Georgia Forestry Today Jan/Feb 2015

GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY Volume 11, Issue 1 January | February 2015

OPERATION SAFE PUMPKIN: PREPPING FOR WAR ON WILDFIRE

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January | February 2015

Georgia Forestry Today

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On the Cover:

GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY Printed in the USA PUBLISHER: A4 Inc. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alva Hopkins ahopkins@a4inc.com

EDITORIAL BOARD Wendy Burnett Alva Hopkins Stasia Kelly Sandi Martin Roland Petersen-Frey

PRODUCTION MANAGER Pamela Petersen-Frey p.frey@a4inc.com

When you hear the distinctive thump-athump-a-thump-athump-a-thump of an approaching helicopter, and the sounds of fixed-wing aircraft, bulldozers, masticators, pickup trucks, and an army of personnel, there’s no doubt that something very big is going on.

Find out more on page 8.

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

Opinions expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of the publisher, A4 Inc., nor do they accept responsibility for errors of content or omission and, as a matter of policy, neither do they endorse products or advertisements appearing herein. Part of this magazine may be reproduced with the written consent of the publisher. Correspondence regarding changes of address should be directed to A4 Inc. at the address indicated above. Advertising material should be sent to A4 Inc. at the e-mail address: p.frey@a4inc.com. Questions on advertising should be directed to the advertising director at the e-mail address provided above. Editorial material should be sent to A4 Inc. or to Alva Hopkins.

GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY 1154 Lower Birmingham Road, Canton, Georgia 30115

January | February 2015

Volume 11, Issue 1

January | February 2015

Georgia

FORESTRY TODAY P.08

Operation Safe Pumpkin: Prepping for War on Wildfire

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Message from the Georgia Forestry Commission Director

P.14

GFC News

P.15

Managing Forests and Openings for Wild Turkeys: Part II ~ Putting Your Plan into Practice

P.18

Georgia Forests and Drinking Water Forum Emphasizes Partnership and Collaboration

P.20

Partnerships Key to Restorative Fires in, around Sprewell Bluff

P.22

The Outdoorsman | Georgia’s Forest Dangers Part II

P.26

Mike Clutter stepping down as Dean; Dale Greene named Interim Dean

P.27

Five Warnell Alums make 2015 Bulldog 100 list for their fast-growing businesses

P.28

Georgia Forestry News

If you have a forestry event you’d like to see on our calendar, please contact Alva Hopkins at ahopkins@a4inc. com with the subject line ‘Calendar Event.’

Forestry Calendar January 25-27 Southeastern Society of American Foresters Annual Meeting | King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort | St. Simon’s Island, Georgia Info: http://www.sesaf.org/

February 11-12 Forestry Day at the Capitol Omni Hotel at CNN Center | Atlanta, Georgia 30303 | Contact: Carla Rapp 478-992-8110

March 26 Georgia Forestry Foundation Longleaf Golf Tournament | Hawkinsville, Georgia Info: Information coming soon.

June 22-26 Georgia Teacher Conservation Workshop | Mansfield, Georgia Info: Information coming soon.

July 31 - August 3 2015 GFA Annual Conference & Forestry Expo Westin Jekyll Island Jekyll Island, Georgia Info: Information coming soon.

Georgia Forestry Today

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List of advertisers American Forest Management ...............................................30

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

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

LandMark Spatial Solutions......................................................4

Blanton’s ......................................................................................12

Lanigan & Associates ...............................................................24

Bodenhamer Farms & Nursery...............................................18 Canal Wood LLC......................................................................30 Cantrell Forest Products Inc. ..................................................30

Meeks’ Farms & Nursery ...........................Inside Front Cover Morbark ......................................................................................30 Outdoor Underwriters.............................................................18

Davis - Garvin ............................................................................24 F4 Tech ..........................................................................................3 Farm Credit Associations...........................................................3 Flint Equipment Company.....................................................29

Plum Creek ...................................................................................5 Rivers Edge Forest Products....................................................30 SuperTree Seedlings.....................................................................7

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

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

F&W Forestry Service..............................................................25

Weyerhaeuser .............................................................................11

HEI...............................................................................................30

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

Georgia Forestry Today

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t

here’s something about the distinctive thump-a-

(IMT) planned every detail of what was named ‘Opera-

thump-a-thump-a-thump-a-thump of an ap-

tion Safe Pumpkin,’ a process that took four months. Ob-

proaching helicopter that quickens the pulse. The

jectives of the exercise included exposing pilots and

telltale sound embellishes many a war movie, but it’s the

ground personnel to real life scenarios in a controlled en-

real-life chopper circling above that signals attention-

vironment that would strengthen their individual skill

worthy action down below. And when fixed-wing air-

sets associated with wildland firefighting and water

craft, bulldozers, masticators, pickup trucks, and an army

bucket drops. The plan included daily agendas, and

of personnel contribute to the cacophony, there’s no

morning and afternoon briefings—the same process that

doubt that something very big is going on.

is followed in real IMT events. Expanded Dispatch op-

Fortunately, this bustling scene in Ware County this

erators also participated, providing communication prac-

past October was a professional exercise and not a true

tice for new and experienced employees. In addition, an

emergency. For two days, the Georgia Forestry Commis-

IMT member was assigned to each pilot group to answer

sion (GFC) led an Interagency Air Operations Exercise

questions and facilitate discussions.

that provided hands-on training and practice in proce-

“Wildland fire is so fluid,” said Al Hoke, Georgia

dures established for the suppression of wildfire. More

Forestry Commission Training and Development Man-

than 113 people from seven different state and local

ager. “It demands more of a reactive mode. This exercise

agencies took part in the GFC Satilla District-based

gives people an opportunity to understand the proce-

OPERATION SAFE PUMPKIN: Prepping forWar on Wildfire drills, whose simulated emergencies provided almost as

dures in a less stressful situation.”

much excitement as the real deals for everyone involved.

