GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY Volume 10, Issue 6 November | December 2014
MANAGING FORESTS AND OPENINGS FOR WILD TURKEYS: HABITAT HOMEWORK FOR MORE TURKEYS
2
November | December 2014
Georgia Forestry Today
3
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
For Georgia hunters, the eastern wild turkey is second in popularity only to white-tailed deer as a big game species, and the good news is that habitat management for both of these species goes hand in hand. To read more about management planning for these species, turn to page 8.
4
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
November | December 2014
Volume 10, Issue 6
November | December 2014
Georgia
FORESTRY TODAY P.08
Managing Forests and Openings for Wild Turkeys
P.13
Message from the Georgia Forestry Commission Director
P.14
GFC News
P.15
Seeing the Forest for the Trees How the FIA Program Documents the Future, Today
P.19
GFA Recognizes Wise Owl(s) for Forest Advocacy and Education
P.21
Share Your Opinion: Transportation Funding in Georgia
P.22
The Outdoorsman Georgia Forest Dangers - Part I
P.25
More wolf spiders feasting on American toads due to invasive grass
P.26
UGA to Study Endangered Atlantic Sturgeon in Three Georgia Rivers
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.’
Forestry Calendar November 24 GPS for Beginners | Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources | Building 1, Room 201 Athens, GA | CLP: 6 credit hours Contact: Ingvar Elle 706-583-0566
December 4, 2014 Berrien County Forestry Seminar Berrien County Young Farmers | Nashville, GA Contact: Blair Joiner 229-686-3766
December 10 Deer Ecology and Management | Flinchum's Phoenix | 650 Phoenix Road | Athens, GA Contact: Ingvar Elle 706-583-0566 CFE and CLE credit hours availble
December 25, 2014
Merry Christmas! Georgia Forestry Today
5
6
November | December 2014
List of advertisers Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.................................3
HEI...............................................................................................30
American Forest Management ...............................................30
International Forest Company ...............................................20
Beach Timber Company Inc...................................................30
LandMark Spatial Solutions......................................................4
Blanton’s ......................................................................................18
Lanigan & Associates ...............................................................24
Bodenhamer Farms & Nursery...............................................19
Meeks’ Farms & Nursery ...........................Inside Front Cover
Canal Wood LLC......................................................................30
Morbark ......................................................................................30
Cantrell Forest Products Inc. ..................................................30
Outdoor Underwriters.............................................................19
Davis - Garvin ............................................................................24
Plum Creek ...................................................................................5
F4 Tech ..........................................................................................7
Rivers Edge Forest Products....................................................30
Farm Credit Associations...........................................................6
SuperTree Seedlings.....................................................................6
Flint Equipment Company.....................................................29
UPC | Georgia 811 ..................................................Back Cover
Forest Resource Services Inc. ..................................................30
Weyerhaeuser .............................................................................11
F&W Forestry Service..............................................................10
Yancey Brothers ............................................Inside Back Cover
Georgia Forestry Today
7
Managing Forests and Openings for Wild Turkeys: Part I: Habitat Homework for More Turkeys For Georgia hunters, the eastern wild turkey is second in popularity only to white-tailed deer as a big game species, and the good news is that habitat management for both of these species goes hand in hand. In this, the first of a two-part series on managing forests and openings for turkeys, we will examine wild turkey ecology, habitat inventory, and management planning. For the January-February issue, we’ll cover an overview of implementing management practices to achieve population and harvest objectives.
8
November | December 2014
Georgia Forestry Today
9
used to put more birds on the ground, or in the bag. Home Range and Habitat Needs
Timber thinning coupled with frequent prescribed burning is the most important and cost effective management to enhance pine stands for wild turkeys, deer, bobwhite quail, and numerous other game and nongame species.
Now, it’s no secret that wild turkey numbers in Georgia have increased dramatically in recent decades. In 1973, Georgia’s statewide turkey population was estimated at a mere 17,000 birds, with only 41 counties open to turkey hunting. That same year, 7,800 turkey hunters were estimated to have harvested only 675 birds. Contrast that with last spring when all 159 counties were open to hunting and, according to senior wildlife biologist Kevin Lowrey, Wild Turkey Committee chair for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, an estimated 53,000 resident hunters harvested 33,000 gobblers. The DNR Wildlife Resources Division along with the support of hunters, private landowners, the National Wild Turkey Federation, and other conser10
vationists forged this wildlife success story. But for most landowners and all turkey hunters—including yours truly —there can never be too many or even enough wild turkeys! Across the state there are many properties where habitat management can be judiciously applied, and is even needed, to increase or maintain turkey abundance. The keys to successful management are 1) consider the critter’s habitat needs; 2) set management objectives that are biologically sound and economically achievable; 3) inventory current conditions and develop a management plan; 4) implement management practices to achieve the desired outcome; and, 5) monitor results and fine-tune management. Let’s look at these keys and see how they can be
