Last week, the Georgia Forestry Association hosted its inaugural Landowner Field Day in Butler, Georgia. About 70 landowners showed up to see forestry in action.
NCX was proud to sponsor the event and send two of our own, MC Murphy and Brandon Craft, to spend the day in the field alongside the people we exist to serve: private landowners figuring out how to get the most from their land.
A full day in the field
Attendees spent the morning touring a private property outside Butler — walking timber stands, asking questions in real time, and swapping stories with neighbors who manage land just like theirs.
The host landowner had an inspiring story of his own: he started with a modest parcel and built it into a working operation with longleaf pine, food plots, and managed ponds. The kind of place that makes you think, what could I do with my land?
Speakers from state agencies and nonprofits ran sessions throughout the day on pond management, food plots, wildlife management, longleaf pine management, and timber sale contracts.
The event hit capacity — a sign that Georgia landowners are hungry for this kind of hands-on learning.
Dragon eggs and prescribed fire by drone
The highlight of the day was a live prescribed burn demonstration by the Georgia Forestry Commission.
The Commission brought out one of only two prescribed fire drones operating in the state of Georgia. The drone drops what are called “dragon eggs” — small ignition spheres that light on contact with the ground — allowing burn crews to ignite areas that would be difficult or dangerous to reach on foot.
Attendees watched from an overlook as the drone lifted off and began dropping ignition spheres across the landscape. Within minutes, the burn was moving — a controlled line of fire sweeping through brush and understory while the crowd watched from a safe vantage point.
Prescribed fire is a cornerstone of forest health in the Southeast, but for many landowners this was their first time watching a burn up close. Seeing the precision involved turns an abstract concept into something concrete.
As one presenter put it: “Pyrodiversity enkindles biodiversity.” In other words, varying your burn patterns over time creates a patchwork of habitats that supports more wildlife, healthier soils, and better timber growth.
Timber, wildlife, and the questions landowners are really asking
Between the field tours and demonstrations, the conversations were as good as the programming. A few themes came up again and again:
“What’s my timber actually worth?” This was the most common question our team heard. Many landowners know they have timber but don’t have a clear picture of its value — or when the right time to sell might be. That uncertainty can lead to inaction, or worse, accepting the first offer that comes along.
“How do I balance timber income with everything else I care about?” Landowners don’t think in single objectives. They’re weighing timber revenue against wildlife habitat, aesthetics, family use, and long-term legacy — all at once. The field day sessions on wildlife management and planting density reinforced that there’s no single right answer, but there are informed ones.
The power of aggregation. One of the timber sessions explored how smaller landowners — those with 10 acres or fewer — can pool their timber with neighbors to get better pricing and attract buyers who wouldn’t take on a small sale alone. It’s a concept that resonated with the crowd.
Why we show up
Our team came back with a better read on what Georgia landowners are thinking about — the questions they’re asking, the challenges they’re navigating, and what they’re curious about.
Brandon kicked off the morning with brief remarks about NCX, and throughout the day both he and MC connected with attendees about our free tools and timber marketplace. We also raffled off a Yeti cooler and two Yeti mugs — a small thank-you on top of an already packed day that GFA put together.
That’s the thing about field days: the best conversations happen between stops, walking a property line, or standing around watching a drone drop fire from the sky.
We’ll be doing it again soon. NCX is sponsoring the next GFA Landowner Field Day in Culloden, Georgia — and yes, we’re bringing more Yeti gear to give away. If you own timberland in Georgia and want to talk to someone from our team in person about how we can help on your property, register for the Culloden field day here.
Get to know your land better
Whether you’re in Georgia or anywhere in the Southeast, NCX can help you understand what your land is capable of — from timber value to conservation programs and beyond.
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