January 2019 The Forest Meets the Government at AFA Members Forestry Day at the Capitol Win Awards, n Tuesday, January 22 forestry rotunda to share information about the representatives from around the forestry industry in with guests Appointed to Ostate gathered at the Arkansas State and legislators. Around 10:30 that morning, State Board Capitol for the third Forestry Day at the those at the event celebrated the 75th Capitol. birthday of Smokey Bear. ultiple members of the Arkansas Forestry Association recently made The Arkansas Forestry Association, set After eating lunch with both House and Mnews, some winning awards and up a booth along with groups like the Senate members, guests gathered in the others appointed to state boards. Arkansas Forestry Commission, ArborGen, gallery of the House of Representatives to Domtar, Green Bay Packaging, West lisen as Representative Ken Bragg presented Fraser, Kingwood Forestry, University of House Resolution 1004, which recognized Arkansas at Monticello College of Forestry, and celebrated Arkansas Forestry Day at the Agriculture and Natural Resources and the State Capitol. Arkansas Timber Producers Association. Each group gathered on the second floor “I spent about 45 years working in the forest industry, so I wanted to bring recognition of the economic importance of this industry to the legislature,” Bragg said. Larry Nance (left), OSAF Chair, presents the Ted The resolution passed unanimously when Chancey Career Forester Award to Karl Hansen. voted upon and Bragg said he heard plenty of positive reactions from other legislators At a recent meeting of the Ouachita on the House floor. Bragg added that an Society of American Foresters, AFA board event like this is very important to the members Karl Hansen and Matt Pelkki Forestry representatives discuss the industry and forestry industry, stating that it is a major received awards. Hansen, the Arkansas its importance in Arkansas with legislators. contributor to the economy in terms of manager for Resource Management Service, received the Ted Chancey Career continued page 3 Forester award, honoring his long-time achievements in forestry and service to the 92nd AR General Assembly Begins Society of American Foresters. By: Max Braswell he session convened on January Committee Chairs as well as the members Dr. Pelkki, professor and holder of the 14 with its usual array of new faces, of each House committee. This selection George Clippert Chair at the University but with Republicans still holding a process is new to the House due to the of Arkansas at Monticello, received the T Outstanding Forestry Educator Award. significant majority of the seats in both passage of legislation in the last session the House of Representatives and Senate. that allows the Speaker of the House to Republicans hold a 76-24 advantage in the appoint and confirm all representatives to Arkansas Governor House, while in the Senate the margin is committees. recently appointed David Smith, also an 26-9 - both margins unchanged from the AFA board member, to a five year term 2017 session. Both the House and Senate Senator John Cooper - R, Jonesboro, will on the Arkansas Board of Registration will operate with new leadership this chair the Senate Agriculture, Forestry for Foresters (ABORF). Smith is the Vice session as Rep. , R-El & Economic Develop Committee, while President of Farm Credit Services of Dorado, was elected for his first term as Rep. Dan Douglas - R, Bentonville, will Western Arkansas and succeeds Carroll Speaker of the House, and Jim Hendren, again serve as the chair of the House Guffey on the board. R-Gravette, was previously elected by his Agriculture Committee. For a complete list Senate colleague to serve as President of of committee chairs and members, you Hutchinson also appointed David Powell of the Senate. Upon his election, Speaker can visit the General Assembly website Paragould to the ABORF. His term will last Shepherd announced the roster of continued page 3 until 2023. He replaces Damon Daniels. Arkansas Forestry Association Board of Directors for 2019

