Bob DeWitt has a Bronze hardhat and it isn't a souvenir from a construction job. It's the recognition he has received for certifying more that 25 Tree Farms into the American Tree Farm System. But he hasn't stopped there. While he says he has to check his records to make sure, he thinks he will receive a Silver hardhat in just a year or two, when he signs up his 50th member. There are nearly 1,000 certified Tree Farms in Missouri alone.
You can tell when talking to Bob that he is proud of his accomplishment. Not because he was personally recognized but because the Tree Farmers have been recognized for their stewardship of the land. This stewardship is not limited to producing forest products, which is a misconception some people have about the Tree Farm program. In fact, Bob says while producing forest products is one aspect of the Tree Farm Program "four out of five cooperators are not in it for only producing forest products. They want to keep their trees healthy, do wildlife management for viewing or hunting, and improve the environment in areas such as water quality. Tree farms reduce erosion, filter runoff and can help hold soil throughout watersheds. There is a focus on a balance between the economic aspects of forestry and conservation." Bob also appreciates the fact that it is a grassroots organization where members get together at an annual conference and field days to share information.
Working with the Tree Farm Program is just one aspect of Bob's job. As a Resource Forester with the Missouri Department of Conservation, he has responsibility for all Forestry Division programs in Lafayette and Saline counties, the western parts of Cooper and Howard counties and the southern part of Moniteau County. A 1982 graduate of the University of Missouri School of Natural Resources, he did a short stint as an urban forester in Cincinnati before returning to Missouri. He spent two years in the Springfield area and 11 in Chillicothe. Just this past year, he moved to his current position.
His office is now located at the University of Missouri's Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Center (HARC) in New Franklin. When asked how he ended up there, he says it is just one of those situations where things worked out right. Bob is a member of the Mid-Missouri Agroforestry Resource Team. Early last fall, at a time when the Missouri Department of Conservation Forestry Division had undergone regional boundary changes, he was looking for office space. He had just attended a meeting of the agroforestry team at HARC and wondered about the possibility of locating his office there. One thing led to another and he is now located at the Center!
The situation has been beneficial for the University and Bob. He enjoys being on the front line of research, especially in the agroforestry area, as the newest information becomes available. He also feels that with some of the research such as agroforestry or tree improvement for walnut, through an interchange of ideas, he can add a unique perspective since he works so much with landowners.
Bob can be reached at the Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Center, 10 Research Rd, New Franklin, MO, 65274. His phone number is (660) 848-2525.
