Identifying trees, insects, and forest diseases, compassing, and estimating saw timber volume are the different components to the 4-H Forestry Judging Contest. 

“With over $3,000,000 in forestry sales in 2015 for Liberty County, it’s important for youth to understand the importance of healthy forests,” Kasey Bozeman, Liberty County 4-H agent and team coach, said.  “Through this 4-H contest, youth have the opportunity to forest science content while also learning valuable life skills.”

In preparation for the Southeast District Contest held Sept. 7, youth attended practices led by Bozeman and Liberty County Agricultural and Natural Resources Agent Ashley Hoppers.  At these practices, Bozeman and Hoppers taught youth how to identify more than 40 common tree species found in Georgia, over 20 insects and diseases that can potentially cause harm to trees, how to use a compass and pace and how to estimate the saw timber volume for a plot of land.  This is only the second year Liberty County 4-H has offered Forestry Judging, but the coaches certainly plan to offer it next year.

Liberty County 4-H’s junior team, fourth through eighth grade students, placed fourth at the district contest.  Junior team members were: Briana Battle, Jackson Daniel, Tatayana Dates, Zoey Dates, Mattie Dooley, Maura Dooley, Kaden Peyton, Landon Peyton, and Makayla Nash.

The senior team, ninth through 12th grade, earned third place honors.  Senior team members were Nadia Crowley, Kelly Lachowsky, Sophia Rodriguez, and Jonathan Woolf. 

Gypsy James, 4-H Program Assistant, helped chaperone the contest. 

Special thanks to the Langdale Company for their sponsorship of the contest.

 To learn more about the 4-H programming in Liberty County, contact Kasey Bozeman at 876-2133 or uge3179@uga.edu.