Hoke explained that each IMT member is required

“I fought the Okefenokee fires in 2007 and 2011,”

to keep a ‘task book’ that documents their individual job

said Steven Turner, a 17-year pilot for the Department

training progress. In-team trainers help apprentices un-

of Natural Resources. “This training is good for the co-

derstand job assignments and the qualifications required

ordination between air and ground forces. We’re able to

for various positions on a team. The qualifications (stip-

see how it all ties together,” Turner said.

ulated by national protocol) must be met before team members are eligible for dispatch on Type 2 IMT assign-

The training exercise grew from an idea hatched

ments. The Ware County drill afforded trainees the op-

in the GFC’s Air Operations Department.

portunity to complete a myriad of the required training tasks, including maintenance items such as water bucket

“Our pilots wanted to develop a live fire training event

procedures and air to ground communications needs to

with our cooperators,” said Clay Chatham, Air Opera-

provide for safety of both ground and air resources.

tions Manager for the Georgia Forestry Commission.

“We make sure every task book is filled out for each

“Helicopter and fixed-wing flying are very precision-ori-

job,” said Hoke. “It’s a national (IMT) requirement. Plus,

ented by nature. Throw in firefighting and that ups the

everyone involved gets to understand ‘Business Class

risk factor. Practice makes us better,” Chatham said.

260,’ the mountain of paperwork required, and why we

The GFC’s Type 2 Incident Management Team 8

check in and track everything!”

January | February 2015

By Stasia Kelly

Pilots used instruments and visuals to locate ground targets during the training.

Georgia Forestry Today

9

importance of strengthening communications with cooperators from various agencies that may be called to work together.

“There’s a lot of lingo that the forestry people use, and we might say it a little different,” said Thompson. “This helps me understand their needs and understand how to attack a fire.”

Review, Revise, Repeat

Ground crews await instructions for tackling fires and working with air operations.

Countdown to ‘Disaster’

The Wednesday-Thursday wildfire exercise was preceded by some mock communications via e-mail to GFC participants and leadership on Monday, notifying them of “increased wildfire activity” in the Satilla District. The message indicated that the Department of Natural Resources, Georgia State Patrol, and the Air National Guard were also being contacted, fire was expected to escalate, and the IMT would be in place the next day to begin ordering resources for deployment. A report for the governor was prepared and delivered to State Forester Robert Farris, and a mock press release was also dispatched, alerting citizens to the situation and instructions for garnering updates via GFC’s twitter account and its public Web site.

The two main hubs of activity for the exercise were the Incident Command Post, located at the GFC Satilla District Office, six miles south of Waycross, and the helibase, at the Waycross Airport. Pilots were provided with latitude/longitude specifications and maps, indicating where each of six scenarios would be conducted. An ‘Incident Action Plan’ was created for each day, and was detailed during the morning briefing at the ICP. The briefing was followed by a safety presentation for pilots at the helibase, where pilots waited their turns to fly, practiced rigging buckets, and reviewed equipment 10

and flying conditions “Safety is of the utmost importance,” said Eric Mosley, Georgia Forestry Commission Wildfire Mitigation Specialist.

“There are safety concerns specific to wildland fire air operations and duties the pilots may be called on to perform. The importance of carrying out those assignments safely and efficiently can’t be overemphasized,” Mosley said.

On day one, pilots and ground crews completed three different scenarios: a “backing fire in a pine plantation;” a “flanking fire in a pine plantation with a working tractor plow;” and “active multiple fires.” Pilots were required to fill bambi buckets at a nearby pond and coordinate water drops with ground crews and GFC's fixed wing, ‘Smokey,’ which acted as command and control aircraft for each scenario. The day’s activities were followed by mop-up and a debriefing at ICP. Doc Watson, pilot for the Department of Natural Resources, said he was pleased to be polishing his firefighting skills in the cockpit.

“I’ve learned a lot. Mostly how to improve our strategies and communications.

We can fine tune our altitudes and air speeds and see real results on the ground.

We’re working with changing winds and ground crews provide constant input. It’s an excellent exercise,” Watson said.

Veteran Georgia State Patrol pilot Kevin Thompson agreed, and echoed the

On day two, the Incident Command Center was buzzing long before the scheduled 0900 morning briefing. It takes a lot of laptops, smart phones, and coffee to summarize an activity of this magnitude and to launch a new day of training.

Fire Behavior Analyst Tony King kicked off the briefing with an update on how the previous day’s weather conditions influenced operations and what could be expected today. Operations Trainee Trent Ingram provided scenario status reports, and Clay Chatham reported on air operations.

“We’re getting good feedback,” Chatham said. “Slow down. Space out your shifts. We like feedback, so keep it coming.”

Before deploying to their individual posts, the group received changes to the day’s Incident Action Plan, heard about the ongoing importance of equipment inspections, got radio channel updates, financial report reminders, and stats on the previous day’s water drops (90) and acres masticated (60.)

Ware County Emergency Management Agency Director, Jonathan Daniell, was one of the attendees listening closely.

“This provides such value to our private and commercial landowners,” Daniell said. “During the fires in ’07 and ’11, a lot of folks in our county saw these operations in action and it made them want to learn more. We’ve done Firewise programs in our community, and people learned about keeping their properties clean.

These agencies are great partners to work with,” said Daniell.

Day two scenarios upped the tension factor by adding inoperative equipment, January | February 2015

Helicopters filled bambi buckets at a nearby pond and made 200 water drops during the air/ground exercises.

structures in the line of fire and multiple spot fire crossovers to the deployments.

Again and again, pilots lifted off from the heli-pad, tracked smoke from 300-feet, filled their bambi buckets and made drop after drop after drop. Radio communica-

Georgia Forestry Today

tions crackled continuously as bulldozer operators churned through thick south Georgia thatch, crafting firebreaks and providing updates from ground zero.

When the operation concluded, an impressive 33 flight hours and some 200

water drops had been made. Operators reduced fuel loads on about 150 acres with the GFC’s new fleet of masticators, the first time they’d been employed in such an exercise. Approximately 30 personnel completed training assignments to earn national qualifications for their jobs, and scores of emergency responders returned home with invaluable experience gained in the next best thing to the line of active duty.

Final touches are still being put on the After Action Review for Operation Safe Pumpkin. It’s certain, however, that the exercise’s successes and missteps will be carefully analyzed and used in preparation for future learning opportunities.

“We’ve never had live air operations training on this scale before, and it’s been valuable,” said Incident Manager Bo Chesser. “You train to perform. You want to be able to do it in your sleep. Because it’s not a matter of if a big fire’s gonna happen, it’s a matter of when.” v

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January | February 2015

Georgia Forestry Commission

Robert Farris

Message from the Director Dear GFT Reader,

I

f you are reading these words right now, chances are you give a big hoot about trees. About forests.

