The Mississippi Forestry Commission’s Lincoln County office has moved from to its new location at 19K East Lincoln Drive next to Reed’s Metals.

Service Forester Howard Stogner said the new facilities fit their operation better. “We had too much space. This one is a smaller office and it’s away from town.”

The organization primarily deals with wild fires, reforestation as well as managing 16th Section land for the Lincoln County and Brookhaven school districts. On this 16th Section land, the commission takes care of and protects the timber resources on the land. This land is set aside in each district for the school board use and gets money through processes including hunting, agricultural and forestry leases.

Stogner said the land the commission manages is a great source of income for the school districts. He said each district has oil production on at least one of its sections.

He also said a lot of money for schools comes from timber sales on the 16th Section land. Eighty-five percent of the money from timber sales goes toward school buildings and improvements. The remaining 15 percent goes into an escrow account that facilitates planting and replanting on school sections, roadwork and maintaining fire lanes around the timber there.

Stogner encourages landowners to make sure they keep a fire lane around plots of trees.

“It has a dual purpose of protecting the quality of your timber while providing access to your timber as well,” Stogner said.