The Beginning

In 1999, then Governor Mel Carnahan formed a state-wide Chip Mill Committee to investigate the impacts of chip mills to the forest resources of the state.  This was in response to the recent openings of several wood chipping facilities within the state including one at Mill Springs in Wayne County.  On a more local level, several agency people got together to look at what was happening with the forest resources of the area from the impact of all the harvesting operations being done besides just the chip mill on the forest resources of the area.  Missouri Department of Conservation estimated that less than 10 percent of the privately owned forestland was under any kind of management plan.  Stories of landowners being taken advantage of by loggers from lack of knowledge of their timber values are commonplace.  Improper management could have significant impact on future values.

In the summer of 2000 the group decided to get more organized and call itself the Eastern Ozarks Community Forestry Resource Council.  The Council's vision is to bring together the many forestry resources in the region including government, university, industry, private consultants and landowners to provide a common focus for sustainable forestry and economic development in the Eastern Ozarks region of Missouri.  Their mission is to address emerging issues and trends affection Easter Ozark rural communities, people and lifestyles as influenced by woodland management and marketing strategies.  The Council began applying for and obtaining grants to assist in its efforts to sponsor educational programs.

In February of 2003, the Council voted to shorten its name to Eastern Ozarks Forestry Council.  They also applied for and obtained a grant from the National Forest Foundation in 2003 to assist them with incorporation, filing for non-profit status and membership outreach efforts.  In addition they would like to do some feasibility studies related to the woodland products industry.

Eastern Ozarks Forestry Council  Meeting in August 2004.

The Eastern Ozarks Forestry Council is composed of a 14 county region in southeastern Missouri:  Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dent, Iron, Madison, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Francois, Shannon, Stoddard and Wayne counties.  There are approximately 60 members including private landowners, resource managers and forest industry leaders.

Recent Media Coverage of Eastern Ozarks Forestry Council

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Last modified: 02/28/06