Welcome to the Talking Forests Podcast ~ REBOOTED

This is a new overview of Candra's roots and forest background. Watch out for more episodes!

I’m your host, Candra Burns.

We explore the critical connections between forestry, sustainability, & digital innovation.

Whether you're a professional in the industry, a passionate conservationist, or just someone curious about the future of our forests, you're in the right place.

We talk about all forest types.

Here on Talking Forests, we’re on a mission to share forest history and to elevate the voices of people managing one of our most vital resources — forests.

From the latest trends in forest management to breakthroughs in mass timber construction

We dive deep into the issues that shape our forests future.

Bridging two worlds that do not always go hand in hand, forestry and digital marketing.

Join me as I bring you inspiring stories from forestry professionals, cutting-edge innovators, and sustainability leaders who are creating real change.

Let’s explore how we can make a lasting impact on our forests and work together to keep our forests for generations to come.

This is a special in-person episode located in Enfield, North Carolina just off the I-95 with Tyrone and Edna Williams of Fourtee Acres. They lease out land for farming, own certified trees, and garden for local markets. They are proud of their legacy and have a great family to lean on at their multiple-use farm. We start our conversation off by talking about landowner assistance and how they are able to operate. They have diversified and become a well-known farmer's market treat from their gardening which Edna spearheads. Edna is also a member of the landowner group called ForestHer NC and we have some great resources available to women landowners that Edna enjoys.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fourteeacresfarm and ForestHer NC https://www.facebook.com/foresthernc

Edna Williams: It is her main goal, over the years and at her present professional retirement time, is to provide a supportive environment for those she comes in contact with. Informing the community about nutritional value and practices is important to her as it also enrich her life and others with learning while providing excitement. As an educator it is most memorable and exciting to see the sparks in the eyes of the community and children as they are exposed to living on a farm and growing diverse vegetables not common to the area. Edna feels blessed and thankful for the opportunity to be in a position where new challenges present themselves every day.

Happily transplanted from the city limits of Enfield, NC, to the beautiful county side of Enfield, Edna lives with her husband, her better half, Tyrone Williams. They have three young adult, single, handsome sons, Trevelyn, Tremaine, and Tyron. All of whom have artistic aspirations and existential careers in music, computer science and computer game design. Edna is a member of the New Bethel Baptist Church in Enfield, where you will find her on any given day working in one of the family three gardens and on Sunday, singing in the choir.

Tyrone Williams spent 30 years with the Employment Security Commission, and what is now the North Carolina Department of Commerce in local, regional and state office positions. He ended his career as the Workforce Relations Manager in the Employment Service (ES) Section of the Division of Workforce Solutions in the Raleigh state office. Additionally, in 2011 he was awarded the Governor’s Award for Outstanding State Government Service from Governor Beverly Perdue.

In December 2013, he was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine by Governor Pat McCrory for his outstanding state government service and longevity of service to his community and the state on various boards and other civic activities, one of the most prestigious conferred by the governor.

Since retirement, he has spent time reading, traveling, and learning the “real aspects “of the land that he loves to enhance sustainability, create successional and generational wealth for his family legacy and the land that has been in his family for over 100 years!

He is married, to the former Edna Mills, and they have three grown sons, Trevelyn, Tremaine and Tyron all of whom are a part of Fourtee Acres, LLC a forestry, tenant farming and natural gardening operation.

Voice By Gordon Collier in Introduction: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jgordoncollier/

Spring by Ikson www.soundcloud.com/ikson

Music promoted by Audio Library www.youtu.be/5WPnrvEMIdo

Elaine and I had a conversation about global forestry challenges. I was impressed by her experience in the sector and global knowledge. She launched ForYP the only global forestry young professionals group at the World Forest Congress in Korea this year and I asked her what that is all about and how to get involved.

Elaine Springgay is FAO’s Agroforestry Officer and has more than 12 years of experience working in international development on integrated natural resources management, community-based forest management and climate-smart agriculture. Prior to joining FAO in 2015, Elaine worked with NGOs or government agencies in Canada, Ghana, the Philippines and Uganda, primarily focused on community-based natural resource management, livelihoods and capacity development initiatives. She has a BSc in both Environmental Geography and History from the University of Toronto, and a Masters in Forestry from the Australian National University. She is also the Founder and Chair of the Global Network for Forestry Young Professionals, ForYP, creating a space for the forestry’s younger experts and future leaders to connect, share experiences and advocate for greater career development opportunities. In her spare time, Elaine loves to travel – she has been to over 50 countries and lived in 12! She is also a foodie, loves to hike and kayaking.

ForYP is a global community of young professionals in the forest sector who network, develop their professional skills, gain confidence, and feel empowered to engage and lead forestry through the 21st century.

See our website: https://www.foryp.org/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/forypnetwork

https://www.facebook.com/ForYPorg

https://www.linkedin.com/company/foryporg/

https://www.instagram.com/foryporg/

https://twitter.com/foryporg

https://youtu.be/lPZ9vtCWxjU

Voice By Gordon Collier in Introduction: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jgordoncollier/

Spring by Ikson www.soundcloud.com/ikson

Music promoted by Audio Library www.youtu.be/5WPnrvEMIdo