2016 winter

Alabama

Winter 2016

FORESTS IN THIS ISSUE

Meet Timber Titan Mason McGowin Chatom Logger Chuck Reynolds Senator Richard Shelby First South Farm Credit

Contents

W inter 2016 | Volume 60 | Numb er 1

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 Capital 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

Logger Chuck Reynolds (left) standing with the guys and ladies who help him put on the annual HOPE Outdoors event.

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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 EDITOR Sam Duvall

Alabama

FORESTS FEATURES Timber Titan Mason McGowin

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

DEPARTMENTS 6

From the Executive Vice President

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GREEN HORIZONS EDITOR Leigh Peters

Logger Chuck Reynolds

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Dean’s Notebook

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Senator Richard Shelby

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Log a Load

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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.

First South Farm Credit &

News & Views

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Index to Advertisers

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Parnell Inc.

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Especially for our tree farmers/landowners: Green Horizons

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ABOUT THE COVER This is an early aerial view of the Chapman sawmill, W.T. Smith Lumber Company, which was acquired by Mason McGowin’s family in 1905.

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ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

Come explore our web site! alaforestry.org

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Starting pitcher Mason McGowin 1

From Executive Vice President

It’s Time for a Change

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ollowing weeks of procrastination, I finally decided to renew my driver’s license. Unfortunately this process isn’t as simple as it used to be. In order to comply with Congress’s REAL ID Act of 2005, you must provide documents to verify citizenship, residence, and social security registration.

Accordingly, I collected the required documents and scheduled my appointment.

On the appointed day, I arrived at the driver’s license office, was greeted cordially by a lady who verified I had the required documents and then ushered me to the front of the line. (NOTE: It pays to make an appointment!) Bottom line, I was in and out of there with my new license in 15 minutes.

Since that went so smoothly, I thought I’d quickly run by the Social Security office and submit my application to replace a lost social security card. (Mistake!) After I stood in line for 20 minutes, I was told I’d have to take a number and wait another hour. Needless to say, I left.

In order to more efficiently issue driver’s licenses, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has established an effective system for customers to make appointments. Contrast that with the Social Security Office.

In the same amount of time it took for an employee to explain to me I had to take a number, she could have processed my application and verified my identity, but alas, that was ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

their system.

Some might rightfully argue that’s just the federal government but I think it goes beyond that. I believe it’s simply the system they’ve adopted.

Although I was pleasantly surprised by my experience at the driver’s license office, I’ve been equally frustrated dealing with other state agencies that have failed to develop user-friendly systems.

So what’s my point? Unless a business has the right system in place, the process will not be efficient, employees will not be effective, and customers will be frustrated. Even if a business like that survives, it certainly will not thrive. Customers WILL vote with their feet.

The same is true for government. You cannot expect a government agency to effectively deliver a service without the right system in place. Further, that agency must be willing to periodically evaluate their systems in order to take advantage of new technology and adapt to changing needs. Absent that “self-evaluation,” government bureaucracies will continue to grow requiring ever-increasing resources.

That’s the situation we face in state government today.

Admittedly, there has been some reform enacted by the legislature and there are examples of user-friendly processes implemented by state agencies.

Unfortunately, the low-hanging fruit is gone. Further reform will be much more difficult and the legislature will be

forced to make some hard decisions—decisions that will be met with strong opposition from those individuals and organizations that benefit from the status quo.

Over the last decade forest products companies have made difficult changes to ensure their operations are efficient and effective. After all, business owners are spending their own money or else they have bankers holding them accountable.

Chris Isaacson

…many [elected officials] will surrender to those who benefit from the status quo and join the chorus calling for additional taxes to fund an increasingly inefficient government.

Unfortunately, elected officials are spending our money and they don’t have the same direct accountability. As a result, many will surrender to those who benefit from the status quo and join the chorus calling for additional taxes to fund an increasingly inefficient government.

So, are there legitimate needs for additional funding for certain functions? Certainly!

Equally true, however, there are many agencies that are spending money on unnecessary or duplicative programs or are grossly inefficient in delivering those services. It may be time for Alabama taxpayers to put on their “banker hat” and say, “No more money! It’s time for systemic change.” s 3

Whatever The Farm means to you, let us finance it for you.

Dean’s Notebook

Why Do Our Graduates Stand Out in the Marketplace?

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ne of the primary goals of the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences (SFWS) at Auburn is to prepare students to be market ready and help them advance with their career goals. Toward this goal, we have developed a series of experiential education opportunities for our students in addition to the quality teaching that we provide in class rooms and labs. The school is blessed with worldclass faculty and unique field sites along with state of art indoor laboratories and outdoor living labs. You will note from the following how some of our unique assets make our students stand out in the market place. For example, l Weagle Woods: This 11-acre tract of forests, which sits just behind the SFWS at Auburn allows our students to receive outdoor instruction and gain hands-on experience by doing measurements, laying out trails, developing interpretive signage, and undertaking other management activities. l Mary Olive Thomas Demonstration Forest: This 400-acre demonstration forest located just 5 miles south of Auburn University is the place where students learn to develop comprehensive forest management plans and how to conduct fire science/behavior projects. This facility serves as a gathering for

ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

faculty and students for a yearly “Ice Breaker” cookout! l The Kreher Preserve and Nature Center: This 120-acreproperty, located just 5 miles north of university campus, has marked trails, educational kiosks, demonstration gardens, historic homestead, and a pavilion and amphitheater used for community programs. Our students both learn and serve here by conducting research projects, leading hikes, helping with educational programs, developing interpretive signage, or learning different aspects of park operations. l Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center: Located in Andalusia, Alabama, this 5,300-acre outdoor classroom and program venue is the home for our 8-week summer practicum. By living there, students not only learn a range of field techniques and technologies but also develop a professional bonding with their fellow students. The Dixon Center also includes a 100-seat auditorium, various classrooms and meeting spaces, dining and recreation halls, and student and faculty dorms. l Forestry in the private sector: This unique course is designed to introduce students to the diversity of careers available to forestry graduates and give them knowledge of the management systems and practices commonly used by forestry

businesses. Topics include the laws and regulations affecting the forest industry, public relations issues, forest sustainability, certification, negotiation techniques, and the trends in the growth, harvest, and ownership of the forest resource base. We accomplish these objectives by using presentations by successful forest industry professionals from the

Dean Janaki Alavalapati Auburn University

We have developed a series of experiential education opportunities for our students in addition to the quality teaching state and region who represent wood purchasing, timber harvesting, timberland management, and timberland investment organizations in the Southeast. l Softskills & career fair: According to a survey, 9 out of 10 employers believe that soft skills are increasingly important in the workplace. Skills such as communication, team work, work ethic, integrity, empathy, adaptability, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, and a whole host of other personal attributes are noted as crucial for career success. In order to equip our students with soft skills we organize 3 modules annually inviting leaders from private, state, and federal organizations

and have them share their perspectives on selected soft skills and plans to promote them in their organizations. Each year, the school organizes a career fair to: 1. Provide our students an opportunity to get to know their potential future employers, 2. Give an opportunity for employers to publicize their business to our students, 3. Give employers an opportunity to get a good sense of students’ skills and potential.

Last but not least, the support and guidance that we get from our alumni and clientele in training our students are key factors why our graduates are standing out in the marketplace. War Eagle! s

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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 Mason McGowin.

Mason McGowin Marched to the Beat of His Own Drum

By Sam Duvall Chapman. As an adult he spent much CHAPMAN, ALABAMA—Sometimes of his life managing property for tima child raised under the family tree of a ber and wildlife including a tract powerful and famous parent can owned by the family since 1821. He become stifled, growing up under the has also started and managed a numshadow of their famous parent. ber of highly successful companies.

It would have been easy for Mason And Mason is a leader in forestry as McGowin to have been overshadowed his father was before him. in that way. After all, his father, Earl McGowin, had the looks of a 1950s-era matinee idol, was a Rhodes Scholar, a Starting Life as a “War Baby” powerful Alabama politician for many Mason McGowin was born a “war years and a wealthy lumberman whose baby” on October 30, 1943 in New family acquired W.T. Smith Lumber Orleans, Louisiana. When war broke Company in the early 1900s and turned out, his father Earl received a direct it into one of the most successful commission in the U.S. Navy to prosawmills in the South. Earl was one of cure lumber for the U.S. military and the five children of James Greeley was stationed in the Big Easy.

McGowin of Brewton and Essie StallMason’s mother, Ellen Pratt, was worth of Beatrice. descended from the brother of Daniel While he loved and admired his Pratt for whom Prattville, Alabama, is father Earl, Mason McGowin heeded named. When Daniel’s brother died at the advice of his mother, Ellen, and a young age, he adopted his brother’s decided early on that he would march son, Merrill Pratt, and raised him like to the beat of his own drum. his own son. Merrill Pratt was Ellen “My father was a Rhodes Scholar.

Pratt’s great grandfather.

He had a magnetic personality. He Before he died Daniel Pratt, gave loved being around people and people the Pratt Gin Company to Merrill. loved having him around. I’m just the Later on, the Pratt Gin Company A lifelong turkey hunter, Mason sports a nice gobbler taken off opposite. I’m more reserved. My merged with several other companies the family land near Chapman. mother told me when I was 16 years and formed Continental Gin Comold, ‘you are not like your father. Don’t pany. “My grandfather (also named try to be like him.’ Her advice relieved me of that obligation. Too Merrill) was president of that company for 25 years,” said Mason. many sons stand in their father’s shadow and never step out. I never had to worry about that. At times it drove my father nuts.

Rocky Creek Meets W.T. Smith But, I went my own way,” Mason said with a laugh.

“The first sawmill of note in Chapman was built in the 1880s Mason McGowin grew up a typical southern boy, hunting raband was named Rocky Creek Lumber Company. Mr. W.T. Smith, bits and squirrels and fishing in ponds and lakes near his home in a successful lumber producer, bought the operation in 1891,” 6

ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

McGowin said, adding that the company was renamed W.T. Smith Lumber Company.

At this time Greeley McGowin and his brothers were large lumber exporters via the port of Mobile with clients that included the island nation of Cuba.

“In 1903 Mr. Smith sold W.T. Smith Lumber Company to the Foshee family and to Alex McGowin,” Mason said. “Shortly after buying the company, the Foshees ran into trouble and invited Greeley and his brother, Joe McGowin, in to help out. In 1905 the McGowins took over the company.”