Last month we revealed our 2019 officers and executive committee members. This month, we want to introduce you to our Board of Directors. Our Board Orientation event is scheduled to take place February 15 at 10 a.m. at the AFA office. Bill Abernathy - Optimum Forestry Inc. Jim Guldin - U.S. Forest Service Robert Parkes - Parkes Cattle Co., Inc. Aubra Anthony Jr. - Anthony Family Property Holdings Tim Hahn - West Fraser, Inc. Roland Partain - Anthony Timberlands Inc. John Ed Anthony - Anthony Timberlands Cherie Hamilton - Ozark-St. Francis NF Ron Pearce Inc. Karl Hansen - Resource Management Matt Pelkki - School of Forestry & Natural Steve Anthony - Anthony Timberlands Inc. Service Resources Steve Barham - Canfor Southern Pince, Inc. Greg Hay - Nutrien Ag Solutions Mike Pennington - L.D. Long, Inc. Allen Bedell - Circle B Logging Robert Head - IberiaBank Joe Pokorny - Molpus Woodlands Goup James Bibler - Retired, Bibler Lumber Co. John Hearnsberger - Landowner Pete Prutzman - Kingwood Forestry Tim Bitely - Clearview Forestry, Inc. Jim Hefley - Clark Timberlands Charles Purtle - Landowner Ken Bragg - AR House of Representatives Darwin Hendrix - Landowner/Banker George Rheinhardt - NRCS Brett Bray - Conifex Ryan Hendrix - Green Bay Packaging Inc. Steve Richardson - Richardson Wood Co. David Brazeale - Brazeale Lumber Van Hendry - Hendry Hardwoods Rick Rodenroth - Domtar Industries Dru Burford - Georgia-Pacific Corp. Tony Hogue - Clearwater Paper Scott Rowland - Neill Forestry David Cassels - BTG Pactual Mark Karnes - Ross Foundation Ray Seymour - Drax Biomass, Inc. David Cawein - Green Bay Packaging Inc. Tim Kibe - Green Bay Packaging Inc. David Smith - Farm Credit Services of Western AR Mary Clapp - Stevens Forestry Miles Lacy - Retired, Green Bay Packaging Inc. Mack Smith - Idaho Timber Peggy Clark - Clark Timberlands Shannon Lassiter - ARK-LA Timber Derrick Spinks - Ridgewood Timber John Cook - AR Forestry Commission Harvesting Phil Tappe - School of Forest Resources Mike Cooley - Weyerhaeuser Co. Rex Lawrence - Lawrence Land & Timber Bobby Taylor - Shelby Taylor Trucking Tom Crowder - Bragg Land Co. Raven Lawson - Central Arkansas Water Clark Tennyson - Clark Timberlands Bryan Davis - Davis DuBose Forestry Ernest Lovett - Retired, Larson & McGowin Consultants Inc. Norman Wagoner - Ouachita NF Ray Dillon - Dillon Consulting Tom Lowrimore - Interfor Corp. John Wainscott - Retired, Weyerhaeuser Co. Jody Doak - Highland-Pellets John McAlpine - Kingwood Forestry Services R.V. Warner Brad Dreyer - Molpus Woodlands Group Don McElroy - Anthony Timberlands Inc. Tammy Waters - Domtar Industries Mary Elizabeth Eldridge - The Ross Foundation John McEntire - U.S. Representative, 4th District Thomas Faust - Faust Band Sawmill Kent Mikkelson - Evergreen Packaging, Inc. Ross Whipple - Whipple Family Lands Joe Fox - AR Forestry Commission Scott Milburn - Retired, PotlatchDeltic Guy Wilkinson - International Paper Terry Freeman - Freeman Companies Corp. Frank Wilson - Wilson Bros. Joe Friend - UAPB - Keep It In the Family Douglas Miller - Weyerhaeuser Co. Harrell Wilson - Tri-W Logging Ed Givens - Landowner Allen Morgan - Hunter-Wasson Rodney Wishard - Larson & McGowin Glenn Gray - Georgia-Pacific Corp. Robert Murphy - AR Forestry Commission Jim Woodruff - Landowner Robert Gray - PotlatchDeltic Corp. Larry Nance - Ozark Forest Management Services John Grigsby - Toler Lumber John David Neeley - Neeley Forestry Honorary Board Members: Doug Grimmett - Retired, Larson & McGowin Inc. Chris Nelson - PotlatchDeltic Corp. John W. Gann - Landowner Caroll Guffey - Landowner Ricky O’Neill - Neeley Forestry Service Thomas McGill - Landowner Forestry Day at the Capitol , con’t. Arkansas. We have an abundant, renewable CALENDAR natural resource, and great potential for expanded economic development of these resources.” OF EVENTS

