Green Horizons

The ability of FWAM to provide support to woodland owners and information to all Missouri citizens interested in promoting healthy forests is coming together!

With the start of the New Year, the Association will assume the administrative support for the Missouri Tree Farm Program. This support is transitioning from the Missouri Forest Products Association (MFPA) where the Missouri Tree Farm Program has called home for many years. Routine contacts previously made with Tammy Homfeldt, MFPA Communications and Membership Manager should be directed to my attention starting January 2, 2012.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of FWAM, I want to express our "thanks and gratitude" to Tammy, Steve Jarvis, Executive Director, and to the Board of Directors of the Missouri Forest Products Association for their support to Tree Farm over the years and for their continuing support to our fledging Association!

FWAM is now online at http://www.forestandwoodland.org. Thanks to a grant from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to the Conservation Federation of Missouri, CFM was able to contract with Matt Arndt, Quality Forest Management, LLC, to develop the website. Our Internet users will have at their disposal:

• Up-to-date information of any important forestry-related issues and requests for action.
• Notice of upcoming events and links to photos of recently held events.
• Links to our supporting partners and other organizations where you can find helpful information for managing your property.
• "I would Like Help With..." A decision matrix that will guide you through a series of easy questions you might be asking yourself, so that in the end you will have links to relevant information AND someone who can help you!
• A "Contact Us" link for more specific questions or to voice your concern on a forestry-related topic.
• New and renewing members will also have the ability to SECURELY pay their dues.

Check in frequently to see how the Association is growing and improving to serve you! To our members and interested individuals who are against the needless waste of electrons, never fear! At the end of this article you will find all the necessary contact information to either call or write and request we keep you informed via the US Postal Service. We will do our part to keep the Post Office in business!

The NRCS grant also included funds to develop a tabletop display that will help us promote the Association at county fairs, conferences and other regional events. Have an event in mind? Let us know. We would love to promote healthy forestry in your community!

Show-Me Healthy Forests! The display is available to FWAM members to help us promote good forestry!

Another grant in cooperation with the Missouri Tree Farm Program allowed us to produce a brochure promoting FWAM and Tree Farm, and a pocket-size "Forestry Management Card" showing how timber stand improvement pays. We have also started publishing "The Canopy", a bi-weekly newsletter, designed to keep Association members informed and provide meeting reminders between the quarterly issues of Green Horizons. Again, this will be mailed to members without access to electronic mail.

Before I forget, FWAM members, Tree Farmers, and anyone requesting materials via the Post Office can contact the Association at:

Forest and Woodland Association of Missouri
503 E. Nifong, #215
Columbia, MO 65201-3717
(573) 268-7262 (C) or 855-THE-FWAM
(573) 875-0580 (F)
email: fwam.trees@gmail.com
website: www.forestandwoodland.org

When folks ask me "Why should I join this organization?", my response can best be summarized by McDonald County woodland landowner, Dwight Ittner, when I asked him, "Why is FWAM important to you as a landowner?". Dwight replied,"FWAM not only represents forest landowners, it also speaks for the trees in our forest. It can serve to educate our lawmakers and to inform regulators about how their actions can benefit or harm our forest resources."