Friday, May 5, 2017

Women's Walk In The Forest

We recently held "Walk in the Forest" for women on Dewberry Lands.  This is a great program that we do for women and they really enjoy it.  This program is a part of the American Tree Farm System under the American Forest Foundation.  A grant from the Alabama Forest Foundation helped make this event possible.  The Clay County Forestry Planning/ Treasure Forest Committee, and the Alabama (Clay County) Forestry Commission assisted with the program.  The ladies started out with a welcome by Felicia Dewberry, landowner, followed by a walk through the hardwood forest with a short presentation given by Leigh Peters, Director of the Alabama Tree Farm Program.  As the ladies came out of the hardwoods they observed a recent planting of Mountain Longleaf seedlings and looked over another tract of six year old longleaf trees that had a prescribed fire applied to them three times in the past six years.  From this hill top a beautiful view of the Appalachian Mountains could be seen.  Here, Gloria Nielsen, District Forester with the Talladega National Forest, talked to the ladies about the National Forest and opportunities for recreation in the forest.  
At this time the ladies boarded the van to travel to Ekun Dutse Ke Lodge for lunch and fellowship.  After the event each lady took home a gift for use on a future hike or picnic. 
This is a great program for women of all ages to get out and enjoy the forest.