georgia-forestry-today_november_december-2011

THE GEORGIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE

Georgia ForestryToday Volume 7, Issue 6

November | December 2011

Do You Have a Champion Tree on Your Property?

See story on page 22

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November | December 2011

Georgia Forestry Today

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On the Cover:

GEOrGIA FOrEsTry TOdAy PubLIshEr: TGC Publishing LLC MAnAGInG EdITOr steve McWilliams Georgia Forestry Association steve@gfagrow.org AssIsTAnT EdITOr Marilou Myers director of Membership services marilou@gfagrow.org

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e plant them, and we carefully watch them grow, then we study them from many different angles. At harvest time they provide a vast multitude of products for our homes and businesses and the monies earned from trees puts food on our tables. See story on page 22.

The Georgia Forestry Association Would Like to Thank Its E-Partners ArborGen, LLC.

F&W Forestry Services

Forest Resource Consultants, Inc.

International Forest Company

Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP Interested in becoming an E-Partner?

Contact Georgia Forestry Association for details. (478) 992-8110 4

PrOduCTIOn MAnAGEr Pamela Petersen-Frey p.frey@a4inc.com AdvErTIsInG-sALEs bo Ingram boingram@comcast.net EdITOrIAL bOArd Wendy burnett Judy Greer Jesse Johnson sandi Martin steve Meeks Gail smith brian stone John Trussell GEOrGIA FOrEsTry TOdAy is published bi-monthly by TGC Publishing LLC, 1154 Lower Birmingham Road, Canton, Georgia 30115, for the Georgia Forestry Association, 551 North Frontage Road, Forsyth, Georgia 31029. It is provided free-ofcharge to the members of the Association. Other recipients include owners, and subscribers of the Georgia Forestry Commission, as well as suppliers and manufacturers of forest-related products and services.

Subscriptions to GEOrGIA FOrEsTry TOdAy may be mailed to the Georgia Forestry Association, P.O. Box 1217, Forsyth Georgia 31029. The subscription rate is $26 per year.

Opinions expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of the Georgia Forestry Association or the publisher, TGC Publishing LLC, 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 from the Georgia Forestry Association and the publisher. Correspondence regarding changes of address should be directed to the Georgia Forestry Association at the address indicated above. Advertising material should be sent to TGC Publishing LLC at the e-mail address: pfrey@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 the Georgia Forestry Association using the e-mail address: marilou@gfagrow.org

GEOrGIA FOrEsTry TOdAy 1154 Lower birmingham road, Canton, Georgia 30115 PrInTEd In ThE usA

November | December 2011

Georgia

ForestryToday 22

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Georgia Forestry Today

contents 6

GFA Issues Comments on Forestry sector Competiveness

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recent us reforestation Trends

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Promoting the use of Georgia’s super-crop statewide

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Georgia Forestry Foundation Why We’re here

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The Georgia Tree Farm Program

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do you have a Champion Tree on your Property?

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Georgia Forestry Commission Message from the director

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beetle battle blueprint: how to Outsmart destructive Pine Pests

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Georgia Forestry Commission news

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Georgia Forestry Today directory of Products & services

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GFA Issues Comments on Forestry sector Competiveness by steve McWilliams • GFA President mental design) certification when building or renovating state facilities. LEEd certification, promoted by the u. s. Green building Council (usGbC), favors some types of construction materials over certain wood products through several of its specific credits. Georgia has the largest inventory of commercially available wood and fiber in the nation. The state should encourage certification programs that most emphasize the use of wood grown in the state by tens of thousands of private landowners. When new buildings are designed and built or older building are renovated, official state policy should be that the state will not accept so called ‘environmental’ building design programs that that discriminate against hroughout the summer wood grown in Georgia’s healthy and susand early fall, the Gover- tainable forests. nor’s Competitiveness Initiative (georgiacompetie Georgia is among only a handful tiveness.org) has sponsored of states that continues to levy a sales tax on meetings in communities energy used in the manufacturing process. throughout the state to hear from Georgians from all walks of life about what This places the state’s manufacturers, inwould make their communities, and our cluding those who produce forest-related state, more competitive. some of the re- products, in a less favorable competitive posults of those meetings, soon to be released sition with counterparts in other states, esby the Initiative’s steering committee, are pecially other southeastern states. The Tax likely to be embodied in legislative pro- reform Council recommended the elimiposals when the Georgia General Assem- nation of this tax in its report to the General bly convenes in January.

Assembly earlier this year. The state should In most instances, the discussions in the meeting were heavily facilitated and, while productive in a general sense for the specific communities in which they were held, they did not offer a forum for specific industry sectors to present their views.

Therefore, on september 18, the Georgia Forestry Association submitted the following recommendations to the steering Committee for the Governor’s Competitiveness Initiative. If addressed, these recommendations would spur job creation and investment in the forestry sector and improve the competitive position of forestry sector employers in Georgia. e state agencies often pursue LEEd (Leadership in Energy & Environ6

remove the sales tax on energy used in manufacturing at the earliest possible date.

e

neighboring states Florida and Alabama both have truck weight variances of 10% for logging trucks while Georgia’s has only a 5% variance. A great deal of forest product hauling takes place across state lines between Georgia and these states.

Georgia’s lower weight variance is a disadvantage to Georgia haulers delivering to Florida and Alabama mills and a disadvantage to Georgia mills receiving wood from Alabama or Florida haulers who must be sure that their loads stay within Georgia’s 5% variance. Georgia should increase its weight variance on logging trucks from the current 5% to 10% to be consistent with Florida and Alabama.

