Tree Farmers of the Year Turn Forest Around in Missouri

By Blake Jackson

"You can’t make a silk purse from a sow’s ear." That’s a phrase Hank Stelzer, forestry state specialist with University of Missouri Extension, often hears when discussing Ozark woodlands with landowners and even professionals in the field.

But Stelzer points to the Schmollinger Tree Farm near Mountain Grove as living proof that vision and hard work can transform a neglected woodland into a thriving forest.

“The Schmollinger Tree Farm in Mountain Grove is a testament that a plan and perseverance can resurrect a severely abused and neglected Ozark woodland into a healthy and productive forest ecosystem,” Stelzer says.

Max and Lois Schmollinger moved from Staunton, Virginia, to Missouri in 1977 and purchased 80 acres in Texas County. Max brought with him experience as a timber management assistant with the George Washington National Forest. His forestry background and dedication earned him the nickname “quintessential woodland weekend warrior,” according to Stelzer.

Upon evaluating the property’s degraded state, Max partnered with a Missouri Department of Conservation forester to create a restoration plan. They implemented timber stand improvement (TSI) techniques after each harvest, utilizing cost-share funding only once. They removed low-quality and damaged trees and intentionally increased the white oak presence. Max often refers to time spent in his deer stand planning the next TSI effort as “stump time.”

Stelzer explains, “Throughout the evolution of their farm, the Schmollingers have remained true to their initial management objectives: produce marketable timber products, provide quality habitat for wildlife, protect water quality, minimize soil erosion and encourage oak reproduction.”

A 1978 inventory showed the property held 51,000 board feet of mixed oak timber. By 2019, the inventory had risen to 221,000 board feet. “The 2019 inventory revealed 221,000 board feet of standing timber, over four times as much volume as in 1978!” said Stelzer. This doesn’t include 226,000 board feet already harvested.

Today, the property supports trees of all ages and has become a part of Mizzou’s Sustainable Forestry Initiative and the national White Oak Initiative.

In recognition of their achievements, the Schmollingers were named 2024 Missouri Tree Farmers of the Year and are finalists in the American Tree Farm System’s North Central Region.

Their farm will be featured during the Forest and Woodland Association of Missouri’s Woodland Owners Conference on Oct. 3-4.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-paul-hartley