Natural Resource Ecology and Management

There are over 750 million acres of forested land in the U.S.  Approximately 10 million of those forested acres are located in Oklahoma. This equates to about 20% of Oklahoma’s land. A majority of this forestland is located in the 18 eastern­most counties of the state. These areas are where 4-H members can establish a basis in forestry knowledge and develop an interest in forestry careers.  

Every year, each Oklahoman uses the equivalent of a 100-foot tall, 18-inch diameter tree in the form of paper, lumber, fuel, and a variety of other products. Today, forestry is an $80+ million a year industry in Oklahoma. Value added forestry products made in Oklahoma would increase that figure by nearly 3-fold. Additionally, forest grazing and forest wildlife are important economic resources to Oklahomans who engage in hunting, fishing, livestock production, and various non-consumptive outdoor recreation activities. The estimated value of these non-timber resources is believed to exceed $600 million. 

The Oklahoma 4-H Forestry Judging Program is designed to encourage and promote more awareness and knowledge of forestry as an art and science. As current or future leaders and decision makers, 4-H members, volunteer leaders, and Extension agents will learn of the complexities and tradeoffs involved in managing a forest for multiple use objectives.  For a general description of the contest rules and procedures see the information below.  For more detailed information download the Forestry Judging Contest Manual in PDF form. 

Additional resources used for this contest include:

·         4H Forestry Program Manual: Unit A -- Trees

·         4H Forestry Program Manual: Unit B --  Forests  

Contest Format and Rules 

Forestry is practiced primarily in 18 forested counties of eastern Oklahoma.  For this reason the district and state contests are held in eastern Oklahoma.  The competitions are 1/2day events. The national invitational is a four-day event held in West Virginia in late July.  All contests consist of the following five events: 

·         Tree Identification;

·         Insect and Disease Identification;

·         Compass and Pacing;

·         Forest Evaluation;

·         A Written Forestry Quiz.

 Objectives 

The objectives of the Oklahoma 4-H Forestry Judging Contest are to provide the opportunity and atmosphere for 4-H forestry members to:

·        Develop leadership talents and to work towards achieving character development and effective citizenship;

·        Develop desirable attitudes toward the need and importance of conserving woodlands as a source of income, raw materials, wildlife habitat, and recreation important for quality living;

·        Acquire an understanding of practical forestry skills in forest management and of the utilization of forest and wood products.  

In addition to meeting these objectives, the judging contests will encourage and promote better forestry knowledge for 4-H members, volunteer leaders, and extension agents at local, county, district, and state levels. As future voters, decision-makers, and leaders, 4-H'ers participating in this program will learn of the complexities and trade-offs involved in managing woodland for multiple use objectives.

 Requirements for Oklahoma District Contests 

·        Competition will be divided into Junior and Senior divisions.

·        Junior division members must be 9-13 years old.

·        Senior division members must be 14-19 years old.

·        Age is determined by members age as of January 1 of the current year.

·        Because of the location of the Oklahoma forest resource and past levels of participation, 4-H members from the Northwest District and Northeast District will compete together in a Northern contest.

·        Four-H members from the Southwest District and the Southeast District will compete together in a Southern contest. The sites of these district contests will be in eastern Oklahoma with the specific location determined annually.

 Requirements for State Contest 

·        Only Senior division members (members who have passed their 14th birthday before January 1 of the current year) are eligible to compete for the state championship to represent Oklahoma at the national invitational.  However, Junior division members can participate in the state contest.

·        Participation in a previous contest (County, Northern, Southern, etc.) is not a requirement for state competition.

 Requirements for National Invitational 

·        The first place senior team (3-4 members) at the State contest earns the right to represent Oklahoma at National.

 Limitations 

·        Substitution of team members at the next higher level of competition will only be permitted in cases of extreme hardship.

 Awards 

·        State Contest - High individuals and teams will receive awards as determined by the sponsors.  Scholarships are awarded by the Ouachita Mountains RC&D and Eastern Oklahoma State College.

·        National awards are determined annually by the sponsors.  The number of college scholarships varies from year to year.

 Sponsors 

·        Oklahoma Forestry Association sponsors the state awards

·        International Paper Company Foundation sponsors the national awards

 Expenses, Travel and Time Regulations 

Team members, coaches and chaperones travel at their own expense to district and national contests.