Molino Man’s Land Is Named As Florida Stewardship Forest

April 15, 2008

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About 65 acres near Molino has been named a Stewardship Forest by the Florida Division Forestry.

Richard Freisinger (pictured above left) was presented the Stewardship Forest designation Monday morning by Escambia County’s Senior Forester Adam Parden (pictured above right).

The Division of Forestry helped Freisinger develop a stewardship plan for his forest land located about a mile north of Barrineau Park Road on County Road 95A. That stewardship plan outlines how he should provide for timber, wildlife and soil management on the land.

“Mr. Freisinger’s property is an ideal property,” Parden said. “It is an ideal property for other land owners to follow his example.”

The Forest Stewardship Program was founded in 1990 by Congress to encourage and help private forestland owners with at least 20 acres to actively manage their forest resources for multiple benefits including wood products, habitat for fish and wildlife, clean air and water, recreational opportunities, and aesthetic beauty.

A difference between Forest Stewardship and more common Tree Farm designation is that the stewardship program’s emphasis on management for multiple benefits. Stewardship landowners choose a primary objective and at least one other secondary objective. Many landowners in the program manage for some combination of timber and wildlife.

“”The program helped me to managed my land better,” Freisinger said. “And more than the program called for, I’ve always tried to keep everything neat and nice to look at.”

He said hurricanes Ivan and Dennis were a major setback, one that he has not yet completely been able to clean up after. “I used to go down the rows with a grub hoe and clean up. Then I would bush hog. But since the mess made by the hurricanes, I have not been able to bush hog down all of the rows.”

Pictured below: Richard Freisinger points out some young pine seedlings in an area of his Florida Stewardship Forest. Additional pictures below (scroll down): Several views of Freisinger’s Stewardship Forest in Molino. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.

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