GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY Volume 10, Issue 4 July | August 2014
AN EASY DECISION FOR WILDLIFE
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July | August 2014
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 PRODUCTION MANAGER Pamela Petersen-Frey p.frey@a4inc.com
What may seem a very small decision—whether to buy or renew a wildlife license plate—has become not only easier to make but promises an even bigger impact for the good in conserving native animals and plants across our state. See story on page 8
EDITORIAL BOARD Wendy Burnett Alva Hopkins Jesse Johnson Stasia Kelly Sandi Martin Roland Petersen-Frey Brian Stone Steve McWilliams
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
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July | August 2014
Volume 10, Issue 4
July | August 2014
Georgia
FORESTRY TODAY P.08
An Easy Decision for Wildlife : Tags Law Change Lowers Cost, Increases Conservation Support
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Message from the Georgia Forestry Commission Director
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GFC News
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Do Not Enter! Protecting our borders from forest pests
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P.22
Be a Better Shotgun Shooter
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Georgia Forestry Foundation Announces $35,000 Artwork Contest Winners
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GFT News
Forestry Calendar July 17-19 2014 National Tree Farmer Convention Pittsburg, Pennsylvania | www.treefarmsystem.org
Warnell Distinguished Alumnus: Tommy Sasser
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Warnell Distinguished Young Alumnus: Josh Harrell
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Need Another Reason to Use Paper Towels?
July 19-20 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.’
2014 GFA Annual Conference & Forestry Expo Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa Hiton Head, South Carolina | www.gfagrow.org
August 11 Forisk Consulting - Timber Market Analysis Georgia Tech Global Learning Center Atlanta, Georgia | Continuing Education Hours: 8 CFE, 8 CLE, 7 Real Estate CE, 7 Appraiser CE www.Forisk.com
August 20-21 Alternative Forest Enterprises | Flinchum's Phoenix Athens, Georgia | Sponsored by: Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources | www.warnell.uga.edu
August 20-21 Georgia Teacher Conservation Workshop Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center | www.gfagrow.org
September 16-18 2013 SFI Annual Conference | Le Centre Sheraton Montreal | Montreal, Quebec, Canada www.sfiprogram.org
November 4 Georgia General Elections Georgia Forestry Today
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July | August 2014
List of advertisers Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.................................6
James-Bates-Brannan-Groover-LLP ........................................7
American Forest Management ...............................................30
International Forest Company..................................................4
Beach Timber Company Inc...................................................30
LandMark Spatial Solutions......................................................3
Blanton’s ......................................................................................18
Lanigan & Associates ...............................................................21
Bodenhamer Farms & Nursery...............................................19
Meeks’ Farms & Nursery ...........................Inside Front Cover
Canal Wood LLC......................................................................30
Morbark ......................................................................................30
Cantrell Forest Products Inc. ..................................................30
Outdoor Underwriters.............................................................19
Davis - Garvin ............................................................................24
Plum Creek ...................................................................................5
Farm Credit Associations...........................................................3
Rivers Edge Forest Products....................................................30
Flint Equipment Company.....................................................29
SuperTree Seedlings.....................................................................6
Forest Resource Services Inc. ..................................................30
UPC | Georgia 811 ..................................................Back Cover
F&W Forestry Service..............................................................12
Weyerhaeuser .............................................................................10
HEI...............................................................................................30
Yancey Brothers ............................................Inside Back Cover
Georgia Forestry Today
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An Easy Decision Wildlife for
Tags law Change lOwers COsT, inCreases COnservaTiOn suPPOrT 8
July | August 2014
By Rick Lavender | DNR Wildlife Resources Division
s Georgia forest owners and managers, wildlife and wildlife habitat often figure into your decisions. But now, what may seem a very small decision—whether to buy or renew a wildlife license plate—has become not only easier to make, but promises an even bigger impact for the good in conserving native animals and plants across our state. Legislation passed in the 2014 General Assembly, signed into law this spring and written to take effect in July lowers the cost of the state Department of Natural Resources’ wildlife plates and provides more support for Georgia’s wildlife, from bald eagles to bobwhite quail. The law change rolls back the cost of buying or renewing a wildlife plate to $25 and dedicates more than 75 percent of fees to the DNR Wildlife Resources Division programs that depend on them. Why should that matter to you and other Georgians interested in wildlife? The plates sporting the image of an eagle, quail, trout or hummingbird provide vital funds for conserving rare and other wildlife. Sales and renewals of the two bald eagle designs and the ruby-throated hummingbird plate support Georgia’s Wildlife Conservation Fund. Created by state law, this fund is dedicated to benefiting endangered and nongame wildlife and plants through conservation, education, land acquisition, and recreation projects. The nongame plates make up
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more than half of all contributions to the Wildlife Conservation Fund, providing vital funds that the agency’s Nongame Conservation Section has used to conserve wildlife such as gopher tortoises and swallow-tailed kites, and help acquire thousands of acres of wildlands open to Georgians. These contributions are also used as match for federal grants, generating approximately $2 in grants for every $1 from the fund. The bobwhite quail plate, which also features a white-tailed deer and wild turkey, contributes directly to the Bobwhite Quail Initiative, which has created critical habitat for quail nesting, feeding, and cover. The program positively affects more than 20,000 acres for quail and songbirds. It’s also worth noting that no state appropriations are allocated for Wildlife Resources Division work fo-
cused on quail and nongame—wildlife not legally fished for or hunted. Tag sales and renewals are the main source of local funds for these programs. The Trout Unlimited license plate supports Georgia’s trout conservation and management programs. These efforts impact trout production, stocking, and stream restoration throughout North Georgia. All of this work not only preserves wildlife and habitats for future generations of Georgians, it strengthens our state economy to the tune of billions of dollars each year! The bottom line is that DNR license plates cost less and provide even more support for wildlife. While the cost of buying or renewing one of these wild tags drops to only $25 more than a standard plate, of that, $19 of each purchase and $20 of each renewal will go to help wildlife.
