Jack Cupit of Natchez can’t see the forest, but it’s not because of the trees. The forest is not actually there yet. Cupit, who was recently honored for his volunteer efforts at St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge, donated more than 700 hours of volunteer efforts to the refuge and its management for ecosystem restoration endeavors.

&uot;I hope one day my grandchildren can see this as a hardwood forest,&uot; Cupit said.

Cupit recently received the Regional Director’s Award for volunteerism from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s southeast region. He helped personnel at the local refuge plant more than 3 million trees, covering more than 25,000 acres.

&uot;Mississippi used to have a lot of black bears,&uot; he said. &uot;Hopefully one day we’ll have a habitat for them.&uot;

The planting started last January and was completed two weeks ago.

&uot;We planted cypress, green ash and eight or nine different variety of oaks,&uot; Cupit said.

Entergy donated funds for the planting.

Cupit, who is president of Friends of the Refuge, said the trees’ survival rate depends on the weather. &uot;The one way they wouldn’t survive is if we have a drought,&uot; he said.

Cupit, who will be 60 in July, worked at Armstrong Tire until the age of 52 when he was diagnosed with cancer. He was over maintenance for Natchez-Adams County public school until he was 55 when he injured his back falling out of a tree.

Cupit, whose son Mark is a law enforcement officer at the refuge and daughter Charman Adams is an office assistant, now spends a lot of time at the refuge.

And two new projects will keep him busy.

&uot;In May we hope to have completed an overlook for handicapped people off Wildlife Drive,&uot; Cupit said. &uot;Then we are going to build a big overlook made out of huge timber that will get up about 25 feet. We’re waiting on the government OK on the blueprints on that and hope to have that completed by the summer.&uot;

Which brings another proud smile to Cupit’s face. &uot;The Lord has really blessed me through my life,&uot;&160;he said. &uot;I’m just trying to give back a little bit. We’re supposed to be stewards of this country. I see so much destruction from power saws and bulldozers and hopefully this will be a nice change. This refuge belongs to everybody and I wish more people would utilize it.&uot;