2014 winter

Alabama

FORESTS IN THIS ISSUE:

AFA President Jeff Ledbetter Use of On-board Scales Dr. Robert Parker, Tree Farmer of the Year

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Contents Children’s Hospital Representative Emily Hornak makes a new friend at annual Wiregrass Trail Ride.

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Alabama Forestry Association, Inc. CHRIS ISAACSON, Executive Vice President OFFICERS FRED T. STIMPSON, Mobile, Chairman JEFFERY P. LEDBETTER, Andalusia, President BARRETT B. MCCALL, Mobile, Secretary BEN SMITH, Phenix City, President-elect GRAY SKIPPER, Fulton, Treasurer DISTRICT DIRECTORS Black Belt District WENDELL LINDSEY, Demopolis Capital District CLARK SAHLIE, Montgomery Delta District FRANK MOZINGO, Toxey Longleaf District TRIPP WINTERS, Chapman Mountain District TODD LANGSTON, Stevenson Piedmont District MARK TUGGLE, Alexander City Valley District STEPHAN TOMLINSON, Tuscumbia Vulcan District VAUGHN STOUGH, Mountain Brook Warrior District GEE ALLGOOD, McShan Wiregrass District EARL KETCHUM, JR., Clayton ALABAMA LOGGERS COUNCIL CHRIS POTTS, LaFayette FORESTFUND STEEN TRAYLOR, Selma AT LARGE DIRECTORS PAUL LOHMAN, Prattville HANK BAUER, Perdue Hill RICK COZINE, Columbus, Georgia PAT HOLLEY, Millport JIM KING, JR., Tuscaloosa MASON MCGOWIN, JR., Chapman JOE W. MCNEEL III, Montrose VIRGINIA MACPHERSON, Fulton DR. JAMES P. SHEPARD, Auburn TOM BRADLEY III, Mobile ALABAMA FORESTS EDITOR SAM DUVALL Alabama Forests (USPS #025-358) is an official publication of the Alabama Forestry Association, 555 Alabama Street, Montgomery, AL 36104-4359 and is published five times a year.

The AFA reserves the exclusive right to accept or reject advertising or editorial material submitted for publication.

Advertising rates quoted upon request.

Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Ala. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Alabama Forestry Association, 555 Alabama St., Montgomery, AL 36104-4395.

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Alabama

FORESTS Communicating news and information of, about, and for the Alabama forestry community.

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FEATURES Jeff Ledbetter Picked Up Love for Forestry from Time Spent in the Everglades

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Loggers: Take a Load Off of Your Mind

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Prescribed Burns

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Snow Fell on Alabama

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Especially for our tree farmers/landowners: Green Horizons

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DEPARTMENTS From the Executive Vice President

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Contributors

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Dean’s Notebook

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Log A Load

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Forestry News & Views

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Products & Services

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Wildlife & Outdoors

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ADVERTISERS Index to Advertisers

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Swamp thang Cover photo Winter Mirror. Snow that fell on January 28, and trees of a small hillock on the Dorrill family’s land near Brundidge, Ala., makes a near perfect upside down image of itself in a pond below the hill.

16 Come explore our web site! alaforestry.org 1

From Executive Vice President

Employment Challenges

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ith an annual payroll of $2.3 billion, Alabama’s forest industry provides jobs for more than 7% of Alabama workers. As you might expect, the majority of these jobs are located in rural Alabama and, in many cases, forest products companies along with their vendors, loggers, and suppliers are the largest employers in the area.

With that said, it might come as a surprise that forestrelated companies have difficulties filling open positions, even in those counties where unemployment rates are high.

Many reasons have been offered for this staffing challenge ranging from attitudes about the jobs being offered to competition with federal programs that create disincentives to work.

Whatever the reason, jobs go unfilled and employers’ needs go unmet.

Over the last few years, AFA has committed increasing resources to address this challenge because it has the potential to affect the long term health and viability of our industry. Since the challenge is so widespread and has so many root causes, it has been like eating the proverbial elephant one bite at a time.

One “bite” we took several years ago is the Black Belt Initiative. Conducted through the Alabama Forestry Foundation with funding (approximately

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$200,000/year) from both government and private grants, the Initiative is a workforce development program with a decidedly long range focus.

The Initiative consists of three phases designed to (1) provide job opportunity awareness, (2) enhance fundamental skills in math and science, and (3) provide a pathway for employment in the forest industry for residents in Alabama’s rural communities.

Phase 1 included a series of 10 meetings with local community leaders and school administrators, teachers and guidance counselors across rural Alabama. Lt. Governor Kay Ivey, a former teacher in Wilcox County and a longtime AFA member, led the effort to make these local leaders aware of job opportunities available in the forest industry as well as the skills, training and education needed to qualify for these jobs. AFA staff also met individually with high school guidance counselors across the Black Belt.

Phase 2 is focused on improving math and science skills of rural students through Alabama’s AMSTI program.

Following the AMSTI model, the Initiative funds “teacher coaches” in three schools located in Monroe and Clarke counties to enhance their skills in teaching math and science and encourage students to excel. Student test scores are being tracked and AFA will use

the results to encourage lawmakers to prioritize AMSTI funding across the state.

Phase 3 will provide scholarship funding to students who excel and demonstrate an interest in further education in forestry-related fields. The long-term objective of the Initiative is to prepare students for jobs in Alabama’s forest industry and to lay out a pathway for them to get there.

Chris Isaacson

Alabama’s forest industry provides jobs for more than 7% of Alabama workers Clearly, the Black Belt Initiative is long-term strategy, but what about dealing with the challenges today? Over the last few months, we have begun working on a strategy to deal with qualified labor shortages in one of the key links of our wood supply chain —LOGGING. Although loggers have always found it difficult to find people interested in working on their operations, the challenge is growing. In response, AFA and the Alabama Loggers Council are working with the Alabama Board of Education and the state FFA program to increase awareness of job opportunities, particularly targeting those students who aren’t interested in pursuing further formal education. In addition, we are currently developing programs to offer

equipment operator and truck driver training to increase the pool of qualified, job-ready employees.

Every good forester understands that the health of any forest is dependent on the health of the trees in that forest and as trees are removed they must be replaced for the forest to continue to grow. So it is with our industry and the companies that make up that industry.

We must ensure that there are healthy trees (qualified and motivated students) being planted (hired) in order for the forest (companies/industry) to continue to grow. ▲

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Contributors Tim Albritton

Mitchell Marks

Tim Albritton serves as the state staff forester with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) where he is responsible for field level forestry training, technical oversight to USDA Farm Bill Programs and promoting sound forestry practices to private landowners. His background includes 18 years with the Alabama Forestry Commission and over 9 years with the NRCS. Degrees include an associate in forest technology from Patrick Henry State Junior College and BS in forest resources from Auburn University. In 1985, Tim married Karen Reichmann from Pensacola, Florida. They have been blessed with three children: Joseph 24, Hannah 22, and Sarah 14. Albritton says his life purpose is serving his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as a Christian forester and being a faithful loving husband to wife, Karen, raising their children and instilling in them his Christian beliefs through personal example, daily training, and prayer. He is a member, leader, and Sunday school teacher at Mulder Memorial United Methodist in Wetumpka, Alabama. Albritton enjoys making walking-sticks from vine-curved trees, managing river bottom land for timber, and hunting white-tailed deer.

Mitchell Marks is a wildlife biologist for the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. He earned his B.S. degree in Wildlife Management from Arkansas State University in 1985 and earned an M.S. in Biology with an emphasis on waterfowl from Arkansas State University in 1989. He began his career with WFF in September 1989 at what was then Thomas Wildlife Management Area, but has since been renamed Freedom Hills Wildlife Management Area. His primary responsibility is managing the 31,996-acre WMA to enhance habitat for wildlife populations and to provide quality hunting experiences for all types of hunters. He also manages the Riverton Community Hunting Area (6,633 acres), the Cherokee Physically Disabled Hunting Area (240 acres) and is also the Assistant District Supervisor for the District I Wildlife Section. He also provides technical assistance to landowners for managing the wildlife on their property. Mitchell is an avid hunter and enjoys shooting sports as well as canoeing and kayaking.

John Boutwell John Boutwell is a successful tree farmer. John and his wife, Ann, and John’s sister, Peggy Autrey, own Cedar Creek Plantation in Butler County Alabama. In 2012, they were named Alabama Tree Farmers of the Year by the Alabama Tree Farm Committee.

Ray Clifton Ray Clifton joined the AFA staff in 2011 after 22 year in private industrial forestry. He has spent the last several years as a rural land broker and private forestry consultant. Ray holds a BS in forest management from Auburn University and an MS in forestry from Louisiana State University.

Felicia Dewberry Felicia Dewberry is the owner and broker of Mountain Streams Realty in Clay County, Alabama, where the company specializes in rural property. She and her husband, Lamar, own timberland that they manage for timber and wildlife.

She serves on the State Tree Farm Committee. Felicia has a BS degree in biology from Jacksonville State University. She is the proud grandmother of five grandchildren. The Dewberry's were the Alabama Tree Farmers of the Year for 2006.

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Jim Schrenkel Jim Schrenkel is a Certified Wildlife Biologist and has worked with the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division for 20 years. Jim started his career as area biologist on the Butler Wildlife Management Area then transferred to the James D. Martin/Skyline Wildlife Management Area. He currently serves as supervisor of the Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Unit and as a Private Lands Biologist for north Alabama. He coordinates the Division’s efforts in working with private landowners on USDA Farm Bill programs. While he resides in Decatur, Alabama, Jim spends his off time “practicing what he preaches” on his own property in Jackson County.

