Georgia Forestry Today (Jan | Feb 2016)

GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY Volume 12, Issue 1 January | February 2016

GEORGIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION A MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT & CEO ANDRES VILLEGAS

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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

As the Georgia Forestry Association (GFA) embarks on its 2016 program year, President and CEO Andres Villegas has a clear plan on the direction in which he'd like to lead the Association. To read about his three-year vision, turn to page 8.

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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January | February 2016

Volume 12, Issue 1

January | February 2016

Georgia

FORESTRY TODAY P.08

Georgia Forestry Association A Message from GFA President and CEO Andres Villegas

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DNR Private Lands Program How We Can Help You Conserve Wildlife

P.16

IC-DISC May Provide Substantial Tax Savings to Your Timber Business

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Dale Greene & The Warnell School

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Mature, Fast-grown Southern Pine Trees Produce Quality Lumber, Warnell Study Shows

P.20

GFC News

P.21

Message from the GFC Director

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Locking Arms Against EAB

P.26

The Outdoorsman | Getting Your Hunting Vehicle Unstuck: It Can Be A Winching Experience

Forestry Calendar FEBRUARY 3-4 Forestry Day at the Capitol & Advocacy Summit Omni Hotel at CNN Center Atlanta, Georgia Contact: Michele Dunham, 478-992-8110

FEBRUARY 24-25 Georgia Master Timber Harvester Introductory Workshop Georgia Forestry Association Forsyth, Georgia Contact: cookfc@uga.edu

MAY 31-JUNE 3 2016 National Conference of Private Forest Landowners Marriott Orlando World Center Orlando, Florida

JULY 23-25 2016 Annual Conference & Forestry Expo Westin Jekyll Island Jekyll Island, Georgia 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.’

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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.........................................................................................3

Lanigan & Associates ...............................................................14

Bodenhamer Farms & Nursery...............................................23 Canal Wood LLC......................................................................30 Cantrell Forest Products Inc. ..................................................30

Meeks’ Farms & Nursery ...........................Inside Front Cover Outdoor Underwriters.............................................................10

Davis - Garvin ............................................................................28

Prudential....................................................................................15

F4 Tech ........................................................................................13

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

Farm Credit Associations of Georgia....................................13 Flint Equipment Company.....................................................29

Rivers Edge Forest Products....................................................30 SuperTree Seedlings.....................................................................7

Forest Resource Services Inc. ..................................................30 F&W Forestry Service..............................................................14

Weyerhaeuser .............................................................................23

Georgia 811 ...............................................................Back Cover

Whitfield Farms & Nursery ....................................................10

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

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

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Georgia Forestry Association Message from the GFA President and CEO Andres Villegas

Photo Credit: David Stephens, Bugwood.org

Fellow Forestry AdvocatesAs the Georgia Forestry Association (GFA) embarks on its 2016 program year, I would like to thank you for welcoming me back to Georgia. Over the past 100 days, we have traveled around the state, seeking input from our members on what we do well, what we can do better, and where we should be in five years. As we look into the rest of 2016, our staff will be focused on executing new ideas and improving upon our existing programs in order to further enhance and protect the future of forestry in Georgia.

We are committed to making the GFA the absolute best it can be. In doing so, we hope to drive value back to member investments in land, manufacturing, and forest operations. Through the Association, we are focused on meeting the immediate needs of our members through an effective advocacy program. Through the Georgia Forestry Foundation (GFF), we are committed to tackling the long term challenges for our industry posed by a rapidly changing society. Ultimately, we seek to provide a competitive advantage for forestry investments in our state by combining a winning strategy with effective execution.

During the Board of Directors meeting on Feb. 4, I had the pleasure of sharing part of the three-year vision for the Association. The following provides a few highlights of programs and initiatives that will be implemented or expanded in the pursuit of our vision: ForestPAC

In order to ensure that our political leaders are supportive of a vibrant future for forestry in Georgia, GFA will grow ForestPAC, seeking a three-year commitment from our donors.

Andres Villegas GFA President and family 8

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Georgia Forestry Foundation

A strategic review of the Foundation will take place in the first quarter of the year.

This review will ensure that the Foundation is aligned with the needs of a changing Georgia five-20 years into the future.

A fully funded PAC is critical to the Association’s advocacy efforts.

Forest Resource Teams (FoRT)

As the forestry community prepares for the future, we must build and nurture a robust network of relationships with elected officials that extends beyond GFA’s lobbyist. In the initial pilot program, we will select 30-40 political leaders who will be paired with individuals in the forestry community from their district. This initiative will bolster the relationships that underpin any successful advocacy program.

You will be receiving more information on these initiatives in the near future. In the meantime, I encourage you to continue your engagement with GFA. Your contributions to the Association not only help to protect

your investment, but also help to keep our forests in stead for generations to come.

It is a humbling honor to serve as an advocate for your forestry investment at the federal, state, and local levels. As always, please reach out to GFA if we can be of service to you or your business.

Sincerely, Andres Villegas President and CEO v

Home Team Initiative and Civic Club Engagement Program

These initiatives will focus on engaging our employees and civic clubs around the state with the working forests message. From the dinner table to schools, playing fields, and churches around the state, the message of sustainability, economic growth, recreation, and nature will be shared among friends, neighbors, and family.

Membership

GFA will enhance our membership program forming a new membership committee, conducting a benchmarking exercise to identify best practices, recruit new members, and evaluate benefit programs.

UGA-GFA Student Sponsorship Program

Warnell students wishing to be GFA members will have the opportunity to be sponsored by a member of the GFA Board of Directors.

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DNR PRIVATE LANDS PROGRAM How We Can Help You Conserve Wildlife

By Dr. Jessica McGuire, Paul Grimes, Brad Alexander, and Eric Darracq

DNR Wildlife Resources Division biologists work with foresters from Forestry for Wildlife Partner CatchMark Timber Trust. (Georgia DNR) For 20 years, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Private Lands Program has been helping Georgia landowners conserve wildlife.

