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.

Logging Equipment Operator Training Planned for Double Springs

The Forest Workforce Training Institute's Logging Equipment Operator Training School is a four-week program designed to equip students with little or no experience to become a logging equipment operator with all necessary safety certifications as well as Professional Logging Manager (PLM) status. This course will consist of classroom instruction in forestry concepts, logging safety, and basic business concepts specific to logging. Afternoon field sessions will reinforce classroom training and provide actual equipment operation at an active logging site. The class will operate Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. This program will be limited to 8 participants, so apply now before spaces fill up! Logging Equipment Operator Training School is planned for Double Springs, Alabama: March 28th - April 22nd, 2022. To learn more and apply, visit; https://www.forestryworks.com/training?fbclid=IwAR2iV7kSpovLd2gw4bFNEUpV9r2Io3ZRHmZqDOl5aG-FX2azutrpJD50ow8

Learn and Burn Field Day Scheduled for Jefferson County

Alabama Tree Farm System is hosting a "Learn and Burn" Field Day at the Turkey Creek Nature Presere in Jefferson County. The hands on, interactive live fire learn and burn event is planned for the week of March 7-11 on the first available burn day. This is a free event, but registration is required. Visit Alabama Forestry Association (https://www.alaforestry.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1604286&group=) Visit

January 2022 Meeting Summary

January 20, 2022 Winston County Natural Resources Council Meeting Summary WCNRC members in attendance included John Creed, Maggie Johnston, Zack Brannon, Dylan Gilbert, Jamie Seagraves, Casey Hammack, Lauranne James, Andy Scott and Allison Cochran. The guest speaker was Jared Carter with Alabama Mountains, Rivers, Valleys RC&D. Over 20 people attended the meeting including media, representatives from Smith Lake associations, Backcountry Horsemen of America, NARCOG, US Forest Service, City of Double Springs and Winston County, Wild Alabama, and hikers and other trail enthusiasts. Jared Carter shared a presentation about the new North Alabama Trails and Recreation Program. The NATR covers 18 counties from Marion to Cherokee and includes Calhoun and Cleburne. Smith Lake and the Bankhead National Forest are included in the program area. The goal is to increase outdoor recreation opportunities and infrastructure and spread the wealth from sites that may be overused and impacted. There are many large initiatives such as Alabama Scenic River Trail, Singing River Trail, TN River Line Initiative, but we could use more. Many popular areas like Sipsey and Monte Sano could benefit from spreading use to other areas, as well. The NATR will bring expertise, awareness, funds and labor to maintain and grow sites. NATR has quarterly networking meetings in their hubs of Muscle Shoals, Cullman, Gadsden and Huntsville. Jared encourages us to let NATR know about our needs and skill sets. NATR is planning an Expo on October 1, 2022 at Ingalls Harbor in Decatur. Exhibitors will have booths and classes to highlight what North Alabama has to offer in the way of recreation and trails. They are looking for exhibitors, and there will be a fee for booth space. They are also looking for ways to promote the event. NATR funding is another component of the program. Looking for funds and labor and a way to connect people and organizations. They hope to have lists of resources and grant sources. NATR CREW is also in development. This would allow organizations to have access to volunteers, a volunteer pool of sorts and provide opportunities for collaboration. A partnership with Jacksonville State University will offer a series of workshops in this regard. To join NATR, go to the website natrails.org and the cost is $100. This is a wonderful opportunity to get your projects in the public eye and to collaborate and network with other organizations. Any trail and recreation opportunity is welcomed, like hiking, biking, paddling, equestrians, etc. NATR does not include traditional parks and recreation things like golf, sporting events, nor hunting and fishing. An upcoming workshop is planned for April 12-14 with University of Alabama’s Center for Economic Development that will explore North Alabama recreation needs based on SCORP data and prioritization of what the state is looking at investing in. Visit NATR website for information on this webinar. Other WCNRC business covered – Alabama Cooperative Extension hired a new 4H program coordinator in Winston County. We welcome Dylan Gilbert. Winston County Commission joined the NATR. Alabama Forestry Commission will have some trees to give away in celebration of Arbor day this year in Winston County. More information will be available at our February meeting. Bankhead National Forest is kicking off a new project on south Bankhead, Pinetucky Project, focusing on longleaf pine and Northern bobwhite habitat restoration. An associated collaborative stewardship project is in development, as well. Prescribed burning has kicked off and will be ramping up in the coming month. The Bankhead Liaison Panel holds quarterly public meetings and all are encouraged to attend to learn more about the management of the National Forest. Wild Alabama is partnering with Bankhead National Forest on two successful citizen science projects. One is a white oak collection and restoration project in the Balls Mountain Area with numerous school groups, Boy Scouts and other organizations involved. The second is a hemlock wooly adelgid monitoring project. The next meeting will be February 17th at Houston Rec. The WCNRC meets on the third Thursday of the month.