Greeley and Essie McGowin had five children: Floyd, Earl, Julian, Estelle and Nick. The McGowin boys grew up working in and around the big family mill. They attended a one-room school at Chapman and high school in Greenville, 12 miles away, and then went on to college.

When Greeley died of pneumonia in 1934 the boys took over and ran the family business. Over time the Chapman mill has employed thousands of Alabamians. The McGowins were said to have treated their workers like extended members of their family even through the terrible years of the Great Depression.

air-conditioning. But we got a good education,” Mason said. He and a friend used get up early in the winter to go fire up the stoves at school to warm the schoolhouse before classes started.

Mason also did the kind of grunt work which was standard fare for the son of a sawmill owner.

“In the summertime as a teenager, I took care of landlines. We would repaint landlines, move fences that were on landlines, that

You are not like your father.

Don’t try to be like him.

The McGowins Make Lemonade Out of Mr. Smith’s “Lemon” When W.T. Smith sold his company it is said he breathed a sigh of relief! “Mr. Smith was reputed to have said, ‘boy, I’m glad I unloaded that lemon in Chapman,’ ” Mason said. Smith assumed that he had exhausted the timber that could be economically harvested near the Chapman mill.

“Mr. Smith had cut all of the easy timber that was within 10 or 15 miles of the mill. But I have since studied on this and figured out that the McGowins’ genius in Chapman, if there was any genius, was in logging railroads. They damn sure knew how to run a logging railroad!” Mason said.

Their expertise at railroad logging allowed the McGowins to extend the range from which they could economically harvest and transport timber out to a distance of 40 to 50 miles, giving the Chapman mill a new lease on life that would sustain it until the family sold the mill years later. By that time the McGowins had moved away from the old “cut out and get out” method of forestry to a more scientific approach that is more in line with today’s sustainable forestry ethic.

Early School and Work Years Like his father and uncles, Mason started school at Chapman.

“I went to grade school at Chapman in a three-room school with one through the eighth grade,” said Mason. Since W.T. Smith Lumber Company subsidized the teachers at Chapman, “they were the most coveted positions in the Butler County school system. We had great teachers!” Mason noted.

That doesn’t mean Mason McGowin avoided the hardships typical of life in a rural setting.

“We had a pot-bellied stove that burned coal and, of course, no

ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

Left: Mason’s father Earl McGowin in his prime. Right: Mason McGowin (right) and his father Earl on Mason’s wedding day.

type of thing. I got to be very familiar with landlines. The other job was marking timber. That was very educational. A real ‘character building’ experience,” he said smiling.

For his high school education, Mason’s father and mother looked north. “My father determined early on that I was going to be sent off for my high school years,” Mason said.

After “going up east” to look at prep schools, Mason’s parents settled on Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey; about as “not Alabama” as you could get.

“They picked Lawrenceville, which is right outside of Princeton, because you didn’t have to go through New York City to get there,” Mason recalled.

The New Jersey school was “tough to start with” but Mason was up to the task.

“They challenged you, but it was always fair. The academic program was strong. The athletic program was strong. Our football and baseball teams my senior year could have competed with any 6-A team in Alabama,” Mason said. “I played baseball, I was a starting pitcher my senior year. They said we had the best team Lawrenceville had ever had up to that point.”

In addition to his athletic prowess, Mason was also a good student.

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Timber Titan Mason McGowin

Nice Catch. Mason and his buddy Johnnie Lee Colbert with a nice mess of crappie and bream.

Rock and Fire! Starting pitcher on the baseball team at Lawrenceville School in New Jersey.

In the Navy. A sharp young naval officer, Mason McGowin, in October 1968.

Love and Marriage. Mason and his beautiful wife Susan.

Homesick for Four Years Although he was attending school 1,000 miles from his home and family, Mason saw Lawrenceville as the most important part of his educational experience.

“That group of guys at Lawrenceville was the finest group of young men I have ever been associated with. Academically, athletically and socially, they were top notch. I was lucky to have gone there,” he said.

Asked about being separated from his family, Mason said, “I hated it. I was homesick the whole time. But I didn’t fight it. I did the best I could every day and was glad as hell to get out of there.

“I’ve often said that the happiest day of my life was when I got married. But the next two happiest days were the day I got out of Lawrenceville and the day I got out of the navy!”

After attending the strict, academically strong high school, college was a letdown for Mason. As with high school his father insisted on him going to an out-of-state college.

“My grandfather Pratt went to [the University of] Alabama. My father went to Alabama. He was not only Phi Beta Kappa, but was a Rhodes Scholar. My son went to Alabama. But I went to Washington and Lee in Virginia,” he said, shaking his head.

When the family sold W.T. Smith Lumber Company to Union Camp in 1966, Mason and his sister Flo used proceeds from the sale of stock they owned as collateral to borrow money and buy out their aunt to become sole owners of the 1821 Clarke County land at Suggsville, owned by his mother’s side of the family.

Mason later bought out his sister and is now sole owner of that land, which he manages for timber and wildlife.

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Anchors Aweigh! Mason Joins the U.S. Navy Mason graduated from college at the height of the Vietnam War. “Right after I graduated I got my draft notice. The lady who was head of the draft board gave me the opportunity to apply to Navy OCS (Officers Candidates School). I was accepted and went to OCS at Newport, Rhode Island. I got my commission as an ensign and was assigned to a destroyer out of Mayport, Florida,” Mason noted.

Mason served in the U.S. Navy’s 6th Fleet, pulling two tours in the Mediterranean Sea. “We were there to counter the Russians.

We had two full carrier battle groups there at that time.

“We used to stand watches on the bridge. When you’re that guy, you’re in charge of the ship. So it’s two o’clock in the morning, the captain’s asleep, the other officers and most of the 390 crew members are asleep and here is 23-year-old Mason McGowin of Chapman, Alabama, setting up on the bridge running the ship.

That was an awesome responsibility!” he noted.

Along with his time at Lawrenceville and painting boundary lines and marking timber in his youth, Mason saw the navy as another “character building experience” and happily returned home once his tour was complete.

ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

Married with Children In 1969, soon after he was discharged from the navy Mason was at the Grand Hotel in Baldwin County when he was struck by the beauty of young woman at the tennis courts named Susan McLean.

“She was with a friend of mine, another girl. As soon as I got home I called up my friend and said, ‘who is that girl who was with you, can you get me her telephone number?’ She did and the rest, as the saying goes, is history,” Mason said, a broad smile creasing his face.

Mason and Susan were married after a short courtship and have two children: son Mason III, lives in Atlanta with his wife and son; and daughter Almena “Mena” McGowin Morgan, who has twin daughters, lives in Alabama. Mena McGowin serves on the AFA Board of Directors.

“Susie is a beautiful woman. She has been a great strength in my life and has supported me in everything I have done,” Mason enthused.

Susan’s father, Jim McLean, and Uncle Malcom McLean owned McLean Trucking, a national trucking company headquartered in North Carolina which they sold in order to go into the shipping business and pursue Malcom’s idea of creating what is known today as containerized shipping..

“Today, Malcom is known as the father of containerized shipping, which led to the globalization of trade,” Mason noted.

“Toward the end of 1979, I had 800 acres of pecan orchards I was managing, about half-owned and half-leased. That’s when Hurricane Frederic hit and brought me to my knees,” he recalled, with a grimace. Despite the severe blow from Frederic, Mason was able to sell his pecan company two years later.

“After the hurricane, I still had a pretty sizable crew and was scratching my head over what we could do to keep the crew together,” he said.

Since some of the leased land was in pasture and had a cattle feed lot, Mason decided to get into the dairy business. “We bought a 100-cow herd from Uniontown, Alabama in 1980. In 1990, we sold everything we had, including 500 head of milk cows and replacement heifers,” Mason said.

Back to the Woods Always looking for opportunities, Mason became interested in hardwood seedlings. He and an acquaintance, Lavelle Prewitt, set up a nursery in Leland, Mississippi, called Delta View Nursery.

Rocky Creek Lumber and Other Companies After Jim McLean passed away in 1999 Susan received an inheritance in family partnerships. Tax attorney’s recommended that the family invest in more active businesses. The partnerships were mostly common stocks.

At the time, the manager of the [Canter] mill in Chapman, Randell Robinson, was seeking investors to build another mill and approached Mason. With his encouragement, Mason’s wife’s family financially backed what became Rocky Creek Lumber Company, named for the first sawmill at Chapman.

“The new mill was built in a little community called Mexia.

The productivity of that mill was just unbelievable,” said Mason, who was CEO of Rocky Creek for five years. “We sold it to Roy O. Martin out of Alexandria, Louisiana.”

Martin had been thinking about expanding into Alabama, but shifted direction into east Texas.

“In March of 2015 Martin sold Rocky Creek to the Koch Brothers (Georgia Pacific),” Mason added.

In addition to Rocky Creek, Mason McGowin showed a great deal of financial dexterity in managing a wide range of businesses.

In one instance, he bought and managed a profitable pecan operation in Baldwin County which he later sold to a large pecan operator in Georgia. Most of Mason’s ventures were financed with loans collateralized by his “nest egg” from the sale of W.T. Smith Lumber Company.

ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

A bird’s eye view of the Rocky Creek Lumber Company which Mason McGowin ran for five years before selling the company.

Prewitt managed a hardwood seedling company for International Paper Company in Natchez, Mississippi, and wanted to start his own company. So Mason financed the project.

“We sold a ton of our seedlings to coal mine reclamation companies in Kentucky. It was a very successful operation,” said Mason.

Mason also bought a 5,700-acre piece of property in Dallas County that had timber, wildlife and two miles of frontage on the Alabama River. When Alabama Power Company sought to develop adjacent property, they decided they needed Mason’s land too. Mason personally handled the deal receiving a “good price” for the land.

Mason’s nose for business has always served him well. “I’m not particularly good a sniffing out the best deals, but I can damn sure smell a bad one!” he said, laughing.

Actually, Mason McGowin has proven more than once that his nose has worked pretty darn well in sniffing out the best kind of businesses to own—those that turn a profit!

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Timber Titan Mason McGowin

On Castro’s Book

Fidel Castro and Mason’s teacher Roland Ely.

