NON PROFIT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID LITTLE ROCK, AR PERMIT #2686 1213 W. 4th Street Little Rock, AR 72201 www.arkforests.org (501) 374-2441 April 2021 Legislative Session Keeps AFA Active By: Max Braswell, AFA Executive Vice President • HB 1210 – by Rep. David Hillman, R – serving the forestry sector in Arkansas. Almyra, is now Act 361. It became the preferred solution to selecting certain • HB 1495 – by Rep. Jeff Wardlaw, R – members of the State Plant Board and Hermitage, would increase the maximum was favored by AFA. It maintains AFA’s gross weight to 90,000 pounds for a five ability to recommend qualified candidates axel vehicle with a minimum 51-foot outer by providing at least two names to the bridge measurement, a maximum tandem Governor, who will select one of AFA’s limit of 40,000 pounds, and is transporting AFA has been effective in protecting the recommendations. precursor raw materials for paper products, interests of the members of Arkansas’s timber unfinished and unprocessed forest products and forest products community this session. • HB 1389 – by Rep. Ken Bragg, R – or logs. However, a five-axel vehicle shall Sheridan, is now Act 399 and creates not travel on any weight-restricted highway he Arkansas 93rd General Assembly the Foresters for the Future Scholarship or cross any bridge with a posted weight convened Monday, January 11, and program to be administered by the Forestry limit below the vehicle’s gross weight. The recessed on Wednesday, April 28 – a T Division of the Arkansas Agriculture bill is expected to be recommended for span of 108 days that has kept the Arkansas Department. AFA supported the bill and interim study. Forestry Association actively advocating commends the Division for its effort to for its members. The session has been recruit more students into the College of • HB 1636 – by Rep. DeAnn Vaught, R even more challenging than usual due Forestry, Agriculture & Natural Resources at – Horatio, is now Act 692. It will amend to the limited access to legislators due to the University of Arkansas-Monticello. the law regarding feral hogs. A feral hog the COVID-19 pandemic, making effective would be deemed a public nuisance communication difficult. Nevertheless, • UAM Center for Forest Business – AFA and an imminent threat to public health AFA has been effective in protecting the sent a letter of support to the Governor and safety. The bill also further tightens interests of the members of the state’s requesting funding for a Center for Forest the requirements regarding capturing timber and forest products community. Business at UAM. Rep. Bragg secured one- and killing feral hogs, and transporting Here is a quick summary of the most time funding for this much-needed center them. The Arkansas Forestry Association significant bills that AFA has worked on and to provide forest economic and market participates as a member of the Feral Hog their current status at press time: data, research, and more faculty devoted to continued page 3 AFA Returns to the Ballpark for Night with the Travs Event will meet at Dickey Stephens Park in North “AFA Night with the Travs will be our first Little Rock for a two-hour-all-you-can-eat opportunity to see many of our members picnic with hamburgers, hot dogs and and friends face-to-face after this long, sausages before the Arkansas Travelers take challenging year of COVID-19,” said Max on the Tulsa Drillers. Our night will conclude Braswell, executive vice president. “It will with fireworks in the stadium. be a true celebration and an opportunity to reunite with folks we’ve missed in a safe environment. Food, fellowship, fireworks, Join us at Dickey Stephens Park on May 28 for and baseball you can’t get much better than our AFA Night with the Travs event starting at that.” 6:10 p.m. fter a year away, the Arkansas There will be a few changes this year to Forestry Association is headed back make sure our guests remain safe. We will to the ballpark for the AFA Night with have ballpark employees serve food to A The Night with the Travs will be a great the Travs event on May 28. our guests instead of a self-serve buffet. opportunity to see our members and friends Similar to what we have done before, we face-to-face. Photo from 2019. continued page 3 Arbor Day History Rooted in Nebraska Legislative Session Keeps AFA Active, con’t. City, NE CALENDAR Eradication Taskforce, which crafted the and timber equipment and machinery. different sectors of agriculture would be original legislation and works each session Timber equipment and machinery are impacted. It was subsequently amended any, including the Arkansas From there, the holiday spread across the to make amendments to increase its defined as implements used exclusively in to include