FORESTRY TODAYGeorgia

Volume 9, Issue 2

March | April 2013

A B I M O N T H L Y M A G A Z I N E F O R T H E F O R E S T R Y C O M M U N I T Y O F G E O R G I A

Silviculture’S Next challeNge:

a tortoiSe aNd a SNakeSee story on page 8

2 March | April 2013

3Georgia Forestry Today

4 March | April 2013

GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY is published bi-monthly by A4 Inc., 1154 LowerBirmingham Road, Canton, Georgia 30115. Recipients include participantsof the Forest Stewardship Program and the American Tree Farm System.

Opinions expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of the pub-lisher, A4 Inc., nor do they accept responsibility for errors of content or omis-sion and, as a matter of policy, neither do they endorse products oradvertisements appearing herein. Part of this magazine may be reproducedwith the written consent of the publisher. Correspondence regarding changesof address should be directed to A4 Inc. at the address indicated above. Ad-vertising material should be sent to A4 Inc. at the e-mail address:p.frey@a4inc.com. Questions on advertising should be directed to the adver-tising director at the e-mail address provided above. Editorial material shouldbe sent to A4 Inc. or to Alva Hopkins.

GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY1154 Lower Birmingham Road, Canton, Georgia 30115

On the Cover:

C A N T R E L L F O R E S T

P R O D U C T S I N C .We buy all types of timber.

Bio-fuel producer

cantrellforest@earthlink.net1433 Galilee Church RoadJefferson, GA 30549

Office: (706) 367-4813 Mobile: (706) 498-6243Home: (706) 367-1521

LAMARCANTRELL

GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAYPrinted in the USA

PUBLISHER:A4 Inc.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFAlva Hopkins

ahopkins@a4inc.com

PRODUCTION MANAGERPamela Petersen-Freyp.frey@a4inc.com

EDITORIAL BOARDWendy BurnettAlva HopkinsJesse JohnsonStasia Kelly

Sandi MartinRoland Petersen-Frey

Brian StoneSteve McWilliams

See storyon page 8.

At least 9,000,000 acres ofpotential gopher tortoise habitat inGeorgia will be included in aconservation program for theprotection of the species.

5Georgia Forestry Today

FORESTRY TODAYGeorgia

Volume 9, Issue 2 March | April 2013

P.08 Silviculture’s Next Challenge:

a Tortoise and a Snake

P.11 Message from the Georgia

Forestry Commission Director

P.12 GFC News

P.13 Fun and Games:

Forests’ Hidden Value

P.16 Pine Savanna Restoration

and the Northern Bobwhite

P.20 Dr. William Hubbard Wins

American Foresters Award

P.21 New Model Could Help States

Set Alligator Harvesting Rules

P.22 Hope Grows in a Tree

P.24 GFT News

P.28 Georgia Forestry Association

March 28Fourth Annual Georgia Forestry Foundation Longleaf Classic | Hawkinsville, Georgia

April 167th Annual Urban Forest Festival Outdoor Activity Center | 1442 Richland Rd.Atlanta, Georgia | RSVP: 404-752-5385

June 5-72013 National Conference of Private ForestLandowners | e Coeur d’Alene ResortCoeur d’Alene, Idaho

June 17-21Georgia Teacher Conservation WorkshopCharlie Elliot Wildlife CenterVisit www.gfagrow.org or call 478-992-8110

Forestry CalendarIf you have a forestry event you’d liketo see on our calendar, please contactAlva Hopkins at ahopkins@a4inc.comwith the subject line ‘Calendar Event.’

6 March | April 2013

7Georgia Forestry Today

liSt of advertiSerS

American Forest Management......................................30

Arborgen......................................................................27

Beach Timber Company Inc. .......................................30

Blanton’s ......................................................................18

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

Cantrell Forest Products Inc...........................................4

Davis - Garvin .............................................................19

F2M ..............................................................................4

Farm Credit Associations ...............................................6

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

Forest Resource Consultants ........................................18

Forest Resource Services Inc. ........................................30

Forestar ........................................................................29

F&W Forestry Service..................................................14

Gillis Bros. Inc. Forestry Fertilization ...........................24

HEI..............................................................................20

International Forest Company .......................................6

James Bates LLP.............................................................7

LandMark Spatial Solutions .........................................25

Lanigan & Associates ...................................................20

Meeks’ Farms & Nursery ....................Inside Front Cover

MorBark ......................................................................30

Outdoor Underwriters .................................................17

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

Prudential ....................................................................19

Quality Equipment & Parts Inc. ..................................21

Rivers Edge Forest Products .........................................30

Smith, Gambrell & Russell ............................................3

UPC | Georgia 811 ........................................Back Cover

Weyerhaeuser ...............................................................18

Vulcan on Board Scales .................................................4

Yancey Brothers ...................................Inside Back Cover

Silviculture’s Next Challenge:a Tortoise and a SnakeBy Douglas Rillstone | Partner | Broad and Cassel

8 March | April 2013

This gopher tortoise was found in Tift County, Georgia. Credit: Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Page 9: Top: Eastern diamondback in EmanualCounty, Georgia. Credit: James Henderson, Golden Delight Honey, Bugwood.org

GT: gopher tortoiseEDR: eastern diamondback rattlesnake

WWho would have thought the next threat to agriculture inthe southeastern United States, including at least9,000,000 acres in Georgia, would be two rep-tiles—a slow moving tortoise and a venomoussnake. The United States Fish and WildlifeService (Service) is only several steps awayfrom designating the common gophertortoise and the eastern diamondbackrattlesnake as threatened species underthe Endangered Species Act (ESA). Un-less efforts are taken to change or reversethe expected outcome, the anticipated list-ing of the GT and EDR creates the threat ofcivil and criminal prosecution for routine agricul-ture operations in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, SouthCarolina, North Carolina, and Florida if federal permits arenot first obtained—permits that often take years to issue.

Life changed back in 2006 when two environmental or-ganizations petitioned the Service to designate the GT as athreatened species in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, andFlorida. The prevailing thought was that if Florida, with thelargest population of GTs and rapid urbanization, revised itspermitting program to prohibit the gopher tortoise ‘entomb-ment’ from real estate development, and effectively managedthe species in Florida, there was little chance the GT would belisted, and the ESA’s draconian measures to protect the speciesat any cost would be avoided by all. Florida implemented anelaborate, cumbersome, and expensive regulatory process thatprohibited entombment and required the relocation of everyGT before developing any property in Florida. However, onJuly 27, 2011, the Service determined that designation of theGT was warranted throughout its historical range (Figure 2).

In August 2011, the Center for Biological Diversity(CBD) petitioned the Service to designate the eastern dia-mondback rattlesnake (EDR) as a threatened species. CBDcontended that the EDR population in its historic range (Fig-ure 1) was declining from rattlesnake roundups and habitatloss from agriculture, urbanization, and fire suppression. TheService, in May 2012, concluded that CBD presented enoughinformation to start a 12-month review of the EDR status todetermine whether the EDR listing was warranted.

To understand the impact to forestry, or any other agri

culture operation,from the GT and

EDR listing, it is importantto know some of the ESA basics and

current Service policy and practice. TheESA was intended as the means of last resort to pre-

vent the extinction of species within the United States. Aspecies must be listed and critical habitat designated when thebest scientific and commercial data available demonstrates thata species trips any one of five subjective criteria in the ESA.