To support a turkey population, the habitat (food, cover, and space) must meet the requirements for all sex and age classes during all seasons of the year, and all components must be provided within the turkey's home range. Wild turkeys are large-ranging species. Annual home ranges cover a couple of hundred to more than 1,000 acres, and movements vary from several to many miles. It is important to note that, in general, home ranges are smaller in higher-quality habitats. For well-managed lands, that means more birds spending more time on the property, equating to the potential for more gobblers in the bag. Georgia is a diverse state, with the vegetative composition or habitat cover types changing widely from the mountains to the coast. However, certain structural characteristics are common to quality turkey habitat across all cover types. Ideally, wild turkeys need a mix of forest types and age classes combined with weedy or grassy openings and a continuity of openness to permit movement to and through
November | December 2014
cover types. Some of Georgia's highest turkey densities occur across landscapes laced with major creek and river drainages, and where the uplands are comprised of managed forests with well interspersed openings such as pastures, hay fields, crop fields, and food plots. Mature forests provide turkeys with hard mast such as acorns, dogwood, and blackgum fruits, beechnuts, and pine seeds during fall and winter. These forests offer roosting sites throughout the year and, with proper management, can provide nesting cover and brood range. Ideally, the forests should be relatively open underneath—i.e., have patchy ground vegetation (understory)—because turkeys prefer to walk, using their keen eyesight to detect predators. Turkeys generally avoid the interior of large blocks of thick brushy cover. Generally speaking, if a human can’t easily walk through woodlands, those sites are becoming too thick for turkeys. Turkeys nest on the ground in a wide variety of habitats. They prefer nest sites concealed by lateral woody cover, but where the vegetation is patchy enough to permit access to the nest site and to escape predators. Brushy habitats in abandoned fields, utility rights-of-way, and along the edges of openings and roads are favored nesting areas, though hens will also nest in crop fields, pastures, hay
Georgia Forestry Today
fields, and open woodlands. Typically, they nest in close proximity to openings and other weedy or grassy habitats, where they take newly hatched poults to forage for insects. Openings and forest stands with low-growing grasses, herbaceous vegetation 12 to 28 inches in height, woody vines, and scattered shrubs are critical components of quality turkey habitat. They provide insects, seeds, soft mast such as blackberries, and green vegetation, all of which are particularly important during the spring and summer. Green vegetation is a nutritious food source for nesting hens, and soft mast, insects, and grass seeds are major food items during summer, especially for poults. Setting Management Objectives
Setting specific objectives is a vital step to successful management. Is the primary objective to increase the population or just to concentrate birds for hunting or observation? The latter often can be much more easily achieved than the former. To increase a population, management must address the factor that most limits the population. For example, providing additional fall food will not increase the turkey population if brood habitat is the factor most limiting population growth. Limiting factors can be difficult to recognize, but making that assessment is
best done by looking at the landscapelevel interspersion and arrangement of habitat types and forest age classes relative to the habitat needs of wild turkeys. Wildlife biologists with the Wildlife Resources Division, the National Wild Turkey Federation, and other conservation organizations, along with private wildlife consultants, are available to assist landowners in this endeavor. Also, population density and harvest objectives must be reasonable. We'd all like to see a wild turkey behind (or better, in front of) every tree, but this is not biologically feasible. Generally speaking, population densities of 15-30 birds per square mile and a sustained harvest of one or more adult gobblers per square mile should be considered good. Another consideration is property size. As mentioned, wild turkeys have large home ranges. This doesn't mean management can't be effective on small properties, but it does mean that when setting management objectives it is important to consider habitat conditions across a large landscape, including adjacent properties. In this regard, particularly on smaller properties, convincing your neighbors to work with you to form a ‘turkey management cooperative’ with common objectives can greatly increase the chances or magnitude of success. It is also worth noting that
11
Drawn by the greenery and insects, wild turkeys use openings such as fallow fields, food plots, pastures, and crop fields particularly in spring and summer.
wild turkeys have proven far more adaptable to human settlement and disturbance than first believed possible. They can live in and around subdivisions and sub-urban areas as long as there are corridors of woods to provide access to the habitat types needed to survive—and as long as there is not too much disturbance and mortality from humans and domestic pets. Wild turkey management can be feasible even in moderately sub-urban landscapes. Finally, management objectives should be realistically achievable considering economic, equipment, time, and other constraints. Start out with the basics and intensify and fine-tune the management as resources permit. Inventorying Habitats, Developing a Plan
There is an old saying that to get to where you are going, you’ve got to
know where you are. This is the case with habitat management. A thorough inventory should include the acreage and locations of timber types, openings, ponds and streams. The plan should include the approximate age and stocking density of the timber stands, along with a valuation of understory and midstory characteristics. Openings that are going to be planted should be tested for soil pH (testing available through the County Extension Service) and evaluated relative to the type of vegetation present, particularly invasive exotics such as fescue and Bermuda grass. With this information, a detailed cover type map and corresponding management plan and timeline can be developed to guide management efforts. Where multiple management practices will be implemented throughout the course of a year, it is
helpful to develop a table with practices and necessary preparations listed by month. Managing for turkeys requires work. But the returns can be significant.