Never heard of this program? Then keep reading. Even if you have, you’ll learn more about this initiative and the assistance it offers to set and achieve your land-management goals.

First, some basics. The Private Lands Program is part of the Wildlife Resources Division’s Game Management Section.

Georgia Forestry Today

Started in 1995, the program is responsible for providing technical assistance on wildlife conservation to landowners statewide. Approximately 93 percent of land in Georgia is privately owned. Therefore, cooperation with private landowners is critical to conserving wildlife in the state.

Private Lands has four primary components: the Bobwhite Quail Initiative, or BQI; Forest Stewardship Program; Forestry for Wildlife Partnership and

conservation incentive program partnerships.

Private Lands helps landowners who want to incorporate wildlife into their land-management objectives. Staff are distributed statewide and offer a strong range of expertise for game and nongame wildlife (nongame are animals not legally fished for or hunted). Private Lands biologists meet with landowners to evaluate the landowner’s property and the surrounding landscape to assess the manage11

ment feasibility and potential for meeting wildlife objectives. These site visits are critical for preparing detailed plans aimed at restoring and maintaining habitat for hundreds of wildlife species.

Through science-based conservation planning, Private Lands provides guidance that helps landowners reach their wildlife and natural resource goals, ensuring future generations will enjoy these same resources. Participation is voluntary.

Technical assistance is free. Landowners are also advised on available financial incentives.

Here’s a quick guide to help show you which program component might best suit your site and situation.

Conservation Incentive Program Partnership

Private Lands biologists partner with the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service and other agencies in delivering conservation technical guidance and incentives through many federally funded Farm Bill programs. Local staff assist landowners directly through their respec-

tive offices.

Farm Bill programs include Environmental Quality Incentive Programs, often called EQIP; Conservation Stewardship Program; Wetland Reserve Enhancement program; and, the Conservation Reserve Program, or CRP. CRP is the oldest of these and, along with others, supports Habitat Buffers for efforts including Upland Birds (otherwise known as CP33) and the Longleaf Pine Initiative (CP36).

These programs provide technical and financial assistance for conservation practices such as forest thinning, prescribed fire, brush management, tree establishment, and native grass establishment, along with other practices that can help you improve your property for forest and wildlife health. Private Lands biologists also can help navigate the application process and develop conservation plans for these programs.

One recent focus has been on the Working Lands for Wildlife Program under EQIP. In Georgia, the focal species is the gopher tortoise. The gopher tortoise is often referred to as a keystone species

Learn More Wildlife Resources Division landowner resources: www.georgiawildlife.com/ conservation/landownerprograms DNR Landowners Guide to Conservation Initiatives (updated edition): www.georgiawildlife.com/node/807 Private Lands Program contacts: • BQI east, (706) 554-3745; central, (478)296-6176; southwest, (229) 420-1212 • Wildlife Resources-Natural Resources Conservation Service partner biologists: northwest (678) 544-2335; northeast/coast, (470) 2307769; southeast/coast, (912) 381-2278; southwest, (229) 308-8561 • Forest Stewardship/Forestry for Wildlife Partnership biologist: (706) 557-3263 • Program manager: Dr. Jessica McGuire, (478) 9947583 Nongame Conservation Section: This Wildlife Resources Division section helps with a number of DNR landowner programs – Steve Raper, (404) 242-4295.

DNR’s Jessica McGuire scopes a gopher tortoise burrow during a landowner field day in south Georgia. (Georgia DNR) 12

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due to the number of other animals that rely on its burrows for shelter and sometimes food. Even though this program is aimed at creating gopher tortoise habitat, the management practices enhance habitat for many other wildlife, such as quail, songbirds, eastern indigo snakes, and small game.

Working Lands for Wildlife also provides technical assistance and competitive financial incentives for voluntarily implementing conservation practices to improve gopher tortoise habitat. The tortoise is a candidate species for listing as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The work with landowners is aimed at restoring remaining habitat in hopes of curtailing the need to federally list gopher tortoises. Similar to management recommended for quail, landowners are encouraged to plan practices such as prescribed burning, forest stand improvement (such as thinning), and brush management.

Bobwhite Quail Initiative

The northern bobwhite, better known as bobwhite quail, is Georgia’s state gamebird and an ‘umbrella’ species. The latter means that managing for quail ‘covers’ an entire suite of other wildlife with similar habitat needs. Georgia once had a reputation as a premier quail hunting state because of our readily available, high-quality, early successional habitat. Quail populations boomed in what was then an unfragmented landscape managed with low-intensity agriculture and forestry practices. The result: quail hunters from around the country flocked to Georgia.

However, likely because of widespread changes in land use, Georgia’s quail population has declined by approximately 90 percent since the late 1960s, primarily due to the loss of quality early succession habitat. Accompanying the decline in quail numbers has been a strikingly similar decrease in quail hunters throughout the state. Yet, restoring the declining habitat type in cultivated croplands and forest 14

landscapes benefits not only quail but many songbirds and other wildlife species, improves water quality, reduces soil erosion, and can economically enhance local communities by stimulating quail hunting and wildlife viewing.

BQI provides technical assistance for private landowners who are interested in increasing quail populations through habitat restoration on their property.

When you contact the Private Lands Program (details below), a biologist well versed in bobwhite ecology and management will answer your questions and possibly schedule a site visit to explore different options for managing for bobwhites.

In 2014, the BQI Implementation Plan 2013-2023 was launched, bolstered by a revised agreement between 14 Wildlife Resources Division conservation partners. Using a tiered structure, the plan targets bobwhite and early succession habitat restoration in high-priority landscapes identified in the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative 2.0 (bringbackbobwhites.org).

Having high-priority areas is necessary to focus resources and limited funding, maximizing the effectiveness of efforts expended throughout the Upper Coastal Plain in Georgia.

