On October 2, the University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of the Arkansas Forest Health Research Center, bringing political, higher education and forestry leaders from across the state to its campus in Monticello.
Forests in Arkansas support $16 billion of the state’s economy annually through wood products, tourism and hunting. However, increased threats to forest health from invasive pests, changing disease behaviors and climate stressors such as flooding and drought pose risks to this important economic asset. Until now, Arkansas has had no in-state facilities for testing forest diseases and insects.
UAM, a leader in forestry, allied health and agriculture workforce development in Arkansas, aims to serve the state to remedy these issues. The Arkansas Forest Health Research Center is a top facility of its kind in the Southeast United States, leading research for mitigating the effects of insects, disease and environmental stressors on forests.
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders attended the event as a special guest speaker and, during the ceremony, highlighted the center’s potential impact on the region, stating, “This new forest research center won’t just improve this school, it’ll drive additional investment into southeast Arkansas.”
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