PITTSBURG, Tx., April 18, 2008 – About 200 students and faculty from some 30 East Texas high schools recently spent time in the woods next to AEP Southwestern Electric Power Company’s (SWEPCO) Welsh Power Plant being totally quiet.
 
Of course, these students were taking part in the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) regional FFA Woodland Contest, where the competition involved soil analysis through surface texture, depth, permeability, erosion and run-off tendencies, as well as hardwood identification and taxonomy measurements. Texas Forest Service naturalists, along with Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and Welsh personnel helped facilitate the contest.
 
“This is a great way to assist the youth and work with Hudson Old, an adjacent landowner to Welsh who has a variety of native stands of shortleaf pine and hardwoods, making it the perfect location for the contest,” said Jennifer Meyer, SWEPCO plant environmental coordinator at Welsh. “This location affords students access to a living lab with a broad spectrum of timber species,” added Kirthell Roberts, NRCS district conservationist.
 
“SWEPCO partners with landowners to preserve these neighboring woodlands and has demonstrated a commitment to active development of wildlife habitat,” added Old.