New member here...

[maestro]

Hey group!  I've been lurking for a few weeks now and am really enjoying the knowledge and fun you provide.  I'm not a forester yet but have decided that it's really what I want to be doing.  I'm thinking in the consulting/conservation/land management/DNR area (yeah, really narrowed it down havn't I?).  Since I'm already 39 I guess you could say this is my midlife crisis and maybe it would be more sane to buy a sports car.  I considered that too but I'm just not that sane.  I'm currently involved in a forest and wildlife conservation course and will be taking a naturalist course over the fall.  During my research I've also seen that I really need to get a "real" education so I'm working toward that end as well.  This isn't something I'm just going to jump into blind and end up giving good foresters a bad name.  I'll proabably end up at UMC after hammering out the basic stuff in CC here at home (St. Louis).  I welcome any and all suggestions or recommendations and look forward to being able to join in some conversations soon.  I also apologise in advance because most of my posts for a while will be questions!  lol...

[tree-farmer]

Welcome to the Forum.  8)  If you want to ask questions this is the place to do it. In a shop I worked some years back we had a sign that said, "None of us is as smart as all of us", and its true. There is a wealth of knowledge on the Forum, some in the form of book smarts and some from the best teacher of all, experience. (got to be carefull that you survive the lesson in that class room)

I'v found if these folks can't answer your question they can at least do a good job of making up something that you will believe... :D

Look forward to your input.

[ADAMINMO]

Welcome to the club. Pull up a slab and tell us a story or 2!!

[Tom]

Welcome to the forum, Maestro.

That's a pretty smart move already.  Contrary to popular belief, a single course in wildlife conservation doesn't make a Forester.  I've seen a few who thought so.   Not being one myself, I can sure appreciate the knowledge that our Forum Foresters bring to the bar.  I've learned a lot that I didn't even know were Forestry subjects.   Some of the conversations on Land management, tax incentives and cruising just blow me away.

You might not realize it yet, but you'll be bringing a lot of knowledge to the forum too.  It might be from life and it might be from your classes, but we'll learn too.

Just take a seat right over here by me. :D

[beenthere]

Maestro, welcome to the forum.
Look forward to your questions as well as your input to the discussions..as you pull up a stump amongst us.

Is the UMC the Univ. of MO at Columbus?  There is a good Forestry Dept. there, and hope you've been there to visit with them. As soon as you can, find out where the Soc. of American Foresters meet, and try to attend some of their meetings. Get to know the Foresters and discuss some future ideas with them, as a way to maybe get out in the field where they are and see what all is happening.

Enjoy the midlife crisis...there are others that can be worse.. ;D ;D ;D

[semologger]

nice to have another MO member.

[Roxie]

Welcome!   8)

[maestro]

Thanks everyone!  And it is UM at Columbia.  From all I can see it's the best place in this state to get the right education.  I've learned a ton already but there is soooo much more to be learned.  Now my only question at this point is why didn't I learn this before?

[semologger]

just pass it along to the UM.