Forest Landowners Association Conference in Fla.

The Forest Landowners Association annual conference runs from May 27 to 30 at Amelia Island in Jacksonville, Florida. Wednesday's activities include a tax workshop and a family communications workshop, with both workshops intended to help family forest landowners with estate planning. The President's Reception from 6 to 7:30 includes an open bar and buffet plus a silent auction. Thursday's general session entitled Reality Check: Forestry Facts and Fantasies will have speakers from prominent Universities plus the CEO of Rayonier, Lee Thomas, will speak about the "real world" perspective of timber markets. The day concludes with a Cookout from 5 to 7 at nearby Fort Clinch that includes a live auction and a gun raffle. Friday's session will begin with an address from Lawrence Selzer of The Conservation Fund, and the conference will wind up with a tour from 11 to 4 at the Smurfit-Stone Paper Mill. Based in Atlanta, Georgia the Forest Landowners Association is a membership-based organization that represent the interests of family forests in D.C. and other national forums. Lowcountryoutdoors.com is an FLA member and supports conservation forestry practices such as timber thinning, prescribed fire and herbicide spray control of the woody understory for the benefit of wildlife species.

Photo By Jeff Dennis: Recent photo of a happy and healthy family owned forest