Recently, 225 high school students from Harrison, Doddridge, Upshur and Lewis counties experienced the first Doddridge County Forestry Field Day.
We commend the sponsors of this event and also the schools that participated in the event, which gave the students an opportunity to see the forestry industry at work within our state.
The field day allowed the students to experience first-hand some of the aspects of the forestry industry. Educating our young people on the proper management that is necessary to ensure that our forests and wildlife are not endangered by timbering activities is essential, since these are the people who will be taking care of our state in the future.
There is a fine line between doing damage to our forest and wildlife for economic gain and harvesting timber in a manner that helps the wildlife environment and the forests to regenerate themselves.
If timber is harvested properly, it can be a benefit to the forest in the long run and a resource that the state can rely on in future years.
The forestry industry is a valuable asset to the state's economy now and in the future. Our students of today are the individuals who will be managing our forests and wildlife in the future. Teaching them early about the importance of conservation and the proper management of our forestry industry is essential to the long-term future of our state and our forests.
Steve Morris
Telegram Editorial Board member