Once listed, any ‘take’ of the GT or EDR, including habi-tat modification, is prohibited without prior authorizationfrom the Service. Failure to obtain Service authorization canresult in civil and criminal penalties, including incarceration.The authorization is generally available if the landowner candemonstrate the activity will not appreciably reduce the like-lihood of the survival and recovery of the species in the wild,a process that often takes up to three years to complete. TheService often presumes the presence of a species where habitatis or was present, forcing the landowner to either endure theapproval process or demonstrate absence of the species, oftenrequiring several years of monitoring, in order to obtain somelevel of Service assurance that the activity will not result in anenforcement action.

Critical habitat includes any habitat that is, or could be,occupied by the species that is essential to the conservation ofthe species (see Figures 1 and 2). In general, if an area of criticalhabitat is important for the conservation of the species (e.g.,to recover the species to a point where it no longer warrantslisting), then no federal agency can permit, fund, authorize orcarry out any activity that would modify or destroy the habitat,whether or not the species is present. Actions subject to thisprohibition include federal grants, loan guarantees, leases, per-mits, and floodplain determinations, among other actions.

The impact of listing either the EDR or GT in Georgia isdramatic. A rough estimate of EDR’s current or historicalrange is shown in Figure 1. The Service estimates there are atleast 9,000,000 acres of potential GT habitat in Georgia (Fig-ure 2), and has acknowledged that this underestimates habitatin the coastal lowland regions, including coastal or near-coastalportions of Georgia. GT are found in a range of land covertypes including longleaf pine sand hills, xeric oak hammocks,scrub, pine flatwoods and plantations, dry prairies, and coastaldunes as well as within man-made environments, such as pas-

9Georgia Forestry Today

Figure 1

tures, old fields, and grassy roadsideswith well-drained sandy soils for diggingburrows, herbaceous food plants, andopen areas for nesting and basking.

If listed, activities that could be un-lawful (e.g., constitute a ‘take’ underService policy) without Service authori-zation include:• Converting native range, pasture, or

fallow land to timber;

• Timber management, understoryand pest control, harvesting, andbedding;

• Maintenance of structural berms,roads, runway aprons or utility cor-ridors;

• Converting native range, pasture,timber or fallow land to crop pro-duction, residential, commercial, in-dustrial or public projects andresource extraction;

• Land management or restoration re-sulting in unintended mortality orloss of species productivity.

There is no practical mechanism tograndfather, vest or exempt existing orongoing activities from the ESA prohi-bitions. Landowners would be requiredto abate these activities and obtain Serv-ice authorization to reduce the risk of en-forcement or third party lawsuits seekingto force compliance with the ESA. Ac-

tivities subject to Federal funding or ap-provals will require ‘further review’ andaction by the Service. These Service ap-provals would only be issued where thelandowner, to the maximum extent prac-ticable, minimizes and mitigates actualor potential impacts to the GT and EDR(e.g., removing areas from production,surveys, relocations, operational changes,habitat preservation, restoration, and en-hancement). Assuming Service personneland permitting infrastructure were inplace to process just the applications re-quired for ongoing activities, Service au-thorizations would likely take no lessthan 12 to 36 months.

The Service suggests it will be yearsbefore a formal listing decision is madeon either GT or EDR. The Service hasencouraged revisions to Florida’s elabo-rate regulatory program, the adoption ofnew regulatory programs in Georgia andother states, and that landowners entervoluntarily long-term agreements tomanage and conserve their land to pro-tect these species—at no insignificantcost to such landowners.

Many believe the Service’s earlyfindings regarding the GT and EDR arenot well supported by the best scientificand commercial data available or thelaw. These findings understate agricul-ture’s contribution to the long-termmanagement of wildlife, and overstateits adverse impact to the GT and EDR.Advances in timber management from

bedding to harvesting, as well as differ-ent planting densities, provide increasedconservation value for many species, in-cluding the GT and EDR. The failureto adequately consider this contributionis significant since agriculture, particu-larly silviculture, comprise the largest ex-tent of the lands reflected in Figures 1and 2. Population declines in all stateshave been inferred from habitat conver-sion in the absence of baseline and ac-tual conditions. The final listingdetermination must be based on an af-firmative demonstration from the bestscientific and commercial data available,and cannot be made on either anecdotalinformation or the absence of data.

The consequences are severe, and inlight of recent events, the Service’s tim-ing could be accelerated by a number ofyears. It is important to work with theGeorgia Forestry Association and othersimilar state and regional associations todevelop and coordinate implementationof an offensive strategy to avoid an ad-verse listing decision or minimize the af-fects from a decision to list either the GTor EDR.

Douglas Rillstone is a Partner in the Tal-lahassee office of Broad and Cassel, thechairperson of the Firm’s Land Use andEnvironmental Law Practice Group, anda member of the Government Relationsand Real Estate Practice Groups. v

10 March | April 2013

Figure 2

’ve just kicked the dirt off my workboots brought in from a very specialplace in Macon—a place I mightnever have seen, if it weren’t for thebig hearts found in our forestryfamily and an awesome plan spear-

headed by the Sustainable Forestry Ini-tiative Implementation Committee. Thedirt was from the construction site whereHabitat for Humanity is building ahouse that will soon be home to a familyin need. Perhaps you’ve taken part in a Habi-tat build before, but I had not. How gladI am to have been given the opportunityto lend a hand. This year, the GeorgiaForestry Commission marked ArborDay by partnering with Habitat and rep-resentatives from the Georgia Sustain-able Forestry Initiative, Georgia ForestryAssociation Emerging Leaders, GeorgiaForestry Foundation, Georgia Tree Farm,and Georgia’s Society of AmericanForesters. Together, we helped build ahouse made up of donated wood prod-ucts made right here in Georgia. At thesame time, we were able to raise aware-ness about Georgia’s sustainable forestsand the many benefits they provide. Let me tell you, those nail gunsmade a happy racket as we ‘raised theroof!’ We built floor joists, laid sub-flooring, and snapped to when the con-struction foreman gave us a task. Whata great feeling it was to see so many vol-unteers from the forestry communityworking together. Even the weather co-operated; it was an unusually sunny andwarm February day that came on theheels of lots of rain. And I have to add,getting up close and personal with the

feel and smell of southern yellow pineframing lumber, decking, and pressuretreated wood always makes me gratefulfor the amazing resource we protect. Theaverage Habitat House utilizes176 piecesof dimensional lumber, 324 wood studs,102 pieces of treated wood, and 138sheets of plywood for flooring, walls, androof. Each is a valuable piece of the puz-zle that comprises a structure built to en-dure the elements outside whileproviding a safe haven inside. That nevergets old. To bring the sustainable forestrystory full circle, a white oak tree wasplanted in the home’s back yard. The treeis a descendant of Athens’ famous ‘Tree

That Owns Itself,’ which you can readmore about in the ‘Legacy Trees’ sectionof the January/February issue of GeorgiaForestry Today. Like other trees, this onewill help filter the air and water, shadethe house, provide a home to wildlifeand beauty for generations to come. Sur-rounded by state dignitaries, the familywho’ll be living in this home helpedshovel dirt onto the tree. The smiles ofeveryone present are memories I won’tsoon forget. (You can follow construc-

tion of the house on Facebook; ‘Like’Georgia Forestry Community Habitatfor Humanity Build.) Our message of sustainable Georgiaforests is so powerful that a documentaryfilm will soon be released, called ‘A Casefor Sustainable Managed Forests.’ Thefilm crew was on hand for the Habitatbuild and production should be com-plete by May. We’ll keep you postedabout the premier! As always, thanks for doing yourpart for Georgia forestry.

