Green Horizons

Not wanting to lose his forest, John contacted Missouri Department of Conservation Resource Forester, Phil Sneed of the Chillicothe office. In a general sense, John and Cheryl knew they placed a premium on their trees, followed by a desire for wildlife and recreation. Phil helped the Lees better define their goals and outline a step-by-step management plan to achieve them in a manner they could not only accomplish, but afford.

Their plan calls for an array of land management activities across the property. To help fund these projects, the Lees have combined payments from Federal incentive programs with timber sale revenues. Through the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP), they are successfully bringing back quail by converting fescue fields into a rich oasis of brood-rearing and foodbearing native forbs and warm season grasses. "When we started," John said, "we were able to jump up only two quail on the entire farm. Now, after just two years in the WHIP program, we have eight well established coveys of quail."

Timber revenues have played a big part in implementing the Lee's plan. "I have purchased the logs from the partnership just like I would as if I was a logger," said John. Those dollars go back to the partnership to fund management activities on the jointly owned land. "The revenue that I have obtained from selling the graded lumber has paid for the sawmill, dry kilns, planer, and shed."

John Lee shares his diverse timber management experience with fellow landowners during a field day.

Both John and Cheryl have taken advantage of numerous landowner education opportunities. Through MU Extension's Master Tree Farmer Short Course and the Missouri Forest Products Association's Professional Timber Harvester Program, John employs Best Management Practices (BMPs) during his timber harvests and confidently cuts down large trees. The Conservation Department's burning seminars put Cheryl's fear of burning down the woods to rest and demonstrated, "that some textbook concepts really do work!"

What advice do the Lees have for landowners wanting to follow their lead? "Bite off a small section" says John. "Go into an area and say, 'Okay I can do so much today or so much this week'. Do that, stand back and look at it. You'll be encouraged and then take on another section." Cheryl adds, "I think it's important to stay focused on how much you've done rather than how much needs to be done. When you do that, it's a labor of love." To learn more about John and Cheryl's woodland stewardship experiences, come to the 2005 Tree Farm Conference in Columbia. They will be participating in the new Friday evening Landowner Information Exchange Session. For conference information, contact Glenda Fry at the Missouri Forest Products Association (573) 634-3252; or email glenda@moforest.org.