Reston, VA – Kentucky’s Tygarts State Forest in Carter County is growing new woodlands, thanks to a major tree-planting project of the Hardwood Forestry Fund and Armstrong World Industries, Inc., the world’s largest hardwood flooring company.

Starting April 17, planting teams from the Kentucky Division of Forestry will begin to plant 35,000 hardwood trees at Tygarts, expanding the forest’s woodland on former grazing land acquired by the state in 2006. The plantings are a variety of hardwood species including White Oak, Northern Red Oak, Southern Red Oak, Black Oak, Black Cherry and Walnut.

The 800-acre Tygarts State Forest was selected for this major tree planting project because of its ability to expand woodlands and its educational outreach program for loggers, landowners and schoolchildren. Also, one of Armstrong’s 10 wood flooring plants is located in Somerset, Pulaski County.

Barbara McClendon, administrator of the Hardwood Forest Fund, said, “Thanks to the support of Armstrong, we have the ability to revert agricultural land contiguous to Tygarts to forestland and expand wildlife habitat and healthy woodland. This planting creates more diversity of hardwood species and helps to ensure an abundance of native tree species.”

Frank J. Ready, executive vice president and president and CEO – Armstrong Floor Products, said, “At Armstrong, we are committed to protecting forests and promoting responsible forest management practices. Our partnership with the Hardwood Forest Fund is one way that we put our commitment into action.”

The Tygarts planting is the first of four reforestation projects of the Hardwood Forest Fund and Armstrong that will plant more than 500,000 hardwood trees on U.S. public land in spring 2008. Other locations are Devil’s Lake State Park, Baraboo, Wis.; Salamonie River State Forest, Huntington and Wabash Counties, Ind.; and Kumbrabow State Forest, Huttonsville, W.Va.

November 2008 National Hardwoods Magazine (pdf)

Hardwood Forestry Fund Tree Plantings Celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day

The Hardwood Forestry Fund’s 2008 grant program announces the distribution of approximately $175,000 for the planting and management of more than 750,000 trees ($0.23/tree). The grant recipients include county and state forestry departments and leading universities.

Generous contributions from forest products companies, conservation foundations, and individuals enabled the HFF to provide a record number of grants for 2008 sustainable forestry projects. The close partnership the HFF has with natural resource professionals, combined with low staff overhead, allows the HFF to stretch contributor’s dollars and maximize on-the-ground results.

The Hardwood Forestry Fund was created in 1990 by the Hardwood Plywood & Veneer Association as a way for non-landowners to participate in sustainable forest establishment and management. The HFF is a 501 c 3 educational foundation.

The Hardwood Forestry Fund is proud to partner with the following agencies for 2008 projects (with many of these plantings occurring the week of Earth Day and Arbor Day):

Aitkin County (Minnesota) Land Department

Douglas Hallock Stewardship Demonstration Forest (Wisconsin)

Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association

Kentucky Division of Forestry

Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service

Michigan State University

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Penn State University

Piscataquis County (Maine) Soil & Water Conservation District

Purdue University Hardwood Tree Improvement & Regeneration Center

US Army Corps of Engineers (Raystown Lake, PA)

University of Arkansas

West Virginia Division of Forestry

Western Maryland 4-H Education Center

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources – Division of Forestry

For more information on these projects or the leading businesses that support the Hardwood Forestry Fund, please visit www.hardwoodforestryfund.org or send an email inquiry to hff@hpva.org.