Details about the newly developed Arkansas Center For Forest Business were presented to Bradley County Economic Development Corp. board members Monday night.
ACFB Director Dr. Matthew Pelkki was accompanied by research associate Ana Gutierrez and post-doctoral scientist Dr. Sagar Godar Chhetri.
Pelkki said state funding for the program began last year. He noted Arkansas is the third most dependent state in forestry.
He said forests occupy 367,901 acres of the land area in Bradley County, with 94 percent privately owned. Planted forests account for 65 percent of the pine and 5 percent of non-pine forests in the county. Forest industries contribute over $90 million to the county’s gross domestic product, which is 24 percent of the county’s total economic activity. One in five jobs in the county is related to the forestry industry.
“We are not running out of forests in the United States,” Pelkki said.
Gutierrez explained carbon credit programs available to Arkansas forest landowners. Chhetri spoke about urban tree benefits.
In related business, the participation of Warren in the Tree City USA program was noted. Mayor Denisa Pennington said Arkansas Forestry Commission had examined all of the trees in the downtown area and noted that all had diseases which could call for their removal. She said recommendation on trees better suited to the city were recommended.
In other action:
- Chairman Dr. Bob Smalling said LaSalle Corrections still has not made any payments toward the regional jail property but details of an agreement were still being worked out. He said an initial estimate had been received on restoring the land to a usable form. Upon his recommendation, the board agreed to take bids on the restoration and leave it up to the Executive Committee to make a final decision on the bids.
- Pennington reported that the pistol-rifle range had been completed. She said the shooting range site will also have a pond that the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will stock, plus archery targets will be set up at the site.
- Pennington also reported that the city had lost about 700 in population reported to the U.S. Census. That will result in federal and state turnback dollars to be reduced to the city for the next 10 years.
- John Lipton said a large industrial prospect is still envisioned at the Southeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal Facilities Authority. “It will be one of the largest investments in this part of the state,” he said.
- Bradley County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Terrie White said the Pink Tomato Festival “was a huge success.” She said T-shirts and cookbooks are still available at the Chamber office.
- Smalling said a lease renewal with Sorrells Lumber Co. had been finalized. Another contract to lease part of the BCEDC property is pending with Scott Richardson.
- A motion was approved to donate $100 to the Bradley County Fair.
- It was announced a Job Fair will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 22 at Immanuel Baptist Church.
- BCEDC officials met with Entergy Arkansas to discuss requirements for BCEDC property to be certified under the Entergy economic development program.
- Board member Marilyn Johnson asked for BCEDC members to participate in a community health needs survey being conducted for Bradley County Medical Center under IRS requirements.