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groundhog mother with babies
jruby-throated hummingbird Georgia Forestry Today
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• There’s no debate: This is one decision that will help give Georgia wildlife an even better chance!
Fishing
• DNR wildlife license plates are available online through the state Department of Revenue Web site and at your local county tag office.
• Fishing in Georgia generates $1.3 billion in retail sales and a $2.1 billion ripple effect each year.
On the Net
The Wildlife Resources Division, part of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, is charged with conserving, enhancing, and promoting Georgia’s wildlife resources. More online: • www.georgiawildlife.com • How to support wildlife conservation, www.georgiawildlife.com/ conservation/support
So what can you do? • Upgrade your plate from a peach to one of the eye-catching images that DNR unveiled last year -- the eagle, trout, and quail (see them at www.georgiawildlife.com/conservation/support). • These designs not only look sharp on your vehicle, they show your support for wildlife conservation.
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• 828,869 Georgia residents are anglers.*
• Fishing in Georgia is responsible for 15,644 jobs, $622 million in salaries, wages, and earnings, $147 million in federal tax revenues, and $109 million in state and local tax revenues. • Thanks to anglers’ passion for their sport, Georgia ranks third in the nation in average angler spending, shelling out an average of $1,576 for each person fishing in our state.
• Nongame Conservation Section, www.georgiawildlife.com/conservation
* 16 years old and up. Source: American Sportfishing Association
• Bobwhite Quail Initiative, www.georgiawildlife.com/node/ 2210
Hunting
• Trout management, www.georgiawildlife.com/fishing
• Hunters spend more than 8.9 million days a year in the field.
Wildlife’s Wild Impact
How important are hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching to Georgia? Here’s a snapshot:
• 392,000 people hunt in Georgia.
• Hunters account for $977 million in retail sales in Georgia with a $1.6 billion ripple effect each year, an increase of $500 million since 2006.
July | August 2014
Georgia Forestry Today
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• Georgia sportsmen are responsible for creating 23,996 jobs, $600 million in salaries, wages, and earnings, $106 million in state and local taxes, and $145 million in federal tax revenues. • Nationally, hunting participation increased by nine percent and hunting-related spending by 30 percent since 2006.
• 438,000 people spend an average of nine days away from home each year on wildlife-watching activities.
• Georgia has approximately 322,000 registered vessel owners and boating visitors.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation
• Boaters generate $2.1 billion in annual spending and 18,000 jobs for the state.
Recreational Boating
Source: Recreational Marine Research Center study (funded by National Ma-
Source: Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies
Wildlife Watching
• 2.3 million state residents and visitors participate in Georgia wildlifewatching activities. • On average, wildlife watchers spend $639 per person on food and lodging, transportation, equipment, and supplies each year. • This group spends $1.8 billion annually in the state, which has a total economic impact of more than $1.9 billion.
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July | August 2014
Georgia Forestry Commission
Robert Farris
Message from the Director
Dear GFT Reader,
H
ow’s your summer going? Hot weather and vacations make for perfect opportunities to take a look at what we’ve done so far in 2014 and where we’re headed for the rest of the year. If we can do that near a body of water with some cold iced tea in hand, so much the better! At the Georgia Forestry Commission, we’re grateful that our partnerships have provided us with important strides this year. Our feature profile you’ll read about in this issue of Georgia Forestry Today focuses on GFC’s relationship with the professionals at the Port of Savannah, and how that partnership is slowing the arrival of invasive species to our forests in Georgia and beyond. You’ll enjoy learning about how people at the local and national levels have reached out and made significant progress by committing to better communication and common goals. We’re grateful that the same approach has made for a successful 2014 legislative session for Georgia’s forestry interests as well. It took many voices and many, many hours of work to help legislators understand how the needs and goals of our industry afGeorgia Forestry Today
fect the lives of every Georgian. We did that, in a big way. Without the support of the Georgia Forestry Association and its numerous advocates, friends of forestry, industry and landowners, the governor’s office, and GFC Board members, our situation might not have been genuinely understood. A special thank you is extended to Representatives Chuck Williams and Chad Nimmer, and to Appropriations Chairs Penny Houston, Ross Tolleson, and Terry England. Highlights of the advances made for forestry this past session include: • Strengthened timber security laws – GFC now has the authority to investigate, serve warrants, and make arrests in timber theft cases. House Bill 790 gives landowners more avenues for recovery and brings Georgia into line with the laws of neighboring states.
• Pay parity for GFC employees – the first phase of $1.8 million in funding was appropriated to increase firefighters’ salaries to be competitive with current job market rates. • Equipment improvements – $6 million in funding was granted for the replace-
ment of old firefighting equipment.
• GFC repairs and maintenance - $1.25 million in 20 year bonds was granted for capital repair projects at GFC county units, district offices, and state headquarters. • Additional recognition on the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, GFC service awards, creation of a joint land conservation program study committee, and amendments to the Georgia Agricultural Tax Exemption statute. If you haven’t had a chance to review all the successes we experienced in the 2014 session of the Georgia Legislature, I urge you to log onto www.gfagrows.org for the detailed summary. I think you’ll be pleased with what you see. Especially if you happen to be reading it by the water, with that cold drink in hand!
