Forrest County: Title III Program

Forrest County, located in the heart of Mississippi's Pine Belt, is home to Hattiesburg, Mississippi's fourth largest city with a population exceeding 50,000, and two well respected institutions of higher learning. The international recognition that comes with those schools gives the residents of Forrest County a unique perspective. "The Hub City" also brings many employment and entertainment opportunities to Forrest County.

Pine trees and forestland have always played an important role in the history of Forrest County, and will undoubtedly continue to do so in the future. Over 75% of the land area in Forrest County is considered forest or timberland. In fact, over 3,000 people own timberland located in Forrest County. In 1998, citizens of Forrest County earned $29.5 million in wages from the forest products industry. Forestry is such an important crop to the economy of Forrest County that it was ranked the number one agricultural crop in 1995, 1996, and 1997. Although the forest industry lost its number one ranking in 1998, it has continued to increase in its value to the local economy.

This web site is sponsored by the Forrest County Board of Supervisors through Title III of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000.

Supervisors

• David Allen
• Charles Marshall (VP)
• Lynn Cartlidge (P)
• Roderick Woullard
• Billy Hudson

Other Forrest Forestry Information

• Learn more about Forestry
• Forrest County Forestland Demographics
• Recent Forrest County news and events
• Forest History Calendar Available

Sources of Forrest County Assistance

• County Forester, MS Forestry Commission, Kyle Bush - (601) 583-4240.
  Provides management advice to landowners. Responsible for forest fire control and management of 16th section lands. A primary source of regeneration assistance, the MFC has 2 seedling nurseries where improved varieties of loblolly and slash pine are grown. NOTE: Order your seedlings early through the County Forester, as there has been a seedling shortage in recent years. The County Forester is also the primary contact for regeneration assistance through the Forest Resources Development Program (FRDP), which provides cost-share monies for both site prep and planting.
• County Director, MSU Extension Service, Lee Taylor - (601) 545-6083.
  The County Director provides educational programs and assistance to landowners. The County Director also has a variety of Extension Service publications available that address many forestry and forest-related topics. The Director is also actively involved with the local County Forestry Association.
• Farm Service Agency, Ken Barron - (601) 583-1184.
  USDA has administered federal farm programs since the 1930's. USDA reorganized in 1994 and created the FSA by combining the former Agricultural Stabilization and conservation service (ASCS) with the farm loan division of Farmers Home Administration (FmHA). FSA currently administers forestry-related programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) as well as other agriculture programs.
• Natural Resources Conservation Service, Paul Caves - (601) 583-1951.
  The NRCS provides technical advice, and frequently works with other agencies to address various natural resource conservation issues. This agency provides the Soil Surveys for individual counties, in addition to field surveys for ponds, terraces, gully control and conservation planning.
• County Forestry Association.
  Composed of landowners, foresters, and others interested in forestry and forestry-related issues. This group holds meetings, field days, and other events to promote the management and protection of Mississippi's vital forest resource. Each County Forestry Association is affiliated with the Mississippi Forestry Association. Membership in the Forrest County Forestry Association is $10 per person or $15 per family. Contact any of the agencies listed on this sheet for more information.
• Mississippi Forestry Association.
  A statewide organization of landowners, forester, natural resource professionals, and others interested in Mississippi's forest resources. The MFA's mission is to serve as the "Voice of Forestry" in Mississippi and to conduct public affairs, communications, and educational programs that will foster better understanding of and an appreciation for the forests and forest-based industries of Mississippi.
• Consulting Foresters.
  A consulting forester spends most of his or her time each year performing technical forestry work on a fee or contract basis. These services are offered to the public rather than to a single full-time employer. A list of consultants in the area can be obtained from the County Forester or the Board of Registration for Forester website, http://www.cfr.msstate.edu/borf/.
• Landowner Assistance Programs.
  Various large timber companies (Georgia-Pacific, International Paper, and others) have programs for private landowners. They vary from company to company, but all serve to help landowners manage their forestlands. These programs can offer regeneration assistance, herbicide spraying, general timber management, and other service useful to a landowner. Contact you County Forester for information on firms in your area offering such programs.

Calendar of Events

• To Be Announced