About the services and products they supply to other people. And, of course, about the income they may bring your family.

How much money is produced—and how many services and products we can calculate—are continually changing facts. In 2015, we’ll need to be doing more explaining to ensure the citizens of Georgia, urban as well as rural, understand why forestry is crucial to their lives. A couple of years ago, a University of Georgia study estimated $37 billion in economic services is provided annually by our state’s forestland. But there’s even more news about these environmental services of our forestland that everyone deserves to hear.

Take ‘air’ for example. Most kids and grown-ups alike understand that trees help clean our air, but do they know that forestry can affect proposed regulations governing carbon pollution levels? On December 1, 2014, the Georgia Forestry Commission submitted comments on the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Clean Power Proposed Rule.” It proposes targets for each state in meeting carbon pollution reductions from electric utilities. States will be required to craft plans to achieve targeted carbon emission reductions. There remain considerable issue and concern about the rule, however, there is positive news for Georgia forest owners, forest industry, and all Georgians. That is the acknowledgement

by EPA that it will recognize the carbon benefits of certain forest-derived industrial Georgia Forestry Today

byproduct feedstocks and sustainably-derived forest feedstocks, which can support and stimulate growth in the biomass electricity sector. In its comments, the GFC also requested the EPA favorably recognize forest carbon offsets as part of the portfolio to reduce Georgia’s carbon emissions. Under the current schedule, EPA will finalize the rule in June of 2015, and states will have until the following June to craft their own state implementation plans. The impact forestry has on the clean air that everyone feels better about breathing, and the methods that help ensure its availability, is absolutely newsworthy!

Perhaps fewer citizens than those who are aware of the air equation truly understand the link between forests and clean water. A recent forest and drinking water forum held in Savannah provided some useful information about the correlation, which deserves sharing. Conference participants heard about the state of Georgia’s water resources and the water planning regions that are expected to assist with the protection of this precious resource. Examples were given about watershed improvement gains in nearby states that are being credited to the conservation of existing forest cover. Another presentation cited several studies showing the less prevalent forested acres become in a watershed, and the more prevalent impervious surfaces become, the greater the amount of pollutants are found in the water. Pollutants mentioned included sediments, nutrients, fecal coliform, and E. coli—words that tend to grab anyone’s attention. Georgia Forestry Commission Water Quality Coordinator, John Colberg,

reported that forestry Best Management Practices continue to be implemented at very high rates across the state. Another study presented showed that for every dollar spent in forested watershed enhancement/restoration, $27 were saved in water costs.

Clearly, these are all positive pieces of information that all Georgians should care about—and would, if they knew. But how do we make the ties needed to spread this critical information?

That’s where you come in. This year, we want to identify new ways to communicate the value of trees and forests to every single person in Georgia—especially those who live in urban areas. How do we connect the dots, and bring home the tremendous worth of trees as they impact the clean air, clean water, wildlife habitat, and recreation havens people hold dear, no matter where they live? How do we link cities, and backyard trees, to forestry and our innate expectations for clean air and water? How can we flip that ‘care’ button?

We know everyone values these gifts of nature, but may think of them as more of a ‘given’ than a gift to be actively protected.

This year, let’s resolve to build new connections and devise new ways to share the intrinsic importance of trees. Let us hear your ideas by e-mailing GFC’s Communications Department at wburnett@gfc.state.ga.us, and let’s spread this news together.

Happy New Year!

Robert Farris GFC Commissioner e 13

GFC News Forestry professionals and utility managers of municipal drinking waters supplies met recently in Savannah. The ‘Forests and Drinking Water Forum’ focused on the value forest landscapes provide to society and how this can be protected, enhanced, and funded.

John Colberg, Georgia Forestry Commission Water Quality Coordinator, discussed BMP implementation and its positive effect on water quality. It is estimated that $1 spent in watershed management yields $27 in water quality enhancement or reduced treatment costs. Ecosystem services marketing was endorsed as a possible way to reimburse landowners through water rates, taxation, and bonds. Other revenue streams might include carbon credits, water quality trading, and real estate transfer fees. e As winter takes hold, Georgia foresters and the communities they serve are preparing for the possibility of damaging weather. Participants at the Georgia Urban Forest Council’s annual conference in Athens this past November focused on lessons learned during last year’s ice storms and ways to prepare for the season ahead. Instructional topics included making storm mitigation plans, preparing pre-storm tree assessments, working with FEMA, GEMA, and strike teams, working with staging for debris and wood utilization, and understanding the damage and recovery of iced trees.

For a wrap up of the conference, visit www.gufc.org e Joan Scales has been promoted to a new position as staff forester and program manager for the Sustainable Community Forestry Program (SCFP). Scales is a certified arborist who served SCFP as a community forester in northeast Georgia for two years and SCFP partnership coordinator for eight years prior to that. She has a master’s degree of Forest Resources from the University of Georgia and a Bachelor of Science in Communication Arts from St. John’s University in Jamaica, New York. Before coming to the GFC, Scales worked with the state of Florida, Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Park Service, where she was responsible for the management and training of volunteers in 34 state parks. She recently received the ‘Community Service Award’ in GFC’s employee recognition program for her dedication to the communities in her project area, specifically for efforts during the ice storm of 2014.

e

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January | February 2015

By Reggie Thackston Timber thinning coupled with frequent prescribed burning is the most important and cost effective management to enhance pine stands for wild turkeys, deer, bobwhite quail, and numerous other game and nongame species.

Managing forests and openings for Wild turkeys: Part ii ~ Putting Your Plan into Practice If you are a landowner or land manager interested in managing for turkeys, and if you read the first part of this column series, you’re familiar with the basics concerning wild turkey ecology, habitat inventory, and management planning. You may also know that once objectives are established and a plan developed, then comes the fun part, the part that counts, and that’s putting those objectives into place on the ground.

As explained in the previous column, the prescribed management, to be successful, must be dictated by the factors that most limit the turkey population and will be dependent on sitespecific conditions. However, there are some rules of thumb for managing openings and forest stands that will generally benefit wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, and a host of other species.

Insight on Openings Ideally, openings for wild turkeys should be one to five acres in size and comprise at least five to 25 percent of the landscape.

