Hi, I’m Kylie Burdette. I help clients find the best reforestation investments for their property. Many people think we’re just out in the woods all the time or at the nurseries, but it’s a combination, and every day is so different. I love meeting with landowners, going out in the field when they’re planting, and checking on the seedlings. Many times after planting, particularly MCP®, I will check a stand after six growing seasons, take measurements, work that data up, and see how many tons per acre are being produced. And then wait six more years and do another measurement before thinning and seeing how many tons per acre are being taken off.

So often, someone will come to me and won’t know what they want—and I can show them all the different options ArborGen has and apply that to their specific property. And then watching it grow is the best thing about my job. Some of the most common questions I get from clients are, what do I plant? And what am I going to get from that? With so many options out there, from open-pollinated to mass control pollinated, we have multiple categories.

On top of that, we have bareroot and containerized seedlings. Our seedlings can also be site-specific, and It’s important to know which works best on your land. For example, I spoke with a landowner on Friday; this woman’s family property had been given to her by her grandparents. They used to farm it and would replant some of the fields. I spoke with her and her family over a year ago, giving them information on the open-pollinated seedlings and mass control pollinated seedlings. I helped them find someone to do site prep and plant for them. Once their timber was harvested a year later, they called me.

We had the best conversation about their goals and what they wanted in return. The outcome of that situation made me happy that I was able to help them work toward their goals. And I also had a very personal connection with them after spending so much time helping them find what was best for their property. I grew up around timber. My family is very timber-oriented. It’s just really always been near and dear to my heart. When I went to Clemson, I was going to major in wildlife. And then, after that first semester, I knew that forestry was where I needed to be.

I am on the Forestry Association of South Carolina Young Professionals Steering Committee and am a proud member of the Forestry Association of South Carolina Board of Directors.