2015 fall by Alabama Forestry Association

Alabama

Fall 2015

FORESTS IN THIS ISSUE

Timber Titan Guice Slawson Logger Dewayne Oakley State Senator Rusty Glover Associate Member ArborGen

Contents

Fall 2015 | Volume 59 | Numb er 5

Alabama Forestry Association, Inc. Chris Isaacson, Executive Vice President OFFICERS Chairman ............................................Ben Smith, Phenix City President .................................................Gray Skipper, Fulton President-Elect ....................Vaughn Stough, Mountain Brook Secretary .................................Stephan Tomlinson,Tuscumbia Treasurer .............................................Tom Bradley III, Mobile DISTRICT DIRECTORS Black Belt District..............................Doug Bowling, Millbrook Captial District.............................. Jim Solvason, Montgomery Delta District...........................................Frank Mozingo, Toxey Longleaf District .................................Tripp Winters, Chapman Mountain District............................Todd Langston, Stevenson Piedmont District ...............................Chris Langley, Camp Hill Valley District................................. DeWayne Oakley, Florence Vulcan District .................................Trae Bonner, Childersburg Warrior District .......................................Gee Allgood, McShan Wiregrass District......................................Mike Dixon, Eufaula ALC REPRESENTATIVE Chris Potts ................................................................LaFayette FOREST FUND REPRESENTATIVE Winston Bryant ..............................................................Heflin AT-LARGE DIRECTORS Paul Lohman .............................................................Prattville Hank Bauer.............................................................Perdue Hill Al Bracewell...................................................................Jasper Ryan Mattei ..................................................................Mobile Ray Colvin ...............................................................Tuscaloosa Mena McGowin Morgan .........................................Point Clear Patricia Moody.............................................................Auburn Virginia Macpherson......................................................Fulton Lenn Morris................................................................... Jasper Guice Slawson Jr................................................. Montgomery

Alabama

FORESTS

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

As event co-organizer Alan Peavy looks on, a young boy hoists the heavy Pelican cooler his father won with the high bid at the Log a Load for Kids Dale County Shoot on October 17.

ALABAMA FORESTS EDITOR Sam Duvall GREEN HORIZONS EDITOR Leigh Peters

FEATURES

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.

Logger Dewayne Oakley

Senator Rusty Glover

related to mice and rats. The body of an

The Arborgen Story

adult fox squirrel is 12-15 inches, with the

2015 Annual Meeting

tail adding that much again. They are said

Timber Titan Guice Slawson

ABOUT THE COVER 6

ox squirrels are rodents belonging to

the family Sciuridae and are closely

to be the most variably colored squirrels in Especially for our tree farmers/landowners: Green Horizons

the world. It is thought that their name 21

comes from the loping gait they exhibit running across the ground, which is simi-

DEPARTMENTS From the Executive Vice President Deanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Notebook

SFI-01273

ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

lar to that of a fox. PHOTO BY TES JOLLY 3 5

News & Views

Index to Advertisers

Come explore our web site! alaforestry.org 1

ELECTRICAL SAFETY STARTS WITH THE RIGHT CALL Barron Jefferson – Lineman, Power Delivery

Here are a few very important things you should know about underground power lines and how to work safely around them. More and more power lines are being buried underground. This poses a considerable threat for both construction workers and do-it-yourself homeowners. Even if you’re undertaking a seemingly harmless job, such as digging a hole for a new fence, the risks are still there. You’ve probably heard the “Call before you dig” mantra many times. But take it to heart, nothing good happens when a shovel plunges into a live power line. The number to call is easy to remember: 811. Call, preferably 48 hours in advance of your project, and the representative will notify all the appropriate utilities. Pretty easy.

Color codes for marking underground utility lines

White

Pink

Temporary survey markings

Red

Electric power lines, cables, conduit and lighting cables

Yellow

Gas, oil, steam, petroleum or gaseous materials

Orange

Communications, alarm or signal lines, cables or conduit

Blue

Soon after the call, various technicians will come out and put colored spray paint in the places where there are lines. At right is a chart to explain which one is which.

Potable water

Purple

Reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines

Green

Sewers and drain lines

Before you dig:

Dial 811

In an emergency, call: 1-800-888-APCO (2726) For more electrical safety tips, visit AlabamaPower.com/safety.

Please take this simple step before digging. It’s easy. And it’s free. You’ll save a lot of headaches—and maybe even your life.

Proposed excavation

From Executive Vice President

A New Battle Plan

ver time, every government agency tends to expand its regulatory reach. However, there’s another dynamic contributing to a significant increase in regulations over the last decade. Federal environmental laws like the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act provide citizen-suit provisions that enable groups or individuals to sue to enforce regulatory action. When successful, plaintiffs may recover their litigation expenses from the U.S. Treasury. Over the last decade, organizations like the Sierra Club and the Center for Biological Diversity have adopted this as a key strategy. To compound the problem, many top positions in these federal agencies have been filled with former employees of the same organizations who are filing suits, providing plaintiffs with inside access and a sympathetic ear. In effect, these circumstances have created the perfect business model for today’s environmental organizations: l Sue a federal agency to force regulatory action; l Use the litigation to boost fundraising among supporters; l Use the courts to bypass the established rule-making process; l Enter a voluntary settlement by negotiating with agency decision makers who are former employees of the environmental organization; l Recover all costs of litigation ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

from the U.S. Treasury. This strategy provides a norisk way for environmental organizations to accomplish their objectives through the courts when they could not accomplish them through the legislative or regulatory process. Further it provides a way to burnish their credentials as “guardians of the planet” and fill their coffers from admiring supporters. George Mason University law professor, Michael Greve, says these citizen-suit provisions amount to another government entitlement program. Greve calls them “an off-budget entitlement program for the environmental movement” and compares environmental advocacy groups to bounty hunters with incentives to over-enforce the law. The Center for Biological Diversity is one of those organizations. CBD filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 2010 to compel listing of 757 species (404 in the South including the black pine snake). For context, settlement of CBD’s lawsuit as well as another that added 250 species will result in a 75% increase in listed species. More troubling, from 1994 to 2006 citizen suits yielded petitions to list an average of 20 species per year. Between 2007 and 2011 that rate increased to 250 species per year, nearly as many species listed during the previous 30 years of administering the ESA.

So, who is CBD? They are a 501(c)3 non-profit based in Arizona with 15 offices in 9 states plus Washington, D.C. and a staff of 87 employees. According to their website, they “work to secure a future for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink of extinction... through science, law and creative media.” So, has CBD adopted this “sue, settle and recover” business model. YOU BET! In 2012, CBD reported total revenue of $6.8 million including income of $1.2 million in “legal refunds,” presumably from successful litigation against the U.S. government. For 2013, they reported $9.4 million total revenue including $650,000 in “legal refunds.” So, what strategies can we use to fight this surge in federal regulatory actions? 1. Regulatory—The rule-making process is well defined for federal environmental laws. An agency is required to publish proposed rules and seek public comment. We must engage in this process—broadly and forcefully. 2. Legislative—Over the last several decades there have been numerous attempts to reform environmental laws. To date, all have failed due to strong opposition from many of the same organizations now using the courts to drive their agendas. Because legislative reform is ultimately the best solution, we must reach across indus-

Chris Isaacson

try boundaries, build coalitions and develop strategies to enact regulatory reform. 3. Legal—While it is important to continue to pursue regulatory and legislative strategies to accomplish the long-term objective of regulatory reform, the courts may offer the best short-term opportunity to slow the onslaught of federal regulations. We must take a play from the playbook of the environmental community and use the courts to address federal agency actions, recovering court costs when successful. Accomplishing the shortterm goal of slowing regulatory action should also increase pressure on lawmakers to enact reform. While we have strategically pursued the first two strategies, we tend to employ a legal strategy defensively to mitigate an adverse outcome. If we continue to fight the battle the way we’ve been fighting, we will continue to get the results we’ve been getting. It’s time for a new battle plan! s 3

Dean’s Notebook

Realigning and Reinforcing Our Commitment

ollowing the ideals of land-grant system, the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences has long been committed to creating future professionals and managers through quality education, discovering science based solutions for societal challenges, and disseminating new knowledge to empower individuals, families, communities, and the industry. While Gifford Pinchot’s vision of managing forests to advance the economy and societal wellbeing, John Muir’s views of aesthetics and nature-based recreation, and Aldo Leopold’s land ethic and wildlife management principles continue to guide our mission, emerging changes/needs of private/public landowners and industry are prompting forestry and wildlife institutions across the country to realign and reinforce their commitment to better serve. Recently, I had a chance to visit the Westervelt Company, a company that was founded as Prairie States Paper Corporation in 1884, which now has a business portfolio of certified forestry, lumber manufacturing, renewable energy, ecological services, and comprehensive wildlife management. Just a few weeks ago, at the Alabama Forestry Association’s annual meeting, senior executives of Rayonier, Canfor, Enviva, and several other resource managers noted the implications of expanding global markets, ever ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

changing product innovation and technologies, policy driven bioenergy markets, and biodiversity conservation for forestlands management and forest products business. By keeping a close eye on these trends, the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences is trying to align its programs to better serve our clients. Here are a few examples: Bachelor’s and master’s in natural resource management These programs, which are recently approved, are designed around developing an interdisciplinary understanding of social, economic, and ecosystem sciences critical to solving today’s natural resource issues and designing a sustainable future. Students can tailor their BS degree with one of the four minors—natural resource ecology, nature-based recreation, urban environmental management, and watershed sciences. Graduates of these programs are prepared for such careers as water resource managers, park rangers, wetland ecologists, conservation professionals, socioeconomic analysts, ecosystem scientists, and recreation and ecotourism managers. These programs have been attracting students from many different backgrounds and underrepresented demographic groups, including women and minorities. Peppering graduates with “soft skills” According to a survey, 9 out of 10 employers believe

that graduates with “soft skills” will become increasingly important. Soft skills such as work ethic, attitude, integrity, communication skills, and a whole host of other personal attributes are crucial for career success. It was also noted that problem solving, delegating, motivating, and team building will become easier if one has good soft skills. Starting spring 2016,

Dean Janaki Alavalapati Auburn University

Landowners and industry are prompting forestry and wildlife institutions across the country to realign and reinforce their commitment to better serve with assistance from the industry, government, and non-governmental agencies, the school will launch a soft skills module to better prepare our graduates for employment. In addition, starting spring 2016, the school will organize a career fair to interface potential employers of government, non-governmental, and private agencies with our students. This will give our students an opportunity to understand their potential employers better and well in advance. Forest products innovation and supply chain management Growth in middle class and affluent families in China, India, and Brazil, increasing realization of the environmental attributes of wood, and desire to promote wood-based

energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are propelling wood products investment and markets. Growth in engineered wood products, biomaterials, nanomaterials, bioenergy, and forest-based biorefinery is leaps and bounds with innovation and technology advancements. Alabama is the center of the wood basket of the world and its industry is already contributing more than $21 Billion to the state’s economy. With new knowledge and outreach support relating to innovation, investment, and markets, it has the capacity to grow further. By working with the industry and Alabama Cooperative Extension, the school is planning to create a new position in forest products innovation and business. s 5

Timber Titan of Alabama’s Forest Industry Editor’s Note: In Greek Mythology Titans were a race of immortal giants of incredible strength. Today, “titans of industry” refers to individuals who made an incredible impact on the development of a particular industry. This article chronicles the life of Forestry Titan Guice Slawson.

