Indiana Tree Farmer Honored

At the recent Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen's Association (IHLA) Convention in Indianapolis, Lt. Governor Joseph Kernan took part in ceremonies to honor Woody Barton, Poland, IN as Tree Farmer of the Year. Barton was described in his nomination from Thom Kinney, consulting forester as "One of the finest examples of the perfect tree farmer I have ever seen. He not only believes in tree farming, but also practices it and preaches it. He lets the forester manage his forest, and allows the logger to log marked sales in his forest; only helping with this process when asked. Because of this, the recent harvest that has occurred on his property was completed in the best interest of the forest and the resource."

Wood Barton becomes the 28th Tree Farmer honored by the Indiana Tree Farm Committee for his dedication, stewardship and to recognize excellence in land management for the continued production of trees to supply our nation's wood products needs.

The Barton's Tree Farm has a rich history that goes back over 100 years. Woody's great-great-grandfather purchased the 336 acres in Owen County during the Civil War. In 1942, after Woody's great-grandfather died, the family had to sell all but 58 acres to pay the bills. Then in 1980, Woody, who fell in love with the land when he was a youngster, bought back his family's property that they lost 40 years earlier. This land has a lot of sentimental value to him and is all cared for with the utmost respect for the environment.

Woody Barton is one of the foremost spokesmen for forest management. One of his favorite activities is to host landowner tours and field days on his land. During the past 10 years, he has freely given time and resources to speak to landowners. He took part in the American Forest Congress and is a past president of the Indiana Forest and Woodland Owners Association. The Indiana Tree Farm Committee is sponsored by IHLA.

The hardwood industry in Indiana is among the top ten manufacturing industries employing more than 55,000 Hoosiers and contributing more than $2.5 billion each year to the state's economy. As one of the prime hardwood areas in the country, Indiana leads the notion in well-managed forests, thus ensureing continued production of fine hardwoods as a renewable resource for the construction and furniture industries.

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