Carrie Threadgill Carrie Threadgill grew up in Montgomery, AL enjoying everything about the outdoors with her dad and brothers.

She attended Auburn University where she received a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Science as well as a master’s degree in Wildlife Science, specializing in ornithology. In 2010 after completing her master’s she joined the AL Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, Wildlife Section as a wildlife biologist. She specializes in ornithology and is also the quail coordinator for the state. She has been passionate about birds since childhood and is an active member of the Alabama Ornithological Society along with the Wildlife Society. Carrie lives in Montgomery with her husband Todd Threadgill, who she met while in the wildlife program at Auburn, and their daughter Emma Claire.

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Dean’s Notebook

AU Graduate Programs

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e currently have 75 graduate students, with 56 in forestry and 19 in wildlife.

Forty-one students are pursuing masters degrees and we have 34 doctoral candidates.

We have the capacity to support more graduate students and we have set a new 5-year enrollment goal of 100. In contrast to undergraduate education, few of our graduate students pay tuition. Our peer institutions operate similarly.

Most of these students are paid a stipend to serve as a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) and we fund these from research grants. Auburn waives tuition for graduate students serving as GRAs, at a substantial cost to the university. If we can’t provide a domestic student with both of these sources of support, they go elsewhere.

It’s hardly news that American exports of manufactured goods has declined over the past few decades, however there is a different kind of export in which we are still world leaders. We export knowledge in the form of graduates from our nation’s universities. We’re the most sought out nation on Earth for higher education. There are many countries around the world whose economies and middle class citizenry have grown dramatically over the past few

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decades. This new middle class seeks a university education for their children. The university systems in these countries have not added capacity fast enough to satisfy demand. Thus foreign countries are sending ever increasing numbers of students to study elsewhere.

Auburn University has a strong tradition of international enrollment, especially at the graduate level. Increasing international enrollment is a goal of the university in its new 20132018 strategic plan. Our strategic goals must be aligned with the university and so we also seek to increase our international enrollment, primarily in our graduate program. Our single biggest limiting factor is the amount of extramural research funds available to fund GRA stipends.

Last year we began a new strategy to recruit graduate students from countries whose governments will pay the students’ stipend and full non-resident tuition (3¥ resident rate).

So we get high quality students for whom we do not have to pay stipends from research grants and Auburn University does not have to waive their tuition. We have chosen to focus on three countries with which our faculty has personal experience: Brazil, China, and Turkey. We have four professors from China and

one from Turkey. Dr. Ken McNabb, lived in Brazil 7 years working for Jari Paper Co. These faculty members have a deep understanding of these countries’ very rigorous systems that choose only the top students to support for foreign study. The students are typically doctoral students and when they return home, they often have guaranteed faculty positions or with government agencies. We currently have over a dozen students from these countries. I believe these U.S. educated professors are some of our best “ambassadors.”

To help recruit foreign graduate students, I went to Brazil in November with Dr. McNabb. We visited the forestry departments at University of Sao Paulo in Piracicaba, Sao Paulo State University in Botucatu, and the Federal University of Parana in Curitiba.

While in Sao Paula state, we went on a field trip to see International Paper’s eucalyptus nursery and plantation forestry near their paper mill at Mogi-Guacu. This was a former Champion International mill built in ~1960. We also had a field trip with Rigesa (MeadWestvaco) to see their eucalyptus and loblolly pine operations near their Três Barras mill in Santa Catarina state. Both had very impressive growth rates and sophisticated forest management systems.

By Dean Jim Shepard Auburn University

For other news, our 2nd annual Spring Fling fund raiser will be held April 18 at Coach Pat Dye’s Crooked Oaks Hunting Preserve and Quail Hollow Gardens near Notasulga. This was Coach’s idea last year; he said he always wanted to do something for forestry and wildlife at Auburn. Last year we had a crowd of over 300 and raised a net $53,000 for student scholarships. There are plenty of opportunities for sponsorship and to contribute auction items. Please contact Heather Crozier at (334) 8442791 or vannhea@auburn.edu for details.

As always, I would love to hear from you about how our School can better serve the needs of the forestry profession in Alabama. I can be reached at (334) 844-1004 or jshepard@auburn.edu. ▲ 7

A

AFA PRESIDENT’S PROFILE

Jeff Ledbetter Picked Up Love for Forestry from Time Spent in the Everglades

By Sam Duvall The Ledbetter family assault vehicle, all tricked out with hound dogs and the Ledbetter children.

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As a youngster growing up in South Florida, Jeff Ledbetter loved blasting around the aquatic grass near his family’s Everglades camp in an airboat built “from the ground up” by his father, the late Paul Jackson Ledbetter.

“At a very early age, I spent a lot of time in the Everglades. We had a camp out there and had airboats and halftracks [to get around in]. That is where I began to develop my interest in the outdoors and natural resources,” said Ledbetter, the 2014 president of the Alabama Forestry Association.

The Ledbetter family photo album is replete with photos of Jeff, his hand on the control “stick” of the airboat, with his mom Gloria and his sister Margie sitting behind him.

“There was a lot of sawgrass out there, so you had to be careful, but when you got into a slough you could really get on it and then pull it back (the stick) and just slide right through it,” he said, a smile crossing his face.

This affinity for outdoor life, hunting and fishing with his father Paul and his son Lee, drew Jeff like a magnet to the career he chose in forestry, and it took pretty well, because Jeff has worked for the same forestry company — Rayonier — for more than 33 years!

Jeff’s father “could build or fix just about anything,” Jeff said. In addition to the family airboat, Paul Ledbetter also built a halftrack that looked like something Gen. George Patton might have used against Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in North Africa in World War Two, minus the cannon and machine guns! But those battles took place in the dry open desert.

The problem for the Ledbetter’s, and others in the vicinity of the Everglades was not too little water, but too much.

Before extensive development on the Florida peninsula, water flowed directly across the aquatic grasslands of South Florida into and through the Everglades.

However, the sugar industry’s need for water for growing sugarcane resulted in local water districts impounding more and more water. This manipulation caused

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some ordinarily dry land to flood, affecting both people and the creatures living there, including the deer.

Blade Runner So Paul Ledbetter, assisted by son Jeff and others, fabricated a push blade and added it to the front of the halftrack to push muck and aquatic vegetation into mounds. These “islands” would provide a small refuge so the deer would have dry areas on which to stand when the water was up. “Sometimes you would see deer with no hair from here down (denoting the lower leg) because they had to spend so much time in standing water,” Jeff recalled. His father received local recognition and conservation awards for his work in this regard.

As children, Jeff and his sister Margie, who is almost 4 years older than Jeff, used to ride on the push-blade for added weight as their father pushed up enough soil and vegetation to provide the refuge for deer and other creatures that lived in and around the Everglades.

In addition to being his hunting buddy, Jeff said his father “is the absolute inspiration for my life. He started working for the phone company (Bell Systems) as a cable splicer. He progressed to a managerial position in their plant training center until he retired. Whether it was cablesplicing, pole climbing, fiber optics, or troubleshooting, he taught all of those courses.”

While picking up his father’s strong work ethic, Jeff also inherited Paul Ledbetter’s emphasis on the importance of faith in the life of an individual and a family.

“He was strong in his faith. You know when you pull off an exit ramp and there’s somebody standing there with a cardboard sign? Dad would give them five bucks, despite me telling him that they’re probably just going to use it for alcohol or

drugs!” Jeff said, smiling. “He cared about the marginalized people of society.”

Having made his life in South Florida, Paul Ledbetter decided that he would take a crack at living out west. “He had been out there before, hunting and such, and liked it,” Jeff recalled.

Paul transferred to a new job in Dillon, Colorado when Jeff was nearing the end of the 9th grade. Dillon was incorporated in 1983 and sits on the shore of Lake Dillon, a huge reservoir.

“Dillon was in the heart of the continental divide. We hunted elk, mule deer, fished and skied. We were out there three years, some of the most adventurous years of our lives. We had two snowmobiles, which we raced. For somebody in high school, it was about as much fun as you could have!” Jeff recalled.

After staying three years, and enjoying all of the hunting, fishing and skiing one could want, the patriarch of the Ledbetter clan decided the better part of valor would be to move back to the warm climes of south Florida.

“We came back in early 1975. The winters had been tough. Our home was above 9,000 feet elevation. It started snowing in November and did not melt until the end of April. My grandfather (still in Florida) was also ill, so there was a big pull for my father to return,” Ledbetter added. Halfway through his senior year, Jeff entered Hialeah High School on his return to Florida and graduated with the rest of the senior class.

Jeff with two fine Snook caught near his home in Florida.

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J e f f L e d b e t t e r, A FA P r e s i d e n t

A Gator, a Job, a Wife & a Family With his high school diploma in hand, Jeff spent two years at Broward Community College then transferred to the University of Florida. He graduated in 1980 with a BS in Forestry Resources and Conservation.

Before graduation Jeff met the love of his life. “I met Robin at church. We were married in 1979. Church and faith had always been important to my folks and it is certainly important to me and to my family,” he noted.

Right out of college, Jeff went to work for the company that he still works for today.

“I started with Rayonier in Thomaston,

Georgia in a temporary job doing inventory work, in October of 1980. Then in 1981, I was hired full time as an assistant forester in an operational research group.

With that job at the research center, we moved down to Fernandina Beach, Florida.

