Forest tours and wood utilization programs will have something to interest just about everybody attending the field day July 22. The event will take place at two locations – the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture's Robinson Substation and Robinson Forest.

"From best management practices for logging to the maintenance and care of hardwood floors, and probably most things in between," said Dwayne Turner, special projects coordinator at Robinson Forest, as he described the variety of field-day events going on at the two locations. "People can attend a day of educational programs at the forest, and/or several afternoon tours at the substation," added Turner.

Those going to the forest programs will leave the Substation at 9 a.m. and return about 3:30 p.m. Lunch will be served at the forest. Field- day programs will begin with registration at 1 p.m., followed by tours of the Wood Utilization Center and horticultural and agronomy research projects. The last Substation tour will begin at 5 p.m. Dinner will start at 6 p.m.

Program topics at the forest will include forestry evaluation and management, best management practices for logging, alternative land uses for small-acreage forest, forest land owner rights and responsibilities, environmental education opportunities at the facility, and forest management options.

"Field day visitors can learn how to assess the value of trees and the effects various management practices have on a tree's value," Turner said. "Another session will address recommended BMPs for logging situations such as protecting stream quality and road location and building considerations."

People who own small-acreage forests have a number of options for alternative property uses. Forest visitors will see plots on several of these uses including production of ginseng, goldenseal, various mushrooms and Christmas trees. "Robinson Forest is an excellent resource for environmental education," Turner said. "Visitors can glimpse into the many educational opportunities our facilities offer to learn more about the environment, including an interpretative walk on the Boarding House Trail."

Woodland owners also can get more information on how to better manage their property, including harvest timing options and pre-harvest treatments.

In addition to the previously mentioned tools, landowners also can learn about their rights and responsibilities as property owners.

"During each segment, visitors will see the step-by-step story of hardwood flooring unfold, from selecting the logs through making, installing and finishing the final product," said Carroll Fackler, center superintendent. "Each step in this process adds value to sawn lumber, rather than shipping it out in the form of green lumber or logs."

Educational sessions at the Wood Utilization Center will include quality and quantity of hardwood trees and logs, bandsawing logs for grade lumber, kiln-drying hardwood lumber, machining hardwood lumber into flooring, applying a protective finish material to hardwood flooring, and maintenance and care of a hardwood floor.

In addition, people taking horticultural tours at the Substation will see results of variety trials on pumpkins and fresh market tomatoes and green cabbage. Another session will be using hydrangeas for the cut flower market and as medicinal herbs.

Agronomy tours will have sessions on tobacco production as well as livestock grain and forage production. Tobacco sessions will include fertility, disease prevention and control, field curing structures, no-till fertilization, and no-till weed control. Topics for livestock grain and forage production tours will include forage and sweet sorghum variety trials, kura clover establishment, round bale silage, weed control in pastures and hay fields, no-till corn sulfur fertilization, and kenaf for livestock feed.