Local Forest Products: New Enterprises and New Markets

Submitted by Karen on Tue, 2009-01-27 13:35.

February 13: Local Forest Products: New Enterprises and New Markets: Asheville

A workshop for forest land owners, farmers, forest professionals, and policy makers

9:00-3:00 on Friday, February 13, 2009

At Land-of-Sky Regional Council, 339 Leicester Highway, Asheville, North Carolina 28806

Directions at: landofsky.org/mainlinks/contact.html

(828) 251-6622

Economic uncertainty is nothing new to farm and forest operators. This workshop explores a range of emerging forest enterprises to help land owners improve revenues from their forest land. It also explores ways for producers to connect with local buyers to capture a larger share of value of their forest products.

Workshop Agenda
Welcome and Introduction
Susan Fox - USFS Southern Research Station
Gerry Cohn - American Farmland Trust and Organic Valley Cooperative

Forest Products Opportunities Panel
Wider use of yellow poplar ? Phil Araman, Virginia Tech Forest Products Center (USFS, Blacksburg VA)
Woodland herb production - Jeanine Davis, NCSU, Horticulture Science Department, Mills River
Carbon credits - Mark Megalos, NCSU Forestry Extension, Raleigh
Forest energy production - Dennis Hazel, NCSU Forestry Extension, Raleigh

Marketing Panel
Forest Co-ops - Harry Groot, Blue Ridge Forest Cooperative, Hiwassee, Virginia
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project - Peter Marks, Local Food Program Director, Asheville

Forest Practitioners Panel
Regional timber production - Ed Hicks, Consulting Forester, Asheville
Sustainable Forestry and Poplar Bark Shingle Production - Chris McCurry, owner Highland Craftsmen Inc, Spruce Pine NC
Silvatourism - David Kendall, NCSU, Madison County Extension Service, Marshall NC
On-farm logging and milling - William Hamilton, Hickory Nut Gap Lumber, Fairview NC
Horse logging and milling - Andy Bennett, Doubletree Logging and Milling, Marshall NC
Forest herbs - Richard Bonsteel, Appalachian Ginseng Farms, Otto NC

Email Conference questions to Tom Elmore - Thatchmore@main.nc.us or

Registration questions to Annie Sarac at Annie@landofsky.org or call (828) 251-6622 ext 150