“Our daughter Jennifer was born in 1983. She and our son-in-law have two children and currently reside in Texas.

Our grandson Emmitt will be two in March and we have a new little granddaughter, Grace, who was born October 24th of last year.”

“Our son Lee was born in 1986. He lives in northeast Florida and works in Jacksonville for EverBank. He has a 6 year old son, Brayden, our oldest grandchild,” Ledbetter said.

With his young growing family, Jeff was transferred by Rayonier to Eastman, Georgia as a district forester in 1987. Then

This is little Jeff Ledbetter being assisted by his father in his first experience with a .410 shotgun.

Jeff is standing at the front of the airboat with the control “stick” in his hands. Directly behind him is his mother Gloria and sister Margie, with a friend of the family sitting behind.

in 1990 he came back to Fernandina Beach as the North Florida District Manager, responsible for the management of approximately 200,000 acres of land in the Sunshine State.

“Then, in 2004, I was promoted to the Florida Region Superintendent position with responsibilities for all landholdings in Florida. I was in that role through the end of ’07. In early 2008, Rayonier reorganized and I came to Alabama as the Alabama Resource Unit Leader. The Region is comprised of approximately 400,000-acres.

We have offices in Andalusia, Monroeville and Waynesboro, Mississippi. Our Resource Unit has 11 team members, including myself,” Jeff said.

In the midst of his success with Rayonier, Jeff’s beloved father passed away in March of 2008.

Since then, although a lifelong hunter and fisherman, Jeff’s trips to woods or water have not been the same.

Though he lost his dad, Jeff’s mom Gloria is still alive and well in Florida.

“My mom lives in High Springs, Florida now and is in good health and very independent,” he added.

On Being AFA President Asked for his thoughts on the AFA going forward, Jeff said: “I would like to see us continue to grow our membership and, associated with that, our grassroots influence.

“I would also like to see continued growth in our education efforts, such as TCW (Teachers Conservation Workshops) and Project Learning Tree,” he added.

Jeff said he also sees a need to strengthen the emphasis on recruiting more low-acreage landowners into the Association.

“We should work to strengthen the segment of the membership that includes the small non-industrial landowner. They are collectively, the biggest landowners in the state. Focusing on them could really strengthen our local political influence,” said Jeff, adding that the current AFA effort to set up regional coordinators and

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2 host regional receptions are positive moves in that direction.

Jeff said that he is looking forward to the challenges ahead as he serves as AFA President.

“As I reflect on my career and all the change, it’s the relationships that have meant the most. I feel fortunate and blessed to be working in our industry were A L A B A M A F O R E S TS | W i nte r 2 0 1 4

3 business relationships are based on so many of the values that were part of my upbringing. I look forward to serving the Association this year and working with all the people that make it great,” Jeff added.

With Jeff Ledbetter serving as point man, AFA members can take comfort knowing that we have one of our very best leading the charge! ▲

4 1 Jeff Ledbetter and his father Paul with a couple of fine caribou they took on a hunting trip to Quebec Canada.

With “Save a Deer” emblazoned on the push-blade, the Ledbetter halftrack is ready to rumble!

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Jeff met his life mate Robin at church.

Three generations of Ledbetter’s, from left, Jeff , Jeff’s son Lee and the Ledbetter patriarch Paul Jackson Ledbetter.

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Loggers:

Take a Load Off of Your Mind

By Ray Clifton, ALC Director

Trucks queued up to be weighed by the DPS weight crew.

Inset: Portable truck scales

One of the biggest challenges for loggers and timber-haulers is the variability of load weights. Timber weights vary significantly based on a number of factors: tree species, growth rate, location (on the tract and geographically throughout the state), and even due to the season of the year.

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ost loggers face the difficult task of making an “educated guess” at the weight of every load they send out on the road. Too much weight can lead to delays and costly tickets, while too little weight results in lost income and added expense (driver wages, fuel, truck maintenance, the need for additional trucks, etc.).

Fortunately, the problem has a fairly simple solution. Onboard scales take the guess-work out of load weights. While the costs of scales are modest, the potential returns they allow are hard to ignore. It has been estimated that less than 8% of all log trucks in the South are equipped with on-board scales, yet talk to any logging or trucking company who uses them and you will likely hear “I don’t know how we every got by without them. It is one of the best investments I’ve ever made for my business.”

The Legal Issue The Alabama Department of Public Safety (ALDPS) is charged with enforcing weight limits on the state’s roads and bridges.

Unless otherwise posted, the legal limit for a loaded log truck is

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80,000 pounds. A 10% “tolerance” is allowed, which means that a fully-loaded truck may weigh up to 88,000 pounds (though there are further restrictions on the amount of weight per axle).

This limit is greater than many other states so in some ways, Alabama loggers already enjoy a competitive advantage.

ALDPS enforces the weight law through the use of fixed weigh stations and mobile portable scales units. The portable scale crews operate in “Districts,” which means that one ALDPS unit will normally cover several counties during the course of a week. Loggers can expect trucks to encounter a weight crew at least once per week, usually on major routes to customer mills or woodyards. ALDPS also conducts periodic “strike force” operations, in which several District crews concentrate in a single District for up to three weeks. When this tactic occurs, it is not uncommon for a single truck to be stopped and weighed several times on one trip to a customer location.

Overweight tickets are expensive — fines may be up to $600 or more in some counties. A bigger problem for loggers, however, are the delays caused by waiting in line at ALDPS portable scale A L A B A M A F O R E S TS | W i nte r 2 0 1 4

is startling: at standard cut and haul wages, this crew lost $0.69/ton of revenue for the week. This would amount to over $35,000 of potential revenue during the course of a year.

Similar analyses of other logging crews indicate that most are losing $.050 - $1.70/ton each week in potential revenue. The actual losses are much greater because this simple analysis does not account for the actual costs associated with hauling “extra” loads to achieve the same amount of production.

Killing Two Birds with One Stone

Improving the Bottom Line While on-board scales can eliminate the overweight load issues, a simple analysis of most logging company haul records reveals that 80 — 85% of all loads hauled are significantly underweight. This represents a huge inefficiency in the supply chain and a loss of millions of dollars each year.

This can be illustrated simply by the concept of the “optimum load.” This target load weight is defined as the maximum legal weight that could be hauled on each trip. For example, a conservative approach might choose a total gross weight of 84,000 pounds as the optimum load: Optimum load weight = 84,000; Truck/Trailer weight = 30, 065; Allowable payload = 53,935 (26.97 tons).

With this approach, any load weighing less than 26.97 tons would be considered underweight.

A simple analysis of a weekly logger settlement illustrates the costliness of underweight loads. One logger engaged in pine plantation thinning in north Alabama hauled 37 loads in one week — 4 of these loads were overweight and 29 were underweight based on the optimum load calculation. The total tonnage for the week was 34.29 tons (1.3 loads) less than the total possible outcome.

Simply put, this means that the same amount of tonnage could have been hauled with 36 loads. The cost of these “light loads” A L A B A M A F O R E S TS | W i nte r 2 0 1 4

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stops. These “check points” often result in the loss of an additional load that could have been hauled that day due to federallymandated “hours-of-service” constraints placed on drivers. Over the course of a year, the lost revenue for timber-haulers, most of which are under the legal weight limit, is significant.

A final legal issue associated with load weight is the potential liability if an overweight truck is involved in an accident. A history of hauling overweight loads in such a scenario could lead to financially devastating consequences for the logger, the truck driver, and the mill that has purchased the load.

The simple solution to these problems is the widespread use of on-board scales in the logging industry. Their use would eliminate the legal issues associated with overweight loads and eliminate inefficiencies that currently plague the supply chain, including improving the financial health of the logging industry.

On-board scales have been available for over 30 years and commonly used by other segments of the trucking industry.

They are generally reliable and affordable. In the previous example, one set would pay for itself in about a month.

The benefits to loggers, truckers, and mills should be obvious — we all just need to get “on-board” with a technology that will strengthen our industry. ▲

VULC N ON-BOARD SCALES

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Acres

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.S. Forest Service fire specialists are conducting prescribed burns on approximately 115,000 acres throughout Alabama’s four national forests — Bankhead, Conecuh, Talladega, and Tuskegee during the next six months. Prescribed fire (controlled burn) is an annual management tool to improve plant and animal habitat and overall forest health to withstand natural disturbances such as drought, insects and diseases. The controlled burns also aim to reduce the build-up of hazardous fuels that could feed wildfires that threaten communities located near national forests.

Anyone living near the national forest may see smoke columns, reduced visibility in low lying areas and additional traffic along Forest Service roads. Drivers are asked to use their low beam lights if they encounter smoke on the road. Maps that highlight prescribed burn areas can be viewed on the Forest Service website at www.fs.usda.gov/alabama.

If you have questions about the following prescribed burns, contact a Forest Service district office:

Bankhead National Forest is planning to

Conecuh National Forest is planning to burn

burn 19,000 acres in Winston and Lawrence counties. Call (205) 489-5111.

Talladega National Forest — Talladega and Shoal Creek Districts are planning to burn 39,000 acres in Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne, and Talladega counties. Call the Heflin office at (256) 463-2272 or the Talladega office at (256) 362-2909.

30,000 acres in Escambia and Covington counties. Call (334) 222-2555.

Talladega National Forest — Oakmulgee District plan to burn 23,000 acres in Bibb, Dallas, Perry, Tuscaloosa, Hale, and Chilton counties. Call (205) 926-9765.

Tuskegee National Forest is planning to burn 3,000 acres in Macon County.