Guice Slawson From Humble Sawmill Beginnings to Wood Treating Plants in Six States By Sam Duvall

uice Slawson’s early years were shaped by the lessons of the Great Depression. Like many Americans, his family suffered terribly from the brutal conditions brought on by the Stock Market crash in 1929 and the subsequent collapse of the U.S. and world economies. “It was really rough on Daddy (Preston Slawson). They lost everything, their home, the land, their pride. Of course he was born in 1912 so he was a young teenager when it really hit them the hardest,” Slawson noted. “Mama’s family was hit just as hard. They were from Clay County and they wound up in our part of the country (rural Barbour County) simply because her dad was trying to find a job that would make a living for them. That’s how my mother and father met down there in the country.” Unlike the cities forming large population centers today, most people in early part of the 20th Century lived in rural areas and small communities. By the time Guice was born in 1938 in the community of Elamville, Alabama, his family, through hard work and determination, had started to pull themselves up by their economic bootstraps. Preston Slawson and his wife “Gussie” provided for their children, son Guice and daughter Kathleen (McGaughy), by farming row crops, mostly. They also had a few cows, some hogs, chickens and a milk cow. So they had the necessities, but not much else. Elamville is an unincorporated community in the southwest corner of Barbour County. The census calls it a “Populated Place” but does not list its population. In other words, it’s small. “I went to Elamville Grammar School and finished high school in Clio at Barbour County High School in 1955,” Slawson recalled. Back in the 1950s in small communi-

Guice and Caroline Slawson in Los Angeles in Oct. 1977 to watch Alabama Defeat USC, 21 to 20. Roll Tide!

Guice Slawson’s family, on left is father Preston Slawson, at right is his mother “Gussie” with Guice in the foreground and his sister Kathleen in back. 6

ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

ties, all of the boys played sports. “Everybody played football because we had to have them all to get up a team!” Guice remembers. After high school, Guice attended the University of Alabama for three years, starting in 1955. In the early 1960s, he became a soldier in the Alabama National Guard, got married, started his family and began what would become his lifelong involvement in forestry. “In October of 1960, Caroline (Daniel) and I got married. Not long after that I joined the National Guard. I got a commission through the Alabama Military Academy,” Guice noted. On joining the Guard, Guice became friends with Ned Turnipseed, his captain. Ned had a long, distinguished career with the U.S. Army and the National Guard and Guice and Ned, “stayed good friends through the years.” Ned, who retired as a Brigadier General, passed away in 2007. When asked about getting into the wood business, Guice jokingly says, “I guess you’d say I married into it. I went to work for Caroline’s daddy, Frank Daniel, in 1961. He had a small lumber operation there in Louisville, Ala. I worked with him from 1961 until 1974. He got ALS sometime in the early part of 1970 and was totally disabled for a couple of years and died in ’74. Before that I had bought the Louisville operation from him,” Guice noted. Having worked on the family farm, and in a retail store in Ozark early in his life, Guice took a liking to the wood business. “I kind of liked it and learned how to make a living with it. Not much of a living. But there wasn’t a whole lot else going ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

Guice Slawson having his lieutenant’s bars put on by wife Caroline when Guice was commissioned an officer in the Alabama National Guard in 1960.

on around there either,” he said, with a laugh. “By that time, these three little jokers had come along,” he said, motioning to son Guice Jr. who sat in on the interview, and referring to his two other sons, Stinson and Bill. Guice Jr. was born in 1962, Stinson in July of 1965 and Bill in March of 1967.

Early shots of production and storage at Slawson lumber operation.

This is an early photo of the remanufacturing plant owned by Guice Slawson in Louisville, Ala.

The Mayor of Louisville—Alabama “In the meantime, I had started a big political career in 1972. I was the mayor of the City of Louisville (population, about 500) until 1986. At that time, I resigned and passed it on… to the existing mayor,” he said, with a chuckle. Being mayor of a small Alabama town was part fun, part frustration for Guice. “I was young and enjoyed it, at first, but it got to be aggravating after a while. When you’re young you think you can do a lot of things that you often can’t do,” he said

Guice took to the wood business.“I kind of liked it and learned how to make a living with it.”

Titan Guice Slawson

A tale of three Guice’s, Left to right, Guice Slawson, Sr., Guice III and Guice Jr.

Guice Slawson Sr. giving his son, Guice Jr. (right) and a young cousin a ride behind a pony at the company planner mill in about 1965. Guice introduces son Bill to the thrill of go-carting!

Pictured in front of their office in Montgomery are, left to right, Guice Slawson, Jr., Guice Slawson, Stinson Slawson and Bill Slawson.

“We still place a high premium on his experience and wisdom, and we keep his parking space open.”

about his sojourn into politics. During the time he was mayor of Louisville, Guice also went into business with another successful forestry businessman, Glenn Bracewell of Clayton, Ala., in 1979. “Glenn had a partnership with Neal Bush’s sawmill there in Clayton, whom I bought lumber from. Glenn and I went into a partnership with the first treatment plant, which was in Louisville on some property that I had. “We also bought a treatment plant in Jasper. That was the second plant. Glenn had a pretty good sized pulpwood business and other things and it wound up that I started kind of running the treatment plant as far as all the sales, buying the lumber and everything,” Guice said.

“Glenn came in every morning and was involved in the treating process, but also had his other businesses to run. So the treating plant worked into a full-time job for me,” Slawson added. After being in business together for a time, Bracewell bought Guice’s interest in Jasper Lumber Company, and Guice bought Bracewell’s interest in the treatment plants they co-owned. The rest, as the saying goes is history. Glenn’s son Al Bracewell is now president of Jasper Lumber Company and Glenn spends much of his time buying land and attending to timber harvesting on his existing landholdings. Guice and his sons now own eight plants: three in Alabama (two treatment and one remanufacturing plant), and one treatment ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

Riley Tax Plan Too Much for Guice Slawson By Sam Duvall

plant each in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Texas. Guice Sr. is CEO of the company, Southeast Wood Treating, Ltd, located in Montgomery. His son Stinson is president, Bill is vice president and Guice Jr. is secretary of the company.

About the Treatment Business Asked about the difference between sawmilling and the treatment business, Guice said that wood treatment is less cyclical than housing, but has more environmental issues. “You’ve got the environmental aspect to deal with. The chemical is fairly easily managed. Of course, the government makes that harder and harder as time goes on. We take finished lumber into the treatment plant, all Southern yellow pine. These treatment systems were designed for Southern yellow pine, only,” Guice noted. “Wood treatment is steadier that housing because it’s a consumer product. It sells in the store to people who do their own little projects. Most of it is for outdoor projects. There’s very little treated lumber used in an ordinary new house,” he added.

What About the Future of Forestry? “It’s pretty obvious to see that the paper mills are not going to be the factor they were in the past for the industry. Of course, there’ll be other products that will be made out of wood. But I don’t have a good feel for what may happen. The treated end of it has been pretty much leveled out for a number of years,” Guice added. Slawson said that he sees government interference in as one of the biggest challenges for forestry going forward. “Our ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

uice Slawson, the owner of eight wood treatment

plants located in Alabama and five other states, was a personal friend and supporter of Bob Riley when he ran for governor in 2002. As a three-term U.S. congressman from Alabama with impeccable credentials as a pro-business conservative, Riley was heavily supported by the ag and forestry communities in Alabama. A prominent feature at the Alabama Forestry Association Annual Meeting in 2002 was “A Night with Bob Riley” in which the Association pulled out all the stops in support of his candidacy. Then the rumblings started. Word on the street was that a massive tax plan would be championed by Riley in his first act as governor in 2003. Then, as was the case this year, there was talk of a revenue shortfall that only a big tax increase could fix. These rumblings in ‘03 concerned Guice Slawson greatly. After all, he had just been appointed by Riley to serve in his cabinet as administrator of the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board. “I’d heard a bit about it, but I didn’t think it was going to happen,” Slawson recalled.“I just didn’t see how he (Riley) could do that” based on his conservative principles. “At the time, I was getting up every morning, putting on a coat and tie and driving over to the ABC office (at Gunter Air Force Base). About three or four weeks later, we had a cabinet meeting downtown and Riley announced the program,” Slawson related. And what a program it was! Riley proposed a whopping $1.2 billion tax increase to cover a reputed $600 million shortfall in state funding. Riley’s plan was heavy on income and property taxes and would have been devastating to forestry and agriculture.

