Forrest County News & Events

GPS short course beneficial

Forrest County landowners and foresters benefited from a short course on GPS (Global Positioning System) Saturday, September 20. The Mississippi State University Extension Service, Department of Forestry, organized the event. The Forrest County Board of Supervisors, through the Title III Enhanced Forestry Education Program, provided funding for the event.

Wayne Stone of the US Forest Service taught the course. The course covered every aspect of GPS from the theory behind it to the practical applications. Many examples were given on ways the technology could be used to increase the efficiency of forestry.

"The uses of GPS are only limited by your imagination" said Stone.

About 20 people attended the event, which also included a short outdoor practical session to demonstrate the technology. All of the participants rated the event as being helpful.

Forestry Demonstration Area Established

Local landowners are invited to view one of two forestry demonstration areas recently established in Forrest County.

The first is located on Brown's Bridge Road in southwestern Forrest County just north of Black Creek. Look for the pictured sign on the west side of the road. The other is located on Hwy 98 East just inside the eastern boundary of Forrest County on the north side of the west-bound lane.

The theme of the two demonstration areas is "Cogongrass", currently classified by the Weed Science Society as the "Seventh Worst Weed in the World".

Cogongrass was accidentally introduced into Alabama in 1912 through packaging material. It was intentionally brought in as a potential forage crop in the 1920's. It is currently known to exist in 44 of Mississippi's 82 counties. Cogongrass has serious management implications for land management. It replaces native plants in both field and forest and has serious implications for wildlife management. Local forest landowners are encouraged to learn to recognize Cogongrass and to take steps to control it as soon as it is discovered on their property. Cogongrass eradication by application of herbicides will be attempted at the location on Brown's Bridge Road.

The Mississippi Department of Agriculture has joined with other agencies to form the Cogongrass Task Force and is currently pooling available knowledge to discover the best means for control and possible eradication of the weed in Mississippi. For more information on Cogongrass, visit the web site of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce at http://www.mdac.state.ms.us.

The forestry demonstration sites are funded by the Forrest County Board of Supervisors through Title III of Public Law 106-393. The Mississippi State University Extension Service's Department of Forestry has established these forestry demonstration areas through its association with the Forrest County Board of Supervisors. The demonstration areas are part of an Enhanced Forestry Education Program presently being conducted in Forrest County through a Memorandum of Agreement with Mississippi State University.

The Forrest County Extension Service Office is also involved in the program. The program also includes a county forestry publication, a county forestry web site, educational workshops and other events for youth and adults. Interested landowners may also contact Butch Bailey, Don Bales, or Glenn Hughes at (601) 545-4455, or Lee Taylor at (601) 545-6083.