Team Brings Home Wins in Timber Sports and Technical Forestry Skills
AAMU Forestry Club Brings Home Wins at Southern Forestry Conclave
AAMU forestry students recently traveled to Gainesville, Florida for the 65th annual Southern Forestry Conclave. Over three days, students from 14 accredited forestry schools across the South competed in twenty-three different forestry related events, both traditional timber sports and academic forestry skills. Events included axe and knife throwing, sawing, log chopping, pole felling, and technical events like wood technology, timber estimation, and wildlife identification.
“We are competing and holding our own in events against universities five times our size,” says Dr. Troy Bowman, Assistant Professor of Forest Economics and Policy, AAMU Forestry, Ecology, and Wildlife Program. “I think our students did well and showed a lot of spirit.”
AAMU’s Forestry Club competitors this year included:
Christopher Burns, junior from Huntsville, Alabama
Bradley Massey, junior from Madison, Alabama
Kelsey Hardyman, junior from Moulton, Alabama
Jahi Bradford, freshman from Tuskegee, Alabama
Timari Borum, freshman from Tuskegee, Alabama
Christian Bolden, freshman from Shorter, Alabama
The Forestry Club practices year-round to develop the skills necessary to compete, and brought home some nice hardware.
Christopher Burns won first place in Timber Estimation. Burns and Kelsey Hardyman won second place in the Jack & Jill Crosscut. Burns also won fifth place in the Axe Throw. Christian Bolden and Jahi Bradford won sixth place in Men’s Crosscut. Bradley Massey won sixth place in Pole Felling.
AAMU has been an official member of the Association of Southern Forestry Clubs that sponsors the conclave since 2004.
“I have attended conclave the last two years and I have never been around so many genuinely respectful people in my life,” says Kelsey Hardyman. “The purpose of conclave is to compete, however, there has always been immense support for every competitor by every school. I have never witnessed any discrimination, malice, or ill will at any of the competitions and that gives me great hope for the future of forestry.”
Alabama A&M University also co-won the Sportsmanship Award, sharing it with Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC).
“The conclave is just a fun experience,” says Christian Bolden. “I learned so much and the people were very nice. I am excited to prepare for the next one because AAMU is hosting!”
Next March, teams will head to The Hill for the 66th Annual Southern Forestry Conclave. Students from all majors are welcome to join the AAMU Forestry Club and learn how to compete in timber sport events.
Contact club president Bradley Massey or club advisors Dr. Troy Bowman at troy.bowman@aamu.edu or Dr. Kozma Naka at kozma.naka@aamu.edu for more information.
(Photo L-R) Dr. B.K. Robertson, Alabama State University; Dr. Troy Bowman, Jeremy Whigham, AAMU Project Forester & FireDawgs Coordinator; Timari Borum, Jahi Bradford, Bradley Massey, Christian Bolden, Kelsey Hardyman, Dr. William Stone, AAMU Forestry Professor, Christopher Burns