Sincerely,

Robert Farris v

11Georgia Forestry Today

Message from the Director

Dear GFT Reader,

Robert Farris

Georgia Forestry Commission

I

12 March | April 2013

The value of prescribed fire earned the official state spotlight when

Governor Nathan Deal signed a proclamation declaring February

3-9 ‘Prescribed Fire Awareness Week’ in Georgia. The event is ob-served annually during the first week in February to raise awareness aboutprescribed fire, which is a safe way to apply a natural process, ensureecosystem health, and reduce wildfire risk. The highlighted week alsobrings attention to land managers who protect and maintain Georgia’shealthy forests, which provide clean air, clean water, and diverse wildlife populations for residents and visitors.e

GFC News

The forestry community now has easier access to forestry Best Management

Practices through online training. The Southeastern Wood Processors Association andGeorgia Forestry Commission have created half-hour training modules on a variety of top-ics, including Temporary Stream Crossings, Stream Classification, and Timber HarvestPlanning. The modules posted on both sites are identical, however only the SWPA Website (www.swpa.ag) has testing capabilities for CLE credit. Access GFC’s Web site atGaTrees.org. e

The Georgia Forestry Commission partnered with Habitat for Hu-

manity this year in recognition of Georgia’s 122nd Arbor Day. A bigcelebration was held on February 15 to mark the value of Georgia’s sus-tainable forests and the numerous products working forests provide. Manyof those products were used in the construction of a new Habitat homein Macon, which was unveiled in conjunction with the Arbor Day event.A white oak tree, a descendant of Athens’ noted ‘Tree That Owns Itself,’was planted at the Habitat home to mark the occasion. e

A study by the Georgia Institute of Technology shows economic

activity generated by the forest industry in 2011 totaled more

than $25 billion in output and provided 118,459 jobs in Georgia.Other highlights of the ‘Economic Benefits of the Forest Industry inGeorgia: 2011 report show that between 2010 and 2011, wages andsalaries for the state’s forest industry workers rose 13.3 percent, and theindustry generated more than $487 million in revenues for the statebudget. The full report can be accessed at GaTrees.org. e

In her 1878 book, Molly Bawn, Margaret Wolfe Hungerfordpenned the phrase “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” ewords have been applied to countless situations and ring espe-cially true for those who live and love forestry. From the planterplugging seedlings into the soil to the logger estimating a har-vest’s yield and the hunter examining a deer’s tracks, tracts of tim-ber are rich sights to a whole lot of Georgians.

Forestry advocates are proud to repeat the impressive statis-tics: Georgia boasts 24.8 million acres of forest land, the largestarea of forest cover in the South; forest-related industries inject$25 billion and 108,112 jobs into the state’s economy; ecosystemservices provided by forest land have been valued at $37 billionannually, which is in addition to the value of timber, forest prod-ucts, and recreation.

“Recreation is one of the more under-recognized values ofowning forest land,” said the Georgia Forestry Commission’s StaffStewardship Forester, Buford Sanders. “In reality, though, that’s

one of the strongest motivations for private land ownership.”Part of the challenge of placing value on this feature is its

‘priceless’ system of measurement. What’s the vision of a coveyof quail flushing into the sunset worth? How does one put aprice tag on the rustle of an approaching deer or the slippery,cold sensation of unhooking a big bass taken from a favoritefishing hole? Even more impossible would be gauging the valueof a grandchild sharing those experiences with family memberson family land.

University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Nat-ural Resources Associate Professor, Dr. Gary Green, is a leadingresearcher in natural resources, recreation, and tourism. He be-lieves our state and our nation are witnessing important changesin the more intangible aspects of forest land value.

“People used to focus mainly on timber,” said Green, “butany time there’s a recession, it’s wise to diversify. e recreationvalue of forest land has really started to increase since timber value

fun and games : forests’ hidden value

13Georgia Forestry Today

Clay and Lucy Calhoun review their Forest Stewardship Plan with GFC Forester Jeff Kastle.

By Stasia kelly

14 March | April 2013

has declined. Why sell it for less when itwill continue to grow?”

Post 9-11 focus on the familyGreen cites the tragedies of September 11as a turning point that’s prompted peopleto spend more time with their families.Other forces that influence enhancedrecreation value of private land, he said,include budget cuts that have curtailedpublic park resources, population growth,urban sprawl, and the recognition thateach generation is spending less and lesstime in close contact with nature.

“Ask a child where a chicken comesfrom, and he answers ‘Kroger!’” saidGreen. “Spending time in nature helpschildren understand relationships and itboosts their social and psychological de-velopment.”

For forest landowners, Green said en-hancing recreation value can be “as simpleas constructing a pavilion, tables, andgrills.” And while those features might beconsidered everyday amenities for familyand friends, Green promotes the impor-tance of perspective.

“People are willing to pay to be ableto do what they want, when they want,without the crowds,” Green said. “Part ofthis is driven by the economy and part ofit is driven by people who want to spendtime with their friends and families.”

As proof of the growing importanceof these values, it’s worth noting it wasonly in 2005 that UGA’s Warnell Schooladded a natural resources, recreation, andtourism major. In recent years, this majorhas witnessed a significant growth in en-rollment as more students seek a career innatural resources, recreation, and tourism.

Hunting leases have long been in-come generators for forest landowners. In2011, the total economic impact of recre-ational hunting in Georgia was $1.6 bil-lion, with much of that spent for theprivilege of hunting on private land.Green said, however, there’s more to beenjoyed out there than traditional hunt-ing. His studies show an increasing num-ber of people are looking at land as privaterecreation havens. Popular activities thatare taking place on private lands includemountain biking, hiking, all-terrain-vehicle riding, horseback riding, camping,birding, fishing, and more.

Advancing technology has also en-couraged the outdoor experience, accord-ing to Green. Lighter equipment, moreinformation, and cell phone connectivitywith GPS have all led to greater use of thegreat outdoors.

“e geocaching trend is growing,too,” said Green of the popular outdoortreasure hunt game. According to Green,these and more activities should be con-sidered as viable markets by Georgia forestlandowners.

Discovering new values at Ashland FarmOn a 430-acre swath of land nestled nearthe borders of Newton, Walton, Rock-dale, and Gwinnett Counties, Lucy andClay Calhoun have devoted nearly 30years of their lives in pursuit of a sus-tainable rural living, while experiment-ing boldly with the ‘added value’proposition.

“ere aren’t many prototypes forwhat we’ve done,” said Lucy Calhoun.

What they’ve done is transformedfamily property through hard work anddreams to create ‘Ashland Farm.’ Here,aesthetics, wildlife, natural resources,recreation, greenhouse farming and tim-ber co-exist to create unique value for theCalhouns.

eir story mirrors that of manyGeorgians who, intent on retaining familyland, work diligently to keep the booksbalanced.

“Since the forties,” Clay said, “sincecotton—this farm has been one continu-ous experiment: purebred cattle, grass-seed, sheep, timber, even kudzu! In theeighties we started ‘niche marketing’—growing heirloom vegetables and specialtyproduce.”

Eventually, at the request of chef cus-tomers, they began greenhouse produc-tion of ‘micro greens,’ tiny, intenselyflavored and beautiful seedlings, which

Horse-friendly fields were utilized in the past for cotton,

cattle, sheep, timber, and grass seed.

they now deliver to more than 50 highend Atlanta area restaurants.

Horses became part of the picture,too, when the Calhouns’ daughter, Katie,took up riding and became active in thelocal ‘pony club.’ Before long, it madesense to open the property for equestrianactivities.

