Georgia Forestry Today March-April 2014

GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY Volume 10, Issue 2 March | April 2014

PINE STRAW

An AlternAtive income Source for foreSt lAndownerS in GeorGiA

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March | April 2014

Georgia Forestry Today

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On the Cover:

GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY Printed in the USA PUBLISHER: A4 Inc. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alva Hopkins ahopkins@a4inc.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Pamela Petersen-Frey p.frey@a4inc.com

Pine straw, the uppermost forest floor layer of undecayed needles, has become a valuable forest commodity. As annual Georgia timber revenues have declined the last decade, pine straw income received by forest landowners in Georgia has increased by almost fourfold. See story on page 8

EDITORIAL BOARD Wendy Burnett Alva Hopkins Jesse Johnson Stasia Kelly Sandi Martin Roland Petersen-Frey Brian Stone Steve McWilliams

GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY is published bi-monthly by A4 Inc., 1154 Lower Birmingham Road, Canton, Georgia 30115. Recipients include participants of the Forest Stewardship Program and the American Tree Farm System.

Opinions expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of the publisher, A4 Inc., nor do they accept responsibility for errors of content or omission and, as a matter of policy, neither do they endorse products or advertisements appearing herein. Part of this magazine may be reproduced with the written consent of the publisher. Correspondence regarding changes of address should be directed to A4 Inc. at the address indicated above. Advertising material should be sent to A4 Inc. at the e-mail address: p.frey@a4inc.com. Questions on advertising should be directed to the advertising director at the e-mail address provided above. Editorial material should be sent to A4 Inc. or to Alva Hopkins.

GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY 1154 Lower Birmingham Road, Canton, Georgia 30115

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March | April 2014

Volume 10, Issue 2

March | April 2014

Georgia

FORESTRY TODAY P.08

Pine Straw An Alternative Income Source for Forest Landowners in Georgia

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Message from the Georgia Forestry Commission Director

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GFC News

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Legend in the Pines: the Mark of ‘Mr. Jim L’ Gillis

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P.21

P.22

P.26

GFT News

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UGA Study: Southern Wood Pellets Boosting European Efforts to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Forestry Calendar March 27 GFF Longleaf Classic Golf Tournament Hawkinsville, Georgia

Prescribed Fire in Georgia Part II: How do you light the torch?

How Do Georgia’s Working Forests Make Life Better?

Bluebirds & Purple Martins, Harbingers of Spring

April 17 If you have a forestry event you’d like to see on our calendar, please contact Alva Hopkins at ahopkins@a4inc. com with the subject line ‘Calendar Event.’

Georgia Forestry Association Board of Directors Meeting | GFA Headquarters | Forsyth, Georgia

May 7-9 Forest Resources Association Annual Meeting Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront | Virginia Beach, Virginia | Info: 202-296-3937

June 3-6 2014 National Conference of Private Forest Landowners | Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, Louisiana Info and Registration: www.forestlandowners.com

June 16-20 Georgia Teacher Conservation Workshop Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center Info and Registration: www.gfagrow.org

June 21-24 Association of Consulting Foresters National Conference, Savannah, Georgia Info: www.acf-foresters.org

July 19-20 2014 GFA Annual Conference & Forestry Expo Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa Info: www.gfagrow.org Georgia Forestry Today

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March | April 2014

List of advertisers Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College ..........................6

International Forest Company .......................................4

American Forest Management......................................30

LandMark Spatial Solutions ...........................................3

Beach Timber Company Inc. .......................................30

Lanigan & Associates ...................................................27

Blanton’s ........................................................................7 Bodenhamer Farms & Nursery ....................................25 Canal Wood LLC.........................................................30

Meeks’ Farms & Nursery ....................Inside Front Cover Morbark.......................................................................30 Outdoor Underwriters .................................................25

Cantrell Forest Products Inc.........................................30 Davis - Garvin .............................................................24 Farm Credit Associations ...............................................3 Flint Equipment Company ..........................................29

Plum Creek....................................................................5 Rivers Edge Forest Products .........................................30 SuperTree Seedlings .......................................................6

Forest Resource Services Inc.........................................30

UPC | Georgia 811 ........................................Back Cover

F&W Forestry Service..................................................12

Weyerhaeuser ...............................................................28

HEI .............................................................................30

Yancey Brothers ...................................Inside Back Cover

Georgia Forestry Today

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Pine Straw An AlternAtive income Source for foreSt lAndownerS in GeorGiA 8

March | April 2014

By David Dickens | Forest Productivity Professor | David Moorhead | Silviculture Professor | Lawrence Morris | Forest Soils Professor | Lee Ogden | Research Professional III

ine straw, the uppermost forest floor layer of undecayed needles, is raked, baled, and sold as landscaping mulch in the southeastern U.S., and has become a valuable forest commodity (see photo below). As annual Georgia timber revenues have declined the last decade (Figure 1), pine straw income received by forest landowners in Georgia has increased by almost four-fold (Figure 2).

Pine straw revenues have helped many landowners maintain reasonable cash flows and achieve attractive rates of return on their forestland. Timber stand rates of return can be increased from six percent to ten percent, without pine straw production, to nine percent to 15 percent with annual pine straw income.

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Pine Straw Production Factors and Rates

A number of factors affect pine straw production rates. They are: species, site productivity, stand density and age, percent rakeable stand, raking intensity (semi-annual, annual, or periodic) and interval between rakes, competition control and the use of fertilizers.

Intensively managed stands on former old-field sites on good soils with a long history of fertilization, and having no woody competition produce

the most straw. Stands on poor quality sites, excessively well drained, deep sands of the Sand Hills or shallow low fertility soils of the Piedmont that have no to minimal management produce the least straw. Competition control and fertilization are forest management tools used to improve (1) stand access for raking, (2) increase the acreage of a stand that can be raked, and (3) increase pine straw production (on low fertility sites). Table 1 lists pine straw bale/acre production rates by species.