“Get Somebody Else, I’m Resigning” “I intended to talk to Riley after the staff meeting. But he slipped out and went to Mobile. So I called Toby (Roth, Riley’s chief of staff). I said, ‘when you talk to the governor tell him I tried to get up with him last night, but couldn’t get him,’ ” Guice told Roth, adding, ’Just tell him to go ahead and get somebody else to take this job because I’m resigning!’ “He (Riley) called me the next day and wanted to know what was going on and I said, ‘well, I don’t need to work for a fellow that I don’t totally support and that’s just the way it is.’ He tried to sweet talk me into staying. That was just typical, he was a good salesman.” (Riley’s Labor Commissioner, Charles Bishop, also resigned over the tax program.) With his resignation, Slawson went from being Bob Riley’s largest individual campaign contributor, to being the largest individual campaign contributor against the Riley tax plan. In both instances, Guice put his money where his mouth was. As it turned out, the tax plan was defeated by a more than twoto-one vote in the 2003 referendum. Later on, Guice said he told Riley that his resignation was as much about his disdain for getting up in the morning, putting on a suit and tie and driving to the ABC office, as it was about the merits of Riley’s tax plan. But make no mistake about it. Guice Slawson’s opposition to Amendment One was stronger than new rope! State Ag Commissioner, John McMillan was the executive vice president of the Alabama Forestry Association at the time and helped oversee the campaign against the Riley Plan. He said Slawson was deeply involved in all aspects of the campaign to kill the massive tax plan. “He was in most of the meetings and strategy sessions and was one of the key leaders in that whole effort,” McMillan noted. 9

Titan Guice Slawson

Guice Slawson, Sr. (third from left) and government can be our own Caroline (seated) surrounded by their 10 worst enemy,” he said. grandchildren. Guice Jr. also noted potentially troubling liability issues the government helped create when EPA placed restrictions on the use of CCA (Chromated Cooper Arsenate) for treating wood used in residential applications, like decks and children’s playsets. “When the industry was forced to change the composition of the chemical about 10 years ago, we went from something that had about a 70-year track record with no issues, to an unproven product that costs more,” said Guice Jr. While mostly a positive thinker, Guice Slawson is deeply concerned with what he sees as the leftward drift of the U.S. government. “I’m afraid that under the guise of freedom of speech and equal rights, we’ve destroyed the common sense of the world,” he said. Despite these concerns, Slawson enjoys his family and his work and has an affinity for the land that runs deep. He likes nothing better than going to a special place he has and relaxing. “I love to go down there. I’ve always got somebody working, bulldozers, excavators, bush hogs, spraying or whatever. That’s my golf game!” said Guice, a smile creasing his face. As for the future, much of the day-to-day management of the company rests with his sons. But Guice still gets up in the mornings rearing to go and comes to the office when he feels the need (usually a few times a week) and pitches in when he feels the urge. So, will Guice Slawson ever completely let go of the business he and his family has built up over the years and settle into his rocking chair? Probably not, according to his oldest son. “I doubt he will ever completely disconnect,” said Guice Jr. “He can still sniff out questions on the monthly financials better than the three of us combined. We still place a high premium on his experience and wisdom, and we keep his parking space open.” s 10

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The boss man and one of his bright new Kenworth log trucks.

Dewayne Oakley

Logging Professional Proﬁle We believe loggers should be celebrated for the part they play in the wood fiber supply chain of keeping wood flowing to the mills.

A Logger Who Has Been There and Done That...All Of That! By Sam Duvall n addition to being a full-time logger, Dewayne Oakley is an entrepreneurial businessman who sells used forestry equipment, used trucks, new McLendon Trailers, and new Mahindra Tractors. At Oakley/Napa they sell Stihl chainsaws, Gravely mowers, and other products for lawns and landscaping. He also operates an excavating company. Despite all the moving parts, it is logging that anchors Oakley's wide-ranging operations under the umbrella of Oakley Forest Products. Dewayne employs three logging crews of four men each and a three man grinder crew. The route Oakley followed to his present setup is a story of hard work and persistence in the face of the typical headwinds that come with being a logger and working in the woods. “When I was a senior in high school, I was planning on going to college to become an engineer. I had good grades, mostly A’s and a few B’s. I married in October of 1977, the year I graduated from high

school. My father-in-law was in the logging business. My father was in the used car business,” Dewayne recalled. “I worked for my dad six days a week, helping him at his car lot. Plus I detailed cars for used car lots. I was making $75 a car, plus I was working for my dad, Bill Oakley. I had a little bitty block shop with a metal roof, no heat or air-conditioning,” Oakley said, recalling his “sweat shop” days. After working for his dad and cleaning cars for a year or so, Dewayne took a job as an apprentice for an insulation company. He did well there also, but when the company took a big TVA job, the union did not like it that Dewayne and other apprentices were not union members. This ultimately

resulted in Dewayne and the other employees being laid off. Dewayne went back to work for his Father and then took a logging job with his then father-in-law, Claude Wood, Jr. A much younger Dewayne Oakley with a brand new shiny red Ford truck.

A Truck that Cost More to Run than to Buy “He wanted me to buy a truck and haul wood for him. I was 20 years old. I bought a truck for $6,500 and a trailer for $4,500. In one month, I spent another $6,500 on that truck. It was in and out of the shop more than I could run it!” Dewayne ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

remembers. “I tried to haul two loads a day. Mr. Wood taught me how to run a knuckleboom and I would load for myself. But my truck stayed torn up. “Finally, I just gave up on the truck and parked it, then went to working in the woods full time. When I started, I didn’t know anything about logging. But I worked hard and finally caught on. Mr. Wood was great to work for. I worked for him until1984, when I bought a new Cat 518 cable skidder and put it on his job and did contract skidding for him,” Dewayne noted. “I ran the knuckleboom (a Barko 160) and had Clyde Farris run my Cat 518 cable skidder. I loaded 6 to 7 loads a day. My father-inlaw would run another knuckleboom, loading about 3-4 loads a day, plus running the rest of the operation. We’d load from eight to ten loads a day between us. We had a pretty neat operation,” he added.

Going into Business for Himself “In 1985 I went into business for myself. On November 1, of ‘85, I bought out a Mississippi logger and got a Viking knuckleboom from him. I had never seen one like it, and I have never seen one like it since. It had a wobble stick. This was way before joysticks. It was so worn out, you could sometimes move the stick six inches to a foot either way before it would catch!” he remembered. He also acquired a Timberjack 220 Cable Skidder and a JD 540B Grapple Skidder with a Tree Farmer CJ-7 grapple on the back. “That thing was so back-end heavy that when you went through the woods, if you hit a stump, the front-end would fly right up off the ground,” he recalled, with a laugh. Other equipment acquired around this time was an old International TD20 cable lift dozer, a 1970 Mack with a 237 engine and 5-speed transmission and two used log trailers. “The day I bought that worn out equipment in Mississippi, I traded the Viking knuckleboom and Timberjack 220 skidder off and ordered a new Barko 160 knuckleboom loader,” he said. Although he had to wait two months on the Barko, when he got it he was able to double production from three or four to six or seven loads a day.

This view from about half way up a hill near Iron City, Tennessee, looks into the valley where Oakley crewmen are loading logs and is typical of the land logged by Oakley Forest Products. logging operation in Alabama and kept running that. But I got another worn out operation: four Timberjack 240 skidders, a Prentice 210 knuckleboom, six Rebel Log trailers, and two Mack trucks that were just about torn all to pieces,” Oakley said, with a grimace. “We took each log trailer to McFall Welding. It cost me $2,500$3,500 each to fix them, back then! The prior owner had used those trailers for years, hauling two loads a day,” he remembered. (Dewayne now runs McLendon Trailers almost exclusively). Over the next several years, Dewayne traded off old machines for newer, more efficient equipment. For the next two years, he had two crews working—one cutting company wood, the other private timber and hauling to Champion. In early 1990 Champion told Dewayne that they wanted him to go down to one crew. They were worried about wood security and thought somebody might try to seal a load of wood.

Dancing Across State Lines Throughout his career, Dewayne has worked about as much in Tennessee as in Alabama. He sometimes reminds customers that his shop is “10 miles from the Tennessee state line.” When he was 28, Dewayne bought out another logging contractor in Collinwood, Tennessee, who worked for Champion. At the time, Dewayne said in order to get some logging jobs you had to buy out someone who logged for the company you wanted to log for. Champion was then one of the largest forestry companies and landowners in the U.S. “When I bought the company in 1988, I still had my

ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

Dewayne’s beloved father Bill, who at the age of 60 bought one of Dewayne’s logging crews, sold his car lot, and logged full time until he was 72 years old.

Dad Starts His Own Logging Crew at the Age of 60 “I came home and said something to my dad about selling one of my crews. The next day Dad called me and said, “ I am going to buy the crew from you.” I asked, “Why? You don’t know anything about logging!” My father was 60 years old and bought my small logging crew. Three of my best employees went to work for him. He ran the job for two years, and still ran his car lot,” Dewayne recalled. “Then Dad called me and said ‘I’m going to sell my car lot and go work in the woods every day.’ He was 62 years old. He sold his car lot and started logging full-time. He became a very good logger and finally sold out when he was 72 years old.” Dewayne’s father is now 84 and in declining health. His mother, Ann, is still in good health. 13

Dewayne Oakley Employees Oakley Forest Products Main Office: Dewayne Oakley, Lisa Willis, Stan Herston, Sherry Witt, Mary Carpenter and Latasha Williamson

Standing by their brand new Cat Skidder are Oakley logging Crew #1 members, Mark Wood (foreman), Justin Marks, Dale Geans and Jeremy Creecy.

Oakley Forest Products (logging operation) Crew 1: Mark Wood (crew boss) Dale Geans, Jeremy Creecy, Jeremy Benson and Justin Marks (trainee) Crew 2: Randall Woods, Mark Hinton, Brian McFall, Wesley Smith (crew boss). Smith moved from Oakley Equipment’s main office (as a salesman) to the logging operation because of the need for a team leader Crew 3: Terrance Mooneyhan (crew boss), Wendell Wardlow, Jason Mooneyhan, and Carlos Hernandez Grinding Crew: Rod Remmers (crew leader) Chad White and Jamie McCain Log Truck Drivers and Chip Truck Drivers: Ricky Purser, Jason Smith, Danny Dial, Billy Purser, Jerry Hayes, Luke Meyers, John Pounders, Ferlin Faires, James Terrell, Nathan Hendrix, Greg Butler, Ricky Gullett, Ronnie Marks and Leo Smith

Oakley Forest Products Crew #2 members are, left to right, Brian McFall, Mark Hinton, Wesley Smith (foreman) and Randall Woods. Wesley used to work in the main office selling equipment and Mahindra Tractors. But Dewayne needed him out on the line.

