BEAUMONT — Challenges and opportunities facing Texas forestry as the new century approaches will be the topic of a summit sponsored by the Texas Agricultural and Natural Resources Summit Initiative at the Hilton here June 25-26.
“Texas Forestry: Preparing for the 21st Century” will bring together foresters, manufacturers, landowners, environmental and natural resource representatives, loggers and academia and government representatives to identify major issues and develop an action plan to address them.
The conference will include informational sessions and breakout groups on developing the forest land base in Texas, research and monitoring conditions of the forest resource, forest health and protection, sustainable timber growth and harvest, stewardship of natural resources through forest practices, and public education, communications and involvement.
“These issues, coupled with the importance of the Texas forests to the state’s economy and their protection of watersheds and wildlife habitats, create a need for all interests to come together to develop a comprehensive plan for the future,” said Jim Hull of College Station, director of the Texas Forest Service and summit co- chair. Serving with Hull is James Stewart of the Houston Audubon Society.
The summit will feature talks by Don Taylor, Champion Paper Co., on the national industry perspective; Dr. Patrick Moore, Greenspirit Consulting, on the national conservation perspective; Dan Beard, National Audubon vice president for policy, on the environmental perspective; Hull on the forestry perspective; Dr. Steve Murdock, Texas A&M University rural sociology department head, on state demographics; and, capstone speaker Donnis Baggett, publisher, Bryan- College Station Eagle.
Registration through June 15 is $75 per person. After that, the fee will increase to $125. More information is available from the Texas Agricultural and Natural Resources Summit Initiative, Room 113 Administration Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-2142, (979) 845-8484, fax (979) 845-9938, or email j- oman@tamu.edu.
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