Call (334) 727-2652.

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15

Snow Fell on Alabama

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t the old home place of John Dorrill’s Family (bottom), known as Clay Hills Farms, a quiet snow fell in January. The house, located on 80-acres near Brundidge, Ala., has been in the Dorrill family for over 100 years.

The homesite is a TREASURE Forest and the entire Dorrill land holding in Pike County is a certified Tree Farm, including the home site. The Dorrills are engaged in a first commercial thinning on most of the several hundred acres of timberland the family also owns in Pike County.

John Dorrill also has a cattle operation on the land.

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Right: Blanket of snow that fell in Pike County, recently walked over by the cattle on John Dorrill’s property.

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NEWS & VIEWS

From My Neck of the Woods… have mentioned this before, but now the selections have been made! The 2014 Alabama Tree Farm assessment is gearing up and our program is being assessed by the American Forest Foundation’s (AFF) third party assessment team from Price-Waterhouse-Coopers. To maintain 3rd party credibility and certification with PEC, the Alabama Tree Farm program must assess a required sample of Alabama Tree Farmers every five years. This is in addition to what we assess every year with our required inspections. This assessment ensures that each certified Tree Farm is managed to 2010-2015 standards.

After our initial selection meeting in January, we are now gathering the required documentation and location of the Tree Farms that were selected for this year’s assessment. The assessment will review Tree Farm management plans and visit the 39 selected Tree Farms in Alabama in a one week period in late April. This will be the 2nd time Alabama has gone through this process. Though we have been through it before, and learned a lot, it takes a great deal of cooperation, coordination, and planning to make it all go

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smoothly. The biggest issue with the assessment is to make sure that management plans address the 2010-2015 standards. As stated, the assessment team will be in Alabama one week, with one team member visiting south Alabama and the other visiting Central Alabama. If your Tree Farm was selected, someone will be calling to schedule a time to visit with you, get a copy of your management plan and possibly some current information on recent activities on your Tree Farm. This confidential information will only be provided to the PWC assessment team. I look forward to a clean assessment and some great Southern hospitality.

Last week I attended the Alabama Natural Resource Council’s Symposium and Awards Banquet in Prattville. It is refreshing to see how well Alabama is represented by landowners who take pride in owning a piece of this great state.

Alabama’s 2014 Tree Farmer of the Year, Dr. Robert Parker, owns a beautiful piece of Elmore County along the Tallapoosa River. To quote Tim Albritton’s article about Dr. Parker, “One of the good doctor’s admirable attributes is

his work ethic. I will let him sum it up in his own humorous words: “You need to go home, pick up your television and throw it out the window.” He believes people spend too much time watching television.

So he encourages people to “DO SOMETHING!” with their time. Working the land is an honorable and noble task but a higher standard is reached when you share what you have learned and done with other landowners. Parker has been doing this for years — opening up his farm to landowners and groups for field days and events. He has humbly shared his successes and failures with others in the hope of helping them improve their forest land.” I could not have said it any better and I congratulate Dr. Parker and his family on winning the 2014 Alabama Tree Farmer of the Year award.

Until next time, I am, Paul E. Hudgins, R.F.

By Paul Hudgins, Alabama Tree Farm Chairman

Alabama Tree Farm Committee State Chairman Paul Hudgins (334) 376-9114 Black Belt District Bart Adams (334) 410-0608 Capital District Rick Oates (334) 613-4305 Delta District Paul Hudgins (334) 376-9114 Longleaf District Mike Older (334) 222-0379 Mountain District Todd Langston (256) 434-4712 A L A B A M A F O R E S TS | W i nte r 2 0 1 4

Piedmont District Bruce Eason (334) 864-9357 Valley District Karen Boyd (256) 637-7223 Vulcan District Jason Dockery (256) 734-0573 Warrior District Tim Browning (205) 367-8232 Wiregrass District Heather Wierzbicki (334) 855-5394

Northern Vice Chairman Tim Browning (205) 367-8232 Southern Vice Chairman Heather Wierzbicki (334) 855-5394 At Large Directors: Tim Albritton (334) 887-4560 John Boutwell (334) 365-9221

Tom Carignan (334) 361-7677 Lamar & Felicia Dewberry (256) 396-0555 Don East (256) 396-2694 Chris Isaacson (334) 265-8733 Doug Link (251) 564-6281 Salem & Dianne Saloom (251) 867-6464 Charles Simon (334) 222-1125

Jim Solvason (334) 372-3360 Carolyn Stubbs (334) 821-0374 Allen Varner (334) 240-9308

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A Walk in the Forest…

Just for Women

By Felicia Dewberry

n Wednesday, October 9, 2013 a “Walk in the Forest — Just for Women” was held on Dewberry Lands, in Clay County, Alabama. Dewberry Lands, a certified Tree Farm and TREASURE Forest, are owned by Lamar and Felicia Dewberry of Lineville.

There were 17 women who participated and learned about tree identification, some forestry facts, history of the property and wildflower information. Participants also listened to a presentation by Sheri Rollins, District Director for Congressman Mike Rogers. A small gift was given to the winner of the tree identification contest and a bluebird house was given as a door prize. To finish off the Walk in the Forest, a tasty meal was provided for everyone.

This was a project developed by Lamar and Felicia Dewberry that is designed to get women into the outdoors in a setting where they are comfortable asking questions about the forest.

Nick Jordan with the Alabama Forestry Commission in Clay County told the ladies about the assistance AFC could provide

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to help landowners. This presentation was very informative and well received.

Some of the comments from attendees were: “Thank you so much for inviting me to walk in the woods and hang out with you the other day. I had the best time! Lunch was delicious! October is my favorite month and being outside in the middle of the day enjoying the perfect weather was great!”

Probate Judge of Clay County “Just wanted to thank you again for the lovely day spent on your property. It was so nice to be outside.” Clay County Career Technology Director “Thank you so much for the beautiful women’s walk in the woods. I had a wonderful time!” City Attorney “Thank you for a fabulous day in the forest!” Clay County Chamber of Commerce Director “Thank you for today. Had a great time! Tell Lamar Dewberry I’m going to brush up on my tree identification for next year.”

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Some of the beautiful flowers enjoyed by the participants during the Walk in the Forest.

Sheri Rollins, District Director, Congressman Rogers Office Attendees included the probate judge, a city attorney, director of career tech, retired educators, chamber of commerce director, spouse of a state senator, and other professional women.

The Walk in the Forest program is part of a national campaign coordinated by the Society of American Foresters (SAF) and the American Forest Foundation (AFF). Foresters, environmental educators, and Tree Farmers across the country are inviting school children, teachers, lawmakers, and community members to get outdoors and enjoy the woods. These walks are designed to be both fun and educational and to help people develop an appreciation for nature and an understanding of why caring for America’s forests is so important.

This walk was made possible by the Alabama Forests Forever Foundation, the Clay County TREASURE Forest/Forestry Planning Committee and the Clay County Forestry Commission.

Lamar and Felicia serve on the State Tree Farm Committee.

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A Deserving Recipient

By Tim Albritton great example for forest landowners in Alabama is the Tree Farm and Treasure Forest of Doctor Robert Parker.

He acquired the property in southeast Elmore County in the late eighties and began transforming the old cotton fields into a diverse pine and hardwood forest.

But that was just the beginning.

One of the good doctor’s admirable attributes is his work ethic. I will let him sum it up in his own humorous words: “You need to go home, pick up your television and throw it out the window.” He believes people spend too much time sitting and watching television. So he encourages people to “DO SOMETHING!” with their time.

Parker practices what he preaches. He has planted trees, learned how to do prescribed burns and conducted many prescribed burns over the years. He has attended training workshops and seminars to learn about the many invasive species in his area and then began controlling them with approved methods.

Not long ago he hosted a field day on his property. On the handout he created for the occasion he offered this good advice: “Don’t be overwhelmed with the task A — start small and just be consistent.”

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The results indicate that he has been very consistent over the years with his own land management.

Working the land is an honorable and noble task but the higher standard is reached when you begin to share what you have learned and done with other landowners. Parker has been doing this for years — opening up his farm to other landowners and groups for field days and events. He has humbly shared his successes and failures with others in the hope of helping them improve their forest land.

Dr. Parker has been a leader in the local landowner association and helps to encourage others to be good stewards.

Recently, while working on a brochure for the landowner association, we were searching for a simple motto to put on the publication and Doctor Parker nailed it, suggesting, “Helping Elmore County landowners improve their land.” Simply put, that is what he quietly goes about doing, helping others to improve their land by setting a good example.

Parker’s Tree Farm is a testament to his hard steady work. He continues to make wooden bowls, use his portable sawmill to rough cut lumber for various projects, prune trees, prescribed burn and control

Dr. Parker, shown here making a wooden platter as part of a demonstration at the 2006 National Tree Farm Convention in Mobile, loves to make things out of wood.

invasive species. Recently he started a new hobby — making handcrafted custom knives. He is an amazing treasure to the Elmore County area and to the entire state of Alabama.

Doctor Robert Parker is a deserving recipient of the 2013 State Tree Farmer of the Year.

Come out of the rain & study awhile…

www.alaforestry.org/cfe 20

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A CONTINUING SERIES: What It Means to Be a Tree Farmer

I Am a Tree Farmer

By John Boutwell am a tree farmer. I plant trees, I grow trees, I harvest trees and I sell trees. I am a tree farmer and I have the best job on earth! Like most tree farmers in our state, I love my work and thoroughly enjoy trying to make our little corner of God’s world a better place. My tree farm has a lot of diversity of both terrain and soil types. It has limestone outcrops that will only grow red cedar or a chinkapin oak. Within 100 feet can be another soil that has a 105 loblolly pine site index. Are the rock outcrops worth less? No, because in late spring when they are full of wildflowers they feed my soul, while the loblolly site feeds my bank account.