New for 2016, there’s potential funding for eligible landowners across 67 counties who have enrolled in EQIP to enhance pine savanna and early succession habitat. These landowners will have the opportunity to apply for additional payments of up to 30 percent specified practices. Eligible BQI program applicants will be ranked and selected on a competitive basis. Special emphasis will be placed on properties within or near BQI focal landscapes. Priority EQIP practices for bonus BQI payments will include thinning, prescribe burning, brush management, field borders, and maintenance of fallowed areas. These contracts will be for two years.

In the last two years, BQI biologists

have provided technical assistance to more than 78 landowners totaling nearly 43,000 acres in the Upper Coastal Plain.

With the new Bobwhite Quail and Pine Savanna Pilot Project available in EQIP, hopes are high that financial incentives will help more landowners achieve their land-management goals for improving bobwhite populations on their properties.

Please note, though, that BQI is supported solely through sales and renewals of DNR’s quail, deer, and turkey wildlife license plates, and through grants and direct donations. Learn more at www. geor-

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giawildlife.com/conservation/support.

Forest Stewardship Program

Private Lands also works with the Georgia Forestry Commission in implementing the Forest Stewardship Program.

This program provides private landowners with written management plans that integrate landowner objectives for sustaining quality native timber, soil and water resources, aesthetics, and recreation while accommodating wildlife.

Plans are detailed and prescribe select conservation practices. Forest Stewardship plans incorporate expertise from team soil and water experts, registered foresters and wildlife biologists. These professionals will visit with you on your land to assess forest health, discuss your objectives, plan management options for the next ten years, and inform you of available conservation incentive programs and specific areas needing immediate attention. After follow-up fieldwork is completed, you will receive a tailored management plan. Any private, non-industrial forest landowner is encouraged to apply.

Your Forest Stewardship plan can be used to support applications to many conservation incentive programs, as well. It is a useful tool for planning practices under Natural Resources Conservation Service programs. To apply, visit www.gatrees.org, select ‘Forest Management’ and ‘Forest Stewardship.’ If wildlife is a primary objective, you can inquire by calling a Wildlife Resources Division wildlife biologist.

Georgia Forestry Today

DNR’s Jessica McGuire and Vontice Jackson of the Natural Resources Conservation Service work the booth at a landowner day during the Pine Tree Festival in Swainsboro.

Forestry for Wildlife Partnership

For a closer look at the Private Lands Program’s fourth component, Forestry for Wildlife Partnership, please check out the July-August 2015 issue of Georgia Forestry Today. In a nutshell, Forestry for Wildlife is a voluntary DNR program that helps corporate forest landowners integrate wildlife and natural resources into timber management.

Hopefully you have a better idea now what the Private Lands Program is and how it might be useful to you in managing your land for wildlife. In the last ten years, Private Lands biologists have written or helped write plans for more than 18,000 Georgia landowners and totaling more than nine million acres.

In 2015, staff assisted with technical guidance involving more than 250 plans covering 140,000 acres and 30 days in the field. In addition, Private Lands provided numerous presentations for landowners, other resource professionals and students, ranging from elementary schools to colleges. In all, the program helped more than 3,600 people last year.

All of which raises this question: How can Private Lands help you this year?

Dr. Jessica McGuire manages the Private Lands Program of Georgia DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division. Paul Grimes, Brad Alexander, and Eric Darracq are Private Lands biologists. v

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IC-DISC MAY PROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL TAX SAVINGS TO YOUR TIMBER BUSINESS

By Will Thompson and Stephen Swinson | James-Bates-Brannan-Groover-LLP

If your company earns profits from producing or manufacturing exported timber products, you should consider forming an Interest Charge Domestic International Sales Corporation (‘ICDISC’). The IC-DISC is an underutilized tax incentive available to producers, manufacturers, and exporters, meaning many businesses in the timber industry are paying more tax than is necessary.

IC-DISCs are separate corporate entities that provide tax benefits for companies that have qualified export sales as defined under the Internal Revenue Code.

If your company exports timber products, either directly or through an intermediary, you can potentially use an IC-DISC to reduce the rate at which your company’s income is taxed by converting a portion of your company’s ordinary income into qualified dividend income resulting in substantial tax savings for your business.

Benefits of the IC-DISC

An IC-DISC is essentially a paper entity acting as a sales commission agent for manufacturers, producers, resellers and exporters of qualified ‘export property’ produced in the United States and delivered outside the United States to foreign customers. The operating company simply pays the IC-DISC (a tax deductible commission) which can be as much as fifty percent (50%) of its net income from qualified exports. In other words, one half (1/2) of the export profits are not taxed at the highest corporate or individual tax rates. Instead, the profits are placed directly into the IC-DISC which pays no tax on the commission. The IC-DISC ultimately distributes the commission at least annually to shareholders as dividends that are taxed at the qualified dividend tax 16

rate of twenty percent (20).

Additionally, the IC-DISC is not required to distribute all of its commission income each year. Rather, the IC-DISC is permitted to retain an amount of income equal to what it earned from the operating company’s first $10 million in gross export receipts. Any tax deferred is subject to an interest charge based on the one year Treasury Bill Rate, currently 0.67percent.

Thus, the benefits of an IC-DISC are two-fold. First, your company benefits from rate arbitrage because the income typically taxed at the highest individual or corporate tax rate is instead taxed at the lower qualified dividend rate. Second, your company benefits from the deferral of taxation because the IC-DISC can be used to defer taxation of income for a future period in time at the relatively low one year Treasury Bill Rate.

IC-DISC Requirements

To form an IC-DISC, you must create a domestic corporation formed under the laws of any state or the District of Columbia. Shareholders of the corporation can be individuals, corporations, or a combination of both. The corporation or the shareholders must then make an election to be treated as an IC-DISC for tax purposes by filing Form 4876-A with the IRS. To qualify and remain eligible as an ICDISC the corporation must: (1) Maintain a minimum capitalization of $2,500 at all times; (2) Have only one class of stock; (3) Maintain separate books and records; (4) Have at least ninety-five percent (95%) of its gross receipts considered to be Qualified Export Receipts, as defined under the Internal Revenue Code, resulting from the IC-DISC’s export activities; and (5) Have at least ninety-five percent (95%) of its assets considered to be Qual-

ified Export Assets as defined under the Internal Revenue Code.

