During the Executive Committee meeting at Mammoth Cave, your leadership generated a list of priorities for the year. Among those listed were several items prompting KT to make comments on public policy. I’m proud to report that through Rick Wilcox’s leadership and the participation of several members (including Jeff Stringer) we’ve contacted Senators and Representatives in both Kentucky and Tennessee on TMDL/Water Quality issues.

Through the leadership of the East Tennessee chapter, Gary Schneider authored the KT comments to the Commissioner of Agriculture on the reorganization plans for the Division of Forestry in Tennessee.

Other priorities listed included: Outreach to public on Forestry, Work with organizations such as TCL, TFA, KFIA etc. and recruit new members. Positive progress has been made on each of these priorities this quarter.

Diana Gennette is conducting a forestry program for sixth graders near Chattanooga. Bud Morton and Mike Black are board members of TCL and actively promoting forestry in their roles. Gail O’Neill, working as Communications Committee Chair of SAF has been writing news articles on Forestry and sending them to SAF media volunteers across the country. Bob Bauer and Tim Queary of KFIA are working with a whole host of other foresters and agencies to wrap up the Kentucky Forests Forever CD project. And individuals in both states are actively recruiting new KT members by inviting foresters they work around.

While KT may not get the credit for positive activities in influencing forest policy, KT members are doing the good work.