You see, unlike most private woodland owners in Alabama, growing and selling trees is all I do. I’m not talking about a weekend hobby: this is my “day job.” Trees have to pay the bills.

In addition to paying for forestry expenses, they have to pay for my lights, gas, groceries and over-priced health insurance. Continued income from timberland is my retirement plan. This is why I’m all about growing and selling trees.

Admittedly some things I do on the farm cost more than they return, but in the end my tree farm as a whole has to make a profit to support my family. Maybe this gives me a little different perspective on timber growing. I want to share some of my “worries” about the future of our industry and my way of making a living.

First, I worry about the loggers who harvest and haul our timber to market. There are not enough to go around now, and the number of logging crews are fewer every year. Most crews have gotten bigger and more mechanized to survive. They need to produce 50-100 loads per week to pay their bills (the biggest of which are the equipment note and fuel bill). They also need short hauls so that their limited trucks can make three runs per day. Small, mixed product timber tracts have become harder to sell and some of the best specialty markets are over 70 miles away. I’m afraid that harvesting and selling our timber is not going to get any easier.

I worry about our government when it is more concerned about getting re-elected than fixing a broken economy. We are six years into a recession and all we get is more regulation and interference to inhibit a free market economy. Don’t hesitate to communicate with Washington and Montgomery. We are lucky to have organizations such as the American Forest Foundation and the Alabama Forestry Association to help fight our legislative battles. I encourage you to support organizations such as these because there is strength in numbers.

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John Boutwell, Tree Farmer

To get better log prices, the home building industry has to have a robust demand for plywood and 2¥4s. That’s why I worry about our sick economy. I would worry about our paper and pulp industry in light of the trend toward a “paperless” communication’s world. Thankfully the general populations of China and India are discovering toilet paper, feminine hygiene and disposable diapers! Our “fluff” mills need to gear up to supply that demand because it will become huge.

I have several other “worries.” After thinking about them, they all fit under one broad category — the perception of our industry by the general public. Somehow during the past 50 years, we have gone from being hard working friends of the forest, to the evil destroyers of the environment and the enemy of “helpless” trees. We have to turn this perception around to survive legislatively.

Recently we received a catalog selling little bundles of fat lightwood. In bold print in the middle of the ad was the following statement — “No live trees were harmed in the harvesting of this product.” Fat lightwood comes from the heartwood of dead old growth pine trees, or from old pine fence posts, or floor 21

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joists from an old house. By definition of the product, surely no live trees were harmed. But, the catalog company still felt the need to emphasize that to their customers!

There are few people who like to look at and appreciate big old trees more than I do. If I could reach around them, I might hug them. But I can show you numerous examples where I chose not to cut big trees for esthetic purposes and they are now dead,by no fault of mine – lightening I am a tree farmer. strikes, bugs, disease, or just old age. Most of my harI plant trees, vests are timber stand improvement (TSI) cuts. These simply improve the health of the forest by thinning an I grow trees, overcrowded stand. When I do need to clear-cut a mature stand, I typically harvest 50-75 trees per acre.

I harvest trees and Within 1-3 years I replant 700 seedlings per acre. Harvest one mature tree…plant 10 new trees. Am I really I sell trees. the forest’s worst enemy? I think not, but how do I communicate this?

The U.S. Green Building Code (USGBC) considers I am a tree farmer and concrete and steel to be “greener” building materials have the best job on earth! than wood. Figure that logic out! Trees are renewable.

Remember, harvest 1 and plant 10. A few years ago I had an audit on carbon sequestration for my tree farm.

The audit revealed that my pine plantations sequestered (or captured) over 6 ½ metric tons of carbon dioxide per acre per year. I’m greener than Al Gore! But does the general public know this? No! We have to make them aware of all the benefits we provide.

Further, the USGBC recognizes only one forest certification program –— the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). However, only 6.7% of the approximately 8 million acres of certified forests Alabama are certified by FSC. Our two largest certification programs are the American Tree Farm System (ATFS) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) which certify a combined 93.3?% of forests in our state (Tree Farm = 48.7% and SFI = 44.6%. If your timberland is not certified by one of these programs, you should consider beginning the process. Good or bad, in the not so distant future, many timber markets will be limited to wood coming from certified tree farms.

As you can see, we in the timber industry do have a perception problem. I think that we are still the hard working friends of trees and protectors of the environment, but we have to convince the public of this. I do believe there is power in numbers.

If you feel as I do, join a forestry group and tell others about the good we do.

I am a tree farmer. I plant trees, I grow trees, I harvest trees and I sell trees. I am a tree farmer and I have the best job on earth!

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Strong Roots Thank You Sponsors The Alabama Forestry Foundation gratefully acknowledges the contributions and commitment made by the following individuals and organizations for promoting environmental education in Alabama at the 2013 Teachers’ Conservation Workshops: Alabama Forest Owners Association Alabama Forests Forever Foundation ALCO Land and Timber Association of Consulting Foresters Bell Yarbro Investments Bibb County Farmers Federation Cahaba Pressure Treated Forest Products, Inc. Cedar Creek Land & Timber Chilton County Farmers Federation Clay County Farmers Federation Mr. William Crosby Elmore County Farmers Federation F. Ogden MMC Properties Forest Investment Associates Forestar Fulton Logging Company Georgia Pacific Hancock Forest Management, Inc. Harper Lumber, LLC Harrigan Lumber, LLC Hubbard, William International Paper International Paper Foundation Jackson County Farmers Federation Littrell Lumber Company Manufacture Alabama Mr. and Mrs. John McMillan MeadWestvaco Melala, LP Molpus Timberlands Management LLC Natural Resource Group Packaging Corporation of America Plum Creek Rayonier Regions Bank Renfroe Preservation LLC Resource Management Service Rock Springs Land and Timber RockTenn Scotch and Gulf Lumber Scotch Plywood Company Scott Davis Chip Company Sizemore and Sizemore Society of American Foresters, Alabama Division Sustainable Forestry Initiative T. C. Mace Logging T.R. Miller Mill Company Westervelt Weyerhaeuser

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Sponsors & Volunteers Grow Teachers Conservation Workshop “My first year participating in Teachers Conservation Workshop (TCW) proved to be quite a day for me,” reflects RockTenn forester Ed Lewis. “I was scheduled to help teach Project Learning Tree (PLT) for my first time with lots of help from a couple of fellow foresters. At the last minute, work obligations pulled them away, leaving me alone and scared to death!” Ed laughs and says he was baptized into PLT and TCW by fire since he had to go it alone, teaching the group of educators for six hours at Chewacla Park in Auburn. Since that summer of 1986, Lewis missed only one year assisting with TCW. He calls his heart attack the day before the 2008 workshop “terrible timing.” Thankfully, Lewis recovered and resumed volunteer status the following summer.

Volunteers Are Key Volunteers and supporters across the state share their time and resources with the annual workshop because they believe it is one of the best ways to convey the message of the forestry community to future generations. After forty-three years of workshops, over two thousand teachers have grown in their knowledge and appreciation for Alabama’s well-managed forests and the role they play in protecting our environment, economy, and way of life. This strong commitment to forestry education has potentially affected over forty thousand students. Teachers Conservation Workshop helps ensure the true story of the forest industry gets heard in our state.

Anne Rilling, Longleaf Alliance, began volunteering with TCW in 1995. She recalls that many foresters got involved as part of a celebratory momentum for the Alabama Forestry Association’s 45th anniversary. “Attendance at the workshop exploded in the mid-1990s,” shares Rilling. “Promoting the forest industry in Alabama became very important as many of us within the business recognized that students would be the future of both our state and our industry.”

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Forest industry leaders realized professionals from within the industry needed to take time to tell the

Planning Ahead Volunteers committed to the cause are busy planning TCW 2014. Sponsorships are being sought. Agendas are being final-

forestry story correctly; otherwise

ized and include presentations from experienced industry

it might not be done.

personnel and Auburn University faculty. As teachers plan

When MeadWestvaco’s Joe

their summer education opportunities, TCW readies for

Roberson first became involved

field trips to forests and forest products facilities along with

in TCW after college, he shared

hands-on experiences to provide relevant learnings for teach-

his knowledge of technological advances

ers. Numerous volunteers and supporters make the workshop a possibility and have done so since 1970.

in the forest industry with teachers.

His encouragement to stay involved came from Auburn University professor and School of Forestry Student Services Coordinator

Consider a Tree Images of growing trunks, reaching branches, and shading canopies come to mind. Remember the roots? Roots anchor

Dr. Earl DeBrunner. “I once heard someone ask Dr. DeBrun-

the tree in the ground, absorb water and nutrients from the

ner if he ever had students enroll

soil, and help the tree grow straight and tall. Tree roots pro-

in Auburn’s Forestry program as a result of his volunteer

vide stability and strength. In much the same way, volunteers

outreach efforts,” said Roberson. “Dr. DeBrunner stated that

and supporters of the Teachers Conservation Workshop sus-

while a few of the students would end up in forestry, 100%

tain the annual event with persistent dedication. Please

of them end up as future voters. The statement made a pro-

make plans to join us this year. Your commitment of time and/or finances grows the success of the Alabama Teachers Conservation Workshop.

found impact on me as to why it is important that we as forestry professionals dedicate our time and resources to education efforts.”

