September
24, 2007: BRFC expands equipment capabilities, begins first
timber harvest on member-owned forest land.
The
BRFC began it's first operational timber-stand improvement harvest
on member-owned land in Montgomery County. After a years of
planning and development, the BRFC is now operational. The timber
harvest is a single-tree selection harvest of mature yellow
poplar. The harvest is being conducted by forest landcare crews
in the Montgomery County area, under the scrutiny of a professional
forester. A recent BRFC purchase of a tracked skid-steer (see
photos) is helping to make this timber harvest possible. Stay
tuned for landowner testimonials and video footage!
Photo 1: The
landing and production area. Small sawtimber is processed
on site using a portable sawmill, large, veneer quality logs
are sold to FSC certified sawmills.
Photo 2: High
quality trees are left undamaged in the residual stand.
September
24, 2007: USDA supports the BRFC's efforts to expand the markets
for sustainable forest products.
The
BRFC was awarded a $300,000 USDA Value Added Producer Grant
which will be matched 100% by BRFC and its partners to provide
market research, market development, and marketing assistance
for sustainably produced forest products. Virginia Tech, New
River Highlands RC&D, Nature Neutral LLC, and Southern Forest
Network are the projects’ primary partners.
.jpg)