The DNR, National Wild Turkey Federation, and other organizations have professional wildlife biologists available to help you develop a management plan. Landowners may also qualify for federal and other habitat cost-share programs. For more information, contact your nearest DNR Wildlife Resources Division Game Management Section Office, or check out www.gohuntgeorgia.com or www.nwtf.org. Next issue, we’ll explore putting your management plan into practice. e
Reggie Thackston, manager of the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division’s Private Lands Program, has worked 34 years as a wildlife biologist integrating bobwhite, wild turkey, and deer management into forestry and agriculture. All photos courtesy of Reggie Thackston. 12
November | December 2014
Georgia Forestry Commission
Robert Farris
Message from the Director
Dear GFT Reader,
O
ne of the perks of being in the forestry business is that we get a fair share of ‘windshield time.’ Our jobs tend to take us places that often require a bit of travel, presenting stretches of highway on which we can listen to some music or news, catch up on phone calls or even relax and let our minds wander. Assuming we’re not on I-285 running with the big rigs, it can be a good time for problem solving, creativity, and often, gratitude. This holiday season finds me especially thankful for the opportunities I’ve been given through Georgia’s forestry industry and a deep appreciation for how our business truly touches the life of everyone I meet. Look around you. One of the seasonal stars is bound to be close by the Christmas tree. What would the holiday season be without it? Tree farms in Georgia contribute to that tradition, and many a cutyour-own tree (and of course, the ones brought in from the big box lot) has brought joy to families across our great state. That connection is gratifying to me and prompted me to do a little surfing about the Georgia Forestry Today
meaning of the Christmas tree. I came across an especially poignant explanation at www.mysticlightpress.com in which William V. Roucher recounts Martin Luther, inspired by the starry heavens, bringing a fir tree into his home and attaching lighted candles to its branches: Fir meant fire, and fire is an ancient symbol for spirit. The tree also pointed toward the heavens. Evergreens were thought to represent the ever-burning fire of life. The color green signified the life force through the year. Eventually decorative balls represented the planets, while the star that radiates from the top reminds us of Bethlehem. The entire tree and decorations teach us that the universe is witness to the Incarnation. Red at Christmas reminds us of the fire of the Spirit. Green affirms nature, and the ongoing life. And in the Incarnation, Spirit unites with nature. In fact, the Christmas tree symbolizes to us a further appreciation of Jesus' birth. It is a means of retelling a miracle in a colorful and beautiful way so that we can further understand and appreciate Jesus entering our world. So much of that explanation connects to our industry. Consider the ecological serv-
ices our forestland provides, quantified in real dollars a few years back by UGA researchers. Not one person in Georgia is untouched by those services. How do we measure the impact of a camping trip with our families, the joys of the hunt, the restorative power of a big breath of fresh fall air? Our business endeavors have a hand in every one of those pleasures, and calculating the forestry resource that provides them is a service the GFC is proud to participate in. Read about our Forest Inventory Analysis team and the information it affords for worldwide commerce in this issue of Georgia Forestry Today. It truly is a special time of year. My wish for you and your family is that, be it windshield time, woods time or home hearth time, you take time to enjoy it. From the Georgia Forestry Commission family to yours, Merry Christmas and all the best for a happy, healthy New Year!
Sincerely, Robert Farris GFC Commissioner e 13
GFC News Georgia Forestry Commission Director Robert Farris and the Georgia Forestry Commission have received the American Forest Foundation’s 2014 Sustained Excellence Award. The award is presented each year by AFF to a state forestry agency partner who has been a strong advocate and supporter of sustainably managed family forests and AFF programs, including The American Tree Farm System and Project Learning Tree. “Family forests in Georgia provide innumerable benefits to Georgia’s environment and economy,” said Tom Martin, AFF’s president and CEO. “Robert Farris’ and the commission’s work ensures that these forests will continue to keep Georgia’s economic and environmental well-being secure.” e Arborists and forestry experts from more than half a dozen southern states gathered in Savannah and Tybee Island recently for special training on mobilizing resources and evaluating tree damage following a storm. The Georgia Forestry Commission's Urban Forest Strike Teams determine which trees should be pruned and retained or removed, and their calculations about debris amounts help document cities’ requests for federal disaster aid. A mock disaster scenario in Savannah’s historic district helped participants hone their skills in the training co-sponsored by the GFC, US Forest Service, Southern Group of State Foresters, City of Savannah, Chatham County, GEMA, and US Army Corps of Engineers. e There’s still time to order GFC seedlings for the 2014-2015 planting season. While some species have been sold out, ample supplies remain, including genetically improved pine and high quality hardwood seedlings that can be ordered online at www.gaseedlings.org or by contacting GFC’s Flint River Nursery at 229-268-7308. e Forest Management Chief James Johnson has retired from the Georgia Forestry Commission after 28 years of service to the agency. Johnson joined the GFC as a forester in 1986, was promoted to Forest Health staff forester in 2004, and has been chief of Management since 2010. Johnson is succeeded by Gary White, who joined the GFC in 2001, and most recently served a dual role as associate chief of Forest Management and program manager of the Sustainable Community Forestry Program. e 14
November | December 2014
By stasia Kelly GFC FIA Foresters evaluate a pine tree for characteristics that help represent this Jasper County plot of forestland.
seeing the forest for its trees
How the fia Program
documents the future, today
In an age of information overload, it’s easy to get numbed by statistics and lose appreciation for what graphs and figures on a page really represent. at’s especially true in the forestry industry, where measurement scales run the gamut from hundreds of thousands of acres, tons, and cubic feet to multi-millions of dollars in operating costs and impacts on people and the economy. A flight across south Georgia can bring the grandeur of the resource into some perspective, as can an up-close look at a mammoth container ship loaded with raw product at the Port of Savannah. Still, nothing refocuses one's appreciation for sustainable forests more than a trip into the woods with a skilled forester. “It all begins with the resource and the documentation of it,” said Risher Willard, Chief Forester of Utilization for the Georgia Forestry Commission. “e collection of information at ground level puts everything into perspective for the whole,” he said. e Georgia Forestry Commission’s Forest Inventory AnalyGeorgia Forestry Today
sis (FIA) team is the force responsible for combing the woods and gathering the data that reflects Georgia’s prominence in the worldwide forestry arena. Tree by tree, plot by plot, GFC FIA foresters document the forest types, health, densities, diameters, slopes, and sites that define the land, which by all counts is rich. Not only does Georgia currently boast $29 billion in forestry impacts that support more than 135,000 jobs across the state, but the 13 southern US states now comprise about 38 percent of the forests in the US. at land base produces 25 percent of the world's pulp and 18 percent of the world’s industrial timber, and if compared with the output of all other countries, would rank number one by a wide margin. Ten specially trained foresters make up GFC’s FIA division, which partners with the US Forest Service (USFS) on the program that began in 1930. e USFS-certified team gathers land and forest resource data from a series of permanent sample plots to assess forest resource status and trends across Georgia. ere is approximately one plot per 6,000 acres of land, all of which 15
GFC FIA Forester Nathan Wheat uses a special data recorder to input a myriad of tree and plot measurements.
