The WV Society of American Foresters requested that WVFA staff make remarks at their recent meeting in Flatwoods about our AB Brooks Symposium in February. Attendees, therefore, heard that there were a lot of people at this year’s A.B. Brooks Symposium. Members and staff received compliments from attendees and, as one said, "If last year was ‘one of the best in years,' well... this year was even better." (We hope we can keep this up.)
In 2012 there were 36 attendees at the event; in 2013 there were 40; last year we welcomed more than 80. But this year we had almost 100. The economy is improving for our industry, and that’s one good reason that attendance was up, but the real draw was found in the great work by Program Committee Chair Greg Wilhelm of The Forestland Group, with help from WVFA President Ed Kraynok of Coastal Timberlands. They recruited speakers that addressed relevant current topics and were expert in their respective fields, which included: 1) Sen. Bob Williams and Del. Bill Hamilton on the 2015 legislative session; 2) Kathy Becket, of Steptoe & Johnson, on the Northern Long-Eared Bat; 3) Roger Sherman, Public Relation Consultant, Aaron Metz, of Cong. David McKinley’s office, on the proposed National Monument designation of the Birthplace of Rivers; 4) Kathryn Arano, of West Virginia University, on the Managed Timberland Tax; 5) Rebecca Judy, of McNeer, Highland, McMunn, & Varner, L.C., on Landowner Liability (which was rectified in the recent legislative session); 6) Steve Butler, of the WV Farm Bureau, on Waters of the U.S; and Liz Moss, on the WV Division of Forestry, on Urban Forestry.
In response to questions, SAF members were assured that WVFA supports the WV Board of Registration for Foresters and that perhaps a petition of concern may be in order to address citizens' feelings that Birthplace of Rivers should NOT be designated a National Monument.
