Harrison Brown (left) and Dylan Edmonds (right) as HRI Techs in 2017
Last fall we were surprised and delighted to be joined in the field by both of our former forestry technicians from the 2017-2018 season (which, by the way, was the first year HRI was able to hire dedicated techs to perform hemlock treatments on public lands). We took the chance to catch up with them about where they are now and the work they’ve been doing since their treatment days with HRI.
Harrison planting trees at Bent Creek Experimental Forest in 2019
We worked with Harrison Brown this December while planting hemlocks in the Bent Creek Experimental Forest. He is currently on the USDA Forest Service’s forestry crew marking merchantable timber and helping out with other forestry projects in National Forests around Asheville. For the past two years, Harrison has been working on tree mapping projects for NC State University to assist with their research on oak and hickory regeneration. Outside of work, Harrison has been volunteering with the Haywood Street Congregation in Asheville to provide care packages for the homeless in Asheville. He has also been volunteering with Living Waters International to raise funds for fresh drinking water in Rwanda.
Dylan and HRI forestry tech Blake Ledford at Black Mountain Campground in 2019
In November, Dylan Edmonds joined HRI for a day of hemlock treatment at the Black Mountain Campground near Mount Mitchell. With a large team of eight people, Dylan is currently working for EcoForesters conducting non-native invasive species management. EcoForesters is an Asheville-based non-profit professional forestry organization that focuses on the conservation and restoration of Appalachian forests. Through EcoForesters, Dylan helps land owners and conservation groups manage the invasive species overtaking forests they care about through hands-on stewardship and education.
We enjoyed getting to work with both Harrison and Dylan this field season and look forward to hearing about what the future holds for them both.