have been selected randomly, without regard to ownership, location, or current or past land use. Approximately 20 percent of the sample plots are measured annually, and all sample plots are currently measured within a five year period. e gathered data is supplied to the USFS in Knoxville, Tennessee for analysis and then crunched, packaged, and presented to the world to represent Georgia’s forest conditions. Together with FIA statistics from across the country, the numbers reflect the status of the US forestry resource and help analysts identify important trends for the future. ey can also sway commerce and impact marketing decisions that strengthen Georgia's forestry industry. Small Steps Impact Huge Decisions
“ere’s a very big picture involved,” said 16
Nathan Wheat, Georgia Forestry Commission Forest Inventory Analysis Forester. “Our work has helped open my eyes to the importance of the data and how much it’s used.” Morgan Cook, the FIA forester who partners with Wheat on central Georgia plots, said the job demands much more precision than he expected when he joined GFC two and a half years ago. “Everything is so exact,” Cook said. “Diameters, heights, and all the different species. Lots of times we’re looking at seedlings or at trees during times of leaf drop. You might learn half of this in school, but you learn most of it on the job,” he said. Wheat and Cook possess a deep love of the forest, founded on their families’ farms and during their higher education
years at ABAC and UGA, respectively. ey understand that real people, real livelihoods, depend on the wise management of forest resources. On a rainy September morning, Wheat and Cook drive down a remote Jasper County trail to begin documenting the makeup of an FIA land plot. ey've prepared for the day by reviewing maps and data filed five years previously, receiving landowner permission to be on the property, and packing an assortment of modern tools that enable them to work efficiently. “We have to be very precise. Our subplots have a 24-foot radius and the data from the plot represents 6,000 acres. Just a couple of mistakes per plot could affect all the numbers,” Cook said. e foresters document the plot's ‘condition,’ or timber types present, such as loblolly pine or upland hardwood, and a string of measurements that characterize the site. Wheat carries the futuristic-looking Allegro data recorder, which resembles a beefy TV remote, for inputting every value. His hypsometer sends a base signal to a corresponding ‘shooter,’ carried by Cook. Together they compute the distance between trees and their respective diameters and heights. e duo works competently, calling out numbers and moving through thigh-deep brush to record canopy cover, slopes, regeneration status, stand age, and any disturbances such as fire or insect damage. An increment borer is used to drill into the dominant tree and, on this plot, verify an age of 17 years and a DBH (diameter at breast height) of eight inches. While modern tools have made the FIA forester’s job a bit easier, the crews have come across enough excitement in the woods that keep them ever vigilant. Agitated dogs are oen part of the landscape, and the occasional marijuana field or suspected drug house may be around the next bend. Sometimes, hip-waders and horses are used on the job, along with the time-honored cruising stick and a can or two of DEET. “We’ve had to go on horseback into the Cohutta Wilderness and out on boats November | December 2014
in the Okefenokee,” said Wheat. “We have to beat back briars and we’ve seen plenty of yellow jackets, snakes, and even a black bear. It’s something different every day,” he said. Georgia Team Leads the Pack
On a ‘good day,’ the duo can complete two plots, which is on the higher end of the one-and-a-half to two plots-per-day average for the entire FIA group. Speed and efficiency wouldn’t result, however, without experience, and this team has it; an impressive 105 years of collective FIA boots on the ground! “ey’re the best in the South,” said Richard Harper, Forester, Forest Resource Analyst, USFS Southern Research Station. “Our Quality Assurance and Quality Control crews periodically go behind them and see how closely their numbers match. Georgia has the highest level of accuracy in the nation,” he said. Harper’s analysis of the data is integral to the way it is used and understood by various audiences. Industry and private landowners alike have access to the multifaceted information at www.fia.fs.fed.us/ tools-data. e site’s ‘Evalidator’ feature allows data query options that provide answers to the most complex timber assessments. “I talk to people all over the world,” said Harper. “Industry people are very aware of this tool, along with the mills’ TPOs (Timber Product Outputs) that give details on wood volume delivered to the mills, products, and species.” Harper said the plethora of data tracked by FIA, including timber growth and removals, and timber and forest biomass volumes, are used as strategic planning tools that additionally provide insight into the dynamics of the forest. “We could be the first to respond to a potential issue that needs attention— ‘Early Detection/Rapid Response,’”said Harper. He cited FIA data currently being used by the US Fish & Wildlife Service to understand habitat characteristics impacting the gopher tortoise turtle. He said the forestry community is also interested in a Georgia Forestry Today
FIA calculations represent Georgia’s abundant forest resources and help market them to the world.