How Pine Straw is Commonly Sold

Pine straw can be sold by the bale or by the acre. Current average per acre reported prices in the southeastern U.S. range from $50 to $200 or more per acre for each raking. Per bale prices range from $0.30 per bale for loblolly, $0.65 per bale for slash, and $0.90 per bale for longleaf paid to the forest landowner. When selling by the bale, make sure that bale dimensions are clearly defined in a contract, as there is no standard bale size. Common ‘bales’ in Georgia are mostly rectangular with dimensions of 12x12x24” to 14x14x36”, weighing from 17 to 25 lbs/bale. Remember that the larger the bale, the lower the bale count per acre.

Applying a herbicide in an unthinned slash pine stand to control competition.

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Table 1. Common annual pine straw production rates based on fourteen studies and operational raking in the Southeastern U.S.

Species

low *bales/acre High *bales/acre

10-yr average *bales/acre

Loblolly

100 to 120

275 to 450

175 to 275

Longleaf

60 to 80

150 to 350

100 to 250

Slash

80 to 100

250 to 400

125 to 250

*Assumes a common rectangular bale of 12x12� or 13x13� ends and 28 to 32� long or approximately 16 to 20 lbs per bale dry weight. There is currently no standard bale size in Georgia.

Species Preference, Raking Periods, and Stand Conditions in Southern Pine Stands

In the southeastern U.S., longleaf, slash, and to a limited extent, loblolly pine stands are commonly raked. The order of preference is longleaf, slash, and then loblolly straw. Pine species differences in longer needle length, better color retention, and slower rate of deterioration are factors for this order of reference.

Southern pine stands that are (1) clean of understory vegetation and debris, (2) good road access, and (3) proximity to local markets are important factors in making pine straw harvesting attractive to pine straw buyers or contractors. Mowing (photo at right), herbicide use to keep the stand clean of competition (photo on page 8),and fertilization to enhance pine straw production (photo on page 11), are the most commonly used management tools in producing pine straw in stands. Longleaf, slash, and loblolly pine stands are commonly raked starting at canopy closure (ages six to ten years old) until the first thinning (age 15 to 20 years old). If the stand is at-

tractive to a contractor, the contractor may negotiate a multi-year written agreement with the landowner to rake the stand.

Site factors that may preclude intensive annual raking include: slopes greater than eight percent (excessive erosion) and marginal soils. Excessively well-drained, deep sands may be best to be raked on a three year cycle to conserve soil moisture, organic matter,

nutrients, and to minimize soil erosion.

In general, thinned stands are less attractive due to new understory growth and reduced needle production.

Thinned longleaf stands are often raked in South Carolina and North Carolina once crowns rebuild and understory vegetation is controlled.

Generally fertilization has not been beneficial, based on a number of studies, in dramatically increasing pine straw yields on fertile old-field sites.

Fertilization can be beneficial on low fertility, cut-over sites. Typical fertilization is with urea, di-ammonium or mono-ammonium phosphate, and muriate of potash to provide from 75 to 175 lbs/acre nitrogen (N) with a lower N amount for longleaf, 25 to 40 lbs/acre elemental-phosphorus (P), and 50 lbs/acre elemental-potassium (K). A number of studies have shown that annual pine straw removals have a greater adverse effect on pine diameter growth due to changes in soil moisture relations (increased evaporative losses) than nutrient removals in the near-

Fertilization in an unthinned pine stand to enhance wood growth and pine straw production.

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March | April 2014

Fertilization in an unthinned pine stand to enhance wood growth and pine straw production.

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minimal cover and food for wildlife species.

Marketing Pine Straw

Figure 1 term. These diameter losses were generally small, a 1/5 to 1/2 inch per tree loss occurring in the first three years with annual raking. Annual, long-term (greater than eight to ten years), intensive raking may reduce stand vigor, growth, and pine straw yields on marginal soils without N, P, K fertilization.

Pros and Cons of Pine Straw Raking in Southern Pine Stands

The pros of pine straw raking include: 1 annual income for a period of five to ten or more years,

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initial income five to ten or more years prior to the first income from a thinning, earlier return on one’s investment in site preparation and planting,

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higher net revenue ($300 to $1200 per acre or more) and rate of return, and

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pine stand is easier to walk through and may be more aesthetically pleasing to some.

The cons of pine straw raking include: reduced soil moisture due to increased evaporation rates,

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increased soil erosion under intensive raking regimes,

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nutrient removals with annual pine straw raking may reduce site productivity if performed for a prolonged period of time,

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reduced near-term diameter growth due to intensive raking in some cases without ameliorative treatments, and

Demand for pine straw raking will vary by location. Get a list of pine straw vendors from your local County Extension office, State Forestry Commission, or ask neighbors who have pine straw raked for their contractor name and contact information. If a landowner’s pine stand is producing a lot of straw, has a clean understory for easy raking, a good road system, and is in an area of contractor demand, his/her pine acreage should be easy to sell. Make sure the contract clearly states type of payment (by the bale or by the acre), frequency/time of payment (100 percent at completion of each rake, 50 percent every 1/2 year, etc), contract length with start and end time, who is responsible for herbicide and fertilizer application (where needed), mowing, and that road, fence, and other property items are found in the same condition after the last rake as prior to the first rake. If a landowner is selling by the bale, make sure a ‘bale’ is clearly defined in the contract, and agree on how the bale count will be verified v

Figure 2 12

March | April 2014

Georgia Forestry Commission

Robert Farris

Message from the Director

Dear GFT Reader,

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he Georgia Forestry Commission and a group of terrific partners broke some new ground recently and I’m excited about all the seeds we planted—literally and figuratively!