Oakley Forest Products Crew #3 includes, left to right, Carlos Hernandez, Wendell Wardlow, Jason Mooneyhan, James Terrell and Crew Foreman Terrance Mooneyhan. (James Terrell is an Oakley Forest Products truck driver, not a logger.)

Oakley Excavating, Inc. Randy Bradley, Chris Valentine, Derick Parson, Gene Smith, Derek Green, Tim Pitts, Darryl Welch and Jimmy Allen

Oakley Equipment Oakley Napa: Chad Oakley, Marty Robertson, Alan Hensley, Perry Romine, Bobby Green, Tammy Ethredge, David Benoit, Jordan Bradley, Angelia Guthrie, Bernie Benoit, Chris Darby, Mackenzie Odom, Willie Watkins, Roger Cottrell, Melisha Bass, and Melanie Auchly Shop Crew: David Rhodes, Timmy Griffis, John Mitchell, Alvin (Wayne) Madden, Jerry Pannell, Bill Reagan and Victor Jackson

Later in 1990, Packaging Corporation of American (PCA) called Dewayne. “In October, 1990, PCA called and wanted me to do some thinning. I went to work with them and still do a lot of work for them thinning tracts. Plus I have my grinding crew there three or four months out of the year helping them clean up surplus wood that accumulates around their loading docks and such,” said Dewayne. For his current operation, Dewayne noted, “I run a total of 15 to 18 trucks every day hauling wood and chips. All of the trucks are mine. We’ve got our shop here and we’ve got mechanics to keep things running. We work Monday through Saturday. If the weather permits, we’re hauling wood. We’ll run 175 to 225 loads a week.” Of course, even for a workaholic like Dewayne, there’s more to life than work. Dewayne and his wife, Monica, whom he married in 2005, have five children. From Dewayne’s first marriage are son, Chad, 35, daughter, Tara, 30, and son Colby, who is 18 years old. Monica has two sons, Trent, 23 and Brock, 21. Trent will soon graduate from the University of Alabama and Brock is a junior at Alabama. Dewayne’s son, Colby, has Down’s Syndrome and Dewayne spends as much time with him as he can. Dewayne, Monica and Colby love going to the Alabama football games. “Colby loves Nick Saban and had the chance to meet him in the locker room,” Dewayne said. “We also have three grandchildren, Scott, 14, Foster, 2, and a newborn, Jack.” ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

On Working and Relaxing Spending a typical workday with Dewayne Oakley, you begin to worry that his smartphone might burst into flames due to the extreme number of calls he receives! Yet, Dewayne takes time with each caller, whether from his logging crews or one of his other operations and patiently settles the issue at hand or directs the action to be taken. Through it all, Dewayne stay’s calm and collected, as he steadily plows through another workday. You may wonder how a man whose workdays often seem like a blur gets to relax. For Dewayne, instead of slowing down to relax, his hobby was racing cars! “I started racing in 1995, I was 36 years old and it was all dirt track. From 20002005, I ran Super Late Model cars. I owned and drove the cars. I also did the tire work and helped keep the car and trailer clean. I had some really good help,” he added. “I no longer have the desire to personally go tearing around dirt tracks at break-neck speed,” said Dewayne. Although he still loves to watch racing, Dewayne now spends most of his down time in the warm embrace of his family.

ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

A younger Dewayne Oakley with his dirt-track racer and trailer.

“I like Alabama football, NASCAR and dirt-track racing, now as spectator, and spending time off with my wife, Monica, and our children and grandchildren. We also enjoy being with our friends at Cross Point Church of Christ,” Dewayne said. Dewayne is an active leader within the forestry community. He serves on the AFA Board as District Director for the Valley District. The next time you run into Dewayne Oakley, don’t mind too much if he seems to be in a hurry or if he has to field a call while you visit with him. He’s not being rude, he’s just working! s

A Proﬁle in Public Service Editor’s Note: This regular feature profiles an individual engaged in the political arena.

Senator Rusty Glover The Quiet Servant from Mobile By Tom Saunders enjamin Nash “Rusty” Glover, III was born April 17, 1966 in Mobile, Alabama. His parents, both of whom were schoolteachers (coaches), raised Rusty to appreciate the need for a quality education which also led him to a career as a teacher. On graduating from B.C. Rain High School, Rusty attended Faulkner State Community College where he received an associate degree, the University of South Alabama where he received a BS degree in secondary education, an MA in history and an MEd in secondary education. He retired after 25 years of teaching at Mary G. Montgomery High School in Semmes, where he taught 20th century U.S. history. With public service deeply rooted in his family tree, Rusty’s interest in history also piqued his interest in politics. His (paternal) grandfather, Ben Glover served in the Alabama Senate from 19461950 representing Washington, Clarke, and Choctaw counties. Ben Glover is probably best known for his introduction of legislation to defund the University of Alabama and Auburn University unless they agreed to renew their football rivalry. Ben Glover ran for the United States Congress in 1952 losing to long-time incumbent Frank Boykin. In addition, Rusty’s maternal great grandfather served in the Alabama House of Representatives from Clarke County. Rusty became active in politics in the late 1990s and became a member of the Mobile County Republican Executive Committee. In 2000, riding the wave of interest created by Newt Gingrich’s influence in national politics, Rusty and his

Rusty looked at his wife and “she frowned—she knew what I was going to do—I was going to run for Congress.”

wife gave each other an anniversary gift of attending the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia where George W. Bush was nominated to become the Republican candidate for president. While at a dinner at the convention, rumors began to circulate that long-time Mobile Congressman Sonny Callahan was going to retire. Rusty looked at his wife and “she frowned—she knew what I was going to do—I was going to run for Congress.” While he lost the race to eventual Congressman Jo Bonner, he was able to win two precincts and finished 2nd in 8 others—a fairly strong showing for a political newcomer. On October 30, 2002, incumbent Alabama House member J.E. Turner of Citronelle, died unexpectedly from a heart attack. Turner had won in the Republican primary earlier that year and was facing nominal Democrat opposition in the upcoming November elections. On the day Turner passed away, Glover got a call at school from a Republican Party leader asking if he would take Turner’s place on the

ballot. “I had 30 seconds to make up my mind…and I agreed to do it.” The general election was a mere 5 days away. An interesting side note to this story involves Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney John Ashcroft. In order to get a replacement put on the ballot at this late date, the U.S. Department of Justice had to give “clearance.” Senator Sessions called his friend Ashcroft and got the process expedited for Glover to be on the ballot. Interestingly, Glover had indirectly assisted Ashcroft in an election prior to this time. Highway 98 in Mobile is a gateway for Midwesterners heading to the beach and many Missourians traveled through Semmes, Alabama, on their trip south. There was an ongoing hotly contested race for the U.S. Senate between Ashcroft and Missouri’s governor. The seat was important to control of the United States Senate and Republicans across the country were coming together to help Ashcroft. Glover did his part by putting up signs in Semmes for Ashcroft. As the folks from ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

Missouri traveled through the state they encountered many signs supporting Ashcroft. Tragically, the Missouri Governor died in a plane crash and because of the outpouring of sympathy won the election even though he was deceased. The governor was succeeded by the lt. governor who then appointed the late governor’s wife to the U.S. Senate which opened the opportunity for Ashcroft to later be appointed U.S. Attorney General. Back to Glover’s Alabama House race: He won with 77% of the vote in spite of having only 5 days to campaign. He served one term in the Alabama House of Representatives from 2002–2006. During this time, he distinguished himself by voting against all the tax measures proposed by Governor Bob Riley during what would later be referred to as the “billion dollar tax increase… Amendment One.” Clearly, as a school teacher himself, Glover was under enormous pressure from the Alabama Education Association and then State Superintendent of Education Ed Richardson to support Amendment One. Not only did he vote against the tax increases, he also introduced an amendment to the accountability measure, the “Teacher Tenure Reform Act” that would have stripped tenure for teachers. The amendment and bill failed in the House because at the time AEA still controlled a majority in that chamber. In 2006, Senator Hap Myers retired from the Alabama Senate and Glover decided to run for that seat. Facing a Republican primary that included 6 contestants, Glover led the field and won a run-off against popular House member Chris Pringle. Glover won 57.3% of the vote and immediately became a senator as there was no Democrat opposition. He won consecutive races for the Senate in 2010 and 2014 with no opposition in either the primary or the general elections. During his time in the Senate, Rusty has passed legislation to enhance public safety by increasing penalties for drunk driving and making it a crime to elude police officers. He has supported education measures by encouraging reciprocal agreements with other states, first regionally and then nationally, to allow students in other states to participate in on-line studies without the universities having to pay fees, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars. Rusty also promoted accountability in government by passing legislation requiring records for use of state aircraft to be open to the public. This now requires the governor to publish what the aircraft is being used for, where it’s going and who is on board.

Additionally, he co-sponsored all the major reform legislation that Republicans have enacted since coming to power in 2010. By far Rusty’s greatest initiative is his effort to repeal common core standards placed on the states by the federal government. An issue that is often misunderstood, Senator Glover seeks “to remove limitations that precludes Alabama from developing and implementing the most comprehensive and challenging standards in the nation.” He feels that current common core standards, by making students in all states have equal standards, “dumbs down our students and lowers the bar for performance nationwide.” Common Core continues to stir passionate debate in the Legislature and will continue to be hotly contested in future legislative sessions. Asked to describe his underlying philosophy, Senator Glover says, “I want to represent the members of my district as a dedicated public servant while staying true to my underlying belief in fiscal and social conservatism.” Glover also has a personal tie to the timber industry and is interested in timberland ownership issues. “I firmly believe in private property rights…especially given my family background.” That background comes from his mother’s father, the late Virgil McMillan of Baldwin County, a timberland owner and owner of a turpentine store. At a young 49 years of age, Glover has lots of time ahead of him for further future public service. “Having retired from one career (teaching), I now have time to devote to helping others and I feel a God-driven call for continued public service. Where it takes me I don’t know right now, but I know that His hand will lead me in the best direction.” s

Rusty feels that current common core standards, by making students in all states have equal standards,“dumbs down our students and lowers the bar for performance nationwide.”

ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

McKinley & Lanier Forest Resources, Inc. 507 Energy Center Blvd. Suite 303 Northport, AL 35473 Phone: 1 (800) 247-0041 • Fax: (205) 344-6950 www.mckinleyandlanierforestresources.com

Land & Timber Management Services Forest Management • Timber Sales • Land & Timber Appraisals Forest Inventories • Harvest Scheduling GIS and GIS Mapping • Real Estate Sales • Estate Division

Associate Member Spotlight Associate Member Spotlight highlights associate members who are invaluable to AFA. Through their dues and sponsorships, associate members fund AFA’s grassroots activities, including regional receptions and outreach to our members, prospective new members and other interested parties. Please learn more about our associate members and support them so they will continue to be an integral part of our association.

The practice of forestry in Alabama is estimated to contribute 15% of the state’s economy. Forests cover 70% of the state’s land base. Some 150,000 Alabamians are employed because of our forests. And it all begins with a seedling.

The ArborGen Story The membership of the Alabama Forestry Association understands that the seedling takes around 30 years to reach economic maturity and as a result they conduct their business with a long view. This long view also drives the Association’s approach to public policy matters. A partner in developing this philosophy is ArborGen. ArborGen is a leading producer of tree seedling products and one of the largest providers of conventional and technology-enhanced seedlings to the forestry industry. With a long history of tree improvement research and expertise in forestry, ArborGen is developing products designed to meet the challenges facing the global commercial forestry industry. Through innovations in both conventional breeding and advanced genetics, they develop high-value seedling products that significantly improve the productivity of a given area of land by enabling customers to grow trees that yield more wood per acre with greater consistency and quality in a shorter period of time. These advanced products are designed to improve growth rates, yields, stress tolerance, uniformity, wood quality, and processing efficiency of trees. Combining superior nursery management practices and methods, species selection and advanced tree improvement to produce trait-specific superior trees, ArborGen is working to ensure that their customers get 18

the most out of every tree they grow. ArborGen has been part of developing Alabama’s forests for a long time. The Alabama SuperTree Nursery in Selma was built in 1974 by Hammermill Paper Company. It was acquired by International Paper in 1986 and ArborGen in 2007. It has been expanded twice over the years and, since its opening 41 years ago, it has produced over one billion seedlings. The nursery also manages two seed orchards that have progressed from first generation up to Mass Control Pollinated (MCP®) during the 48 years since initial establishment in 1967.

Top: bareroot seedlings; bottom, containerized seedlings

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Landowner and customer, Mark Ezell of Butler in Choctaw County believes in the difference the advanced genetics of ArborGen’s SuperTree Seedlings® makes. Mr. Ezell owns 5,000 acres and has been planting ArborGen trees since 2007. “If you look at the statistics, it just makes sense. I started with 3rd generation trees and have now planted MCP® Seedlings. It’s worth the money to pay a little more to get a better tree and earn more revenue.” Mr. Ezell has recommended ArborGen seedlings to others. “The better genetics just make a difference.” The company, based in Ridgeville, S.C., purchased the primary assets of CellFor Inc., a leading supplier of elite Varietal Pine tree seedlings to foresters in 2012. The integration of CellFor’s Varietal business into their already strong Varietal program enhanced ArborGen’s position in the U.S. pine market in the Southeast. The company has several nurseries that are capable of distributing Pine Varietal products at low cost. The addition to the Southeastern U.S. will enable ArborGen to take superior Varietal products into South America and the large China forestry market. ArborGen can demonstrate with 15 years of data and more than 100,000 acres of forests in the U.S. and South America, its Varietal products have proven benefits to landowners and commercial foresters, including improved productivity, disease resistance and log quality characteristics that can maximize the value of their timber products. The purchase of CellFor’s Varietal Pine technology is just one of the initiatives for ArborGen, which has a long history of innovative tree production. The company has worked in cooperation with several universities to produce tree crops for the biofuels industry. The idea is to produce cellulosic ethanol from various trees, utilizing loblolly pine, sweetgum, eucalyptus ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

Larry Foster, left, ArborGen Alabama nursery manager, and Mark Ezell, right, ArborGen customer. standing in front of Mr. Ezell’s five-year-old MCP trees.

and poplar for biomass resource production. Additionally, ArborGen is producing new plantation hardwood seedling products as well as over 50 species of hardwoods for wetlands mitigation and mining reclamation. Finally, ArborGen is a strong supporter of the Alabama Forestry Association and its educational, legislative and regulatory initiatives. s

ArborGen is developing products designed to meet the challenges facing the global commercial forestry industry.

Todd Fuller 2015 Logger of the Year By Bill Harris

ver 100 loggers and their families and friends showed up for the Alabama Loggers Council’s Annual Meeting at the Marriott Prattville Hotel and Conference Center in Prattville on October 17th. Attendees were able to listen to and view PLM topics that included Jim Cooley discussing OSHA rules and compliance; Corporal Mark Neilson of Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) talking about the law and transportation issues; Chris Isaacson discussing what is going on at the Alabama Forestry Association, including a new workforce development initiative; and Rita Sheffield who covered CPR techniques, blood pathogen and general first aid for those in attendance. Of course, the highlight of the day was the awarding of the 2015 Logger of the Year award to Todd Fuller, of Fuller’s Logging in Lanett, Alabama. For the Fuller’s the day was a family affair, with Todd accompanied by his wife Shelia and their five daughters, his mother, father in-law and sister in-law, as well as the Fuller’s Logging crew there

to participate in Todd’s award. In addition to his plaque Todd was given a handmade bench as a keepsake for his family to enjoy for generations to come. The meeting was held on Saturday to allow loggers the opportunity to get their required PLM hours without affecting their usual work week. Congratulations to Todd Fuller and his family on receiving this outstanding award. As always, we owe a special “thank you” to our fine sponsors. A lot of what we do would not be possible without the generosity of companies and individuals who pitch-in to help fund our programs. So thanks again to our sponsors and thank you to all of those who attended this event. Watch the AFA web page for next year’s date and the posting of photos from the event. Dusty Warren of CatchMark Timber Trust (left) and Auburn University Forestry Professor Tom Gallagher (right), present Logger of the Year Award to Lanett Logger Todd Fuller. Todd Fuller was also presented with this nifty bench as a keepsake as part of his Logger of the Year award. Two beautiful Western log Trucks from Long Lewis of Bessemer, Alabama were part of the outdoor equipment display at the ALC Annual Meeting in Prattville.

Sponsors of the annual event included PLATINUM CatchMark Timber, Thompson Tractor, Forest Fund, Gulf Coast Tucks, JM Wood Auction and WestRock GOLD Long Lewis Western Star and Southern Logger Cooperative SILVER First Farm Credit, Boise Paper and International Paper BRONZE Forest 21, Ira Phillips and Warrior Tractor

NEWS & VIEWS

Planning Ahead all is a busy time of the year, but perhaps the best time for planning. With the approaching cooler weather, we as outdoor enthusiasts, start to get excited. It’s the perfect time for football, whether you are sitting on concrete bleachers for Friday night, high school competitions or tailgating your favorite college team on Saturday. It’s also time to gear up for an approaching hunting season and do all those little things around the house to prepare for winter weather. We also begin thinking about the holidays and how we will be spending them with family this year. It is easy to get overwhelmed and become a victim of poor planning. As all of the aforementioned things are taking place, we need to be thinking about our activities needed on “the farm.” A good bit of site preparation burns are still needed to remove debris that hinders a good planting job. Site prep burns usually do a much better job before the air temperature dips below about 70 degrees and fuel moisture starts to increase. All of the wildlife food

plots/viewing areas need to be prepared and planted for optimum success. Just remember these are winter food plots and in many areas will not be browsed until all the natural vegetation is gone and acorns start to sour. Understory burning can begin soon and go all the way through spring’s green up. Burning during hunting season is not detrimental to wildlife and in many cases will actually enhance your opportunities. Animals are often times, more curious than we humans and will return to an area before the smoke clears. If your boundary lines need refreshing or establishing, it is a good time of year to be in the woods painting them, just wear your “hunter’s orange.” If you have road problems and drainage issues, start making notes so they can be fixed this spring. You may want to hold off on exposing a lot of mineral soil due to approaching wet weather, but water bars and turn outs can be established about any time of the year. Some of the other issues with crossings and culverts not addressed by now may be

Alabama Tree Farm Committee Black Belt District Bart Adams (334) 410-0608 Capital District Walter Cartwright (334)-240-9324 Delta District Benji Elmore (251) 275-3283 Longleaf District Mike Older (334) 222-0379 Mountain District Todd Langston (256) 434-4712

ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

candidates for your “to do list.” Recreation areas that consist of anything from primitive camping sites, to cabins, shooting houses, tree stands, ATV/UTV trails all need to be assessed for safety. A downed tree in a trail may have been there for months and now is the time to saw it up. Cabins are our second homes, but can be homes to other creatures as well. Be safe this fall in whatever you are doing! My intentions were not to ramble on about various things we need to do, but serve as a gentle reminder that everything mentioned can be replaced or fixed with time. You on the other hand, have a duty to someone to return home at the end of the day. Enjoy your Tree Farm, celebrate with your family, and tell those around you that you love them. Until next time, take care my friends!