“In 2001, we built the barn,” saidLucy. “Even though we’d both ridden askids, we really didn’t know what we weregetting into!” at barn led to the board-ing of horses, construction of trails and across country course, and formal ridingevents.

e evolution also includes one of theproperty’s most notable features, theequestrian membership program. Basicand full membership levels are offered at$175 and $450 per year, respectively. De-tails about this unique program and a rid-ing-focused social network can be foundon their Web site, www.ashlandfarm.org.

e Calhouns credit a group of closefriends, advisors, and forestry profession-als with helping them sort through theiroptions over the years. Included in thattrusted coterie is Lynn Hennelly, a friendwho’d worked with the Audubon Societyand “wanted to do something conserva-tion-related.” In 2004, she moved to Ash-land Farm to help manage the property. “Ifeel very invested,” she said.

Regional Regeneration Specialist forthe US Department of Agriculture ForestService, George Hernandez, and Jeff Kas-tle, forester with the Georgia ForestryCommission, have also played importantroles. ey worked to create a detailedForest Stewardship Plan for the propertyin 2011, which spells out the Calhouns’goals and how they will be achieved.

“We knew this would not be the typ-ical Forest Stewardship Plan,” Hernandezsaid. “is is a working farm, but it’s also abusiness. It was complex,” said Hernandez.

“It was Buford Sanders who recom-mended we get Dr. Green from the Uni-versity of Georgia involved,” said Kastle,

“so we all met here, walked the property,talked about goals and got started on theproject.”

e Forest Stewardship Plan definesthree primary objectives for the property:aesthetics, soil and water, and wildlife.Secondary objectives are recreation (hunt-ing and nature enjoyment) and timber,whose harvest is limited to forest healthand species mix needs. e plan coversspecific forest management recommenda-tions through 2021.

Dr. Green also created a recreationplan for the Calhouns. According toGreen’s plan, the property’s existingamenities and proximity to Atlanta offerseveral additional opportunities for futurerecreation development, which includehistory and cultural activities, charity

events, and much more. “e potential is limitless,” said

George Hernandez of Ashland Farm's fu-ture. e same can be said for other forestlandowners and their properties thatlikely hold many untapped possibilitiesfor recreation.

For those considering ways to en-hance their land’s recreation potential,Clay Calhoun recommends research, vis-its to other properties, and experimenta-tion in your own back yard.

“We saw a lot of what not to do,” hesaid. “Not all things can co-exist,” addedLucy, “so we have gone slowly. And it’s re-ally important to figure out what you lovedoing, because you’ll be doing a lot of it.”

Oh, and one more thing, Clay said,“Find a good banker!” v

15Georgia Forestry Today

Sharon Bradley oversees the cultiva-

tion of Ashland Farm's thriving

micro-greens supply business.

16

onservation projectscan range greatly inscale from microsite tolandscape level. Insome instances, rare ordeclining species can be

conserved through protection of small,discrete habitat patches such as caves,springs, and outcrops. In many cases,however, conserving species asso-ciated with an extensive inter-spersion or ‘matrix’ of habitatsincludes a combination of strategic habi-tat conservation and broad-scale restora-tion programs.

In Georgia and throughout theSoutheast, restoration of pine savannahabitat is an example of this landscape-scale conservation that benefits many na-tive species.

Pine savannas are characterized byopen-canopy forests with diverse grass-forb-shrub groundcover vegetation. In asense it is a prairie under the trees. Priorto European settlement, this habitat type

dominated as much as three-fourths ofthe Southeastern Coastal Plain (Platt1999). ese forests were predominatelytwo-layered, with an overstory of widelyspaced pines and a diverse herbaceousground cover maintained by frequent fire

(Frost 1998).It has been esti-mated that pine

savannas cov-ered as

much as

17,000 square miles of Georgia’s CoastalPlain (Wharton 1978). Pine and oak-pinesavannas also occurred on xeric ridges ofthe Ridge and Valley and Piedmont phys-iographic provinces.

Functional examples of this foresttype now comprise less than five percentof the Southeastern Coastal Plain (Platt1999). Restoring this habitat, especiallylongleaf pine savanna, is a high priority ina variety of conservation plans developedby federal, state, and non-governmentalconservation organizations. Examples ofthese efforts include Georgia’s StateWildlife Action Plan, the Georgia Na-tional Bobwhite Conservation InitiativeImplementation Plan (GA NBCI), andAmerica’s Longleaf Initiative.

e drastic loss of pine savanna, result-ing primarily from conversion to otherland uses and forest types along with re-duction in fire occurrence and frequency,has contributed to the severe decline of nu-merous wildlife species that rely fully or inpart on savanna habitats. Georgia’s StateWildlife Action Plan identifies 20 highconservation priority animals and 56 high-priority plants associated with fire-main-tained pine savannas.

e northern bobwhite, our stategame bird, is an example of a species in

conservation need that is largely depend-ent on pine savanna. Georgia’s bob-

white population has declinedby 5.5 percent per year since

1966 (Sauer et al.2011). at equates

to a populationreduction of

more than

PINE SAVANNA RESTORATIONand the Northern Bobwhite

LANDSCAPE-SCALE CONSERVATION AT WORK

CBy Reggie ackston & Jon Ambrose | Georgia Department of Natural Resources

March | April 2013

A 23-year old loblolly pine stand with

50 square feet of basal area and qual-

ity ground cover for wildlife being main-

tained with a two-year fire

frequency. (Credit: Reggie

Thackston/GaDNR)

17Georgia Forestry Today

85 percent! Research shows that closedcanopy pine stands and stands that are ei-ther not burned or are infrequentlyburned provide poor habitat for bob-whites and other grassland species, andmay serve as ecological sinks, i.e., sites thatcontribute to population declines due tohigh predation rates.

When appropriately applied, fre-quent prescribed fire and forest thinningmimic the ecosystem processes that onceoccurred naturally across landscapes tocreate and maintain woodland savannas.Without thinning, tree canopies close andshade out ground cover. Without fre-quent prescribed fire, woody plants andforest litter replace grasses and forbs.

Forest management practices that op-timize bobwhite habitat across mostforested sites include:1) Frequent forest thinning to maintain

at least 60 percent of the ground indirect sunlight. First thins may takestands to 70 2 basal area (BA) tomaintain forest health, reduce diseaseand wind-throw risks, and increasefuture economic returns, but subse-quent thins should maintain a 40-702 BA range, with 70 2 BA being thetrigger for thinning.

2) Prescribed burning on a two-year fre-quency in small units—100 acres orless and ideally 20-50 acres—and in amosaic or checkerboard pattern.

3) Establishing 5-20 percent or more ofthe forest acreage in fallow managedopenings 2-5 acres in size and main-tained with rotational winter disking,fire or herbicides.

4) And, chemical control of exoticgrasses and invasive hardwoods asneeded.

Managing pine savanna in this way resultsin economic tradeoffs or opportunitycosts for landowners. ese costs may beespecially high when stands are carriedwell beyond the optimum economic rota-tion age. Cost share and incentive fundingprovided through private lands programs

Reggie Thackston is Private Lands programmanager and bobwhite project leader forthe Georgia Department of Natural Re-sources’ Wildlife Resources Division. JonAmbrose is assistant chief of the division’sNongame Conservation Section.

Frost, C.C. 1998. Presettlement fire fre-quency regimes of the United States: a firstapproximation. Pages 70-81 in Theresa L.Pruden and Leonard A. Brennan (eds.). Firein ecosystem management: shifting the par-adigm from suppression to prescription. TallTimbers Fire Ecology Conference Proceed-ings, No. 20, Tall Timbers Research Station,Tallahassee Florida.