Mason McGowin is probably one of only a handful of Alabamians to own a book signed by Cuban communist strongman, Fidel Castro.

When he was in high school in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, Mason won the Latin American History prize and received a book about Fidel Castro signed by Castro himself. The Cuban leader had visited Mason’s history professor, whose family had business interests in Cuba, and made a speech before the Lawrenceville student body.

Castro visited the U.S. after his guerilla army took over Cuba in 1959, but before it was clear whether he would lean toward the west, or back the Soviet Union in the Cold War. As history records, Castro became a strident communist dictator of Cuba, still run by the Communist Party and his brother, Raul.

“We had a student there whose family was in Cuba at the time.

When Castro came to address the student body, he received a great standing ovation. But this individual with family down there did not participate in the ovation. He had heard from his family and knew what was coming!” Mason recalled. “They [the Castros] just raped that country!”

On Good Government Then and Now Mason McGowin’s father served Butler County in the Alabama House of Representatives for 20 years.

During that time, Earl McGowin was a reformer who worked to consolidate state agencies into a more accountable and efficient framework.

“My father always stressed a belief in good government. They called them statesmen back then. Yes, they had their petty politics because you can’t take politics out of politics. But back then they would spend say, 20% or 30% of the time taking care of their politics. The other 60% to 70% of the time, they would take care of the business of the state. Today, it’s the other way around, with the state getting the short end of the 10

stick and petty politics ruling the day!” said McGowin.

On the Business of Business “This Obama recovery is awful. Yes, the stock market has recovered. But you’re only seeing the recovery from 2009, when it fell nearly 6,000 points. It’s just a normal recovery that has nothing to do with any of his policies. In fact, the economy has come back in spite of him, not because of him,” said Mason.

“The home building industry has not come back like it was before the ‘Great Recession.’ There’s just not enough demand for lumber. We’ll figure it out. But let me tell you, right now we’re still in a mess!”

On Private Versus Corporate or Public Landownership “The paper companies, when they first came south, they thought they had to have this huge land base to support their mills. As time has passed, the mills, whether they be paper mills or lumber mills, don’t need to own the land. And to me it’s better that the land be in private control,” Mason said.

“As for a private landowner like me, I love it, it’s my passion. So I’m going to always own my timberland. As for my rate of return and all of that, to hell with it. I like to make money off of it, sure, but that’s not driving my decisions,” he said.

“But you take a company that’s traded on Wall Street; they’ve got to make a certain return. I think that requirement to make a return caused them sometimes to mismanage their timberlands because their decisions were more market driven. So, I think our forests are in better hands now than when the paper companies were dominant,” he added.

Real Economic Improvement Will Require Political Changes “Long term, the way I see it, our basic economy is in pretty good shape with businesses that were established when the recession hit. They’re doing pretty good. What’s missing is the entrepreneurial aspect of our economy—new business starts, expansions of existing businesses. That part of it has withered and that’s why we have so much unemployment. People don’t want to take risks as long as Obama is in power because they are afraid of him and his policies,” said Mason. s ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

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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.

Chuck Reynolds & Family A Legacy of Hard Work & Public Service

By Sam Duvall

hatom Logger Chuck Reynolds and his family have spent a lifetime working almost as hard for other people as they have for themselves.

Chuck Reynolds was born January 1, 1950 in Washington County, the son of Woodrow and Audell Reynolds. He grew up in a small white wooden house about two miles south of Yarbo, Alabama. Both parents are now deceased.

Chuck has one older sister, Betty R. Dees, who resides in Chatom.

Chuck went to school at Washington County High School. Like all young boys, he played sports and especially football. In his high school years he played fullback on offense and linebacker on defense. In his senior year in 1968, Chuck was captain of the Bulldog football team and made all conference for the then-Pine Belt Conference. He was also an honor student and president of the student body.

After high school graduation, Chuck attended Yancey State Junior College (now Faulkner State Community College). “I graduated from high school May 1968 and started college that fall at Yancey State. I went for six straight quarters then transferred to Auburn, majoring in forestry,” said Chuck.

C

“Son, How Many Catfish Can You Skin in an Hour?”

In order to help pay his way through 12

Three generations of the Reynold’s family, left to right, Chuck’s son Charlie Reynolds, his father Woodrow and Chuck.

Chuck Reynolds and his family have done just anything you could think of to make a living off of the land. college, Chuck worked at various pursuits at Auburn. One of the most lucrative was “skinning catfish.”

“I started out at Auburn working for Stokers’ Restaurant. The Stokers were all very good to me. They had a motel, restaurant and a service station. One day Mr. Eugene Conway saw me there in the restaurant skinning catfish,” Chuck recalls. “He said to me, ‘son, you think you could dress catfish for me?’ ” I said, “I reckon I could give it a try.”

“Then he asked me, ‘son, how many catfish can you skin in an hour?’ I told him I had no idea,” Chuck said, agreeing to

meet Mr. Conway at his lake and check things out.

“I went to his place on a Saturday morning and he pulled out a batch of catfish and said, ‘I’m going away for an hour. Then I’ll come back and see how you do,’ ’’ Chuck remembered.

Chuck not only dressed, “all of the fish that he’d laid out for me, but some fishermen there at the lake saw me cleaning catfish and paid me a little something to clean theirs, too!”

Seeing that he had a catfish skinner, par excellence, Mr. Conway told Chuck, “You can skin catfish, can’t you?” With a sum of 10-cents a pound agreed on, Chuck got into the catfish cleaning business.

“Back then, the minimum wage was $1.25 an hour. If you worked around Auburn, they would pay you about a dollar an hour. Me and a buddy, Walter Turner from Citronelle, started skinning catfish and we could easily turn out 100 pounds of catfish an hour, which was $10.00 an hour,” said Chuck.

Chuck enjoyed his time at Auburn but left before graduating. “I paid for my cap and gown and had everything ready. I was taking 25 hours my last quarter. I had some marital problems to deal with and dropped a three-hour technical writing course,” then went home and to work with his dad.

“Dr. (Dick) Brinker (dean of the Auburn Forestry School) was very nice and tried to ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

Sitting together are Woodrow Reynolds and his wife Audell. In front is Vickie Wayne Reynolds.

At right is Chuck Reynolds with a new puppy. Vickie was killed in an accident at Woodrow’s sawmill when he was three years old.

help me finish up. But now they say I need 14 hours. I might go back for three, but 14 hours is a lot,” said Chuck.

As for his family, Chuck’s marriage before he started at Auburn ended in divorce but produced two fine children: daughter, Renee R. Beech and son, Charlie Reynolds. After his divorce in 1975, Chuck married Peggy F. Fell in a union that lasted 36 years, until kidney disease took Peggy from him. Peggy brought three children from a previous marriage to the family: daughters, Karen, Kelly and son Mike Fell.

All the children were raised on the Reynolds’ farm near Chatom.

“All those children came in handy Woodrow Reynolds, Chuck’s on a cattle and chicken farm where father, as a young sailor we raised 175,000 chickens a year in World War II. plus brood cows,” Chuck said.

Start in the Wood Business The man who got it all started, James Woodrow Reynolds, was a jack of all trades. After returning from service in the U.S. Navy during WW II, Woodrow started a small logging operation. Then in 1950 he built and started a small sawmill operation. It was at that sawmill in 1958 that tragedy struck the family when Chuck’s three-year-old bother, Vickie Wayne Reynolds was killed in an accident.

Woodrow had been breaking metal bands on a load of lumber at the mill one afternoon after the mill had shut down.

Although, the lumber appeared stable, one side was slightly canted off of the support beneath the load.

Woodrow’s little boy came running back from fetching some nails his father sent him to get and ran up, unseen behind and to the side of his father. Just at that moment the final band on the stack of lumber snapped and, because it was unsupported on one side, the lumber cascaded down on the little boy.

Woodrow grabbed his injured son, put him in Chuck’s arms and drove the three of them as fast as possible to the hospital but there was little the doctors could do ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

The Reynolds family; left to right, Kelly, Karen, Peggy, Charlie, Chuck, and in front, Mike and Renee.

Chuck’s photo for the 1960-61 Washington County High yearbook.

The Reynolds clan, from left to right standing are, Chuck and Carolyn Reynolds, Charlie Reynolds, Chuck and Desha Anderson, Caylin Dearmon, Glenn and Karen Sansing, Macy Sansing, Allie Anderson, Victoria Savage, Renee R. Beech, Susan and Bill Sansing. In front are, John Nathan Beech, Isabella Reynolds, Levi Dearmon, Andrew Beech, Paison and Riley Savage.

Carolyn and Chuck on the day they were married.

Chuck and his beloved father Woodrow.

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Logger Chuck Reynolds

Chuck, left, in the office with his logging company partner Stanley Singleton and Debbie Smith, the lady who keeps the office operation on an even keel.

Chuck with a big one that didn’t get away. Chuck is an avid outdoorsman who likes to spend as much time as he can hunting and fishing.

Chuck and his crew mates: From left to right, Chuck Reynolds, B.J. Loper, Billy Kinsey, Scottie Pardue, Kenneth Strickland Jr., Kenneth Strickland Sr., A.J. Williams, Tyler Dykes, and Stanley Singleton.

and the little boy died. Obviously, this was a very traumatic event in the life of Woodrow and his eight-year-old son Chuck.

“Daddy never recovered from that while he was in the sawmill business,” Chuck recalled. In fact, not long after the accident, Woodrow got out of the sawmill business altogether. Chuck said his dad worked for S.M. Adams, Inc., from 1961 to 1966 and then started his own timber business.

Woodrow Reynolds & Son Woodrow Reynolds & Son Timber Company was started in 1972 and incorporated in June 1978. Chuck remembered that on March 7, 1974 they bought their first timber property. In 1985, Woodrow and Chuck formed Woodrow Reynolds & Son Logging Company.

In 2000, Woodrow Reynolds & Son Timber Company was one of the largest timber companies in southwest Alabama and southeast Mississippi. Woodrow Reynolds & Son Timber Company consisted of 5 logging company crews along with numerous contract crews with $30 million timber sales annually.

Like all loggers, Chuck has had to ride the ups and down of the convulsive economic cycle that has bedeviled the industry for years.

In 2010, Chuck sold all of the equipment that belonged to Woodrow Reynolds & Son Logging at a big auction. He remained in the timber business, but sold everything on the logging side.

