Strengthening global forestry: UAM welcomes UK delegation on U.S. tour
Delegates visited UAM’s campus to learn about the academic opportunities in natural resources available to students and research initiatives performed at the college to improve forest health, forestry markets and land management practices for the region.
By Traci Rushing
U of A System Division of Agriculture – UAM College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural
Resources
May 26, 2025
Fast Fact:
- A delegation of 21 forestry experts from the United Kingdom explore Arkansas’ forestry industry.
- Starting in Maine, UK guest visited 3 states to learn more about U.S. forestry practices concluding in Arkansas.
- During their tour of Arkansas, UK delegates heard from UAM forestry experts, toured local forestry businesses and joined a roundtable with state forestry leaders at the Arkansas Capitol, organized by Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward.
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(Newsrooms: With art)
MONTICELLO, Ark. — The University of Arkansas at Monticello was honored to help host a delegation of forestry professionals from the United Kingdom as part of a United States tour organized by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.
The tour included 21 participants who explored forestry practices in Arkansas, gaining valuable insights from state industry leaders and UAM professors. The delegates’ U.S. visit began with an overview of forestry practices in Maine and concluded with their time in Arkansas.
During their Arkansas visit, the delegation engaged in both informal discussions and formal presentations that showcased the state’s forestry expertise.
"I've been really struck by your presentations this morning — they were excellent, thank you all," said Lisa Helen Smith, head of Tree Health Policy at the United Kingdom’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. "I was amazed also by how closely the health of your forest is linked to the health of your markets."
Delegates visited UAM’s campus to learn about the academic opportunities in natural resources available to students and research initiatives performed at the college to improve forest health, forestry markets and land management practices for the region.
Michael Blazier, dean of the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources, provided an overview of the college’s educational and research efforts. He also provided a look at Arkansas’ climate and timber market trends and the educational services the college provides to landowners through the Arkansas Forest Resource Center. “This was a great experience for our faculty and me; we’ve had great discussions with our colleagues from the United Kingdom about our shared value of sustainable forest management as the foundation to healthy forests and markets,” said Blazier.
Other faculty members highlighted key efforts, including timber industry support through the Arkansas Center for Forest Business presented by Shaun Tanger, associate professor of forest policy and trade; and the mission of the newly established Arkansas Forest Health Research Center presented by Laura Sims, center director and associate professor. Delegates also learned about waterfowl and bottomland hardwood forest research being conducted by Doug Osborne, professor and director of the Five Oaks Ag Research & Education Center, and his students. They also learned how Hamdi Zurqani, assistant professor of geospatial science, is using geospatial artificial intelligence to collect data used to manage timberlands and monitor forest health.
The delegation also heard from John McAlpine, president of Kingwood Forestry, who discussed timberland management practices and demonstrated the use of drone technology in forest operations through aerial footage from managed properties. Delegates were also able to tour Highland Solutions’ wood pellet mill in Pine Bluff to learn about manufacturing practices at the facility.
The tour concluded at the state Capitol in Little Rock, where delegates participated in a roundtable discussion with state forestry leaders and UAM forestry faculty. Topics included sustainable forest management, emerging forestry markets, landowner assistance programs, water quality protection with forest management, forest certification programs, and stewardship of Arkansas’s public forestlands.
“The United States and United Kingdom have important connections in forestry in terms of markets and sustainable management priorities,” said Blazier. “It was a privilege to highlight the diverse forests of the Natural State and the professionals committed to their conservation; this was a great start to further work with our colleagues “across the pond.”
“Our foresters were proud to share the tremendous forest management efforts underway in Arkansas with the visiting UK delegation,” said Kyle Cunningham, state forester for the Arkansas Department of Agriculture. “We look forward to continue working with our longstanding partners from the UK for years to come.”
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture is an organization that supports and advocates for agriculture through national policies and global agriculture partnerships. Wes Ward, head of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, is NASDA’s president.
"We're proud to serve as the president of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture and help bring a delegation from the UK to Arkansas,” Ward said. “With Gov. Sanders and other exceptional leaders within the state paving the way, Arkansas is well positioned to have an even closer and mutually beneficial trading relationship with the UK well into the future."
About the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Arkansas Forest Resources Center
The College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the Arkansas Forest Resources Center, a University of Arkansas System Center of Excellence, brings together interdisciplinary expertise through a partnership between the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The College and Center are headquartered at the University of Arkansas at Monticello campus, but their programs range statewide with the mission of developing and delivering teaching, research, and extension programs that enhance and ensure the sustainability and productivity of forest-based natural resources and agricultural systems. Academic programs are delivered by the College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Natural Resources through the University of Arkansas at Monticello. Through the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, research is administered by the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, and extension and outreach activities are coordinated by the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media contact: Traci Rushing • trushing@uada.edu • 870-460-1852