Pennsylvania Team Competes at National 4-H Forestry Invitational

Pennsylvania was among the 15 state teams that participated in the 31st annual National 4-H Forestry Invitational from Sunday, July 25, through Thursday, July 29, 2010.


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

The invitational was held at West Virginia University Jackson’s Mill State 4-H Camp and Conference Center near Weston, West Virginia. The Farm Credit System, Chesapeake Energy Corporation, and the Cooperative Extension Service sponsored the event.

Pennsylvania was represented by Luke Beardsley and Stephanie Beardsley of Glen Rock, Madeline Erickson of Stewartstown, and Phillip Rooney of York. The team was coached by Alma Rooney.

Louisiana won the event. Arkansas and Tennessee placed second and third, respectively. The Pennsylvania team placed ninth. Megan Farmer of Louisiana received the high-point individual award. Second place high individual award was given to Stephan McBride of Louisiana and third place high individual award was given to Amy Brandt of Illinois.

4-H is a youth education program operated by Cooperative Extension Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the state land grant universities. More than five-and-a-half million young people participate in 4-H, and nearly 100,000 are part of the 4-H Forestry Program.


For more information on the National 4-H Forestry Invitational, go to: http://4hforestryinvitational.org/.