Sincerely, Robert Farris GFC Commissioner v 13
GFC News Georgia’s new Timber Product Output (TPO) report has been released by the USDA Forest Service. The 2011 survey and report shows that since 2009, industrial timber product output from roundwood increased 16 percent to 1.22 billion cubic feet. Softwood and hardwood roundwood output both showed increases, and pulpwood and saw logs accounted for 85 percent of the state’s total industrial woundwood output. Notably, the forest products industry’s efficiency was reflected in the finding that nearly 100 percent of wood and bark residues generated from the processing of primary products was utilized. The complete report can be found at www.gatrees.org/utilization/timbersupply/. e The annual summer ban on outdoor burning is in effect for 54 Georgia counties until September 30, 2014. The restrictions are required by the state Environmental Protection Division to minimize high ozone levels and particulate matter which can contribute to health issues. Counties affected by the ban are: Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Butts, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Columbia, Coweta, Crawford, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Fulton, Gordon, Gwinnett, Hall, Haralson, Heard, Henry, Houston, Jackson, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Lumpkin, Madison, Meriwether, Monroe, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Paulding, Peach, Pickens, Pike, Polk, Putnam, Richmond, Rockdale, Spalding, Troup, Twiggs, Upson, Walker, and Walton. Residents in other parts of Georgia that are not included in the annual burn ban will continue to be required to secure a burn permit from the GFC at GaTrees.org, or by calling their local GFC office. e 14
July | August 2014
By stasia Kelly Half a million tons of wood chips, 750,000 tons of wood pellets, and 80,000 tons of logs are exported annually by Peeples Industries Inc. at Savannah’s East Coast Terminal. Photo courtesy of Hunter Photography.
do Not enter! Protecting our borders from forest pests “what in the world is killing all those trees?” e question is posed by residents and travelers alike from north Georgia to Maine and west through Kentucky and Tennessee. Swaths of defoliated and dying hemlock trees in an otherwise green and thriving forest naturally cause alarm. Finding out that the trees were killed by small insects native to Japan is oen just as shocking. How can something so little wreak so much havoc? e hemlock wooly adelgid is just one of a myriad of pests, diseases, and invasive plants threatening Georgia forests. Sudden oak disease, emerald ash borer, redbay ambrosia beetle, gypsy moth, syrex woodwasp, cogongrass, and Chinese privet are a few others on forest health professionals’ ‘not wanted in Georgia’ list. Each of these invasives has its preferred method of transportation and spread, but many are hitch-hikers. Catching a ride on a piece of firewood can relocate a pest to virgin territory in mere hours. Other insects take longer journeys to reach fertile feeding grounds, including cozy quarters in container ships from China and other distant lands. Georgia Forestry Today
“Nobody knows how many non-native species have arrived on U.S. soil,” said James Johnson, Chief of Forest Management for the Georgia Forestry Commission. “We suspect it’s several hundred a year. Perhaps ten percent might survive in our climate and forests. With no natural predators, no checks and balances, just one percent of those would be capable of causing problems,” Johnson said. “Already, the complexion of our forests has changed as a result of these pests. at’s why we focus so much on prevention.” securing the Ports post-september 11 Since the early 2000s, much of that focus has been on coastal ports of entry. Experts have traced the arrival of destructive pests through ports in a number of states, including Michigan, New York, and Georgia. “e spring of 2002 is when the redbay ambrosia beetle was trapped at Port Wentworth in Savannah,” said Chip Bates, Forest Health Coordinator for the GFC. “at was the beginning of the end for a lot of redbay trees, which began dying from laurel 15
Agriculture specialists inspect a refrigerated container unit to detect cogongrass seeds, whose small size make it easier to hitch a ride into the port.
wilt disease in Georgia and South Carolina, near the Savannah area.” Fortunately, it was also the beginning of a strengthening relationship between GFC and the federal agencies that protect U.S. borders and ports. e Department of Homeland Security was created in 2003 in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. A merge of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, U.S. Customs Service, and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) formed a new border enforcement agency, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP). “Significant changes were made aer the merger,” said Lynn Brennan, Assistant Port Director for the Port of Savannah, USCBP. “Mobile teams were created. We were able to increase the number of people involved in the inspection process. Focus was beginning to shi to plant and pest material and the importance of forest health,” Brennan said. According to Bates, the real challenge in slowing the spread of invasives through Georgia ports was improving communications with people on both sides of the playing field. 16
“Inside the port is the responsibility of federal agents, Homeland Security,” said Bates. “Outside the gates it becomes our problem, a state issue. We needed to work through the boundaries and power struggles to realize that we’re both aer the same goals! So we ‘put our hand out.’” Lisa Beth Brown, Area Port Director for the Port of Savannah, USCBP, said the correlation between an increase in cogongrass and wild sugar cane being detected at the port brought her agency to GFC’s door during roughly the same period. “We were seeking information from the Georgia Forestry Commission,” Brown said. “We saw the problem and the impact it was having on states.” A new era of communication and expertise was about to begin. The C-e-C formula Putting activity at the Port of Savannah into perspective is a difficult task. e port’s Garden City Terminal and Ocean Terminal encompass more than 1,200 acres, with some 5,000 people on campus at the busiest times. Every year, three million containers transported on ships come
and go (some containing as many as 10,000 individual containers), moving millions of tons of cargo. Georgia forest products, including wood chips, wood pellets, and logs are important export items at the port. In 2013, Georgia ranked sixth in US for wood product exports valued at $404,066,761. Standing near one of these loaded container vessels can make a person feel as tiny as a bug in a crowded football stadium, which makes the job of detecting miniscule pests inside a tsunami of cargo all the more awe-inspiring. While forest products being exported to other countries and the containers in which they’re transported must go through vigorous screening processes for pests and disease to satisfy importing countries, incoming products and their packing materials are known to harbor trouble. Soil can carry diseases, parasites, and seeds. Wood packing materials can contain wood-boring insects. Air intake systems on refrigerated units are known to have carried cogongrass seeds. e threats are then multiplied by two intermodal rail lines connecting the port to 12 Georgia warehouses and to points beyond throughout the United States. “Communication. Education. Cooperation,” said Bates. “We can’t do all this ourselves, so we share information with each other. We show agriculture specialists what to look for. Agriculture specialists show us what they’re finding. GFC is a familiar partner at the port.” Bi-monthly meetings that focus on common issues have become a major relationship-building practice for the agencies. Topics have included everything from ways to recognize Asian Gypsy Moth egg masses to the expected arrival of Africanized bees. Scientists, guest presenters, and experts augment the exchange of information, which is then carried out to the forestry community, other state agencies, and Georgia residents through a myriad of education venues. “We recognize that Customs and Border Protection can be the first line of July | August 2014
Nearly half of the US population is served by Georgia’s Port of Savannah. Photo courtesy of Georgia Ports Authority/Stephen B. Morton.
