Woodland-Land Judging Career Development Event

The Lower Sabine-Neches Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) hosted its annual Woodland and Land Judging Career Development Events on April 1, 2008, at Verly Farms in Orange County. Students representing FFA chapters and 4-H clubs from a 10-county area participated in a variety of natural resource events. These contests are aimed at providing students with a better understanding of career opportunities available in agriculture and an appreciation for our soil, water, air, plants, and animal resources.

The land event stresses the importance of soil conservation, its suitability for various uses and how to maintain its productivity. The event tests the student’s ability to identify certain characteristics of various soils such as texture, slope, depth of topsoil, permeability, estimating erosion, best use for each soil, and determining the best management practices for the site.

The woodland event requires the students to identify various species of trees, determine the best forestry and wildlife practices, list products that can be made from selected trees, identify different kinds of wood samples, demonstrate proper thinning techniques, determine site index, and make other forest management decisions for the tract.

Other conservation districts involved were the Lower Trinity SWCD (Liberty County), Coastal SWCD (Jefferson County), Lower Neches SWCD (Hardin County), Long Leaf SWCD (Tyler County), and Jasper-Newton SWCD (Jasper and Newton counties).

Technical assistance for the career development events was provided by employees of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and soil and water conservation districts, along with a host of volunteers.

Click on thumbnail for larger image.

	Dayton FFA won first place out of the teams representing Liberty County in the Land Event. From left to right are Brooke Turner, NRCS soil conservationist, Liberty, TX; Dayton FFA team consisting of Tyler Greenwood, Kayla Copeland, Karly Reed, Chris Cassidy; and Dayton FFA Ag Advisor Wayne Lamb.
	Dayton FFA won first place out of the teams representing Liberty County in the Woodlands Event. From left to right are: Hilda DeSpain, conservation assistant with Lower Neches SWCD; Dayton FFA team Ryan Daigle, Laura Friedrick, Colby Miller, and Larry Peltier; and Dayton FFA Ag Advisor Wayne Lamb.
	Hull-Daisetta FFA won second place in the Woodlands Event out of the teams representing Liberty County. From left to right are: Hilda DeSpain, conservation assistant with Lower Trinity SWCD, Hull-Daisetta FFA team consisting of Chelsea Ballard, Ryan Birdwell, Joey Whiddon, Bobby Clark, Trent Watson, and Hull-Daisetta Ag Advisor Duane French.

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