Georgia Forestry Today

Logging decks, widened roadsides, utility rights-of-way, firebreaks, and edges of crop fields, pastures, and hay fields can all be managed for wild turkeys. ese areas can be rotationally strip managed with combinations of warm-season (spring and early summer) and cool-season (late summer and fall) plantings and management of natural vegetation through mowing, winter disking, or burning.

Warm-season plantings include chufa, browntop millet, grain sorghum, and corn. Chufa, a sedge that produces underground tubers, is relished by wild turkeys during winter and spring. Chufa plantings can be used to concentrate turkeys and (Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part series on management of forests and openings for the eastern wild turkey, a highly favored species among Georgia hunters and landowners. Read Part 1 in the November/December 2014 issue of Georiga Forestry Today)

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Wild turkeys often nest in thinned and burned pine stands that provide well developed groundcover of grasses, forbs, and shrubs.

hold them into the spring hunting season.

However, chufa has the disadvantage of depleting soil nutrients. Because of this, sites should be rotated every two or three years and replaced with a cover crop of clover or winter grains. Chufa is also subject to damage by crows, raccoons, deer, hogs, and other non-target species.

Head feeds like browntop, sorghum, and corn are typically used during summer and fall. Browntop is highly preferred by turkeys, especially poults, and is easy and economical to establish, but the seed doesn’t persist into the winter as well as sorghum and corn.

Cool-season plantings include various combinations of clovers and winter grains like wheat and oats. Clover typically does best in clay or loam soils where the pH is 6.0 to 7.0. However, clover is difficult to establish and maintain in sandy or acidic soils. ere are a number of varieties available including perennial clovers like Ladino and Durana and reseeding annuals like Arrowleaf and Crimson. You don’t have to reseed the perennials, and they provide food for longer periods of time throughout the year. However, they oen require more in16

tensive maintenance like periodic mowing. e annuals require less maintenance, and Arrowleaf and Crimson are somewhat tolerant of lower soil pH. ey can be encouraged to reseed in the fall with light soil disturbance.

Clovers can be mixed with winter grains and strip managed across large openings in combination with warm-season plantings and fallow areas to make excellent year-round food plots. A great reference on the specifics of food plot plantings is “Quality Food Plots: Your Guide to Better Deer and Deer Hunting,” authored by Kent Kammermeyer, Karl V. Miller, and Lindsay omas Jr. and available through the Quality Deer Management Association.

Mature hardwood forests are critically important to wild turkeys. In addition to acorns and other mast, they provide open understories conducive to movement, feeding, and social interaction. Hardwood stands on moist sites— e.g., river and creek bottoms, bays, hammocks, and mountain coves—oen have lush herbaceous groundcover, which provides spring greenery and early broodrearing habitat. Decaying hardwood leaves

support an abundance and diversity of insects and can store mast and other seeds.

Hardwood corridors along creek and river drainages, oen referred to as streamside management zones, or SMZs, can provide vital habitat for wild turkeys while reducing erosion and protecting water quality.

To serve as effective travel corridors for turkeys, stream management zones and other timber corridors should be at least 300 feet wide to maintain a ‘shaded out’ open understory. A good rule of thumb is to maintain a minimum of 20 percent of the landscape in hardwood stands and manage with the ultimate goal of having oaks comprise 50 percent or more of the larger trees.

Pine forests can be enhanced for wild turkeys through thinning and prescribed burning. Stands should be thinned as soon as the majority of the tree crowns begin to overlap and at an intensity to maintain at least 30 percent of the ground in direct sunlight at noon. Yet thinning alone will result in a rapid growth of ground vegetation and midstory hardwoods, which if le undisturbed will ultimately become too thick for wild turkeys. erefore, periodic prescribed fire should be used to create and maintain desirable understory conditions. Generally speaking and depending on site characteristics, prescribed fire can be applied to longleaf pine stands from age two years and older, and to other southern yellow pine species at about age 12 years. Where fire is not feasible, herbicides and mowing can be used to maintain the open understory.

Burning for Better Habitat Prescribed burning, however, is one of the most efficient and cost-effective tools for managing turkey habitat. Prior to European settlement, the uplands of Georgia and the rest of the Southeast burned on a fairly frequent basis, primarily as the result of fires set by lightning and native Americans. In fact, indications are that the uplands of Georgia’s Coastal Plain burned on average every two years!

Wild turkeys, bobwhite quail, and January | February 2015

myriad other wildlife species are dependent on, or at least favored, by fire. It increases insect abundance and so mast, and helps maintain the desired understory structure and composition. Additionally, late winter to early spring burns produce an abundance of greenery and can be used to concentrate and hold turkeys on properties during the spring.

In general, prescribed burns should be conducted during January to midMarch under cool moist conditions on a two- to three-year rotation, where onehalf to one-third of the burnable woods are burned each year. e frequency of the fire is more important than the fire season. e ultimate objective should be to make certain the area is burned on the proper rotation.

Woodlands can be subdivided into burn units with roads or with wide, permanent firebreaks that are managed as long linear openings in the manner previously described. Typically, burning is conducted in predominately pine forests and old-field habitats. However, certain upland hardwood stands, such as scrub oaks growing on sandhills, are adapted to fire and should be managed with periodic burning to maintain an ‘oak/pine savanna’ habitat conducive to wild turkeys and a variety of other wildlife.

Contact the Georgia Forestry Commission for burn permits. For a nominal fee, the commission also may be able to provide assistance with plowing firebreaks and disking openings.

Monitoring Results, Fine-tuning Management Managing wildlife habitats and populations is an art based on science. Because of site-specific variability, the identical management practices can produce different responses through time. Closely monitoring your results and using this information to fine-tune long-term management provides a better cost/benefit outcome.

In addition to monitoring habitat response to management, it is also important to monitor the response of wildlife, Georgia Forestry Today

Across Georgia, wild turkeys are most abundant in landscapes with uplands comprised of managed forests and openings that are laced with creek and river drainages. DiLane Wildlife Management Area in Burke County supports one of Georgia’s highest public-land turkey populations and provides an outstanding example of integrated management for wild turkeys and bobwhite quail.

in this case, wild turkeys. Keeping detailed records on turkey sightings, especially hens and poults, along with gobblers seen, heard, and harvested is key to tracking population trajectories as related to management and hunting efforts. is information can be used to better inform management decisions and optimize outputs. Also, don’t forget to take note of landscape changes on properties surrounding your lands. ese changes may affect your management results.