defense for other agencies,” said Brown. “As our agency matures, these meetings and interactions develop. It creates a ‘force multiplier’ for all of us.” “ere’s also been an increased level of responsiveness,” added Brennan. “Chip Bates and his group quickly provide reGeorgia Forestry Today
sources to mitigate issues that come up. at’s helped both groups do a better job and enhanced the agriculture and forestry protection programs.” e GFC’s Bates and Johnson responded rapidly when a trained agriculture specialist alerted them to suspicious
boring holes found in packing materials housing humming bird feeders bound for e Home Depot stores. Five containers full of feeders had already been released to warehouses in Savannah and McDonough, where Bates and Johnson assisted with inspections. “We found bore holes and live Cerambycid beetle larvae (wood borers) in wood posts elevating the feeder and the pallets,” said Bates. ere are many different longhorn beetles, but the Asian longhorned beetle, one of the most destructive known nonnative pests in the northeastern U.S. is a high priority on GFC’s radar. Bates said the bird feeders, which were unharmed, were offloaded. The infested cargo packing materials were sealed in their containers and sent back to the overseas shipper, who had to pay all expenses and fines associated with the transaction. “That phone call wouldn’t have happened without the groundwork we’d established,” Bates said. Brennan and Brown acknowledge that the cooperation between agencies enjoyed today did not develop overnight, and that slowly building trust has been key. “We’ve had some inquiries about how we got to this point,” said Brown of the solid partnership between the USCBP and GFC. “Everyone has limited resources, and so we need to figure out what we can be doing better. Collaboration and partnerships make for an investment that does pay off.” “It’s something we can all do a better job of,” agreed James Johnson. “Reaching out and developing new relationships can change our perspectives for the better.” “Our security as a nation is tied to our economic prosperity,” said Brown. “And we realize how vital the sustainability and health of our Georgia forests are to the economy.” v 17
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July | August 2014
Warnell distinguished alumnus: tommy sasser By Sandi Martin | Communications/Media Relations | Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources
Back in 1970, Tommy Sasser and some other seniors were sitting around the student lounge in Building 1 when a favorite professor, Reid Parker, wandered in. He asked a simple question: What do the soon-to-be graduates plan to do once they finish school? Many of them talked about traditional jobs working for the state or one of the timber companies, Sasser recalled. But not him. Sasser said he planned to write to the Sea Pines Company and tell the real estate developers that they needed a forester. “Sasser, that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” Parker told him. “You’ll never get a job doing that.” It’s not so much that Sasser set out to prove Parker wrong, although that’s what he did. He was actually acquainted with the owners, who did see the need for someone on staff to oversee the environmental side of the business. And for a while that’s what he did, taking care of fire control and watching out for the wildlife and controlling fire ants. Even he didn’t think that job would lead to the career he ultimately has had—four decades of residential community and recreational de-
Georgia Forestry Today
velopment. He’s a pro at golf course construction and renovation, having spent 20 years of his professional career working with Jack Nicklaus’ companies. And he needed everything he learned at Warnell to do it, Sasser said, especially in the beginning. “It was a new industry,” Sasser said. “We were doing things by the seat of our pants.” Sasser is definitely not a typical example of a Warnell alumnus, although his love for his alma mater has never wavered. It’s just now that he’s retired and lives closer by that he’s been able to ramp up his support, for UGA as well. After he and wife Cindy moved to Lake Oconee in 1997, after living in Florida for many years, Sasser has served on the UGA Alumni Association Board of Directors and its executive committee, as well as the Warnell steering committee. “The unfortunate thing is that to be active, you have to be close,” Sasser said. Despite his late start, Sasser has made a noticeable impact with his support. And that’s one of the reasons why he was chosen as Warnell’s 2013 Distinguished Alumnus. Sasser received the honor at homecoming festivi-
ties last year. That felt pretty good, Sasser said. “My career started and has been on the ‘edge’ of what I would call forestry, but I am so grateful for Warnell,” Sasser said. “My ability and expertise in the golf and recreational community development industry was a direct result of the things taught and learned at Warnell. Understanding the land and the environment was the key to my success, and I am forever grateful to the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources.” Sasser said he’s always appreciated the unique experience students who walk through Warnell’s halls get—that by being such a small school on a large campus students get the feeling of family. That is extremely helpful to students from small towns like Hinesville, where he grew up. “The forestry school is a very small school,” he said. “You can get lost in this university.” Working on the ‘edge’ worked out very well for him. He’s been part of planning, developing, and constructing more than 75 golf courses around the world. Some of the master planned community developments he has been involved with
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include Amelia Island Plantation, Reynolds Plantation, Kiawah Island, and Sea Pines Plantation. He’s still amazed by how much responsibility he had so quickly out of school. “I was 28 years old, and I was responsible for land develop-
ment work and spending a million dollars a month,” Sasser said. “I couldn’t believe it.” Although technically retired, Sasser does some consulting on the side. But that doesn’t mean he’s on the golf course work-
ing on his putting. After spending decades in the business, he’s not concerned with his golf game anymore. “Golf is the dumbest game that’s ever been invented,” he laughed. v
Warnell distinguished Young alumnus: Josh Harrell By Sandi Martin | Communications/Media Relations | Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources hometown: Born in Blacksburg, Virginia. Raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia, now lives in Smyrna, Georgia age: 33 education: BS ‘02 (Virginia Tech); MFR ‘03 (UGA) Personal: Married to Sherry Ann Harrell; three children: Elliott, Emerson, Layla; one bird dog mutt, Bella; one cat, Hampton.
