The Arkansas Center for Forest Business was officially opened Sept. 29 in a ribbon cutting ceremony which featured Governor Asa Hutchinson as the keynote speaker.
Located on the campus of the University of Arkansas in Monticello, the center is part of the U of A College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and is geared toward providing information to support Arkansas communities and industry.
According to Peggy Doss, Ph.D., chancellor of UAM, the center was devised as an answer to the needs and wasted resources of the state’s forestry industry.
“And so they had the idea of a center that could really study these concepts and look at the needs, do research, and promote the economic development of the state and the region,” Doss said.
“Having a really detailed analysis of the amount of timber that’s out there in all the major regions of Arkansas is really essential for shoring up our existing businesses that depends on that forest biomass as well as potential investors who would like to bring new facilities into Arkansas,” Dr. Michael Blazier, Dean of the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources, said.
Gov. Hutchinson said on twitter following the ceremony, “I was on the campus of @UAMonticello today to celebrate the grand opening of the Arkansas Center for Forest Business. This center will ensure our forest products remain sustainable and our timber industry has continued success here in the Natural State!”
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