The Lincoln County Forestry Association(LCFA) accomplished something no other forestry association inMississippi has ever done at the state’s annual awards banquetrecently.

    LCFA was awarded Outstanding County Forestry Association for 2011and Outstanding County Forestry Association Project for 2011,awards that Extension Office Director Rebecca Bates said have neverbeen awarded to one association in the same year.

    “Usually, I’ll apply us for one or the other because they’ve neverawarded both to one association in the same year,” Bates saidThursday at LCFA’s board meeting. “The Outstanding Project awardwas a surprise this year. This is the first time anyone has wonboth.”

    The state association meeting was held Oct. 21.

    Vice President Greg Knight said the LCFA is proud of the awards andcredits the association’s dedication to forestry in LincolnCounty.

    “We’re proud to be in this organization because we take pride inagriculture and forestry, big industries here in Lincoln County,”he said. “And to represent that area in this manner is important tous.”

    Knight and Bates explained they thought the LCFA was deserving ofthe Outstanding Association award because of their efforts tofurther education in the form of scholarships and workshops.

    “Fundraisers and membership dues are used to support scholarshipsfor the teacher conservation workshop, the Tara Wildlifescholarship for youth and an additional scholarship to a graduatinghigh school student going into a state college in a naturalresources-related field,” Bates said.

    In addition to scholarships and workshops, Bates said havingprograms offered to the community also helps in making LCFA such anoutstanding forestry association.

    “We have hands-on field days as well as tours, like we did with thePhillips Bark plant recently,” she said.

    Knight said the LCFA is ardent about offering whatever it can toeducation.

    “We’re heavy on education,” he said. “Most of our efforts go towardeducation, for both the young and the old.”

    The LCFA was awarded Outstanding Project of the year because of itsefforts in fundraising with help from the Exchange Club lastspring, Knight said.

    He explained club members offered to open Exchange Club Park forthe LCFA to sell wristbands for rides, have live musicentertainment and sell concessions.

    “We pulled in a total of $4,700 for that, all earmarked forscholarships,” Bates said.

    Bates said the next thing for the LCFA is a timber tax workshop onNov. 18 in the extension office at the Brookhaven-Lincoln CountyGovernment Complex.

    “We’ll have an forestry/economics professor do a talk to see what’snew with timber taxes,” she said. “Tax laws change constantly, andyou need to be on top it.”

    Anyone needing more information on the timber tax workshop or theLCFA can call the extension office at 601-835-3460.