For more information about the Teachers Conservation Workshop, please go to: www.alaforestry.org/tcw.

YES, count me in. I would like to help a teacher attend!

Enclosed is my contribution for: $500 for one full scholarship $1,000 for two full scholarships other amount $______________ Name: ________________________________________Email: ________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________________________________ Company: ______________________________________Phone: _______________________________ Please return this to: Matt Vines Alabama Forestry Foundation 555 Alabama Street Montgomery, AL 36104

Checks should be payable to AFF-TCW Donations to the Alabama Forestry Foundation are charitable contributions and tax deductible.

STABILITY

AFA Endorsed U Member Owned U Consistent Dividends U Experienced Managers ForestFund participants have owned and controlled their workers’ compensation program since 1971. ForestFund participants are on the Board of Trustees that establishes policy and sets rates. An experienced administrator manages the program. Many companies offering workers’ compensation coverage have come and gone over the years, but ForestFund is the reliable source that has been here through good and bad times. ForestFund has paid a dividend for 18 straight years. No competitor has ever paid a dividend. No other program is endorsed by any forestry organization. The Alabama Forestry Association has endorsed ForestFund exclusively for 37 years.

ForestFund is in its fourth decade of providing a stable workers’ compensation market for employers and employees who harvest, transport, manufacture, buy or sell forest products. Sure there are other programs that provide workers’ compensation coverage, but do they measure up to ForestFund when it comes to Stability, Savings, Service DQG 6DIHW\" 0DNH WKH FDOO WR ¿QG RXW *HQHUDO /LDELOLW\ TXRWHV DUH DOVR DYDLODEOH

For a quote, call Kelly Daniel at ForestFund: (334) 495-0024

2013 Log a Load Program Started and Ended with a

! g n Ba

By Sam Duvall

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This little fellow is ready to show the big boys how it’s done at the 2013 Henry County Dove Hunt in the Wiregrass District.

Log a Load for Kids Totals for 2013 District Total Raised Capital..................................$41,304.16 Blackbelt................................29,490 Delta ......................................14,900 Longleaf.................................21,220 Mountain.................................5,490 Piedmont ..............................64,960 Warrior...................................23,750 Wiregrass...............................19,025 Statewide ................................3,665 Total Raised in 2013...........$223,804.16

he District Directors and event chairmen of the Log a Load program in 2103 pulled out all the stops and produced a host of great events across the state of Alabama.

Through the collective efforts of all participants, a total of $233,804.16 was raised for the kids. Everybody involved should pat themselves on the back and stand up and dance a little jig because they made 2013 a really good year in a still too sluggish economy.

Congratulations to all of you who made last year a great year!

Starting things off with a bang was the Piedmont District 1st Annual Log a Load Turkey Shoot at the Oaks in LaFayette which raised $29,000! Congratulations to event chair Kimberly Fuller for stepping into Janet Ison’s shoes and just about filling them up!

May 3, 2013 saw Shannon White putting on his annual Piedmont District Sporting Clays event at Selwood Farms. Shannon’s $11,450 haul was the most he has raised at his event, which gets bigger and better each year.

May 13 saw the Wiregrass District Golf Tournament at the Troy Country Club turn in another great performance at a new venue.

On May 18th, Angie Sherrill had all of her cowboy and cowgirl friends at her Annual Wiregrass Trail Ride near Abbeville on the beautiful property of Henry County Sheriff William Maddox. The riders all seemed to enjoy themselves immensely.

Next in line was the Capital District Golf Tournament on May 21. Terry Bussey and his Capital District crew had their usual great event at Lagoon Park in Montgomery. In fact, the Capital District won the “largest single event” contest, with their $29,148 just beating out the Piedmont District’s $29,000 even. Congratulations to Terry and his helpmates. They have always done a great job, which like Shannon’s sporting clays event, just gets better and better each year!

Following Capital’s “best of show” performance, was the annual Delta District Golf Tournament on May 23 at the Deerfield course at Chatom. The family and friends of

This Boise truck has a mighty fine load of logs at the Delta District event in Chatom.

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The Capital District’s Sporting Clays event crew, left to right, Lee Davis, Alice Blake, Emily Hornak, event “top gun” Josh “Tiny” Aldridge, Janet Ison and CHIPS Center Director Deb Schneider. Tiny broke 97 out of 100 targets.

Children’s Hospital Reps. Emily Hornak (center) and Alice Blake (right) stand with the first place team at Terry Bussey’s Capital District event.

One of two fully-loaded, tricked out Ford truck’s that Stiver’s Ford brought to the Capital District shoot.

Chuck Reynolds did a great job in 2013 as they always do. Sad to say, Chuck’s sweet wife Peggy passed away last year after an extended illness. She will be missed by all who knew her!

After Delta, Jeff Gossett and his crew put on a great golf event on June 12 at the Greystone Legacy Course near Birmingham.

Next came the big shootout on September 19 at the Capital District Sporting Clays event which raised over $9,000 for the kids and saw Josh “Tiny” Aldridge pull off a “toofer” having shared “top gun” honors with Bob Carlton at Shannon’s Selwood event, Josh won the Capital shoot outright. If you’ve never seen him shoot, it is a sight to behold! On a practice round after the Capital event Josh missed shooting a perfect round of 100 by one shot!

After the Capital District shootout came the Mountain District Golf Tournament on Sept. 20 at the Robert Trent Jones A L A B A M A F O R E S TS | W i nte r 2 0 1 4

One of the scores of riders who participated in Angie Sherrill’s annual trail ride event near Abbeville.

Reid Duvall prepares to let one fly at LAL Archery Shoot at Waverly, Ala. Event is sponsored by Auburn University Forestry Club.

This father and daughter team, are typical of the family-oriented nature of the annual Wiregrass Trail ride.

Allison McFadden (center) draws the winning Log a Load 25th Anniversary Gator entry, while mom Amy McFadden (right) the South Carolina Forestry Association Chair provides the blindfold and Rich Palermo (left) National Log a Load Chair, awaits the result.

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Log a Load

Standing tall under their banner at the Children’s & Women’s Hospital crew, left to right, Cassandra Odom, Nancy Calhoun, Beth Mattei, and Owen Bailey.

State Log a Load Chair Janet Ison had a ball with her granddaughter Bailea Boone at Capital District golf event where Bailea followed in grandma’s shoes selling chances on the John Deere Gator.

Wyatt Fountain, right, receives the Log a Load 25th Anniversary Gator from Bryan Dobson (left) of East Coast Equipment. The FRA program raised a lot of money nationwide, with each state retaining the amount they raised.

The sign up tent at the Annual Piedmont Golf Tournament at Greystone in Birmingham. This event is always well-attended thanks to Jeff Gossett, Kim Warren and the rest of Jeff’s crew.

Golf Trail at Silver Lakes. As they always do, the Kronospan crew led by Jeremy Oliver and Mark Lowe did a fantastic job.

The next event was Richard Quina’s Longleaf District Golf Tournament on October 23 at the beautiful Brewton Country Club. As he has consistently done for many, many years, Richard held a very successful event, turning in some $21,400 for the kids. Way to go Rich!

The next event was the Annual Charlie Hughen Memorial Sporting Clay and Skeet Shoot at the Westervelt Lodge in Aliceville, which brought in over $24,000.

Our hats are off to George Franklin and his whole crew for doing a fantastic job last year, as they have done every year they have participated in this program.

Closing out the year, again with a bang, was the 2nd Annual Wiregrass Dove Hunt in Henry County. As it was in 2012, the 2013 event was a big success, raising over $5,000.

A great ending for a fantastic year! ▲ 28

Josh “Tiny” Aldridge was “top gun” at the Capital Skeet Shoot in 2013.

Working to make Richard Quina’s Longleaf event a big success were, left to right, Janet Ison, Anne Rilling, Kelli Castleberry, and Deb Schneider.

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Forestry News & Views AFA Leader Danny White Appointed

by U.S. Ag Secretary to Softwood Lumber Board

2014 AFA District Meeting & Regional Reception Announcement

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2013 — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has appointed six members to serve on the Softwood Lumber Board. Members will serve a threeyear term of office beginning Jan. 1, 2014.

New appointments include manufacturers Charles W. Roady, Columbia Falls, Mont., and Danny White, Brewton, Ala., representing the U.S. West and South regions, respectively; and importer Don Kayne, BC, Canada, who will represent the Canada West region.

Danny is a past president and board chairman of the Alabama Forestry Association and is president and CEO of T.R. Miller Mill Company, Brewton, Ala. Our congratulations to Danny and his family on this important appointment. ▲

The Vulcan District meeting will be held in Birmingham on 3/20/2014.

The Vulcan District meeting is for AFA Members only and will begin at 5:00 PM. The Birmingham Area Regional Reception, which will follow the Vulcan District meeting is open to everyone who wants to attend and will be held at 6 PM in the Historic Cahaba Pump Station Museum, 4012 Sicard Hollow Road, Birmingham, AL 35243. For more call or email Liz Chambers at (334) 481-2135 or lchambers@laforestry.org.

State Unemployment of 6.1%; Governor Bentley May Get Paid Yet!