To celebrate Georgia’s Arbor Day in February, the GFC teamed up with the state’s schools and staged a first-of-its-kind webcast that engaged kids in forestry for a magical hour and a half. I was proud to represent our industry to students and educators at more than 100 Georgia schools that participated in the event. Governor Deal joined the webcast too, and together we introduced the kids to concepts they might never have heard before: Georgia’s sustainable forests bring them clean air, clean water, beauty, home for wildlife, lots of essential products, and many, many jobs for Georgians. We were just the opening act, however, because ‘that Tree Guy,’ Tim Womick, took it from there. He staged his inimitable presentation about benefits of the amazing forest to a live audience and to hundreds of eager web viewers across Georgia. With a wittiness that only a kid at heart can display, Tim brought home the message that it’s great to hug trees as well as utilize them. The audience got a

Georgia Forestry Today

fresh look at the importance of trees and environmental stewardship, and many of them followed up the experience with something truly wonderful—digging in the dirt! Georgia Forestry Commission foresters and other volunteers helped plant trees on the grounds of many of the participating schools, and everyone got an upclose lesson in the proper way to dig a hole for a seedling today and a healthy tree of tomorrow.

Connecting with tomorrow’s leaders is a joy I hope you take time to experience every once in a while. There simply is no better way to appreciate one’s line of work (or community, faith or hobby for that matter) than to share it with someone eager to understand. To that end, the Georgia Forestry Foundation unveiled a unique opportunity at the close of the Web cast. The GFF is sponsoring a statewide contest in which students will express the value of our sustainable working forests through submission of artwork with a slogan. Schools that participate in the “Forestry: A Foundation for our Future” contest will have a chance to win a prize valued up to $35,000. Details of the competition can be found on the GFC Web site at GaTrees.org or on the GFF site at www.Forestry4Rfuture.org. What’s espe-

cially great is that there are two levels of competition (fifth through eighth grades and ninth through 12th grades), and that up to 20 teachers will receive Project Learning Tree professional development, with two attending a PLT Conservation Workshop. The deadline for the contest is April 30, 2014, so I hope you will reach out to the children and educators around you to spread the word!

It took a lot of people to make the Georgia Arbor Day webcast such a success.

From the video pros at Event Streams, to school superintendents across Georgia and our top notch team of GFC professionals who organized the event, and of course, helped plant the seedlings, each deserves sincere thanks. With these folks’ eyes on the growth ahead, forestry’s future is in some very capable hands.

Sincerely,

Robert Farris GFC Commissioner v 13

GFC News The Georgia Forestry Commission submitted an updated Forest Sustainability Report to the 2014 Georgia legislature. The report shows that Georgia’s forests continue to be sustainably managed to meet the needs of our state today. Georgia’s 24 million acres of forestland have remained stable for the past 50 years, and forest growth exceeds removals by 41 percent annually, quantifying a timber supply that is plentiful for global and local markets.

Challenges named in the report that may affect future forest sustainability include urban sprawl and fragmentation, which can impact wildfire response and the environmental services afforded by contiguous forestland. For a copy of the report, visit www.GaTrees.org. e Risher Willard has been promoted to chief of Marketing & Utilization of the Georgia Forestry Commission. Prior to joining the GFC in 1992, Willard worked in the private sector in sales, marketing, and logistics. At the GFC, Willard has held a variety of positions as a forester, working in urban and rural forest management and wildland firefighting. Most recently he worked as a staff forester in the Utilization Department, which provides marketing and technical services to existing and prospective forest products industries including bioenergy and carbon offset projects, ecosystem services evaluations, forest certification training, and more. Willard is a city councilor for the City of Claxton and served as a volunteer member of the Claxton-Evans County Industrial Development Authority. He earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Forestry and Business Administration from the University of Kentucky and is a Georgia registered forester. Originally from Kentucky, Risher and his wife, Tally, live in Claxton. e Georgia schools were linked by a first-of-itskind webcast on Georgia’s Arbor Day in late February. Presented by the Georgia Forestry Commission, the presentation highlighted the environmental, economic, and aesthetic value of trees in an entertaining and educational format.

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and GFC Director Robert Farris provided special messages, and ‘edu-tainer’ Tim Wommick presented a version of his popular ‘Tale of Trees’ performance. Many schools across the state followed up the webcast with tree planting ceremonies. e 14

March | April 2014

By stasia Kelly Jim L Gillis Jr., front and center, is surrounded by fellow GFC Board members.

(L to R): H.G. Yeomans, Wesley Langdale, Fred Warnell, Earl Smith, Jimmy Allen, Chuck Williams, and Robert Farris.

Legend in the Pines: the Mark of ‘Mr. Jim L’ Gillis e most comprehensive examination of Georgia’s forestry history can be found in a handsome book authored by University of Georgia Center for Forestry Business Director, Bob Izlar. e Centennial History of Forestry in Georgia wraps a reader in images and text that evoke wonder and pride for anyone who has ever marveled at the gis of a forest. e personalities that have shaped Georgia’s forestry industry are chronicled alongside vivid descriptions of the challenges they faced. It is clear that when it comes to the business of trees, perseverance has never been in short supply in Georgia. e forestry community is fortunate to be able to reminisce with one of the most influential forces ever to share our woods, Jim L. Gillis, Jr., who celebrated his 97th birthday in October of last year. From a time when every logging chore was done by hand to a time when hands are more likely to guide a throttle or run numbers on a hand-held unit, Gillis has lived it all.

“Back when I was a boy, we didn’t have any nurseries,” Gillis said. “ere were pine seedlings around all our fields, including next to my three acre FFA cotton plot. So we’d grab some shovels, dig up some seedlings, then mash ‘em into a bucket filled with mud.

Georgia Forestry Today

Eventually we would plant the seedlings with a hickory stick.”

It was, perhaps, the beginning of his commitment to reforestation, as his cotton plot yielded less than a nickel a pound, and those seedlings grew to a more valuable maturity.

“I learned at an early age that farming didn’t pay,” said Gillis.

He also learned that “managing forests is not a static thing.” Gillis said he believes in “making the best of what we’re given,” and added, “You’ve always got to come up with new ways of doing things.”

In December, the forestry community saluted “Mr. Jim L” and the many ways he’s done things that have had a positive impact on Georgia.

“While it would take from now until nightfall to cover all the organizations you have served,” said Georgia Forestry Commission Director Robert Farris to Gillis and the celebrants, “I want to highlight just a few of the many.” ose few include: continuous service to the GFC board since 1977, 26 years as chairman; service to six Georgia governors and seven GFC directors; 1937 graduate of the University of Georgia; principal in Soperton Naval Stores from 1937 to date; state senator; 15

long-time Treutlen County commissioner and president of Association of County Commissioners; original district supervisor in the Soil Conservation Service; president of the Georgia Forestry Association; president and director of the American Turpentine Farmers Association (ATFA); member of the Georgia Foresters Hall of Fame. And those are just a few of the few.