documented trend showing an imbalance in small diameter timber. Georgia Forestry Commission Forest Inventory Analyst Coordinator, David Dickinson, said the volume decline in the six-inch diameter class wasn’t evident in 2009 but became apparent by 2011. “e government programs that helped landowners plant trees back in the ’80s don’t exist now,” Dickinson said. “Many landowners are making decisions based on today’s timber prices and aren’t replanting. We’re encouraging landowners to plant for the future. If demand is constant and supply is down, they’ll be the ones getting premium prices,” he said. e GFC’s Dickinson and Willard oen work together to personally present FIA information to potential industry seeking detailed facts about Georgia's timber supply. In 2008, they held an initial meeting with site selection managers for Georgia Biomass. Today, Georgia Biomass’ Waycross facility is the world’s largest producer of wood pellets for fuel to power Europe’s energy generating plants. Keeping the Cycle Intact
Most timber industry players value the FIA system and its output, yet dollars to fund the program have diminished in recent years. is determines the number of FIA foresters GFC can employ and the number of plots that can be measured annually. In recent years, the federal portion of the equation has been for a seven year cycle, and Georgia has infused enough state dollars to bring this down to a five year cycle. With current funding, the pro-
gram will be targeted for a ten year cycle, which won’t be adequate to keep the research system on its five year rotations. Many experts believe five years may not be adequate in the Southeast, where marketable timber can be produced in as few as 15 years. “It’s really critical that we keep current with forest trends and metrics for the many decisions that must be made,” said James Johnson, Forest Management Chief for the Georgia Forestry Commission. “Georgia’s forests are healthy and sustainable today. Staying on this current FIA cycle will help keep our forest industry healthy and viable for many generations to come.” at goal not only supports an industry, it insures Georgians an ongoing supply of clean air, clean water, and ample recreation havens—along with the unmatched splendor of enjoying our beautiForest Inventory Analysis foresters from the Georgia Forestry Commission work all across the state. Currently, ten foresters and one coordinator make up the team: David Dickinson, FIA Coordinator Zachary Ledbetter Tim Karcher Dan Chappell Chris Dowdy Mark Freeman Chadd Northcutt Nathan Wheat Morgan Cook Keith Moss Chad Sutton
17
18
November | December 2014
Gfa recognizes Wise owl(s) for forest advocacy and education By Matt Hestad | Georgia Forestry Association At the 2014 Georgia Forestry Association Annual Conference in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, the Association recognized a group of individuals who have made a significant impact on the forestry community and success of the Association and the Foundation through their advocacy and educational efforts. This year, for the first time in the history of the Association, two people were presented the Association’s highest honor, the Wise Owl Award. Landowners and forestry professionals Earl and Wanda Barrs of Cochran, Georgia, were presented the award and recognized for their extraordinary contributions to the forestry community through their advocacy and educational efforts. In presenting the award, State Representative Chuck Williams and David Foil of Forest Resource Consultants said this of the Barrs, “There is not a more dynamic duo in Georgia’s forestry community than Earl and Wanda Barrs. Collectively, their involvement and support of forestry-related organizations and endeavors could fill volumes. And, they are always willing to share their knowledge, their insight, and their beloved Gully Branch Tree Farm with others.”
Georgia Forestry Today
In looking at the couple’s track record, it is apparent that each individual could have been presented the award solely based on their own efforts. Earl, a native of Cochran, has more than 35 years of experience in wildlife and land conservation projects, timber management, and land acquisitions, and he has committed years of leadership in the
forest sector, both public and private. As a Professional Forester, Real Estate Broker, and Certified Appraiser, Earl currently owns and manages several companies focusing on forestry and real estate investments in the Southeast. Wanda currently serves the community and state as a parent, trained educator, small business associate, and volunteer
19
leader. After serving as a middle school educator for eight years and a local school board member for 12 years—six years as chair, she was appointed in 2003 to the Georgia State Board of Education where she served as chair from 2003 to 2013. In this capacity, Wanda worked with local, state, and national leaders to challenge educators, communities, and policy makers to enhance education. Gully Branch Tree Farm has merged the passions of education and forestry for Earl and Wanda. Along with their family, they have collaborated with communities, schools, and the industry to educate the public on how to use trees as a sustainable, renewable, natural resource. Earl and Wanda have hosted more than 7,000 stu-
dents and adults at Gully Branch Tree Farm since 1994 for the purpose of environmental education, wildlife observation, and field events. As a team, Wanda and Earl have received numerous awards and recognitions. In 2006, the couple was recognized with The BASF Outstanding Achievements in Sustainable Forestry Award, a cooperative, national-level award between BASF Corp. and the American Tree Farm System. In 2009, The American Tree Farm Association named the Barrs National Tree Farmers of the Year and in 2010 they received the Governor’s Agriculture Environmental Stewardship Award. The Association also recognized several other individuals at the annual con-
ference including 2014 Georgia Tree Farmer of the Year, Henry Walker, McRae, Georgia; GFA Chairman’s Award recipients, Bill Guthrie of Weyerhaeuser; Becky Watson of MeadWestvaco; and Lee Rhodes of Rhodes Timber Company. Also, Georgia Project Learning Tree recognized PLT Outstanding Facilitator of the Year, Lauren Johnson, Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center; PLT Outstanding Service Award recipient, James Kent, Department of Defense, Ft. Benning; and PLT Outstanding Educator of the Year, Barbara Boler, The Langdale Company. e
Share Your Opinion: Transportation Funding in Georgia The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) seeks feedback from Georgia citizens about how transportation funds should be spent over the next 25 years. Sharing your view is critical to ensuring the building and maintenance of rural infrastructure. The confidential survey, which requires just five to ten minutes, should be completed by November 21. The survey, which can be accessed at www.gdot2040.com, will be used to update the Statewide Strategic Transportation Plan (SSTP)/Statewide Transportation Plan (SWTP). It asks users to identify which aspects of the transportation system are most important. GDOT will use the input to inform future transportation decisions. (For questions or comments about the SSTP/SWTP, contact GDOT at sstp@dot.ga.gov.)
Georgia Forestry Today
The survey is being conducted in the context of a Joint House-Senate Study Committee on Critical Transportation Infrastructure Funding,
which has held public meetings at various locations around the state this summer and fall. According to Steve McWilliams, president of the Georgia Forestry Association, these hearings have presented Georgians with an excellent opportunity to express their views about improvements needed to make the movement of people and products more safe and efficient. “GFA, including several of its members, has urged the study committee not to forget rural Georgia when making plans and allocating funding for transportation improvements,” said McWilliams. “The metro Atlanta area certainly has legitimate transportation needs that must be addressed, but good roads and bridges are critical to individual and business taxpayers in the non-metro areas of the state as well.” e
21
The OUTDOORSMAN
Georgia’s Forest Dangers Part I
By John Trussell
Justin Sapp harvested this black bear in Twiggs County on the Middle Georgia Bear Hunt in December, 2013.
