Inside MFA for 2010 and beyond

Program Area Leadership for 2010

Governance Committee—tasked with identifying, recruiting, and mentoring leadership potential for the Association and successional stability for the Executive Committee:
John Foster (Chair), John Jastrzembski, Steve Mchenry

Education and Outreach Committee - Responsible for planning MFA sponsored workshops or forest tours, and for coordinating MFA’s efforts in cooperative agreements with other associations: ·
Brian Knox (Chair), Donnelle Keech, Joan Bearden, Mel Noland, Bob Tjaden

Membership Committee—Responsible for organizing and implementing efforts for member recruitment and retention:
Gene McCandless (Chair), Bob Shives, Chris Holmgren, Robert Hess, Tim Smith

Policy Committee - (Formerly Governmental Affairs Committee) Responsible for organizing and implementing efforts for policy development and advocacy efforts:
John Colton, Chris Holmes, Pete Miller, Kirk Rodgers, Tom Wieland,

“I am pleased to have such an outstanding group to help guide the Association. MFA will benefit greatly from the knowledge, experience, and individual perspective of these outstanding leaders, representing a cross-section of forestry interests from throughout the State. Special welcome to new Board members John Colton, Pete Miller and Tom Wieland, and returning Board members Robert Hess, Chris Holmgren and Steve McHenry. I look forward to working with the entire Board of MFA to find solutions to the challenges ahead and thank them for their service to our forest community,” Bob Eaton, MFA President

The Board of Governors is the policy-making body of MFA and has ultimate authority for the governance and management of its direction and finances. One-third of the Board’s membership is elected each year by the membership for a three year term.

Trees for Troops

MFA Members in the News
Nearly 100 fresh-cut Christmas trees donated from several Western Maryland tree farmers and businesses in Garrett County were picked up by the FedEx Corp. earlier this month at the Mountain Top Tree Farm in Oakland.

This is the first year FedEx is providing a truck to pick up the load of donated trees, according to Randy Sisler, organizer of the local effort and manager of Mountain Top Tree Farm. Trees will also be picked up in Frederick on Dec. 10 at the Mehrl Mayne tree farm.

The tree farmers belong to the Maryland Christmas Tree Association, which has joined with a national effort to collect and donate 6- to 7-foot cut Christmas trees for free distribution to U.S. military bases for the holidays.

Maryland tree farmers contributed a variety of tree species, which were all tightly baled for easy shipment.

The National Christmas Tree Association, through its Christmas SPIRIT Foundation, collaborated with FedEx, which donated its services for the fourth annual project.

Trees for Troops is expected to deliver more than 17,000 real Christmas trees from across the country to military families across the United States, as well as to soldiers serving overseas.

"Our military and their families have been providing a real service to our country," said Wayne Thomas, president of the National Christmas Tree Association and a tree farmer in Westminster. "As tree farmers, we want military families to be able to experience a traditional Christmas with a real tree."

Maryland Christmas Tree Association farmers grow trees on approximately 5,280 acres, with some 4 million trees planted and about 370,000 harvested annually. There are nearly 100 tree farms that belong to the association. Christmas trees are 100 percent biodegradable and they can be recycled for a variety of uses after the holidays. Discarded trees are used to stop erosion, provide fish habitat and make mulch for gardens.

For more information, log on to www.marylandchristmastrees.org.