September 2013
Federal policy issues update
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FA has focused its advocacy work with the Arkansas Congressional delegation recently on two issues— the Farm Bill, Max Braswell and inclusion AFA Executive Vice of important President forestry provisions as the Senate moved to conference, and keeping current timber tax provisions in the Internal Revenue Code. Farm Bill In mid-July, Senators called up the House-passed HR 2642 and inserted the text of its own version setting up the conference. While focus will be on finding consensus on reviving the nutrition title, AFA and its partners focused on ensuring that key forestry provisions remained alive. The American Forest Foundation continues to do a great job in updating a comprehensive list of all forestry provision in both versions of the Farm Bill. Timber Tax Provisions Presently, individuals, families and businesses that own and manage timber rely on three provisions in the tax code to help keep timber management economically viable: • Deducting the costs of forest management, including prevention measures, thinning, fertilization, interest,
See ‘FEDERAL’ on page 3
Survey gauges satisfaction with AFA
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s part of its Membership Strategy, AFA asked members to rate their satisfaction with the association in an online and printed survey. One hundred sixty-four people completed the survey and following is a summary of the findings. “Our goal is provide members with the highest-quality service and information,” said AFA Executive Vice President Max Braswell. “The results of this survey will help us enhance and improve our programs and efforts to be the voice of forestry in Arkansas.” Overall, members believe they are getting good value for the cost of their membership and are getting useful information, with an average score of 4.3 out of 5. Most highly rated membership benefits: • Public policy advocacy • Weekly email newsletter • Printed TreeTalk newsletter • Educational opportunities • Networking opportunities Top-rated networking and education programs: • Annual meeting • Landowner workshops Top deterrents to attendance:
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Date/time were inconvenient Location was inconvenient
All national programs administered by AFA—Tree Farm, Project Learning Tree and Log A Load For Kids—were perceived as providing value. An overwhelming majority (88.2%) of the members who responded to the survey are either VERY SATISFIED (48.4%) or SATISFIED (39.8%) with their membership experience. Members indicated they are likely to recommend the association to others and will renew their own membership. When rating their interest in possible membership record management options, members did not indicate a strong interest in setting up online profiles. The interest was slightly higher in paying dues online. Communication preference: • 79% – Email • 58.6% – Electronic newsletter • 56.1% – Printed newsletter Comments provided additional insight that will be explored in a follow-up survey focusing on AFA’s landowner members regarding their landowner education preferences and interests.
Plum Creek CEO headlines meeting
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FA is pleased to welcome Plum Creek CEO Rick Holley as the keynote speaker at THE 68th AFA Annual Meeting, October 1-3, at the Embassy Suites in Little Rock. Holley will provide insight into the forest products market, its challenges and opportunities. Plum Creek is also sponsoring THE Opening Reception on October 2 in the exhibit area.
The program will address issues related to forest technology, health and economy THE Annual Meeting. Learn more online at arkforests.org/annualmeeting.html. Rick Holley was elected president and CEO and a member of the Board of Directors of Plum Creek in 1994. Prior to assuming this role, he served as vice president and chief financial officer since 1985. Holley began his career at General Electric Company in 1974, where he served in a variety of financial management positions.
CALENDAR
August recess brings Congressional visits
September 21 Bradley County Log A Load For Kids Hermitage and River Valley Log A Load For Kids Russellville
September 23-27 Prescribed Fire School Camp Robinson, North Little Rock
September 27 Forest Awareness Day Lake Wedington Sponsored by Ouachita Society of American Foresters Iberia Bank Ark. Environmental Education Assn.
October 1-3 THE 68th AFA Annual Meeting Embassy Suites, Little Rock
October 26 Central Arkansas Log A Load For Kids Sheridan
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n August 26, Sen. John Boozman (front left) took time during the August recess to tour AFA Board Member Gary Churchill’s (front right) Tree Farm in Dover and learn more about issues of importance to the state’s family forest owners. Participating in the tour were representatives from the Arkansas Forestry Association, Arkansas Forestry Commission, and Green Bay
Packaging, area Tree Farmers, the Churchill family, staff members from Sen. Boozman’s office and the County Judge’s office. A representative from U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton’s office, John Martin, toured pine-bluestem restoration areas with the U.S. Forest Service; and on August 30, he visited the AFA office.
Outdoor learning center grant available
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he AFA Education Foundation is accepting proposals for the 2013 Outdoor Learning Center Grant—one $1,000 grant for public or private schools in Arkansas to construct and implement an Outdoor Learning Center on campus. Grant funds may be used for any grade level, pre-school through college, as long as the applicant can show how an outdoor learning center can positively impact students and curriculum. Any educator may apply but preference will be given to those who have received training in Project Learning Tree. The grant application period runs through October 31. Grant guidelines and an application form are available online at arkforests. org/environmentaleducation.html or by calling Rob Beadel at (501) 374-2441.
