The Mid-Atlantic Trophy Comes Home

Congratulations to the 2010 Woodsmen Team on your victory at this year's Mid-Atlantic Woodsmen's Meet!

SAF Visit

The Society of American Foresters (SAF) is the national scientific and educational organization representing the forestry profession in the United States. Founded in 1900 by Gifford Pinchot, it is the largest professional society for foresters in the world. The mission of the Society of American Foresters is to advance the science, education, technology, and practice of forestry; to enhance the competency of its members; to establish professional excellence; and, to use the knowledge, skills, and conservation ethic of the profession to ensure the continued health and use of forest ecosystems and the present and future availability of forest resources to benefit society. SAF is a nonprofit organization meeting the requirements of 501 (c) (3). SAF members include natural resource professionals in public and private settings, researchers, CEOs, administrators, educators, and students.(From: http://www.safnet.org/

Joanne Cox, SAF executive committee member, and former NC Division Chair recently spoke to a joint meeting of the HCC student Chapter and Warren Wilson Student Chapter. Joanne discussed the many benefits of being a member of SAF. The HCC SAF Student Chapter encourages all forestry and fish and wildlife majors to join the organization. See the following link: http://www.safnet.org/join.cfm

2010 Mid-Atlantic Tryouts

We're down to crunch time folks! just a couple of weeks until Mid-Atlantic, and club members are stepping up to the challenge that our captains have laid before us: VICTORY AT MID-ATLANTIC! It is not a question of whether we will win, but by how many points! Our finest lumberjacks and lumberjills will be taking the fight to Pennsylvania to defeat our foes on their home turf! Below are some pictures of the tryouts that will decide who competes and who warms the benches.

Enjoy!
~Billy

Mid-Atlantic Practice Revs Up

The HCC Lumberjacks are fired up and practicing to win! We will be bringing home a 1st place victory from the North in April. For all competing: now is not the time to slack off! Practicing is the only way to assure victory on Penn State's native soil, so BE THERE!



Let's get it together and bring it home folks!

~Billy

P.S. The crosscut saw you see pictured was graciously donated to the club by Sarah Miller, with the engraving donated by the HCC Golden Leaf Advanced Machining Center. A huge THANK YOU to both Sarah and the Center! It looks great guys!

Natural Resources Department Career Day

On Wednesday, February 24th, The HCC Department of Natural Resources hosted a career day put on by several State and Federal agencies. After a pizza lunch, the students were encouraged to form groups to cycle from station to station in "round-robin" style. At each station, an agency representative spoke with the student group about the job(s) that they perform, and the opportunities available to interested individuals. Students were encouraged to bring resumes with them, as potential employers could be present, and an opportunity could be available. Below are some pictures taken from the event.



We would like to thank the following people for making this event possible:

First and foremost, Bob Pinkston. Bob was the driving force behind making this happen. Thanks, Bob, for all you do. We appreciate you tremendously!

The HCC students for helping in set up and tear down of the event.

The HCC Forestry Club for pizza and soda acquisition

Also, a special thanks to Krista Shelton, of the Sumter National Forest, for forwarding all the available jobs that Bob posts for us.

Officers Shawn Martin and Greg Daniels, of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission

Tobias Miller and David Ogle, in the trails division of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Dan Bryson, Geoffrey Geier, and Brandon Poole, Forestry Technicians in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Officer Lee Boyd, of the USDA Forest Service Region 8 Law Enforcement Division

Jeff Owenby, Director of the Cradle of Forestry, USDA Forest Service

Chris Spencer, of the Holmes Educational Forest, NCFS

Mike Byrd, Henderson County Ranger, NCFS

And lastly,

Matt Gilbert and Matt Miller of the USFS Cherokee Hotshots

Many of the presenters are HCC graduates, and good examples of what a degree from HCC can achieve. Thanks again everyone!

~Billy

HCC SAF STUDENT CHAPTER TRIP TO APSAF

The HCC Student Chapter of the Society of American Foresters recently attended the annual APSAF (Appalachian Society of American Foresters) meeting held in Greenville, North Carolina. The topic of this year's meeting was, "Charting the Path Forward: Land Management and Forest Products Marketing Strategies for an Emerging Economy". HCC chapter members were able to hear from professional foresters, researchers, and other natural resources professionals on how emerging timber markets (woody biomass, cellulosic ethanol, and carbon credits) will impact the demand for forests and forest products. In addition to the technical sessions, students were able to network with potential employers, university faculty and staff, and also their peers from other colleges and universities.


A highlight of the conference was the student field tour sponsored by Weyerhaeuser and the North Carolina Division of Forest Resources. During this field tour students where able to visit the Pitt County district office and also Weyerhaeuser plantation lands.

We greatly appreciate all those that provided finical support, without your help many of our students would have not been able to attend. Special thanks to: HCC Foundation, The Kenny P. Funderburke Educational Endowment, North Carolina Division of SAF, and Mr. and Mrs. Tom and Cathy Bishop.

Sugarbush!

As part of their Forest Management Technology capstone course, HCC forestry students recently traveled to Maple Creek Farm in Yancey County to discuss forest management and non-timber forest products, with Mr. Richard Sanders (Forester and Farm Manager of Maple Creek Farm). Maple Creek Farm is the furthest southern commercial producer of maple syrup in the US, and the only one located in North Carolina. Their "sugar bush" consists of two stands, each with some 200+ sugar maple trees, located on the north and east facing slopes of two mountainsides. The stands are high on the slopes between 3,100 and 3,900 feet in elevation. Over four miles of tubing and piping carries the maple sap from the trees down the mountain to the "sugar shack" in the valley between the mountains(From Maple Creek Farm's website: http://www.maplecreekfarm.net)

At the end of the tour we assisted Richard in inspecting some of the farm's maple syrup by pouring it over vanilla ice cream.