Hayes D. Brown: Moderator

Starting Time: 00:00

Hayes D. Brown, attorney and forest owner, will moderate this news conference.
Hayes’ email address is hbrown@afoa.org.

We realize there is an issue with the speakers’ biographies on this program and past programs. We are working on correcting the issue.

What Alabama’s New Online Burn Permit Process Means for Forest Owners

Starting Time: 01:13

Rickey Fields is the Forestry Program Specialist for the Alabama Forestry Commission. There’s a major change coming in how prescribed fire is handled in Alabama, including a proposed new law and a new online method for obtaining a burn permit. As forest owners know, prescribed fire is a critical tool for managing timberland, improving wildlife habitat, and reducing wildfire risk—and any shift in the permitting process matters. Rickey joins us to walk through what’s changing, what it could mean for landowners, and to share the details forest owners need to stay informed and prepared.

More Turkeys, Less Guesswork: 3 Habitat Moves Every Landowner Should Make

Starting Time: 05:03

Michael J. Chamberlain, Ph.D., is a National Wild Turkey Federation Distinguished Professor at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia. It’s a question we hear all the time from landowners: what can I do, right now, to bring more wild turkeys back to my property? Turkey numbers are top of mind across the region, and habitat work on private land is a big part of the solution. Michael joins us to share the top three most effective steps landowners can take to improve nesting, brood-rearing, and overall turkey habitat—giving forest owners practical, research-backed guidance they can put into action.

Growing Alabama’s Next Generation of Forestry Pros

Starting Time: 10:43

Russell Stringer is a Forestry Instructor in Forestry and Wildlife Sciences at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College (LBWCC). As the demand grows for trained, boots-on-the-ground professionals in forest management, timber operations, prescribed fire, and wildlife habitat work, programs that help build the next generation of leaders who understand working forests from the ground up are going to be more important than ever, and LBWCC’s Forestry and Wildlife Sciences program is working to provide that workforce. Russell joins us to share what students can expect, how the program prepares them for real careers, and why investing in forestry education benefits all of us who depend on healthy, productive forests.

Building the Future: AWC on Housing, Policy, and Forest Markets

Starting Time: 14:40

Jackson Phillips is the Government Affairs Manager at American Wood Council (AWC), the nationally recognized technical authority and advocate for the sustainable wood building products industry in the codes, standards, legislative, regulatory, and climate policy arenas. Housing has become one of the top priorities in AWC’s federal and state advocacy work. As forest owners know there is a connection between healthy markets and healthy forests—and housing demand plays a major role in supporting the long-term value of wood products and working lands. Jackson joins us to talk about why AWC has elevated housing as a leading issue, highlight the key policies and initiatives they’ve been engaged in, and offer takeaways from what they’ve learned so far.