In summary, lands can be enhanced for wild turkeys through planned management. While this may require a great deal of effort, the rewards of seeing and hearing more birds and perhaps even harvesting an old limb-hanger that you’ve helped produce make it well worth the costs.

Professional wildlife biologists are available through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Re-

sources Division, the National Wild Turkey Federation, and other organizations to help landowners with developing a management plan. Landowners also may qualify for federal and other habitat costshare programs that can offset management costs.

If you would like more information, contact the nearest Wildlife Resources Division Game Management Section Office or check out www.go huntgeorgia.com or www.nwtf.org. v

Reggie Thackston manages the Private Lands Program of Georgia DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division. He has worked for 34 years as a wildlife biologist integrating bobwhite, wild turkey, and deer management into forestry and agriculture.

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Georgia forests and drinking Water forum emphasizes Partnership and Collaboration

By Matt Hestad | Georgia Forestry Association Sixty-five leaders from the forestry and drinking water sectors gathered in Savannah on November 17 and 18 for the first Georgia Forests and Drinking Water Forum to explore the connections between forests and drinking water and how the two sectors could work together to sustain Georgia’s forest and water resources.

Forum participants included family farm landowners, timber management companies, drinking water utility professionals, and forestry and drinking water organization leaders. The Forum was spearheaded by the U. S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities and the U.S. Forest Service. Event sponsors included the city of Augusta, city of Savannah, Georgia Association of Water Professionals, Georgia Forestry Association, Georgia Municipal Association, Georgia Rural Water Association, Georgia Soil & Water Conservation Commission, Georgia Sustainable Forestry Initiative Implementation Committee, and the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources.

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•

The goals of the Forum were to:

•

Share information about the strong connection between forests and drinking water

•

Discuss the challenges and day-to-day operations of the forestry and drinking water sectors

•

Provide local examples of collaboration between forestry and drinking water

•

Have fruitful discussions about the nature of the forestry and drinking water connection in Georgia

•

Develop a brief list of short-term actions to continue the momentum from the Forum

The Forum was organized into three themes, each followed by a group facilitated discussion:

•

The Forest and Water Connection

•

Drinking Water Overview

and

Forestry

Watershed Protection Incentives and Funding

The Forest and Water Connection theme centered around brief presentations on the connections between forests and drinking water by Peter Stangel of the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities; exploring the connection between forests and water and human health by Professor Graeme Lockaby of Auburn University; and the dependence of communities on forest lands by Peter Caldwell of the U.S. Forest Service.

The Drinking Water and Forestry Overview theme shared a brief summary of Georgia basin planning from Russ Pennington of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division; an overview of the regulatory requirements, operations, and challenges facing drinking water utilities

by Allen Saxon of city of Augusta Utilities; and an overview of the forestry sector’s regulatory framework and operational challenges by Todd Rasmussen of University of Georgia’s Warnell

January | February 2015

School of Forestry and Natural Resources and John Colberg of the Georgia Forestry Commission.

The Watershed Protection Incentives and Funding theme provided an overview of Georgia’s Forest Land Protection Tax Incentive Program by Steve McWilliams of the Georgia Forestry Association; information about a forestry and drinking water collaborative pilot project by John Pennington of the Beaver Lake Watershed Alliance in Arkansas; and two watershed funding presentations provided by Sheryl Parsons of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Kitty Weisman, a consultant with U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities.

Through productive discussion, participants agreed to the following future actions to continue the momentum of the Forum: • Consider hosting a similar forum in Southwest Georgia, in the Flint watershed which is shared between Georgia and Alabama •

Continue to share information by having some kind of regular communication between the forestry and drinking water sectors (such as a newsletter, e-mail, or regular meeting)

•

Conduct additional scientific research into the connection between forestry and groundwater

•

Seek better data about the relative contributions of naturally occurring contaminants versus human-caused contaminants in drinking water

•

Explore ways to increase green spaces for source water protection in urban watersheds

•

Research and share information about forestry-drinking water collaborative pilot projects and case studies (such as the city of Columbus drinking water utility relationship with Georgia Power)

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Strengthen existing education and outreach programs and materials and create new ones to highlight the connection between forestry and drinking water (including speaking at relevant meetings and conferences, sharing information with the public, publishing articles in key newsletters and magazines, etc.)

•

Conduct additional research on the effectiveness of forestry Best Manage-

ment Practices specifically as they relate to drinking water resources •

Seek voluntary cooperation of forest landowners to strengthen drinking water source protection (rather than imposing additional regulations or forcing cooperation)

•

Conduct geographic information systems (GIS) mapping data analysis to determine priority watersheds for collaborative forestry-drinking water projects

“These actions will take time to implement, possibly several years,” GFA President Steve McWilliams said. “However, the discussions and outcomes from this forum will undoubtedly benefit Georgia’s forests and the communities that depend on them.”

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities and the U.S. Forest Service each provided funding to organize Forestry and Drinking Water Forums in five southeastern states: Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Texas.

To learn more about the partnership, visit usendowment.org. v

Participants included family farm landowners, timber management companies, drinking water utility staff, forestry and drinking water organization leaders. (photo credit: David Kubala) Georgia Forestry Today

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Partnerships Key to restorative fires in, around sprewell Bluff

By Rick Lavender | Communications and Outreach Specialist | Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Fire over the Flint River – Nichols Tract.

Landowners are working hard in the hills and mountains of Talbot, Upson, and Meriwether counties to restore something rare—montane longleaf pine ecosystems.

At the heart of the effort is Sprewell Bluff Wildlife Management Area, one of the last strongholds of old-growth montane longleaf. Some longleaf on this middle Georgia WMA are more than 400 years old, and surveys have documented five natural communities rated globally rare, two of them new to science.

Working cooperatively, some area landowners are reintroducing fire and bringing back longleaf to these rugged mountains. Regular fire is something these trees need.

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Found nowhere else in the world, montane, or mountain, longleaf is part of the endangered longleaf forest and a high-priority habitat in Georgia’s State Wildlife Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy for conserving wildlife and natural habitats statewide. The montane stands at Sprewell Bluff, just west of Thomaston on Pine Mountain, include oak woodland and glade habitats, a unique mix rich in rare plants and animals such as turkeybeard, a rare lily that blooms with four- to five-foot-tall flowers after a fire; Carolina larkspur, a beautiful blue spring wildflower; eastern coral snake, the only population north of the Fall Line; and, northern bobwhites and other declining species.

