AFA NEWSROOM - July 30, 2025

AFA

Monroeville

Regional Reception

Next Tuesday!

8/5/25 at 6:00 pm

The Alabama Forestry Association invites you to our Monroeville Area -Longleaf District AFA Regional Reception.

The Shop

66 S. Mt Pleasant Avenue

Monroeville, AL 36460

Reconnect with fellow members, enjoy some REALLY GOOD FOOD, and help us celebrate the incredible sponsors who make these gatherings possible.

RSVP today to save your spot – we’d love to see you there!

A special thanks to our sponsors:

Title Sponsor: Rayonier

Regional Reception Sponsors:Alabama AG Credit, Georgia-Pacific, IFCO/PRT Seedlings, First South Farm Credit, ArborGen, & Ziebach & Webb.

Click below to RSVP or give us a call at 334-481-2135.

We look forward to seeing you there!

RSVP

2025 AFF

Teachers

Conservation

Workshop

Take a look by clicking the link below!

2025 AFF TCW

Contact your Representatives and urge them to cosponsor the Jobs in the Woods Act (S. 1336, H.R. 4575).

Jobs in the Woods Act

This bipartisan bicameral legislation addresses critical workforce shortages in the forestry sector. The Jobs in the Woods Act proposes a targeted grant program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture to address critical workforce shortages in the forestry sector. It focuses on supporting training, recruitment, and skill development for forestry-related jobs.

FRA has made it simple—use our Action Alert tool to contact your lawmakers and urge support for the amendment.

Jobs in the Woods Issue Brief

FRA News: Jobs in the Woods

Back the Blue - Cullman, AL

August 6th

Join us for lunch in Cullman at the Festhalle Farmers Market for a Back the Blue event on Wednesday, August 6! This event is hosted by AFA Member and House District 11 Republican Nominee Heath Allbright. If you would like to volunteer, please contact ASkipper@alaforestry.org

Mark your calendar for September 7th-9th - the AFA Annual Meeting is returning to Perdido Beach Resort, and yes, we’ve got the entire place to ourselves!

It’ll be three days of reconnecting with forestry friends, industry updates, family fun, and a few BIG surprises we can’t wait to share.

Registration is OPEN!

Visit 2025AFAAnnualMeeting.com to register and keep tabs on the agenda as it comes together - we will be posting it SOON!

This is our biggest event of the year — and it’s shaping up to be one of the best yet.

AFA Annual Meeting

Interested in Sponsoring?

No worries if you’re not locked in yet—there’s still time. Head to the Annual Meeting site to check out our full list of 2025 sponsorship opportunities.

Looking to add a little extra fun to your time at the beach during the AFA Annual Meeting?

Click each graphic below to learn more. You can add these events when completing your meeting registration or you can also purchase tickets separately!

September 7th

Sunday Night - AFF Low Country Boil Fundraiser - after the AFA Annual Meeting Opening Reception - Shuttles available to and from the Gulf State Park Pavilion.

September 8th

Monday Afternoon -

14th Annual Sunburn

Classic Golf Tournament

Shuttle available to and from the Peninsula Golf &

Racquet Club.

Mass Timber Could Combat Germs in Hospital Settings

The experiments are the first to explore relationships between microbial communities on the surfaces of cross-laminated timber, a key mass timber component, and the emission of volatile organic compounds under dry and wetted conditions, said Gwynne Mhuireach, a University of Oregon research assistant professor, in the news release.

“We wanted to explore how mass timber would stand up to the everyday rigors of healthcare settings,” said Mhuireach in the release. “In hospitals and clinics, germs are always present and surfaces occasionally get wet.”

AFA Connect

August 21, 2025

Mark your calendar to join us for AFA Connect on Thursday, August 21, 2025, as the Forest Workforce Training Institute shares their presentation on ForestryWorks®. No AFA Connect programs will be held in June or July. Happy Summer!

Secure Your Spot

A Warning Sign: Homeownership Rate Declines to Lowest Level Since 2019

The latest homeownership rate declined to 65% in the second quarter of 2025, marking its lowest level since late 2019, according to the Census’s Housing Vacancy Survey (HVS). With mortgage interest rates remaining elevated and housing supply still tight, housing affordability is at a multidecade low. Compared to the peak of 69.2% in 2004, the homeownership rate is currently 4.2 percentage points lower and remains below the 25-year average rate of 66.3%.

AFF & Partners are Hosting Upcoming Events Across the State

Curious about how Prescribed Fire can enhance the health of your woodlands? The Alabama Forestry Foundation and its partners invite you to register for upcoming Learn & Burn events. Keep checking back - we will be adding more events across the state!

🔥 Hands-on learning

🌿 Expert insights

📍 Multiple locations – more counties coming soon!

Visit our events page to learn more about that county's upcoming Learn & Burn and secure your spot today!

Events Calendar

Kreher Preserve & Nature Center Environmental Education Building

Nestled within the Kreher Preserve & Nature Center, the new Environmental Education Building promotes wonder and exploration of the natural world and cultivates a sense of stewardship toward our community and environment by reinforcing the importance of harmony between nature and humans.

View the Full Article

Online CE Available For PLM & CFE

Still need CFE hours? Check out AFA's online CE Classes available for CFE & PLM credit.... 2024 Bundle (5 Hours) is still available. Click the link below to see all the classes available.

AFA Online Education