“At the time, the economy was just terrible and I had to slow down some. Peggy had a kidney disease. She was going to have a kidney transplant. I also had medical issues,” Reynolds said. “I 14

had already had three back surgeries, so I just decided to gear it down.

“Then, in 2012 it got to where you just about couldn’t find a logger. Fuel was almost $5.00 a gallon and many loggers had gone slam out of business. So, Stanley and I decided, if we were going to eat, we’d have to set up a crew we could depend on and try it again. So we started up one operation and then in 2013 we added the second crew,” Chuck said.

Today, Chuck owns Woodrow Reynolds & Son Logging, Woodrow Reynolds & Son Timber Company and Deerfield Golf Course. “Stanley Singleton, who has worked with my family for over 30 years, is co-owner in the logging company. We have two 3-men operations, six employees. We do combination logging and biomass. We also have two Bandit chippers. In addition to the company crews, we work two contract crews here all the time on a big tract of land they’ve been cutting on for about 10 years.

We average about 150 loads every week of logs, chip and saw— everything,” he said.

Other Businesses “Dad always had a development eye,” Chuck remembers. “He bought tracts of land and sold it in smaller tracts and built a number of communities around here. He built one here on the lower side of Chatom in the black community. There’s a subdivision call Reco Woods that he bought and sold off. There’s one up in Bigbee that he developed too. He’d buy land and sell it in pieces at a reasonable price so folks could make a home.”

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The farm on which Chuck raised his family is gently sloped and quite beautiful. An expert hired by the town of Chatom to find a place to build a golf course came to visit and pronounced the Reynolds’ land “an excellent place for a golf course.” But the city never closed the deal.

“After a couple of years I was talking to Milton Schell, a civil engineer, about a golf course. He said, ‘I believe I can lay one out.’ I said, ‘Well I got a place to build one,’ ” Chuck recalled.

With that, Schell laid out a beautiful 18hole course called Deerfield Golf Club which opened in 1993.

Woodrow, who was a self-made construction engineer, was the construction engineer for the Chatom course. Woodrow also built a 25-acre lake for Chatom with an island bearing his nickname, “Woody.”

As towns found out about the golf course in Chatom, Chuck had visitors who wanted the company to build a golf course in their area. So the Reynolds family got into the golf course business.

“We (Woodrow, Chuck, Milton Schell, Bill Sansing and Glenn Sansing) formed a golf course operation and built four courses.

Milton Schell laid them all out. After we built ours, we built one in Collins, Mississippi, one near Cullman, Alabama, and one near the Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport just off I-59 between Hattiesburg and Laurel, Mississippi,” said Chuck.

director and past president of the Washington County Chapter of the Alabama Cattleman’s Association and serves on the Advisory Board at Children’s & Women’s Hospital.

In 2013 in honor of Peggy, his wife of 36 years, Chuck set up a scholarship fund at the USA School of Nursing that awards an annual scholarship to a student from Washington, Clarke or Choctaw County. The scholarship is in gratitude for the wonderful nursing care that Peggy received during her long illness.

Chuck married Carolyn Carpenter who was a long-time school friend in 2014. Also, Carolyn’s dad worked for Woodrow at his sawmill from 1955-1957.

Chuck Reynolds and his family have done just anything you could think of to make a living off of the land, which in and of itself is a fine legacy when considering how difficult that can be.

But in addition to their day jobs, the family has also spent many hours helping others in need. At the end of the day, that is the finest legacy of all! s Between Chuck and the turkey, Chuck got the better of the exchange!

Charities In the 1990s the Reynolds Family started a Log-A-Load for Kids tournament at Deerfield Golf Club. This annual event for the Delta District has brought in thousands of dollars for Children’s & Women’s Hospital in Mobile, Alabama. With the help of family, Chuck’s employees and friends, businesses and the town of Chatom, this event has been very successful!

Being avid hunters, Chuck and his family started a faith-based annual charity called HOPE Outdoors in 2005. This ministry brings children and adults with severe and sometimes fatal illnesses or disabilities to their properties for a quality hunting and fishing adventure that they might otherwise never have experienced. This ministry is ongoing with nine chapters in six states.

Glenn and Karen Sansing (daughter and son-in-law) head up the local chapter in Alabama.

Chuck’s faith, family and friends are very important to him in his daily life. He has served as a deacon, teacher and Sunday school director of First Baptist Church in Chatom. Chuck is currently a member of Spring Hill Baptist Church in Chatom where he serves as Sunday school director.

Chuck was a member of the Board of Directors of the Alabama Forestry Association for 3 years (2005-2008). He is currently a

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

U.S. Senator Richard C. Shelby Most Politically Powerful Alabamian Ever?

Senator Richard Shelby, R-Tuscaloosa. A real power on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

By Tom Saunders

he Alabama Forestry Association’s ForestPAC Board of Directors met on Sunday afternoon, September 13, 2015 in conjunction with AFA’s Annual Meeting in Orange Beach, Alabama. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss strategic planning and some endorsements.

The main endorsement to be considered was that of the United States Senate. Alabama’s two United States’ senators are elected every six years. In 2016 the seat held currently by Richard Shelby is up for grabs.

“It was a no brainer,” said Gray Skipper (then chairman of ForestPAC, now AFA’s president). “Probably the shortest discussion we have ever had, at least since I have been involved.”

“As soon as the topic was brought up, I immediately moved to endorse Shelby,” said Robert (Bob) Dixon, Jr. “I seconded Bob’s motion,” said Vaughn Stough (current ForestPAC Chairman), “we voted and it was over in less than a minute. He is easily the most powerful political figure in Alabama and one of the most influential in the country. He has

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helped our industry and we would be crazy not to support him.”

On January 3, 1979, at 43 years old, democrat Richard Craig Shelby was sworn in as a member of the United States House of Representatives for Alabama’s 7th district succeeding Walter Flowers. This started 36 years of representing Alabama in Congress, on top of eight years that he served in Alabama’s Senate from 1970-1979.

Shelby Defeats Denton Shelby would serve eight years in the U.S. House of Representatives and then run for the U.S. Senate in a highly contested race against incumbent republican Jeremiah Denton. Denton, a decorated war hero first elected in 1980, was seeking his first re-election. Democrat Shelby won by a mere 8,000 votes in an election that saw tremendous turmoil within the Alabama Democratic Party as the party’s handpicked candidate lost to republican Guy Hunt in the governor’s race.

Two weeks after being elected to the Senate, Shelby received a phone call from President Ronald Reagan. He was invited

to a breakfast at the White House attended

by Reagan, Vice President Bush and Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole. “Reagan, himself a democrat at one time, told me that he could understand my frustration of being stuck in a party that no longer stood for the values that we thought they did when we first began political careers.”

That meeting would begin a long and consistent courtship of Shelby by the republicans. “They would reach out to me once a month at least.”

In 1994, Shelby acquiesced. Bill Clinton was president and Shelby gained national fame after Clinton released his economic plan that included a hefty increase in taxes. Shelby’s “the tax man cometh” quote irritated Clinton. As he told reporters, “I didn’t like that, I have tried to have and I have wanted to have a good relationship with Senator Shelby.”

Senator Phil Gramm, a former democrat from Texas and chief Shelby recruiter said at the time, “I don’t know that Richard will ever change parties, but there’s no doubt he would be a lot more comfortable as a republican. I’m sure the ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

reaction in Alabama would be, ‘Well, Richard, what took you so long?’ ” Senator Bob Dole joked in a speech that if Shelby defected to the Republican Party and the republicans gained control of the Senate (in 1994), that Shelby could replace him as the party leader. “Boy you would be a great leader,” Dole said, adding that he would give the Alabama democrat “anything he wants” to move across the aisle.

Shelby Comes Home to the Republican Party The 1994 elections did give the republicans control of the Senate and on November 9, 1994 Shelby switched parties. Based on seniority, he was given a key spot on the Appropriations Committee and became the ranking republican on the Banking Committee, which he currently chairs.

Shelby would also serve on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence until 2003. During his tenure on this committee, Shelby gained national attention as he took an adversarial stance towards the intelligence community. He further irritated Clinton by opposing and ultimately killing Anthony Lake’s nomination as CIA Director in 1997.

When he arrived at his office in the Hart Senate Office Building on the terrible morning of September 11, 2001, the first call Shelby placed was to CIA Director George Tenet. Even with all that was going on that day, Tenet took his call. Without yet knowing any details, Shelby told him that “I knew it was terrorism and that it was the result of a colossal failure in the intelligence community.”

Today, Shelby is the 5th highest ranking republican in the Senate based on seniority. The four members ahead of him are Orrin Hatch (Utah), Thad Cochran (Mississippi), Chuck Grassley (Iowa) and Mitch McConnell (Kentucky). Cochran, Chairman of Appropriations, was re-elected last year to a new six year term, but can only serve two more years as chairman (due to ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

term limit requirements for Senate committee chairs).

If Shelby wins re-election he is next in line in two years to become Chairman of the Appropriations Committee. That’s assuming of course that the republican’s retain control of the Senate. If the democrats get control, Shelby will be the ranking minority member on Appropriations (Cochran can’t be ranking member after having been chairman). That’s quite a consolation prize for Shelby, and Alabama, even if control of the chamber moves back to the democrats.

As Senator Gramm predicted, the voters of Alabama have agreed that Shelby’s switch was a good thing. Three times Shelby has been re-elected as a republican to the Senate.

Were the democrats back home in Alabama mad at him? “They had given up on me long ago,” Shelby said, “They were actually glad to get rid of me.”

during the Great Depression, he molded Shelby to embody the conservative values he brings to work every day.

Is he the most powerful Alabama politician ever? “That remains to be seen,” said Shelby. I still have lots to accomplish for Alabama.” When asked about some of the most powerful senators from Alabama, he responded, “Lister Hill and (John) Sparkman. Keep in mind, since 1968 (when Senator Hill retired) until 1994 (when Shelby joined the Appropriations Committee), Alabama was not represented on the money committee…that was 26 years that we went without a strong voice in Washington.”

Each year that he has been in Congress, Shelby has introduced a bill to require a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. He is patiently waiting until the day when the political stars align to get that goal accomplished.

The senator is quite supportive of forestry issues and lists several AFA members as close friends: Bill

Senator Shelby enjoying a day of wing shooting with friends.

