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By JOYANNA LOVE | Managing Editor

The Chilton Natural Resources Council is set to hold its next Landowner Tour on Oct. 21.

Each year, the tour highlights topics and information helpful to land owners and those in the forestry industry in best managing land with timber on it.

Council member Brian Smith of the Alabama Forestry Commission said the topics included in a tour are specific to what the owner willing to host is doing on their property.

This year, the tour of Turtle Creek in Marbury will include pond management, road/firebreak management and understory release/competition control.

New for this year, beekeeping and drone operations presentations will also be included.

“Drone services are becoming more and more used in land management,” Smith said. “We’ve got with the Alabama Forestry Commission, guys who are certified in flying drones.”

Providing this service requires a drone pilot license, but individual homeowners can use drones on their own property without one.

The Alabama Forestry Commission uses drones for aerial photos and controlled burns of forests.

“We have a drone that has a basket attachment that carries ping-pong balls … that are injected with chemicals that cause a reaction that we use for burning to do prescribed burns,” Smith said.

The cost for the event is $15, and registration is required by Oct. 19 at 4 p.m. because lunch will be catered. Registration forms are available at 504 First Avenue North in Clanton.

Smith said he enjoys the event because it “gets professionals and landowners together and the sharing of information … and the fellowship that goes along with that.”

In addition to the planned presentations, vendors and sponsors will be at the event giving information about what they offer. Door prizes will also be given out.

The event also serves as a way for registered foresters to get some of the required continuing education points.