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Rayonier Plans to Split Its Operations into Two Companies JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —(BUSINESS WIRE) —Jan. 27, 2014 — Rayonier Inc. (NYSE:RYN) announced today it intends to separate its Performance Fibers business from its Forest Resources and Real Estate businesses. The separation will result in two independent, publicly-traded companies by means of a tax-free spin-off of the Performance Fibers business to Rayonier shareholders. The separation is expected to be completed in mid-2014. ▲

overnor Robert Bentley announced last week that Alabama’s unemployment rate has fallen dramatically.

To date, Governor Bentley has not received a paycheck for the job, having promised he would not be paid until Alabama reaches full employment at around 5.2%. But he is getting close, announcing recently: “Alabama’s unemployment rate is 6.1%, marking a five-year low. There are 59,400 more jobs today in Alabama than there were in January of 2011, with the greatest job growth coming from the manufacturing sector,” the governor noted. ▲

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and service—ever tional quality y day”

PO Box 1425 • Jasper, AL 35502 www.jasperlumber.com Phone: (205) 384-9088 / Fax: (205) 384-0000 A L A B A M A F O R E S TS | W i nte r 2 0 1 4

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Forestr y News & V iews

Joseph Parnell Takes Oath as Chilton County Commissioner

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oseph Parnell was sworn in as the newest member of the Chilton County Commission on Monday, February 10.

Parnell was appointed by Governor Robert Bentley to fill the vacancy created by the death of longtime commissioner Tim Mims.

Joseph is manager of Parnell Inc., based in Maplesville, which deals in land, timber and cattle. He and his family were honored as Alabama’s “Logger of the Year” in 2006.

The Parnell’s have been living and farming in Chilton County for five generations. Joseph’s older brother, Jimmy Parnell, is President and CEO of ALFA Insurance Company and the Alabama Farmers Federation. ▲

Sessions Calls on US House Not to “Surrender” on Immigration WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions is working behind the scenes to discourage House Republicans from coalescing behind the effort for new immigration laws, pleading with his party not to “surrender” to President Obama.

As GOP lawmakers huddled in Maryland recently for their annual retreat, Speaker of the House John Boehner was expected to unveil a list of broad immigration principles the Republican conference should support.

However, after House members balked at Boehner’s appeal, the Speaker lost some of his enthusiasm on immigration, putting the ball back in the court of President Obama and the Democrats. ▲

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WOODLEY H. BAGWELL, SR. Managing Director, Investments woodley.bagwell@raymondjames.com

WOODLEY H. BAGWELL, JR. First Vice President, Investments woodley.bagwelljr@raymondjames.com

7460 Halcyon Pointe Drive // Montgomery, AL 36117 T 334.213.4104 Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC

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A L A B A M A F O R E S TS | W i nte r 2 0 1 4

IN MEMORIAM: John Richard Miller Jr.

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ohn Richard Miller, Jr., a current resident of Destin, Florida, died on January 26, 2014 at the age of 93. He was born on May 8, 1920 in Brewton, Ala., and was preceded in death by his parents, John Richard Miller, Sr. and Lucille McGowin Miller, as well as his sister and brotherin-law, Alice Jean Miller Huxford and Camilla Calvit Huxford.

He was the last living grandchild of the late Thomas Richard Miller. He is survived by his beloved wife of 70 years, Virginia Earl Kersh Miller, and their four children: Nancy Miller Melton (Billy) of Evergreen, Alabama; John Richard Miller III (Carol) of Loxley, Alabama; David Earl Miller (Jane) of Port St. Joe, Florida; Jean Miller Stimpson (Sandy) of Mobile, Alabama. He has ten grandchildren and twenty-one great-grandchildren. Mr. Miller was a native and longtime resident of Brewton, Alabama and received his early education there.

After graduating from Culver Military Academy in Culver, Indiana he attended the University of Alabama where he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon social fraternity.

Mr. Miller served as a pilot in the United States Army Air Corps, 8th Air Force, in the European Theatre of Operation in World War II. He received the decorations of Air Medal, E.T.O. Medal and a presidential citation.

He was honorably discharged with the rank of major. He returned to Brewton and like his grandfather and father, was employed by T. R. Miller Mill Company, where he held various positions, namely: Director 1946, vice-president and director 1947-1967, president 1967-1986, chairman of the board 19862009 and chairman emeritus until his death. He served as chairman of the board of Cedar Creek Land & Timber Company from

its inception until 2009.

He served on a number of other boards including Neal Land & Timber Co., Inc., First National Bank, and was a founding member of the Bank of Mobile. He was a trusted advisor to the Family Office he established, Miller Investment Group. While Mr. Miller served as the third generation patriarch of his family and business, he did not neglect his commitment to his church, First United Methodist Church of Brewton and Destin, his community, his state or his country.

He was a lifelong member of the Brewton Rotary Club. He served on the Brewton City School Board, as well as the president’s cabinet and the Business School’s Board of Visitors at The University of Alabama, where he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree by the University of Alabama in May, 1996. He also received an honorary doctorate degree by Mobile College (now University of Mobile) in May, 1997.

He was inducted into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame, like his father before him, at The University of Alabama. He loved the outdoors and was an excellent wing shot, but he was particularly partial to fishing Shipp Pond, Apalachicola Bay and the Gulf of Mexico with his family, friends and business associates. He will always be remembered for his humility, generosity and kindness to all.

EDITORS NOTE: Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson posted this on Facebook on January 31: “This morning I will go to Brewton for the funeral of my father-in-law, John Richard Miller. While everyone will be very sad, it will be a celebration of the end of a long and wonderful life here and the beginning of his new life.

I will remember him as a humble gentleman, always doing the right thing, and always doing things in moderation with the exception being his generosity.” ▲

IN MEMORIAM: Brenda Semmes Wood

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e have the sad duty to inform you that Mrs. Brenda Semmes Wood has passed away. Matriarch of the Wood family in Montgomery, Brenda helped turn J.M. Wood Auction Company, which she helped found with her husband, Malcolm, into the 4th largest heavy equipment auction company in America.

Brenda took the reins of the company when Malcolm died of cancer in 1989. She was 42 when she became president of the

A L A B A M A F O R E S TS | W i nte r 2 0 1 4

company. Brenda was a longtime member of the Alabama Forestry Association and a supporter of Log a Load for Kids.

Born July 3rd 1948, Brenda is the great-granddaughter of Confederate Admiral Raphael Semmes. She died on December 22nd, 2013 and was laid to rest Friday December 27th at Greenwood Cemetery by Leak Memory Funeral Home, 945 Lincoln Rd, Montgomery, AL 36109.

Donations in Brenda’s name can be made to: St. James United Methodist Church, 9045 Vaughn Rd., Montgomery, AL 36117. ▲

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Products & Services Kenworth T880 Adds 52-Inch Mid-Roof Sleeper Option KIRKLAND, Wash., Dec. 17, 2013 — The new Kenworth T880 is now available for order with the Kenworth 52-inch mid-roof sleeper.

The new T880 sleeper option provides vocational customers in heavy haul, oil patch, flatbed and lowboy applications with a durable and reliable truck equipped with a comfortable and spacious sleeper that drivers will appreciate.

The mid-roof sleeper features a liftable lower bunk and upper storage units on the sleeper’s back wall, including hanging storage for drivers to hang their clothes and jackets. A bunk heater, flat screen TV and premium sound system can be added for additional driver comfort.

Specifying the optional passenger swivel seat further expands the living space, and enables the driver to use both the cab and the sleeper as a comfortable space for relaxation when not driving. The 52-inch sleeper also offers excellent interior height clearance for a mid-roof sleeper, enabling a driver or passenger up to 6-foot-4 to easily stand up between the seats.

Casselman Assisted-Opening Tactical Survival & Rescue Knife

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imply designed and built for extreme performance, the machined aircraft grade aluminum handles and black stainless steel blade make the Casselman TAC a true workhorse.

This brand new tactical knife from Casselman features superstrong carbon-steel construction, has a seat belt cutter, and a window smasher. This knife is often referred to as a legal switchblade. Using your index finger, simply press on the spring-loaded lever, and the blade pops out in a millisecond. Comes complete with belt pouch, and can be laser engraved on the blade, as well as the handle.

CONTACT: Jeff Parietti, (425) 828-5196

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The Kenworth T880 is standard with the PACCAR MX-13 engine rated up to 500 hp and 1,850 lb-ft of torque. The PACCAR MX13 provides a lightweight, fuel-efficient engine for vocational applications, including dumps and heavy haul applications over 100,000 lbs. The T880 can be ordered with a 116.5inch BBC hood optimized for the PACCAR MX-13 engine or with the 122.5inch BBC hood.

The Kenworth T880 uses Kenworth’s 2.1-meter wide, stamped aluminum cab, which is robotically assembled. The quiet cab has triple-sealed and robust doors and provides a comfortable 23 inches of room between the seats. The T880 offers the premium Diamond VIT and Vantage trim levels and two interior color options of Sandstone Tan and Slate Gray.

The T880 also has a 5-piece Metton® hood for easier and faster repairs, air-assisted hydraulic clutch, panoramic windshield for enhanced visibility, complex reflector headlamps, excellent maneuverability, and new lightweight, factory-installed lift axles.

Kenworth’s 52-inch sleeper also is available as an option for the aerodynamic Kenworth T680.

