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A tour in late November showed area foresters new ideas and gave them a chance to speak with forestry consultants.

The group of more than a dozen people traveled to Forest Home near the Wilcox County line to see a farm where some of the techniques were being used for forestry management.

Consulting Forester Russell Brunson and others from Sotera, LLC., hosted the field visit in Butler County to discuss everything from drone use in forestry to advanced techniques to improve forest productivity and wildlife management. The Bradley/Murphy Forestry & Natural Resources Extension Trust sponsored the field visit. The trust was established in 1992 by an initial gift from forestry consultant Harry Murphy. Its mission is to encourage, promote and develop though education and the free market system the stewardship of forest and related natural resources in the private sector.

“We’re sharing about what we can do as consulting foresters and what is available to foresters,” Brunson said. “Being in forestry gives us the chance to share what we enjoy, that’s timberlands — God’s creation and being out in it. Seeing you successful brings us satisfaction.”

Kim Sparks, a consulting forester from Grove Hill, spoke about using consulting foresters to help in land management and Andy Callahan demonstrated drone use and techniques that are available to foresters.

The group then left the farm and headed to Bates House of Turkey in Greenville to continue discussions.