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The poor condition of Georgia’s bridges is often cited when timber harvesters and other trucking types attempt to have allowable weight limits increased so that they can haul more efficiently. As the economy improves and as Georgia’s population continues to grow, truckingrelated commerce will increase as well.

Georgia needs to be in a better position to accommodate commerce on its roads and should embrace a program of bridge

November | December 2011

improvement by strategically identifying and prioritizing major haul routes and bridges on those routes that need to be replaced or repaired. The state should make it a priority to strategically upgrade the bridge infrastructure statewide to accommodate commerce.

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Caterpillar’s forestry equipment manufacturing facility in LaGrange, GA is an example of the type of forest-related investment that Georgia should be able to attract. Other manufacturers and suppliers are looking to locate in the southeast because the region is the center of commercial forestry and thus the logical location for new forest-related enterprises. The state should aggressively seek forest-related businesses to the state. The Georgia department of Economic development should develop a campaign to appeal to potential forestry support businesses.

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The primary responsibility of the Georgia Forestry Commission is to prevent and suppress wildfires which pose se-

Georgia Forestry Today

rious health and safety concerns and cause many millions of dollars in property loss. historic wildfires in Georgia in the past few years have clearly demonstrated the need to for the agency to be adequately manned and property equipped to respond to wildfire danger throughout the state. The Georgia Forestry Commission’s statutory responsibility to the public and to thousands of private landowners demands that the agency’s funding be maintained at a level that ensures success of its primary mission.

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Wood pulp and paper and paperboard rank as the top exports by volume out of Georgia’s ports. In fact, together these exports are greater by volume than the total of the next three top exports by volume. The fact that so many nations want a product that we have in such abundance in Georgia presents a unique opportunity for Georgia. Trade missions sponsored or authorized by the Governor’s office should include representatives from Georgia’s forestry community

whenever possible.

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Georgia is among a few states that restrict the use of wood framing in the construction of public schools. design professionals in the state do not have wood framing as an option which could save taxpayer dollars without increasing safety risks. Georgia grown wood could be used in many structural applications in school construction. The state should remove unreasonable restrictions the Georgia department of Education places on using wood in structural applications in public school construction where it can be demonstrated that wood can provide economic benefits without diminishing personal safety of building occupants.

Certainly these are not the only steps that the state could take to foster a vibrant forestry sector in nation’s largest commercial forestry state, but they mark a good beginning. We would appreciate hearing additional ideas from our readers and will be glad to pass them along.v

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November | December 2011

By Amanda H. Lang, Operations Manager & Brooks C. Mendell | President | Forisk Consulting

RECENT U.S. REFORESTATION According to the us Census, annual housing starts declined 72% between 2005 and 2010, from 2.07 million to 0.59 million. î “e associated decline in lumber manufacturing and demand for wood raw material raises questions about

vesting aects other sectors of the forest industry, such as pulp and paper and emerging bioenergy markets, that rely on the pulpwood and thinnings associated with traditional forest management. We turn to the us Forest service and recent

forest harvesting and associated reforestation trends in the united states over the past ten years. decreased sawtimber har-

analysis by Forisk Consulting and sponsored by the Wood supply research Institute to shed light on recent

trends

reforestation trends in the south and across the country. reforestation methods and perspectives vary significantly between the five us regions. natural regeneration prevails in the northeast, Appalachian, and Lake states while tree planting is the primary method of reforestation in the south and West. historical tree planting data from the us Forest service reveals that the south, by far, leads all regions in the us in tree planting on private lands. In 1999, the south represented 84% of the privately owned planted acres. While the south has the largest number of privately-owned acres replanted annually, the West leads in public land plantings.

In 1999, the West represented 49% of the publicly-owned acres that were replanted. seedling production decreased by Residual chips from lumber production are a substitute raw material for pulpwood at pulp mills and OSB mills. Residual chip production declined over 10 million tons per year in the US South between 2006 and 2010 (Forisk Consulting 2010). As housing markets strengthen, increased demand for sawtimber will replenish residual chip supplies and, given strong demand for pulpwood and chips, provide additional incentives for increasing residual chip supplies from chip-n-saw manufacturers.

Georgia Forestry Today

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Acres planted on private timberlands, 1951-1999.

Source: USFS, RNGR.net

nursery seedling production in the south. sources: Auburn university southern Forest nursery Management Cooperative, Kansas Forest service 24% in the south from 2000 to 2009.

Plantations in the south are typically replanted after a final harvest in a 25-30 year rotation. Most stands are managed for sawtimber production and are thinned once or twice prior to final harvest to generate intermediate cash flows and remove competition for higher valued sawtimber trees. e economic downturn and reduction in housing starts reduced demand for sawtimber in recent years, resulting in fewer clearcut harvests. Forest owners increased com10

mercial thinning harvests to produce pulpwood cash flows to offset deferred income from sawtimber1 (baker et al.

2010).

In 2000, clearcut harvests comprised 53% of total sales in the south. e percentage dropped to 43% in 2008. e decrease in nursery production, and implied decrease in reforestation, matches the decreasing trend of clearcuts in the region.