Who Can Benefit from an IC-DISC?

Businesses that manufacture, sell, and export qualified ‘export property’ made in the United States may be eligible to benefit from using an IC-DISC to reduce their income tax liability. An IC-DISC can be used in conjunction with all forms of business organizations, including C corporations, S corporations, partnerships, LLCs, and sole proprietors. Businesses are not required to sell directly to a foreign customer to qualify to use an IC-DISC. Rather, businesses may use intermediaries so long as the products are ultimately exported within one (1) year.

Not every business in the timber industry is eligible to benefit from the use of an IC-DISC however, because not every business sells, leases or rents ‘export property’ as defined in the Internal Revenue Code (the ‘Code’). Under the Code, export property means property that is: (1) Manufactured, produced, grown or extracted in the United States by a person other than a DISC; (2) Held primarily for sale, lease or rental, in the ordinary course of trade or business, by, or to, a DISC, for direct use, consumption or disposition outside the United States; and (3) Not more than fifty percent (50%) of the fair market value of which is attributable to articles imported into the United States (i.e., at least half of the IC-DISC materials sold must be made in U.S.). The Code expressly excludes from meeting the definition of export property any unprocessed timber which is softwood, meaning exporters of softwood logs, cants, and similar forms of timber do not qualify as export property.

Despite the Code’s exclusion of unJanuary | February 2016

processed timber which is softwood from meeting the definition of export property, many in the timber industry may still be eligible to enjoy the benefits of an ICDISC. So long as the IC-DISC requirements are met, businesses may use an IC-DISC to reduce their tax liability on profits derived from a number of activities including, but not limited to, exporting lumber and construction materials (including millwork, veneer, plywood, and prefabricated structural wood products), veneer logs, pulp products and other processed timber products.

Determining the Commission

Determining how much commission is paid to the IC-DISC is very important because the higher the commission, the more taxable income is converted from ordinary income to qualified dividend income. The Code places restrictions on how much commission the operating company can pay the IC-DISC annually.

In complying with the Code, the operating company may choose from three methods of calculating commission payments: (1) The ‘four percent’ gross receipts method; (2) The ‘50–50’

combined taxable income method; or (3) The “section 482” method. Under the first two methods, the DISC is entitled to ten percent (10%) of its export promotion expenses as additional taxable income.

The ‘four percent’ gross receipts method generally is used when the operating company is selling a high volume of items with low profit margins. Under this method, the business pays a commission to the IC-DISC equal to four percent (4%) of the qualified export receipts derived from the sale of the export property together with ten percent (10%) of the export promotion expenses of the DISC attributable to such qualified export receipts.

A more complex method is the ‘50– 50’ combined taxable income method.

Although this method requires more calculations and compliance work, it is generally used when the operating company has a high profit margin on foreign sales because it provides for higher tax savings.

This method essentially divides the business’s gross receipts into two categories, qualified export receipts and non-export receipts. The business pays a commission

to the IC-DISC equal to fifty percent (50%) of its net income from qualified export receipts together with ten percent (10%) of the export promotion expenses of the DISC attributable to such qualified export receipts.

The ‘section 482’ method is used when the above mentioned methods are either not applicable to the taxpayer or the taxpayer chooses not use them. Under this method, the business is permitted to determine the price of the commission subject to the rules of section 482 of the Code so long as the price is reasonable.

If your company earns profits from producing or manufacturing exported timber products, it makes good business sense to determine if an IC-DISC can reduce your tax liability on future exports.

This article was written by Will Thompson and Stephen Swinson, attorneys at the law firm of James-BatesBrannan-Groover-LLP. For more information on this topic, please contact Will Thompson by phone at (478) 7499903, or by email at wthompson@jamesbatesllp.com, or Stephen Swinson by phone at (478) 749-9940, or by e-mail at sswinson@jamesbatesllp.com. v

DALE GREENE & THE WARNELL SCHOOL Back in his late 20s, Dale Greene found himself almost done with his Ph.D., recently married, and without a job. He’s sometimes asked why he came to the University of Georgia, and without hesitation he says, “it was a job.”

But it wasn’t just any job. For a young man who grew up helping tend his grandmother’s small woodland in Arkansas, coming to UGA for a forest operations faculty position was a “great opportunity. It was a dream job to get to start at Georgia.”

Greene is actually on track to likely spend his entire career at UGA’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources.

He and wife Jeanna Wilson, an associate professor of poultry science in the College Georgia Forestry Today

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of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, both came here nearly 30 years ago and have never left. And after leading classes for nearly three decades, Greene is now leading the Warnell School.

After serving as interim dean for five months, Greene took on the job permanently in June after a national search.

Stepping out of the classroom and into a full-time administrative role has been a challenge, Greene said, but one he is relishing.

Greene was already serving as Warnell’s interim associate dean of academic affairs when he was named interim dean.

And although different from anything he’d done before, overseeing the academic programs was a welcome new adventure.

“I was enjoying it and helping students,” he said. “I really liked the pace. You didn’t just go down your to-do list. You handled things as they came through the door.”

It didn’t take him long as interim dean long to realize he enjoyed the top office, so he applied.

He was up against some tough competition, but he had some advantages over the other applicants: three decades of honored teaching at UGA, strong and vocal support from Warnell’s alumni base, numerous awards and accolades for his work with the forest industry and in the classroom, and an incalculable number of contacts across the state. Between him and Jeanna, Greene jokes, “we can’t go anywhere in Georgia without bumping into someone we know.”

His background before UGA also made him a strong candidate for the job.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University in 1981, and he followed that up with a master’s degree from Virginia Tech in 1983, which is also where he met Jeanna. When she moved to Auburn University for a doctoral program, he followed her and earned his doctorate in 1986. “I never set out to be an academic, but when I realized that I had found the person I wanted to marry, I decided that was the first decision to get right,” Greene said. “Everything else would likely work out if I made the right 18

decision there.”