By Tim Browning, RF #1874 Alabama Tree Farm Chairman

State Chairman Tim Browning (205) 367-8232

Piedmont District Amy Gaddy 256-447-1006 Valley District Johnnie Everitt (256) 383-4376 Vulcan District Jason Dockery (256) 734-0573 Warrior District Tim Browning (205) 367-8232 Wiregrass District Heather Wierzbicki (334) 855-5394

Vice Chairman Lamar Dewberry (256) 396-2485 Financial Committee Chair Heather Wierzbicki (334) 855-5394 Awards & Recognition Chairs Paul Hudgins (334) 376-9114 Dr. Robert Parker (334) 399-1086

Board Development Chair Tom Carignan (334) 361-7677 Outreach & Education Chair Allen Varner (334)-240-9308 Certification Chair Mike Older (334) 222-0379

John Boutwell (334) 365-9221 Don East (256) 396-2694 Chris Isaacson (334) 265-8733 Doug Link (251) 564-6281 Salem & Dianne Saloom (251) 867-6464 Charles Simon At Large Directors (334) 222-1125 Jim Solvason Tim Albritton (334) 372-3360 (334) 887-4560 Carolyn Stubbs (334) 821-0374 21

Green Horizons

29th Annual Tree Farm Auction a Success

Joe Roberson winner of the Yeti Cooler

By Heather Wierzbicki

hank you to everybody that helped to make our 29th Tree Farm Silent Auction a success. The auction would not be a success without the help of everybody involved; the bidders, the donations, our volunteers, and our sponsors. Alabama Ag Credit and Alabama Farm Credit have generously donated a gun to raffle off every year. This year, Alabama Ag Credit also donated the 65 quart Yeti cooler to raffle. I am proud to say, we raised over $4,500

Handmade Bow & Arrows by John Henry Powell

Heather Wierzbicki registers auction attendees Alligator Snapping Turtle print donated by AL Clean Water Partnership Kathy & Tim Thornhill win the Amish Rocking Chairs

for the Tree Farm Committee this year. All proceeds of the auction go towards the operating expenses of the committee. The Alabama Tree Farm Committee is a non-profit organization that operates on a budget funded by grants and donations. The Alabama Tree Farm Committee certifies over 2.4 million acres of non-industrial private forests and was the first state program back in 1942. Gordon Forester with Crop Production Services was the winner of the Ruger American .308 rifle with Browning Scope. Joe Roberson with WestRock was the lucky winner of the 65 qt. Yeti cooler. Thanks again to Alabama Ag Credit and Alabama Farm Credit for donating these

items and to all who purchased tickets. Next year will be our 30th annual tree farm auction and the 75th Anniversary of the American Tree Farm System. Let’s make next year’s auction the best one yet!

If you would like to donate an item for next year’s auction, please contact me at heather.wierzbicki@westrock.com. It is never too early to start gathering items. All donations are tax deductible. s

2015 Tree Farm Auction Sponsors

Alabama Clean Water Partnership Alabama Wildlife Federation Cedar Plantation Creek Custom Game Calls

Dennis & Charlene LeBleu Dr. Salem Saloom Elmo Zieback John Henry Powell Leann Thompson

Ponderosa II Tree Farm Rick Entriken Southern Resources Mapping Southern Treasures Online

Superior Forestry Products Tucker Pecan Co. WestRock Weyerhaeuser

ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

Northern Long-Eared Bat The Endangered Species Act, and their Effects on Forest Management By Ryan T. Peek, Landowner Assistance Coordinator, Alabama Forestry Commission he northern long-eared bat is important to forest management because it was recently federally listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Threatened species are those that are likely to become endangered in the future. Endangered species are those that are in danger of becoming extinct. The US Fish and Wildlife Service published the final listing and interim rule to the Federal Register on April 2, 2015. The rule took effect on May 4, 2015. There are forest management implications resulting from the listing which will be discussed in more detail below.

Identification Having background knowledge and being able to identify the northern longeared bat is important for forest managers and landowners. The northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) is a small to medium-sized bat with a body length of 3 to 3.75 inches long and a wingspan of 9 to 10 inches. The bat’s fur is a dark to medium brown on the back, and tawny to pale brown on its underside. The easiest way to distinguish this species from others in its genus is by its long ears. The word myotis means “mouse-eared” in Greek. When the northern long-eared bat lays its ears forward, they extend past its nose up to two-tenths of an inch. The two species it is most commonly confused with are little brown bat and western long-eared bat. During the winter, these bats hibernate in caves and mines, called hibernacula. They utilize areas in the hibernacula that have a constant temperature, high humidity, and no air currents. The bats will hibernate in small cracks and crevices, sometimes with only the nose or ears visible. During the summer, these bats will roost under the bark of trees, in cavities, in

ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

Northern Long-Eared Bat crevices of live or dead trees, or in snags (dead standing trees). They may roost singly or in colonies. Males and non-reproductive females will continue to roost in mines or caves, if convenient. It is very uncommon for this species of bat to roost in human structures.

White-Nose Syndrome The reason northern long-eared bats have been listed as a threatened species is because of a disease that affects hibernating bats called White-nose Syndrome. Caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the disease is named for the white fungus that appears on the muzzle and other parts of the bat. This fungus causes significant mortality. It is estimated that the disease has killed over 5.5 million bats in the United States and Canada. Northern long-eared bat populations have declined sharply, up to 99 percent, across a large portion of its range.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Northern long-eared bat with white-nose syndrome Photo by Steve Taylor, U of Illinois

First documented in New York around 2006, the disease has since spread west as far as Missouri as well as south to Mississippi and Alabama. The northern longeared bats’ range extends through 33 counties in Alabama. Currently, Alabama has seven counties with infected hibernacula. White-nose syndrome causes bats to behave strangely during winter months, flying outside during the middle of the day or clustering at the entrance of a cave or mine. White-nose syndrome has been confirmed in the following species of bats: big brown bat, eastern small-footed bat, gray bat (endangered), Indiana bat (endangered), little brown bat, northern long-eared bat (threatened), and the tri-colored bat.

Threatened Species Regulations Section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) allows the US Fish and Wildlife Service to establish special regulations for

Green Horizons

Northern Long-Eared Bat Distribution in Alabama by County: Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Colbert, Cullman, Dekalb, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Pickens, Randolph, Shelby, St. Clair, Sumter, Talladega, Tuscaloosa, Walker, and Winston.

Lauderdale Limestone

Jackson

Madison

Colbert Lawrence Morgan

Franklin

DeKalb Marshall

Prepared date: 09.25.2015 Cherokee

Winston

Marion

Cullman Etowah Blount

Walker

Lamar

Calhoun

Fayette

St. Clair

Cleburne

Jefferson

Talladega Tuscaloosa

Pickens

Randolph

Clay

Shelby

Bibb Coosa Greene

Chambers Tallapoosa

Chilton Hale Perry

Sumter

Lee

Elmore

Autauga

Macon Dallas

Russell

Marengo

Montgomery Lowndes Bullock

Alabama Counties with White-nose Syndrome-Infected Hibernacula: Colbert, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Marshall, and Morgan.

Choctaw

Wilcox Barbour Pike Butler

Crenshaw

Clarke Monroe Henry Conecuh

Washington

Dale

Coffee

Covington Houston

Escambia

Mobile

Baldwin

Geneva

Northern Long-Eared Bat Interim 4(d) Rule All Counties Effected By White-Nose Syndrome Legend Counties/Districts with WNS/Pd Infected Hibernacula White-Nose Syndrome Buffer Zone Per Interim 4(d) Rule

Notes: Northern Long-Eared Bat range and WNS Buffer Zone subject to change as new data are collected. WNS=White-Nose Syndrome Pd=Pseudogymnoascus destructans; the fungus that causes WNS

threatened species, subspecies, and Distinct Population Segments. [Section 4(d) rules do not apply to endangered species.] These 4(d) rules take the place of the normal protections of the ESA and may either increase or decrease the ESA’s normal protections. The ESA specifies that 4(d) rules must be “necessary and advisable to provide for the conservation of such species.” One use of 4(d) rules is to relax the normal ESA restrictions to reduce conflicts between people and the protections provided to the threatened species by the ESA. The provision in the Endangered Species Act 4(d) rule states that all purposeful take is prohibited within the range of the northern long-eared bat. The ESA defines “take” as to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct. The ESA defines “incidental take” as take that results from, but is not the purpose of, carrying out an otherwise lawful activity. There are two exceptions to the rule. The first is the removal of northern long-eared bats from human structures. The second exception is actions related to capture, handling, and related activities for northern long-eared bat by individuals permitted to conduct these same activities (typically researchers and scientists) for species of bats (for a period of a year). The northern long-eared bat has a large

range, and white-nose syndrome has not yet spread throughout its entire range. A buffer has been established around areas that have infected hibernacula, known as the white-nose syndrome buffer zone. For areas of the country outside of the whitenose syndrome buffer zone, the interim 4(d) rule exempts incidental take from all activities. For areas within the white-nose syndrome buffer zone, take from hazardous tree removal is exempt from the ESA prohibitions. The 33 counties in Alabama that are within the range of northern long-eared bat are also located in the white-nose syndrome buffer zone. For areas of the country within the white-nose buffer zone, the interim 4(d) rule exempts incidental take from the following activities (with provisions*): forest management practices; maintenance and limited expansion of transportation or util-

ity lines; prairie habitat management; and limited tree removal projects, provided these activities protect known maternity roosts and hibernacula. The conversion of mature hardwood or mixed forests into intensively managed monoculture pine plantations is not exempt under the 4(d) rule. This is because monoculture pine plantation stands provide very poor quality bat habitat. The 4(d) rule does not require landowners to conduct a survey for northern long-eared bat, but a survey would help identify whether bats utilize the area. The landowner has added certainty that incidental take resulting from the exempted activities is not prohibited under the 4(d) rule. Forest managers must be aware of the required measures stated above for exempted activities to be valid. It is recommended to identify any potential roost trees on a property and be mindful of conducting harvest operations during the bats’ pup season. Pleading ignorance will not provide a strong defense if found out of compliance with the ESA 4(d) rule. General forestry considerations when northern long-eared bats are present or presumed present include avoidance of roost sites, leaving wooded corridors between roosting and feeding sites, and protecting known hibernacula. Leaving a wooded buffer around hibernacula will help insulate the bats from the rest of the harvesting operation. Utilization of herbicides and pesticides in areas adjacent to foraging and roost sites should be carefully controlled and monitored for unanticipated adverse effects. s

*The following measures are required in order for the exemption to apply: 1. Activity occurs more than ¼ mile from known, occupied hibernacula. 2. Activity avoids cutting or destroying known, occupied roost trees during pup season, which is June 1 – July 31. 3. Activity avoids clear-cuts and similar harvest methods, seed tree, shelter wood, and coppice regeneration within ¼ mile of known, occupied roost trees during pup season.

Information utilized to write this article came from the Federal Register Volume 80 Number 63, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the white-nose Syndrome.org website. For additional information on northern long-eared bat or white-nose syndrome, please visit the US Fish and Wildlife Services website at fws.gov and whitenosesyndrome.org.

ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

What’s in a “Standard”? By Tim Browning

he American Forest Foundation’s (AFF) 2015-2020 Standards of Sustainability for Forest Certification (Standards) promote the health and sustainability of America’s family forests. These Standards are designed as a tool to help woodland owners be effective stewards of the land as they adaptively manage renewable resources; promote environmental, economic and social benefits; and work to increase public understanding of sustainable forestry. The Standards are based on international sustainability metrics and North American guidelines for sustainable forest management. They also serve as the basis for the American Tree Farm System (ATFS) certification program. The ATFS certification program is internationally endorsed by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Qualified natural resource professionals who follow the Standards are encouraged to promote the Tree Farm Program by working with landowners or tree farmers to help educate them on sound forest management, growing trends, responsible decision making, and rules/regulations designed to protect the natural resources. Landowners also have a responsibility when it comes to the Standards. Landowners should display appropriate signage and participate in program activities. They should closely monitor what activities natural resource managers recommend for their property. Landowners are the quality control managers in the Tree Farm Program. The system, when functioning properly, will protect the natural resources and provide landowners with multiple benefits from maintaining healthy forests to establishing a world-wide forest product certification network. So what do the Standards really mean? For this article, I will attempt to introduce the Standards and not go into the details of

ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

Reforestation and Afforestation every performance measure or indicator aligned with each Standard.

are often available at local state/federal natural resource agency offices.

Standard 1 Commitment to Practicing Sustainable Forestry

Standard 3 Reforestation and Afforestation

Landowner demonstrates commitment to forest health and sustainability by developing a forest management plan and implementing sustainable practices. This Standard is designed to help the landowner establish a road map for their property and serve as a collaboration of documentation that is the basis for decision making. There are multiple kinds of management plans but most include some basic property information, current maps, clearly stated objectives, considerations of specific conditions (size, scale and intensity of property and operations).

Landowner completes timely restocking of desired species of trees on harvested sites and nonstocked areas where tree growing is consistent with land use practices and the landowner’s objectives. Whether reforesting a site by planting suitable local growing stock or choosing to regenerate a site naturally, either practice should take place successfully within five years of harvesting.

Standard 2 Compliance with Laws Forest Management activities comply with all relevant state and local laws, regulations and ordinances. “When in doubt, ask.” Common forest management activities that are regulated in many states include conservation of state and federally protected species and their habitat, prescribed burning, pesticide application, harvesting, road building, pond construction, and stream crossings. Excellent resources

Standard 4 Air, Water, and Soil Protection Forest management practices maintain or enhance the environment and ecosystems, including air, water, soil, and site quality. This Standard is easily addressed by following all state forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs). In Alabama, ADEM is the enforcing agency for the state should practices negatively affect the natural resources. BMPs in Alabama are educational guidelines written and updated regularly by the state forestry agency or Alabama Forestry Commission. They are designed to help guide in placement of har-

Green Horizons vest loading zones, skid trail arrangement, road building, stream crossings, and soil stabilizing techniques.

Chinaberry tree, an invasive species

Standard 5 Fish, Wildlife, Biodiversity, and Forest Health Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), landowners are required to protect occupied habitat for threatened or endangered animal species. Although private landowners are not required to protect threatened or endangered plant species under the ESA, landowners are encouraged to do so.

Prescribed burning

Standard 6 Forest Aesthetics Forest management activities recognize the value of forest aesthetics. This Standard encourages landowners to incorporate management activities that will enhance the visual appeal of their property. Examples of some activities are; placing truck loading zones out of public view, putting a bend in a road to block the view of the tractâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interior, closing idle roads and planting wildlife friendly plants, or following natural contour lines and timber types when designing harvest boundaries.

Standard 7 Protect Special Sites Special sites are managed in ways that recognize their unique historical, archeological, cultural, geological, biological or ecological characteristics. Examples of these include but are not limited to American Indian burial sites, historical building ruins, cemeteries, cave entrances, spring heads, mineral outcroppings, Civil War battle grounds, a champion tree, plant bogs, glades, or fish spawning grounds.

Standard 8 Forest Product Harvests and Other Activities Forest product harvests and other management activities are conducted in accordance with the landownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s objectives and consider other forest values. Landowners and designated representatives are encouraged to stipulate that contractors must be in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations.

These Standards were designed to recognize and support on-the-ground stewardship. They were developed at the direction of the AFF Board of Trustees by the 20152020 AFF Independent Standards Review

Support the Alabama Tree Farm Program

Panel (ISRP). They are the basis and guide to your Alabama Tree Farm Program which we must follow and adhere to in order to maintain a credible certification program through the ATFS. s

Your Alabama Tree Farm Committee is selling custom Alabama Tree Farm hats and travel coffee mugs. Mugs are available for $12 and hats for $15. If you are interested in purchasing these items, please contact Heather Wierzbicki at heather.wierzbicki@westrock.com 334-855-5394 or 334-695-8300 PO Box 940 Phenix City, AL 36868

ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

date! e t h eSymposium Sa vOutreach & Awards Banquet

Friday, February 5, 2016

at the New Alabama Wildlife Federation NaturePlex

a l a b a m a n a t u r a l r e s o u r c e s . c o m

Have You Made the Move? Tree Farmers— We Need to Hear From You!

2015 Management Plan Addendum Tool Now Available!

ll landowners with woodlands certified to Ê Ê Ê to ATFS Ê Ê Standards Ê will Ê need toÊ transition Ê 2015-2020 ATFS Standards during 2015. Landowners the Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê are encouraged Ê Ê to review Ê Is Your Tree Farm 2015-2020 Standards with their management their plans include Ê Ê plans Ê to ensure Ê Ê Ê Ê key eleÊ Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê ments while also making any updates to reflect changes to their own objectives, Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê property Information Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê or management. Ê Ê A copy ofÊ the new is Êavailable Ê ATFSÊ Management Ê Ê Ê Plan Addendum Ê Ê Current? Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê online atÊ to www.treefarmsystem.org/new-atfs-addendum Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê orÊ you Ê mayÊ contact Ê Leigh Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Peters Ê Ê at lpeters@alaforestry.org to request a print copy. The 2015-2020 Standards may be If Not, Let Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê found online Ê Ê at www.treefarmsystem.org/atfs-standards. Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Us Know Ê Ê Ê Ê If you have recent updatesÊ that needÊ to be Êmade to the Farm database, Ê Tree Ê Ê Ê Ê please Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê complete the form below and Tree ÊFarmÊ Committee. You Ê returnÊ it toÊthe Alabama Ê Ê Ê Ê may Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê also email Ê Ê us with updated information. s Ê Ê

✁ Tree Farm #:

Tree Farm County:

GPS coordinates if available:

Tree Farm Name:

Tree Farm Organization (if LLC, etc.)

Contact Name:

Contact Address:

Phone:

Cell Phone:

Email:

City/State: ZIP:

Non-contiguous tracts?

If yes, how many tracts?

Forested acres change?

If yes, estimated forested acres:

* i>ÃiÊÀiÌÕÀ ÊÌ Ê >L> >Ê/ÀiiÊ >À Ê ÌÌii ÌÌi Ì Ê À> `ÞÊ i xxxÊ >L> >Ê-ÌÀiiÌ Ì} iÀÞ]Ê ÊÎÈ£ä{

vÊÞ ÕÊ«ÀiviÀÊÌ Êi > Ê ÀÊV> Ê ÊÞ ÕÀÊÕ«`>ÌiÃ]ÊV Ì>VÌÊ À> `ÞÊ iÊ>Ì LV iJ> >v ÀiÃÌÀÞ° À} ÀÊÎÎ{ {n£ Ó£Ón°

✁

ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

e r u t a N o t s id K g in t c e n n Co Nature is a great teacher! T Try ry tthis his outd outdoor oor activ activity ity - it’ it’ss safe, fun, and educational. Project Learning ng Tree Tree® activ activities build children’s ities b uild child ren’s creative and critical thinking skills environment sustainable. while they learn what the env ironment needs to remain healthy and sustainab le.

Activity 27 27: 7: Ev Every ery Tree fo for or Itself Try this active simu simulation to give children an understanding of the conditions trees need to live and grow. This activity will also help teach that trees must often compete for their needs. Doing the Activity Challenge students to think about the things they need to live and grow. Then ask about the things trees need to survive. What are a tree’s needs and how do they get them? What happens to trees when these needs are not met? Explain how trees use leaves to capture sunlight and roots to access water and nutrients. Did you know that for many species, a tree’s height is roughly equal to the diameter of its root spread? This concept is illustrated in the diagrams below.

Heigh Height

Diame Diameter

Diameter me

Height Heigh

• How tall are you? • What is the diameter of your root spread? (the same as their height!) • How can we make a circle large enough to show the size of your root spread? (help them do so, using string or sidewalk chalk)

Tree Height and Ro Root ot Spread

Explain to children that this information can be used to determine the root spread of a tree their size… or the size of their own root spread if they were a tree! Ask:

Have children stand in the middle of their root spread circle and pretend they are re a tree. Remind Remind children that trees are rooted to the ground and cannot move or talk in order to get what they need. Ask children to demonstrate how a tree might act if sunlight only reached one side. What might a tree look like if it is hungry ngryy,, thirstyy,, or cold? What might migh happen if a tree’s root spread overlapped with those of other trees? How do trees compete for survival?

©American Forest Foundation. Adapted from Activity 27: Every Trree for Itself from Project Learning Tree’s PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide.

PL LT improves children’s environmental awareness, critical thinking skills, and academic performance. • Attend a workshop near you to receive PreK-12 PLT activities, ideas, and materials. tdoor learning and PL LT T. • Encourage your child’s school to incorporate outdoor bama PL LT T State Coordinator: • Contact your Alabama Brandy Cole, bcole@alaforestryy.org, 334-481-2128

www.plt.org

2015 Annual Meeting

1. U.S. Congressman Gary Palmer moderated the first AFA panel discussion. 2. Rayonier CEO David Nunes talks about his company's engagement in forestry. 3. Bernard Lanigan, Jr., discusses the future of forestry in the Southeast. 4. Don Kayne, CEO of Canada-based Canfor, talked about his company’s acquisition of sawmills in the U.S. South.