National Bobwhite Technical Committee(NBTC). 2011. Palmer, W.E., T.M. Terhune,and D.F. McKenzie (eds.). The NationalBobwhite Conservation Initiative: a range-wide plan for re-covering bobwhites. Na-tional Bobwhite Technical CommitteeTechnical Publication Version 2.0.Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.

Platt, W.J. 1999. Southeastern pine savan-nas. In: Anderson, R.C., Fralish, J.S. &Baskin, J. (eds.). The savanna, barren, androck outcrop communities of North Amer-ica, pp. 23–51. Cambridge UniversityPress, Cambridge, UK.

Sauer, J.R., J.E. Hines, J.E. Fallon, K.L. Par-dieck, D.J. Ziolkowski Jr., and W.A. Link.2011. The North American Breeding BirdSurvey, results and analysis 1966-2009.Version 3.23.2011. USGS, PatuxentWildlife Research Center, Laurel, Maryland,USA.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Serv-ice. 2008. Forest Inventory and AnalysisData. Forest Inventory Data Online.http://199.128.173.26/fido/index.html. Dateaccessed: November 2009.

Wharton, C.H. 1978.The Natural Environ-ments of Georgia. Bulletin 114. Geologicand Water Resources Division and Re-source Planning Section, Office of Planningand Research, Georgia Department of Nat-ural Resources, Atlanta, Georgia 227 p.

Credit: Special from GaDNR

18 March | April 2013

can offset costs and encourage landownersto restore and maintain longleaf and otherpine savanna systems.

Since 1999, Georgia Wildlife Re-sources Division’s bobwhite restorationefforts have centered on the state’s Bob-white Quail Initiative. BQI began as apilot program to restore habitat for bob-whites and other grassland species on pri-vate farm and forest lands in 15 counties.Overall, BQI has shown that:• Bobwhite numbers can be increased

through judicious application ofhabitat management practices acrosssuitable landscapes at the appropriatescale.

• Landowner demand for bobwhites ishigh, but adequate levels of financialincentives and qualified staff for tech-nical assistance are essential.

• Habitat enhancements must occuracross large landscapes (1,500 ormore acres) to produce and sustain a

positive response in the bobwhitepopulation.

Georgia’s bobwhite restoration efforts areexpanding to portions of more than 68upper Coastal Plain counties. is transi-tion is guided by lessons learned from 11years of implementing BQI coupled witha recent revision of the National BobwhiteConservation Initiative (e NBTC2011). e revision was led by Tall Tim-bers Research Station and Land Conser-

19Georgia Forestry Today

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vancy and in Georgia included 12 state,federal, and non-governmental conserva-tion partners. is process facilitated thedevelopment of the Georgia NBCI Imple-mentation Plan. is plan will serve as aguide for working intensively on a volun-tary basis with private landowners, andacross suitable public lands within priori-tized landscapes, to target available man-agement programs, funding, technicalassistance, research, and monitoring.

e restoration potential is high. Asof 2012, across 68 counties of Georgia’sUpper Coastal Plain there were 721,778acres of longleaf and more than 4.3 mil-lion acres of loblolly or slash pine (U.S.Department of Agriculture Forest Serv-ice 2008) that could feasibly be restoredto, or maintained as, functional pine sa-vanna. In addition, more than three mil-lion acres of harvested cropland aresuitable for fallow native grass/forb/shrub field borders and field corners.Some of this acreage also could be re-stored to longleaf pine. More specifically,within the 23 GA NBCI High PriorityFocal Landscapes in these 68 counties,the five-year projected needs for habitatinclude 58,325 acres of pine thinning,209,498 additional acres of prescribedburning and 62,861 acres of fallow crop-land habitats.

Ultimately, the success of restoringpine savanna ecosystems and bobwhitepopulations depends on privatelandowner interest and willingness tomanage the resource, coupled with publicland management at the appropriate in-tensity and scale. is will require the col-laboration of private landowners, stateand federal agencies, and non-govern-mental conservation partners working to-gether to secure professional technicalassistance and funding for managementpractices. is will not be easily accom-plished, but this is an ecosystem and abird worth saving for both present and fu-ture generations.

For more information on pine sa-vanna and bobwhite ecology and manage-ment, please visit the following sites:www.georgiawildlife.com andwww.ttrs.org. v

20 March | April 2013

Dr. William G. Hubbard, UGA-basedSouthern Regional Extension Forester,has won the Southeastern Society ofAmerican Foresters Public Educationand Technology Transfer Award of Ex-cellence.

The Award recognizes outstandingaccomplishments in educational activi-ties and programs that have significantlyadvanced public understanding of forestsand forestry and contributed to the con-tinuing education of forestry profession-als in the Southeastern United States.

As the Southern Regional ExtensionForester, he facilitates regional education,Extension and technology transfer pro-grams among the 13 southern land-grantuniversities, the USDA Forest Service,state forestry agencies, and others withinthe southern forestry community.

Dr. Hubbard has provided leader-ship on a number of nationally recog-nized, award-winning education andtechnology transfer efforts. These in-clude the Master Tree Farmer satelliteand Internet series and the forestrywebi-nars.net program. The Master TreeFarmer program received recognitionfrom the Secretary of Agriculture and theforestrywebinars.net effort was awardeda Two-Chief's Award from the NaturalResources Conservation Service andU.S. Forest Service. Dr. Hubbard hasalso received recognition from theSouthern Group of State Forestersthrough reception of the Henry Hardt-ner Award for forest management lead-ership activities in the region andreceived the U.S. Forest Service Chief'sSouthern Centennial Forum Award forefforts to educate and inform landown-ers and professionals.

Other notable efforts include lead-ership in the production of the TreePlanting in the Southern United Statesvideo, editorship of woody biomasstraining materials and manuals for pro-fessionals, and co-instructor of the

Forestry for Non-foresters Workshopheld every year at the University of Geor-gia. He has also chaired and assisted withseveral regional and national confer-ences, including the Slash Pine Sympo-sium and the Southern RegionalConference on Extension & TechnologyTransfer.

The award was presented in Mobileat the Annual Meeting of the Southeast-ern Society of American Foresters onJanuary 28, 2013. The Society of Amer-ican Foresters (SAF) is the national sci-entific and educational organizationrepresenting the forestry profession inthe United States. The mission of theSAF is to advance the science, education,

technology, and practice of forestry; toenhance the competency of its members;to establish professional excellence; and,to use the knowledge, skills, and conser-vation ethic of the profession to ensurethe continued health and use of forestecosystems and the present and futureavailability of forest resources to benefitsociety. v

Todd Hipp (803) 924-0978 todd@hippenterprises.comEric Hipp (803) 924-4131 eric@hippenterprises.com-Chad Hipp (803) 924-5940 chad@hippenterprises.com

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Dr. William Hubbard Wins Society of American ForestersAward of Excellence

21Georgia Forestry Today

A new Warnell School researchproject could improve howthree states handle the public

harvesting of alligators. Researchersspecifically hope to develop a populationmodel the states can use to make deci-sions about how many alligators can beharvested based on how many arecounted in annual surveys. Their work iscomplicated by the fact that the differentagencies overseeing the hunting have dif-ferent management goals and sets of reg-ulatory options. The value of the work,according to Clint Moore, the lead re-searcher of the study, is that it “allowsstates to make harvest decisions on amore transparent and defensible footing,in a way that is robust to uncertainties,and that are directly evaluated on thebasis of population sustainability.”

