February Council Minutes

The Winston County Natural Resources Council met at the U. S. Forest Service Office in Double Springs.  The following members were present:  Wade Hill, Mike Henshaw, John Sudduth, Chris Wright, Johnna Franks, John Creed, Carl Godsey, Jeremy McDonald, and Andy Baril. The balance in the treasury is $10, 599.15.  The following items were discussed:

• New State Forester for AFC is Greg Pate.
• Tree Give-Away is Monday, February 24, at 9:00 a.m., at the Forestry Commission Office in Double Springs.
• Status of longleaf plantings in Winston County.
• 4-H Chick Chain Program.
• Boy Scouts planting some shortleaf on the Bankhead as a project.
• Dave Casey has been named as the Bankhead District Ranger and is expected to start work at end of March.  He is currently working on the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina.
• Snow damage to area trees, especially young trees.
• Tornado damage in Black Pond area.
• Tornado damage on State of Alabama lands near Houston.
• FAWN program.
• Educational programs at Payne Creek Demonstration area for Double Springs youth this spring.
• International Paper plant in Courtland has now shut down completely.
• Karen Boyd is now the Tree Farm program coordinator for Alabama.
• WCNRC will tour some longleaf and shortleaf sites on Thursday, April 17, after a brief committee meeting at 9:00 a.m.
• EQIP allocation for Winston County was $46,000.  Wade said that this sum was lower than last year, and that the NRCS already had more than enough applications for projects to use all these funds.
• Alabama Canoe Trail and promotion of area streams to increase tourism to the area.

Mike Henshaw,
Secretary