Involved member of Smyrna First United Methodist Church. Forestry is not a glamorous job, Josh Harrell said. When Harrell, who grew up in suburban Virginia Beach, first began his career in the forestry industry he admits he was a little naïve about what he was getting into. “It didn’t take long to learn that nature was actually quite brutish,” he said. But, he said, it is the most rewarding career around. “Foresters are a special breed of people, an independent-minded sort with a deep pride for their chosen profession,” Harrell said. “We manage the resources that provide society with a myriad of jobs, timber and forest products, wildlife habitat, clean water, clean air, escape. Throughout the history of mankind, there have been stone ages, bronze ages, iron ages, and computer ages. There has never existed a wood age because everything we obtain from the forest is inherent to our very existence, then and always.” It’s this passion for forestry that made Harrell a deserving winner of the 2013 Distinguished Young Alumnus Award. He was honored at homecoming festivities last October. It’s also because of the commitment Harrell has shown to War20
nell since graduating with his master’s degree in 2003, said Dean Mike Clutter. “Josh has been a great alumnus of Warnell since graduating in 2003,” Clutter said. “He has been quite involved in our young alumni group as well as the Society of American Foresters at the state and regional levels.” Harrell is a regional investment forester and portfolio and research analyst with Forest Investment Associates in Atlanta, managing more than 170,000 acres of timberland for clients across Virginia, Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina. He took some risks in the beginning of his career, including taking a job with no benefits until he landed a position with the Forest Landowners Association. He said he stayed connected to others in the industry until he won his job at FIA, where he now oversees more than $230 million worth of timberland investments. “Perhaps the moral of the story is to not come out of school with an inflated sense of worth,” he said. “The degree will prepare the foundation and open many doors but one must be willing to take detours. We all must pay our dues before appreciating
what professionalism really means. Work ethic, networking, involvement, and persistence is everything.” Harrell sees some great opportunities on the horizon for the forest industry, particularly as he predicts a large part of the workforce facing retirement. It’s what has helped spur his involvement in groups like the Young Alumni Committee and the Boy Scouts of America. “I am passionate about our profession and educating the next generation about a life that is relatively under the radar, despite being one of the biggest economic drivers of this state,” Harrell said. “If the profession remains strong in the state, it will take new blood. Staying involved with Warnell allows me to connect with students that may share some of the naiveté I once possessed. Additionally, I owe my career to the Warnell and endeavor to preach to others how superior and advanced the Center for Forest Business is to any other program in the South.” v July | August 2014
Need another reason to Use Paper towels? By Alan Evans
W
henever I use a restroom where I have the choice between paper towels or warm air hand dryers, I always opt for paper towels. I’ve heard two main arguments as to why I shouldn’t do so. 1) To make paper towels, they have to cut down trees. 2) Air dryers are more sanitary. Anyone reading this magazine presumably understands the problems with the first argument. What is fascinating to me is that the second argument is demonstrably false—and we’ve known this for years. In a study conducted in 2008 at the University of Westminster, London, scientists tested the drying and cleaning efficiency of paper towels against two types of air dryers—the traditional warm air hand dryer and the newer ‘jet air’ dryers. To test the cleaning efficiency, they measured the number of bacteria on the test participants’ hands before washing and then after drying. What they found was surprising. Washing and drying the hands with paper towels reduced the amount of bacteria on the subjects’ hands by up to 76 percent on the fingerpads and 77 percent on the palms. This result was largely in line with what the researchers expected. However, when examining hands dried with the warm air dryer, the scientists discovered that the amount of bacteria had increased up to 194 percent on the fingerpads and a shocking 254 percent on the palms. There were a couple of reasons for this. First, the air dryer circulates air in the room. Essentially, it blows bacteria from a person’s hands into the environment. Some of these bacteria land on the hand dryer itself, and the dryer provides them with a warm, wet environment in which to thrive. Paper towels, by contrast, phys-
Georgia Forestry Today
ically remove some of the bacteria from a person’s hands, and then those towels are disposed of in a trash can—and we can assume that most of us won’t go rummaging around in a restroom trash can. From there, the scientists studied the types of bacteria collected from the subjects’ hands. The two most troubling finds were Staphylococcus aureus—responsible for staph infections—and Escherichia coli —more commonly called “E. coli.” These two bacteria can be quite harmful in human beings and can even be fatal. One point from the study that I found disburbing was that these hand dryers were located in the labratory. The scientists wanted to ensure that the bacteria came from the paramaters of the test and not simply from whatever environment the dryer had been located in. So how did E. coli get into the testing environment? The answer is a bit disquieting. “[E. coli] and the other species of Enterobacteriaceae isolated from jet air dryers in this study demonstrate the potential for this type of device to become contaminated with human fecal material.” The paper published after the study includes a quote easily extracted to make the point. “The performance of both the
warm air dryer and the jet air dryer was inferior to paper towels in all respects,” though they do note that all the methods tested were roughly equal when it came to the actual hand-drying. Ultimately, the risk from getting sick from using hand dryers probably isn’t high enough that you’d want to worry yourself if you ever had to use one. But if we are comparing them to paper towels, paper comes out the winner. v
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Be a better shotgun shooter By John Trussell
It takes a lot of practice to hit flying doves and the sustained lead aiming method works well, just don't stop swinging when you pull the trigger or you'll shoot behind the bird.