Moore, who has a dual role as War-nell faculty and a scientist with the U.S.Geological Survey, has a $30,000 grantfrom the USGS and a Ph.D stipend sup-port from Warnell for the four-year proj-ect, slated to begin in late 2012. The goalis to develop tools that can be used to setannual regulations for the public harvestof alligators in Florida, Georgia, andSouth Carolina. All three states allow al-ligator hunting as part of their manage-

ment programs. Alligators are native across the

South, ranging from Texas to the tip ofNorth Carolina. The carnivores canreach weights of 800 pounds or more,and can be more than ten feet in length.Harvesting is allowed to properly man-age the alligator population and removenuisance ones that could pose dangers tohumans. The Florida Fish and WildlifeConservation Commission allows up totwo alligators per permit, while SouthCarolina’s and Georgia’s departments ofnatural resources limit hunters to one.The number of hunting permits is lim-ited by each state to control how manyalligators are harvested.

But all three states use differentmethods to determine what the limitsare. They all rely on an annual measure-ment of the population to guide the reg-ulations, and they all track harvestingdata. And all three use statistical modelsto make these harvesting decisions. Theproblem, Moore says, is that these mod-els sometimes fail to predict observationsthat don’t follow the historic trend, per-haps because they don’t account for un-derlying biological mechanisms andenvironmental conditions. Essentially,they do not consider how populations

respond to harvest and population den-sity through their effects on survival andrecruitment. They also do not accountfor the fact that the annual surveys arean imperfect measure of the larger pop-ulation, and this measurement error, ifnot recognized, introduces some risk—either by harming the alligators or need-less restriction of hunter opportunities.

That’s where Moore’s team comesin. They want to devise a dynamic con-trol model that will include those ele-ments. Then it “might be able to predicta real population response induced byharvest,” he said. “By building the modelaround biological mechanisms, man-agers would be able to consider impactsof a harvest rule under different hy-potheses about how the alligator popu-lation responds to hunting. A specialfeature of the dynamic control model isthat it can be analyzed to provide harvestrecommendations that account for howthe population may grow or decline inthe future.” Once the common model isdeveloped, he said, it will be tailored toeach state. v

By Sandi Martin | Warnell School of Forestry | UGA

-

New Model Could Help States Set Alligator Harvesting Rules

22 March | April 2013

Hope is a good thing, maybe the best ofthings. Every time a person plants a tree,he is hoping for a better tomorrow. Inmany types of literature, trees become ametaphor for life itself in many forms.Thomas Jefferson is quoted in saying that“The tree of liberty must be refreshed fromtime to time, with the blood of patriotsand tyrants. It is its natural manure.” Thisline by Jefferson was written during a timeof violent revolution, but his softer and in-tellectual side was also smitten by trees andthe natural world. His quest for knowledgeand a better tomorrow for America ledhim to form the Lewis and Clark expedi-

tion and a great expansion of our borders.The expedition kept a detailed listing anddescription of all the plants and animalsalong the journey. One of Jefferson's lessfamous quotes says, “I never knew the fullvalue of trees. Under them I breakfast,dine, write, read and receive my company,”and his Monticello estate became a livingmuseum of unusual plants and trees thatinspired learning and the formation of theUniversity of Virginia.

One of my favorite Greek proverbsstates that, “A society grows great when oldmen plant trees whose shade they knowthey will never sit in.” Yes, there are many

reasons to admire trees, but one of the bestis that they grow MONEY and are one ofAmericas most renewable resources. InGeorgia alone the forestry industry isworth billions of dollars.

A new study on the economic bene-fits of the forest industry in Georgia hasbeen completed by Georgia Tech for theGeorgia Forestry Commission. The studycovers 2011 and shows that all economicindicators measured have improved sincethe last analysis in 2010. Economic activityis measured by output, employment, andcompensation generated directly by thestate’s forest industry.

The report shows that in 2011, al-most $15.1 billion in total revenue wasgenerated by forestry sectors (forest man-agement/logging; lumber and woodpreservation; veneer, plywood, and engi-neered wood; pulp and paper; secondaryproducts), up 4.0 percent from the previ-ous year. Employment rose 6.8 percent to46,378 jobs over 2010 levels, and com-pensation was more than $2.9 billion, anincrease of 13.3 percent. Statewide, theforest industry ranks second in wages andsalaries, and ranks third in employment,when compared to other industries. Theforest industry also generated $487 mil-lion for state revenue, an increase of 8.71percent over the previous year. Combiningthese benefits produces a total impact ofGeorgia's forest industry at just over $25billion, an increase of 5.6 percent over2010. Thus, the value of the forestry in-dustry continues to grow in Georgia, andwe need to keep on planting trees. Ofcourse, the best time to plant a tree wastwenty years ago, but the second best timeis today!

There are many sources for trees. Onethat shouldn’t be overlooked is the GeorgiaForestry Commission. The mission of theReforestation Department is to providequality tree planting stock to Georgialandowners at reasonable prices. This is ac-complished by developing genetically im-proved varieties of slash and loblolly pines;producing vigorous, high-quality nurserystock from superior selections and locallyadapted seed sources; and using an effi-cient statewide delivery network. Depart-

By John Trussell

Hope Grows in a Tree

23Georgia Forestry Today

mental expenses, including salaries andbenefits, are funded through the sale oftree seedlings.

The Georgia Forestry Commission’s(GFC) Flint River Nursery is located inByromville, Georgia, and it is Georgia’sprincipal source for tree nursery stock. Itis managed by Jeff Fields, Nursery Coor-dinator, who earned his B.S. Degree inPlant Protection and Pest Managementfrom UGA in 1995. He is aided by ad-ministrative assistant Renee Allen, recep-tionist Sue James, and a host of otherdedicated workers. The nursery also has acooperative agreement with Dooley StatePrison for an inmate crew to harvest treesand other tasks, which provides meaning-ful work to inmates and helps keep thecosts down to all citizens who purchasetrees. As another cost saving venture, thenursery has a solar electric project thatsupplies power to the nursery’s three deepwells, which irrigate the trees. When notbeing used for in-house power needs, thesolar power energy is sold to the localEMC for local homes and businesses,which further reduces the costs of operat-ing the nursery, says Fields. The FlintRiver Nursery is comprised of a total of832 acres, of which 210 are irrigated and65 acres are currently used to grow trees.The nursery grows approximately 15-20million seedlings each year capable of re-foresting over 30,000 acres. The seedlingcrop is predominantly slash and loblollypines. Loblolly is generally preferred inNorth Georgia because slash pines are nottolerant of ice storms, says Fields, andslash is preferred by some buyers in SouthGeorgia. But the selling numbers of thetwo main pine species run pretty evenduring most years, says Fields. A variety ofhardwoods and other conifers are alsogrown. Hardwood species, such as sawtooth and white oaks remain in high de-mand for wildlife plantings.

Seed Orchards and ProductionAll seedlings sold through the GFC nurs-eries are grown from seed adapted to Geor-gia’s unique climate and soils. Seedproduction orchards have been establishedat two locations - at the Flint River com-

plex and the Arrowhead Seed Orchardnear Cochran, Georgia. Loblolly and slashpine seed production comes entirely fromgenetically superior sources developedthrough a rigorous breeding and testingprogram. Seed collection areas have beenestablished for over thirty other species atthese facilities, providing a source for highquality, locally adapted superior seeds.

Seeds for the other non-pine speciescome from a variety of locations—or-chards, seed production areas, and wildcollections. These sources produce locallyadapted seedlings that can withstand thevarious site and weather conditions acrossGeorgia.

