Alabama Forestry Foundation

10/08/2026

The Alabama Forestry Foundation recently brought Alabama and Tennessee landowners together for a unique white oak field day with the Jack Daniel Distillery. 🌳🥃

The group began at Miss Mary Bobo’s Restaurant, where Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller Chris Fletcher shared the distillery’s commitment to the White Oak Initiative and the importance of protecting this valuable resource for generations to come.

From there, Tennessee landowner Allie Richman welcomed the group onto her family’s property to see firsthand how they manage their forests for multiple products. The visit provided a great opportunity to see thoughtful forest management in action and exchange ideas with fellow landowners.

The group also toured the Jack Daniel Distillery, gaining a behind-the-scenes look at the role white oak plays in the production of one of Tennessee’s most iconic products.

Field days like this give landowners the opportunity to learn from one another, see different approaches to managing their woods, and build relationships that extend beyond the field.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and to our hosts and partners who made this trip such a memorable experience!

10/06/2026

Project Learning Tree partnered with AMSTI Science in Motion and Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve to bring teachers a day of hands-on environmental education! 🌳🛶🔬🧪

Teachers started the day outside in the beautiful woods of Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve, comparing ecosystems and learning to identify trees. After a delicious lunch sponsored by our Friends of Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve, Jill Chambers with AMSTI led teachers through a Lichen Lab they can take back to their classrooms.

The activity gets students outside to collect lichens and then back into the lab to use both quantitative and qualitative data to investigate and identify pollutants in the environment.

It was a wonderful day of nature, science, and hands-on learning—and we love seeing teachers leave with new tools they can take straight to their students!

10/06/2026

There are still some spots available for this training!

We are so excited to partner with AU Museum Of Natural History and Alabama Project Learning Tree to offer a Project Learning Tree workshop Oct 9th from 8:30am-3:00pm (lunch included) for teachers. This workshop will introduce you to the PLT curriculum and by the end you will be PLT certified! Each teacher will receive a curriculum handbook which aligns with state standards as well as 6 hours of TEAMS credit. Register for this FREE workshop today! Questions contact [email protected]

10/02/2026

The Alabama Forestry Association and Alabama Forestry Foundation were honored to celebrate the career and service of Chris Blankenship following the conclusion of his tenure as Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Since his appointment in 2017, Commissioner Blankenship has helped lead historic investments in Alabama’s outdoors, including more than $525 million in outdoor recreation improvements and more than $350 million in improvements to Alabama State Parks. His tenure has also included more than 110,000 acres added to Alabama’s public lands and more than $1.27 billion in Deepwater Horizon oil spill recovery projects completed, underway or approved along the Alabama coast.

For Alabama’s forestry community, one project stands out in particular: the new lodge at Cheaha State Park.

Commissioner Blankenship and ADCNR made a deliberate effort to showcase Alabama forest products in the project, incorporating mass timber construction and cross-laminated timber made from timber sustainably harvested and milled right here in Alabama. The project demonstrates the beauty, strength and versatility of our forest products while supporting Alabama’s forest industry.

The new Cheaha State Park Lodge will celebrate its grand opening October 16 at 2 p.m.—a fitting showcase for Alabama’s forests, forest products and outdoor heritage.

Commissioner Blankenship’s career has helped highlight the important connection between healthy forests, conservation, recreation and a strong forest products industry.

The Alabama Forestry Association and Alabama Forestry Foundation are grateful for his partnership, leadership and service to Alabama. We wish Chris Blankenship all the best in his next chapter!

10/01/2026

The Alabama Forestry Foundation hosted a panel discussion on the future of mass timber and its role in Alabama’s forestry and construction industries.

Our Executive Vice President, Chris Erwin, was joined by mass timber experts Derek Ratchford, CEO of SmartLam; Simon Hyoun, Vice President of the Softwood Lumber Board; and David Hinson, Associate Dean at Auburn University’s College of Architecture, Design and Construction, to discuss the Mass Timber Collaborative.

Mass timber uses engineered wood products to create large structural beams, columns and panels. It offers strength and structural performance comparable to traditional building materials like concrete and steel, while bringing the warmth and natural beauty of wood into modern design.

Through research, education and outreach, the Mass Timber Collaborative is working to encourage architects, engineers and builders to consider timber as a renewable, high-performance and beautiful building material.

We’re proud to be part of this collaborative effort to rethink how we design and build—and to showcase what Alabama’s forests can provide for the buildings of tomorrow.

09/29/2026

We dressed up and showed out for the final night of the Alabama Forestry Association Annual Meeting! 🍾✨

Our reception was a wonderful evening of fellowship, good food, and celebrating the people who make Alabama forestry such a strong community. Before dinner, guests enjoyed a silent auction featuring a variety of great items.

