State Representative Mike Johnson from Pineville says more than 12 million malnourished trees from the 2023 drought that have become infested with pine beetles need to be taken down. Johnson says Cleco and the Louisiana Department of Transportation have started the process by removing dead trees along roads and highways, but more needs to done with trees on private property.
Read MoreSome 450 employees of a Natchitoches Parish paper mill will lose their jobs by the end of April after their parent company announced the facility’s pending closure Thursday.
International Paper is shutting down its Red River Mill in Campti that makes containerboard, as well as a recycling plant in Phoenix, a box-making plant in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, and sheet feeder facility in St. Louis.
Read MoreInternational Paper will permanently close its Campti containerboard mill in Natchitoches Parish in April, eliminating about 300 permanent jobs.
The company also said it will close its recycling plant in Phoenix and box plant in Hazelton, Pa., during the same time period.
Read MoreIn the wake of recent natural disasters causing severe damage to Louisiana’s timber economy, Congresswoman Julia Letlow has introduced legislation adding improvements to disaster relief programs for forest landowners.
Read MoreLouisiana produces 70% more forests than it is cutting down. The Forestry Association is trying to encourage industry to utilize those resources, including renewable fuel makers.
Read MoreArbor Day was founded in 1872, according to the Arbor Day Foundation. In its honor, the Louisiana Forestry Association gave out free trees on Jan. 17.
In Louisiana, we celebrate Arbor Day on the third Friday in January. According to the Louisiana Forestry Association, this is the best time to plant a tree because of the colder temperatures.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing an investment of more than $70 million in 357 projects in Fiscal Year 2025 through the 2008 Farm Bill’s Plant Protection Act’s Section 7721 program. The work will strengthen the country’s defenses against plant pests and diseases, safeguard the U.S. nursery system, and enhance pest detection and mitigation efforts. Universities, states, Tribal organizations, federal agencies, and others will manage these projects in 49 states, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
Read MoreSometimes people will ask, “What’s an acre of trees worth?” Obviously, a regular reader of Forest & People magazine would know that to answer that question, we need more information, which would be obtained on site.
Inputs like tree size, vigor, form, number of trees per acre is information that is generally collected with a timber cruise. Now is a good time to go over some of the basics of forest measurement.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) welcomes input on the assessment of environmental impacts on two programs – the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) and Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) program. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting comments until Jan. 18 on its draft programmatic environmental assessments. The TAP environmental assessment includes updates to streamline the program and enable a quick response to natural disasters. The FSFL environmental assessment recommends continuing the program as currently administered.
Read MoreCovering 862 woodland acres in East Feliciana Parish, The Shades Plantation has been a witness to Louisiana’s history since the 18th century.
Located near the community of Wilson, the plantation was established by Alexander Scott in 1796, whose family first landed on America’s East Coast from Galway, Scotland in 1690. Nine generations later, this unique place remains in the hands of a Scott descendant, Jackie Berger Harvey, who continues to nurture this remarkable family legacy.
Read MoreA Christmas tree farm in Ethel is ready for the holiday rush and happy to keep Christmas traditions alive for families across the state.
Lisa Brabham and her husband Ricky Peairs own Windy Hills Farm and have been growing trees since the 1990s. Last year's historic lack of rain spooked the couple.
Read MoreA few parishes lifted burn bans as of Thursday morning, including Natchitoches and Winn.
More than half the parishes in the state had burn bans in place before rain swept through much of the state over the past week.
Read MoreThe Society of American Foresters recognized 22 of their members this past year after each had been nominated for “longstanding service to forestry” and “advancement of the forestry profession.” After more than 50 years of being a part of the forestry industry, work across multiple states and even a foray into Canda, LSU AgCenter School of Renewable Natural Resources professor Cornelis De Hoop was more than deserving of this recognition.
Read MoreAccording to sources close to the matter, Governor Jeff Landry is expected to declare an official “state of emergency” on the pine beetle infestation in Louisiana.
In the order, it directs the Department of Environmental Quality to issue a set of emergency rules aimed at easing regulations previously identified by the emergency beetle subcommittee as burdensome.
Read MoreMore cool and dry weather is in the forecast as a cold front moves through the state Louisiana. And it should be less windy on this Friday. National Weather Service (NWS) forecaster Hannah Linsey says the state is in the midst of an unseasonal dry spell. “We don't have any rain in the forecast, so we are definitely going to start to get into that time where we worry about drought for sure.” Linsey says much of Louisiana should stay dry through next week at least. But drought conditions aren’t as bad as last year at this point in the season.
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