Grayson LandCare
Forestry Committee
According to the USDA Forest Service, 57% of the land area in Grayson County is classified as forest. Eighty percent of Grayson County’s forest land is owned by private landowners who manage this forest land for multiple benefits including timber, wildlife, recreation, aesthetics, water and air quality, and natural heritage.
Sustainable forest management is a long term investment. The Grayson LandCare Forestry Committee is working to increase the return(s) on this investment. Specific committee objectives include:
- Develop local markets for the region’s abundant low value wood (i.e. woody biomass)—cull trees, residuals left after timber harvests, trees removed during thinning operations or wildfire hazard reduction projects.
- Explore opportunities for collaboration among forest landowners.
- Participate in educational programs for forest landowners—especially programs where forest landowners learn by doing.
- Ensure that forest management methods protect our resources and maintain environmental quality
The Grayson LandCare Forestry Committee is currently participating in a local initiative to develop a community scale woody biomass energy project. This initiative has identified several potential projects to convert existing facilities to woody biomass for thermal energy (and in some cases, electrical power).
This initiative is being led by the New River-Highlands RC&D Council, with generous support from the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Virginia Tobacco Commission, and the Virginia Association of RC&D Councils.
Chairman of GLC Forestry Committee, Dave Richert, speaks on woody biomass projects at Grayson LandCare 2011 Save Green Expo.
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