Nov. 3, 2020
Nov. 17 online field tour focuses on upland hardwood management
By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast facts
- For more info, contact kcunningham@uada.edu or mmcgowan@uark.edu
(450 words)
(Newsrooms – with filer of Kyle Cunningham https://flic.kr/p/fMS3kg)
Download Word version
LITTLE ROCK — The Nov. 17 Virtual Upland Hardwood Management Tour for Woodland Owners
will examine management of economically important white oaks, oak regeneration, and
use of herbicides and prescribed fire as forest management tools.
The virtual tour will be broadcast from 1 p.m.-3 pm. with content filmed in research
plots at the Livestock and Forestry Research Station near Batesville. The tour will
also have question-and-answer breaks with Kyle Cunningham, associate professor of
forestry for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, and Mike McGowan,
research forester for the Division of Agriculture.
There is no cost to attend this online field tour.
The tour is geared for family forest landowners, forest managers, wildlife biologists,
and others.
Attendees will learn “forest management methods developed from our research and management
on the station to help them achieve personal goals for their woodlands,” Cunningham
said. “These methods will include prescribed fire, vegetation control and harvest
methods to promote healthy and productive upland hardwood forest types.”
The agenda includes:
- What does it take to regenerate oaks?
- How to evaluate your woodland.
- Herbicides and prescribed fire as management tools.
- Virtual site tours of natural regeneration harvests on Division of Agriculture stations.
Cunningham said part of the meeting would focus on management for white oaks – Quercus alba.
“White oak is one of the most important upland hardwood species in Arkansas. It’s
much desired for its timber, wildlife, aesthetic, recreational and environmental values.
Current demand for white oak logs is driving stumpage prices up,” Cunningham said.
“While this is a good thing for woodland owners, we must make sure we are implementing
sustainable management of the species, while capturing the value of the current demand,”
he said.
To learn about extension and research programs in Arkansas, visit https://uada.edu/
Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk, @uaex_edu or @ArkAgResearch.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services 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 is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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