Informational Meeting about the Big Tree Wildfire to be held at Winston County High School

Aerial image of Big Tree Wildfire (USFS)

The U. S. Forest Service will hold an informational meeting about the Big Tree Wildfire at 10:00 a.m, on Saturday, October 24, 2015, in the Winston County High School Parking Lot.  This meeting will be open to the public and to the news media.  Anyone wanting to find out more about the Big Tree Wildfire in the Sipsey Wilderness of the Bankhead National Forest is welcome to attend.

The Forest Service Website for the Big Tree Wildfire is located at this link and it is frequently updated with the latest conditions.

Map of Closed Trails in Sipsey Wilderness Area

Click on the map for a pdf of the map.

For more information and updates on the Big Tree Wildfire, click on this link to visit the U. S. Forest Service website.

Big Tree Wildfire Information Web Page

The Forest Service has developed a web page to post updates about the wildfire in the wilderness.

 Please check this link to get the latest on the fire.

Update on Sipsey Wilderness Fire

October 19 Updates on Sipsey Wilderness "Big Tree" Wildfire

Click on either image to view the announcements more closely in pdf format..

Minutes of the October Council Meeting

Beekeepers Charles Brannon (yellow shirt) and Billy Pratt
(holding poster) teach students about forest pollinators.
Photo by Johnna Franks, AFC.

The Winston County Natural Resources Council met on Thursday, October 15, 2015.  Present were Allison Cochran, Tripp Gaskins, Mike Henshaw, Karen Pulliam, and John Creed.  Many forest service personnel were in a mandatory meeting, and the Marion County FAWN program also tied up other members.

Items discussed included:

• FAWN program overview-  312 students total for both days, 13 teachers attended, over 30 volunteers assisted with the program.  Enrollment was down for the schools, but we had a few more home-school students that attended.  Alabama Conservation Enforcement Officers Association may help sponsor some of the expenses from this year's FAWN program.
• Houston Recreation Area may be closed in the future, but the Forest Service is committed to continuing the FAWN program.  They will work with the Council to find another site, if necessary.
• A landowner survey is in progress by the American Forest Foundation.  They are conducting focus groups across the state to learn how to motivate more private forestland owners to actively manage their forests.  Results of this survey will be shared with other organizations.
• North Region Forestry Field Day/Landowner Tour was held recently and at least one Winston County landowner attended.  He reported that it was an excellent tour.
• A QuickBooks financial recordkeeping course will be held in Haleyville.  The course would be helpful for any small business or farm, that needs to keep good financial records.  The 2 1/2 hour classes will be taught on three Tuesday evenings starting on November 3, 2015.  For more information call Mike Henshaw at (205) 489-5376.
• Tripp Gaskins, silviculturist, told us that he has accepted a position on the Francis Marion National Forest in his native South Carolina.  Tripp has been a tremendous asset on many of the Council's activities, and we certainly hope his move to South Carolina goes smoothly.

Mike Henshaw, Secretary
WCNRC

October Council Meeting

Class at the 2015 FAWN Program at Houston Rec. Area
(Photo by Johnna Franks, AFC)

Council Members,

The Winston County Natural Resources Council will meet at 9:00 a.m., on Thursday, October 15, 2015, at the U. S. Forest Service Office in Double Springs.

Look forward to seeing you there.

Mike Henshaw, Secretary

WCNRC