ELLISVILLE —
Jones County Junior College forestry students and local land owners learned how to be better stewards of the land in a lesson on herbicides taught by Jackson Businessman Frank Buchanan.
Buchanan, owner of Herbicides Plus and a JCJC supporter, spoke to students during a class session held at the Whitehead Advanced Technology Center. He brought the class out of the classroom and onto the grounds surrounding the center located in the Howard Technology Park.
“It can be boring sitting in the classroom and learning about herbicides,” said Buchanan. “You learn more sometimes when it’s hands on.
“There is a lot more interaction and they can apply what they learn in the classroom to a real life situation.”
Greg Butler, director of the Advanced Technology Center, said JCJC tries to do as much hands-on training as it can. “You can have academic study in the classroom, but that is nothing like hands-on training.
“We thank Mr. Buchanan for donating the herbicide and Jamie Walley, a former forestry student, for providing the equipment for us to use in this demonstration,” added Butler. “We believe this will be beneficial to our students.”
Jim Walley, JCJC’s Vice President of External Affairs, was instrumental in getting Buchanan to speak to the students. A member of the Jones County Forestry Association, Walley said Buchanan also spoke to association members about invasive vegetation and what can be done to get rid of it.
Association member Margaret Ann Fortenberry decided to join students at the technology center in hopes of understanding more about how herbicides work. A local forestry landowner, Fortenberry said she has a problem with vegetation crowding out things she really wants to grow.
“I had some reforested land and some of my trees are way up high but some trees didn’t seem to grow as high because of competition with other invasive growth,” explained Fortenberry. “I want to find the best way to get rid of the things I don’t want growing out there.”
As far as the students were concerned, Buchanan showed them the best way to get rid of the invasive vegetation on the outskirts of the Advanced Technology Center. Walley said the goal is to remove the brush from the area in a safe and effective manner.
“There are different kinds of herbicides and you need to know which one to use for what plants,” said Walley. “You also need to know the different applications.
“Herbicides are a great tool and are safe to use,” he added. “They do not have any affects on humans and animals. They basically block the essential proteins in plants and causes the plant to starve itself to death.”
According to Buchanan, it is important to be able to control vegetation. He said if the exotic and invasive species found at the Advanced Technology Center are not controlled, they can take over the area and take away from the beauty of the architecture and landscaping.
Spraying a big weed with a labeled rate of a specific herbicide and watching it shrivel up, turn brown and die, is a lot easier than mowing week after week or brush hogging an area.
“You can’t expect to kill everything on every site,” said Buchanan. “If you try mowing and brush hogging, the vegetation is still there.
“With herbicides, you have a one time treatment and you can accomplish an end to your vegetation problem soon,” added Buchanan. “The good thing about it is it doesn’t harm the environment.”
Local News
Related Photos
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Jackson Businessman Frank Buchanan of Herbicides Plus talks to Jones County Junior College forestry students about the proper way to use herbicides. Photo/Charlotte A. Graham
JCJC students get hands-on lesson in herbicides
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