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July | August 2014
ometimes it seems the quest to become a better shotgun shooter is rooted in deep mystery, hard to understand, and even harder to master. But with a steady method of education, training, and experience the mystery melts away. Pretty soon, with practice, you have less misses and more doves drop to the ground when you pull the trigger. With all this said, however, I must admit that I miss with a shotgun all too often. Sometimes I can hit most doves that seem to come by in range, and then all of a sudden I miss several shots in a roll! I mutter to myself, “How did I miss that easy shot!” The mid- to long-range crossing bird is one of the most frequent shots duck and dove hunters encounter in the field. As with all shots, individual hunters use different techniques to shoot crossing birds-the two most popular being the sustained-lead and swing-through methods. Yet, regardless of shooting style, this textbook shot still proves one of the hardest for hunters to make with consistency. When it comes to helping shooters improve on crossing birds and other shots, most instructors teach what is known as the instinctive or English technique. This method incorporates the sustained-lead approach to shooting and relies largely on a shooter’s instinctive ability to point accurately at a moving object.
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After a successful day on the dove field, Author John Trussell, left, grandson Jack Trussell and son Brandon Trussell, make great memories and relish the day afield together. Georgia Forestry Today
As Bruce Bowlen, senior instructor at the Orvis Wingshooting School in Manchester, Vermont, explains, "All people are blessed with one degree or another of natural hand-eye coordination. We all have the ability to look at an object and point right at it." This ability, Bowlen continues, is what allows a person to hit a golf ball, tennis ball, or baseball. In shooting, he says, hand-eye coordination enables most people to instinctively point a shotgun where it needs to be in order to hit a moving target with a shot charge. Windy Crabtree, the manager and professional shotgun shooting instructor at The Meadows Shooting Club, near Forsyth, says there are several techniques to improve the average shotgun shooters success at hitting targets. She says working on the basics is critical.” Learn the best shooting stance for yourself and practice bringing the gun to your shoulder in a smooth manner. Mount the gun consistently in the same spot, and get in touch with the target as soon as possible in a sequence she calls—“move, mount, and shoot.” It takes practice and repetition to become a good shot, she says, and working out on the skeet or sporting clays range is a great way to get your shotgun, muscles, and brain working together. She says that the sustained lead shooting method is a good way to go, and it basically teaches the shooter to put the barrel on the moving target, move the barrel through the target in a smooth, steady manner, followed by a crisp trigger pull. But she also stresses not to overly concentrate on the barrel, “You should be looking through the barrel and not too much down it, as you should focus on the moving target.” Most of us wait until the opening day of dove season to remove the shotgun from its case and then wonder why we miss! To be good at anything, you have to pay your dues and put in at least a little practice. Crabtree says other than coming out to the Meadows and practicing, she offers shooting lessons on an appointment basis. Call (478) 9949910 or go to meadowsnationalgunclub.com for more information. Beginners, recreational clay shooters, wing-shooters, and competitive sportsmen alike enjoy this premiere shooting facility renowned for throwing quality target presentations. The Meadows facility is open year round to both members and to the public. After you have a little practice behind you, then it’s time to head to the dove field, quail preserve, or woods for some live target shooting. Here are some tips to improve your shooting in the field. On the dove field, avoid taking shots that are out of range—the number one cause of a lousy shooting day! Set yourself up to be in range of most passing birds and step off 30 to 40 yards so you will have some idea about which birds to attempt to shoot. Resist the urge to sky bust. If the 23
dove looks small as you glance at it overhead, it probably is out of range: save your ammo! Another clue is to watch other hunters. If five hunters discharge ten rounds at a high passing dove and don’t scratch a feather- you probably won’t hit it either. I know it’s tempting but sometimes a little patience is a good thing. Another option to consider is the choke on your shotgun for better hitting success. The question that usually comes up among shooters is “What’s the best choke to have on a shotgun barrel?” Most experts would say it depends on what you want to hit and the range of the target. Full choke throws a 75 percent pattern, modified throws a 67 percent pattern, improved cylinder a 57 percent pattern, and cylinder 40 percent. Those percentages represent the number of pellets in a 30-inch circle at 40 yards. Turkey and duck hunting often call for a concentration of killing power at the maximum range, thus full choke is usually best, unless you have a bunch of duck decoys close to your blind and expect to get some close-in shooting, then you might prefer a modified choke. Modified choke is often described as a ‘good all round’ choke for a variety of shooting situations. Improved cylinder choke is usually the best for close shooting, such as plantation type quail hunting, where flushing birds can be within 20 feet. At this range, even with an improved cylinder, it is often best to wait for the quail to get out to a least 15 yards before firing or you may ruin the quail with too many pellets. If you are missing too many targets, either dove or quail, consider using a more spreading choke, like improved cylinder, to cast a bigger ‘shot net’ with your pellets and improve your success of hitting the bird. Usually it only takes a few pellets to bring down a bird, and if you avoid long shots your friends will be amazed at your shooting ability! 24
When dove hunting, a great way to miss is to just shoot into a group of doves and hope you get lucky and hit one. It’s much better to pick out one dove, drop it then switch to another dove. Then don’t forget to carefully watch where they fall or you’ll lose them. Try to line up the spot where the bird fell with a tall bush or tree on the far side of the field or some other technique to pinpoint the bird. Then try to retrieve it quickly or it may crawl a short distance before it expires. When quail hunting, don’t shoot too quickly as the bird rises, but wait just a split second until it is settled into
a smooth getaway flight to fire. On quail darting through trees, as they often do, try to pick a wide gap and wait until the bird clears a tree before firing. This will save your shots from blasting too many pine trees! If you are looking for a great place to dove hunt, try www.redbonehunting.com or call (770) 358-0944.Floyd Moye and his son Fred have been hosting great dove hunts for 37 years! For a full listing of quail preserves in Georgia, go to http://www.ultimatequailhunting.com, but we’ll focus more on quail hunting next issue. The fall hunting season is coming up quick; now’s the time to limber up the shotgun! v
July | August 2014
GeorGia forestrY foUNdatioN aNNoUNces $35,000 artWorK coNtest WiNNers