22
November | December 2014
odern outdoorsmen often fret about ‘snakes, wild boars, and bears,’ but what are the real dangers in the woods and what can we do to confront them? Although we sometimes worry about getting snake bit, cut by a wild boar, or eaten by a bear, are there real risks of those things happening? You probably have a better chance of winning the lottery, but let’s take a closer look. Snakes are probably the most dangerous animal that the majority of outdoorsmen might run across, but most snakes are non-venomous and harmless, which eliminates a lot of the risk. Most snake bites occur because someone was poking a stick at a snake, got too close to a snake, or improperly handled a snaked they should not have held in the first place. If you remove those ‘dumb and dumber’ aspects, snakes are a minimal danger in the woods. Hunters can take reasonable precautions by keeping an eye on the ground in front of them. A snake can only strike a distance equal to its length, and usually less, so don’t worry about a snake biting you from ten feet away. Also, watch for movement on the ground as you walk because most snakes don’t want to get stepped on, so they’ll try to slither out of the way. However, if by bad luck you catch a snake napping and happen to get bit, what you should do next depends on the snake. Non-venomous snakes have very small, raspy teeth, which the snake uses to hold and swallow prey, and they offer little or no danger to humans. It
M
Georgia Forestry Today
might sting, but you are in no real danger. Snake proof boots or chaps will stop the fangs of a venomous snake, but they can be hot to wear and are often stiff. Snake proof gaiters are another option that is growing in popularity. If by bad luck you get snake bit, rush to the nearest hospital and be prepared to identify the snake that bit you. Sometimes, outdoor writers think they are writing a script for a Hollywood movie, and the real danger from wild animals might be exaggerated a bit. Wild pigs are a good example, but there are some minimal risks anytime you deal with wild animals. Usually, wild pigs are docile animals that stay away from the scent of humans, so hunters have nothing to worry about during a routine firearms hunt. If a wild pig sees or smells you, he'll leave you alone. However, injured, frightened wild pigs, or sows protecting piglets, do pose some risk to hunters. If you shoot a wild pig, especially a large wild boar, use caution when you approach and make sure it’s dead. If not, perform the coup de grâce as quickly as possible from a safe distance. But despite your best plans, strange things do happen. A few years ago, I was on a black powder hunt at Oaky Woods Wildlife Management Area, and after sitting still all morning I had seen nothing. At 11:30 a.m., just before I was getting ready to go to the truck for lunch, three wild pigs crossed the ridge I was watching at a range of 75 yards. They were moving at a fast walk when I put my sights on the largest one and pulled the trigger. After the smoke cleared, I could see the 150-pound wild hog on the ground, seemingly as dead as a hammer. I approached the animal and saw no visual wound, which of course is most unusual. As I got closer, I could see that the 350grain maxiball had pierced both of the hog's ears through the cartilage and lightly grazed the back of its head, knocking it out cold! Within a few seconds, the pig was rousing and there I was standing over the pig with an unloaded gun. I tried to quickly load the muzzle-loader, but my motions seemed as slow as molasses in the wintertime. In less than five seconds, the pig was back on his feet and had begun to run away from me. Seeing my visions of pork sausage slipping away, I instinctively took off after the pig, not sure what I would do if I caught it. The solid-black young boar had a strong sense of survival because he headed to the thick swamp. I ran as quickly as I could behind the pig, and I must admit I'm glad that no one saw the sight! After about 50 yards, the pig stumbled over a log, which gave me an opportunity to close the distance, and when he got back to his feet 23
and took off, I was right behind him. For the next 50 yards, I made numerous quick grabs at the pig’s rear legs but was only grabbing air as we scrambled through the woods. Then I got lucky and connected with a firm grip on the pig's ankle. The pig was squealing loudly and quickly lunged around trying to bite me. Remembering techniques from my boyhood days back on the farm where we raised domestic pigs, I quickly flipped the pig over on his side and put my boot on the neck to hold him down. I struggled to get out my Gerber Gator knife and plunged it into the pig's neck near the jugular vein. Within 30 seconds, the pig had expired, and I had collected my pork in a most unusual way. It was the first wild pig I had taken with a knife. Occasionally, wild hogs will run a hunter up a tree, but almost always the hog is being chased by the hunter's dogs, is wounded, or it is an old sow protecting piglets. Running wild hogs with specially trained dogs is a sure-fire way to make a wild hog aggressive. In this situation, it’s a no holds barred, down and dirty fight for survival for the wild pig, and both the
24
dogs and hunters are at risk. Some dogs are wounded or killed by this type of hunting, and occasionally a hunter might be cut by the hog’s tusks, especially if he attempts to capture and hog-tie the animal alive. This is not a sport for the fainthearted, but then again, this is not the usual stand-hunting method, which poses almost no risk to the hog hunter. The black bear is another game animal that has been portrayed as dangerous, but in truth they are normally very shy, docile creatures. Over the years, I've hunted bears (two hang on my wall) and observed them
many times while deer hunting. I get a thrill each time I see one, but I rarely worry about any danger from a black bear. There has never been a documented black bear attack on a human in Georgia, and such attacks are very rare in the USA. Most such injuries have primarily occurred in national parks, where tourists were illegally feeding the bears, and consequently the bears lost their fear of humans. A few years ago, a North Georgia man was found dead in the South Georgia deer woods, and an autopsy showed that a bear had probably gnawed on him. However, he was al-
November | December 2014
ready dead from a tree stand fall at the time. But bears can be unpredictable. This last October, a young man was attacked and killed by a black bear in an unprovoked attack in New Jersey. Also this fall, a hunter was killed in Wyoming by a black
