CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 09/22/20

Georgia 4-H youth awarded highest state honor in forestry knowledge

By Austin Clark

Twenty-six Georgia 4-H’ers participated in the  State Forestry Field Day for program year 2021 on Sept. 19 at Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton, Georgia. Throughout the afternoon event, participants adhered to COVID-19 prevention measures as guided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Georgia 4-H forestry program teaches youth to identify up to 70 Georgia tree species, as well as common pests and diseases that impact those trees. The forestry field day competition allows youth to test their science-based knowledge, critical thinking skills and skills with specialized forestry tools. Participants can be a part of a county team or compete individually in the state forestry judging contest.

“The pandemic certainly caused volunteer coaches and county personnel to be creative with virtual practices until youth could meet in person,” said Craven Hudson, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension 4-H specialist. “We were able to hold all area contests in person, and these youth have worked hard to prepare for today.”

The state contest consists of five stations: insect and disease identification, volume estimation, compass and pacing, tree identification, and site evaluation. All county teams prepared for the state contest by competing in one of four area forestry field days held earlier in September. Site evaluation is added at the state level and requires youth to consider landowner objectives and make forest management recommendations.

Each county may bring up to 20 senior contestants from ninth through 12th grades. The youth compete individually and as team members. The first-place senior team winners will represent Georgia at the National 4-H Forestry Invitational in August 2021 at the Jackson’s Mill State 4-H Conference Center in Weston, West Virginia.

This year’s winners at the State Forestry Field Day are:

First place team: Bartow County — Sasha Morgan, Gus Federico, Bethany Craven and Gabriel Craven

Second place team: Oconee County — Kalani Washington, Alicia Carnes, Robie Lucas and Lexi Pritchard

Third place team: Burke County — Holt Sapp, Emmaline Cunningham, Samuel Eckerman and Tony Gray

Senior high individual: Gus Federico, Bartow County

Georgia 4-H empowers youth to become true leaders by developing necessary life skills, positive relationships and community awareness. As the largest youth leadership organization in the state, 4-H reaches more than 175,000 people annually through UGA Extension offices and 4-H facilities. For more information, visit georgia4h.org or contact your local UGA Extension office.

Austin Clark is a Georgia 4-H public relations associate.

Authors:
Austin Clark
Experts/Sources:
Craven F Hudson
Georgia 4-H'ers participate in the State Forestry Field Day at Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton, Georgia.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
Seth McAllister and farmer Mark Daniel discuss crop production and agritourism. CAES News
UGA Extension supports agritourism through expert advice and collaboration 10/24/24 Emily Cabrera
On a sunny day with bright-blue skies, I arrive at Mark’s Melon Patch in Sasser, Georgia, and immediately spot the familiar white University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pickup truck, the Terrell County Extension logo prominently displayed on the door. Seth McAllister, the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Terrell County, greets me with a broad grin and a firm handshake. Terrell County alone has 60,000 acres of row crops, half in cotton. But what McAllister loves most about his role as an Extension agent is the diversity of his work.
Ropes course at Georgia 4-H camp CAES News
Campers create lasting memories of summer at Georgia's 4-H centers 10/07/24 Josie Smith
By the end of his first week at 4-H summer camp, fifth grader Cooper Hardy already had many memories of new and exciting experiences. “That was the first time I got in a canoe,” Hardy said. “It was a big deal for me.” Now, 10 years later, Hardy serves as a Georgia 4-H camp counselor at Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton, Georgia. It’s a dream he’s held since the first time he set foot on the sprawling, wooded 1,500-acre campus as a camper.
Caroline Hinton is the director of experiential learning for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. (Photo by Peter Frey/UGA) CAES News
Director of experiential learning herds students toward new fields of education 10/02/24 Averi Caldwell
Caroline Hinton wants to foster a love of learning for all students who walk through her door. As the director of experiential learning for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Hinton helps students connect with their fields of study outside of the classroom. “I find joy and excitement in getting to watch students experience different parts of agriculture and find a place in our state’s own agriculture industry,” she said.
The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel saw some damage from the winds and rain of Hurricane Helene. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker/UGA) CAES News
UGA weathers Hurricane Helene 09/27/24
The University of Georgia’s main campus was fortunate to emerge relatively unscathed after Hurricane Helene barreled through the state early Friday morning. However, the impact was more significant at our extended campus locations. While the UGA Griffin campus reported no major damage, UGA-Tifton was hit much harder, with dozens of downed trees and power outages, as well as flooding in several buildings. Damage to farm operations across south Georgia appears to be extensive.
Honorees at the 2024 State 4-H Congress included 4-H Green Jacket Award winner Jay Morgan, Master 4-H’er Vidhi Patel, Warnell Associate Dean for Outreach Nick Fuhrman for Warnell accepting the Friend of 4-H Award on behalf of the college, Georgia 4-H State President Kingston Ryals, William H. Booth Award winner Patrick Willis, and Ryles Rising Star Award Laura Mirarchi. CAES News
Outstanding youth, supportive adults celebrated at Georgia 4-H State Congress 08/14/24 Josie Smith
Accomplished 4-H youth and the adults who empower them gathered at the 81st Georgia 4-H State Congress in Atlanta July 23-26. The weeklong event for top 4-H’ers features state-level Project Achievement and Leadership in Action competitions and recognizes youth development professionals and community supporters contributing to the success of 4-H in Georgia. More than 200 youth delegates competed in 50 Project Achievement areas and eight youth delegates competed in the Leadership in Action contest during annual event.
Local 4-H students helped install more than 500 plants in the 400-square-foot plot below the mural. (Photo by Sara Ingram) CAES News
Public art helping to revive rural communities 07/26/24 Margaret Blanchard
In Buena Vista, a vibrant mural at the corner of North Broad Street and Fifth Avenue catches the eyes of passers-by with its bright blue border. Funded by Flint Energies, the mural tells the story of the longleaf pine forests that once dominated Marion County and the turpentine industry, flora and fauna that the trees supported — from gopher tortoises to bobwhite quail.