5 5. Attorney General Luther Strange was one of the keynote speakers at the meeting. 6. Brian Davis talked about Alabama International Trade during Continuing Education sessions. 7. Attorney Cannon Lawley talked about legal issues faced by the industry. 8. Ed Austin discussed Alabama DOT’s bridge and road construction projects.

Everybody had fun at the 2015 Annual Meeting, featuring great program sessions, a great beach bash, great golf, and perfect weather. It just doesn't get any better than that!

9. Perry Hand discussed the new project for rebuilding Gulf State’s Park. 10. Shawn Ellsworth of Price Waterhouse Coopers talked about accounting and tax issues related to forestry.

The weather for the 2015 meeting was perfect!

ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

2015 Annual Meeting

12. Smiling Cayleigh Cummings and Deb Schneider shared information about Children’s Hospital and the CHIPS Center. 12. Program session had a full house of enthusiastic AFA members and friends. 13. Dell and Carolyn Hill at AFA reception are photographed with the eagle “Spirit” being managed by Marianne Hudson of Auburn University’s Southeastern Raptor Center. 14. Amanda Ryan “mans” the exhibit for Alabama Ag Credit. 15. Reporting everything you need to know about Plum Creek was Ken McQuage and Tammy Ladd. 16. Representing Meeks nursery, as he has for many years, was AFA favorite Jack Chappell.

18 17

17. Donnie Fleming and Kimmie Van Wyck and a friend man the ArborGen SuperTree Seedlings display. 18. On station as he has been for many years, Derick Metts mans the Taylor Equipment exhibit. Taylor also sponsors the annual “beach bash” at the Perdido Beach Resort event. 19. Dancing the night away to the Sweet Young'uns. 20. Rayonier’s exhibit on their Preferred Seedlings.

ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

Sunsets at the beach were incredibly beautiful. 23

21. Longtime AFA officer Fred Stimpson (left) introduces Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey (right) to Canfor CEO Don Kayne. Standing by Fred is Corinne Stavness, director of External Affairs and Communications for Canfor. 22. AFA-EVP Chris Isaacson (left) served as moderator for the second panel discussion. State Docks CEO Jimmy Lyons (center) listens as fellow panelist Thomas Meth, Executive Vice President of Enviva, discusses the state of the export markets for wood pellets and wood chips. 23. Former Auburn University and Miami football great Mike Kolen gave an inspirational talk about football and life at Tuesday morning session.

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24 24. Several came close, but none of the Sunburn Classic golfers were able to make the hole-inone and win that beautiful Ford F-150 pickup provided by Johnson Ford. Maybe next year! 26. Playing well, but finishing out of the money left to right, was Robert Zuckley, Bill Harris, Chris Potts and Hunter Smith. 25. Winning First Place low net was, left to right, Craig Dennis, Al Bracewell, Dale Outlaw and Camp Powers. Lodging a mild protest in the background was Joey King, who works with Al at Jasper Lumber Company.

TT.R. .R. CLARK LaFayette, AL 334.864.9542

25 “We are not the new kid on the block. We have been handling the insurance for the forest products industry since 1969. If you want your insurance agent to be around when you have a claim, call us.” 1200 Elba Hwy., P.O. Box 448, Troy, AL 36081-0448 Office: (334) 566-1477 • Fax (334) 566-7986 Email: wig@troycable.net • AL WATS: (800) 239-1477

27 28

27. And the Sunburn Classic “Valhalla Cup” goes to the first place overall team of, Hank Bauer (holding the cup) and his team mates, Ian Williamson (left), Matt Russell (second from right) and Willie Newberry. Congratulations guys on a great round of golf! 28. Michael Delany digs one out and sends it south! 29. Taking the opportunity to soak up a few rays, AFA staffers Danielle Cavanaugh and Leigh Peters, wait on the next team to try for a hole-in-one at the 2015 Sunburn Classic.

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ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

News & Views Congressman Bradley Byrne Tours District

NWTF & SFI Sign Agreement for Forest Health

EDGEFIELD, S.C. – The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) announced recently an exciting new partnership for future forests. The two organizations have established a memorandum

labama U.S. Congressman Bradley Byrne recently conducted a tour of agricultural and forestry facilities and employees across his 1st Congressional District in Southwest Alabama. The tour kicked off in Robertsdale recently. From there, Congressman Byrne met with Alabama Forestry Association members and forestry company officials in Brewton, toured Dr. Salem Saloom’s Tree Farm near Evergreen, visited Scotch Plywood in Clarke County and toured farms in Uriah, Leroy and Grand Bay.

AFA’s EVP Chris Isaacson (left) spending time with Congressman Byrne.

Tree Farmer Salem Saloom (right) talks to U.S. Congressman Bradley Byrne and Alabama Ag Commissioner John McMillan on Byrne’s recent forestry and ag tour of the 1st Congressional District.

Shown signing agreement is SFI Board Chairman Craig Blair and NWTF Chief Conservation Officer Becky Humphries.

Delta District Meeting & Mobile Regional Reception Great Events

FA members and friends had a fantastic turn out for the Delta District meeting. Tom Saunders gave the Association’s update which culminated in the re-election of Frank Mozingo as our Delta District Director. The reception was also well attended and a good time had by all, with great food provided by local favorite BlueGill. Special thanks to First South Farm Credit and Arborgen for sponsoring a fantastic night. The crowd visited with friends and got to hear from the McMillan brothers. It was a pleasure having John and Steve McMillan to speak to our members.

Frank Mozingo (second from left) was re-elected Delta District Director. At left is Frank’s son Colton Mozingo, on the other side is Ronny Winberly and at right is David Schille.

ALABAMA FORESTS | Fall 2015

Gray Skipper, Mary Beth Bradley and AFA Board member Tom Bradley, III.

of mutual support that promotes forest management for the benefit of the nation’s forests and wildlife. “Every year, millions of people enjoy recreational opportunities in forests managed to meet SFI standards,” said NWTF Chief Conservation Officer Becky Humphries. “If we hope to achieve the conservation goals of the NWTF Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative, partnerships like this one with SFI are critical.” The agreement establishes a partnership for cooperation and collaboration in promoting well managed forests that provide wildlife habitat, clean water and recreational access. Both organizations work to promote responsible forestry practices to improve forest health, biological diversity, and recreational opportunities while also supporting conservation, communities and family traditions in North America. “This agreement exemplifies SFI’s longstanding commitment to balance environmental, social and economic interests to meet the many needs of forests and the communities that rely on them. Our partnership with the NWTF will advance our shared interest in the forests of the future,” said Craig Blair, chair of the SFI board of directors. 33

News & Views

Chris, Salem, and Some Really BIG Trees

ree Farmer and AFA member Salem Saloom and Chris Erwin, American Forest Foundation and AFA member, recently attended the Best Practices for Communication and Delivery of Prescribed Fire Messaging summit at the Tall Timbers Research Station near Tallahassee, Florida. The Alabama Forestry Association is partnering with the American Forest Foundation and many other organizations and agencies under the umbrella of the My Alabama Woods Team to promote prescribed fire as a management tool to private landowners. After the Tallahassee meeting, Chris and Salem visited the Wade Tract Preserve, a 200-acre research plot managed by Tall Timbers Research Station, which is surrounded by a 3,200-acre private hunting estate near Thomasville, Ga. The Wade Tract is one of very few old-growth stands that have been managed with fire for decades. The history of research conducted on the Wade Tract coupled with the extreme rarity of this old-growth forest type makes it one of the most important ecological research sites in America. In the photo, Chris (right) and Salem are standing by a 400-year-old longleaf pine. For more info contact Chris Erwin at cerwin73@gmail.com or Salem Saloom at sawbonz@saloom.net.

Great Turnout for Jasper Regional Reception

ore than 60 AFA members and friends turned out ALC Director Bill Harris talks with Walker County Farmers for the Jasper Area Regional Reception at Federation Chairman Dorman Grace and Walker County Engineer Mike Short. the Musgrove Country Club on July 30. AFA-EVP Chris Isaacson gave a forestry â&#x20AC;&#x153;state of the stateâ&#x20AC;? report of all the latest goings on in the forest products industry. Sponsors included, the Walker County Farmers Federation, Joey King of Jasper Lumber and his lovely wife Kelly. Carl Cannon Chevrolet, Cleveland, Inc., Forest Energies, Jasper Lumber Company, and Pinacle Bank. Many thanks to all of our fine sponsors. 34

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Index to Advertisers AGRICULTURAL LENDING

Alabama Land Banks Associations s AlabamaAgCredit.com ..........................................4 First South Farm Credit – South Division s firstsouthfarmcredit.com...........................11 CONSULTANTS—FORESTRY

F&W Forestry Services s fwforestry.net .......................................................................32 Larson & McGowin s larsonmcgowin.com ...................................................................36 McKinley & Lanier Forest Resources, Inc. s mlforestresources.com................................17

SEEDLINGS

ArborGen LLC – South Carolina s arborgen.com ...........................................................11 International Forest Company s interforestry.com ...............................Inside Front Cover Rayonier s rayonier.com ..............................................................................................10 Weyerhaeuser s weyerhaeuser.com.............................................................................32 UTILITIES

Southern Company s alabamapower.com/safety ...........................................................2

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Trustmark Bank s trustmark.com.................................................................................34 FORESTRY EDUCATION

Alabama Forests Forever Foundation s alaforestry.org.................................................35 Project Learning Tree s plt.org .....................................................................................28 FOREST PRODUCT MANUFACTURERS

Cooper/T.Smith s coopertsmith.com...............................................................Back Cover Jasper Lumber Company s jasperlumber.com..............................................................31

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INSURANCE

Forest Fund s alaforestry.org ................................................................Inside Back Cover The Witherington Insurance Group s witheringtoninsurance.com ...............................32 LANDOWNERS (COMPANIES, INDIVIDUALS & TRUSTS)

Westervelt Company s westervelt.com........................................................................15

www.larsonmcgowin.com Main Office: Mobile, Alabama / 251.438.4581

LOGGING CONTRACTORS

Mid-Star Timber Harvesting, Inc. s midstartimber.com................................................10 PULP & PAPER MILL

Westrock s westrock.com............................................................................................36 SAWMILL

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