November 1, 2007
Contact: Amanda Box, Communication and Program Coordinator,
Mississippi Forestry Association
601.354.4936, abox@msforestry.net, www.msforestry.net
Dr. John Kushla of Verona received the 2007 Tree Farm Leadership Award. This award was announced at the county forestry association luncheon as part of the Mississippi Forestry Association’s (MFA) Annual Meeting on October 25th in Natchez.
This year MFA and the MSU Extension Forestry Program jointly acquired grant funds to conduct at least 42 Tree Farm Workshops across the state. Dr. Kushla took the lead in planning and implementing these workshops. In fact 8 of the first 13 workshops were conducted in the northeast part of the state, where Dr. Kushla works as Area Extension Forester at the Northeast Mississippi Research and Extension Center.
Members of the American Tree Farm System (ATFS/Tree Farm) are often identified by the white and green diamond shape sign they display on their property. Tree Farm is a program sponsored nationally by the American Forest Foundation promoting the sustainable management of forests through education and outreach to private forest landowners. Founded in 1941, ATFS is the oldest and largest forest conservation, certification and advocacy program in the United States.
In Mississippi, the program is administered by the Mississippi Forestry Association (MFA), a non government organization that represents individual landowners and forestry businesses. The Association promotes conservation, sustainable forestry and public outreach programs. Please visit www.msforestry.net. MFA’s Tree Farm Program includes a statewide team of more than 200 trained inspectors.
“We are very pleased to recognize the outstanding contribution of Dr. John Kushla to the Tree Farm Program. His excellent work continues to promote sustainable forestry in Mississippi,” said Dr. Tom Monaghan, who administers the Tree Farm program for Mississippi Forestry Association.