As the leading region for pulpwood supplies, thinning activities, and refor-

estation, the us south would be the leading candidate to see potential, direct impacts on pulpwood supplies from reduced reforestation. ese impacts flow from two potential threats: 1) fewer clearcut harvests and resulting fewer acres replanted to grow into pulpwood, and 2) increased thinning activity, which reduces future pulpwood supplies when the lumber markets return and firms clearcut sawtimber stands that contain pulpwood. Clearcuts ultimately provide two sources of raw material for pulpwood consuming facilities: pulpwood roundwood and mill residuals from primary manufacturing facilities (sawmills). despite reduced regeneration estimates, there are a few bright spots for the future. regardless of recent economic cycles and harvesting activities, the total available pool of wood-producing timberland continues to grow in the us.

Total acres of timberland have increased in the past 20 years from 466 million acres in 1987 to 513 million acres in 2007. Also, if pulpwood supplies in the future fall, they can be partially offset by residual chip production when housing markets, and lumber demand, strengthen. It is unlikely that the timber landownership shift from forest industry to timberland investors that occurred in the 1990s-2000s will significantly impact wood supplies in the future. since timberland investors purchased the majority of the timberland acres sold by the forest industry, we expect the owners to continue to reforest after harvest to maintain their timberland investments. regional analysis “averages out” potential supply or pulpwood constraints in any given 50 to 100-mile wood basin.

While regional figures indicate sufficient acreages and volumes of pulpwood inventory exist to mitigate near-term concerns of pulpwood supply constraints resulting from reduced reforestation, the true tests will occur locally. In practice, wood procurement is a local operation dependent on uniquely local timber markets and forest management decisions made by local timberland owners. v November | December 2011

Georgia Forestry Today

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November | December 2011

PA T R O N I Z E T H E S E A D V E R T I S E R S American Forest Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

F&W Forestry service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Arborgen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

International Forest Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

beach Timber Company Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

LandMark spatial solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

blanton’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Lanigan & Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Canal Wood LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Meeks Farm & nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside Front Cover

Cantrell Forest Products Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

M & h Pinestraw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

CELLFOr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Morbark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

dasher Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Outdoor underwriters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

davis - Garvin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Plum Creek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

F2M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Prudential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Farm Credit Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

rivers Edge Forest Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Flint Equipment Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

smith, Gambrell & russell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Forest resource Consultants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

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Forest resource services Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

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

Forestar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

yancey brothers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside back Cover

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Georgia Forestry Today

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Forest Landowners!

If you’re into this…

R R R R R

Ensuring that Georgia’s private forests are sustainable Ensuring that Georgia’s forest-based businesses are profitable Ensuring that decision makers and educators understand the value of Georgia’s privately owned woodlands Ensuring that your property rights are protected Ensuring fair tax policy for timberlands in Georgia

Then you need to get into this!

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November | December 2011

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M e M b e R s h i p a p p L i c aT i o n

Name (please print) _____________________________________________________________________ Company (if applicable) _________________________________________________________________ Address______________________________________________________________________________ City ______________________ State_________ Zip _____________ County of Residence __________ E-Mail_____________________________ Telephone ________________ Mobile __________________ Membership Category __________________________ Fax ____________________________________ Landowner Applicants Only I own timberland in the following counties ____________________________ Recruited by (if applicable) __________________________________________ Date________________ MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES (Information regarding annual membership investment will be treated as confidential)

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Landowners (GA Forestland)$50.00 + $0.03 per acre Please call or e-mail GFA for additional information regarding other membership categories.

NOTE: Hunting Clubs that participate in GFA’s hunt lease liability insurance program are automatically members and no additional dues are required. Membership is available to those individuals who do not qualify under any of the membership classifications listed above. Contact the GFA office for more information.

Georgia Forestry Association membership is subject to the conditions established in the Association’s bylaws. Based on the schedule above, my annual membership investment will be $_____________________ .

(Note: Payment by check saves GFA a 5% service fee on credit card processing.)

NOTE: Dues to the Georgia Forestry Association are not deductible as a charitable contribution, but may be deductible as an ordinary and necessary business expense. However, 36% of the dues is not deductible due to GFA lobbying activity.

Method of Payment

q Check

q MasterCard

q Visa

q American Express

Cardholder (please print): __________________________________ Card # ______________________ Expires_____/_____ Billing Address_______________________________________________________ Zip Code ______________________________

Return to:

R Georgia Forestry Today

Signature __________________________________

Georgia Forestr y Association P.O. Box 1217, Forsyth, GA 31029 Tel.: 478-992-8110 • Fax: 478-992-8109 www.gfagrow.org “The Voice oF GeoRGia FoResTRy” 15

Promoting the use of Georgia’s super-crop statewide Increased use of wood products in Georgia could save taxpayer money

by Matt hestad

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here is no doubt that the age of sustainable forestry and improved forestry practices have made wood Georgia’s super-crop. however, it is interesting to think that most Georgia residents have no idea how much impact forestry has on the state’s economy much less the money it could be saving them in tax dollars.

According to the Georgia Forestry Commission, in 2010 Georgia had approximately 24.4 million acres of timberland which is the second highest in the united states next to Oregon. The Georgia forest industry also produced $16.9 billion in total revenue and provided 48,519 total jobs. Furthermore, in 2009, the total economic impact of the forestry industry in Georgia was approximately $27.2 billion.

With forestry contributing to a large part of the economy in Georgia, it would be safe to assume that wood products would be implemented in every possible building project where it is practical. however, there are a few situations where wood could be implemented into projects to save tax dollars, but years of steel architectural practices and state legislation have prevented it from being used.

