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Mar
6
Written by:
news editor
3/6/2012 1:00 AM
Benita and Wayne Lashbrook and Rita and Brad Franchi have been named the 2012 Ohio Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year, according to ODNR.
COLUMBUS, OH — Benita and Wayne Lashbrook and Rita and Brad Franchi have been named the 2012 Ohio Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
The family’s Deseret Tree Farm has been certified by the American Tree Farm System (ATFS). When people manage their woodlands by the standards of the ATFS, they earn a designation of a 'Certified Family Forest.' This certification shows the tree farmer’s goals are to provide a renewable resource in a sustainable manner while maintaining a healthy forest that protects water, wildlife and recreational values.
“With 88 percent of Ohio’s woodlands under private ownership, we look to these Certified Family Forest Tree Farms as examples of how to keep our forests healthy and productive,” said Robert Boyles, state forester and chief of ODNR’s Division of Forestry.
Nestled in the scenic hills of Jackson County, the Deseret Tree Farm is not only a place for family retreat and recreation, but it also provides a model of proven practices that landowners can implement in their woodlands.
Besides growing and selling wood products, Certified Family Forest Tree Farms use sustainable forestry practices to protect water and soil resources, encourage wildlife diversity, provide recreation and host environmental education opportunities.
A public field day is planned for Sept. 29 at the Deseret Tree Farm for the Lashbrook and Franchi families to showcase their operation, complete with featured speakers, activities and demonstrations. The event will be held at their 158-acre woods between Chillicothe and Jackson, in cooperation with several area businesses and conservation agencies.
The Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year honor is awarded annually by the Ohio Tree Farm Program and is sponsored by the Ohio Forestry Association and the ODNR Division of Forestry.
The Ohio Tree Farm Program, organized in 1946, brings foresters together with landowners to apply the American Tree Farm System standards of sustainable forest management in Ohio. The system includes 1,473 woodland owners across the state committed to caring for their land under a comprehensive plan developed by a professional forester. Landowners interested in the American Tree Farm System may visit www.ohiotreefarm.org.
ODNR’s Division of Forestry works to promote the wise use and sustainable management of Ohio’s public and private woodlands. To learn more about Ohio’s woodlands, visit www.ohiodnr.com/forestry.
ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.com.
For more information, contact:
Drew Todd, ODNR Division of Forestry
614-265-6707
Bethany McCorkle, ODNR Office of Communications
614-265-6873
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