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Steve Antoline of West Virginia

Steve Antoline of West Virginia



What makes them outstanding?

Passion and enthusiasm best describe Steve Antoline's devotion to forestry and land management. Steve looks at the present to see what will be best for future for him and his family.  He involves professionals along with his own hard work to achieve results.  Madison Farms is a prime example.  It is a combination of several contiguous parcels put together through various acquisitions.  It provides recreation-hiking and ATV trails that double as fire lanes, wood from timber sales and TSI operations, water-4 very nice ponds and a couple of small streams, and wildlife-food plots along with camera surveys to provide wildlife data. The only way to fully comprehend Madison Farms is to see it and meet Steve Antoline and his family.

Tree Farmer Story

Steve started as a WV Coal miner at the age of 18.  He developed and patented a mining system called "Superior Highwall Mining".  He marketed these mining systems all over the world.  After he sold the business he purchased adjoining parcels and named the farm after his youngest daughter Madison thus the name Madison Farms.  Steve has been constanting improving the property for his benefit as well as the long term benefit for his family.  His activities have included boundary line survey and maintenance, road improvements, invasive controls, pond construction, TSI and grapevine, wildlife food plots, wildlife management, and several forestry tours.

Madison Farms is located in Nicholas County WV along the Gauley and Meadow Rivers. The largest part of the property was previously owned by MWV.  Areas on the property had been clearcut from 1980 until 2006.  Steve has been working with MWV through the CFM program to address the overall forest management.  He hired Westervelt Wildlife Services to do the initial wildlife assessment using soil surveys and aerial photos provided in the forest management plan.  A camera survey was later completed using the services of Tall Tines-Wildlife and Hunting Consultants.

Steve started a TSI and grapevines program using Clear Creek Forest Management to promote the improvement of the clearcut areas. 

The management goals were to 1) Timber Quality and value-Enhance the highest valued species, and the best formed stems, 2) Wildlife Food Mast-Enhance the mast producing stems to ensure their production and long term health, 3) Grapevine control-Reduce the population of Grapevines for the purpose of decreasing stand destruction, and 4) Control Invasive Tree Species-Total severing of unwanted and heavy regenerating species out of the stand.  152 acres have been accomplished to date at Antoline expense.  The TSI program was viewed by the 2009 International Union of Forest Research Organizations Unit 3.08 "Small Scale Forestry Post Conference Tour" and by the Allegheny Society of American Foresters in September 2010.  WVU Extension and the SAF coordinate with Steve for tours of the property as well as the State Department of Agriculture.

During the same time period of the TSI program Steve along with the help of his son Kris and some contractors transformed the previous loading sites into game food plots.  One large failed hybrid poplar plantation was converted to a pond and food plot.  Roads on the property needed to be improved.  Steve used an old quarry site to crush additional local rock and capped with limestone to provide year round access.  1.1 miles of fire lanes were established to provide protection and trails for horse and ATV rides.  Due to vandalism and the need to establish Quality Deer Management (member of QDMA) 4.2 miles of high fence was constructed in 2011.  Along with the fence a new entrance gate was built.  This was a huge improvement over the previous pipe gate.  All the neighbors appreciated the new "look".  One neighbor had a rental cabin business that improved her rentals.

Steve has been very active in the community as well as at West Virginia University.  His generous donations established a weight room at WVU.  Steve was named 2013 Outstanding Philanthropist by the WVU Extension Service.  The award was recognition for the Antoline's generous gift through the Antoline Family Foundation for help with renovations at the Nicholas County 4-H camp.  Steve has been the largest donor to date to the new 1000 acre Camp Young Life-a week long retreat for teens that offers resort style accommodations and a daily dose of spiritual guidance.  Steve said "When the opportunity was presented to the county and State to bring a Young Life Camp to our area, I felt it was of utmost importance to send a strong message of support to the leaders of Young Life that we are 'all in' both financially and from involvement and support role."

Steve was recognized by the 2014 WV Legislature as the 2014 WV Tree Farm of the Year with a resolution.

Wood

Steve has harvested over 600 MBF of hemlock that was used in the Summit Bechtel Boy Scout Camp for bath houses.  This hemlock was infested with woolly adelgid.  Along with the hemlock over 1 million feet of hardwoods were cut for sawlogs and over 5000 tons of pulpwood and fence rails.  He continues to deal with Japanese Stilt grass and Tree of Heaven.

Water

Steve has constructed 4 ponds on the property and stocked them with Zetts Fish Farm fish. Rocks and other structures were placed in the ponds during construction to provide additional habitat.

Wildlife including threatened and endangered species

Westervelt Wildlife Services provided the initial wildlife assessment using management plan soil maps.  The follow up by Tall Tines-Wildlife and Hunting consultants (Dave Edwards) did camera surveys for deer and bear management.  Searches of known databases only indicate Barbara's Buttons (G2) along the riverbank of the Gauley and possible Virginia Spirea along the floodplains of the Meadow River. Steve has worked with the National Park Service to help access for research on the Allegheny Wood Rat.

Recreation and Aesthetics including special sites

Madison Farms is used for hunting and fishing primarily but ATVs and horses are used along the fire trails and fence/boundary lines.  He constructed an entrance gate that is very inviting and pleasing to the neighbors.  His consideration for his neighbors is amazing.