Most everyone has seen the large steel and concrete sound barriers along the side of Georgia interstates that prevent a large amount of sound disturbance in residential neighborhoods. hoover treated wood products has developed a similar wood product, PLyWALL, that is extremely competitive with these structures; however, it has never been utilized by Georgia dOT. PLWALL sound barriers, which can be built up to 30 feet high and withstand up to 60 psf, are prefabricated, treated wood panels supported between Parallam 16

(PsL) posts. According to hoover, 100% of the panel and 80% of the posts are constructed with wood from Georgia. Properly designed, treated and fabricated wood barriers have proven to be far superior to steel and concrete barriers when considering acoustic performance, longevity, cost of instillation, and cost of repair. hoover even offers a 25-year warranty on every project which is comparable to a typical 1year warranty from steel and concrete manufacturers. The product also decreases carbon emissions and reduces the deple-

tion of natural resources since wood is a renewable resource.

To consider cost of production, a wood sound barrier that is one mile long and 14 feet high is approximately half the expense of concrete and steel. In one instance, hoover was able to manufacture PLyWALL out of Georgia wood on the east coast and ship to san diego, California, while out-bidding steel and concrete manufacturers with shipping costs included. however, even though there are no federal or state restrictions, the use of wood in dOT sound barrier projects in Georgia remains open.

“The homegrown aspect of Georgia wood has not translated well beyond the wood industry itself,” George young, Marketing v.P. at hoover, said. “We need to do a better job of explaining the benefits to those not directly involved in the wood industry because every Georgia resident benefits in one way or another from wood products, whether from the environmental benefits, economic contributions or recreational activities.”

It may seem like common sense to most Georgia taxpayers that using wood

November | December 2011

sound barriers instead of a more expensive steel sound barrier would be more economically efficient; however, when it comes to using wood instead of steel in the framing of school facilities, there is a stronger debate.

Currently, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, and Ohio have not accepted the International building Code that readily allows the use of dimensional wood in the framing of K-12 grade schools mostly due to the fear of a more flammable building. recently, some states, such as Arkansas, have adopted or changed its school facilities manual to allow the use of wood and have discovered that it has saved the state a substantial amount of money in construction costs.

For instance, in 2009 the Fountain springs Lake school district in hot springs, Arkansas set out to renovate an existing high school and build a brand new middle school. According to the WoodWorks for non-residential Construction, initial estimates for masonry and steel structures in both buildings started at $150 per square foot including fees from site construction and engineering which was over the district budget.

Later, the design team switched to wood framing and brought the total cost down $107 per square foot which saved the school district a total of $2.7 million dollars on both schools.

In the case of the safety of wood framed school buildings, wood has proven to be superior to steel beams in controlled fire tests due to the charring or slow burning of heavy structural timbers which allows occupants more time to exit the building safely. Also, while building materials do play a large part in the structural integrity of a building on fire, the real determinants of occupant safety come from the sprinkler system and egress or exit strategy of the building.

The benefits of using wood in the construction of schools are numerous. some short term effects of wood construction, other than cost benefits, include ease of construction, readily available wood products, and a large pool of qualified architects. scott Lockyear, senior Technical director of school Construction at WoodWorks, commented on the effectiveness of wood use in school construction.

“Wood offers a variety of benefits in

addition to cost effectiveness, including versatility, design flexibility, environmental performance and low carbon footprint,” scott said. “Furthermore, architects that we have spoken with also cite the desire to create a warm and enriching learning environment as a reason for their use of wood in schools.”

WoodWorks is currently working alongside likeminded organizations such as the American Wood Council and APA —the Engineered Wood Association, to increase awareness of the effectiveness and safety of wood framing in school buildings across the country.

As for Georgia, there will constantly be debate as to whether or not wood is a stronger substance to be used in building projects such as dOT sound barriers and school facilities; however, there is no doubt that in these situations wood is more economically efficient than steel and concrete. hopefully, promoting Georgia wood products as a safe, sustainable, and economically efficient building material will allow for uses of wood in situations like these while developing a pride in forestry as a super-crop among Georgia residents. v

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Georgia Forestry Today

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Supporting Forestry Education and Research

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WHY

GEORGIA FORESTRY FOUNDATION INC. Organization The Georgia Forestry Foundation (GFF) (established in 1990) is a 501(c) (3) organization. This organization is the educational arm of the Georgia Forestry Association.

Mission Statement “Fund and support educational and research activities which promote understanding and appreciation of our forests and their benefits to society.”

Purpose and Objectives The purposes and objectives of the Foundation are to: 1. sponsor the development of technical and practical information to the forestry community and the public through publication of this material.

2.

3.

4.

5.

sponsor educational programs in forestry and related subjects to landowners and the public in general. advance instruction in forestry and encourage qualified individuals to enter careers in the field of forestry. sponsor research in forestry and effective teaching methods in forestry and publish (or aid in publishing) the results of such research. advance a widespread knowledge of forestry among students and the public in general.

w w w. G a F o r e s t F d n . o r g

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HERE

ducating Georgia’s next generation of decision makers is the most important step we can take to safeguard one of our most valuable renewable resources: our forests. If the forestry community is to continue to thrive in the twenty-first century, today’s students, who are tomorrow’s voters and policy makers, must understand the role of forests in producing clean air and water, providing wildlife habitats and sustaining economic prosperity. The Georgia Forestry Foundation also realizes that educating Georgia’s teachers is crucial in this process.