Artist: Caitlin Geiger, eighth grade, Tallulah Falls School, Tallulah Falls, Georgia
While members of the forestry community know about the plentiful benefits that Georgia’s working forests provide to the state and it’s citizens, the story that is often told about the lifecycle of a tree doesn’t reflect that abundance. However, the Georgia Forestry Foundation (GFF) recently honored two children who are helping to tell Georgia’s success story—it’s working forests—through their winning entries in the 2014 Forestry: A Foundation for our Future Artwork and Slogan Contest. GFF, members of Georgia’s forestry community, education professionals and elected officials recently held local ceremonies to recognize rising eighth grade student Caitlin Geiger of Tallulah Falls School in Tallulah Falls, Georgia, and Georgia Forestry Today
tenth grade student Eric Riggs of Southeast Bulloch High School in Brooklet, Georgia, for their respective victories in the contest’s ninth to twelfth grade level of competition. The contest and education initiative were launched on Arbor Day this year to cultivate greater awareness of the economic, environmental, and social benefits of Georgia’s working forests. The contest invited all fifth to twelfth-grade students in Georgia to submit artwork with a slogan that expressed the value of forests and what they mean to the student by answering one question: How do Georgia’s working forests make life better? “In looking at both student’s artwork, you can clearly see that they have grasped the story of Georgia’s working forests and
the benefits they provide,” Jody Strickland, 2014 Chair of the Georgia Forestry Foundation, said. “Working forests are Georgia’s success story, and we are delighted to honor these students for helping us tell that story with their beautiful artwork and slogan.” Both students were awarded a prize package valued at $35,000 which includes a $15,000 cash award to the school, $2,500 cash award, forestry camp scholarship to the student, Project Learning Tree professional development opportunities for teachers, materials featuring the winning artwork and a field trip for all eighth grade students. Also, each student, their parents, and two staff members from each school will be invited (expenses paid) to attend an award ceremony on Sunday, July 20 at the 25
The Georgia Forestry Foundation, members of the forestry community, and elected officials present a $35,000 check to Eric Riggs.
Georgia Forestry Association’s Annual Conference in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Winning the contest was no small feat. In the fifth through eighth grade level of competition, there were a total of 118 entries received from 75 counties across the state with 3,728 students and 230 teachers who participated. In ninth through twelfth, there were 56 entries from 50 counties across Georgia with 1,040 students and 86 teachers who participated. “The level of participation in this inaugural contest far exceeded our expectations for a new initiative,” Project Coordinator Valerie Noles said. “It is a great start to our efforts with this education effort.” Last year, The Langdale Company held an inter-company contest that served as a model for the GFF contest and educational initiative. The three creative winning artworks in that contest are currently adorning several Langdale Company chip trailers—a tactic that President Wesley Langdale hopes to see widely utilized by the industry as a whole after this contest. “We hope to eventually have everything that is moving in the company, including trucks hauling timber and products to other states, covered in these artworks,” Langdale said. “We believe that everyone, everywhere needs to understand the benefits citizens derive from our working forests, and this is a great way to start reaching those people.” 26
The next phase of the education initiative will include an effort to use both artworks to promote the value and importance of Georgia’s working forests throughout the state. Promotions will include banners on the side of chip trailers and other industry vehicles, marketing materials, and an increased presence at a variety of events and functions throughout the state—including the Georgia National Fair in October. The initiative is currently guided by a steering committee comprised of several landowners, industry professionals, and educators throughout the state including: Wanda Barrs, Chair, landowner at Gully Branch Farms; Amanda Buice, Georgia Department of Education; Barbara Boler, The Langdale Company; Carla Rapp,
Georgia Forestry Association; Jody Strickland, Weyerhaeuser; LuAnn Craighton, Chattahoochee Fall Line Conservation Partnership; Matt Hestad, Georgia Forestry Association; Valerie Noles, Project Coordinator, GFF; and Wendy Burnett, Georgia Forestry Commission. The committee will be planning and solidifying a strategy for the next phase of the initiative over the next few months. For more information on the contest, including pictures of the contest winners, visit www.forestry4Rfuture.org. For more information on how to become involved in the initiative, contact Project Coordinator Valerie Noles at valerie@gfagrow.org or 478-992-8110. The Georgia Forestry Foundation (GFF) (established in 1990) is a 501 (c) (3) organization, which acts as the educational arm of the Georgia Forestry Association. GFF's mission is to, “Fund and support educational and research activities which promote understanding and appreciation of our forests and their benefits to society.”v
Artist: Eric Riggs, tenth grade, Southeast Bulloch High School, Brooklet, Georgia July | August 2014
NEWS Warnell study asks: Turkeys under fire from controlled burn? Tasked with heading off potential wildfires while managing federal woodlands, forest managers in Louisiana have naturally turned to prescribed burns to reduce possible hazards. But they’re burning a thousand acres at a time - right before the Eastern wild turkey’s nesting season. Warnell researchers aren’t sure if these controlled burns are affecting the turkeys, but they are going to try to find out. “All evidence suggests that the population is stable,” said Dr. Mike Chamberlain, a wildlife professor at Warnell. But, he said, there are indications that the turkeys are being affected by something because “turkey productivity, as measured by brood surveys during summer, has declined. But we don’t know if it’s fire related or what.” Chamberlain and Michael Byrne, a postdoctoral researcher at Warnell, have $190,000 from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the Louisiana chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation to conduct the study, which will be done in the Kisatchie Na-
tional Forest where forest managers do controlled burning to manage the understory plants. Wild turkeys live in pinedominated forests around the Southeast, and it is believed that controlled burns benefit them by creating dense nesting cover and more open brooding habitats. However, very little research has been done on the effects of timing and scale of the fires, Chamberlain said. ese burns typically take place during the dormant and early growing season between January and April. Chamberlain wants to know if forest managers should adjust the timing and scale of the fires by determining if burning a thousand acres at a time is detrimental, and if so, if it’s the size of the controlled burn that is the problem, or the timing. “Turkeys in pine-dominated landscapes of the Southeast are inextricably linked to fire, but the key is to identify the most appropriate fire regime that strikes a balance between wise forest management and sustainable turkey populations,” Chamberlain said.
