for the clinics and for a future in forestry.”
For more information, contact your local 4-H or FFA administrators or your local Soil and Water Conservation representative.
PHOTO:
4H Team Winners hold their plaque and pause for a picture after the standings were announced at the 2014 State Woodland Clinic.
