12 Nov Texas Study Tour Day 2
Day 2 – A Day with Texas Forestry Association and Dinner with Texas Dairy Association
We spent the day with Rob Hughes from the Texas Forestry Association, who gave us a fantastic insight into forestry here in the Lone Star State. Rob and his team took us out to a plantation where we met Lauren, Caleb, and the foresters, and got to see the whole operation in action from trees being cut using impressive machinery to being loaded onto lorries. The boys were very much in their elementโฆ
We then visited another part of the forest where young trees were being planted fascinating to watch as each seedling was carefully placed in the ground using specialised equipment and a clever trailer setup.
Next, we toured a mill production site, following the full process from the moment the lumber arrives from the forest to when itโs manufactured into a range of products. It was amazing to see how it all ties together, a truly efficient and sustainable system.
To give you an idea of scale, Texas has over 12 million acres of forestry, with around 95% used in-state and only 5% exported, mainly for the construction industry. Robโs knowledge, passion, and enthusiasm were infectious, and we all came away with a much deeper appreciation for the forestry sector in Texas.
After a great day in the woods, we joined Rob for a few well-earned drinks back at the hotel bar before heading out to dinner with the Texas Dairy Association. It was a fantastic evening of Texan cuisine and great conversation with local dairy farmers, some milking over 30,000 cows, which blew our minds!
A brilliant first full day in Texas โ and we canโt wait to see what else is in store for the rest of the trip!
Emily Black