Farmers Collective learns about programs designed to help meet property planning needs
All community members are invited to join the Collective for these educational conversations. The organizers hope that these presentations will inform residents about what programs are available to them through local agencies, along with how to apply for the mentioned opportunities.
Floyd Farmers Collective held its first educational talk and discussion at the Jessie Peterman Memorial Library on Oct. 5, with Forester Nick Smith of the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF), who works in Floyd and Pulaski counties.
Smith gave a presentation discussing opportunities that the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) provides local land owners, and he reviewed the history of VDOF.
He said the VDOF was created in 1914 and was “utilized to reforest degraded land,” but that now the department works in partnership with land owners to create sustainable land use plans, customizable to each land owner's wants and needs.
Southwestern Virginia’s premier source for hemp products. From edibles and tinctures to topicals and accessories, we provide trusted, high-quality options for both wellness and relaxation. Visit our retail locations in Downtown Floyd, Roanoke (Wasena neighborhood) or shop online today!
Smith went into detail on a number of different programs available to the community:
Stewardship Planning is an option in which a local USFS forester, like Smith, visits an individual's property and customizes a land use plan. This program can be used for whatever vision the land owner imagines for their property — it could be the direction of timber income, and how to best take care of and grow trees, or how to turn an overgrown pasture into a landscape dedicated to wildlife. The opportunity to develop a land use plan alongside a professional is a helpful tool to get started in the right direction, no matter the goal.