September 20, 2016
Kansas Forest Service to Host the 2016 Fall Forestry Field Day in Butler County
Submitted by Jennifer G. Williams
Interested in growing pecans and fruit trees? Ever see how a sawmill turns a tree into lumber? What about those trees and woodlands along your creek? Are they providing you all the wildlife, recreation, and water quality benefits they can?
These questions and many more will be answered at the 2016 Fall Forestry Field Day scheduled for October 13th on the Ammons Butler County Tree Farm, not far from Towanda. Cal Ammons, winner of the 2015 Forest Stewardship Tree Farmer of the Year Award, has demonstrated his love for the land in a variety of ways. He has improved the health of his woodlands through thinning operations, removing lower quality, invasive species to encourage more valuable walnut and oak. He has planted thousands of trees for a variety of purposes including a pecan plantation for nut production.
Cal also understands the important function trees provide to stabilize streambanks and improve water quality. In the last three years, he has established four streambank stabilization projects with forest buffers. As a science teacher, Cal has repeatedly used his tree farm to lead environmental education sessions and projects to teach young adults the value of forest stewardship.
The Ammons Tree Farm pecan orchard provides the perfect setting for Bill Reid, a nationally recognized expert on pecan production, to lead sessions on establishing and managing pecan nut production. Reid directs the K-State Research and Extension Pecan Experiment Field at Chetopa.
In addition to Reid’s session, foresters, wildlife biologists and other natural resource professionals will provide outdoor educational sessions throughout the day including sawmill demonstrations.
Cal and Pam Ammons have worked on their tree farm, continually improving and protecting the natural resources on their land. The stewardship required to preserve and improve a piece of property is a never-ending task. They have made it their life’s work and are excited to share what they’ve done and learned during the field day. If you are a lover of the natural world, these are folks to meet and an educational venue not to be missed.
A $12 registration fee covers lunch, morning refreshments and educational materials that will be offered to participants. Registration forms are available at www.kansasforests.org by clicking on “News & Events” or by calling the Kansas Forest Service at 785-532-3310. Brochures will also be mailed directly to recipients of the Kansas Canopy in late September or early October.