Through the Georgia Teacher Conservation workshop, teachers learn the cycle of growing and harvesting trees while visiting mills and tree farms as well as participating in activities they can use in their classrooms. The Foundation’s work is critical to the future management and health of Georgia’s forests. Please help us continue to conserve Georgia’s valuable and renewable resources by contributing funds to educate our citizens. All gifts to the Georgia Forestry Foundation are tax-deductible. For more information, log on to www.GaForestFdn.org. v

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Please accept my tax-deductible contribution to assist the Georgia Forestry Foundation’s (GFF) efforts to educate teachers, students, and the public on the importance of Georgia’s forest resources and the need for proper forest management.

Donor Name _______________________________________ Phone_______________________ Company/Organization _____________________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________________ City ____________________________

State_____________ Zip ______________________

E-mail _______________________________________________________________________ q Check here if you do not wish your name to be published on a donor list Thank you for supporting Forestry Education in Georgia!!

YES, I would like to support the work of The Georgia Forestry Foundation q $1,000 Canopy Club q $500 Timber Club q $100 Seedling Club q $250 Sapling Club q $50 Planters Club q Other $_________

q Check enclosed q Credit my card: VISA MC AMEX Card # ___________________________________ Name on card _______________________________ Exp date __________________________________ Billing zip__________________________________ Signature __________________________________

A gift to the Georgia Forestry Foundation is an excellent way to honor or remember someone special.

This gift is in (memory/honor) of _______________________________________________________ Please acknowledge this gift to _________________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip __________________________________________________________________ Please make checks payable to the Georgia Forestry Foundation, Inc. All gifts are tax-deductible Georgia Forestry Foundation, Inc. | P.O. Box 1217 | Forsyth, GA 31029

November | December 2011

Georgia Forestry Today

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The Georgia Tree Farm Program Making a difference Together

By Bill Simpson | Tree Farm State Chairman

A

utumn, that season after summer with its welcome relief from the heat, prompts many folks to head for the hills of north Georgia and for what reason‌TrEEs! Even in south Georgia, where I was born and raised, there is a distinct display of color in the fall as Cypress needles turn an orangish-brown, red maples earn their name, and even the black gum trees show a little color! Autumn reminds me that change is ever present and time never stands still!

And so it is with the American Tree Farm system (ATFs)! begun 70 years ago as a means of focusing attention on fire prevention and supporting self-regulation of privately owned forestland, the ATFs has grown to 26 million acres strong and its standards for practicing forest management on a sustainable basis are recognized internationally by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Lands certified by the ATFs are a principal source of fiber for the sustainable Forestry Initiative (sFI Inc.) and

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from associating with other woodland owners by joining forces to protect property rights and gaining valuable advice from professional foresters. Whether you are producing forest products as a Tree Farmer or growing trees to enjoy as a Family Forest, come join in with like-minded Georgians—become a certified Georgia Tree Farm! v Mr. Simpson can be reached at (912) 281-8260.

PEFC Chain of Custody programs. In Georgia, nearly 2,000 individual properties involving 1.6 million acres are currently certified, and global demand for fiber generated in this verifiably sustainable manner is growing exponentially.

Georgian Tree Farmers not participating in the ATFs are missing a great opportunity to improve the marketability of their forest crops as many vendors of wood products, from writing paper to fuel pellets, increasingly demand certification of sustainability. As well, folks that own forest land primarily for other purposes, i.e., hunting and fishing or just to preserve some forest for their family, benefit greatly

November | December 2011

Georgia Forestry Today

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DO YOU HAVE A CHAMPION TREE ON YOUR PROPERTY?

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By John Trussell

t is no secret that we think trees are pretty special! We plant protected, but the giants left standing in virgin forests. them, and we carefully watch them grow, then we study since that call to locate and measure the largest trees of each them from many different angles. At harvest time they pro- species, American Forests has maintained the national register of vide a vast multitude of products for our homes and busi- big Trees, a list of the biggest trees in America. The big Tree Pronesses and the monies earned from trees gram is active in all 50 states puts food on our tables. If you think and the district of ColumI think that I shall never see about trees too much, you can be sentimental bia, and is used as a model A poem lovely as a tree. about them, but that can be a good thing. for several big Tree proA tree whose hungry mouth is prest Joyce Kilmer, (1886-1918) a lover of nature grams around the world.

Against the sweet earth's flowing breast; and poet, died a hero in WW1 and is mainly With sponsorship from The A tree that looks at God all day, known for the poem “trees.” davey Trsee Expert ComAnd lifts her leafy arms to pray; Kilmer wrote a great poem, but he was pany since 1989, the naA tree that may in summer wear also very practical and kept a big woodpile tional big Tree Program has A nest of robins in her hair; next to his house to stoke the fireplace and been able to reach a wider Upon whose bosom snow has lain; keep the winter chill at bay. Perhaps he audience and promote the Who intimately lives with rain. thought of trees in a sentimental way but also same message for over 70 Poems are made by fools like me, knew that wood was a very useful product. years: regardless of size, all But only God can make a tree.

