April Council Meeting - Self Property

 The Winston County Natural Resources Council will meet at the Bill and Ann Self property on April 21st.  We will depart the Bankhead National Forest office at 9:00 AM and meet at the Self property at 9:45 AM.  We will plan a landowner field day with Marion County Forestry Planning Committee. Contact Mike Henshaw or Allison Cochran for meeting site directions, if you choose not to caravan from the Bankhead National Forest office.

Congratulations to Bankhead District Ranger Andy Scott on his Move to Mississippi - News Release

 News Release from the USDA Forest Service - Andy Scott named Deputy Forest Supervisor of the National Forests in Mississippi

Andy Scott, a natural resources professional with 20 years of Forest Service experience, has been selected as the Deputy Forest Supervisor for the National Forests in Mississippi which consists of 1.2 million acres of forest land on the Bienville, Chickasawhay, Delta, De Soto, Holly Springs, Homochitto, and Tombigbee Ranger Districts.

 

“Andy has worked for the National Forests in Mississippi twice on temporary assignments as Deputy Forest Supervisor. We’re excited to have him join the team in a permanent role,” said Forest Supervisor Shannon Kelardy. “Andy has a great deal of leadership experience as a district ranger as well as an outstanding background in forest research.”

 

Scott currently serves on the National Forests in Alabama as the Bankhead District Ranger, a position he’s held since 2017. He is expected to begin in his new role in the next two to three months.

 

“I am very excited to return to the National Forests in Mississippi. It’s an outstanding forest with great employees and conservation partners. I look forward to being part of this team,” said Scott. “I’m eager to work with our employees and partners to conserve, protect, and restore diverse forest habitats while providing for the public good in myriad ways.”

 

Scott began his Forest Service career in 2002 as a Research Soil Scientist with the Southern Research Station in Pineville, LA. In 2010, he continued his research on campus at Alabama A&M University, where he served as a research liaison to the school’s Center of Excellence in Forestry. His research interests were primarily related to the long-term productivity of managed forestlands for timber or biomass production.

 

Scott has a B.S.F. in Forest Management from Purdue University, a M.S. in Forestry from Texas A&M University, and a Ph.D. in Forestry from Virginia Tech. Scott and his wife, Debbie, have three children. In his spare time, he enjoys exercise, fishing, golf, and puttering in his workshop.

Winston County's Rush Darter is in the news

Click the link below to read about partnership work to learn more about the endangered Rush Darter on Bankhead National Forest.  

Alabama News Center 

March Council Meeting Summary

The March 2022 Winston County Natural Resources Council meeting was held at Mat Hannah's Tree Farm in Arley. The Council will hold Forestry Awareness Week Now - FAWN for Winston County 6th graders at the Arley Tree Farm on May 5-6. The majority of the March meeting was spent planning FAWN logistics. The Winston County Soil and Water District contirbuted $1000 to the Natural Resources Council in support of FAWN. The Council also brainstormed ideas to hold a future landowner workshop at the Arley Tree Farm. The primarily loblolly pine forest is about 50 acres and is being managed for wildlife and aesthetics. Active management includes thinned pine plantations which are under prescribed burn rotation, a pond managed for bass and bream, orchard, wildlife openings, beaver habitat, streams and riparian areas, road and trail improvements and active privet control. 

 The April 2022 meeting will be on April 21st at the Bill Self farm in Marion County to plan a Fall 2022 Landowner workshop in conjunction with the Marion County Natural Resources Council. 

 Casey Hammack volunteered to serve as Treasurer and all approved. Casey will transition these duties with Peter Gossett. The Council thanks PJ for his service as treasurer and welcomes Casey into this new role! 

 The Bankhead National Forest will hold the Kids Fishing Derby in June this year at the Black Warrior Work Center. The Council will support this event, as we have in the past. More information will be shared soon. 

 The Council agreed to join the NATR group for this year. 

 The Council will plan a future meeting at the Johnston property to learn about the Mississippi State University shortleaf pine research project and tour the forest.

In attendance at the March meeting were Mat Hannah, Zack Brannon, John Creed, Maggie Johnston, Jamie Seagroves, Casey Hammack and Allison Cochran.

 

March Meeting - Meeting Location CHANGE

The Winston County Natural Resources Council will meet at 9:00 AM on Thursday, March 17th in Arley. We will have our regular meeting and conduct a site visit to plan the FAWN program at 629 Sipsey Pine Road, Arley, AL 35541.

WCNRC February 17, 2022 Meeting Summary

The Winston County Natural Resources Council met on February 17, 2022 at the Houston Recreation Area. Amy Melson, Zack Brannon, John Creed, Dylan Gilbert, Mike Henshaw, Laurannne James, Jamie Seagroves and Casey Hammack attended. Winston County FAWN program planning for Winston County 6th graders. Tentative dates are April 18 and 19 or April 27 and 28. Tentative location is Matt Hannah’s property in Arley. Grants are secured/in process for funding for FAWN. Members will reach out to others for availability to fill stations, guides, EMS, etc. The WCNRC will work towards hosting a fall landowner field day, possibly at the Bill Self property in Marion County. A chainsaw safety workshop is scheduled for March 9 in Double Springs and March 10 in Fayette. Contact Winston County Extension office to register. There is a 4H livestock judging event on March 3 in Double Springs and volunteers are needed who are knowledgeable about cows, pigs, goats and sheep. Logging training with the Forestry Works program is planned for Double Springs. Please share with high schools. Posted to the WCNRC blog. AAMU Extension will offer non-profit organization training on 5/10 and 5/11 at Bevill State in Jasper. Allison, Zack and Lauranne will attend. Winston County Alabama Forestry Commission will host a tree giveaway in March, location and date TBD. Several wildfires and prescribed burns in the area this week. The next meeting is on March 17th. Tentative meeting location is Matt Hannah property to scout for FAWN in April.

Winston County Natural Resources Council Meeting - February 17 at 9 am at Houston Recreation Area

The regular monthly meeting of the Winston County Natural Resources Council is planned for February 17, 2022 at 9 am at the Houston Recreation Area, Day Use Pavilion.