Shelby Intuition Over his years of service, Shelby has developed a strong intuition about political matters. His marathon visits to each of Alabama’s 67 counties every year keeps him in touch with rank and file Alabamians. He likes the work ethic of his home state and applies this same ideal to his work in Washington.

His own personal work-ethic was instilled by his parents. He was born in Birmingham to Alice and Ozie Shelby. His father worked as a draftsman and machinist for U.S. Steel. Having attended college for only one year, the elder Shelby was determined that his son get the value of a good education. Being born and raised

McDonald (Birmingham), Dwight Harrigan (Fulton), Kay Harrigan Woods (San Francisco), Gene Ray Taylor (Tuscaloosa) are just a few of many.

When former Congressman Spencer Bachus attempted to enlarge the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge from 3,600 to 100,000 acres, Shelby killed the proposal by threatening to use his power on the Appropriations Committee to pull funding to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. He characterized the proposal as an “egregious and unjustified overreach by the federal government.”

Shelby’s position of strength in the U.S. Senate is exactly why ForestPAC endorsed him and will work to reelect him so he can continue his powerful service to our nation and state.

After all, it’s a “no brainer.” s 17

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.

Jamie Parnell prefers to spend his time "in the woods" working on his loader.

First South Farm Credit & Parnell, Inc. A mutually valued relationship

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irst South Farm Credit, formerly known to many as Production Credit Association, officially became known as First South Farm Credit, ACA, when legislation was passed in 2010 expanding its charter. This enabled First South to offer terms up to 30 years and created an opportunity for First South to expand its lending services to its members—particularly those who were interested in purchasing timberland and rural property.

The heart of First South has always been its commitment to its members. In

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the case of James H. Parnell, it is providing financing for the operation of Parnell, Inc., a family owned and operated logging business in Chilton County.

James, or Jamie as he is called by most that know him, proudly owns a recorded deed dated in 1819 for the property of the first Parnell Sawmill. (For those of you that are a little rusty on your Alabama history, that was the same year that Alabama became a state.) The original sawmill stayed in the family and continued operations until the 1920s when it closed down.

Jamie’s father continued in the logging

business and eventually Jamie would work with him. In 1960, Jamie started his own logging company, continuing a business that had been in his family for generations.

In the Early Days In the early days, Jamie used a mule and wagon to pull 5 cords a day out of the woods. In 1963, he acquired his first farm tractor. With the help of machinery and a little ingenuity (he put a winch on the back end), Jamie and one helper began hauling 20 cords a day. This new way of working netted him $10,000 during his

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first year and as Jamie says, “that was practically unheard of in those days.”

Working with timber and heavy equipment can be dangerous at times, but it was a way of life for the Parnell family. Jamie smiles as he recalls the days that he would get Jimmy, his oldest son, from school when he was only 7 years old to drive the skidder for him on rainy days. And he recalls when he received a visit from his workers’ comp insurance rep on a day that Jimmy and Jeff, his second son, were young boys and working on skidders for him. The boys were skilled on these pieces of equipment, impressing the rep enough to ease any concerns. As the boys Jimmy, Jeff, and Joseph (his third son) grew up and graduated from college, they returned home to help with the family business. Jamie was happy to let the boys take care of the office so he could return “to the woods” to do what he loves to do.

A few years ago, Jimmy accepted the position of president and CEO of Alfa Farmers Federation but remains involved with the family business. Jeff is currently serving as Parnell Inc.’s production manager and job superintendent, and Joseph is focused on managing the business which includes buying and selling timber, and managing the company’s business relationships. Amy Huff Pilcher, Parnell’s only daughter, chose a career in accounting and is currently a successful CPA managing her own accounting office and serving as president and owner of Huff Trucking LLC, too.

has 74 employees and is running 8 long wood and 2 chipping crews, with a weekly production of 550 loads (6600 cords).

Joseph Parnell handles most of Parnell, Inc.’s finances and values the personal relationship his family has with First South.

“First South has always been there,” Joseph said. In addition to the good rates and terms, Joseph “likes knowing that First South understands our business” and he “really likes the patronage refund.”

(Note: as a successful financial cooperative, First South Farm Credit shares it profits with its members. Over the past 20 years First South has declared more than $279 million in patronage refunds and retirement of allocated surplus—including approximately $15.8 million in patronage refund checks to its members in 2015.)

Father Jamie gave a nod of approval and stated: “I knew I could borrow money from First South when I needed it. First South came to me in the woods. They understand my business.”

But long before the business relationship with First South was established, Jamie Parnell had established a loving and

respectful relationship with his family.

Joseph may have said it best when he affectionately and respectfully stated, “Daddy has always put us first.” As for Jamie’s response, he simply smiled and said, “It has been a long rodeo, but I have loved and enjoyed the ride!”

Working with Good Companies First South Farm Credit is proud to provide lending services to Parnell, Inc. and would welcome the opportunity to do the same for you and your business. So, if you are looking for a lender that 1) understands your business, and 2) can reduce your cost of borrowing by offering a competitive interest rate up front and returning a portion of their profits to you, then call First South Farm Credit and give them an opportunity to share their profits with you. You can reach First South by calling 1-800-955-1722 or visit their website at www.firstsouthland.com. s Note: First South is one of the largest agricultural lenders in Alabama, with 16 branches serving all 67 counties.

Joseph Parnell (left) and Keith McCurdy (with First South) discuss business as Jamie loads another truck.

New Markets Lead to Expansion Jamie Parnell credits the opening of nearby paper mills in the mid 1960s with creating the opportunity to expand his business and provide all loggers with a market for their product and a demand for their services. As his business grew, Parnell purchased more heavy equipment and eventually became fully mechanized in 1991. By the late 1990s, Parnell, Inc. was hauling more than 40 loads (500 cords) a week with only two hired hands helping the family members. Today, Parnell, Inc.

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Westervelt LAL Event Closes Out 2015 by Raising $30,000

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he 2015 Log a Load for Kids fund-raising year closed out on a very high note last year. The Annual Charlie Hughen Memorial Sporting Clay & Skeet Shoot at Westervelt Lodge on Nov. 6th surpassed expectations and brought in $30,000 with a combined shooting event, auction of a 454 truck and raffle of a new 4-wheeler.

Breaking Bad! Shooter shows how to return the pigeon to clay.

While Westervelt has always had a great event, George Franklin and his crew really outdid themselves in their 2015 event. Congratulations to George, John David, Matt Revel and all of the Westervelt crew for a really outstanding effort to make 2015 a Happy Camper! It was all successful year. “thumbs up” and a big smile Thanks are also due to all participants and sponsors who made the event special! A for Trinity Wires who won the new 4-wheeler at the special thanks is in order for the great group of guys from Warrior Tractor who did such a Westervelt event. fine job of feeding almost 130 shooters and others who participated in this wonderful Log a Load closeout event for 2015.

While the total proceeds for the 2015 year are still being tabulated and audited, we will have a full report on the funds raised by each of the participating AFA districts in the spring issue of Alabama Forests.

We congratulate each event sponsors for 2015 and their crews for the fine job they always do in helping raise money for Children’s and Women’s Hospital in Mobile and Children’s Hospital in Birmingham. s

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Honoree Janet Ison

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hildren’s Hospital reps. honored Janet Ison, third from left, for her outstanding fundraising efforts in 2015.

Presenting the “Special Appreciation” award to Janet was, L to R, Children’s Hospital staffers Shane Autrey, Emily Hornak, Janet, Alice Blake, Deb Schneider (director of the CHIPS Center) and Cayleigh Cummings.

Top Gun. Mr. Herbert Guthrie, sitting in the driver’s seat of the 4-wheeler, shot a perfect 50 in the shooting event. Here he is surrounded by his team which finished second overall.

The winning team. This is the third year in a row that J.E.B. LLC has won the shooting event at Westervelt Lodge. Pictured L to R, are Westervelt’s George Franklin, and winners Randy Stone, Larry Kirkpatrick, Dan Garnand and Bob Carlton.

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NEWS & VIEWS

Reflections… hope all of you fellow Tree Farmers and friends have had an opportunity to take a few minutes and reflect on how 2015 has impacted your life or what impact you have made on other lives. The end of the year is meaningful in so many different ways. I must begin by thanking my personal savior, Jesus Christ, as we just celebrated his birth at Christmas.

At this very time last year, I was preparing to take the reins as your chair for the Alabama Tree Farm Committee. It has been a full year to say the least. We scheduled and sponsored numerous trainings across the state for inspectors, implemented a new committee structure, filled empty slots for inspectors, assigned required inspections, tackled previously sought out grants and their requirements, coordinated regular committee and subcommittee meetings, and brainstormed new opportunities for funding.

In addition to Tree Farm and work, I help out with a family farm too. My wife’s family has a little farm in Conecuh County that we enjoy working on, hosting

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family gatherings, managing for wildlife, managing timber, and just being good stewards. I had a long list of things to accomplish there last year. We did end up harvesting some timber that was damaged in past hurricanes. It wasn’t destroyed completely

by Ivan and Katrina, but the aftermath wasn’t pretty either. We also thinned some young plantations and re-evaluated some wildlife management on the farm. Needless to say, I think we got halfway through my list for the year.

I hope all of you out there that take time to read from my little corner, enjoy as I share, reflect back with me on a successful 2015, and plan for many more successes in the upcoming year. I have mentioned many times before, but be thankful to God, love those around you, and please let us know at your state Tree Farm Committee if we can ever help! Your friend and fellow Tree Farmer…

75th Anniversary! o mark the 75th anniversary of the American Tree Farm System, we say thank you to the Tree Farmers, volunteers, state foresters, partners, forest products companies, and community leaders who have had a hand in making the program a success over the past 75 years.

Thank you for keeping our family-owned forests healthy. s

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Tim Browning, RF #1874 Alabama Tree Farm Chairman

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

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T R E E FA R M S Y S T E M

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

The Pasture: Longleaf, Long Beards & Long History

The Sid & Vivian Beech Trust

By Michael Older he Sid and Vivian Beech Trust has been recognized as the 2015 Alabama Tree Farmer of the Year. The Beech Trust consists of 1,320 acres of timberland in Washington County, Alabama. The Beeches have been heavily involved in the timber industry since the end of World War II. After returning from the war, Sid was a partner in several timber businesses with the last ownerships being Forest Products Company in Chatom that produced pine poles and Long Branch Timber Company as a pulpwood dealer for International Paper Company. He was one of the earliest members of the Alabama Forestry Association as well.

