...for discerning weeders December, 2012
SOLON DIXON FIELD TRIP
Inside this issue:
Field Trip Pics
2
Spider Legend
3
Walk on the Wild 3 Side Unlikely Star
4
Help Wanted
5
Weed of the
6
Month Calendar
7
Book Review
7
Puzzles
7
12 Days
8
Vanilla
9
Last Word
10
DON’T FORGET! You have to log your hours onto the VMS system!
On November 15th, several Master Gardeners along with Larry and Sheila visited the Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center just south of Andalusia, Alabama. This Center is part of Auburn University’s forestry education and natural resources program and is also the site of many studies and research projects related to herbicides, fire, wildlife, and forest management. At one time the Dixon family owned 300,000 acres and 5 mills. Over two-thirds of the acreage was located in other countries such as Argentina and New Zealand. In 1978, Solon Dixon and his wife gifted $500,000 and 5300 acres to Auburn University. Thirty-five hundred acres are actual working forests, and other geologic features of the property include a large lime sinkhole, spring-fed creeks, upland pine and hardwood, bottomland hardwood, and cypress-tupelo swamps. Joel Martin, director of the Center, gave us a slide presentation then took us on a 1½-mile circular tour of the property. His family lives on this beautiful property along with a couple of other staff members. Joel explained that the Center is self-sustaining via the harvesting of timber, hunting leases, and user groups who can eat, sleep, and meet in the Center’s facilities. The Center logged 5600 user hours last year. The lime sinkhole was very interesting and presently contains water. Joel noted that it had not drained in the 6 or 7 seven years that he had been there, but others on property have witnessed the abrupt draining. So far only speculation surrounds the possible triggers that cause the water to drain. Many of us likened it to the dune lakes in south Walton County that abruptly break through and drain into the Gulf. Joel also told of how, coming from South 1
by C. Rose
Carolina, he looked forward to finding Indian arrowheads and other artifacts. But so far, all he has sifted out of the spring-fed creeks were sharks teeth! Most instructive was the information about how critical prescribed burns and the use of herbicides were to the health of the forest in general and the timber in particular. Timber is managed in 25-40 acre stands and harvested on a rotational basis, which requires much expertise on the part of the staff. Of particular interest was that the prescription for fire is determined by what you want to leave vs. what you want to eliminate. When speaking about the use and types of herbicides, Joel noted that he would rather walk under the spray of their herbicides than walk across a golf course 3 days after it had been treated. Longleaf and loblolly pines predominate the property, and we heard about the different requirements of each regarding thinning, burning, and harvesting. For me this was a very interesting and enjoyable field trip as it brought back memories of my Father and his conversations from years past. He was a forester in his early career and even traveled to Brazil to survey and cruise timber in the early 1950s, perhaps on property that belonged to the Dixon family (Joel thought Brazil may have been one of the countries where the Dixon family owned property). If you have an opportunity in the future to visit this beautiful property and Educational Center, take it! In the meantime, if you would like to read more about the important work being done at the Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center, please go to this link: http://sdfec.auburn.edu/ See some of the wonderful pictures on next page!