2015 Regular Session ENROLLED SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 127 BY SENATOR PEACOCK AND REPRESENTATI VE HENRY BURNS A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION To commend and congratulate Ricky Kilpatrick on being named the 2015 Extension Forester of the Year by the Forest Landowners Association. WHEREAS, Ricky Kilpatrick, a long-time Louisiana State University Agricultural Center forestry agent, has been named the 2015 Extension Forester of the Year by the Forest Landowners Association, a national forestry advocacy group; and WHEREAS, founded in 1941, the Forest Landowners Association's members own and operate more than forty million acres of forest land in forty-eight states and are leading advocates for the rights of America's forest owners; and WHEREAS, the Forest Landowners Association provides advice, support and information to policymakers on private forest management, stewardship, and owners' rights; and WHEREAS, the award recognizes an extension forester who has been in practice at least five years and is dedicated to the advancement of forest landowner education and outreach, with a focus on private landowners; and WHEREAS, Ricky educates landowners, loggers and others about forestry, which is Louisiana's number one agricultural commodity in land use and economic value; and WHEREAS, Ricky began working for the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center in 1985 and has been dedicated to forestry education and outreach since that time; and WHEREAS, he has taken a strong leadership role in the Louisiana branch of Project Learning Tree as the coordinator and steering committee chairman; and WHEREAS, Project Learning Tree is an award-winning environmental education program for teachers and other educators, parents, and community leaders working with youth from preschool through grade twelve; and WHEREAS, during the past three years, more than one thousand educators have been trained across the state; and Page 1 of 2 SCR NO. 127 ENROLLED WHEREAS, Ricky has been the recipient of more than a half-dozen awards, nationally recognized in many forestry publications, and acknowledged in Newsweek magazine for his work with Project Learning Tree; and WHEREAS, his selfless commitment and wealth of knowledge have played a vital role in the success of Project Learning Tree; and WHEREAS, Ricky has an impeccable reputation among Louisiana landowners and is always looking for ways to better serve the community and improve forestry in the state; and WHEREAS, Ricky is also actively involved in the Louisiana Forestry Teachers' Tour, which provides training in sound forest management principles for teachers; and WHEREAS, Ricky will be presented with the Extension Forester of the Year award on June 4, 2015, as part of the National Conference of Private Forest Landowners in Virginia Beach, Virginia. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby commend and congratulate Ricky Kilpatrick on being named Extension Forester of the Year by the Forest Landowners Association. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Ricky Kilpatrick. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Page 2 of 2