Ownership of “The Pasture,” as the property has always been called, changed in the 1970s when Uncle Sid’s pole business

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partner, Bud Dickey, passed away. The property the two families owned jointly was divided into two separate ownerships.

Sid passed away in 2005 and since then Vivian is involved in all the decision making as well as the supervision of all activities on the property. At 95 years old, she is very active and is present during any and every silvicultural activity that may take place on a daily basis whether it is logging, road work, prescribed burning or planting food plots. If work is being performed, she is there, after all “she’s the boss!” Her overall management objectives are to continue to develop the longleaf pine ecosystem with natural regeneration (where possible) of longleaf pine and to produce quality wood products while enhancing wildlife habitat for game and non-game

species and recreational opportunities.

Timely thinnings and routine prescribed burning are the primary management practices to be utilized.

A plan was developed and followed where all the upland pine stands would be thinned over a five-year period from 2006 through 2010. Each stand was marked to ensure the best trees were retained for merchandising poles and other products, including number 1 sawlogs for the export market as well as normal sawlogs, peeler logs, chip-n-saw, and pulp. Natural longleaf pine stands and planted slash pine were thinned to 60-90 square feet of basal area.

A final harvest on approximately 115 acres that had lower stocking and poorer species composition than desired was completed in 2010.

Longleaf pine is the favored tree species and naturally covers approximately 450 acres of various ages, stocking densities, and species composition.

Natural regeneration is the preferred method within the longleaf pine stands.

A modified Stoddard-Neal regeneration approach is being used. In the StoddardNeal approach, trees are selected for harvesting, creating smaller openings for natural regeneration verses the three-stage regeneration process using a shelterwood in which all the mature overstory eventually is removed once adequate regeneration has been attained. If managed properly, there will always be a mixture of young regeneration through multiple age classes containing more mature longleaf pine that provide great turkey roosting across the property.

Limited artificial reforestation has been utilized with 115 acres planted. Approximately 100 acres was planted in containerized longleaf pine under the WHIP/EQIP Program. Chemical site preparation followed by a site preparation prescribed burn was used. Another 15 acres was planted with slash pine in low areas not best suited for longleaf pine. This slash pine site was bedded and separated from the upland with a permanent fire line so the young longleaf pine could be burned without impacting

ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

the slash pine regeneration.

Prescribed burning was introduced in the winter of 2004, with heavy fuel accumulation buildups across pine stands on the property. The initial burns were winter burns of low intensity to protect the older longleaf pine and the “duff donuts� around their bases. The second round of burning moved into the late winter to early spring time period to get a more intense burn. This promotes browse while further reducing the duff donuts, and ensures minimum damage to the older longleaf pine.

The last burns have been early- to mid-growing season burns for better woody control and wildlife browse response. Approximately 300-500 acres are prescribe burned every year, with

ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

burns moving into the growing season as fuel loading was reduced. The last burn was approximately 150 acres in September 2015 for possible longleaf pine seed catch.

Future burning will be a combination of early- and late-growing season burns, with some occasional winter burns, to keep a variety of species and age distribution of natural vegetation which is beneficial for

wildlife management.

While food plots are planted annually, the primary wildlife management is maintaining an open understory through light thinning and prescribed burning. Burning is performed in a manner to provide a Maintaining an open understory through light thinning and prescribed burning is the primary wildlife management.

23

Green Horizons checkerboard appearance. Hardwood mast trees including oak, dogwood and hickory are maintained on uplands where fire intensity can be regulated to prevent mortality to the thinner barked hardwoods.

Gallberry thickets provide nesting and cover for deer, turkey and other small game.

Turkey has been the most favored and the most hunted wildlife species with whitetail deer being second. Many young hunters, including myself, learned to turkey hunt and bagged their first longbeard on the property. Armstrong Creek Swamp makes up approximately 500 acres of the property. The swamp is a bay, gum, and slash pine stand that runs from the northeast corner to the southeast corner dividing the properties upland tracts. The swamp provides excellent turkey habitat by providing roosting trees and mast, as well as saved many gobbler’s lives by them flying down on the opposite side of the swamp the hunter was set up on.

Black bear, Mississippi kites, osprey and sometimes a bald eagle are seen on the property routinely and use Armstrong

Creek Swamp as a corridor. A black bear has become a resident instead of a guest.

“The Bear” as he is now called, has a sweet tooth and enjoys the honeybuns that have been left for him occasionally as a means to get him on camera. There is a growing gopher tortoise population that has benefitted from the thinning’s and prescribed burning. No red-cockaded woodpecker habitat has been found on the property, even with the 100-year-old longleaf pine stands, mostly due to the absence of heart rot within the longleaf pines.

With the first thinning operations, fuel breaks of 20-25 feet width were established around the property’s upland boundary lines and improved with culverts, rock, and grasses and made suitable for vehicular traffic. Property lines through the swamp were surveyed, with property lines and corners re-established.

In 2015, a road crossing was built at the most narrow ridge points across the swamp on the north side of the property.

The road will provide better and more direct access for the planned second round

of thinning’s to start next year. Prior to the new crossing, all traffic had to go through three other landowners’ properties.

Howard Field. In the 1930-40s, a sawmill operated by “Baby Boy” Weaver was located on the ridge west of the Howard Field. There is an old oxen yard and dip vat found on the property as well.

In memory of Uncle Sid and how much he loved

the look of dense longleaf pine stands with heavy pine litter, one seven-acre longleaf pine stand was left unthinned to show original dense stocking level. He never wanted to see the longleaf pine stands thinned even though he knew it was best for future natural regeneration and enhanced wildlife habitat.

The Beech Trust property was recognized as the 2014 Helene Mosley Memorial TREASURE Forest and was the location of the 2015 Southern Region Landowner Tour on October 15, 2015 with nearly 200 visitors. As has always been the case, Vivian Beech is excited about being able to share the woods and welcomed everyone to attend the field day. In her words, “This is what Sid and I always wanted to be able to do, share their blessings with others.” s

Armstrong Creek Swamp, a corridor for wildlife

The Pasture History

he Pasture has a rich history. In the early 1900s, the Howards tried to squeeze out a living on the property until the 1920s when a land dispute arose over crossing several other landowners in order to go to town.The Howard family cleared a field, dug a well and built a house on what is now called the Howard Field.

The Howard family cemetery is located on the property near the old Howard home site. With only the well and cemetery remaining, the old home site is now used as a gathering place for recreation and equipment storage.

Earthen remains of the old logging railroad cross the property in several locations. The south end of the property had three switches and a well to supply water for the steam engines. The first turpentine still in Washington County was located on the property south of the

T

24

ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

Tree Farm, TREASURE Forest, & Stewardship On Display at October Field Days

By Allen Varner, Stewardship Coordinator

arly October was unusually damp and cool. The next week was seasonally pleasant and the following week was just plain hot.

Even with the varying weather conditions three very determined forestry planning committees conducted three very successful Regional Field Days. Sponsored in part by the Alabama State Tree Farm Committee and the Alabama Natural Resources Council and financially supported by a Forests Forever grant the field days showcased three exceptional and very proud landowners and their properties.

A cold front moved through the state two days before the Central Regional Field held at Sehoy Plantation in Bullock County. The Lanier family were gracious hosts and along with their consulting forester, John Stivers, welcomed 150 guests to the property. The dampness did curtail

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Pictured receiving the award on Mike’s behalf is AFC’s Matt McCollough, Leigh Peters, Director of Landowner programs for AFA, AFC’s Mark Richardson, and AFC’s Allen Varner.

Pictured receiving the award for Chambers County is James Williams and Kathy Blackburn.

Sehoy Plantation

the planned live fire demonstration but other than that tour participants learned about longleaf pine reforestation, quail management, stream and wetland mitigation banks and red cockaded woodpecker clusters and management.

Lunch was sponsored by Dixie Electric, Alabama Ag Credit and First South Farm Credit. Not only did they sponsor financially, members of each rolled up their

ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

sleeves and manned the grill for a classic hamburger and hot dog cookout.

And speaking of food, a Tree Farm Award presentation took place even though the recipient could not be present. Mr. Mike Green run a very popular restaurant, 82 West BBQ and Seafood Restaurant, and since the award presentation took place at lunch time, Mike’s busy time at the restaurant, he could not attend.

Putting on a Regional Field day is time consuming with lots of details to attend to.

The local planning committee is charged

with the event and everyone has to pull their weight for the day to be successful.

It’s fitting that at these field days we recognize the Outstanding Forestry Planning Committee of the Year. This year’s recipient for the Central Region is Chambers County Forestry Planning Committee.

They put on a Teacher’s In Service program that shares the importance of forestry in Chambers County and for more than 20 years they have held a fall landowner’s conference always with a forestry theme. This past year’s theme was estate planning.

TREASURE forest is always a significant part of the field days. The best of the TREASURE Forest are landowners who willingly share their property with others.

These landowners are set apart by being recognized with the Helene Mosley Memorial TREASURE Forest Award.

The Central Region recipient for 2015 is

25

Green Horizons

Cullman County Committee Phillip Neighbors.

The North Regional Field Day was held on the TREASURE Forest of Stan and Suzanne Wood, Riverwood Farm, on a beautiful sunny day during the second week of October. Playing host to approximately 150 guests kept everyone busy.

Tour trailers pulled by AFC trucks took the visitors to four stops. Day-lighting hardwoods covered techniques to select relatively mature trees to promote through competition reduction based on landowner objectives. The Quail Management stop reinforced that good timber management results in good wildlife management.

Another tour stop focused in on wildlife management and the use of food plots. The final stop covered the merits of roadside management and the importance of a dry roadbed and year round access.

The Cullman County Forestry Planning Committee was a driving force in conducting the field day. They worked the registration table and handled the behind the scenes duties that never seem to end but are always absolutely necessary.

It seem fitting then that because of ongoing activities in Cullman County like the Spring and Fall FAWN (Forestry Awareness Week Now) programs, FFA Forestry Judging Events and working with the Tree City program that the Cullman County Forestry Planning Committee was selected for the 2015 North Region Outstanding Forestry Planning.

