MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2011 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Jordan, Jackson (11th), Blount, Burton, Butler (38th), Dearing, Fillingane, Hyde-Smith, Jackson (15th), Jackson (32nd), Michel, Montgomery, Ward, Watson
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDING JULIAN WATSON AS THE MISSISSIPPI FORESTRY ASSOCIATION "2009 OUTSTANDING TREE FARMER OF THE YEAR" AND COMMENDING HIS EXCELLENT FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN.
WHEREAS, Julian Watson, from Jackson, Mississippi, is the Mississippi Forestry Association "2009 Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year"; and
WHEREAS, Julian's 1,000 acres of timberland are in the Franklin community of Holmes County, six miles south of Lexington, Mississippi. When Watson's great-grandparents came to Mississippi from Virginia in 1872, they cleared the property for row crops. Watson and his mother leased the land to soybean farmers in the 1970s, but crop prices dropped drastically in the 1980s and the land began to erode; and
WHEREAS, Watson did not originally know anything about tree farming, but wanted to restore the land to productivity. "I decided that trees were the way of the future," Watson said. Today, that land which was losing tons of topsoil every year to erosion is now intensively managed for timber production and wildlife habitat. When Watson decided to plant trees, he sought advice from the Mississippi State University Extension Service (MSUES), the Mississippi Forestry Commission (MFC) and the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). Two early mentors were the late Dr. Terry Ozier of Rankin County, 1990 National Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year, and the late Paul Dillard of NRCS. "If there was a forestry field day, Julian was there," said Rusty Williamson, Holmes County Forester. Williamson nominated Watson for the award; and
WHEREAS, MSU Extension's weekly Mississippi Public Television Broadcast Farmweek featured Watson and his tree farm on its October 30, 2009, show. The 2009 broadcast includes Farmweek footage taken in the winter of 1985 when the erosion-scarred land was put into the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Watson began to plant pine trees as one of the first members of the CRP program. Also featured in the 2009 video are Rusty Williamson, Holmes County Forester, MFC; Betsy Padgett, Holmes County Director, MSUES; Britton Hatcher, Area Forester, MSUES; Tim Traugott, retired Area Forester, MSUES; and Charles Dismukes, MFA Board Member and Operator of Vaiden Timber Company. All expressed high praise for Watson's hands-on management style and attention to detail; and
WHEREAS, "I've worked with Julian for 30 years on his tree farm. His 'hands-on' approach has resulted in the finest tree farm I've ever seen. It's a real showplace," Williamson said. "This award not only recognizes Watson for what he has accomplished, but what he can do for our Mississippi Tree Farm program"; and
WHEREAS, Watson's leadership skills have also helped to establish Mississippi's County Forestry Associations (CFA). He founded and has served as President of the Holmes CFA and has served as President of the Hinds CFA. Watson belongs to five County Forestry Associations - Holmes, Hinds, Madison, Rankin and Yazoo - as well as the Forest Landowners Association. Julian has also served on the Mississippi Forestry Association Executive Committee and is a current Mississippi Forestry Association Board member. In 2002, he received the Holmes County Outstanding Woodland Award; and
WHEREAS, the key to Julian's success is that he implements the forestry plan and benefits from it. The property has been under a written management plan for more than 20 years and has been a certified Tree Farm for 24 years. Watson employs thinning, prescribed burning and forestry herbicides. These practices have resulted in excellent food sources and habitat for wildlife, and Watson receives income from hunting leases on the property. Market conditions have brought some changes to Watson's original plan as he enrolled 200 acres in a Carbon Credit Program in 2007 and he hopes that some timber will eventually be suitable for poles. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina damaged potential pole timber in South Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, vestiges of the Watson family farm remain, including the old Franklin Presbyterian Church and Cemetery. The church building was used as a hospital during the Civil War and cannonball damage is visible in its walls; and
WHEREAS, the Mississippi Forestry Association encourages landowners to follow Watson's path and plant trees. People think that trees take a long time to grow, but look what he has accomplished here in a relatively short time. It is with great pride that we commend the conservation program advanced by a Mississippi citizen who serves as a role model to all tree farmers in the state:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize and commend Julian Watson of Jackson, Mississippi, as the Mississippi Forestry Association "2009 Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year" and commend his forest management plan for his timberland in Holmes County, Mississippi, extending our best wishes to Julian and his family for future success.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Julian Watson, forwarded to the President of the Mississippi Forestry Association and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.