Register TODAY for THE premier forestry networking and education event! THE 68th AFA Annual Meeting October 1-3 Embassy Suites, Little Rock arkforests.org/annualmeeting.html (501) 374-2441
Publications provide resources for landowners, forest managers
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FA maintains a supply of publications designed to help forest landowners and managers meet their objectives. Please contact the AFA office at (501) 374-2441 or info@arkforests.org to request these materials. Additional resources are available on the AFA website at arkforests.org/ forestmanagement.html. Arkansas Voluntary Smoke Management Guidelines provide information on when (not how) to conduct prescribed burns and how to manage smoke. Published by the Arkansas Forestry Commission and Arkansas Prescribed Fire Council. Arkansas Upland Hardwood Management Guide provides a basic overview of environmental and economic management considerations in the state’s upland hardwood region. Published by the AFA Education Foundation and Tree Farm System. My Healthy Woods is a handbook for family woodland owners in south Arkansas that addresses a variety of ecosystem and economic issues. Published by the Aldo Leopold Foundation and American Forest Foundation.
Sustainable Forestry Practices for Landowners provides an overview of Best Management Practices, wildlife habitat, aesthetics and forests of exceptional conservation value, among other topics. Published by International Paper. Estate Planning for Forest Landowners provides guidelines and assistance to forest owners and the legal, tax, financial, insurance, and forestry professionals who serve them on the application of estate planning techniques. Published by the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station.
Log A Load Day raises money, awareness
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n August 28, River Valley Log A Load For Kids volunteers at Southern Chips, Inc. and Green Bay Packaging served up more than 300 custom-ordered hamburger box lunches at the chip mill to benefit Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Thanks to everyone who made this event possible and the loggers who gave so generously. A similar event was held on August 29, at Bibler Bros. in Russellville.
Southern Chips, Inc.,-Green Bay Packaging Log A Load Day coordinators Donna Hoelzeman (front left) and Karen Sommers (front right) sold custom-ordered hamburger box lunches to loggers to raise money for Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Also pictured are River Valley Log A Load Chairman Allen Farley (back left) and AFA Communications Director Anna Swaim (back right).
‘FEDERAL’ continued from page 1 taxes, protection of wetlands and endangered species, and forestry activities. • Receiving capital gains treatment for the harvest of timber or sales of standing trees. • Deducting up to $10,000 of reforestation costs per stand, with the remainder amortized over 7 years. AFA is part of a large group of state and national forestry groups that sent a letter to members of the Senate urging them to recommend the three forestry tax provisions to the Senate Finance Committee. Chairman Max Baucus and Ranking Member Orrin Hatch—taking a “blank slate” approach to revamping the code—earlier asked their colleagues to provide feedback on specific provisions to keep, provided they meet three specific criteria: • Grows the economy and jobs • Makes the tax coder fairer • Serves important policy objectives While these two issues have been at the top of the priority list, they are not the only issues AFA is weighing in on. In fact, EPA’s Deferral Rule for biogenic carbon emissions under the Tailoring Rule has come to the forefront. AFA joined a large contingent of forestry organizations in a letter to EPA Director Gina McCarthy urging the agency to work closely with USDA in the its amendments to the tailoring rule, and to recognize the scientific findings that carbon emissions from biomass do not introduce new carbon into the existing natural carbon cycle. AFA has also reach out on Immigration reform and the continuing H-2B issue, and to ranking members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee offering to work with members to move forward on legislation to restore and maintain the health of our federal forests through active forest management.
ArborGen producing elite genetics for Arkansas forests
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rborGen’s Fred C. Gragg Nursery at Bluff City has been producing and distributing genetically superior Loblolly Pine seedlings for Arkansas’s future forests since the nursery was established by International Paper in 1980. The company’s product array now includes advanced, select and elite open-pollinated families as well as advanced, select and elite Mass Control Pollinated® seedlings and Varietal seedlings. “We have been seeing very impressive results from our higher genetic products and the word is getting out,” said Nursery Manager Bill Abernathy. “Our orchards’ people are working hard to increase supply of the mass control pollinated (MCP) and OP elite material suitable for Arkansas, east Texas and Louisiana. Landowners are realizing the value that these superior genetics bring and the demand is currently greater than the supply.” With appropriate silvicultural inputs, MCP® seedlings can produce volume gains of 60% to 80% over conventional seedlings with gains in straightness of 10% and sawtimber
potential of 77%. Varietal seedlings are genetically identical, resulting in even greater uniformity in a stand and volume gains of 85%, straightness gains of 11%, and sawtimber potential of 85% to 90%. “Large and small industrial owners, timber investment management organizations, consulting foresters and regular private forest landowners are seeing the values and returns that these superior genetics can generate and are switching to them in large numbers,” said Abernathy. “Landowners need to get their orders in now as supplies are limited on several products.” ArborGen also grows 15 species of oaks and 21 species of other hardwoods for timber production, wildlife, wetlands mitigation, and urban forestry programs. ArborGen Inc. Fred C. Gragg Nursery www.arborgen.com 186 Nevada 420 Bluff City, AR 71722 (800) 222-1270 Ext. 21 (870) 685-2825 Fax (870) 833-0428
Three-year-old Varietal seedling, near Camden, Ark.