The Sprewell Bluff area is known for its rare natural communities. According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, surveys in 2012 documented new communities considered globally rare, including hog plum glades, which are unusual grasslands found along rocky ridgetops that often harbor rare plants, and longleaf pine heath bluffs, opencanopied forests found on steep cliffsides that have a rich understory of mountain laurel, rhododendron, blueberries, and other heath species.

Adjacent to the WMA, several landowners are also working to restore montane longleaf forests. Included are Plum Creek, Campbell Global, and January | February 2015

Meeting of the minds, Camp Thunder.

CatchMark Timber Trust, three timber companies that value conserving rare natural communities and have policies protecting rare and endangered forests.

Plum Creek senior wildlife biologist Kyla Cheynet said the company’s working forestlands are certified under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, or SFI, “which recognizes and protects unique community types in the framework of a working forest.”

“Plum Creek takes the SFI commitment seriously,” Cheynet said. “Our ownership on Pine Mountain, adjacent to old-growth montane longleaf stands, provides a unique opportunity for us to actively restore a historic plant community while still producing valuable wood products.”

Nathan Klaus, a senior wildlife biologist who helps manage Sprewell Bluff with DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section, considers the WMA a great example of the agency engaging neighboring property owners for conservation.

“It’s usually a lot easier to get our job done on our side of the property line and leave it at that,” Klaus said. “The area around Sprewell Bluff is different, however.

“Steep bluffs, heavy fuel loads and rocky terrain make controlling a prescribed fire particularly challenging in this remote country. As a result, it’s often easier to talk to your neighbor and see if they’d like to burn as well, rather than try to put in a firebreak down the side of a mountain.”

Some neighbors at Sprewell Bluff are Georgia Forestry Today

going beyond just letting the DNR use their roads for firebreaks. Plum Creek replanted longleaf instead of loblolly pine on about 175 acres of loblolly harvested recently on Pine Mountain, a big step toward restoring the native longleaf ecosystem. The company collaborated with the DNR on prepping the planting site in ways to conserve wildlife habitat and rare plants.

Campbell Global is also taking steps toward conserving Pine Mountain, identifying several rare communities on its

holdings and making plans to protect the sites when nearby timber is harvested.

Likewise, CatchMark is working with the DNR to replant strategically important areas in longleaf.

Gov. Nathan Deal recognized Plum Creek and CatchMark Timber Trust, along with Georgia Power, in February as 2013 partners in DNR’s Forestry for Wildlife Partnership. This voluntary program promotes sustainable forest and wildlife conservation in corporate forestry practices.

Klaus believes “there is every possibility” that montane longleaf pine ecosystems can be conserved while managing timber.

“It requires some extra effort,” he said.

“These systems need regular fire, herbicide use needs to be dialed back, and the old trees need to be protected, but these landowners are doing these things and more. It’s a win all around, especially for these rare forests and the wildlife that calls them home.” v

Measuring duff on the Nichols Tract.

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The OUTDOORSMAN

By John Trussell

Georgia’s Forest Dangers Part II

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January | February 2015

lligators in middle and south Georgia pose little danger to humans, but I’ll be the first to admit I would not swim across a slough with several gators sunning themselves on the nearby bank. I don't believe in tempting any wild animal that's large enough to chew on me, and there may be a nearsighted gator out there that might confuse me with a swimming raccoon.

Most gator injuries that I'm familiar with occurred while people were trying to handle gators for various reasons. But they too, can be unpredictable. A couple of years ago, a young man was attacked by a gator at the Okefenokee State Park, dragged underwater, and drowned. Occasionally, the Savannah area will have a gator attack, also resulting in injuries. These happen primarily in suburban areas where gators lost their fear of humans or were routinely fed by residents. Department of Natural Resources alligator trapper/agent Jack Douglas of Savannah says that he has lost numerous dogs to alligators over the years, and he knows they pose danger to any small animal in the water. Despite this, alligators pose almost no danger to the average outdoorsman and are protected by law, so just admire them from a distance.

Injuries by deer to hunters are extremely rare. Usually they involve a ‘tame’ deer held in captivity going through the rut and attacking the caretaker. Even more rare are buck attacks during the rut on hunters. However, once in a blue moon, hunters are injured by deer that were supposedly dead but revived when approached by the hunter. A gentle touch on the eyeball with a stick quickly tells the tale when the question is in doubt. Still, strange things happen.

Mark Canfield, the owner of the Whitetail Hideaway Lodge in Wigham, told me several years ago that during the archery season he was attempting to call in a deer using a fawn bleat from his hidden position in some fallen pine limbs when he was attacked by a doe. Apparently, the alarmed doe decided to go to the fawn’s aid and jumped right in the middle of the pine limbs, where it kicked Canfield a couple of times. Realizing it had been fooled, the deer quickly departed. Canfield was not seriously hurt by the kicks, but he had a good story to tell.

Enough about the dangers of wild animals, how about the dangers of hunting itself. Is hunting safe? How many times have you heard someone say they would not hunt on a public wildlife management area because of all the people who hunt there? Despite this line of thinking, according to

A

(Editor's Note: This is the second of a two-part series on managing forest dangers. Read Part 1 in the November/December 2014 issue of Georiga Forestry Today.)

Georgia Forestry Today

the Department of Natural Resources, there’s never been a fatal shooting accident on a state WMA. According to available statistics, most hunting accidents have occurred on private lands, and the most common injury was falling out of a tree stand.

How safe is hunting? Very safe, according to the National Safety Council. They report that hunting injuries occur at a rate of eight per 100,000 participants. For the same number of participants, football generates 2,171 injuries; baseball, 2,089; bicycling, 904; tennis, 119; and golf, 104. Only accidents that required emergency room treatment were considered. The study also reports that less than one person per 100,000 dies from firearm-related hunting accidents.

As you can see, overall, hunting is much safer than the average recreational activity and probably a lot safer than driving in Atlanta.

Now let me tell you what I really worry about. In a few words—chiggers and ticks! They drive me nuts, but I’m about to get them under control with boots that have the tongues attached to the boot from bottom to top and with good doses of permanone. Check your body after a day in the woods to insure that all ticks are gone. If you start to get flu like symptoms a few days after a tick bite, see the doctor and get checked out, as lyme disease is a serious threat.