The Helene Mosley Memorial TREASURE Forest award is always a special pres26

Butler County Committee entation. The 2015 recipient for the North Region is Jimmy and Sue Jimmerson of Cleburne County. Besides implementing sound forest management on their property, one of the more unique features on the Jimmerson TREASURE Forest is the occurrence of Native American artifacts on the property. Stemmed projectile points, or arrow heads in layman terms, flakes from the making of projectile points and a sharpening stone have been recorded.

There is also a previously unrecorded bluff shelter site overlooking Wallace Creek estimated to have been occupied as far back as 7,000 BC. The South Regional Field Day was in Washington County on the Sid and Vivian Beech Trust. The Washington County Planning Committee had their hands full because Ms. Vivian was also celebrating her 95th birthday!

She still rambles around on the property in her little pickup truck and you can be sure she’s on top of what’s going on.

The whole day became a family affair as nearly 150 guest came to the field day and to help Ms. Vivian celebrate her birthday.

There is plenty to see on the Beech Trust. They are very proud of the work done on the property as the Trust holds Stewardship, Tree Farm and TREASURE Forest certifications as well as having received the Helene Mosley Memorial TREASURE Forest Award last year.

The weather turned hot for the South Regional Field Day as the guest were treated to four educational tour stops.

Armstrong Creek Swamp traverses the property and covers approximately 499 acres. A constructed wetland crossing following Best Management Practices was a significant topic. Uneven aged Longleaf pine management, wildlife food plots, identifying pole quality trees and stumping were also part of the tour. The last stop was a prescribed fire demonstration with live fire! AFC’s Jon Gunter conducted the demonstration which was very successful as the fire was well controlled. Everyone left the fire stop with a greater appreciation for the use of prescribed fire in longleaf management.

After a very tasty lunch catered by Buster’s Seafood, the award portion of the day began. It is always a pleasure to recognize our high school kids as they participate in natural resource programs. The Washington County High School 4-H team won the state contest and represented Alabama at the 2014 National WHEP (Wildlife

Pictured receiving their State Champion Plaques are team members Lexi Ferguson and Emily Wilson with school sponsor Brandon Strickland.

ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

Habitat Education Program) in Columbia, Missouri.

One of the great things about the Regional Field Days and it is certainly the case here, is that family plays a supporting role. Two members of the Washington County Planning committee have been a strategic influence on the management of the Stewardship and Tree Farm certified property of Mr. Michael Onderdonk.

The South Region is always very competitive for the Outstanding Forestry Planning Committee Award as there are several very active planning committees in the region. The Butler County Forestry Planning Committee was this year’s recipient. For the past 20 years this committee has sponsored a Natural Resources Youth Camp that provides students, at no cost, the opportunity to learn the importance of forest resources to Alabama.

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The October field days are always great opportunities to bring like-minded people together to learn about natural resource management. Landowners who are willing to share their property encourage others to be more active in their management. A professional natural resource manager may suggest to a landowner a particular activity but actually seeing the practice implemented by their neighbor sends a much stronger message and usually results in Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Is Your Tree Farm

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more on-the-ground accomplishments.

The field days are a great way to demonstrate forest management. If you are interested in any of the forest management activities mentioned above, please contact your any member of the Alabama Natural Resources Council, the Alabama State Tree Farm Committee, or your local Alabama Forestry Commission office. s Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê you.Ê If you Êhave et us Êhear Êfrom Ê contact or Tree updates to your Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê fillÊ out Ê the Ê Farm information, please Ê attachedÊform Ê andÊ mail itÊ in to Ê yourÊ Ê Ê Ê Committee. Ê Ê Ê Ê Alabama TreeÊ Farm s Ê

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Activity 36 36: 6: Pollution Pollution Search Here is a way for children to take a closer look at pollution: what it is, what its sources are, and what people can do to reduce it.

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For younger children, consider reading ding Drr.. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat Comes Back k (ISBN 0394800028 and also available on video for free at http://tinyurl.com/kxpheu2). This story can be used to teach about people’s attitude toward pollution. What represents pollution in this story? Where does it come from? How did the cat try to solve the problem? Is there a happy ending? Does this story remind you of any pollution you have seen or know about? ŠAmerican Forest Foundation. $GDSWHG IURP $FWLYLW\ 3ROOXWLRQ 6HDUFK IURP 3URMHFW /HDUQLQJ 7UHH¡V 3UH. (QYLURQPHQWDO (GXFD DWLRQ $FWLYLW\ *XLGH

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News & Views

AFA Announces Staff Changes Bill Harris Named Director of Political Affairs AFA staff member Bill Harris has assumed a new role as Director of Political Affairs. According to Executive Vice President Chris Isaacson, this new position will allow the Association to be more effective in recruiting, supporting and electing conservative, probusiness candidates to local and state offices.

“Creating this position has been part of our long-term strategy to increase our political capacity,” said Isaacson. “We have been moving in this direction for several years and are finally in the position to move Bill into this position on a full-time basis.”

In Bill’s new role, he will work closely with AFA members to identify and recruit candidates and to support those candidates in their races.

Earlier in his career Bill served as District Director and Campaign Manager for Congressman Robert Aderholt as well as a 2-year term as the Executive Director of

Tommy Lawler Awarded Forest Conservationist of the Yearby the Alabama Wildlife Federation

Presenting the awards was Horace Horn, AWF president and also with PowerSouth Energy, Commissioner Gunter Guy, and Matt Bowden with Alabama Power Company.

ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

the Alabama Republican Party. In 2012, Bill formed Harris Consulting, where he provide consulting services to political candidates.

“Bill’s past experience has equipped him to effectively carry out our mission in the political arena,” said Isaacson. “This move is one more step to increase our political influence.”

Joel Moon The AFA recently added two new staff members.

Joel Moon joined the staff in December as the Executive Director of the Alabama Loggers Council (ALC).

Joel’s career has spanned more than 30 years in the forest industry including jobs with several pulp and paper companies as well as wood suppliers.

Throughout his career Joel has worked closely with loggers and has gained an appreciation for the many challenges involved in harvesting and delivering timber to markets. “Over the years I’ve seen

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ongtime AFA member and Wilcox County Logger Tommy Lawler of Camden was recently awarded the Forest Conservationist of the Year Award at the 2015 Alabama Wildlife Federation Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards (GCAA) banquet.

Tommy Lawler developed a love of the land at 10 years old, when his father introduced him to Wilcox County’s Grampian Hills. Since that time Tommy’s passion for the land has grown, as he has continuously purchased land in the area, parcel by parcel. Tommy opened Lawler Timber Company in the early ’90s. He now manages thousands of acres, helping large and small land owners grow marketable timber. Today Tommy is an accomplished businessman in the Timber Industry and a highly respected indi-

how difficult it is to earn a living in the logging business and I look forward to working with our members to address many of the challenges they face,” said Moon.

Jacquie Powell Also joining the staff is Jacquie Powell as Director of Membership Services. Jacquie spent almost 20 years in the telecommunications industry in a variety of positions prior to joining the staff of another Montgomerybased association.

Jacquie’s extensive experience in customer service has equipped her for her new role.

“I’m excited to be on board with AFA and I look forward to meeting our members and serving them,” said Powell.

Danielle Cavanaugh who formerly served as the Director of Membership Services left AFA to take a position in a family-owned company that she and her mother started several years ago. s

vidual in his community.

A portion of Tommy’s land is the only place outside of the Red Hills Region where the presence of the Red Hills Salamander is confirmed. Biologists from throughout the country visit the land to study this endangered species. Tommy’s land is also home to 21 species of ferns, seven state champion trees and a single holly bush that attracts the likes of botanists from around the world. Tommy teaches that habitat preservation and timber management do not have to be mutually exclusive, which is evident to anyone who has the pleasure to visit his land. In 2000 Lawler created the “James Thomas Lawler Outdoor Classroom,” dedicated to his father. This outdoor education center provides natural resource and educational opportunities for local schools. s 29

News & Views I N

M E M O R I A M

Mr. Robert E. Lee III

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t is with a great deal of sadness that we inform you of the passing last night of Mr. Robert E. “Bob” Lee III of Prattville, Alabama.

Mr. Lee was a longtime leader in the forestry community in Alabama. He served as president of the Alabama Forestry Association from 1982-83. In an article for Alabama Forests on the AFA’s 60th anniversary, Mr. Lee recalled how he came to be associated with forestry in Alabama. “My exposure to Alabama’s timber lands began in the early 1950s. As a forest entomologist with the USDA, I conducted research on pine bark beetles. While based in Texas, a southern pine beetle outbreak took me to other states, including northeast Alabama,” Mr. Lee noted.

“In 1954, there was a drought in the South that led to a terrible forest fire that burned several thousand acres in and around the Okefenokee Swamp in southern Georgia. Fearful that beetle outbreaks would follow, Union Camp hired me, the second forest entomologist to be hired by industry. I was based in Savannah, where Union Camp had a paper mill. Gradually, I moved up the ladder until I was promoted to woodlands manager for the Alabama region and relocated to Prattville,” Mr. Lee wrote in the summer of 2009. Once he got here, Mr. Lee liked it and made Autauga County his home.

Concerning the bad fire outbreaks in the 1950s, Mr. Lee worked with the AFA and the state forester to implement a program to allow landowners to voluntarily contribute 10-cents per acre to their ad valorem taxes for fire suppression, which helped

mitigate the dangerous wild fire situation at that time.

Mr. Lee was instrumental in the creation of the Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences. He and a small delegation met with the AU Board of Trustees and convinced them of the need for a Forestry School, separate from the College of Agriculture. The new school was announced by the president of Auburn University at the AFA annual meeting in 1984.

Bob Lee was also involved in the hiring of John McMillan in 1983. John was the longest serving executive vice president of the AFA to date, passing the baton to current EVP Chris Isaacson in 2006.

John, is now state Agriculture Commissioner.

In the photo, Bob and John did a twofer, each one killing a nice gobbler on one of the many turkey hunts they participated in.

John recalled that day thusly: “That was the last turkey Bob killed. It was several years ago at Dwight Harrigan’s place. I went with Bob that morning because we were concerned about how unsteady his walking had become.

We sat together; both did some calling and had heard nothing.

