Louisiana 4-H forestry team members who earned first place in the national invitational are, from left, Robbie Hutchins, Taylor Falcon, Victoria Arnold, Megan Farmer, Steffan McBride and coach Brian Chandler. (Photo by Julia Campbell. Click on photo for downloadable image.)

News Release Distributed 08/04/10

Louisiana placed first among the 15 state teams that participated in the 31st annual National 4-H Forestry Invitational from July 25-29.

Teams from Arkansas and Tennessee placed second and third.

Louisiana placed third last year.

At the competition, 4-H members compete for overall team and individual awards in a written exam, tree identification and measurement, compass and pacing, insect and disease identification, topographic map use, the forestry bowl and forest evaluation.

The event was held at Jackson's Mill State 4-H Conference Center in Weston, W.V. The Farm Credit System, Chesapeake Energy Corp. and the Cooperative Extension Service sponsored the event.

Louisiana was represented by Victoria Arnold, of Pleasant Hill; Taylor Falcon, of Broussard; Megan Farmer, of Converse; and Steffan McBride, of Iota. The team was coached by Brian Chandler, of Clinton.

Farmer received the high-point individual award. Second-place high individual award was given to McBride. Arnold earned eighth overall.

More information on the National 4-H Forestry Invitational is available on the Internet at www.4hforestryinvitational.org.

Mary Ann Van Osdell