As colleagues and friends visited with Gillis and each other, story upon story was told about how this native Georgian earned their respect and affection. Not surprisingly, several characteristics distinguish the ‘Jim L’ way to become a forestry legend.

Committed to continuous improvement “Research and reforestation have always been very important to the forestry industry and especially to Mr. Jim L,” said former GFC District Forester Grady Williams, who helped administer the Naval Stores Conservation Program in the 1970s. e

pair frequently worked and traveled together in support of the industry Gillis serves as director and president of, the ATFA. “We worked closely on developing improved species, especially those that were high gum-yielding species,” said Williams. “ere were lots of field studies,” which were carefully recorded and analyzed. Williams said those efforts led to continued research into breeding fusiform rust-resistant species and species with uniform growth profiles.

“We always had some studies going,” said Williams, “on new methods and practices, and on developing chemicals and materials. By thinking progressively, he established a base for change, and then moved forward to make things better with whatever changes resulted,” Williams said.

Retired GFC District Forester and former Program Manager for the Resource Conservation Development Program, William Barrett has been a colleague and friend of Gillis’ since the 1960s. He credits

Gillis for being an early champion of forest sustainability.

“He’s been a conservationist all his life,” Barrett said. “He won’t waste an acre of land anywhere and believes in putting trees right back into the ground as soon as he can.” Barrett said Gillis knows the value of improving the trees and has always pushed that through his leadership on the (GFC) board and in other forestry roles.

Added Williams, “He’s one of the most complex thinking individuals, always considering so many different aspects of caring for the natural resources. He always considers what the time and the economy demands.”

Having experienced the infamous Okefenokee swamp fires of 1954-55, Gillis pushed hard for increased fire protection for landowners in south Georgia, according to Barrett. Equipment and communication improvements are part of his legacy, Barrett said. “e introduction of dispatch was a little tough, though,” he said. “When there

This is the house Gillis’ great grandfather built in 1850. John Gillis’ family home was built of heart pine wood that was notched and held together by wood pegs; there are no nails in the structure. It is located near the site of the original Soperton Naval Stores’ turpentine processing still and commissary.

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March | April 2014

‘Mr. Jim L’ is thanked by friends and colleagues at the Swainsboro farm of H.G. Yeomans in December.

was a fire, Mr. Jim L liked his district ranger live on the phone, fast. I think he finally decided radios were a good thing and he got one in his car, where he always had the GFC frequency on. His handle was ‘Gillis One,’” said Barrett.

Gillis One was known, too, for getting in the trenches with rangers and helping protect property from wildfire. Backpacks, pumps, and rakes were as likely to be grabbed out of the barn by Gillis as they were by his ‘turpentine hands.’

“He supported us,” Barrett said, “and we all thought well of him for it.”

Jim L. Gillis’ charismatic nature is as much a part of his reputation as is his quiet strength.

“He doesn’t seek publicity,” said Barrett, but he can get things changed, get things done when he wants to.

“Jim L and his brother, Hugh, along with State Representative Pete Phillips, who was a forester, got a lot of good forestry laws and budgets passed. at helped grow the forestry agency,” said Barrett. “He knew everybody. He could get anything done through the state and federal contacts he Georgia Forestry Today

had. He called Herman Talmadge by his first name!”

Assessing a century of change ese days, ‘Mr. Jim L’ isn’t likely to be found fighting fires or personally lobbying the governor in Atlanta. He does, however, enjoy sharing his insights with a visitor, for whom he has prepared neatly hand-written notes about the topic of ‘changes in Georgia forestry’ over the past 97 years. His notes chronicle the transitions from one- and two-man cross cut saws to wheeled saws, the first gas powered chain saw, and threewheeled feller-bunchers to the big cut-down machines used today. He remembers sawmills in the woods during early logging operations, and pulling logs to mills with horses and mules, before tractors and skidders came on the scene. He was in the woods when pulpwood was cut by hand with saws and axes before being hauled to town and loaded by hand onto box cars.

Gillis doesn’t get lost in the past, however. He’s known for being well-read and for

entertaining very little idle time. He enthusiastically offers up news and statistics, such as the 28 percent increase in seed orchard production. He lauds current forestry practices that ensure ‘nothing is wasted.’ It’s clear his head is still in the game, and he knows the part he plays.

“I’m strictly a pine producer,” Gillis said, “and the naval store business is responsible for all my timber. When naval stores played out, I was le with trees. I cut. I replant. I keep it on a rotating basis and am glad for new species growing faster, with better ways to fight disease and insects. It’s a challenge, and I enjoy doing it.”

It’s no secret that Mr. Jim L’s heart remains in the game as well. While he no longer pilots the Crown Victorias he was famous for navigating at a swi clip around the county, he is still regularly drawn to the peace, the pleasure of the trees.

“I get somebody to drive me out to the woods and that’s my therapy. I just look at the pretty trees, just enjoy nature. It’s something the good Lord gives us.” v 17

Prescribed Fire in Georgia

Assistance with prescribed fire comes basically in two types: technical—the most widely available—and financial. The Georgia Forestry Commission and Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division are starting points for information on both. (Georgia DNR) 18

March | April 2014

Part II

How do you light the torch?

By James Tomberlin | Senior Wildlife Biologist | Georgia Wildlife Resources Division | Private Lands Program

art 1 of this series (see “Burning’s Many Benefits” in the January |February issue) provided a great introduction to prescribed fire, why it’s important to burn, where you need to start to properly conduct a prescribed burn, and who else in Georgia is returning fire to the landscape in a safe way to restore this natural process, ensure ecosystem health, and reduce wildfire risk. In this second half of the series, we want to make you aware of the assistance that is available to private forest landowners in Georgia, so you’ll know where to turn if you decide to begin or expand a prescribed burn program on your property.