Another thing I worry about is sun exposure. Skin cancer is ‘epidemic,’ dermatologists say, with 700,000 new cases per year in the U.S., and 90 percent of those cases are linked to overexposure to the sun. Sunscreens with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 block out 93 percent of the sun's harmful rays, and while we're seeing a SPF inflation factor with numbers in the 50s now, the average sportsman is well-served with a SPF of between 15 and 30. An SPF of 30 blocks out 97 percent of the sun's rays, so shelling out more money for anything above 30 is questionable.

Despite the low number of hunting accidents, there is much we can do to reduce them even further. Here are several tips that can help you avoid becoming another hunting accident statistic: • Always wear the required 500 square inches of hunter orange when deer hunting during gun season. Even if not deer hunting, it’s a great idea to wear orange when in the woods during deer season.

•

Avoid hunting alone. If you must go out by yourself, let someone know where you will be and when you expect to return.

•

Have some knowledge of the area that will be hunted, along with a topo map.

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•

If hunting from a tree stand, make sure that the stand is secured to the tree and safe prior to using it.

Always wear a safety harness, like the Hunter safety system harness, and not just a belt.

•

•

•

•

Know the target. That means making sure it is in plain sight. NEVER shoot at movements or sounds.

It can be a good idea to have a pistol or rifle close by, should you run across a rabid animal, etc. In September 2014, a Jones County Deputy was attacked by a rabid coyote while riding his atv. But never carry loaded guns in your vehicle.

•

Know where companions are hunting and never shoot in their direction.

Always check your firearm after loading, firing, or reloading to be sure the safety is on.

•

Double check when returning to vehicle, camp, or home that your gun is unloaded.

•

Always travel with your cell phone

If you are approached by, or if you approach another hunter you are not certain knows you are there, announce your presence in a loud voice and do not move until you are certain the other person has heard and seen you.

•

Treat every gun you pick up as if it were loaded. Always make certain the muzzle of your gun is not pointed at yourself or anyone else.

•

When carrying a loaded gun, be sure the safety is on and fingers are outside the trigger guard.

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and have it programmed with one of the many GPS apps. Google maps is a good one and free, but a terrain based app is better for woods use. If you get in a serious jam in the woods, don’t be too proud to call for help or 911.

•

Make sure you have the proper ammunition for the gun, and carry only that type with you when hunting.

•

Never consume alcoholic beverages before or while hunting or handling firearms, and refuse to be around anyone who does.

January | February 2015

•

When walking through thick areas, don't hesitate to announce your presence by talking or whistling.

•

In the dim light of dawn or dusk, carry a flashlight and be sure to use it since this is the time of primary game movement, and you sure want to identify yourself to others who may be hunting.

•

Be alert and think through your actions when hunting and handling firearms. Being careful and using common sense will prevent most accidents.

•

Always take a compass with you while hunting, and know how to use it, should you lose cell phone coverage. If you have never been lost, you may be one day; it happens to most hunters, even the legendary Daniel Boone. Once, a man asked Daniel if he had ever been lost in the woods, and he thought about a second then said, “No sir, I don’t think I’ve ever been totally lost, but once I was bewildered for three days!” v

Georgia Forestry Today

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Mike Clutter stepping down as Dean; Dale Greene named Interim Dean

By Sandi Martin | Public Relations Coordinator | Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources Dr. Mike Clutter has announced that effective Jan. 2, 2015, he will be stepping down as dean of the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. Clutter, who has been dean since 2007, has decided to return to the private sector, he said.

“I want to thank retired Provost Arnett Mace and President Jere Morehead for providing me with the opportunity to serve the Warnell School and the University of Georgia,” Clutter said. “Having grown up around Warnell, it has had a primary influence on my life and my career. I wish the faculty, staff, students, and alumni of the school every success in the future. I particularly want to thank the 47 graduate students that I have worked with over my 15 years at Warnell for the many great experiences and memories. I am looking forward to returning to the private sector and working with my friends and colleagues at Forest Investment Associates.”

University of Georgia Provost Pamela Whitten announced on Friday that Dr. Dale Greene will take over as interim dean on January 2. She thanked Clutter for serving as dean for eight years. “I wish him well in this new role, and I appreciate his years of service to the University of Georgia,” she said. Greene will be an excellent interim dean, Whitten added. “I am confident that he will provide outstanding leadership during this transition period.”

Greene, who has been a professor with the Warnell School since 1986, has been serving as interim associate dean of academic affairs for the past several months. Greene said that a new interim associate dean for academic affairs will be announced before the spring semester begins. “I look forward to leading our school 26

Dr. Mike Clutter through this transition time, and I look forward to the help and support from the Warnell community until we have a permanent dean,” Greene said.

In addition to announcing that Greene will take over leading the Warnell School, Whitten said that over the next few weeks, her office will work with Warnell faculty and staff to begin the search for a permanent dean.

Greene has distinguished himself among Warnell’s faculty over the past 28 years for his support of and research focusing on the forest industry. He has been recognized numerous times over the past three decades for his work, including international service awards, three national writing awards from the Forest Resources Association, several UGA teaching awards, and honors by the Georgia Forestry Association for his support of forestry in the state.

Greene joins other distinguished colleagues in leading efforts to improve Warnell’s programs. In addition to Greene, Warnell’s leadership includes Associate

Dean of Research Scott Merkle, Associate Dean of Outreach Mike Mengak, and Assistant Dean Steven Castleberry.

Clutter was named the tenth dean of the Warnell School in 2007 aer Dean Dick Porterfield retired. Aer earning his bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University, Clutter came to Warnell for his master’s (1983) and Ph.D. (1993). But his history with the school dates back to childhood—his father, Jerome Clutter, was a noted faculty member.

