The Future of Forestry is Through Education
When Chuck Daniels explains working forests to a 6th grader, he tells them they're full of life. He also says we depend on the forests, and the forests depend on us.
Daniels is active in sustainable forestry and in his community. A veteran of the Army National Guard, he works at Domtar’s Plymouth Mill in raw materials procurement. He is also a registered forester, tree farm inspector and North Carolina Forestry Association (NCFA) board member.
Daniels believes being active and part of the community is part of the job of a responsible and sustainable forester.
“I would sum this up in one word – CARING,” he said. “A forester that loves coming to work and truly cares about the resource that he [or she] has such a direct influence on can have a tremendous, positive impact.”
Daniels believes education is where he can make the biggest impact. It’s one of his top priorities to further the health of our nation’s forests. What does it look like?
“Working through agencies and associations such as the NCFA and other forest services to educate landowners and potential future landowners. [We need to teach them] how to properly manage their resource to achieve multiple goals that benefit the entire ecosystem,” Daniels said.
Part of the solution is sharing information and resources. This can help give our forests the best possible care and to ensure they’re around for generations to come. Daniels thinks we could not only sustain but improve the potential of our forests.
“An actively managed forest is a resilient one if managed properly,” he said. “The future of sustainable forestry is achieved by everyone working together. Industry representatives, landowners, educators and extension personnel, just to name a few.”