The awards banquet at the recent 1998 Missouri Tree Farm/Stewardship Day was a proud moment for George and Marcia Hiser of Excelsior Springs. The Ray County landowners received the highest award that can be given to a landowner by the state Tree Farm committee. The Missouri State Tree Farmer of the Year Award makes the Hisers eligible to compete for the regional and national Tree Farmer of the Year Awards.
The award is recognition for years of hard work. Although Marcia's input has come in somewhat more recent times, George has been implementing good conservation practices on their 300 acres just north of Millville, Mo. for more than two decades. The farm has been certified in the American Tree Farm System for 17 years. The Hisers also enrolled their property in the Forest Stewardship Program and placed their woodlands under certified stewardship management five years ago.
Missouri Tree Farm No. 505 is managed with an emphasis on forestry and wildlife habitat improvement. Over the years, many practices have been completed in the effort to make the property more productive for wood products, hunting, fishing, mushroom hunting and general nature appreciation. About 40 acres of shelterwood harvesting have been completed and an additional 21 acres of timber stand improvement have been done. Annually, over an acre of trees are planted to supplement older, established plantations. There are also 15 food and green browse plots scattered over the acreage that are planted each year. With the exception of using loggers for the shelterwood harvests, the Hisers have done all the management work on the property themselves.
Perhaps one of the most important components of the Hiser's Tree Farm operation is sharing with others the information and insights they have regarding tree farming. Being a conservation agent with the Missouri Department of Conservation has given George many opportunities to be a spokesperson for good land stewardship. He has written for newspapers and has had his own radio show locally and has given interviews to the Kansas City area media, including several television appearances.
The Hisers feel that efforts to keep Missouri's urban residents informed about what is going on in the outlying rural areas continues to be increasingly important. George also has the opportunity to routinely visit with school and civic groups about the wise management of our natural resources.
Practicing what he preaches makes for a convincing case!
