Mission:

The South Centers at Piketon Forestry, Timber, and Wood program focuses on the future of the forest and forest products industry by evaluating the impacts of changing forest conditions and business environments. This includes but is not limited to ownership patterns and attitudes, forest health issues, consumer preferences, availability of work force, general economic conditions, and political climate. We do this by assisting and/or collaborating with the business community, political entities, environmental nonprofits and forest owners in sustaining the forests and the forest product industry in the region.

Vision:

Ohio State University South Centers Forestry, Timber and Wood is a comprehensive program which provides research and education opportunities to landowners, timber harvesters, forest management specialists, and forest industry entrepreneurs for the purpose of sustaining the use of Ohio's forest resource and enhancing the economy in Appalachian Ohio. OSU South Centers is recognized as the place where applied research results, educational opportunities and business support are made available to the forestry community.

The Forestry, Timber and Wood program is comprised of three areas: forestry, timber harvesting and the forest products industry.

• Forestry:

  • Goal: To improve forest management by encouraging forest owners to recognizing and treating there forest holdings as a resource.
  • Strategies:
    • Conduct landowner outreach and education via workshops, classes, trainings, websites and other educational materials.
    • Investigate incentives (including tax) for landowners to sustainably manage forest resources.
    • Explore recreation and tourism opportunities
    • Expand research and outreach related to non-timber forest products
    • Enhance awareness of forest health issues and promote effective management strategies
    • Continue/strengthen current programs such as Woodland Stewards

• Timber Harvesting:

  • Goal: To improve the image of timber harvesting and its relationship to the industry, the economy and the environment.
  • Strategies:
    • Improve industry and landowner knowledge of proper harvesting techniques and methods including: BMP's and silviculturally sound harvesting operations.
      • Increase recognition of the Ohio Master Logger Program
    • Improve business skills of logging companies
      • More efficient logging operations
      • Developing and implementing business plans and strategies
      • Resource utilization

• Forest Products Industry:

  • Goal: To maximize value-added wood products manufacturing in the region.
  • Strategies:
    • To encourage processing of veneer logs in the region; assist industries in the development of veneer mills so that this can occur
    • Concentrate research and education related to low-valued and under-utilized timber
      • Work to create niche markets for products and for distinctive/special species;
      • Expand on the Working With Wood project/concept for souvenir market for tourism and the gift market
    • Promote the creation of wood-using energy facilities.
    • Assist in developing marketing plans and strategies, especially for value-added, secondary wood products industry
    • Teach/demonstrate/convey technology transfer

• Services We Offer:

  • Goal: To conduct a variety of research studies/projects (including multi-disciplinary) resulting in applications to various parts of the forest industry, e.g. landowner specific, niche markets, sawmillers, timber harvesters, etc.
  • Strategies:
    • Acquire funding to support research
    • Conduct research applicable to problems in the region.
    • Disseminate results, knowledge gained and, applications, etc.
  • Goal: To establish the Hardwood Resource and Development Center at Piketon (HRDCP) as the keystone of OSU South Centers Forestry work.
  • Strategies:
    • Prepare a "white paper" that explores the structure, operations and value of establishing this center.
    • Research similar centers for ideas that work and for lessons learned.
    • Develop a website for the Hardwood Resource and Development Center at Piketon.
    • Establish a speakers' bureau for the center
    • Implement grant funded proposal/project already obtained in name of the Hardwood Resource and Development Center at Piketon.
    • Serve as a repository for compilations of data, statistics, and reports; make available for use and consultation
    • Conduct data-related and other research regarding forestry resources
    • Hold conferences, workshops, training under the name of the center.
    • Establish council to advise the center.
  • Goal: Educate the general public about forest management, timber harvesting and "all things wood."
  • Strategies:
    • Emphasize technology transfer
    • Train Extension Educators as teachers (multiplier effect)
      • Develop curricula and supporting program materials
      • Beef up the forestry component of the Extension ANR program for Educators
    • Conduct educational programs geared toward public awareness regarding forestry and the environment.
      • Improve knowledge of sustainability of forestry
    • Develop programs for teachers regarding forestry.
      • Include field trips to logging operations, sawmills, wood products manufacturing
      • Develop teaching materials with activities to encourage transference of information into the classroom
    • Investigate forest heritage programs/initiatives in other states, i.e. West Virginia, and consider opportunities for replication in southern Ohio.
      • Work with local and regional heritage and tourism organizations
    • Promote youth education, especially wood programs in technical schools, i. e. jobs in the housing industry; wood and art, etc. This is especially important with the decrease (almost demise) of industrial arts classes in public schools
    • Utilize newspaper and other media outlets

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Created: 2007-04-24 , Updated: 2008-10-07