April Council Minutes

The Winston County Natural Resources Council met at the U. S. Forest Service Office in Double Springs on April 21st, 2011.  The following members were present:
John Creed, Mike Henshaw, LaVerne Matheson, James Burnett, Tom Counts, Allen Varner, Tony Avery, Chris Wright, Johnna Franks, Jim Hughes, and Ray Norris.

Johnna Franks reported that the balance in the treasury was $8,118.57.

Allen Varner with the Alabama Forestry Commission gave a program about the Landowner Conference that would include a Helene Mosley Award presentation.  He detailed the planning, implementation, evaluation and followup involved in a successful landowner program.  He said that the State Natural Resources Council would provide $3,000 for the program, and that there was an additional $650 dollars that had been applied for to support the program.  Registration for the program, marketing, organization, safety, logistics, food, and transportation were outlined, and later Council meetings will work out details of the landowner conference.  The site of the North Alabama Landowner Conference will be Bill and Jeanie Snoddy's TREASURE Forest, and it will be held on Friday, October 7, 2011.  Chris Wright is the chairman of the conference.

Other issues discussed include:

• FFA Forestry Judging Contest Sponsorship-$100 for awards and up to $100 for other expenses such as food.
• The Council will support the Youth Fishing Derby to be held on Saturday, June 11th, 2011, at the Black Warrior Work Center.  Youth aged 5-12 are invited to fish for channel catfish stocked especially for the derby.
• Winston County Commission Grant preparation was discussed, and it was suggested that Mike Henshaw work on combining proposals to a single request to the county commission.
• The Sign up for the Prescribed Burning Program and the Mulching Program will begin in May.
• James Burnett reported that he was working on Homeland Security Projects.
• LaVerne Matheson reported that the Winston County Smith Lake Advocacy Inc. is sponsoring a Lake Cleanup on April 30th.  An additional lake cleanup will be held later in the summer.
• The WCSLAI will have its annual meeting and the kick off for the Rock Creek Watershed Grant on May 13th. 
• A hardwood tour will be held in the Bankhead National Forest on April 30th.   Four distinguished experts will be on hand to lead the tour:  Dr. J. Steven Brewer, Dr. Luben Dimov, Dr. Callie Schweitzer, and Dr. Ed Loewenstein.  The tour will begin at 9:00 a.m. at the Black Warrior Work Center.
• Industrial Board Announcement about the location of Hathaway Renewable Energy at the Winston County Industrial Park.

Mike Henshaw
Secretary, WCNRC