We are pleased to announce that Clemson Extension’s Forestry and Natural Resources team and the SC New and Beginning Farmer program have joined forces to deliver the first ever Forestry for the Farm training, a primer on the basics of forestry for farmers and rural landowners.

by Ben Powell, Forestry and Natural Resources Agent with Clemson Extension

The historic flood last fall and the subsequent hardships that South Carolina farmers have been facing have brought something to my attention. Timber can be a safeguard for protecting the farm enterprise when cultivated crops fail. Timber can diversify the farm’s portfolio, and diversification is key to long term sustainability of the farm operation, especially the family farm. Shortly after the crop failures last fall, I received a flush of calls from farmers and landowners needing information about harvesting timber. They were looking for a source of revenue to make up for last year’s crop losses. All too often, I noticed that the forests they were looking to harvest had very little value because they had not been managed. This was especially true for tracts that were recently inherited. They were not replanted after the last clear-cut, and the tract was allowed to regenerate naturally. There was almost no competitive weed control or prescribed burning, and the stands had never been thinned. The result is a hodge-podge of low quality trees that offered little value to timber buyers. 

It was heartbreaking to hear that many of these farmers were not able to find a buyer willing to make an offer and harvest the stand because there was so little value.This was especially true for small stands less than 20 acres. This is unfortunate, because when the flood hit, timber buyers were scrambling to find stands that were high and dry enough to cut. They were paying premium prices for accessible stands of trees. Had these farmers invested in and managed the stands, then they would have been more likely to produce marketable timber today.

Forestry for the Farm is a day-long training intended for rural property owners, new and beginning farmers, and the next generation of forest landowners that will take place on April 28, 2016 in Columbia, South Carolina. It is a primer on the basics of forestry and forest management and draws expertise from our own Extension agents, the SC Forestry Commission, the SC Forestry Association, the SC Dept. of Natural Resources, the USDA, and other forest stakeholders.

The primary goal of this program is to inform farm and forest owners about the benefits of forestland investment and management and to encourage them to think about their forests as an important part of the farm’s portfolio. The primary topics that will be covered are:

Impact of forestry on South Carolina’s economy
Products and services of forest land
Forest Management 101: Terms and Techniques
Site specifics: Hardwoods, Pines, Wetlands, Upstate vs. Lowcountry
Protecting the Legacy: Estate Management, Land Trusts, Conservation Easements
Agency services: Clemson Extension, SC Forestry Commission, SC DNR, USDA NRCS
Cost share, financial assistance, and tax incentives

This program is mainly intended for current participants and alumni of the New and Beginning Farmers program, but we are opening it up to any South Carolina farmers/landowners that are interested in learning how to manage their forests better. We also encourage participants to bring their spouses and kids (18 yo and up please) because the legacy of today’s forests will be theirs someday. Anyone interested in attending can register online at http://calendar.clemson.edu/event/forestry_for_the_farm#.VvwouWOSeNM

Contact

Ben Powell, Forestry and Natural Resources Agent with Clemson Extension
Phone (843 )546-4481
Email: bpowel2@clemson.edu