The Georgia Forestry Commission is the state agency responsible for providing leadership, service, and education in the protection and conservation of Georgia's forest resources. The Wildlife Resources Division in Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources is charged with conserving, enhancing, and promoting our state’s wildlife resources, including game and nongame animals, fish, and protected plants.

These agencies recognize the importance of prescribed burning as an excellent tool in managing and protecting forestland, and the critical role fire plays in conserving and enhancing

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wildlife habitat, particularly in restoring rare and declining species that depend on fire-maintained habitats.

So, knowing that prescribed fire is important, why and where to start, maybe your next question is: As a Georgia forest landowner, is help with prescribed burning available to me? If so, what kind of help, and where can I find it?

Is Help Available?

The answer to the first question is, yes! A variety of services are offered to forest landowners across Georgia to help meet management objectives for your forestland. Whether those objectives are growing quality timber, enhancing wildlife habitat, increasing recreational opportunities, improving aesthetics, and soil and water conservation, or maybe a combination of these that translates into overall forest health, government and private natural resource professionals are ready to assist you.

Prescribed fire is one of the most effective tools in your toolbox. It can help you meet multiple management objectives, but it must be used in a safe and responsible manner. That is

where these professionals are ready to help: • Georgia Forestry Commission employs foresters and county rangers who are available to answer questions, help develop a burn plan, and assist with prescribed burning.

• The Wildlife Resources Division has wildlife biologists who can meet with you to discuss prescribed burning and develop a burn plan with emphasis on meeting your management objectives.

• Private consulting foresters provide an array of prescribed burning services for landowners looking for everything from a ‘turnkey’ job all the way to the do-it-yourself group. It’s important to note that most consulting foresters carry insurance and take on the liability of issues related to the burn.

• Assistance is also available through the federal Natural Resource Conservation Service. And if your property is adjacent to national forests in Georgia, the U.S. Forest Service may partner with you in efforts to accomplish burning objectives.

While the DNR Wildlife Resources Division teams with partners to burn on state lands—such as at Reed Bingham State Park in south Georgia—resources are also offered through this agency and the Georgia Forestry Commission to help private landowners conduct prescribed fires on their property.

(Georgia DNR) Georgia Forestry Today

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What Kind of Assistance?

Technical: The most widely available assistance offered is technical. This involves meeting with a qualified prescribed burn professional, whether government or private, on your property to discuss burn objectives and how to achieve them.

• The Forestry Commission provides services including the installation of firebreaks, standby assistance while you burn, and assistance with the burn itself. There is an hourly charge for these services, and an agreement is required beforehand.

• Wildlife Resources biologists will help you develop a burning program with your wildlife objectives in mind. Optimal burn unit size, how often you should burn, and season of the year are some of the important factors to consider in developing this program. The division is currently prioritizing burning efforts toward early succession and pine savanna restoration efforts (see “Pine Savanna Restoration and the Northern Bobwhite” in the March-April 2013 issue).

• Private consulting foresters offer full service prescribed burning, including developing a burn plan, installing firebreaks, and carrying out the burn. This service could be especially useful to absentee landowners or those on a more rigid schedule.

Forestry Commission is a two-day course that teaches the essentials needed to be a successful prescribed burner. Participants learn how to produce a written burn plan, important aspects of weather that must be considered and their effects on fire, how to manage smoke, Georgia laws and regulations pertaining to prescribed fire, and other topics needed to become certified. For full certification, participants must complete the course, pass the exam, and submit an affidavit verifying their experience.

In certain situations, landowners may be eligible for assistance through federal and state programs to share the costs of implementing a prescribed burn.

Often, funds are limited, and funding varies depending on what part of the state your property is in.

Financial:

• The Natural Resources Conservation Service administers programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to help share costs of installing firebreaks and implementing burns.

• The Forestry Commission administers the Southern Pine Beetle Program, which offers financial assistance for burning properly managed loblolly and shortleaf pine stands, as well as young longleaf stands up to ten years old.

One of the main goals of this program is to improve the health of pine forests, preventing attacks from the southern pine beetle.

The funds, provided by the U.S. Forest Service, are available on a limited basis.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Please contact your local Georgia Forestry Commission office, Georgia Wildlife Resources Division wildlife biologist or a private consultant to put fire back in your forests. Also, always remember to call the Forestry Commission and request a burn permit before burning.

Where Can I Find Assistance?

• For more information on enhancing wildlife habitat in your forestland, contact your local wildlife biologist or visit www.georgiawildlife.com.

• Contact your local Georgia Forestry Commission forester or county ranger. Not sure who that is? Go to www.gatrees.org and select Contact at the top of the homepage.

• Go to www.gfc.state.ga.us/forestmanagement/prescribed-fire/prescribed-fire-certification for more information on certification courses for 2014.

• The Georgia Prescribed Fire Manager Course administered by the

• For a list of consulting foresters, go to www.gatrees.org and check in the Directories section under the Resources tab.

Assistance with prescribed fire comes basically in two types: technical – the most widely available—and financial.

The Georgia Forestry Commission and Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division are starting points for information on both. (Georgia DNR)

James Tomberlin is a senior wildlife biologist in the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division’s Private Lands Program. Scott Griffin is a forester with the Georgia Forestry Commission in charge of cost share programs. v

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March | April 2014

HOW DO GEORGIA’S WORKING FORESTS MAKE LIFE BETTER? GEORGIA FORESTRY FOUNDATION LAUNCHES EDUCATION INITIATIVE TO PROMOTE FORESTRY THROUGHOUT THE STATE One question…How do Georgia’s working forests make life better? If you are heavily ingrained in the forestry community, you know the value of Georgia’s forests.

But do your co-workers, friends, children, teachers or elected officials in your community?

The Georgia Forestry Foundation (GFF) recently launched a new contest and education initiative, “Forestry: A Foundation for Our Future,” to educate students and the public about the value of Georgia’s working forests. Schools and students who participate in the statewide contest will have an opportunity to win a prize valued up to $35,000. The initiative aims to create greater awareness of the economic, environmental, and social benefits of Georgia’s 24.8 million acres of forest land.

