Page 12 - Tree Line - North Carolina Forestry Association - Second Quarter 2020

Western Membership Spotlight (Part 2 of 3)
The Biltmore Company
The NCFA interviewed member Curt Horn of The Biltmore Company to discuss the company’s forest management practices as a large landowner in western North Carolina.
Forestland ownership in western North Carolina is defined by a combination of government and private holdings. One of the largest private landowners in the western part of the state is North Carolina Forestry Association (NCFA) member The Biltmore Company, which has more than 4,000 acres of actively managed timberland.
The NCFA recently had the opportunity to sit down with longtime Biltmore Company employee Curt Horn. The Illinois native began working for The Biltmore Company in 2003 as the Grounds Maintenance Manager, after retiring from a 22-year career with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Horn has been the Director of Grounds Operations at the Biltmore Estate for the past three years.
In that role, Horn oversees the estate’s Forestry Program, as well as:
The Biltmore Company practices active forest management on its timberland holdings in western North Carolina.
Horn provided detailed insight into the forest management goals of The Biltmore Company, as well as some of the unique challenges that the company faces on its forest holdings.
“The Biltmore Estate has approxi- mately 4,300 acres of forest where active
Turf: 140 acres
Swine Production: The Biltmore Company has 170 hogs for supplying pork to the restaurants on the estate.
The Project Crew, which includes operating earth-moving equipment for construction projects.
Livestock Forage Production
The Field and Trail Crew, which manages trails, invasive plants, field crops and roads on the estate.
Row Crops: 450 acres
Barley Program: 20 acres Road Paving Program
Field-to-Table Hydroponics: This program is responsible for producing vegetables for estate restaurants.
The Farmyard Experience, which displays a model of a working farm.
10 ncforestry.org / SECOND QUARTER 2020
CONTRIBUTED BY BISHOP FORESTRY AND LAND, PLLC