UAM Forestry Club shines at Texas Timbersports Competition

By Traci Rushing
U of A System Division of Agriculture – UAM College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources

MONTICELLO, Ark. — The UAM Forestry Club demonstrated exceptional skill and teamwork at the Lake Striker Axe Days competition in Texas on Nov. 2, securing a 2nd place overall finish.

Forestry colleges across the West Gulf gathered to compete in both physical and technical events hosted by the Sylvans, the forestry club and timber sports team at Stephen F. Austin University. For participating teams, the competition serves as an opportunity to bond as a club, network with other clubs across the region and practice for the Association of Southern Forestry Clubs Annual Conclave.

SAWING AWAY — Competitors in the log sawing competition. (UAM photo)

Nine UAM Forestry Club students, led by Laura Sims, traveled to the competition to compete in both technical and physical events. Technical events are designed to test the competitor’s knowledge and expertise in the field of forestry, while the physical events date back to the 19th century when lumberjacks would have friendly competitions outside of working hours to pass the time on a job site.

The UAM team’s impressive performance with technical events highlights the strength of the UAM forestry program and the hard work and discipline of its students. Team members Evan Beaver and Corbin Armon excelled in the wood identification and DBH estimation competitions leading the club to tie for 1st place in the technical events category.

“This group of students demonstrated a great attitude and showed enthusiasm in every event. Their success is a testament to the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources’ commitment to forestry education and its dedication to training students in both the technical and practical aspects of the discipline,” said Sims.

“I’m proud of our forestry club; they have a great dynamic together and with their peers at other forestry programs around the Southeast,” said Michael Blazier, dean of the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources and director of the Arkansas Forest Resource Center. “Their strong showing at this event is a testament to their work ethic and the guidance they get from their advisors and volunteers who help them. I’m also happy that Dr. Sims, who is director of our new Arkansas Forest Health Research Center, is as passionate about student success as she is her research program.”

Lake Striker Axe Days is held in preparation for the Association of Southern Forestry Clubs’ 66th Annual Conclave which will be hosted by Alabama A&M University in March of 2025 at Huntsville, Alabama. The 67th Annual Conclave will be hosted in Monticello by the UAM Forestry Club in March of 2026. 

The mission of the UAM Forestry Club is to educate others about natural resources, support the community, and provide students in natural resources with a welcoming group for assistance and friendship. For more information on the UAM Forestry Club and the forestry program, visit the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources’ website.

Sims is here to help defend our forests

By Traci Rushing
U of A System Division of Agriculture – UAM College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources

MONTICELLO, Ark. — With Arkansas’ multibillion-dollar forestry industry to defend, forest health researcher Laura Sims has been named director of the recently announced $16.8 million Arkansas Forest Health Research Center based at the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

Sims comes to the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources at UAM as an associate professor with more than 15 years of experience in botany and plant pathology research and teaching, holding degrees from North Carolina State University and Oregon State University. Throughout her academic career, she has engaged in extensive research projects relating to diseases in trees.

Her professional journey included time as a researcher at University of California, Berkeley, studying forest pathology and mycology. Most recently she served as an assistant professor of forest health at Louisiana Tech University with both teaching and research responsibilities.

“Throughout my academic and professional journey, I’ve worked on numerous projects focused on plant growth, forest health monitoring and developing best practices for managing plant pathogens,” Sims said.

FOREST FUNGI — Associate professor of forest health Laura Sims and Jacob Hackman, extension forestry specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, discuss fungi found on the forest floor during a site visit (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Traci Rushing)

In addition to joining the faculty at UAM, Sims is also joining the Arkansas Forest Resources Center as a researcher for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. The Arkansas Forest Resources Center conducts research and extension activities through the experiment station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s research and outreach arms.

Healthy trees, healthy economy

Arkansas’ forests contribute $6.5 billion per year to the state’s economy according to reports from the Arkansas Center for Forest Business at UAM, and they support wood products facilities, tourism, hunting and many other activities vital to the state’s economy and quality of life. Sims’ role will focus on protecting the state’s forestland resources through her research and by preparing the forestry and natural resources workforce to identify and mitigate forest health threats through her teaching.

“I am thrilled that Arkansas understands the importance of trees and wants to help keep the state’s forests healthy,” said Sims.

Michael Blazier, dean of the College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Natural Resources and director of the Arkansas Forest Resources Center, expressed confidence in the skills and experience Sims brings to both UAM and the Arkansas Forest Health Research Center.

“I know Dr. Sims to be very knowledgeable about a wide array of insects and diseases that affect forests of Arkansas and surrounding states,” Blazier said. “She’s energetic and enthusiastic about forest health and forest ecology research and teaching, and I’m excited about the leadership she’ll provide for the Arkansas Forest Health Research Center. This new research facility will be one of the top of its kind, and it’s great to have a faculty member of her caliber at its helm to help safeguard the forests of Arkansas.”

Sims is currently housed in the George H. Clippert Forest Resources Annex, where she is equipped with a lab to immediately begin research on forest pests. The university announced in early August that groundbreaking for the state-of-the-art forest health center will be in October. The vision for the Arkansas Forest Health Research Center and this new position comes from Blazier, with a goal to rapidly address current and future forest health threats.

Blazier said the new facility will include labs to support research on insects, disease and genetics to determine the nature of forest health threats and management actions to mitigate them. It will also have a conference center where the findings of this research will be incorporated into training events for natural resource professionals and forest landowners, benefitting stakeholders throughout the state.

About the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Arkansas Forest Resources Center

The College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the Arkansas Forest Resources Center, a University of Arkansas System Center of Excellence, brings together interdisciplinary expertise through a partnership between the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The College and Center are headquartered at the University of Arkansas at Monticello campus, but their programs range statewide with the mission of developing and delivering teaching, research, and extension programs that enhance and ensure the sustainability and productivity of forest-based natural resources and agricultural systems. Academic programs are delivered by the College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Natural Resources through the University of Arkansas at Monticello. Through the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, research is administered by the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, and extension and outreach activities are coordinated by the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.

The University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offer all of their programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and are Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employers.