Another way to think about trees is to celetrees are champions of the brate the biggest and best among the species of environment. trees. Perhaps it’s an American thing, but we love to see how tall To be eligible, a species must be recognized as native or nata tree can grow, and we like to keep records of our best trees. That uralized in the continental united states, as documented in Elbert was the idea behind the state and national champion tree registry L. Little Jr.’s Checklist of united states Trees (native and natuthat has been maintained since 1940 by American Forests, a non- ralized), published in 1979 as Agricultural handbook 541 by the profit conservation organization. In the september 1940 issue united states department of Agriculture. At present 747 native of American Forests magazine, concerned forester Joseph sterns and 79 naturalized trees are eligible, for a total of 826 eligible published his article “Let’s Find and save the biggest Trees.” sterns species and varieties. wasn’t referring to the famous and historic trees that were already American Forests uses the following formula to calculate a 22

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handbook because in the past any tree species was accepted. The goal is to remove these species over time as these champions cease to exist. Any naturalized tree species considered invasive will not be considered. A complete list of Georgia invasive trees can be viewed at Gainvasives.org.

point score for each tree so that they may be compared to others: Trunk Circumference (in inches) + height (in feet) + Average Crown spread (in feet) = Total Points The current list of national Champion Trees is available online. In addition to the national list, several states, counties, and cities maintain their own list of local Champion Trees. Many are on public ground and can be visited without obtaining prior permission. The public may nominate trees as well.

As of this year[update], the largest national Champion Tree is a giant sequoia in California. Known as the General sherman tree, it is some 83.8 m (274.9 feet) tall, 31.1 m (1,024 inches) in circumference and 32.5 m (106.5 feet) in average crown spread. now let’s talk Georgia trees. do you have a Georgia or national tree champion on your property? Perhaps that giant hickory or red cedar that you have been looking at since you where a child may qualify, so check it out! The Georgia Forestry Commission oversees the Champion Tree Program in Georgia and the state coordinator is scott Griffin. For a tree to be considered it must meet all of the following criteria.

1.

The tree must have an erect woody perennial stem, or trunk, at least 9.5 inches in circumference measured 4.5 feet from the ground, with a definitely formed crown of foliage, and is at least 13 feet in total height.

2.

To be eligible for the Georgia Champion Tree Program, a species must be recognized as native or naturalized in the continental united states. There are species currently on Georgia’s Champion Tree list not listed in the

Georgia Forestry Today

Georgia Champion Tree Program How to Score a Tree Three measurements: trunk circumference, tree height, average crown spread - need to be submitted on the Georgia Champion Tree nomination form. Instructions on how to obtain these measurements are listed below. use the following calculations to get an estimated total score of your tree. Punch in the numbers into the online form and it will do the final talley for you at www.gfc.state.ga.us/forestmanagement/cha mpiontree.cfm. A tree that scores within 5% of a champion will be recognized as a Georgia Co-Champion.

1. Trunk circumference is measured in inches. The trunk circumference is the distance around the tree. It is measured 4.5 feet above the ground level (Photo A). If the tree forks below 4.5 feet, measure the largest stem only. If the tree forks or has a deformity at 4.5 feet, drop below and measure the smallest circumference between 4.5 feet and the ground below the lowest fork excluding dead branches and epicormic sprouts 2.

Tree height is measured in feet. Tree height is accurately measured using a clinometer, laser, hypsonometer, or other specialized tools. If these tools are not available, height can be estimated using the ‘stick method.’ The ‘stick method” works using a stick of a length equal to the distance from your eye to the palm of your extended hand. With the stick vertical to the ground and the length of stick extending out of the top of your closed fist, back away from the tree until the bottom of the tree lines up with the top of your fist and the top of the tree lines up with the top of the stick. The height of the tree is equal to the dis-

tance from the point you are standing to the base of the tree. If tree height cannot be accurately measured, estimate and note it as such on the nomination application.

3.

Average crown spread is measured in feet. Average crown spread is estimated by taking two measurements at right angles to one another. The first crown spread measurement (A) is the widest crown spread, which is the greatest distance between any two points along the drip line of the tree.

The drip line is the outline on the ground of the outermost leaves of the crown. Measure the second crown spread measurement (b) by turning the axis of the first measurement 90 degrees. The two measurements are averaged together. To get total points, add the Trunk Circumference (inches) + height (feet) + ¼ Average Crown spread (feet) = Total Points.

All this information can be entered into the form online and the computer will calculate the score for you.

Then you forward the information to Griffin and he reviews the facts. If it appears that the tree is a good bet to be a state or national champion, a certified GFC forester will ask permission to come to the site and verify the numbers with you, then assist with the certification process.

The Georgia Forestry Association, the Georgia Forestry Commission, the Georgia Forestry Association and American Forests work to spread the word about the many benefits that forests provide for the health and well-being of the entire planet.

With a greater understanding of what forests do for us all, we can encourage greater support to protect and restore these valuable resource. For further information contact your local Georgia Forestry Commission office or scott Griffin, Program Coordinator, at sgriffin@gfc.state.ga.us or (770) 5382666. Got a whopper sized tree on your property? Check it out to see if it’s a champion! v 23

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GATREES.ORG

Message from the Director dear GFT reader,

I

n most circles, conversations about the weather are fairly innocuous and short. not so in the forestry community. Our livelihoods depend upon predictable weather patterns, and right now, unusual patterns are creating havoc. The ongoing drought and the heat of this past summer are impacting our forest land and will continue to do so into the planting season and beyond, unless the experts are wrong. Chances are, they won’t be.

Climatologists today are using the most sophisticated tools ever available to predict weather patterns across the globe.

Their distant outlooks, providing specific details about precipitation, humidity, and temperatures have been helping forestry professionals better prepare for weather effects, such as more frequent and intense fire activity. We knew 2011 was going to be hot and dry, and it has been. As you read in the last issue of Georgia Forestry Today, the Georgia Forestry Commission’s Protection department used those predictions to better prepare residents and forestland for the inevitable onset of fire. despite the hardships and losses incurred, the preparations did help our team of professionals fight the fires more effectively.

