MORTENSEN FOREST - FORREST COUNTY, 352 ACRES
A 352-acre tract of Forrest County timberland is now part of Mississippi State's Bulldog Forest program and the state's only Army Compatible Use Buffer-designated property.
Known as the Davis and Ann Mortensen Forest, the area is located in proximity to Camp Shelby, and is a joint project between Mississippi State University, the MSU Foundation, the U.S. Army and the Mississippi chapter of The Nature Conservancy, and is made possible through a gift from MSU alumnus and Moss Point native Davis K. Mortensen.
"This is the first privately-funded ACUB site in the state, and our university is extremely proud to be a vital part of this partnership," said George Hopper, dean of MSU's College of Forest Resources.
"Our college is pleased to be in a position to have a dramatic impact by restoring this land to longleaf pine, managing timber resources and protecting the wildlife species dependent on this habitat," Hopper added, addressing the many benefits of the project.
When the private property adjoining the military base became available, a gift from Mortensen enabled the MSU Foundation to acquire the property. Mortensen said he realized he could provide an asset to Mississippi State while helping restore longleaf pine forests and protecting wildlife habitats.
In the ACUB program, the U.S. Department of Defense partners with non-federal programs or private organizations to establish buffers around military installations by providing funding to help facilitate the land purchase. Under the ACUB agreement, The Nature Conservancy holds a working conservation easement on the property, which allows for agricultural uses such as timber production and harvest. The MSU Foundation holds title to the property and will receive revenue derived from timber management and other revenue sources.
For Mortensen, the gift is a natural outpouring of his love for natural resources, students and Camp Shelby, one of the largest state-owned military training centers in the U.S.
Mortensen said he understands the importance of responsible timber management and conservation efforts, as well as the necessity of educating students to be stewards of the land.
"Giving to the university so that students have the means to pursue a college education is very important to me," said Mortensen, a longtime MSU contributor. "I attended MSU on the G.I. Bill and had it not been for that, I would have been unable to attend college due to the cost."