Women Owning Woodlands program offers fall forest tour

SALEM, Mo. – Missouri Women Owning Woodlands will hold a field trip to explore fall forests in the Ozarks and learn about managing Missouri woodlands Oct. 10-11.

The event begins with a tour of the L-A-D Foundation’s 150,000-acre Pioneer Forest in the Current River hills region of the Missouri Ozark Highlands, said University of Missouri Extension field specialist in natural resources Sarah Higgins. Participants will learn about forest management in the largest privately owned and managed forest in Missouri.

Foresters and ecologists will guide participants through an active timber sale, a timber stand improvement site and the ecology of the virgin pine forest along Highway 19. The day concludes with dinner and s’mores.

The second day of the event begins at Devil’s Well near Akers, Mo., and includes a guided hike at the Cave Spring loop along the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. “While enjoying the scenery and forest, we will make stops along the way to identify trees and learn about land management,” said Higgins.

Missouri Women Owning Woodlands is part of the University of Missouri Extension’s Natural Resources program.

This event is free and all are welcome. Details and registration.

For more information, contact Higgins at 636-797-5391 or sarah.higgins@missouri.edu.