It will take more effort on all of our parts to deal successfully with what the climatologists say is yet to come: a “double dip La nina” weather pattern. That means the usual rain-producing winter systems are expected to be pushed southward, leaving us with reduced moisture and warmer temperatures than normal into the next year. These ongoing conditions will impact your land and forestry operations. how so?

Georgia Forestry Today

Prescribed Fire ~ dry conditions will spark more fires that will spread quicker and hotter. As a result, we will all have to be much more cautious with the use of prescribed fire. burn permits may need to be restricted if conditions are borderline; your patience and understanding will be paramount. In the past year we suffered four of the worst six wildfire days on record in Georgia, and escaped prescribed burning contributed to these emergencies.

Georgia experienced a 60 percent increase in the number of escaped prescribed burns this past year. With more of the same dry conditions projected, we all must do better. Monitor your overall burn and your individual lines more carefully. Perform appropriate mop-up before you leave the burn and be particularly diligent in revisiting and evaluating your work when dry, windy conditions occur in the days following your burn. remember that what worked in the past won’t work now. Preplanning is also an issue. do you always have adequate manpower and fire suppression tools on hand? Think through every detail.

Planting ~ 2011 brought increased mortality to seedlings planted last season.

Much more attention will have to be paid to seedlings planted this season. Follow the recommendations of your GFC forester for proper planting; there is no room for error. With urban plantings, plan for the increased time and costs of keeping the trees hydrated.

Pests ~ drought is an open invitation to a

Robert Farris variety of forest pests, especially pine beetles. Know the signs and symptoms, because cures are hard to come by. (see Chip bates’ article, “beetle battle blueprint how to Outsmart destructive Pine Pests” in this issue of Georgia Forestry Today.)

Tree mortality ~ GFC Professionals are seeing an increasing number of mature trees in both rural and urban settings succumbing to the effects of long term drought. This sounds elementary, but keep a very close eye on the trees you prize and make sure you’re supplying them with enough moisture. nope, we can’t change the weather. but we can do more to protect the forest assets we have, while we hope and trust that better days are ahead. sincerely, Robert Farris 25

GEORGIA FORESTRY COMMISSION

Beetle Battle Blueprint How to Outsmart Destructive Pine Pests Ips Engraver Beetles leave their signature in ‘H’-shaped tunnels.

Photo courtesy of Jerald E. Dewey, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

by Chip bates | Forest health Coordinator | Georgia Forestr y Commission

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GEORGIA FORESTRY COMMISSION Take a drive most anywhere in Georgia. In many places, at many vistas, you’ll notice dead and dying trees. Pines, hardwoods and other types of vegetation are displaying the results of multiple years of extreme drought, excessive heat, and poor management techniques. Add to that the insult of flooding, storm damage, or by-stand conditions such as overcrowding, old age, or root disease, and our trees can't help but show their distress.

Georgia is home to three pine bark beetles with the potential to cause severe damage to our forests: the southern Pine beetle (sPb), the black Turpentine beetle (bTb), and three species of Ips Engraver beetles (IPs).

The southern Pine beetle is the most destructive and can kill large numbers of trees over many acres in a short period. To date in 2011, widespread southern Pine beetle outbreaks have not been documented, but a dramatic increase in the number of Ips Engraver beetle attacks has been noted across the state. normally Ips Engraver beetles attack trees weakened due to lightning strike or mechanical damage, and the isolated spots are usually fewer than 20 trees. during the Georgia Forestry Commission’s annual aerial Insect and disease survey, hundreds of spots (20 trees or fewer) of dead pine trees were detected from central to southern Georgia.

In each case, these spots were found to be in overstocked, slow-growing, poorly managed stands suffering from Ips Engraver beetle infestations. Each of these stands should have been thinned to reduce competition between trees, and contained diseased and insect-damaged trees that should have been selectively removed.

The black Turpentine beetle is the largest of the three southern bark beetles and is by far the least destructive. normally infestations are found on trees that have received mechanical injury during logging operations or that are stressed due to environmental damage such as lightning. In many cases this insect has become an urban problem and is associated with stresses in the urban environment such as soil compaction or drought. The black Georgia Forestry Today

The Southern Pine Beetle is tiny in size but is capable of mass destruction.

Turpentine beetle attacks only the lower 10 feet of the pine tree’s trunk and the pesticides OnyX and bifen XTs are commercially available for control of this pest. by following some simple guidelines, many beetle problems can be prevented.

Pine plantations cannot withstand severe, overcrowded conditions for multiple years.

Weather cannot be controlled, and neither can soil moisture and nutrient content. however, we can control how we manage our properties. We must practice forestry that enhances the health and vigor of existing pine stands by controlling density/stocking rates and competition.

Generally, removing the worst trees and keeping the best is a good idea. Too many times foresters hear, “I will just hold this stand until prices come back up.” While the argument is somewhat valid, there comes a time when you need to look at your stand as if it were a garden. At some point you have to remove the weeds. here are some general rules of thumb to remember: • by age 18, the stand should have been thinned.

•

When tree tops have all grown together (full canopy closure) and little to no sun reaches the forest floor, the stand must be thinned.

•

Pine trees in overly-dense stands (basal area exceeds 120 square feet per acre) must be thinned. These stands grow more slowly and become increasingly susceptible to the southern pine beetle and other bark beetles.