The Arkansas Forestry Association would like to thank everyone who attended. February 8 9 a.m. - PLT & Project WILD Representative Bragg listens as HR 1004 is read You can find more photos of the event aloud on the floor of the House of Representatives. on our Facebook page at facebook.com/ Environmental Education Workshop not only employment but value-added arkforests. Donald W. Reynolds YMCA of Warren & products as well. Bradley County Warren “We have always been in rural areas and not on the front page with other agricultural and manufacturing businesses,” Bragg February 13 said. “A day like Forestry Day at the Capitol 10 a.m. - Program Committee Meeting emphasizes the significant impact our Guests visit booths at Forestry Day at the Capitol AFA Offices industry has on the overall economy of where they took home seedlings and other goods. Little Rock

General Assembly Begins , con’t. February 14 at www.arkleg.state.ar.us and click on his plan to transform state government, 9:45 a.m. - Learn to Burn: An “Committees”. find a solution for transportation and Introduction to Prescribed Fire for highway funding, and raise starting Landowners Week one of the Governor Asa teacher salaries by at least $4,000 over the 4-H Center Hutchinson’s second term provided next four years. Malvern him the opportunity to reiterate his priorities for the session beginning with AFA’s focus is on HB 1117, one of multiple his swearing in ceremony and an address state government transformation bills February 15 to a joint session of the House and sponsored by Rep. Andy Davis, R – Little 10 a.m. - AFA Board Orientation Senate on January 15. During the joint Rock, that would reduce agencies AFA Offices session, Hutchinson touted a number of reporting to the governor from 42 to Little Rock accomplishment during his first four-year 15. HB 1117 would transfer various state term, sharing the credit with members agencies and establish the cabinet-level of the legislature. Job creation, moving department of Agriculture, which would March 5 people out of poverty, reforming the state’s include the Arkansas Forestry Commission. 10 a.m. - Government Affairs Committee Medicaid and criminal justice systems, The bill will eventually be included in one Meeting investment in technology education, very large transformation bill. AFA Offices reducing the size and increasing the Little Rock efficiency of state government and, AFA’s Executive Committee has reviewed especially, cutting taxes for the middle and the bill in detail and recently sent a letter lower income brackets painted a positive to Amy Fecher, Governor Hutchinson’s March 8 picture of what Arkansas has to offer, the Chief Transformation Officer, outlining 10 a.m. - ELP Meeting: AFA 101 Governor said. He then transitioned into several recommendations to improve the AFA Offices his “growth agenda” for the state and how bill. Our primary request was to maintain Little Rock that could be accomplished with the help the position on the Arkansas Pollution of the 92nd General Assembly and an Control & Ecology Commission currently May 24 attitude of “it can be done.” filled by the State Forester. The original bill language replaced that position with the 6:10 p.m. - AFA Night at the Travs Among the Governor’s priorities for the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Dickey-Stephens Park session is the implementation of the third leaving no forestry expertise on the Little Rock phase of tax cuts - this time one that Commission. AFA supports the inclusion reduces the highest marginal tax rate from of the Secretary on PC&E, but we do not Please Note: the current 6.9% down to at least 5.9% over want to lose forestry representation. For meetings that are held at the AFA Office, several years. Expect the income tax rate, Since relaying our concerns, the State and several other priority tax initiatives Forester has been returned to the list please park on the street or in one of the derived from the Governor’s Tax Reform of Commission members. However, area lots -- do not park in the Arkansas and Relief Task Force, which worked the negotiations are still ongoing and we’ll Chamber of Commerce parking lot. past two years on recommendations, to need to stay vigilant. You can see the list of be a focal point of the session. In addition, proposed PC&E Commission members in a Hutchinson urged legislators to embrace related transformation bill – HB 1215. IN ARKANSAS, LOUISIANA AND