All seeds are sent to the seed condi-tioning plant in Macon for cleaning.Husks, wings, and debris must be re-moved from each seedlot; damaged or un-healthy seeds are discarded, then seeds aredried for storage or prepared for immedi-ate planting. According to TommyHunter, in the book ‘Deer and TurkeyManagement- Beyond Food Plots’ byKent Kammermeyer and Reggie Thaxton,you can easily plant your own acorns frommature trees. The basics are to put theacorns in a bucket of water and the badacorns will float to the top, the goodacorns sink. Acorns from the white oak

family can be planted immediately in potsor in the ground in the same fall collected.Acorns from the red oak family need to bestored in the refrigerator until the nextspring and then planted. Of course it issatisfying to grow your plants your ownseeds, but you lose a year of growth thatyou gain from buying healthy plants fromthe Georgia Forestry commission.

Each year, the Georgia Forestry Com-mission supplies seedlings to Georgialandowners for reforestation, beautifica-tion, and wildlife habitat. Seedlings can beordered in quantities ranging from ten tohundreds of thousands. The GFC beginsprocessing orders on July 1 for the follow-ing planting season. The planting seasonin Georgia is from December through Feb-ruary. Orders can be delivered to, andpicked up, at any Georgia Forestry officeacross the state without additional charge.For additional information on tree speciesand placing orders, go to www.gfc.state.ga.us. Yes, trees are important in Georgia.According to the Georgia Forestry Associ-ation, Georgia has 23.8 million acres ofprivately owned forest land, more thanany other state. Yes, hope for a better to-morrow does grow in Georgia trees. Andhope is a good thing, maybe the best ofthings. v

Jeff Fields displays a few loblolly pine seedlings that the Flint River Nursery pro-duces each year to meet the growing needs of the Georgia forestry industry.

24 March | April 2013

arms hold a centralrole in the heritage of

our state, having formedthe economic, cultural, and

family foundation for generations ofGeorgians. Some farms have been contin-uously operating for over 100 years andare recognized for their historical impor-tance. is year, the Georgia CentennialFarm Program Celebrates its 20th year ofhonoring the contributions of farm fami-lies throughout Georgia.

is program was created to draw at-tention to historic farms and to encouragetheir preservation. Since 1993, the pro-gram has recognized 426 farms aroundthe state.

Nominees must be a working farmwith a minimum of ten acres of the origi-

nal purchase actively involved in agricul-tural production and must generate atleast $1000 in annual farm-generated in-come. In addition, farms must have beencontinuously farmed by members of thesame family for at least 100 years. Quali-fying Georgia Centennial Farms are rec-ognized each October at an awardsceremony at the Georgia National Fair-grounds and Agricenter in Perry.

e Georgia Centennial Farm pro-gram is administered by the HistoricPreservation Division of the Georgia De-partment of Natural Resources; GeorgiaFarm Bureau Federation; Georgia Depart-ment of Agriculture; Georgia ForestryCommission; and the Georgia NationalFair and Agricenter.

For more information, contact Steven

Moffson, chair of the Georgia CentennialFarm Committee, at 404-651-5906 or atsteven.moffson@dnr.state.ga.us.e post-mark deadline for applications is May 1 ofeach year. v

2013 Georgia Centennial FarmApplication Due May 1

F

ayonier an-nounced on Tues-

day, Jan. 22, that it hasreached agreement to sell

all of the assets of its WoodProducts business to International ForestProducts Limited (Interfor) for $80 mil-lion. The sale, expected to close in thefirst quarter, will result in an after-taxgain of approximately $40 million.

Rayonier’s Wood Products business,headquartered in Baxley, Georgia., con-sists of three lumber mills located in Bax-ley, Swainsboro and Eatonton, Georgia.As part of the transaction, Interfor hasagreed to hire all 260 current Wood

Products employees. The three millscontributed approximately $10 millionin operating income to Rayonier in2012.

“This sale represents another keymove in our strategy to fully position ourmanufacturing operations in the spe-cialty chemicals sector,” said Paul Boyn-ton, Rayonier chairman, president andCEO. “At the same time, the conversionof our commodity fluff pulp business tocellulose specialties remains on track formid-2013 startup.”

“We are delighted with this oppor-tunity to transition our Wood Productsoperations to a world-class company fo-

cused on lumber and wood productsmanufacturing,” continued Boynton.“Rayonier has enjoyed a long associationwith Interfor, supplying their lumberbusiness in the Pacific Northwest formany years, and we look forward to ex-panding that relationship into the South-east.”

Interfor, based in Vancouver, BritishColumbia, Canada, is a leading producerof lumber and wood products, primarilyin the Northwest U.S. and Canada. Thiswill be its first acquisition of manufac-turing assets in the Southeast U.S. v

Rayonier to Sell Wood Products Business to Interfor

R

25Georgia Forestry Today

rborGen has an-nounced that it has

formed a long-termpartnership with the Col-

lege of Charleston Foundation to supportits forest conservation and restoration ef-forts at Dixie Plantation. In a show of sup-port, ArborGen has agreed to donate75,000 Longleaf Pine seedlings, whichwill be planted during the winter of 2012-2013 on 144 acres of Dixie Plantation.

“We are grateful for ArborGen's part-nership,” said George P. Watt Jr., executivedirector of the College of CharlestonFoundation. “is generous support willfurther enable the Foundation and theCollege’s mission to protect and preservethis ‘living laboratory’ and vital Lowcoun-try habitat while providing educationalbenefits at Dixie Plantation for genera-tions to come.”

Dixie Plantation is a historic 881-acreproperty along the Stono River and theIntercoastal Waterway. e myriad ecosys-tems include Longleaf Pine forests, wet-lands, savannahs, tidal marshes, as well asbrackish, saltwater, and fresh-water ponds.Today, in collaboration with the Low-country Open Land Trust, the College ofCharleston Foundation has embarked ona comprehensive plan to restore Dixie toits original purpose as a ‘conservationist’sclassroom.’ Native, diverse ecosystems willbe restored and maintained to provide ex-periential learning and research opportu-nities for College of Charleston studentsand faculty. Dixie Plantation enables thecollege to educate its students in an unpar-alleled natural setting; inspire collabora-tion across campus, industry, andgovernmental agencies; and prepare stu-dents and faculty to be leaders in today's

environmentally volatile, global society.“As a company dedicated to advance-

ments in forestry, we commend the Col-lege of Charleston Foundation for doinga tremendous job preserving Dixie Plan-tation, and we are pleased to be a partnerin the restoration efforts,” said AndrewBaum, president and chief executive offi-cer of ArborGen. “One hundred and fiyyears ago, Longleaf was the dominantPine stretching through nine states fromVirginia to Texas. Since then, its range hasbeen greatly diminished. Both ArborGenand the College of Charleston Founda-tion are working diligently to change thatand planting the 75,000 seedlings will notonly help restore our region’s LongleafPine trees, but also contribute to the re-gion's ecosystem.” v

Arborgen Donates 75,000 Longleaf Pine Seedlings to Support the College of Charleston Foundation’s Forest Restoration at Dixie Plantation

A

26 March | April 2013

arley Lang-dale Jr. (BSF

’37), one of War-nell’s strongest sup-

porters and recognizable alums, diedSunday, Feb. 10, 2013, in Valdosta. Hewas 98.

Mr. Langdale, a previous winner ofthe Warnell School’s DistinguishedAlumnus Award, created one of Geor-gia’s most lucrative forest productscompanies and was a leader in the in-dustry for more than 70 years. Aer re-ceiving his bachelor’s degree from whatwas then the George Foster PeabodySchool of Forestry, Langdale embarkedon a storied career that changed the for-est industry, including becoming a pio-neer in sound forest management.

