The Lee County Extension office and the Lee County Forestry Stewardship Committee pooled resources with Stihl and Stihl dealers to offer the workshop and tour to more than 70 landowners.

"Over the past several years, the forestry and forestry-related programs we have offered have gotten stronger," said Lee County Extension Coordinator Jeff Clary. "We feel that through programs such as this, we are making a lot of progress in the way timber farmers are conducting business."

After a barbecue lunch, Clary and Stihl representative Al Blount discussed chain saw maintenance, safety, and tree felling procedures.

Clary concluded the segment by demonstrating the open-face method of tree felling using a plunge cut.

Donnie Wood, a wildlife biologist with Mead Corporation, discussed all aspects of wildlife plantings, particularly those for deer.

The final hour consisted of a trailer tour around the Russell County Mead property viewing regeneration methods and a stream crossing using a new product called Geo Web. The tour included a look at a 104 year-old longleaf planting.

The workshop and tour concluded with local Stihl dealers Ernie Carlson of Waid True Value Hardware and Jay Phillips of Rental Center handing out door prizes.