Woodland owner recognized for his forest stewardship

The more than 1,000-acre woodlands owned by Dr. William and Cindy Besson are now recognized as a "Stewardship Forest" in South Carolina. The Besson family received the award for their forest and wildlife management accomplishments.

Forester Jaime Jones of the South Carolina Forestry Commission and John Cheatham, a private forestry consultant with American Forest Management, recently presented the award. The Bessons' farm is one of only six in South Carolina to receive "Stewardship Forest" recognition for 2010.

The Forest Stewardship Program is a national program of the USDA Forest Service, administered in South Carolina by the Forestry Commission. The program assists the landowner in identifying management objectives for timber, wildlife, recreation, water and soil protection.

Because the program is a cooperative effort among several agencies, a landowner can receive free expert advice and a written management plan prepared by a management team comprised of a forester, wildlife biologist and soil conservationists.

After receiving the Stewardship Plan, a landowner who actively manages this property in the spirit of the program can be nominated to become a South Carolina Forest Steward.

The property has been owned and operated by the Besson family for more than 100 years and by Dr. Besson for 35. The property was extensively farmed for crops and, more recently, beef cattle, until converted to woodlands.

Dr. Besson is very proud of the property and the history that goes along with it. He said he and his entire family are determined to carry on the tradition of the property and continue to be good stewards of the land.

One fact that may be of interest to baseball fans is that timber harvested from this property was used on grounds of the new Yankee Stadium in New York City to secure the foundation to the soil.

Dr. Besson is a practicing physician with Aiken Internal Medicine Associates. The Besson family is active with the South Carolina Tree Farm Association and the South Carolina Forestry Association. The property was also recently recognized as the District 5 Tree Farm of the Year for 2010.

Dr. Besson offers advice for landowners.

"I would encourage landowners to utilize state and local resources as well as services offered by certified consulting foresters. The Edgefield District Soil and Water Conservation Service, as well as American Forest Management, are largely to thank for the properties current condition," he said.

He stresses that most useful is the information he draws from his stewardship plan because it includes input from Foresters and Wildlife Biologists alike.

"It has an open-ended approach to the landowner's suggestions regarding aesthetics and traditions in stand management," Dr. Besson added.

More than 4,000 South Carolina landowners have enrolled in the Forest Stewardship Program; fewer than 200 properties have been recognized as a "Stewardship Forest."

Anyone who owns 10 or more acres with at least five acres in woodlands is qualified to participate in the program.

For more information about Forest Stewardship, contact your county office of the South Carolina Forestry Commission, Department of Natural Resources, or Natural Resources Conservation Service. In Edgefield County the Stewardship Forester is Jaime Jones at 276-0205.