Asheville, NC-The Appalachian Lumbermen’s Club (ALC) recently approved scholarships at two colleges to help students in forestry careers.
The funds will aid forestry technology students at Haywood Community College (HCC) in Clyde, NC, and Dabney S. Lancaster Community College (DSLCC) in Clifton Forge, VA. The scholarships will be awarded in 2022 to a student at each school based on academic merit and need.
The Club received a report from HCC Professor Dr. George Hahn at the recent meeting in Asheville. HCC was founded in 1965 and the Forest Management Technology program created in 1967.
In the last 40 years, the program has taught basic tree identification, lumber grading, and equipment operation. At one time, HCC had an operating sawmill on campus and hundreds of forestry students in North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee have attended courses at the college.
Hahn said the Forestry Management Technology program in 2022 develops individuals’ passion for the outdoors by providing students with the competencies and technical skills necessary to sustainably manage natural resources.
Courses include:
•Forest inventory skills
•Tree identification
•Timber harvesting
•Forest ecology
•Forest restoration
•Forest fire fighting
•Sales, purchasing, and operations
•Administrative and communication skills
He said upon graduation students are prepared for careers in the conservation, use, and management of forested areas and the resources they support. The college is accredited by the Society of American Foresters until 2024 and is also a member of Council of Eastern Forestry Technician Schools. It has articulation agreements with NC State University, Western Carolina University, University of Tennessee, Virginia Tech and the University of Idaho for courses.
There are 40 students enrolled in forestry management with five full-time faculty.
The next meeting of the ALC is March 8, 2022 at The Hotel Roanoke in Roanoke, VA.
More information is available at www.lumberclub.org.