Growing up helping his grandmother, he said, really shaped his love of forestry. Converted from old cotton fields, her woodlands fascinated Greene, particularly seeing how forestland and foresters could help protect the environment. A year before graduating with his undergraduate degree, Greene was working a summer internship for International Paper. He found himself in the “blistering heat, and I was holding a chainsaw.” And he loved it.

Coming to UGA started long, respected careers for both he and Jeanna.

Greene has won an impressive number of awards both internally and externally. The Southeastern Society of American Foresters inducted him into the Georgia Foresters Hall of Fame in 2007, and in 2011 he was honored by the Boy Scouts of America with its ‘Heroism Award’ for saving the life of a fellow professor at a meeting at Auburn University who had collapsed from an apparent heart attack.

Greene performed CPR until paramedics arrived, and he still sees his colleague annually at the same conference.

But he says he is especially proud of being recognized for his teaching. He’s won the Herrick Award for Superior Teaching, the Xi Sigma Pi Professor of the Year Award, and the Warnell Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Teaching.

Sadly, moving to the administrative side will not leave him time to teach, he said. Greene was especially fond of teaching the Maymester forestry field camps and the Introduction to Natural Resources Conservation, which allowed him to interact with students from across campus and expose them to the importance of environmental sustainability.

“Many of these students have some misconceptions about environmental issues or know little about the sources of the food and energy they consume,” he said. “People see the outdoors as a place for recreation and for protection, but they forget it also feeds us and provides us with products we need. Balance is key.”

As an expert in forest operations, Greene has focused on researching ways to improve timber harvesting methods to decrease the environmental impact while maximizing profits and improving product quality. He has taken that applied research and used it in his classes, both inside and in hands-on labs.

But now Greene will focus on some of the short-term and long-term challenges facing the Warnell School. He is already filling vacant faculty positions, leading a strategic plan revision, and reenergizing Warnell’s fundraising and development efforts. So far, he said, “a lot of my job has been getting people in place.”

And as a forester, he’s also working on expanding his contacts to include professionals in the wildlife, natural resources recreation and tourism, and water and soils fields. But his long-term and most important goal, he said, is to make sure that the Warnell School keeps striving to be one of the top natural resource programs in the country.

He said, “I’m excited about the opportunities in front of us and look forward to working with our faculty, students, and alumni to continue to make great things happen in the Warnell School.” v January | February 2016

MATURE, FAST-GROWN SOUTHERN PINE TREES PRODUCE QUALITy LUMBER, WARNELL STUDy SHOWS

By Sandi Martin | Public Relations Coordinator | Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources

Dr. Joseph Dahlen wishes he had more funding and more time. When the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau changed the standards for visually graded southern pine lumber two years ago, there was a surge of confusion about the reasons behind it. ere were different theories why the design values changed, but they were largely anecdotal with few hard facts. And this lack of information spurred the forest industry to question the quality of lumber produced from mature, fast-grown trees.

If Dahlen had more funding and time, he could take a look at how lumber properties vary across the entire Southeastern U.S., but for now he could only look at a lumber cut from five stands located on the Lower Coastal Plain of Georgia. And his first study shows that mature stands that are between the ages of 24 and 33 in this region are producing quality lumber.

So why did the Inspection Bureau change the design value standards? It’s largely because they found through mechanical testing that visually graded Southern pine lumber cannot safely carry the same loads as before. But that didn’t answer why the material properties had changed. e bureau sampling focused on testing lumber available in commerce and not on investigating the underlying raw materials used to source the lumber, Dahlen said.

Many suspected that the methods used to grow trees faster—through site preparation, early competition and weed control, fertilization, genetic selection, and reduced planting densities—were the reason for the changes in design values.

Dahlen, an assistant professor and director of the Wood Quality Consortium, went looking for answers.

In a new study conducted in conjuncGeorgia Forestry Today

tion with Plum Creek Timber Company and Varn Wood Products LLC and recently published in the European Journal of Wood and Wood Products, Dahlen found that Southern landowners are producing high quality lumber from fastgrown trees. He and his research team harvested Plum Creek trees from intensively managed plantations and then tested the lumber bending strength and stiffness according to ASTM International testing standards. ey then compared the results to the previous and current design standards.

The lumber, Dahlen said, was not only stronger than the current design values put in place two years ago, but also comparable to the previous design values. “We found that the lumber produced from these stands, which are amongst the fastest growing operational stands in the Southeast, had high quality

when tested in bending,” he said. “As demand for wood increases, it is critical that the growth of wood be accelerated to sustainably meet this demand. But at the same time, the acceleration of growth should not compromise wood and product quality.”

Dahlen is very keen on testing wood sawn from other stands located throughout the region and expanding the focus of future studies. “is study looked only at properties of the lumber tested in bending,” he said. “However, other properties are important including the ratio of juvenile wood to mature wood and how it impacts lumber properties, testing lumber in tension, tracking warp in lumber during drying, and testing whether intensively grown wood has greater or lesser amounts of compression wood and its effect on lumber processing.” v 19

GFC News The Georgia Forestry Commission has completed its 2015 Southern Pine Beetle survey. More than 6,500 miles were surveyed by air and visual observations were made on 12,480,000 acres, which covers about 30 percent of Georgia. Only McIntosh and Glynn Counties showed SPB activity in 2015 and each of the outbreaks measured between 17 and 35 acres. e Six chestnut seedlings have been planted on the grounds of the governor’s mansion at the request of Georgia’s first lady. Sandra Deal’s interest in production of blightresistant chestnut trees brought local and national representatives from the American Chestnut Foundation, Berry College, and the Georgia Forestry Commission to the planting ceremony in December.