“We are deeply saddened by theloss of Mr. Harley Langdale, a treasuredfriend of the Warnell School,” saidDean Mike Clutter. “Our thoughts andprayers go out to Mr. Langdale’s familyduring this sad time. Mr. Langdale willalways be remembered for the tremen-dous impact he had on the forest indus-try and natural resources community.”

Mr. Langdale was a primary con-tributor to the advancement of forestryin Georgia. When ‘Mr. Harley’ startedhis career, the primary use of southernpine forests was to produce naval storesand provide logs to lumber mills. Hewas a great proponent of expandinguses and markets for forest products inGeorgia’s forest industry. As the CEOof e Langdale Company, he devel-oped manufacturing capabilities in

lumber, poles and medium density fiberboard, and provided pulpwood to theemerging pulp and paper industry start-ing in the late 1940s. “Over the years,Harley has been a strong proponent ofthe concept that healthy forests existbecause forestland owners have healthyand diverse markets into which they selltheir products,” Clutter said. “We willmiss Mr. Langdale for his sage adviceand clear understanding of the relation-ships between forests and their uses.”

Mr. Langdale was born in Lynch-burg, Virginia, in 1914, and was theoldest of four children to Harley andalia Lee Langdale. He graduatedfrom Valdosta High School and thenattended the Citadel before transfer-ring to UGA to study forestry. Aergraduating with his BSF in 1937, Mr.Langdale became heavily involved inthe forest industry, creating e Lang-dale Company, which grew from asmall turpentine and land holding com-pany into a fully-integrated diversifiedforest products company under hisleadership. Mr. Langdale, who was thethird registered forester in Georgia, fo-cused on ways to manage forests better,including growing more and bettertrees per acre and converting a timberindustry from one that historically lethe land stripped during the clearingprocess. Mr. Langdale, an environmen-talist, helped turn the industry into onethat better managed the land and itsproducts for future use, leaving the landable to support several generations oftrees and wildlife.

During this time, he marriedEileen Cox of Valdosta in 1943, and thecouple strongly supported the WarnellSchool over their long marriage. Mrs.Langdale passed away in September2010 aer 67 years of marriage. Mr.Langdale was also very active in thecommunity, serving as director ofGeorgia Southern & Florida RailwayCo. for 39 years, director for the Citi-zens and Southern National Bank formore than 29 years, and was a memberof the bank’s executive committee formore than ten years. He also served insome capacity for the Georgia Interna-tional Life Insurance Co., Herty Foun-dation, Southern Forest ProductsAssociation, Forest Farmers Associa-tion, Georgia Forestry Association,Forest Research Society, Society ofAmerican Foresters, Valdosta-LowndesCounty Industrial Authority, Valdosta-Lowndes County Hospital Authority,and the South Georgia Medical CenterFoundation.

Mr. Langdale’s contributions to theforest industry have been recognizedwith many awards, including the Na-tional Forest Products Association'sForest Management Award, GeorgiaMan of the Year Service to AgricultureProgressive Farmer Award, ForestFarmer Award, J.W. Fanning Leader-ship Georgia Award, and GeorgiaForestry Association Wise Owl Award.He was also inducted into the Societyof American Foresters GeorgiaForesters Hall of Fame. v

Harley Langdale Jr. Passes Away

H

27Georgia Forestry Today

ohn Godbee, Forest Certifica-tion & Environmental Compli-ance Programs Manager atF&W Forestry Services, took of-fice as the 53rd Chairman of theGeorgia Forestry Association on

January 1, 2013. John has been heavilyinvolved with the Association since 1978and is a well-known leader in the forestrycommunity in Georgia and throughoutthe southeast.

John joined F&W, one of the na-tion’s oldest and largest forestry manage-ment and consulting firms, in 2001following a distinguished career with In-ternational Paper Company and Union-Camp Corporation. While atUnion-Camp, John managed the envi-ronmental compliance and public policyprogram for the Forest Resources groupand served on a pulp and paper commit-tee that worked to develop the Sustain-able Forestry Initiative (SFI), now thedominant forest certification program inthe U.S.

Throughout his career with F&W,John has initiated and administered key

certification programs through ForestStewardship Council, SFI and the Amer-ican Tree Farm System to assist clientsand other private landowners in themanagement of their forestland in a sus-tainable manner.

Currently, John’s responsibilities ex-tend across 14 states including land ac-quisition and management, as well asenvironmental programs in Uruguay andBrazil. In those roles, he has played a keypart in providing policy leadership, in-cluding testimony to the United StatesHouse and Senate and the Georgia leg-islature.

“John has made significant contri-butions to the forest industry in theUnited States, and his optimistic outlookand leadership skills will undoubtedlyhelp to guide association activities in2013,” GFA President Steve McWilliamssaid. “I expect to learn a lot while work-ing side-by-side with him this year.”

Before becoming GFA chairman,John served several years as the chair ofthe environmental committee, co-chair-ing efforts to develop Georgia’s Forest

Best Management Practices. He has alsoserved on several other task forces andcommittees including the governance,timberland taxation, legislative, andnomination committees.

In his role as chairman, John said hewould like to increase membership en-gagement, complete the ongoing strate-gic review of our mission, and facilitatealignment of GFA’s mission with thehuman and financial resources necessaryto achieve the Association’s long-termobjectives.

“I am extremely optimistic aboutthe status of forestry in Georgia,” Johnsaid. “We are blessed with an abundanceof the most productive and well man-aged forests in the world. There is alwaysroom for improvement, but there isample evidence that our industry is com-mitted to ensuring a long-term sustain-able forest business sector.”

John’s track record of contributionsto Georgia’s forest sector is evidence thatGFA is in good hands to move forwardin 2013.v

28 March | April 2013

very year, the GeorgiaForestry Association honorscertain individuals in theforestry community whomake substantial contribu-

tions to better forestry in Georgia andthe South. This year is no different asGFA is now accepting nominations forthe 2013 Logger of the Year and WiseOwl award. Both awards will be pre-sented at the 2013 Annual Conference& Forestry Expo in Hilton Head, SouthCarolina, on July 20-22.

The Logger of the Year nominees arejudged on the basis of their ability to becompliant with all applicable laws, prac-tice safety and loss control programs, es-tablish and maintain equipment securitypractices, and practice sound businessmanagement. Also, participation in theMaster Timber Harvester Program is akey factor.

Since 1980, GFA has given the WiseOwl Award, its most prestigious recog-nition, to an individual who has madecountless outstanding contributions to

the forestry community. It recognizesnot only forestry advocacy, but also anuncommon passion to improve the in-dustry for all landowners and forestry re-lated businesses.

The deadline to submit nomina-tions is March 30. Nomination formscan be found on GFA’s Web site atwww.gfagrow.org. For more informa-tion, contact GFA at info@gfagrow.orgor 478-992-8110. v

John Godbee to Serve as 2013 GFA Chairman

GFA Accepting Nominations for Logger of the Year & Wise Owl Awards

GEORGIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION

J

E

29Georgia Forestry Today

30 March | April 2013

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Phone: (800) 833-8178

E-mail: dollars4trees@canalwood.com

BEACH TIMBER COMPANY INC.128 Beach Timber Road

Alma, Ga 31510Office: (912) 632-2800

Gary Strickland Foresters Owner Available

We Buy Wood!bchtimco@accessatc.net

31Georgia Forestry Today

http://www.georgia811.com