Clutter has had a long career in the private forestry industry, becoming the Hargreaves Distinguished Professor of Forest Finance at Warnell in 2001 and has served on the boards of directors for several forestry corporations around the state. He was inducted into the Georgia Foresters Hall of Fame by the Georgia Division of the Southeastern Society of American Foresters in 2009. He le the private industry in 2004 to take a teaching position with Warnell, and even aer becoming dean continued to teach classes on forest business. v

Dr. Dale Greene January | February 2015

Five Warnell Alums make 2015 Bulldog 100 list for their fast-growing businesses

By Sandi Martin | Public Relations Coordinator | Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources Congratulations to Warnell alums Drew Taylor, Brooks Mendell, Amanda Lang, Andy Barrs, and David D. Johns for making the 2015 Bulldog 100! e annual Bulldog 100 program recognizes the fastest-growing businesses owned or operated by UGA alumni. e rankings of each business—including the fastest growing Bulldog-owned business—will be announced at a ceremony in February. e 2015 Bulldog 100 includes businesses of all sizes and from industries such as landscape design, marketing, and orthodontics. Several areas of the country are represented, including companies from as far north as Chicago and as far west as Texas. Of the 100 businesses, 88 are located within the state of Georgia. e Atlanta office of Warren Averett CPAs and Advisors verified the information submitted by each company and ranked the businesses based on a compounded annual growth rate during a three-year period.

Congrats to our alums for making the list: Taylor (BSFR ’98) for IT Managed Services, Mendell (PhD ’04) and Lang (BSFR ’05, MS ’08) for Forisk Consulting, Barrs (MFR ’02) for PharmD on Demand, and Johns (BSFR ’78) for Professional Land & Timber Services. e public, including UGA alumni and friends, is invited to celebrate the Bulldog 100 honorees at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis on February 7. e evening will begin with a reception, followed by dinner and the awards ceremony. e awards ceremony will feature a keynote address by Hala Moddelmog, the first female president and CEO of the Atlanta Metro Chamber. Moddelmog gradGeorgia Forestry Today

uated from UGA in 1981 with a Master of Arts from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. Prior to joining the Atlanta Metro Chamber, Moddelmog was president of Arby’s Restaurant Group, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and Church’s Chicken.

Following her remarks, members of the Student Alumni Council will lead the highlight of the evening-the release of the final rankings and countdown of the 2015 Bulldog 100.

“Each year, the caliber of the Bulldog 100 businesses illustrates the important role that UGA graduates play in their communities’ economic growth,” said Meredith Gurley Johnson, UGA’s executive director of alumni relations. “On

campus, important work is being done to prepare students to become leading entrepreneurs. During the annual Bulldog 100 Celebration, I am proud to see the results of that rigorous academic environment.”

Mendell and Barrs are previous Bulldog 100 honorees. ey were part of a group of three Warnell alums who made the 2014 Bulldog 100 list: Greg Hitson (BSFR ’94) of Hitson Land and Timber Management Inc., Barrs for PharmD on Demand Inc., and Mendell for Forisk Consulting.

To review the alphabetical list of honorees and to learn more about the Bulldog 100, including sponsorship opportunities, see www.alumni.uga. edu/b100. v 27

NEWS Timothy M. Lowrimore selected 2014 SAF Fellow e Society of American Foresters (SAF) recently selected Tim Lowrimore, senior account executive, Davis-Garvin Agency, as a 2014 Fellow for his outstanding contributions and service to SAF and the forestry profession. e SAF Fellow recognition is the highest honor for members of the Society. e honor recognizes a member who has exemplified extraordinary service and sustained leadership for the advancement of the forestry profession.

Earlier in his career, Tim was Resource Development Manager at Rayonier and was Director of Forest Policy at the Georgia Forestry Association. In 2008, the Georgia Forestry Association presented him an award in recognition for outstanding service, unwavering dedica-

tion, and exemplary leadership in the development of the Association’s Young Professionals group.

He also worked with the Georgia Forestry Commission and was an exemplary advocate for forestry and the sustainable management of the resource. e Georgia Forestry Commission recognized him in 2001 and 2003 with an Outstanding Service Award for the forest management expertise that he provided to forest landowners.

Lowrimore’s SAF leadership accomplishments during his 17 years of membership include involvement at the national, regional, state, and chapter levels. He is currently the Southeastern SAF Chair and is actively managing and participating in the planning for the 2015 An-

nual Meeting.

In 2013, he served as SESAF Chairelect and Awards Committee Chair. He served as Georgia Division Chair in 2009 and implemented a joint annual meeting with the Association of Consulting Foresters Georgia Chapter. is joint meeting and partnership still exists today.

He also assisted with fundraising efforts for the Billy Lancaster Forestry Youth Camp hosted by the Georgia Division SAF. Lowrimore also served as a member of the Georgia Division Annual Meeting Planning Committee in 2010, the SESAF Annual Meeting Planning Committee in 2006, and was Ocmulgee Chapter Chair in 2005. v

Sharon Dolliver inducted into Georgia Forester’s Hall of Fame At the annual Georgia Division of the Society of American Foresters meeting, Sharon Dolliver was inducted into the Georgia Forester’s Hall of Fame (HOF).

The HOF recognizes Georgia foresters who have had exemplary careers, faithful service to the Society of American Foresters, and made major impacts on the forestry profession. It is awarded through the Georgia Division of the Society of American Foresters. The HOF was created in the 1960s. During the first decade or so, most of the inductees were foresters from the early part of the 20th century. Many of those awards were given posthumously.

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is is the highest honor one can attain for a Georgia SAF forester. Since the inception of the award, only 70 foresters have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Dolliver’s plaque will hang with other inductees in the Hall of Fame at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources in Athens. e hallway travels between Building One and the reception area just outside the Dean’s Office. It is one of the most heavily trafficked areas at Warnell. e release from the Society of American Foresters reads as follows: “Recognized for leadership in helping to found the Billy Lancaster Forestry Youth Camp, Georgia Urban Forest Council, and Geor-

gia Project Learning Tree Program.

Served as member and chair of the Georgia State Board of Registration and member of the Warnell Alumni Association.

Society of American Foresters member since 1976 serving in leadership positions at National, Southeastern, Division, and Chapter levels. Elected SAF Fellow in 2007. Recipient of American Forests’ National Urban Forestry Medal, National PLT Gold Star Award, Georgia Wildlife Federation’s Educator of the Year Award, and the Southeastern SAF Public Education and Technology Award.”v January | February 2015

GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY DIRECTORY OF PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Georgia Forestry Today

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GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY DIRECTORY OF PRODUCTS & SERVICES

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www.hippenterprises.com Todd Hipp

(803) 924-0978

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chad@hippenterprises.com January | February 2015

GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY DIRECTORY OF PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Georgia Forestry Today

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