FORESTRY ON THE GROW CONFERENCE & EXPO ADDS VALUE TO OKLAHOMA’S ECONOMY

Ouachita Mountains RC&D (Resource Conservation and Development), Inc. and a group of specialists in forestry and economics organize and plan the three-day event to help improve the general level of economic activity, while enhancing the environment and standard of living in Oklahoma.

The conference will feature presenters, experts in their respective fields, who will discuss the latest technologies in all phases of the forest industry. These professionals will also be available for one-on-one consultations at no additional cost to attendees. The conference is designed with three concurring sessions for you to choose from that focus on the interests of forest landowners, primary forest product processors, or secondary wood manufacturers. The conference agenda includes:

􀂃 Management Plans & State Cost-Share Programs presented by Kurt Atkinson and Dale Lenz, Oklahoma Forestry Services

􀂃 Marketing Redcedar Products presented by Dr. Craig McKinley, Oklahoma State University

􀂃 Natural Regeneration presented by Don Herron, Herron Industries, Idabel OK

􀂃 Starting a New Business – Tax Credits – John Robertson, Oklahoma Department of Commerce

􀂃 Income Tax Deductions for Forest Landowners presented by Dr. Deborah Gaddis, Assistant Extension Professor, Extension Forestry, College of Forest Resources, Mississippi State University MS

􀂃 Principles of Marketing Wood Products – Rand Wergin, Graduate Student, Oklahoma State University

􀂃 Federal Land Policy Changes: The Impacts on Forest Communities presented by Norman Wagoner, USDA Forest Service

􀂃 “Walk in the Woods” Tour – Craig McKinley, Eddie Woods, Andy James & Rachel Houchin

􀂃 Managing Your Forest for Wildlife presented by Jack Waymire, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation

􀂃 Buying Logs presented by Clint Ebert, Raw Materials Representative, Weyerhaeuser Company, Wright City OK

􀂃 Prescribed Burning in Oklahoma – Mark Goeller, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry – Forestry Services Division

􀂃 Hardwood Log Grading, Cutting for Grade, and Basics of Hardwood Lumber Grading – Dr. Brian Bond, Assistant Professor, Department of Wood Science and Forest Products, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg VA

􀂃 Timber Market Projections – Tom Harris, Timber Mart South, Athens GA

􀂃 Wood Products Production Panel Discussion:

Woodturning – Doug Zook, Ron Engel-Wilson, and Hayes Copeland, Southeast Oklahoma Woodworkers.

Molding & Trim – Larry Case, Trim Rite Mouldings.

Cedar – Pat Clark, Red Gold Fiber, Inc.

􀂃 Best Management Practices & Harvest Planning – Darryl Hunkapillar, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, & Forestry – Forestry Services Division

􀂃 GPS (Global Positioning System) Field Trip – Bob Heinemann and Rachael Houchin, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service

􀂃 Landowner Rights & Legal Issues – Anita Poole, Vice President & Legal Counsel, Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Poteau OK

􀂃 Buying Your First Sawmill & Business Plans for Success – Steve Bratkovich, Marketing Specialist, USDA Forest Service, St. Paul MN

􀂃 Workers Compensation Issues for Manufacturers – Gerri Mooney, Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Court

􀂃 Establishment of Forest for Timber Production – Ed Hurliman, Hurliman Forestry Services, Broken Bow OK

􀂃 Fuels and Chemicals Produced from Wood-Based Bio-Oils – Philip Steele, Mississippi State University

􀂃 Lumber Drying and Controlling Insects & Disease in Dry Lumber – Dr. Fred Lamb, Wood Technologist, Fred Lamb Consulting Inc., retired from Department of Wood Science and Forest Products, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg VA

􀂃 Wholesaling and Brokering Lumber – Bill Bryant, Huber Engineered Woods, LLC, Broken Bow OK

􀂃 Forestry 101 – Roger Griffin, Environmental Manager, Weyerhaeuser Company, Broken Bow

􀂃 Developing Websites to Market Your Business – Rachel Houchin, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service

An Exhibit Fair is scheduled for Thursday afternoon and will include equipment demonstrations.

Some of the Exhibitors featured include:

􀂃 Aromatic Cedar Association

􀂃 Bailey’s, Inc. – Laytonville, California

􀂃 Bronco Pallet Systems, Inc.

􀂃 Construction Safety Products, Inc. – Shreveport, Louisiana

􀂃 Diamond Saw Works, Inc. – Chaffee, New York

􀂃 Koetter Dry Kiln, Inc. – Borden, Indiana

􀂃 Log-Master Portable Sawmill Manufacturing, Inc. – Nacogdoches, Texas

􀂃 Marshall Tree Saws

􀂃 NW Arkansas Wood Pellet Stoves & Cookers – Harrison, Arkansas

􀂃 Nyle Dry Kiln Systems – Bangor, Maine

􀂃 The Oklahoma Alliance for Manufacturing Excellence

􀂃 OSU Cooperative Extension Service

􀂃 Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, & Forestry

􀂃 Oklahoma Department of Commerce

􀂃 Oklahoma Forestry Association

􀂃 Oklahoma Woodland Owners Association

􀂃 P & K Equipment, Inc. – Norman, Oklahoma

􀂃 Rotochopper, Inc. – St. Martin, Minnesota

􀂃 The Society of American Foresters

􀂃 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

􀂃 Williams & Williams – Farm, Ranch and Premiere Properties

􀂃 Wood-Mizer Products, Inc. – Indianapolis, Indiana

Other Special Events include group meetings of the Aromatic Cedar Association, Oklahoma Woodland Owners Association, and the Oklahoma Chapter of the Society of American Foresters. There will be drawings for door prizes which include cash and a chainsaw. Society of American Foresters members who attend the conference will qualify to apply for 14 CFE contact hours in category 1 toward a Society of American Foresters Continuing Education Certificate.

This Conference is the biggest of its kind in this region. Sponsors include: Huber Engineered Wood, LLC; Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service – Forestry; Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry – Forestry Services Division; Oklahoma Department of Commerce; Oklahoma Forestry Association; Oklahoma Woodland Owners Association; Ouachita Mountains RC&D, Inc., McAlester OK; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; and the Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation.

Pre-registration cost for the conference and expo is $100.00 per person before April 30. The registration fee includes admittance to conference sessions and the exhibit fair, 4 meals, and hospitality. A imited amount of financial support is available to help with registration and lodging costs. For information about the conference go to www.forestryonthegrow.com or call Ouachita Mountains RC&D at 918.423.2479. Organizers state that “you won’t want to miss this unique opportunity to take advantage of a wealth of knowledge, network with the speakers and presenters, exchange information with others in your profession, and make valuable contacts for potential resources.”

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