The planted seedlings are 15/16ths American Chestnut and are the result of breeding efforts to restore the species in US forests. e Properly caring for prized historic trees is critical for tree health and for the safety of people near them. Based on the recommendation of arborists, the Darien Waterfront Oak was recently pruned, allowing more light and air to circulate through its canopy. Enjoyed by locals and thousands of visitors annually to Darien’s historic port, The Darien Oak was named first runner up in the 2015 Great American Tree Competition. e Georgia’s Arbor Day is on Friday, February 19, 2016, and special events to mark the occasion will be held around the state throughout the week.

Celebrations include an Atlanta gathering with Tree City USA mayors, Trees Atlanta, the Georgia Urban Forest Council and GFC, Trail of Trees education events at numerous schools, and a tree climbing competition in Columbus, which is Georgia’s oldest Tree City USA. For complete details, visit GaTrees.org/Resources/Events. e

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January | February 2016

Georgia Forestry Commission

Message from the Director

Dear GFT Reader, Robert Farris

T

he new year is taking off just like the last one ended—fast and furious! Are you ready? At the Georgia Forestry Commission, we are.

The GFC closed 2015 by submitting an updated assessment of our state’s forest resources and a detailed strategy for meeting the challenges ahead. The two reports are known collectively as the ‘Forest Action Plan’ (FAP) and are filed with the US Forest Service. You may remember the 2009 Farm Bill mandated these reports from each state, with updated assessments to be filed every ten years. The National Association of State Foresters, however, requests updates every five years, which gives us more accurate benchmarks from which to operate.

While the first of the year is a popular time to talk resolutions and goals, it takes daily focus to make them come true. We do that around here, and we pride ourselves on taking ownership of our responsibilities and being accountable for the results. Each of GFC’s program areas has a critical impact

Georgia Forestry Today

on our mission and vision, which guide our daily operations: Mission:

To provide leadership, service, and education in the protection and conservation of Georgia’s forest resources.

Vision:

Healthy, sustainable forests providing clean air, clean water, and abundant products for future generations.

In updating the FAP, department managers reexamined the issues affecting forest conditions under their responsibility. While many of the most pressing concerns have stayed the same, in some cases, tactics with which to address them have been tweaked.

Among the matters addressed in the new reports are changing markets, forest health, fire management, air quality, and reforestation. Updated strategies are detailed for primary issues named.

Some of the challenges we’ll all continue to face this year and in the foreseeable future

include forest fragmentation. When large parcels of land are threatened by conversion to non-forest uses, the Forest Legacy Program is a valuable conservation tool that our professionals are ready to help implement.

Water quality is another area of concern that is being addressed. As watershed areas are recognized for their critical impact on the supply of clean water, landowners and developers are learning more from GFC about their role in forest conservation. Likewise, communication with urban decision makers about the importance of tree canopy for storm water mitigation and other essential nature services is being stepped up.

These examples are just the tip of the iceberg. Georgia’s 2015 Forest Action Plan is beefy but well worth reading for anyone associated with Georgia’s thriving forestry industry. You can find it online at GaTrees.org, and I urge you to read through and find the take-aways that will help you grow in 2016.

Robert Farris GFC Commissioner e

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Locking Arms AgAinst EAB

By Stasia Kelly

GFC's Lynn Womack and Georgia Power's Brad Dyer confirm EAB activity along a Fulton Co. power line.

Confirmation came in July of 2013. Forest health professionals were not surprised by the news because they'd monitored encroachment from the north and had made preparations. As part of a nationwide pest detection program, purple traps had been set throughout the state and now, unwelcome visitors had checked into them in two counties.

For such a small and surprisingly attractive insect, the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has wreaked an enormous amount of havoc since it arrived on US soil in 2002. The non-native pest (found naturally in Russia, China, Japan, and Korea) is thought to have entered on cargo packing material in southeast Michigan.

Since then, it has decimated tens of millions of ash trees in 25 states, including Georgia. In February of 2015, Louisiana was added to the list.

The adult EAB is about a half-inch long and one-eighth inch wide. It is dark, metallic green in color and boasts a voracious appetite for one distinctive tree: ash. The tree can be healthy, unhealthy, or anywhere in between; the EAB girdles the tree by feeding on the inner bark tissue and kills it all.

The more than five dozen different types of ash trees grown around the world are hardy, known to live up to 250 years when given optimal growing conditions. They're also beautiful, providing vivid fall foliage and unique branch and leaf structure that makes them popular for residential and civic landscaping.

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January | February 2016

Ash tree wood is also sought after for its striking characteristics. Ash is used in many products, including baseball bats, tool handles, canoe paddles, and musical instruments.

Georgia forests contain very little ash—less than one percent of 24 million acres.

Georgia Forestry Today

That is important to note, according to James Johnson, a respected forest health expert and retired Chief of Forest Management for the Georgia Forestry Commission.

“In the Midwestern states, native ash comprises about 15 to 25 percent of the forest, and EAB is radically changing the land’s complexion,” Johnson said. “It’s likely to have a bigger impact here on urban areas.”

Georgia’s urban settings are where the first discoveries of EAB were made three years ago. The insect was trapped in Fulton and DeKalb Counties in metro Atlanta, setting into motion a multiagency, multi-pronged strategy to slow the pest’s spread.

“Partnerships are at the heart of this,” said Chip Bates, Forest Health Coordinator for the Georgia Forestry Commission, recognizing the US Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Georgia Department of Agriculture for their po-

sitions on the team to slow EAB. “Overall, the Georgia Forestry Commission handles the forestry aspect of things, and the Georgia Department of Ag handles urban. Naturally, there’s a lot of communication that’s required, between our agencies and out to the landowners and processors,” Bates said.

“We work parallel,” said James Johnson, who was engaged to facilitate the strategies being implemented by the agencies. “It was the first time the GFC Director has ever exercised his authority to establish a quarantine to prevent the spread of a forest pest,” Johnson said, “and that was done right away, covering DeKalb and Fulton.”

