2016 Wyoming Tree Farmer of the Year

JW and Thea Nuckolls along with Will (son) and Kyle (grandson) with the JW Nuckolls Ranch, are the Wyoming Tree Farmers of the Year. The JW Nuckolls Ranch was homesteaded in 1917 and was also a Wyoming Centennial Ranch this year. When homesteaded the ranch was reported to have only a few trees and no fences.

In 1925/26 the first harvest was implemented to build the house, barn, other out buildings, and corrals. The second harvest was in the 40's which produced saw logs for the market, to provide supplemental income the timber.

The first thinning was implemented on 300 acres. The Nuckolls were very impressed with the result. The good trees were growing and with an increased growth rate. More importantly for the ranch operations, grass and forage improved in between the trees, after the harvest providing for enhanced grazing of the livestock.

Local contractors, like Utah Marshall, who performed some of the first thinning projects on the JW Nuckolls Ranch saw the benefits and possibilities of improving the forest stands for increased saw log production. Utah Marshall also operated a small sawmill operation. Other contractors processed post and poles from the thinning for commercial purposes and yet others salvaged thinning residue material for homemade picnic tables and signs. As a matter of fact at the Field Day where JW and Thea were presented their Tree Farmer of the Year plaque some of the door prizes were "Howdy" signs carved from wood salvaged from a thinning project off their property.

JW's father talked of water running from the hills at the home place, which as the years pasted was no longer the case, which JW believes could be linked to the increased stocking level of the surrounding forest. Thus the Nuckolls continued to take every opportunity, precommercially or commercially to weed the forest, thus improving the resiliency to insects, disease and catastrophic wildfire, for the health of all their natural and domestic resources.

Ask your local forested landonwners how you can support the "Forests for Generations" campaign, so Tree Farm Lanowners like the Nuckolls' have more opportunities to help the forest be sustainable.

Also watch for the JW Nuckolls Ranch on the Wyoming Centennial Farm and Ranch website and see other Wyoming Centennial Farm and Ranches at the following link http://wyoshpo.state.wy.us/CFR/Index.aspx