Researchers captured and fitted 31 female turkeys this year with aluminum leg bands and GPS devices that record the turkey’s location every 30 minutes during the prenesting, nesting, and brood-rearing periods. By analyzing these data, the location of roosts, and tracking the survival rates, researchers hope to learn how the prescribed fires are affecting the turkeys and where they move before, during, and aer burns. Chamberlain said researchers will capture and tag another 30 female wild turkeys next year. Changing the timing of the fires—if they are shown to be detrimental—may prove to be difficult, Chamberlain said, because burning too early interferes with hunting seasons and burning too late can shi it too far into the growing season. is study is a follow up to previous research conducted at the Jones Ecological Research Center, which found that fires on small scales of about 100 to 150 acres had little influence on turkey reproduction. v
New mobile app for professional foresters | From Growing Georgia By Merrit Malancon | UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Professional foresters have long relied on the 135-page Service Forester’s Handbook for on-the-go access to the formulas, facts, and figures they need. e pocketsized weather-resistant field-guide helps Georgia Forestry Today
foresters convert figures, calculate volumes, and dozens of other key calculations. is spring, UGA Extension and Southern Regional Forestry Extension have re-
leased the first electronic and interactive version of the field guide. “is handbook was originally developed by the U.S. Forest Service many years ago, and it was last updated in 1986,” said 27
William Hubbard, Southern Regional Extension Forester with the Association of Southern Region Extension Directors (ASRED). “It is still in use, but it needed a review of current materials and a number of new and updated formulas … Everybody I’ve talked to in the forestry community has said this was a long time coming.” Driven by the need to revamp a staple publication in modern forestry, Hubbard worked with UGA Extension and the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Office of Information Technology to update and develop an interactive app for iPads and iPhones to compliment the paper guidebooks. In addition to the facts and figures that appear in the original paper guide-
book, the app - developed by UGA CAES application programmer Benaiah S. M. Pitts—contains calculators to help foresters determine soil texture, site index, basal area of trees, tree stand density, and other figures. Some of the information in the handbook is given in charts, so foresters in the field can only give their clients estimates or ranges. Pitts said, “Having calculators in the app will allow them to get exact numbers.” ese calculators are available without access to the Internet, which was an important feature for foresters who oen work in areas without reliable mobile service, Hubbard said. e handbook, which will be useful for foresters across the southern U.S., is
available as a free download through the Apple iTunes store for both iPad and iPhones by searching for ‘forestry kit’ or ‘Service Forester’s Handbook.’ A version for Android phones and tablets should be ready for download later this year. Collaboration between UGA Extension and Southern Regional Extension Forestry earlier this year resulted in the creation of a consumer oriented mobile field guide, Native Plants of North Georgia. Based on a popular UGA Extension publication, the app—also produced by the UGA CAES information technology team—was the first to be created in-house by UGA Extension. Both projects were funded by CAES and the U.S. Forest Service. v
UGA researchers win national writing award from Forest Resources Association Three University of Georgia researchers have won a national writing award for their analysis of how the timber harvesting industry in two states changed over the past 25 years. Professor Dale Greene and Shawn Baker, both in UGA’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, accepted the 2014 National Technical Writing Award from the Forest Resources Association on May 8. Samantha Marchman, lead author of the paper and a graduate student at Warnell when the research was conducted, is now a resource forester for Plum Creek in Crossett, Ark. The trio conducted their award-winning project during 2012, publishing an analysis of a quarter century of timber harvesting activity in Georgia and more recently in South Carolina. “It is always a joy to see your students recognized for quality performance,” Greene said. “And it is really impressive to now be able to look back 25 years and see how this industry has continued to adapt 28
to remain a world-class, low-cost producer of delivered wood to our mills.” The research team analyzed harvesting operations and practices, weekly production levels, equipment fleet characteristics, and business owner demographics from 1987 to 2012. They found that the timber harvesting industry has undergone dramatic changes in those 25 years, with crew production doubling in that time, worker productivity increasing significantly despite thinning becoming the dominant harvesting method, and harvesting business owners today are ten years older on average than they were in 1987. They also found that businesses invested in lighter tractor-trailers that allow them to efficiently haul timber and reduce fuel use for every ton delivered. The technical release, Southeastern Logging Contractor Survey Results Over 25 Years, was published by the Forest Resources Association in early 2013. “The FRA offers a vital source of high-quality information, communicating
trends throughout the supply chain network,” Marchman said. “I am thankful for their enthusiastic support of both our research and the forest products industry at large.” The UGA Center for Forest Business, located in Warnell, has monitored the timber harvesting industry by sending logging businesses in Georgia a survey every five years since 1987. South Carolina was included in the survey for the first time in 2012. This project keeps industry abreast of the adoption of new technology in the field and helps keep forest operations research at UGA focused on current problems faced by industry. "We are very fortunate to work with a terrific logging industry in both Georgia and South Carolina,” Baker said. “While it is an honor to be recognized for our research article, I am thrilled that it draws attention to the positive developments the logging industry has achieved." v July | August 2014
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GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY DIRECTORY OF PRODUCTS & SERVICES
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www.hippenterprises.com Todd Hipp
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Eric Hipp
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chad@hippenterprises.com July | August 2014
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