forestland, which caused Forestry Association, celebrated United States. In 1882, the tradition of OF EVENTS effectiveness in both balancing the rights the commercial production, harvesting or even more concern. It failed on a voice Mnational Arbor Day on April 30, planting a tree became prominent among May 13 of private and public landowners with the processing of timber in this state. Rep. Beaty vote in the House Agriculture, Forestry & but some may not realize how this holiday schools. The children would learn about 11:30 a.m. - WOW Lunch & Learn: Know need to eradicate a pest that causes millions presented his bill in the House Revenue & Economic Development Committee. AFA celebrating one of our most valuable, the importance of this resource and would of dollars in damage to agriculture each Tax Committee as part of a process to hear contacted members of the committee to renewable resources actually started. receive a tree to plant in their own yard. By Your Limits...Forest Boundary year in Arkansas. tax exemption bills without taking a vote. It voice its opposition to the bill and joined 1920, more than 45 states and territories Lines in Arkansas was not selected as one of the exemption multiple agriculture organizations that It all began back in the mid-1800’s as were celebrating Arbor Day. Zoom • HB 1674 – by Rep. Wardlaw is now Act bills to be moved forward. communicated concerns. It has now been pioneers began moving into the Nebraska 451. Rep. Wardlaw’s bill will authorize the amended to be a “reporting only” bill Territory according to the Arbor Day May 19 issuance of a special permit by the State • SB 80 - by Sen. Dave Wallace, R – regarding to the ownership of agricultural Foundation. One stark difference these 9:30 a.m. - Forest Practices Committee Highway commission to transport forestry Leachville, would have required the land. AFA is now neutral on the bill. travelers discovered was the lack of trees equipment. The permit will be valid for one Governor to appoint certain members of compared to where they came from. This Meeting year for movement of a truck tractor, and the State Plant Board. The bill sought a • SB 385 – by Sen. Alan Clark, R – Lonsdale, crucial resource was not only something AFA Office/Zoom a single semitrailer combination with five solution to the Arkansas State Supreme would have established a residential they missed simply as an aesthetic, but Little Rock axles for the hauling of forestry equipment Court’s decision that the selection of community logging permit and require an trees were desperately needed to use in excess of the maximum gross weight, but some members of the State Plant Board individual logging in a gated residential as windbreaks to keep soil in place, fuel, May 25 not more than 20,000 pounds for a single by certain organizations, including the community to follow the Arkansas building materials, and shade from the sun. 9:30 a.m. - Forest Protection Committee axel or 46,000 pounds for a tandem axle and position representing the Arkansas Forestry Department of Agriculture – Forestry 104,000 – pounds total gross weight. The Association, was unconstitutional. As Division’s Best Management Practices for In 1872, a Nebraska City resident and Since it’s inception in 1872, Arbor Day has Meeting fee for the permit will not exceed $250. opposed to being elected by the named Water Quality, among other requirements. newspaper editor, J. Sterling Morton spread to countries all over the globe. Picture AFA Office/Zoom organization, the representative would AFA testified in opposition of this in the proposed a tree planting holiday to be Source: Arbor Day Foundation Little Rock • HB 1706 – by Rep. Wardlaw is now Act have been appointed by the Governor. AFA Senate, Agriculture, Forestry & Economic called “Arbor Day” during a meeting of the Today, all 50 states observe this holiday. 594. It creates the Logging and Wood Fiber testified in opposition to the bill. It failed by Development Committee. The bill failed on State Board of Agriculture. Morton had a Many celebrate National Arbor Day on the May 28 Transportation Job Creation Incentive Act a voice vote of the committee. a voice vote by the committee. strong passion for trees and advocated for final Friday in April but there are individual 11:30 a.m. - Pine Management in 2021 - and the Arkansas Wood Energy Products both individuals as well as civic groups to state Arbor Days throughout the first half and Forest Maintenance Income Tax Credit. • SB 312 – by Sen. Blake Johnson, R – • SB 637 – by Sen. Missy Irvin, R – Mt. plant them. of the year depending on the best tree Now What? Landowner Zoom It was developed with input from both Jonesboro, would have amended the law View, would make minor changes to the planting weather.