Widening the net

Since that time, EAB trappings have precipitated two expansions of the quarantine area. By October of 2015, it covered 19 counties, including: Barrow, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fannin, Fulton, Fayette, Gwin-

23

Wood waste is dumped at a number of facilities in metro Atlanta where it is processed into mulch/chips and shipped to end users.

nett, Habersham, Henry, Murray, Newton, Rockdale, Walton, White, and Whitfield.

“The challenge is to reach out to industry and everyone who works with ash trees or ash materials,” said Bill Kaufmann, PHD, State Plant Health Director for Georgia, USDA-APHIS. “They need to understand what to do to comply with quarantine regulations and when they need permits or certificates.

We’re happy to be working with the GFC on this and we’re making a lot of progress,” Kaufmann said.

“We want people to know about the resources that are available to deal with this,” added Mike Evans, Program Director for Plant Protection, Georgia Department of Agriculture. “Both agriculture and forestry have a long history of working together and our goal is to be supportive of industry. James has been extremely valuable because he's had a clear picture of what needed to be done right from the start,” Evans said.

Johnson’s plan was built on years of forestry experience and knowledge of EAB’s profile, history, and potential. He said because the pest can't fly more than 24

ten miles on its own, humans are its primary transporters. Hitching rides on vehicles, firewood, unprocessed wood products, and nursery stock have provided easy passage across county and state lines since the insect’s US introduction.

To slow EAB’s spread, the quarantine details how ash materials must be handled and transported, inside and outside quarantine areas. In short, ash materials and products from quarantined areas may move freely within, but not out of, those areas unless the state has confirmed their process eliminates any EAB from their products. Facilities processing ash products inside quarantined areas must obtain a special compliance agreement, and each load of ash products shipped outside the quarantine area must be accompanied by a certificate.

“This has mainly impacted the movement of urban wood and wood waste,” said Johnson. “There is far more waste wood being utilized than I ever realized. It’s not going to the landfill; it’s being used for mulch and for energy,” Johnson said.

This is how we do it

Georgia’s Emerald Ash Borer quarantine mandates those who come in contact with ash obtain a compliance agreement, limited permit, and/or certificate, depending on their role in the harvest or processing. Compliance agreements are signed by shippers, dealers, carriers, facilities, and processors confirming their understanding of the conditions and procedures mandated by state law and USDA-APHIS regulations. Certificates allow the movement of treated ash material from quarantined areas to non- quarantined areas. Treatments include chipping to one-inch in two dimensions, debarking and removal of one-half inch of wood, kiln sterilization, fumigation or heat treatment.

Matt Martin, Operations Manager for Downey Trees, said dealing with the mandated quarantine has “not really changed anything.” Downey Trees has two wood processing yards in Norcross and Mableton, both within quarantined counties.

“We were already processing the size material required—one by one (inch) January | February 2016

Atlantic Power receives truckloads of chips, which are burned to heat water that turns the electric turbine to produce electricity.

chips in two dimensions,” Martin said.

“James brought out hand-held screens to sift through the mulch and verify that our grinder passed the test. Everything that comes out of my yard has to be ground.”

Martin gets wood products from a number of providers who deliver “logs and wood waste that is real clean,” and are stacked neatly before heading to the chipper. The pace of mulch sales dictates how quickly the logs will be ground, which he acknowledges could create a tiny EAB-sized loophole.

“Last February we received flyers to circulate to everyone, especially the incoming drivers. I can see how this (pest) is hard to contain,” Martin said.

At Atlantic Power Company in Barnesville, Georgia, fuel manager Matt Jones keeps wood chips flowing in for the 55 megawatt power plant. Processing 500,000 tons of wood a year, he said, hasn’t been slowed by quarantine regulations.

“When the quarantine area expanded, I sent notification to our suppliers and made sure they knew about James Georgia Forestry Today

as a contact. For us, it’s just making sure people have the proper paperwork and certification,” Jones said.

Violation of the regulations is a misdemeanor, which none of the regulators involved say they want to see applied. Instead, they work to spread the word about the new rules on ash.

“Even though we have a quarantine, we still have wood movement that must go on in Georgia,” said Lynne Womack, Forest Health Specialist for the Georgia Forestry Commission. “Everybody’s been cooperative, and the mills have been very helpful, sending out e-mail to their suppliers.”

The amount of wood moved out of the quarantine area within these regulations is significant. More than 10,500 truckloads were moved during the first nine months of 2015. If these trucks were positioned end-to-end, they would extend from the east side of Atlanta all the way to Augusta (about 130 miles)!

Estimates indicate that 84 percent of this mulch and chips are used for energy and electricity, while the other 16 percent goes into the mulch industry.

For forest landowners, Womack advised, “If you have ash on your property, you should make a plan now. Harvest it, utilize it. And if you just have some landscape ash, know there are ways to protect individual trees with insecticides,” she said.

On the horizon, researchers are looking into biological controls that may slow the pest’s spread. High value trees in urban settings can be protected with insecticides but these treatments must be repeated every few years and can be costly. While there are no known pheromones that lure the insect, colored traps that mimic the opposite sex have proved successful in attracting EABs and monitoring their movement.

In the meantime, there is a voracious pest and a determined human force. It’s a mighty match, whose outcome we all can help determine.

For more information about EAB, visit GFC's Web site at GaTrees.org/ForestManagement/ForestHealth/Insects/EmeraldAshBorer. v 25

The OUTDOORSMAN

By John Trussell

Getting Your Hunting Vehicle Unstuck: It Can Be a Winching Experience 26

January | February 2016

oresters, hunters, and other outdoor types appreciate good useful tools, and a winch is one of those tools that you may not use often, but when you need it, it’s priceless! I have used my Ramsey Patriot winch many times over the years for not only getting vehicles and tractors unstuck but also removing trees from my pond, pulling stumps, forcing trees to fall in a specific spot, moving heavy weights, and—once during a windy snowstorm—used it to keep a tree from falling on my neighbors house. But getting vehicles unstuck is the most common use.