Trees must have water, sunlight, and nutrients to survive. When stands are overstocked and there is too much competition, then the stand begins to decline and disaster is around the corner. The argument that “the price is too low and I will not give this away” leads to a breaking point when the stand will slow in growth and become stagnant. Then, even with thinning, the stand will not recover and begin growing again. you must weed the stand to allow the best trees to receive the sunlight, water, and nutrients available.

The alternative is to take nothing and lose the stand. Management is not a passive ac27

GEORGIA FORESTRY COMMISSION tivity; we must manage these stands to keep them healthy and vigorous.

Annually, just before Easter, The Georgia Forestry Commission conducts a statewide southern Pine beetle prediction trapping program as a service to Georgia forest landowners. This early detection trapping was developed by dr. ronald billings (Texas Forest service) to predict southern Pine beetle populations for the year. This tool gives landowners of Georgia a ‘crystal ball’ that has proven to be consistently accurate for the past 20 years.

After the survey has been completed and calculated, results are posted to our home page at http://www.gatrees.org/ForestManagement/documents/2011sPbPredictions.pdf. This information is available for public use. In 2011, traps indicated low populations of southern Pine beetle, and as predicted, low activity was recorded throughout the state.

Pine beetles have destroyed $246 million worth of pine in Georgia since 1972. historically, pine beetle epidemics occur every 10 to 12 years, and Georgia’s last major outbreak was in 2002. We are due for another outbreak. Our biggest risk factors are dry weather and drought conditions. We are entering what appears to be ‘the new normal.’ This consists of extended drought, excessive heat, and radical weather conditions. These extreme conditions will result in extraordinary tree stress, 1433 Galilee Church Road Jefferson, GA 30549

which can and will cause both hardwoods and pines to decline and be more susceptible to insects, disease, fire and mortality.

The Georgia Forestry Commission is currently seeing an increase in Ips Engraver activity across the state, with the size of outbreaks and the extent of damage increasing. historically an average Ips Engraver infestation was 20 trees or fewer, but in 2011 infestations have been documented that cover multiple acres, with entire stands being clear-cut from Ips damage.

What’s a forest landowner to do?

The pesticides OnyX and bifen XTs are commercially available and are recommended for control of black Turpentine beetle in an urban environment, but there is no recommended chemical application method that can be used to defend against southern Pine beetle or Ips Engraver beetle. both insects attack trees from the top down, and both beetles transmit blue-stain fungus, which stops water from circulating within the tree. For these reasons, it is not feasible, economical, or recommended, in woodlands settings, to spray the infested and surrounding trees from top to bottom. hardwoods have not escaped the drought conditions, and GFC personnel have recorded many oaks (normally in the red Oak family) dying across Georgia.

The damage is cumulative from multiple years of stress that has affected the root systems of the trees, making them susceptible to disease. normally after the tree begins to decline, a fungal disease called hypoxylon Canker enters the tree through a wound and spreads throughout the tree.

The fungus presents itself as a brown dust, similar to talcum powder, in areas on the tree where the bark has fallen away. The powder is easily blown from tree to tree, causing new infections. Chemical treatments are not effective because the fungus is located within the tree, and there is no efficient control for this disease. normally, cutting and burning the tree is recommended.

Clearly, we must change some of our practices to maintain healthy forests in Georgia. We cannot allow stands to slow in growth, become less vigorous and die. stands must be thinned as they reach full canopy closure and begin to slow in growth. stands cannot stagnate or become overstocked. And forest landowners can’t wait indefinitely for ‘the good old days.’

Markets of the past may never come back.

Acting today to protect profit tomorrow is the wisest route to choose.

Call your local Georgia Forestry Commission Forester for non-biased, common sense advice, or visit GaTrees.org. v

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November | December 2011

GEORGIA FORESTRY COMMISSION

GFC News Two distinguished forestry professionals have been named to the Georgia Forestry Commission Board of Directors. James L. Allen is a Tift County native, holds degrees from Abraham baldwin Agriculture College and valdosta state, and is a former professional golfer. Allen co-owns Pike Creek Turf, Inc., has led numerous agriculture and community related associations and committees, including Governor zell Miller’s Commission on Effectiveness and Economy in Government, and holds timber and water well-drilling interests in Georgia. William Earl smith is a uGA Warnell school of Forestry and natural resources graduate who was a Procurement Forester for st. regis Paper Company, served as vice President of Forest resources for Gilman Paper Company's building Products division, and has extensive fiber procurement and land management experience. Among other notable positions, smith has served as President of the Florida Forestry Association, Georgia Forestry Association and is on the Executive Committee of the Forest Landowner Association. e

When it’s time to sell your timber, there are countless details and decisions to consider. The Georgia Forestry Commission helps you through these critical transactions in its thorough guide, “selling your Timber.” The brochure is available online at GaTrees.org under the “resources” drop-down tab, then “GFC Publications” and you may order hard copies through your local GFC forester. e

Georgians had easier access to fall foliage information again this year, thanks to a partnership between the Georgia Forestry Commission and the state Department of Natural Resources. The agencies teamed up to report weekly leaf color conditions and scenic destinations through postings on their websites and GFC’s Facebook, Twitter and blog outlets. In addition, a photo contest was held that showcased participants’ colorful foliage shots, with one grand prize winner receiving a gift of GFC seedlings and an annual pass to Georgia’s state parks.e

Georgia Forestry Today

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November | December 2011

Georgia Forestry Today

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