SFA Forestry Students Get First Hand Training at Camden, Texas

Flashback to My SFA Days

I am a proud graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in the early 1990s. Originally, I was majoring in forestry, but eventually turned my attention to media studies.

I still have some of the random content of old forestry classes stuck in the deepest recesses of my brain. Toxicodendron radican -- if someone mentions poison ivy, I can immediately recite its scientific name. To the professor who taught that dendrology class, thanks for making a lasting impression.

Georgia-Pacific Teams Up with SFA

I see a recent press release that mentioned the SFA Forestry Department, so it caught my attention. I was impressed by what Georgia-Pacific was doing to give some Lumberjacks hands-on experience in the world of forestry.

SFA forestry students recently ventured outside of the classroom to understand reforestation, harvesting and the processes of manufacturing wood products. About 50 students grabbed their hard hats and safety shoes and braved the Texas heat to see first-hand how plywood is made at one of Georgia-Pacific’s largest plywood plants, Camden Plywood.

Georgia-Pacific has worked closely with SFA through the years to provide students with an up-close look at its plywood, lumber and particleboard operations in East Texas.

According to Camden Plywood Plant Manager, George Standley, Georgia-Pacific is proud to partner with SFASU to offer students a real-world experience. “These students are the future of the timber industry, and it is important that they see first-hand and understand all aspects of the business. We strive to give students the total experience at Camden Plywood, from the time a log enters our facility, when it is converted to plywood, and stacked and loaded on trucks to be shipped to our customers.”

Stephen F. Austin State University forestry students tour Georgia-Pacific’s Camden Plywood plant to see first-hand how plywood is made. Of course, there had to be one Bearkat in the bunch.

Joshua Blackstock, Camden Plywood Operations Manager, explains to SFASU forestry students the various stages of making plywood.