The situation is usually different but the results are always the same. You’re heading down some little traveled road to that secret ‘honey hole’ and there’s been quite a bit of rain lately. Suddenly, your hunting vehicle begins to slip and slide as you lose traction on the muddy, rutted road. Then the motor is roaring with tires spinning, but you’re not going anywhere. You’re stuck!

But with the proper equipment you can be on your way in short order with only a few minutes lost. Before we get ahead of ourselves however, let’s talk about how to avoid getting stuck in the first place.

To begin with, before you attempt to run through a soft spot, if possible, get out of your vehicle and test the ground by walking on it if possible. By observing the give of the ground, you can decide whether or not it will support your vehicle. If the road has mud holes filled with water you should consider probing them with a long stick to determine their hidden depth and bottom composition.

Since the ground clearance on most factory vehicles is only about eight inches or less, a hole deeper than this could ‘high center’ your vehicle. This means that the vehicle's chassis is supporting your vehicle and not your tires. Where possible, you should straddle deep ruts with your tires to avoid this situation.

If the mud hole looks bad, but you’re determined to go through it anyway, approach the obstacle at a slow speed (about five mph) and high RPMs for better torque so you can power your way through it. If you attempt this approach, remember that control of your vehicle and its momentum is what really counts. Too little momentum and you’re stuck before you really get started. Too much speed results in an out of control vehicle. Some outdoorsmen purchase four-wheel drive vehicles thinking they have eliminated their off road driving problems. The truth hits them

F

Winches have many uses around the woods. Here it’s being used to drag a fallen tree out of a roadway.

when they're stalled in a bog hole and have to crawl out a window because the mud is swallowing their vehicle whole.

This is where being prepared determines whether you can get out quickly or have to walk back to civilization.

A good winch is, without a doubt, the most useful piece of equipment you can add to your vehicle. In choosing a winch, the most important consideration is pulling power.

An 8,000 pound winch will meet the needs of most outdoorsmen who have full size vehicle, says Mark Cramer, at Ramsey Winch Company. I’ve had an 8,000 Ramsey winch for 20 years and it’s never let me down. My current unit is a 8,000 pound pull Ramsey Patriot model. There are many brands on the market, so check manufacturer Web sites for more info. Check out www.expeditionportal.com/tug-ofwar for the ultimate 12v winch test.

Some winches, like Ramsey, also have optional remote control for increased safety. An 8,000 pound winch will usually pull out a stuck vehicle by running the winch line from the vehicle to a nearby tree. However to get the maximum potential out of any winch, especially one of the smaller units, a little mechanical engineering is necessary. By utilizing a snatch block, which is nothing more than a simple heavy-duty pulley, you can transform an 8,000 pound Winch into a 16,000 pound power house.

To perform this mechanical marvel, just unwind the Author John Trussell shows a few items that should be carried to winch cable and run it to a nearby tree, through your help the forester or hunter escape trouble in the woods. The snatch block (attached to the tree by a chain or nylon main tool is the 8,000 pound pull Ramsey Patriot winch. He holds strap), and then back to your vehicle. This set up reduces a snatch block pulley and tug strap. Other useful tools are a High the pulling speed of the winch by one half thus doubling Lift Jack, shovel, and axe.

Georgia Forestry Today

27

the pulling power.

One last word of advice on winches. Make sure that the winch is mounted securely on your vehicle and that it’s locked down by some means to deter thieves. Special antitheft nuts are available through winch manufacturers.

Whether your off-road vehicle is a two wheel or four wheel drive, there are several things you can do to improve its traction in difficult driving situations. Probably the most effective addition to your vehicle, other than a winch, is a good set of aggressive tread tires.

When you get into soft surfaces such as mud, snow, or sand the amount of weight that can be supported per square inch decreases. If you stop in soft mud you have already lost your best ally, momentum, and you’ll sink. A slow, steady speed through the muck is often the best strategy, matched with a set of good aggressive traction floatation tires.

The big tires do have several disadvantages that you should be aware of before you rush out and buy a set. Besides being costly, tread life is low, and the tires make a lot of road noise. For the average off-roader who does 95 percent of his driving on asphalt roads, a combo highway and mid-level off road tire is a good answer. If your budget is limited, you might have to choose between a winch or tires.

Many outdoorsmen figure that an electric winch will almost always pull them out of the mud and can conceivably last a lifetime with proper care.

Tires wear out and have to be replaced. It’s nice to have both, but the smart money is spent on the winch. If your budget won’t allow the expense of an electric winch, you could consider a hi-lift jack, which is a real workhouse. It will lift 7,000 pounds a distance of four feet. Besides being useful for lifting your vehicle so you can stuff some limbs under the wheels 28

for traction, the hi-lift jack has a detachable base so it can be used as a come-along.

It pulls 5,000 pounds when used as a come-along and this can be increased to 10,000 pounds with a snatch block. However remember it can only be used to pull for a very short distance. Every off-roader should carry as standard equipment a nylon snatch strap. Whereas chains are well known for their ability to pull off your bumper with a single tug, a nylon strap of proper strength (20,000 lbs. is considered adequate by most) can be attached to a tow hook or chassis, not to the bumper, and used to pull a stuck vehicle free. The sling shot effect of

the nylon strap effectively uses the momentum of the pulling vehicle to the best advantage to pull the stuck vehicle out.

One last piece of equipment to always remember for emergency use is a cell phone. The reception may be spotty in some places, but if you move around, or get to higher elevation, you probably can get a signal. I also carry a shovel, axe, extra heavy chain, and an extra 50 foot length of 5/16 steel cable. Hopefully you won’t need your winch or other off road equipment very often, but when you’re alone and bogged down on some forsaken jeep trail at sundown you’ll be thankful for every penny you spent on it. v

January | February 2016

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www.hippenterprises.com Todd Hipp

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chad@hippenterprises.com January | February 2016

GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY DIRECTORY OF PRODUCTS & SERVICES

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Georgia Forestry Today