Forest management workshop to focus on white oak woodlands

By Ryan McGeeney
U of A System Division of Agriculture 

BATESVILLE, Ark. — An upcoming workshop aims to help forest managers better understand white oak woodlands in the Ozark region, from improving the health of the habitat to selling harvested timber.

LEAF BY LEAF, BIRD BY BIRD — An upcoming workshop aims to help forest managers better understand white oak woodlands in the Ozark region, from improving the health of the habitat to selling harvested timber. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

The forest management workshop will be hosted at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Livestock and Forestry Research Station in Batesville, Arkansas. The workshop is scheduled for April 26, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided.

Kyle Cunningham, associate professor of forestry for the Division of Agriculture’s Cooperative Extension Service, said the workshop will address several themes, including:

• Experiences with white oak management in Arkansas and neighboring states
• Selling white oak for stave logs
• Field tour of sustainably managed white oak woodlands, and
• Increasing Health and Habitat within your Woodland

"White oak woodlands in the Ozark region are a valuable resource that provide timberlands, wildlife habitat, aesthetic value, assist with air and water quality concerns,” Cunningham said. “The resource is experiencing strains from higher demand for wood products, climate, invasive species impacts, unsustainable management and other factors. This workshop aims to provide current and accurate information on the resource and its management.”

The meeting will also provide a platform for networking among stakeholders, he said.

There is no cost to attend the workshop, but registration is required. To RSVP, contact the Livestock and Forestry Research Station at 870-793-7432. For more information, contact Cunningham at kcunningham@uada.edu.

The research station is located at 70 Experiment Station Drive in Batesville.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.