bear that was surprised while feeding on a deer carcass. Black bears are primarily vegetarians; however, they will kill small, young animals like fawns or piglets, or feed on carrion, like dead deer, when they come across them. In the extremely rare
chance that a black bear might attack you, fight for your life, as it does plan on killing you. Next issue we will discuss alligators, deer, general hunting dangers, and hunting safety tips. e
More wolf spiders feasting on American toads due to invasive grass By Sandi Martin | Public Relations Coordinator | Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources An invasive grass species frequently found in forests has created a thriving habitat for wolf spiders, who then feed on American toads, a new Warnell School study has found. Japanese stiltgrass, which was accidentally introduced to the U.S. in the early 1900s, is one of the most pervasive invasive species and has spread to more than a dozen states in the past century, particularly in the Southeast. Typically found along roads and in forests, it can survive in widely diverse ecosystems and has been found to impact native plant species, invertebrate populations, and soil nutrients. In a new study recently published in the journal Ecology, UGA researchers found that Japanese stiltgrass also is affecting arachnid predators: Lycosid spiders, commonly known as wolf spiders, thrive in the grass. As their numbers grow, more spiders then feed on young American toads, ultimately reducing the amphibian’s survival wherever this grass grows. John Maerz, an associate professor in UGA’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources and one of the paper’s authors, said they found the grass had the greatest negative impact on toad survival in Georgia Forestry Today
25
forests where toad survival was naturally high. “In other words, the grass is degrading the best forests for young toad survival,” Maerz said. “Another important finding was that the invasive grass affects toads by changing interactions among native species rather than the grass having a direct effect on the native toads.” Jayna DeVore, who led the project while earning her doctorate in the Warnell School, said people often don’t fully realize how much structural changes in an environment can affect how animals interact. “Ecosystems are so incredibly complex that it can be surprisingly difficult to foresee just how environmental changes, such as an invasion, will affect organisms living in affected areas,” said DeVore, who is now a postdoctoral fellow with the University of Sydney in Australia. “I think that one of the unique things about this study is that it not only documents the fact that this plant invasion reduces the survival of a native species, but also determines the mechanism through which that occurs.” Maerz has been interested in the effects of Japanese stiltgrass on forest ecosystems for years. When DeVore and Maerz originally found
lower survival of American toads at eight locations in Georgia where stiltgrass is actively invading, they initially speculated that the grass was reducing the toads’ food supply by reducing insect populations—few native insects eat the Asian grass. However, after noticing the wolf spiders routinely preying upon toads in invaded habitats, it began to click, Maerz said. Spiders are incredible predators, he explained, and they eat everything—even other spiders. That typically keeps spider populations in check, Maerz said, but Japanese stiltgrass is “kind of like a tall shag carpet,” and it provides the cannibalistic spiders refuge from one another. The accumulation of large, predatory spiders in these invaded habitats then results in higher mortality for small toads that have recently emerged from wetlands. To test their hypothesis, DeVore and Maerz created cages where they could control the presence of stiltgrass and spiders. They found that spider densities were 33 percent higher and toad survival decreased by 65 percent in cages with the presence of stiltgrass. The presence of stiltgrass alone, in the absence of spiders, did not affect toad survival. “Spiders are actually tremen-
dously important and incredibly abundant predators on the forest floor, and they will eat many of the small species that live there, so this effect is unlikely to only influence toads,” DeVore said. “And there are also other ways in which invasion by this Asian plant may influence species on the forest floor. We documented changes in invertebrate densities and soil characteristics that may affect other species that depend on these invertebrates for prey or are sensitive to changes in soil properties such as moisture and pH.” DeVore and Maerz are trying to determine whether the grass invasion is affecting other amphibian species in similar or predictable ways. It’s “logistically impossible” to test the effects on an environmental change on every species that could be impacted, DeVore said, and even related species often react dramatically differently. The researchers hope to show that by accounting for certain aspects of the behavior and biology of a species, it will allow them to predict how they react. The paper by DeVore and Maerz was featured on the cover of the July issue of Ecology. e
UGA to Study Endangered Atlantic Sturgeon in Three Georgia Rivers By Sandi Martin | Public Relations Coordinator | Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia researcher Doug Peterson will use a nearly $500,000 grant from the National Marine Fisheries Service in partnership with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to determine how 26
well Atlantic sturgeon are reproducing in Georgia rivers two years after the species was listed as endangered. Biologists feared the fish’s populations had been lost from several of the state’s coastal waterways.
Populations of the ancient fish appear to be rebounding in some parts of the country, spurring discussion about whether the Atlantic sturgeon should be down listed from endangered status, said Peterson, a fisheries November | December 2014
professor in UGA’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. However, there is no real evidence that the sturgeon is rebounding everywhere, particularly in the South Atlantic Distinct Population Segment, which includes Georgia. Peterson is launching a three-year project to study the issue.
“Although we’ve seen a significant inGeorgia Forestry Today
crease in juvenile abundance in the Altamaha River, we remain very concerned about populations in the St. Mary’s, Satilla, and Ogeechee rivers,” Peterson said. Peterson has shown in an unrelated project that the Atlantic sturgeon appears to be rebounding in Georgia. For the first time in decades, he documented sturgeon reproduction in the St. Mary’s River.
