(01/25/22) WEST MONROE, La. — After having to take a hiatus in 2021, the annual Northeast Louisiana Forestry Forum returned this year along with the Ag Expo in West Monroe.

Each January, forest landowners from across the region come to hear the latest information from industry professionals, said Luke Stamper, LSU AgCenter area wildlife and forestry agent.

Even COVID-19 couldn’t contain the good news that Louisiana Forestry Association executive director Buck Vandersteen presented to the group.

Vandersteen said in 2018 the state saw the first mill opened in the past 25 years, but since the beginning of 2021, there have been five announcements of mills reopening or coming into the state.

“This is great news for the state, since research shows that we are growing from 50% to 60% more trees than we’re taking out,” he said.

In addition to Vandersteen, LSU AgCenter economist Jinggang Guo gave an update on the timber market conditions being encountered by growers in the state and region.

Guo said the timber market in Louisiana maintained steady growth in 2021.

“Stumpage prices increased for all six timber products except for mixed hardwood sawtimber in 2021,” Guo said. “The concerns over a logger shortage also put additional upward pressure on the stumpage prices.”

Stamper said there is generally a theme for the forum, and this year the plan was to look at alternative forestry management.

“We understand that forest landowners are mainly interested in the trees on their property,” Stamper said. “But we wanted to show them that there are other options in their management systems.”

AgCenter forage specialist Wink Allison discussed the benefits of silviculture, which is a way to graze cattle in a forested area.

AgCenter wildlife specialist Ashley Long said the use of fire is one of the oldest forms of forest management.

“I have a love for birds, and I enjoy looking for ways to improve their habitat,” she said. “Burning is one way of doing that by decreasing the leaf litter and promoting faster growing grasses. And it provides bare areas, which are needed by some species.”

Stamper said he wanted to show some of the ways to improve wildlife habitat during timber operations.

“We wanted to make them aware of benefits of having a prescribed burn plan on their property,” Stamper said. “I explained to them about the liability involved and the prescribed burn trainings provided by the LSU AgCenter.”

Marie Tolson, a biologist at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, discussed the latest information on the chronic wasting disease (CWD) situation in deer.

Tolson said there was a positive deer found in Arkansas about 7 miles from the state line, which resulted in deer feeding bans in Union and Morehouse parishes for a short period. She said Louisiana has not had a positive CWD case thus far.

Other presenters from the U.S. Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service discussed ground fire in longleaf pine and cost share programs available to producers for forestry and wildlife.

AgCenter Northeast Region director Melissa Cater said this forum is very valuable to the growers as well as the entire economy of the region.

“If you look at forestry, just in the Northeast Region, forest products contribute a gross farm value of a little over $89 million to the economy,” she said. “When you think about that, it’s important for landowners and others in the industry to have access to information like this.”

Louisiana Forestry Association executive director Buck Vandersteen announced five timber mills coming into the state during the 2022 Northeast Louisiana Forestry Forum held recently as part of the annual Ag Expo in West Monroe. Photo by Johnny Morgan/LSU AgCenter

LSU AgCenter wildlife specialist Ashley Long discussed the use of fire as one of the oldest forms of forest management during the 2022 Northeast Louisiana Forestry Forum held recently as part of the annual Ag Expo in West Monroe. Photo by Johnny Morgan/LSU AgCenter

LSU AgCenter area wildlife and forestry agent Luke Stamper discussed ways to improve wildlife habitat in timber operations during the 2022 Northeast Louisiana Forestry Forum held recently as part of the annual Ag Expo in West Monroe. Photo by Johnny Morgan/LSU AgCenter