Prior to moving permanently to Arkansas about a year ago, my fiancé and I were doing the whole long-distance thing. For close to four years, I was making the trip from Oklahoma City to Little Rock each week. When you are driving that much, you start to zone out a little bit. I’d often get calls on the road from my fiancé, my parents, or a friend while I was driving and was frequently asked the question, “Where are you at?” I’d suddenly realize, I really hadn’t been paying much attention and would have to wait for the next mile marker before I could get my bearings.
While pinpointing my exact location proved challenging from time to time, I was always very distinctly aware of which state I was in. For anyone who has made that trip, you know that all you have to do is look around. If there are trees on either side of you, then you’re in Arkansas.
It’s interesting how trees are so embedded in Arkansas’s identity as a state. With 19 million acres of forestland within our borders including three national forests, trees are a major reason why Arkansas is known as ‘The Natural State.’ Trees are also an extremely important part of the state’s economy, with the forestry industry employing nearly 28,000 Arkansans and having a $6.3 billion economic impact annually, according to the Arkansas Forestry Association (AFA).
As the old saying goes, don’t lose sight of the forest for the trees. Forestry’s impact branches out much farther than you might realize. Think about the businesses and organizations all around the state rooted in the success of Arkansas’s forestry industry. Yes, of course there are the lumber and paper mills such as Weyerhauser and Georgia-Pacific. But consider the manufacturing and equipment companies that supply foresters with the tools they need to keep the millers in business – not to mention the trucking companies and the banks supporting them.
Environmentally, the forestry industry has benefited Arkansans more than they know. Forestry not only protects the quality of our air, water, and soil, it also enhances our state’s wildlife habitat, its scenic beauty, and the recreational opportunities that drive tourism. Forestry is also part and parcel of a greater agricultural community which is recognized as the state’s largest industry. All these partners and more are brought together by foresters - stewards of approximately 58 percent of the land in Arkansas. Collectively, these industries are represented and advocated for by leaders who serve our state’s government. The Arkansas Forestry Division, under the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, works with organizations like the Arkansas Forestry Association to ensure this important industry is well-managed.
In the paragraphs above, you’ve just read from a tree-top level, why the forestry industry is so important to our state. You’ve learned how one industry can bring together three seemingly unrelated sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, and government.
At The Communications Group, we serve all three of these sectors. Seriously, we call them our niches. Check out our website if you don’t believe me. Furthermore, we know and understand how important these industries are to our state, to our nation, to the world.
So, for those of you reading this who are currently stumped with marketing challenges, let’s just say you’re barking up the right tree. Give us a call and let’s discuss it. We’re pining to talk with you.