The forestry community has for many years educated students about forestry via Project Learning Tree, an award-winning environmental education program, and the Georgia Teacher Conservation Workshop, a week-long forestry workshop for teachers. This contest is the beginning of a campaign to build on those efforts, aiming to educate all Georgians.

“As more and more people live in and around our state’s cities, fewer and fewer understand the importance of forestry as an economic engine—including the jobs they provide. Fewer and fewer know about the critical role forests play in cleaning our air and water—providing a lot of natural resources that we depend upon to survive,” GFF Chair Jody Strickland, Timberland Acquisitions Manager for Weyerhaeuser, said.

As a part of this initiative, the Foundation is inviting fifth through 12th grade students across Georgia to participate in a contest to express the value of Georgia’s sustainable working forests through submission of a creative artwork and slogan.

Georgia Forestry Today

It includes two levels of competition: fifth through eighth and ninth through 12th grades, with one winner from each level.

Each winning entry will be awarded a prize valued up to $35,000, which includes: • a $15,000 cash award to the school, • a $2,500 cash award and forestry camp scholarship to the student, • Project Learning Tree environmental professional development for up to 20 teachers, • an invitation for two teachers from the winning schools to attend the Georgia Teacher Conservation Workshop, • a field trip for students in the grade level of each winning student, and • materials featuring the winning artwork and slogan.

The winning students, their parents or guardians, and two school staff members from each of the winning schools will also be invited (expenses paid) to attend an award ceremony on Sunday, July 20, at the Georgia Forestry Association’s Annual Conference in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

“Georgia has much to be proud of in its working forests,” Strickland said. “We’re

delighted to expand upon our long-standing education efforts to further the understanding of what these natural resources bring to our state. We look forward to seeing the creative submissions developed over the coming months.”

As students consider how to express the importance of Georgia’s forests, they will learn that almost 25 million of Georgia’s 37 million acres of land are forestland.

They will learn that our working forests provide almost $29 billion to the state’s economy annually and offer more than 135,000 jobs to Georgians. And they will learn that research has estimated more than $37 billion of annual value to our state of the benefits of clean air, clean water, carbon storage, wildlife habitat, and aesthetics provided by working forests.

Above all, they will learn that working forests are renewable and sustainable.

The foundation will use the artwork and slogan from the contest’s two winning schools to create banners for container trucks, interstate billboards, yard signs, and other marketing materials that will be used in a campaign to further educate the general public across the state.

The artwork/slogan and the entry form must be submitted by April 30, 2014 to be considered in the statewide competition. Only one submission/entry will be accepted per school. The winners will be notified by the Georgia Forestry Foundation by May 16.

For more information on the contest including submission guidelines, entry form, terms and conditions, and other resources for schools visit forestry4Rfuture.org or call (478) 9928110. If you would like to sponsor or distribute information to your communities about this initiative and the contest, please visit forestry4rfuture.org/partners. v 21

BlueBirds & Purple Martins, Harbingers of Spring

By John Trussell

Although the female bluebird lacks the male’s bright colors, she picks the nest site, builds the nest, and incubates the eggs all by herself.

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March | April 2014

here is something reassuring about seeing the cycle of life flourishing around us, and nothing lifts the spirits better than seeing bluebirds and purple martins flying around in the springtime. After a long, cold winter, these birds flutter around while nest building and collecting insects for their young and seem to be saying, ‘Better days are ahead!’ Many Georgians are of Irish descent. The Irish always had some mighty fine blessings, and here’s a good one for spring time.

T

May the flowers always line your path, and sunshine light your day.

May bluebirds serenade you, every step along the way.

May a rainbow run beside you, in a sky that’s always blue And may happiness fill your heart each day, your whole life through!

A bluebird nest is comprised of tightly compacted grass thatch. These two baby bluebirds are about one week old.

Georgia Forestry Today

Even though bluebird populations were down in the past, their numbers are increasing, and the future is looking good for them. Eastern bluebird populations increased by almost two percent per year between 1966 and 2010, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. The most important step we can take to help bring back the bluebird is to provide nesting sites by setting out a bluebird nest box or starting a bluebird trail, according to the North American Bluebird Society. A bluebird trail is a series of bluebird boxes placed along a prescribed route. Bluebirding is a great hands-on environmental project that people of all ages can enjoy and is a great activity for 4H clubs, Boy and Girl Scout troops, and church youth groups. By placing blue bird nesting boxes around public parks, local groups can provide a great public service, and if you place them around your land you can increase your enjoyment of the outdoors. Here are some tips on blue bird nesting boxes.

Place the boxes in open areas, attached to metal or wood posts so that the box is about five feet off the ground.

A predator shield made of an inverted piece of tin or aluminum will help protect the box from predators. To keep down competition among the bluebirds, place the boxes no closer than 50 yards apart. To keep the house sparrows from moving into your boxes, monitor the type of nests in your boxes and remove sparrow nests. A sparrow nest is a large gathering of grass, trash and feathers and they have brown speckled eggs. A bluebird nest is neat and compacted, composed of clean grass thatch or pine straw and their eggs are medium blue. A good bluebird box should be well ventilated, watertight, and have about four small drainage holes. It should be easy to open, monitor, and easy to clean. A top lid that is held down by a small screw or swivel hinge works well. To keep out squirrels, make sure the top won’t flip up, unless the screw is removed. Then place a small piece of quarter inch welded wire around the entrance hole to keep squirrels from enlarging the hole. It only takes about five minutes for them to ruin a box. Solid, untreated wood is an ideal material, although exterior grade plywood or cedar boards can be used. The outside of boxes can be painted or stained if a light color is used. A bluebird box should not have a perch. Predatory house sparrows and house wrens are attracted to perches. Nest boxes for eastern bluebirds should have a round entrance hole measuring 1½" in diameter, or a 1⅜" x 2¼" vertical oval hole. For complete box plans go to nabluebirdsociety.org.

A great book on bluebirds is “Bluebirds Forever” by Connie Toops, available through your local library.

