The forest products industry in Virginia is fortunate to have several state agencies available to assist in areas relating to the wise utilization and conservation of our forest resources. Listed below is information regarding the Virginia Department of Forestry, with the following outlining the College of Forestry and Wildlife Resources at Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, and the Office of International Marketing - Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services.

Virginia Department of Forestry
900 Natural Resource Drive - Suite 800 - Charlottesville, VA 22903

The mission of the Virginia Department of Forestry is "We Protect and Develop Healthy, Sustainable Forest Resources for Virginians." The Department is dedicated to the Stewardship management of the forest resource by providing the services necessary to manage and protect the 15 million acres of timberland in Virginia.

This timberland supports one of the largest industries in the Commonwealth. When all the values of Virginia's forest resource are considered, the total value is $30 billion to the state's economy each year.

Seventy-seven percent of the timberland in Virginia is owned by private individuals. The Department of Forestry offers a variety of services to private landowners to assist them in the management of their timberland. Private landowners interested in the management of their timberland and the Department of Forestry Stewardship Program should contact one of the six Regional Offices located throughout the state or the office of the State Forester in Charlottesville.

State Forester:
The Honorable
Carl Garrison
900 Natural Resources Drive, Suite 800
Charlottesville, VA 22903
(434) 977-6555

Regional Foresters & Officers
 
Ed Zimmer
Regional Forester (Reg. 1)
PO Box 198
135 Bank Street
Waverly, VA 23890-0198
(804) 834-2300
 
Dave Slack
Regional Forester (Reg. 2)
PO Box 759
623 Lewis Street
Tappahannock, VA 22560
(804) 443-2211
 
Buck Kline
Regional Forester (Reg. 3)
470 George Dean Drive
Charlottesville, VA 22903
(434) 977-5193
Gregory H. Winston
Regional Forester (Reg. 4)
PO Box 386
717 East Third Street
Farmville, VA 23901-0386
(434) 392-4159
Charles L. Hutsell
Regional Forester (Reg. 5)
PO Box 100
210 Riverland Drive
Salem, VA 24153-0100
(540) 387-5461
E. Edward Stoots, Jr.
Regional Forester (Reg. 6)
PO Box 978
1240 West Main Street
Abington, VA 24212
(276) 676-5488

The Department of Forestry provides Staff Specialists to assist the regions (as well as individual loggers, landowners and educators) with forest resource techniques and information. These programs include assistance to sawmill and logging operators, felling and bucking for maximum yield, log grading and logging costs analysis.

Assistance is also offered in yield improvement, quality control and lumber drying. The Headquarters Office also serves to coordinate such programs as Stewardship, State Lands, Information and Education, Research, and water quality programs. The Department of Forestry maintains three nurseries for seedling sales and reforestation.

The following individuals are available to assist you with specialized programs:

Forest Management: Dean Cumbia: Landowner Assistance and Forest Management Programs, Stewardship Program
Todd Groh: State Lands, Herbicide Application
Rob Ferrell: Landbase Conservation and Riparian Restoration
Paul F. Revell: Urban Coordinator
Matthew M. Poirot: BMP’s, Forestry Operations, Water Quality Compliance
Charles W. Becker III: Forestry & Economic Development, Utilization & Marketing
Forest Protection: John D. Miller - Fire Information, Fire Management (management, control, prevention)
Resource Information: Chris Asaro: Forest Health (entomology, pathology, herbicide application programs)
John A. Scrivani: Applied Research, Tree Improvement
John H. Pemberton: Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA)
Jerre Creighton: Forest Research

If you have any questions, or need additional information on the Department of Forestry services and programs, please contact the Headquarters Office in Charlottesville. They will be happy to answer your questions or refer you to the appropriate Regional Forester's office or Staff Specialist

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