Henry Walker of Georgia

What makes them outstanding?

Passion is what comes to mind.  Mr. Walker is hands on with all of the work done on the property.  His road system is exceptional, every stand is easy to access.  When he acquired the property it was all cut over from the previous owner.  Mr. Walker has established a working forest on the entire property in the last 25 years.  One very interesting fact about Mr. Walker is that every dollar received from the farm (timber harvest, pine straw sales, etc.) has been put back into the farm.  Mr. Walker takes great pride in the aesthetics of the property and it shows. From the large lake to the longleaf plantation, Walker's Tree Farm displays diversity to the fullest.  It's not unusual to see Whitetail Deer, Turkey, Wood Ducks, and maybe even a Bald Eagle in a single visit to the farm.   Every time I visit the property I leave amazed.

Tree Farmer Story

When you first enter the gate into the Walker Farm, you know you are in a special place.  The drive into the property is bordered by planted pines and sage brush.  A little further along, there are sawtooth oaks planted twenty years ago by the owners.  These beautiful trees form a canopy of shade over the drive during the spring summer and fall months.  They also produce a large crop of acorns in the fall which the Walker granddaughters enjoy trying to pick up before they are all eaten by the deer and fox squirrels that roam the property.  The drive makes a curve to the right and the first glimpse of the sixty acre lake comes into view.  This lake was built around fifty years ago by Henry Walker's grandfather, John B. Walker.  Since buying the farm from his father in 1985, Henry has cleaned up the hillside leading down to the lake as well as the shoreline around the entire lake.  A small cabin was built beside the lake about 25 years ago, and has been added onto several times in the past few years as the family continues to grow.  The original pasture land has been replaced by planted pines.  Since purchasing the original farm in 1985, Henry has purchased adjacent land plots and the farm now totals 900 acres.  The original intent was to plant timber, clean up the lake and creek areas, develop food plots throughout the property and create a tree farm that would be enjoyed by my children, grandchildren and friends.

Over the years, the Walkers have shared their farm with their community.  Local church groups enjoy visits to the lake for swimming, fishing, and skiing.  Middle school, high school, and recreation sports teams have all enjoyed cookouts and lake days.  These groups always enjoy golf cart rides over the property and are amazed at the many different types of wildlife they see as well as the pines and other wooded areas.

The farm is a place where the family enjoys the best of the outdoors year round.  From water activities such as swimming, fishing, kayaking, and skiing to hiking and hunting, there is always something to do.  The Walker Farm is home to two endangered species, the gopher tortoise and the Eastern Indigo snake.  The family enjoys walking or riding around the farm looking for wildlife and can always spot one or two gopher tortoises along the way.  The indigo snake has been spotted also, but not nearly as often.

The Walker Tree Farm embraces the multiple use concept to its fullest by utilizing and managing the farm to provide the widest possible range of natural habitats while intensively managing the forests.  Walker uses chemical herbicides to control competitive and invasive species such as Chinese Privet and Japanese Climbing Fern.  He also uses a strategic and intensive prescribed burning program a tool to control undergrowth and for promoting diverse ground covers.  This program takes the into consideration weather, tree age, ground vegetation and wildlife cycle.  Turkeys are prolific and quail coveys are strong and thriving as a result of his commitment to multiple resource management.  The deer population is managed according to Quality Deer Management standards and the deer and other wildlife are supplemented with food plots that include an array of vegetation such as wheat, oats, clover, corn, forage soybeans, sunflowers, mineral blocks, and fruit trees.  Walker believes you need to have a passion for your land.  If not, you won't get very far in developing it into the farm that you want it to be.  He believes you need to sell people on the concept that not only are we growing trees for lumber and fiber, and many other wood products that are equally important, we are also improving water quality, enhancing wildlife diversity, and enjoying the recreation offered by the land.  He continues to work diligently to improve his farm.  His primary objectives remain the same: attracting wildlife, maintaining the beauty of the property, recreation, and timber production.