Then these two gobblers came in silent on his side of the tree. We were sitting back to back. When he shot it scared the devil out of me. He killed his at about 20 steps and when I jumped up the other gobbler ran off in a semicircle and stopped about 50 yards away and I got him. So I ran and retrieved both birds and came back and helped Bob get up. He said, “This was a great hunt and most likely the last gobbler I will ever kill.” And so it was. s

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ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

The Future Will Require “Sharp Scholars”

By Ashley Smith

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eward and recognition are big motivators for inspiring students to perform well in school.

That’s why the main focus of the Alabama Forestry Foundation’s Black Belt Initiative (BBI) is to encourage students to grow their future opportunities through education and knowledge with a strong emphasis on math and science.

The AFF seeks ways to inspire youth at adopted schools to excel through the new Sharp Scholars program. Sharp Scholars recognition dinners highlight the hard work and efforts of both students and teachers. Family members were invited to share in the

Student participants in the Aspire program with AFA Chief of Governmental and Legal Affairs Tom Saunders standing behind, left, and AFA President Gray Skipper standing at right.

Standing behind these Thomasville Sharp Scholars are, left to right, AFA Staffers Ashley Smith and Tom Saunders, and AFA President Gray Skipper.

ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

celebratory evening of dinner and recognition.

At the inaugural Sharp Scholars dinner in Thomasville on Tuesday, November 10, 2015, twenty students from Thomasville Elementary School were honored. The top five students in third through sixth grades were recognized for their outstanding performance on ACT Aspire test scores in spring 2015. ACT Aspire, a standardized test used in grades third through high school, maps learner progress and helps close the gap between the skills students learn in school and the skills they need to succeed.

AFF Board of Directors President Gray Skipper, vice president of Scotch Plywood, presented the awards and congratulated students on a job well done. “Our country, especially our rural communities, are guaranteed a bright and prosperous future when we invest wisely in our education system, thus investing in our children,” says Skipper. “In this recognition, we nurture these students as we recognize them along with their families and teachers. We are excited to watch them grow!”

Thomasville School Superintendent Dr. Vic Adkison thanked families as well as the leadership team and teaching staff at Thomasville Elementary and Middle Schools for their efforts in promoting education and lifelong learning. He encouraged students to consider the wide variety of career opportunities in the forest products industry, reminding everyone of the significant impact of forestry to the Thomasville region.

The Black Belt Initiative strives to enhance math and science skills in students in Alabama’s rural Black Belt region. Ultimately, the Initiative hopes to provide job opportunity awareness and a pathway to future employment in the forest industry for residents in Alabama’s rural communities.s

Congratulations to the Thomasville Elementary School 2015 Sharp Scholars!

3RD GRADE Stevie Collins Zoe Parten Andrew Kidd Aniya Law Christian Smith 4TH GRADE John McNider Richard Hudson Russell Stephens Coleman Anderson Tira Robinson 5TH GRADE Zachary Baker Emily Walters Sean Huckabee William Westmoreland Joanna Carroll 6TH GRADE Jacob Horner Paul Gramulspacher Kimberly Irons John Thompson

31

Wildlife & Outdoors

20 of Alabama’s 23 State-Owned Lakes Open February 1 ebruary 1 marked the beginning of the fishing season schedule for 20 of Alabama’s 23 state-owned public fishing lakes. Commonly known as state lakes or county lakes, these waters are noted for their quality fishing for bream, largemouth bass, channel catfish and crappie (most lakes).

Because these smaller lakes warm more A nice bass caught at Clay quickly than larger bodies of water, early County Lake by Amanda Crowe of Munford, Ala. spring fishing can be excellent. Anglers may fish from the pier, bank, rental boat Photo courtesy of ADCNR or personal boat. Before traveling to a particular lake, anglers should call ahead to determine the lake’s operational schedule.

“State public fishing lakes are the ultimate family fishing destination,” said Matthew Marshall, State Lakes Supervisor for

the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division (WFF).

“All lakes that are opening have a concession building with snacks, drinks, restrooms and personnel who can provide fishing advice. The concessionaires have mowed areas along the shoreline for fishing. Grills are available for picnicking, and children have room to play if they tire of catching fish.”

DeKalb and Pike county lakes will reopen later this year, but the dates have not been set. These lakes were renovated and restocked and will be ready for anglers to fish by summer. In addition, Fayette County Lake is currently closed. Plans are underway to renovate the lake later in the fall. Fayette County Lake will reopen in the summer of 2018 after allowing time for the fish to grow and spawn.

Fishing is an affordable and easily accessible recreational opportunity for all Alabamians. Each state lake offers boats for rent ($5) and launching of private fishing boats ($3). No General Fund money is used to operate these lakes; anglers pay for their management with license fees, excise taxes and daily permits. A $3 daily permit is required at all lakes, and state fishing license requirements apply.

The WFF Fisheries Section carefully stocks and manages the lakes for optimum fishing. The lakes are fertilized for maximum fish production, and fishing piers allow anglers to fish deeper water in a comfortable environment. The lakes are located throughout Alabama mostly in rural areas. A complete list of state lakes can be found in the fishing section of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources website, outdooralabama.com.

To contact a WFF fisheries biologist about what types of fish and the average sizes that are caught at specific lakes, anglers may call the appropriate district fisheries offices: Decatur, (256) 353-2634; Anniston, (256) 831-6860; Northport, (205) 339-5716; Spanish Fort, (251) 626-5153; or Enterprise, (334) 347-9467. s

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through five divisions: Marine Police, Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. To learn more about ADCNR visit www.outdooralabama.com.

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ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

By David Rainer, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

Plenty of big bucks have been taken in Alabama this season, including this 150-plus-inch deer taken

by Yano Serra in Clarke County. The buck was chasing a doe, which means the rut was in full swing in that area.

D

eer hunters in Alabama likely experienced the gamut of rutting activity across the state this past hunting season. Because of our state’s diverse topography and wildlife management heritage, some hunters may see deer in the heat of rut, while others are watching young bucks start to chase does as the rut kicks off. For others, the rut is so 2015.

A study conducted by Mississippi State University (MSU) provided some insight into why the South has such a wide range of rutting periods. The study concluded the genetics that determine when rutting activity begins is controlled by the lineage from the does. The bucks’ genetics have very little to do with the timing of the rut except in extreme cases where a population may have been virtually wiped out.

The conclusions from the MSU study are logical to Chris Cook, Deer Project Study Leader with the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division.

“With the collections we’ve done since 1995, looking at conception dates across the state, there’s definitely a connection to the stocking source, especially in those areas where we have documented restocking from sources outside Alabama,” Cook said.

“Most hunters in Alabama are aware that in the upper Black Warrior WMA (Wildlife Management Area), there was a pretty large release of deer from a source in Iron Mountain, Mich., in 1927.

Over the years, we’ve released deer from other places in Alabama.”

ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

Cook said WFF Biologist Francis Ludeh performed conception date studies back in the 1950s and ’60s when many of the relocations and restockings were taking place. Ludeh found even back then the conception dates in the Black Warrior area and the Bankhead National Forest were from mid to late November because those deer came from Michigan stock.

“Even with all that influx of Alabama deer back into that population, those deer are still breeding in mid to late November,” Cook said. “The Mississippi State study makes sense. Deer that are released from whatever source into an area with no deer or very few deer, it stands to reason the genetic makeup of that population is going to keep that component of those original does 33

Wildlife & Outdoors unless something drastic happens and the area is restocked with deer from other areas.

“That’s what happened at Black Warrior. When those deer were released there were hardly any deer in there, so it was basically only Michigan deer. Any deer introduced since then were not enough to overwhelm that original stocked population.”

Cook said the Oakmulgee WMA and Choccolocco WMA in Talladega National Forest were stocked with deer from Pisgah, N.C., back in the 1940s, and those areas have maintained a much earlier conception date than the bulk of the rest of the state.

“The population in Choccolocco has maintained a rut similar to Black Warrior from mid to late November,” Cook said. “The deer in Oakmulgee tend to breed the first 10 days of December.

“On the flip side, there are parts of north Alabama that were stocked with deer from Clarke County (southwest Alabama) that have late ruts in late January and early February. There are some areas around Freedom Hills WMA that were stocked with south Alabama deer that have a late rut. You can go back to the restocking records and tell if the area was stocked with a certain number of deer from Clarke County. Of course, there are areas in west Alabama where there are no records of restocking, and those conception dates are similar to the majority of Alabama north of Highway 80. There you have conception dates from Christmas to mid January.”

Cook said there was very little restocking of deer in Alabama south of Highway 80, which means the rutting activity is relatively consistent across the southern third of the state.

34

Intensive management of a particular deer population can change the breeding activity, but not by much, according to Cook.

“If an area is managed for an older buck population where you have a good percentage of 3-year-old-plus bucks in the population and a tight buck-to-doe ratio, typically you can have a rut that gets started a little earlier compared to a place that is not intensely managed,” he said.

“That conception date may move up a week but probably not more than 10 days. You’re not going to get a native Alabama deer population to breed in November. It’s going to be Christmas to early February, depending on what part of the state you’re in.”

Cook said WFF personnel collected data last year from deer herds on opposite sides of the Warrior River to compare population dynamics.

“One property is managed intensively for mature bucks for 20 years,” he said. “The property on the other side of the river was not managed as intensively, and there was an eight- to 10-day difference in the conception dates. That’s what happened in one year. We’ll see if that holds true on down the road.”

Cook said Alabama’s deer are like almost any deer population when it comes to rutting activity from pre-rut to post-rut.

“We’re just like any other part of the country,” he said. “Our deer will have a pre-rut before the actual breeding takes place.

Then we have a post-rut where the deer basically seem to go underground.

“Typically, in the pre-rut, people will see a lot of bucks because they’re chasing the does around. In the actual rut, you won’t see as many bucks because the does are standing and being bred.

Then you’ll get another flurry of activity when most of the does have been bred but there are a few that aren’t. All the bucks are looking for those does that didn’t get bred.”

For the second year in a row, social media has been blowing up with photos of huge bucks that have been taken in Alabama.

Cook thinks there could be several factors contributing to the number of trophy bucks taken.

“I think one reason is a change in the mindset of hunters,” he said. “People are passing 1- and 2-year-old bucks, which means more make it to the 5-year-old age group. Of course, you can’t discount the effect the three-buck limit has had. It sure appears that has had an effect, but I think the change in mindset of letting a young buck walk has probably had as much to do with it as anything.” s ALABAMA FORESTS | Winter 2016

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