Kenworth Truck Company is the manufacturer of The World’s Best® heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth’s Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com. Kenworth is a PACCAR company. ▲

FORES FORESTRY F FO ORESTR TRY TRY RY SOLUTIONS SO S SOL OL LUTIONS UT T ONS THAT THA TH T HA AT MEET AT MEET M YO Y YOUR OUR OU RO OBJECTIV OB OBJECTIVES. BJECT TIVES. VE ES S. Fifty Fifty ifty Years Year Y earrs rs and a d Growing an Grro Gr owing wing www.fwforestry.com www ww.ffwf wfforrestry try.co .c m BROCK MA MAY AY Y Hamilton, AL 205.952.9369

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A L A B A M A F O R E S TS | W i nte r 2 0 1 4

Wildlife & Outdoors

Would Releasing Pen-raised Quail Increase Population?

By Mitchell Marks, Wildlife Biologist, Freedom Hills Wildlife Management Area

A L A B A M A F O R E S TS | W i nte r 2 0 1 4

Photo courtesy of Ben Jackson III

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obwhite quail populations in Alabama and around the nation have declined over the last 40 years. During that time, land use practices have changed and subsequently the habitat favorable for bobwhite quail has dwindled. It has been suggested that states should supplement bobwhite quail populations using stock from pen-raised birds to increase the populations on stateowned properties for hunting. It sounds like a good idea, but would it really be?

In the short term, releasing pen-raised bobwhite quail would increase the population for a week or so. In the long term, there are no benefits to the population, and in some cases, there may even be negative impacts to the wild bobwhite quail on the property.

Hunting preserves have long used the “put and take” strategy to increase quail numbers for hunters to enjoy. This involves the preserve placing birds and then coming along shortly afterward with hunters. Any quail not harvested during the hunt will then find it necessary to survive on its own. To this point in their life, they have been given food, water and protection and do not have the instinct to survive as a wild bird does. From the beginning of life, a wild bird has been taught survival skills by its parents, but a pen-raised bird has been dependent on the human for its basic needs.

Many states have studied survival rates between stocked pen-raised birds and stocked wild birds. The survival from one year to the next for pen-raised birds is around 1 percent, while survival in wild birds is 20 to 30 percent and sometimes

even higher. Pen-raised birds are more susceptible to predation because they fly slower and are more prone to run than fly.

They have difficulty in identifying food and fail to nest or successfully raise a brood, which is the key to increasing a population. All these factors are instinctive in wild birds.

The other factor that affects a penraised bird’s survival is disease—avian pox, salmonellosis and parasites, just to name a few. Pen-raised birds are held in confinement in proximity to other birds, which makes them more susceptible to diseases and parasites. Once released into the wild, these diseases and parasites can be transmitted to healthy wild bird populations.

Because of these risks, stocking pen-raised bobwhite quail on state-owned property is not a reasonable solution for increasing wild bird populations.

Bobwhite quail need early successional habitat that can be regularly maintained.

Prescribed fire is the most useful tool to

establish and maintain this early successional habitat. Ideally, these burns need to be conducted on a rotating basis every two to four years. While prescribed burning will not provide an overnight change in the quail population, it does help create the opportunity for increased populations when combined with other beneficial habitat management practices.

Releasing pen-raised quail might seem like the quickest way to increase quail populations, but the best way to enhance quail populations, whether on public or private land, is through careful habitat management. Proper habitat management provides wild quail the opportunity to expand without the risk associated with releasing penned birds. Wild quail also provide a better challenge for the hunter.▲

For more information, contact Mitchell Marks, Wildlife Biologist, Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, 4200 White Pike, Cherokee, AL 35616.

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Whooping Cranes

By Carrie B. Threadgill, Wildlife Biologist, Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries

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in Alabama

wo species of cranes occur in Alabama at certain times of the year.

While sandhill cranes are more common and can be seen during the winter months in north Alabama, there are also opportunities to see endangered whooping cranes in the state. Whooping cranes, sometimes confused with sandhills, are tall, solid white birds with dark red crowns and mustache stripes on their faces. Sandhill cranes are slightly smaller, ashy gray in color and have a red crown but lack the red mustache. The bills of sandhills are also black, while whooping cranes have a thick pink and gray bill.

Viewed individually, they may be hard to

Thanks to the efforts of several conservation groups, there are now almost 600 birds, with around 100 of those making up the eastern migratory population. These special birds are part of an experimental population that starts with captive-reared eggs from Maryland, Wisconsin and Alberta, Canada each year. Once hatched, they are transported to Wisconsin where they are raised by handlers. All precautions are taken to make sure these birds maintain their wild instincts and do not imprint on humans. Each handler wears a “crane outfit” — clothing that disguises himself — so that the birds identify the handler as one of their own. Known as

identify, but when seen together, identification is much easier.

The story of the whooping crane, the tallest bird in North America, is most impressive. Whooping cranes were on the brink of extinction in the 1940s with a population of fewer than 20 wild birds.

Operation Migration, pilots in crane outfits then lead the young whoopers with ultralight planes on a migration path from Wisconsin to their wintering grounds on the Gulf Coast of Florida. This path leads straight through Alabama.

Operation Migration volunteers main-

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tain a daily online blog throughout the fall migration process to keep viewers informed of the cranes’ progress (www.operationmigration.org/InTheField).

They also provide viewing locations along the route to see these birds following the planes at several locations in Alabama including Franklin and Chilton counties.

While the timing of the migration is unpredictable because of weather and other factors, it is important to view the daily postings if you are interested in seeing this incredible sight. Along with the ultralight-led migration, there are also chances to see these majestic birds during the fall and late winter months of migration. Once the young birds learn the migration path, they tend to migrate along the same path, which means several adult birds migrate through Alabama each spring and fall.

Whenever encountering these migrating birds, it is important not to get too close or harass them. Never try to approach or feed these birds as there has been extreme caution taken to maintain their wild nature and it is important that they do not depend on humans for food. If you do encounter any whooping cranes outside of the refuge during the fall or spring months, it is also important to report the information. If you see any adult birds with colorcoded leg bands, those color combinations can help identify which individual bird you are seeing so its survival and migration can be tracked. The color bands can usually be seen with binoculars from a safe distance so as not to spook the birds.

Information on the leg band color combinations and location can be reported directly to the Fish and Wildlife Service at www.fws.gov/midwest/whoopingcrane/ A L A B A M A F O R E S TS | W i nte r 2 0 1 4

sightings/sightingform.cfm or by contacting Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries ornithologist Carrie Threadgill at carrie.threadgill@dcnr.alabama.gov or 334-242-3469.

During the winter, there is a perfect opportunity to see whooping cranes in Alabama. Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge near Decatur now hosts around 15 whooping cranes each year during the winter months. Nine of these birds make up the class of 2011 from Operation Migration. During the ultralight-led migration that year, there were complications encountered that grounded the group in north Alabama for over a month.

With the delay in migrating as well as the mild Alabama winter that year, it was decided to move the cranes to the refuge and release them with a group of whooping cranes already there instead of trying to continue on to Florida. Those young birds found themselves in Alabama again this past winter spending their time on the refuge with the same group of older birds that have made Wheeler their winter home. Along with the whooping cranes, you can also have the opportunity to see thousands of sandhill cranes while at the refuge.

There aren’t many states where you can see both species of cranes at one time. People come from all over during the winter to see these birds that are right here in our backyard. This winter is a perfect time to introduce a child to birding and these two types of cranes. ▲

Index to Advertisers AGRICULTURAL LENDING

Alabama Land Banks Associations ▲ AlabamaAgCredit.com ..................................6 CONSULTANTS—FORESTRY

F&W Forestry Services ▲ fwforestry.com ..............................................................32 Larson & McGowin ▲ larsonmcgowin.com ...........................................................36 Walter Dennis & Associates, Inc. ▲ ........................................................................36 EQUIPMENT ENGINEERING

Cooks Saw Manufacturing Co. ▲ cookssaw.com ....................................................36 Warrior ▲ warriortractor.com.................................................................................4 FINANCIAL SERVICES

Raymond James ▲ ramondjames.com..................................................................30 FOREST PRODUCT MANUFACTURERS

Cooper/T.Smith ▲ coopertsmith.com .......................................................Back Cover Jasper Lumber Company ▲ jasperlumber.com ......................................................29 FORESTRY EDUCATION

Alabama Forests Forever Foundation ▲ alaforestry.org ..................Inside Back Cover Forestry Continuing Education ▲ alaforestry.org/ce..............................................20 INSURANCE

Forest Fund ▲ alaforestry.org ...............................................................................25 LANDOWNERS (COMPANIES, INDIVIDUALS & TRUSTS)

The Westervelt Company ▲ westervelt.com..........................................................30 LOGGING CONTRACTORS

Mid-Star Timber Harvesting, Inc. ▲ midstartimber.com ..........................................4 LOGGING EQUIPMENT

Thompson Tractor ▲ thompsontractor.com ...................................Inside Front Cover MEDICAL

Air Evac EMS, Inc. ▲ lifeteam.net ..........................................................................37 ON-BOARD SCALES

Vulcan ▲ vulcanscales.com..................................................................................13 SEEDLINGS

Arborgen ▲ arborgen.com .....................................................................................2 International Forest Company ▲ interforestry.com ...............................................30 Rayonier ▲ rayonier.com ........................................................................................4

Walter Dennis & Associates, Inc. Environment, Forestry & Wildlife Consultants • Forest Management Plans • Timber Appraisals and Sales • Wildlife Management Plans • Wetlands Determinations • Environmental Assessments (Base Line, Phase 1) • Recreation Land Assessment • Hunt Lease Administration • Endangered Species Surveys • Conservation Programs Telephone: 601-446-5972 Fax: 601-445-0052 • Cell: 601-807-2168 P.O. Box 983 • Grand Bay, AL 36541

© BigStockphoto.com pages 23, 36

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