The Foundation then kept the excitement going with a live auction packed with some truly unique offerings—from wh***ey barrels and chainsaws to unforgettable experiences like quail hunts and a trip to the Colorado red rocks!

And the best part? Every dollar raised through the auctions supports Alabama Forestry Foundation conservation and education programs, helping us invest in the future of Alabama’s forests and the people who care for them.

We loved seeing everyone dressed to the nines and ready to celebrate! Thank you to everyone who joined us, donated, bid, and helped make the evening such a success. 🌳🥃🎉

09/25/2026

At Annual Meeting, we teed off for our 15th Annual Sunburn Classic Golf Tournament! ⛳️🌲

Turns out, foresters know their way around more than just the woods — they can handle the greens, too! 😉

Congratulations to our tournament-winning team, First South/Jasper Lumber: Joey King, Craig Dennis, Cliff Beall & Dale Outlaw! 🏆

The Sunburn Classic is one of our favorite parts of Annual Meeting every year, bringing friends and colleagues together for a little friendly competition, plenty of laughs, and a great day on the course.

We couldn’t make this tournament happen without the incredible support of our event sponsors. Every dollar raised through the Sunburn Classic goes right back into the Alabama Forestry Foundation’s conservation and landowner education programs. Thank you for helping make the Sunburn Classic a continued tradition and supporting the Alabama forestry community!

🌲 Rayonier
🌲 Taeda Forest Management, LLC
🌲 M&W Forestry Consultants, LLC
🌲 TIME Limited Forestry, Inc.
🌲 Oakring Wealth Partners
🌲 Tidewater Equipment Company
🌲 Alabama Extension Natural Resource Webinar Series
🌲 First South Farm Credit
🌲 J M Wood Auction Company, Inc.
🌲 Alabama TREASURE Forest Association
🌲 Two Rivers Lumber Company, LLC
🌲 Covington County Economic Development Commission
🌲 Enviva Biomass
🌲 PRT Growing Services

Here’s to 15 years of the Sunburn Classic — and many more rounds to come! ⛳️🌲

09/22/2026

You have one more day for the early bird fee when you register for the 2026 Partners in Conservation Awards Luncheon! 🌲

In partnership with Treasure Forest and the Alabama Forestry Commission, we’re excited to celebrate the conservation and education partners who make a lasting impact on Alabama’s forests and communities.

This year, we’ll recognize the 2026 Tree Farmer of the Year, Project Learning Tree Educator of the Year, and many other outstanding volunteers and partners of the Alabama Forestry Foundation.

Join us for an awards ceremony followed by a luncheon—a chance to celebrate these accomplishments, connect with fellow conservationists and educators, and enjoy time together with the people who help make this work possible.

📅 October 9, 2026
📍 Natureplex, Alabama Nature Center
⏰ Registration: 10:00 AM | Awards: 10:30 AM | Luncheon to follow
💲 $30/person through September 23; $45 after

⏳ Tomorrow is the LAST DAY TO REGISTER FOR EARLY BIRD! Don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate the people and partnerships working to conserve Alabama’s forests.

Register here: [https://bit.ly/PartnersInConservation](https://bit.ly/PartnersInConservation)

09/22/2026

We’re proud to support Alabama’s forestry professionals through opportunities like the Professional Logging Manager (PLM) Workshop!

A big thank you to all of the instructors, partners, sponsors, and attendees who helped make this workshop a success. Providing education on safety, best management practices, landowner engagement, compliance, and other important industry topics helps strengthen our forestry community and promote responsible forest management across Alabama.

Thank you to Beard Equipment Company and everyone else who participated and helped make the day a success!

09/22/2026

One of the most important things about our auction events at the Annual Meeting is to create a memorable experience for our supporters!

When this signed copy of Tom Kelly's Tenth Legion: Bootleg Revival took center stage, you could feel the energy amongst the crowd as they recognized the significance of an item like this.

Congratulations to Caleb and Ellie Killough for taking this prize home!

We are grateful for Tom Kelly, Inc.'s support of our Annual Meeting and to everyone else who supported our auction events! We know that Caleb and Ellie will cherish this for years to come!

A signed copy of Tenth Legion: Bootleg Revival found a wonderful new home at the Alabama Forestry Association Annual Meeting!

The book sparked plenty of friendly competition during the Foundation’s live auction, with Ellie and Caleb Killough placing the winning bid. We’re told they were thrilled with their purchase and that more than a few fellow attendees were still wishing they had bid the following morning.

Thank you to the Alabama Forestry Association and everyone who supported the auction. We hope Erin and Caleb enjoy every story!