Another bird that is a welcome addition to our state is the purple martin.

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Purple martin ‘scouts’ are some of the earliest harbingers of spring. The first purple martins to show up in Georgia usually come in from South America about the second week of February, says Alfred Kennon of Butler, a lifelong martin enthusiast. The notion that purple martin ‘scouts’ are on a reconnaissance mission to find suitable nesting territory - then report back to the flock - is a stretch of the facts. The scouts are actually older birds returning to their nesting site. Martins have strong nest-site fidelity, and older birds return first. It may take four to six weeks before sub adults return to the site—perhaps giving the impression that these birds were led to the site by ‘scouts.’ Purple martins are large swallows reaching nearly nine inches in length. The male is a dark, deep, rich blue above and below. He appears black at a distance. Females and juveniles are dark above with a whitish belly and grayish brown on the breast and throat. Martins have very specific space requirements. One of the main reasons people fail to attract martins is that they place their martin housing incorrectly.

Martin housing should be in the center of the largest open spot available, about 40-120 feet from human housing. Place the housing where you can see it so you can enjoy watching and hearing the martins. Martins 24

enjoy human activities, so a pole location visible from the house is a good idea, but avoid areas where trees are close. For an extra bonus, set your martin housing close to water where the birds can swoop and catch plenty of insects. Although martins get some credit for keeping down the mosquito population, recent research has shown that they eat very few. Martins, like all swallows, are aerial insectivores. They eat only flying insects which they catch in flight. Their diet is diverse, including dragonflies, damselflies, flies, midges, mayflies, stinkbugs, leafhoppers, grasshoppers, wasps, and more.

In rural Georgia, Martins perform

another valuable service, and that is keeping flying predators away from free ranging yard chickens and other poultry. My grandmother, Leila McDuffie Smith of Wilcox County, often kept a large collection of martin gourds up to attract the birds. In dive bombing the hawks to protect their young, they also protected her chickens.

To help keep the rain out of the gourds, an east facing position for the entrance hole is good idea, says Kennon, since most wind and rain approaches from the west. He likes natural, medium sized gourds for his martins and normally puts up about 50 gourds, strung on a metal wire which is about 12 to 15 feet off the ground.

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martins is about eight, but the more the merrier, says Kennon, as martins are colony type birds. He has tried plastic gourds, but says the martins greatly prefer the natural kind and he grows his own and gives away many each year to friends. You can have some success with plastic gourds if you mix them in with natural gourds. The entrance hole should be two and one eighth inches in size and be located about one to two inches up from the bottom of the gourd. Although Kennon has his gourds on a wire, many have good success with metal poles with a swivel or pulley device installed near the ground to allow for easy maintenance. Paint the gourds white to keep them cool in the summer and take them down in the fall after the martins depart for cleaning and a longer life.

For lots of good information, go to purplemartin.org. The martins usually depart for South America about the end of July and the cycle of life continues and that is a great blessing! v

Alfred Kennon of Butler, Georgia, has tended to purple martins on his land for many years and always looks forward to them returning each spring.

Georgia Forestry Today

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NEWS New Report Shows Impact of Ice Storm on Georgia Trees Georgia Forestry Commission assessment of damage to trees resulting from February’s ice storm shows more than 70,000 acres impacted, valued in excess of $65 million. Most of the permanently affected trees are pine species. Hardwood damage consisted mainly of limb and top breakage, with long-term survival likely. e report details specific damage in hardest hit areas and provides recommendations for assessment, salvage and safety.

“A team of GFC foresters surveyed the zone that appeared to have endured the greatest impacts to our forests from the ice,” said James Johnson, Forest Management Chief for the Georgia Forestry Commission. “About half of Georgia, over 90 counties, experienced some form of winter precipitation during this storm. rough field observations and geospatial analysis, 20 east-central counties were identified as hardest hit, with many now requiring salvage operations and management decisions that will determine tree survival,” Johnson said.

According to the assessment, tremendous variation in damage amounts was observed, with three categories of inten-

sity recorded: light to moderate,with tree recovery expected; moderate to severe, with more than 25 percent broken limbs and stems that may necessitate salvage operations or be at risk of loss; and severe, with more than 30 percent broken stems and tops and bending of more than 45 degrees, dictating consideration of full salvage operations.

Monetary damage estimates focus on the area of greatest impact and are based on timber harvest expectations at 30+ years. e majority of the damage was noted on acres that were recently ‘thinned’ for the first time, a process that allows for optimal growth on forestland.

“Rural timber landowners and urban homeowners alike are dealing with the aer-effects of this storm,” said Johnson.

“It’s crucial to keep safety top of mind when dealing with any damaged tree, especially in urban environments where they can impact property and people.

Pruning and tree removal can be dangerous, so it’simportant to contact a professional to assess the situation before attempting a ‘do-it-yourself ’ fix.” Johnson added that ice-damaged tree hazards in-

clude broken, hanging limbs that may fall unexpectedly.

Governor Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency as the storm approached on February 10, and a presidential declaration of emergency was issued as the storm hit Georgia. Ice in amounts ranging from one-tenth of an inch to an inch triggered extensive power outages across the state from February 11-13.

During and following the event, 40-percent (215 of 530) of the Georgia Forestry Commission’s workforce provided emergency response assistance to teams throughout the state, serving on chainsaw crews, helping motorists, delivering emergency supplies, conducting law enforcement patrols, and supporting other needed missions. e Georgia Forestry Commission’s ‘Timber Impact Assessment’ of the February 2014 Georgia ice storm, as well as lists of consulting foresters and certified arborists can be viewed at GaTrees.org. v From: Wendy Burnett, Georgia Forestry Commission

GFA is now accepting applications for annual awards e Georgia Forestry Association (GFA) is now accepting applications for the 2014 Logger of the Year and the 2014 Wise Owl Award. Applications for both awards are due by April 1st.

