Tree Farm — West Virginia Tree Farmer of the Year
David and Ann Ours of Buckhannon, WV, have been selected as the 2010 WV Tree Farmers of the Year. WV Tree Farm Inspector Jim Mitchell, also of Buckhannon, nominated the Ours' for this award.
The Ours' have been Certified Tree Farmers since 1977 and have invested thousands of hours of ahrd work into the continual improvement of tier 115-acre Upshur County Tree Farm. Some of the activities incude improvement practices such as removing the dead and dying trees for firewood and their own use, reducing the spread of the exotic, invasive tree species, Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) throughout thir property, and maintaining the well-planned raod system throughout the property. The benefits of performing these imporvements practicesover the years enabled the Ours' to conduct a successful timber harvest in 2007-2008. The Ours' are committed to conserving the timber, wildlife and aesthetic values of their property and constantly promote the Tree Farm program to neighbors and fellow landowners.
The Tree Farm Program is a nationwide program through the American Forest Foundation with the assistance of local forestry organizations, public agencies, consulting foresters and others. The West Virginia Forestry Association is the state sponsor of the Tree Farm Program. Anyone interested in learning more about the Tree Farm Program should contact the West Virginia Forestry Association at 1-888-372-9663.