The Mount Vernon High School FFA (Future Farmers of America) recently demonstrated their forestry expertise at the district forestry competition held at Knox Woods in Mount Vernon.
The competition featured seven stations, each worth 100 points for the individual scores and 400 points for team performance. Students tackled various tasks designed to test their knowledge and skills in forestry.
One station involved completing a 40-question multiple-choice exam on topics within the forestry industry, including “Timber Pricing Highlights.” Participants had 40 minutes to finish this general forestry knowledge test.
In the timber cruising event, students used a specialized DBH (Diameter at Breast Height) tape to measure tree diameters accurately. They then calculated the number of 16-foot logs each tree could produce and estimated the overall timber value. Students were given 25 minutes, plus travel time, to complete this task.
At another station, students identified tree species from a list of 20 wood product samples. They had 20 minutes to evaluate the samples and match them to their corresponding species.
Using a U.S. Geological Survey map, students had to interpret legal descriptions, recognize topographic map symbols, and locate sections of 40 acres or more. This station challenged their map-reading abilities, and participants had 20 minutes to complete it.
One station required students to use a hand compass and pacing to simulate determining property lines within a timber tract. They followed a compass course with 12 marked points, recording readings and distances between them, all within 20 minutes.
In the leaf identification station, participants were tasked with recognizing 25 common Ohio tree leaves on display, again with a 20-minute time limit.
The final station tested students’ ability to identify 20 pieces of forestry equipment by their technical names, with 20 minutes allotted for this task.
Looking ahead, the forestry team will compete in the state forestry contest on September 28th. After a strong showing at the district level, the team is eager to represent Mount Vernon on a larger stage.
The students who competed were Jaxon Plumly, Nate Fletcher, Wyatt Croghan, Aubrie Welch, Kameron Poole, Colton Stagg, Logan Daubenmier, Ethan Hurlow, Zeva Sheets, and Kihana Edwards.
Six of these students qualified for the state forestry competition based on their district scores:
- Zeva Sheets (Junior)
- Colton Stagg (Sophomore)
- Wyatt Croghan (Freshman)
- Kameron Poole (Sophomore)
- Nate Fletcher (Sophomore)
- Jaxon Plumly (Sophomore)
The Mount Vernon High School FFA looks forward to continuing their success at the state level!
