Dabney S. Lancaster Community College’s Forest Management Technology program hosted the Virginia FFA (Future Farmers of America) statewide competition on its Clifton Forge campus April 28. Middle school and high school teams from around the Commonwealth competed in events such as tree, forestry tool and wood identification; estimating tree volume; map interpretation; compass course; tree disorders (insect and diseases); and timber stand improvement area. They also participated in a comprehensive interview session where a panel of agriculture educators and professional foresters reviewed a team’s presentation of a relevant and current forestry issues in Virginia or nationally. Broadway High School from Rockingham County was the state winner and will represent Virginia at the National Forestry Career Development Event at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, IN, this fall. DSLCC students who assisted during the day-long event included, from left: Rodger Rhinehart, Michael Hinson, Zane Weidman, Gordon Poindexter, DSLCC instructor Billy Newman, Alex Burton, MacKenzie Shull, Grace Goodbar, and Andrew Newsome. Not pictured: Emily Walker, Carter Lloyd, Ladd Budzinski, Seth Bogar, Dalton Hendrix, and Mark Parrish.
DSLCC Vice President Dr. Ben Worth (far right) welcomes middle school and high schools teams to the Clifton Forge campus April 28 for the Virginia FFA state-wide competition. DSLCC Forest Management Technology students (pictured, far right) assisted with the day-long event, which featured a variety of contests, such as tree identification, mapping and tree diseases and disorders. Broadway High School from Rockingham County was the state winner and will represent Virginia at the National Forestry Career Development Event at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, IN, this fall.