MCC Forestry Program Finds Success at Cradle Competition

Published on Wednesday, November 3rd, 2021

If someone said you lived near the Cradle of Forestry, would you know what they were talking about? Nestled in Western North Carolina, below the Blue Ridge Parkway, is the birthplace of forestry in America. A national historic site, the land was purchased by George and Edith Vanderbilt during a major logging boom. Dr. Carl Schenck, a forestry educator from Germany, helped the Vanderbilts with land management and re-forestation efforts that define sustainable forestry to this day. When George died in 1914, Edith sold 87,000 acres to the U.S. Forest Service, creating the Pisgah National Forest we know and love.

Each fall, forestry programs across the Eastern U.S. meet in Western North Carolina to experience the multi-day Cradle of Forestry Festival. While there is plenty of education and celebration, the highlight of the event is the John G. Palmer Intercollegiate Woodsmen’s Meet. Students from five colleges and universities competed across 15 events: Quiz Bowl, Dendrology, Archery, Log Roll, Water Boil, Axe Throw (men’s and women’s), Pole Fall, Orienteering, Pulp Toss, Crosscut (men’s and women’s), Jack & Jill, Pole Climb (men’s and women’s), Chainsaw (men’s and women’s), Bolt Split (men’s and women’s) and Single Buck (men’s and women’s).

Led by faculty members Dylan Hurley and Josh Hussey, MCC’s student competitors were Chery-Lyn Chandler, Amelia Thompson, Chris Farmer, Nick Stout, Baden Embry, Robert Ivey and Jose Arzate-Cabrera.

Of the 15 events categories, MCC students/teams placed in the top three in 11 of them. The final event was a team relay involving Men’s Single Buck (Jose), Women’s Bolt Split (Amelia), Water Boil (Baden and Robert), and Jack and Jill Crosscut (Amelia and Robert). MCC placed 2nd in this event!