Page 10 - Tree Line - North Carolina Forestry Association - Fourth Quarter 2023

Day1
The meeting kicked off Wednesday afternoon with a welcome from NCFA President Rob Elliot, highlighted the history of the western part of the state and its role in the forestry industry. The keynote speaker was Catherine Truitt, State Superintendent of Public Instruction,
NC Department of Public Instruction. Truitt presented on workforce development and talked about making students aware of career options after high school and
her focus on the trades. She spoke about the value of the new forestry curriculum that the NCFA’s education team has been working on, which will be implemented in high schools across the state.
After the kickoff session, attendees had two panel options for their next session. The concurrent panel discussions included the Nantahala-Pisgah Management
Plan Panel moderated by John Hatcher. Featured guests on this panel included Michelle Aldridge from National Forests in NC, Nick Biemiller from the Ruffed Grouse Society, and Megan Sutton from the Nature Conservancy.
Concurrently, the Education Panel:
The Future is Bright for Forestry Education in NC was moderated by Rob Elliot.
This panel featured Joshua Bledsoe
from NCFFA, Chan Chandler from
T.C. Roberson High School, and Maggie Pope from the Forest Workforce Training Institute. Attendees heard Chandler speak on his experience working with high school students as an agriculture education teacher. Bledsoe and Pope spoke about their involvement in the NCFA forestry course mentioned above.
After the panels, attendees reconvened for Wednesday’s final presentation. Mavis Gragg from HeirShares presented on Heirs’ Property and Land Utilization. Gragg is an attorney who specializes in land conservation and spoke on conflict resolution and estate planning.
Wednesday evening featured a welcome reception and dinner for attendees with the Friends of Forestry Political Action Committee (FFPAC) annual reverse raffle. The FFPAC reverse raffle is always a success, Thanks to all who contributed and helped the raffle raise $19,500! Allen Whitesell sold the
Allen Whitesell, FFPAC Raffle Ticket Winner and keeper of the coveted belt, with NCFA President Rob Elliot.
most raffle tickets this year: 90 tickets.
The jackpot winners included Lori Spiece, Oliver Leonard, Albert Shaw, Fred Taylor, and Allen Whitesell.
8 ncforestry.org / FOURTH QUARTER 2023