“We thought they were extinct there,” Peterson said, but earlier this year, while working on a new project for the U.S. Navy, his research team captured more than ten young juveniles he believes were born in the St. Mary’s River. “Because Atlantic sturgeon return to spawn only in the same river where they were born, this was a significant and exciting find,” Peterson said. 27
Atlantic sturgeon, targeted for their valuable caviar, were first protected from commercial fishing in 1996 after studies showed their numbers had declined dramatically, pushing them to the brink of extinction. The National Marine Fisheries Service listed them as an endangered species in 2012, but that decision has been controversial and unpopular, Peterson said, because of the strict rules in place that commercial fisheries must follow if one is accidentally caught in a net and because of the detailed management plans state agencies must enact to deal with situations involving the Atlantic sturgeon bycatch. Initial recommendations from sturgeon biologists was to list the Atlantic sturgeon as ‘threatened,’ which would have provided similar protections with fewer restrictions on local fisheries. Further complicating this controversy was the National Marine Fisheries Service's decision to list some populations of Atlantic sturgeon as endangered while listing others as threatened. The imperiled fish are found along the east coast as far as Canada, but only those populations south of Maine are considered endangered. Peterson's project will focus on the Ogeechee, Satilla, and Altamaha rivers because these three Georgia waterways are considered the ‘barometer of recovery,’ Peterson said. "Together, they comprise the southernmost portion of the Atlantic sturgeon's range. These rivers are essentially the canaries in the mine. If sturgeon are recovering here, then they’re likely recovering in other rivers as well.” The project has three primary objectives, the first of which is to find out how many sturgeon are being born in the Ogeechee and Satilla rivers. Populations in these two rivers 28
have been particularly low, while those in the Altamaha appear to have recovered. Peterson also will compare the quality of juvenile nursery habitats in the Ogeechee and Satilla rivers to those of the Altamaha. “By estimating the number of one-year-old sturgeon in any given river, we can get a really good idea of how the population is doing,” Peterson said. The Altamaha River population has had a tremendous resurgence in recent years, growing from less than a thousand of these young juveniles in 2004 to nearly 7,000 in 2012. By comparing how the year-old sturgeon in the Ogeechee and Satilla rivers are doing with those in the Altamaha, Peterson can determine if there is something about the nursery habitats in those other rivers that could be limiting recovery of their population. Peterson plans to tag some of the year-old sturgeon he catches with acoustic ‘pingers’ that will allow his team to track where they go, when they go there and for how long. “We’re sort of like detectives trying to unravel a mystery about why these ancient fish are recovering in some rivers and not others.” Peterson said. One of the most complex parts of the project involves DNA ‘fingerprinting’ of the sturgeon. Scientists have already developed a DNA library for sturgeon, which they use to monitor the health of each population, but there could be some major flaws in the system. The library allows fishery managers to determine the population of origin for each individual sturgeon accidentally captured in commercial fisheries nets—important because by listing the species as ‘endangered,’ states and commercial fisheries could run afoul of the Endangered Species Act if Atlantic sturgeon are accidentally caught in their nets. Checking the DNA library would
allow scientists to determine which fisheries are harming sturgeon recovery the most, especially as not every sturgeon population is affected by the fisheries business. “Unfortunately, that DNA library may be corrupted because it was mostly constructed using tissue samples from adult sturgeon,” he said. “This could be a problem because adult sturgeon often move around and are frequently found in non-natal rivers. That means that they could be misidentified in the genetic database as being from one population when they are actually from another.” Peterson’s project plans to take samples from juvenile sturgeon before they leave their natal rivers to help correct these potential errors in the genetic database. Ultimately, Peterson said, the results of this project should help improve the quality of the genetic database for the species. “No one wants to shut down our otherwise well managed commercial fisheries,” he said. “The key is to develop the best tools possible that will help managers minimize the effects that these fisheries are having on Atlantic sturgeon recovery.” Peterson is working on the project with Isaac Wirgin, associate professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine at New York University School of Medicine. Wirgin, a well-known sturgeon genetics expert, will analyze the DNA samples Peterson takes from sturgeon that his team captures in Georgia’s rivers. Peterson will receive $466,687 from the National Marine Fisheries Service for the study in partnership with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and will subcontract to Wirgin for $87,744 to conduct the DNA analyses. e November | December 2014
GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY DIRECTORY OF PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Georgia Forestry Today
29
GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY DIRECTORY OF PRODUCTS & SERVICES
FOREST RESOURCE SERVICES INC.
BEACH TIMBER COMPANY INC. 128 Beach Timber Road Alma, Ga 31510 Office: (912) 632-2800
Buyers of Land and Timber in Georgia and the South
Gary Strickland We Buy Wood! Owner Foresters webuywood@accessatc.net www.BeachTimber.com Available
Canal Wood LLC 601 North Belair Square, Suite 21 Evans, Georgia 30809 Phone: (800) 833-8178 E-mail: dollars4trees@canalwood.com
Specializing in Land and Timber Management & Sales
BOBBY D. BROWN Registered Forester GA Number: 2164 Licensed Realtor GA Number: 165520 20364 GA Hwy #3 Thomasville, GA 31792
(229) 221-3016 brown@ftrealty.com
Helping Grow Your Future LAMAR CANTRELL
CANTRELL FOREST PRODUCTS INC.
We buy all types of timber. In Woods Chipping cantrellforest@earthlink.net 1433 Galilee Church Road Jefferson, GA 30549 Office: (706) 367-4813 Mobile: (706) 498-6243 Home: (706) 367-1521
30
www.hippenterprises.com Todd Hipp
(803) 924-0978
todd@hippenterprises.com
Eric Hipp
(803) 924-4131
eric@hippenterprises.com-
Chad Hipp
(803) 924-5940
chad@hippenterprises.com November | December
GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY DIRECTORY OF PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Georgia Forestry Today
31