Every year, GFA honors certain indi26

viduals in the forestry community who make substantial contributions to better forestry in Georgia and the South. Both awards will be presented at the 2014 Annual Conference & Forestry Expo in Hilton Head, South Carolina, taking place

July 19-21. e deadline to submit applications is April 1st. To download nomination forms, go to gfagrow.org. For more information, contact GFA at info@gfagrow. org or (478) 992-8110. v March | April 2014

Jewell Johnson appointed to State Personnel Board On Jan. 17, Governor Deal appointed Jewell Johnson, senior counsel and chief employment counsel for Graphic Packaging International Inc. (GPI), to the State Personnel Board.

GPI is a GFA member company and one of the world’s largest producers of folding cartons and coated, recycled

boxboard and specialty bag packaging.

Johnson is responsible for handling domestic and international labor, employment, and benefits matters impacting the company’s 13,000 employees world-wide.

In addition, Jewell serves as primary counsel for the company’s mills division. e State Personnel Board is respon-

sible for determining the appropriate statewide human resource management goals, ensuring that policies and rules are in place to complete such goals, and reviewing adverse personnel actions as the Board deems appropriate. Members of the State Personnel Board are appointed by the Governor for five-year terms. v

Bipartisan leadership carries pro-forestry provisions across the Farm Bill finish line e Farm Bill awaiting President Obama’s signature this aernoon is good news for the forestry community across America.

Among other things, the bill improves bio-based and green building markets for wood, increases forest owner access to conservation programs, and provides badly needed authorities to combat invasive pests and pathogens on federal lands. e bill also preserves the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) nearly four-decade-old approach to treating forest roads and other forest management activities as nonpoint sources under the Clean Water Act. As remarkable as the outcome of the Farm Bill for forestry is the bipartisan leadership that carried it across the finish line. Members of both parties stepped forward together to do the right thing.

Take the forest roads provision, for example. In this case, Republicans and Democrats stood together to defend the EPA policy under litigation attack—an unusual response to the outside observer in a sharply divided Congress.

To end the legal uncertainty, Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) and Kurt Schrader (D-OR) and Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Mike Crapo (RID) agreed up front on the right policy outcome and introduced companion legislation in their respective chambers.

More than one hundred of their colGeorgia Forestry Today

leagues from both chambers representing 31 states followed their lead in support. rough a strong bipartisan coalition and with the help of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, House Appropriations Committee, and House Leadership, the House Agriculture Committee welcomed consideration of the forest roads bill as an amendment to the Farm Bill on the House floor. In a strong affirmation of bipartisan support, the full House approved the provision by a voice vote—an unusual occurrence to those familiar with House process. e House-Senate conference presented a more difficult path for the forest roads provision as both chambers approached the narrow end of the legislative funnel where sentences, phrases, and punctuation receive increased scrutiny. is time, a strong bipartisan coalition in the Senate stood behind the WydenCrapo legislation to include a modified— but still very strong—provision in the final Farm Bill. is was a rare outcome.

Since passage of the Farm Bill, many have asked how the forest roads provision survived the process. e answer is simple—bipartisan leadership. at is what produced up-front agreement on the right policy outcome, and that is what carried the provision through the legislative process. In fact, that is what secured all of the forestry provisions in the Farm Bill.

Regardless of what lies ahead in this highly political year, we in the forestry community can be grateful that, when it really mattered, forestry champions in the House and Senate rose to the occasion and showed true bipartisan leadership on behalf of our forests throughout the U.S. In the weeks and months ahead, our response to all who stepped forward should resonate loud and clear—thank you, thank you, thank you.v From: Dave Tenny, President and CEO, National Alliance of Forest Owners

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UGA STUDY: SOUTHERN WOOD PELLETS BOOSTING EUROPEAN EFFORTS TO CUT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

By Sandi Martin | Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources

European power plants that burn wood pellets imported from the southern United States to generate electricity are emitting less than half the greenhouse gases than when they use traditional fossil fuels, a new University of Georgia study has found.

European power utilities are using imported wood pellets to generate electricity and reduce greenhouse gases in order to meet a legal mandate that by 2020 at least 20 percent of all energy consumed in the European Union comes from renewable sources. A new study by a researcher with UGA’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources has found that the wood pellets are living up to their promise of releasing fewer greenhouse gases—producing less than half the greenhouse gas emissions than when power plants use fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas. This is good news for the southern United States, which is a leading exporter of wood pellets to Europe, said Puneet Dwivedi, an assistant professor of sustainability sciences in the Warnell School.

Environmental Research Letters recently published these findings. Dwivedi

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studied the greenhouse gas emissions in the United Kingdom, which has a target of increasing to 15 percent the amount of energy consumed from renewable sources by 2020. These renewable sources include energy products derived from woody feedstock such as wood pellets, which are typically made from waste material left over after a tree is harvested or processed for wood manufacturers.

Manufacturers in the southern United States make these pellets by using a process that dries and compresses this leftover material, forming them into small vitamin-shaped capsules.

As the United Kingdom and other European countries implement the mandates, exports of wood pellets from the southern United States are predicted to increase from 1.5 to 5.2 million metric tons between 2012 and 2015. Dwivedi focused on greenhouse gases emitted at a power plant in Selby, home of the largest coal-fired power plant in the United Kingdom. This power plant recently announced plans to generate about 1,000 megawatts of electricity using imported wood pellets from the southern United States.

Dwivedi found that the intensity of greenhouse gases emitted for every unit of electricity generated from imported wood pellets is at least 50 percent lower than when using traditional fossil fuels. Even more, Dwivedi said, his study found that as the power plant’s capacity rose, so did the greenhouse gas savings, which means the higher capacity plants would greatly benefit from using wood pellets. Although many European countries use wood pellets to generate power, it is not used in the U.S. because of the cost.

However, the European demand for wood pellets will give a boost to the forest industry in the southern United States, he said. “Emerging export markets of wood pellets provide an economic opportunity for forestland owners in the southern United States who have faced significant challenges due to the housing market collapse and the decline of the paper industry,” Dwivedi said.

This study can be found at h t t p : / / i o p s c i e n c e . i o p. o r g / 1 7 4 8 9326/9/2/024007/article. v

March | April 2014

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Georgia Forestry Today

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GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY DIRECTORY OF PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Georgia Forestry Today

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