166: Cultivating a love for the land

Wallace Wood has been an active member of the McCormick County, SC community for over 38 years. He served as the Executive Director of the Upper Savannah Land Trust for six years and has been on the board of directors several times since the organization began in 2000. In 2011, he was named South Carolina Tree Farmer of the Year. Wallace walks both Tom and Emily through his farm and provides an American history lesson, as well as a personal lesson, on how the property has developed over the years and what it has meant to his family.   Key Takeaways: [4:35] How did Wallace get started in tree farming? [7:10] What did the farm look like when Wallace got his hands on it vs. what does it look like now? [9:25] Wallace's father struggled financially early on and many people wanted to buy this land, but he would not budge. [13:10] Wallace shares a fun story of what he and his family would do on Christmas Eve on the farm. [16:10] Wallace talks about the Master Tree Farm program and how it's helped him and his farm grow. [16:55] What's it like being nominated Master Tree Farmer of the year? [19:20] What is a conservation easement and who should consider getting it? [23:20] One of the largest gold mines was developed here, and this was before the Civil War. [28:45] Wallace is very proud of his property and the vast diversity of God's creation. He is passionate about sharing everything he's learned with others. [29:10] What advice does Wallace have for landowners? [32:20] Wallace is so grateful and blessed he doesn't see any city lights anywhere near his property. [35:25] We don't know what the future holds, so it's important that you have some flexibility with your land use. [39:30] Wallace's motto is to leave the land better than when you've found it. [42:20] The biggest hurdle Wallace and his team have found within the Master Tree Farm program is helping other tree farmers go through a tree management plan. [44:55] Wallace is so passionate about the outdoors because during his childhood he was sick in bed for nine months. After that experience, he never wanted to be stuck indoors ever again.   Mentioned in This Episode: Sctreefarm.org State.sc.us Scforestry.org Americanforests.org