WVFA Mountain State Forestry Winter 2021-22

T R E E F A R M N E W S 22 West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry | Winter 2021–22 www.wvfa.org The land is now home to a diverse array of tree species, including white oak, red oak, tulip poplar, sycamore, black cherry, black walnut, American chestnut, butternut, sugar maple, and more. “It was easier because WVDOF Forester Travis Miller is good at what he does. WVDOF has provided ongoing support since 2009,” Cobb said. “I learned invaluable technical and financial assistance information.” Cobb isn’t done yet. He has helped connect several neighboring landowners with WVDOF for information on technical and financial assistance to improve their farms and reach their property goals. He has helped other landowners to join the Cerulean Warbler Appalachian Forestland Enhancement Project. He has signed a new contract with USDA for planting 375 trees, 100 American chestnuts, and 275 sawtooth oaks. Named West Virginia’s Tree Farmer of the Year in 2019, Cobb works to encourage other landowners to become certified tree farmers. He now serves on the West Virginia Tree Farm Committee. Cobb believes in landowners taking an active role in managing and improving their forests. It is not only a good idea, but it is becoming a growing necessity. “Our forests now live in a different world than the woods your granddad grew up with,” he said. “Forests today are under attack by invasive plants, insects, and diseases. The West Virginia Division of Forestry Landowner Assistance program can help landowners find out what we as landowners can do to protect, sustain, and grow our healthy forests.” Getting started is as simple as a phone call. “Landowners can call their local WVDOF office to set up an appointment for a forester to come out and look at the property with them,” said Cobb. “We want to get more West Virginia landowners involved in working with us to improve the quality of their forests.” “And,” Cobb added, “one of my neighbors Kevin Gregory a retired Army Colonel read one of my articles in the Braxton Citizens’ News and has started a business to preform much of the USDA NRCS financial assistance projects for folks that can’t do the work themselves. Kevin’s Business is Eagle Land Transformations, and his card reads for, excavation, wildlife habitat management, and land clearing. You can reach Kevin, on his cell at 1-580- 284-1564. Also, both Johnny and Andy know of Kevin’s work.” “Cobb set a high priority on creating habitat for cerulean warblers, small migratory songbirds. Cobb got approval on contracts to cut selected timber in support of the Cerulean Warbler Appalachian Forestland Enhancement Project. Through carefully planned tree cuttings on two tracts of land, Cobb provided the cerulean warblers with prime habitat.” For further assistance, contact the Service Forester for your county using the West Virginia Division of Forestry website https://wvforestry.com . Federal assistance is available by contacting USDA Service Centers for both the Farm Service Agency and the Natural Resources Conservation Service using https://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app .