Georgia forestry, Vol. 27, no. 1 (Mar. 1974)

eorg1 a
-.=ORE ST RV
"A tree means birds singing and squirrels crackin~ nuts.
A tree means sticky pine needles. A tree means beauty in a shady
forest."
r
By Bill Tanner See Page 3

Georgia Forestry

Mar. 1974

No.1 Vol.29

Jimmy Carter- Governor A. Ray Shirley- Director

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

Alexander Sessoms,

Cogdell

chairman

W. George Beasley

Lavonia

Hugh M. Dixon

Vidalia

L. H. Morgan

Eastman

H. E. Williams

Woodbine

STAFF

Frank E. Craven - Editor Thomas R. Fontaine, Jr.- Assoc . Editor Thomas B. Hall - Artist

DISTRICT OFFICES GEORGIA FORESTRY COMMISSION
COOSA VALLEY DISTRICT P. 0 . Box Z, Mount Berry 30149
NORTH GEORGIA DISTRICT Route 5, Box 83, Canton 30114
ATLANTA DISTRICT 7 Hunter St., S.W., Room 545, Atlanta 30334
CHATTAHOOCHEE FLINT P. 0. Box 1080, Newnan 30263
MCINTOSH TRAIL Route 7, Box 455, Griffin 30223
LOWER CHATTAHOOCHEE DISTRICT 6250 Warm Springs Road, Columbus 31904
MIDDLE FLINT DISTRICT
P. 0 . Box 1369, Americus 31730
COASTAL PLAIN DISTRICT Route 2, Ashburn 31714
SOUTHWEST GEORGIA DISTRICT Route 2, Box 215, Camilla 31730
GEORGIA SOUTHERN DISTRICT Route 2, Statesboro 30458
COASTAL DISTRICT P. 0. Box 113, Midway 31320
SLASH PINE DISTRICT Route 2, Box 127B, Waycross 31501
CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER DISTRICT Route 2, Box 266, Washington 30673
GEORGIA MOUNTAINS P. 0. Box 293, Oakwood 30566
NORTHEAST GEORGIA DISTRICT 650 College Station Road, Athens 30601
HEART OF GEORGIA DISTRICT P. 0. Box 96, McRae 31055
MIDDLE GEORGIA DISTRICT Columbus Road, Route 8, Macon 31206
OCONEE DISTRICT P. 0. Box 881, Milledgeville 31061
Georgia Forestry is published qual'terly by the Georgia Forestry CommiSsion, Box 819, Macon, Ga. 31202. The Georgia Forestry mailing address is Rt. 1, Box 85, Dry Branch, Ga . 31020.
Second class postage paid at Dry Branch, Ga.

CONTENTS

Arbor Day 1974...... ........................................ .. ........... ..... ........... ..... ................... 3

10-Year Reforestation Experiment To Demonstrate Increased Growth ................ 4

Main Street By The Blade Not The Blaze .................................................... ...... ... 5

District Forester Named

Lanier Countian SCL Forestry Project Winner ..... .. .......... ......... ............. ...... ... . 6

Georgia Extends Pulpwood Production Leadership.... .......................................... 7

Forestry Services Highlighted .... ... .... ........ ...... ...................................................... 8

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Cooperative Self-Supporting Program Initiated....................................... ............ .. 9

Forestry Faces and PI aces........ ...................... ...................................................... 10-11

Fire Fighting Techniques Tested On Mock Fires ................................................ . 12-13

Logging The Foresters.......................................................................... .... ....... .... 14-15

Cruising
the News

Congress Authorizes

Program For Forestry
..

Federal legislation has been passed providing for a forestry incentive program that would en

courage private landowners to plant trees and improve existing forest stands in order to help

meet the rising demand for forest products in the years ahead.

The program, labeled a Forestry Incentives Program, was contained in the Farm Bill which

the President signed into law recently. The incentives effort will be a cooperative program with

the Forest Service as the lead agency .

John McGuire, chief of the Forest Service, said his agency will work through the State Fores

try and other agencies in implementing the program. The Forest Service and the states already

have a number of cooperative programs which are working well.

McGuire pointed out that the latest National Timber Review made by the Forest Service

stressed that the best opportunity for increasing timber supplies to meet future demands at

acceptable prices was intensification of growth rates on the nearly 300 million acres of private,

non-industrial commercial forest lands. These lands comprise about 60 percent of the nation's

commercial forest land base.

Under the program, landowners will be encouraged both to plant trees on non-stocked land

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and to perform forestry practices to improve the condition of existing forest stands. The meas-

ures are part of a long term effort to insure an adequate supply of timber and other benefits from

the Nation 's forests in the years ahead.

The program has a cost-sharing feature under which the government will share the cost of

establishing plantations and other approved forestry practices with private landowners who meet

eligibility requirements. Details of approved practices and eligibility requirements are being worked out and will be specified in program guidelines.

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McGuire said a shrinking forest resource base and rising demand for forest products and relat-

ed benefits point to the need for more efficient management of the nation's forest lands. He pointed out that public forests are under increasing pressures to emphasize non-timber uses and

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that industry forests are producing at near capacity now. Thus, he said, the best opportunity to

meet the needs of increased timber supplies that will be needed in the future lies with small, pri-

vate landowners.

The forestry Incentives Program is designed to encourage private landowners to make invest-

ments in long term forestry practices that benefit the entire nation.

(From the Baxley News Banner)

Arbor Day
1974

Governor Jimmy Carter proclaims Arbor Day 7974. Witnessing the signing is Ray Shirley, director, Georgia Forestry Commission.
Bill Tanner , ten year old son of Mr . and Mrs . W. V. Tanner, Macon, has been named State winner in the "What A Tree Means To Me" essay contest.
Taking second place, statewide, was Valerie Nettles, ei ght year old daughter of Mr . and Mrs . Richard M. Nettles, Eastman. Third place was won by J im Halstead, ten year old son of Mr. and

Reviewing Bill Tanner's winning essay is Ray Shirley, director, Georgia Forestry Commission. Judges, 1-r, were Frank Crawford, executive vice president, State Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisors, Rockmart; Ms. James R. Jones, president elect, Macon Junior Woman's Club, Rev. David Davenport, Curate, Christ Episcopal Church, Joe Pahram, editor, The Macon News, all of Macon; and Ms. Clarence Dodson, conservation chairman, Garden Clubs of Georgia, Plains.

Mrs . Wade Halstead, Americus . Tanner is a fifth grade student at the
Walter P. Jones Elementary School, Nettles is in the third grade at the Eastman Elementary School. Halstead attends Southland Academy.
The State winner received a $100 Savings Bond for taking first place statewide . The second and third place winners received $50 and $25 Savings Bonds, respectively. In addition they were presented a plaque .
On the District level, first place win-

ners received a $25 Savings Bond and the second and third place winners received $10 and $5 cash awards . All county winners received a certificate and a packet of tree seedlings.
All prizes were awarded on Arbor Day, Feb. 15, 1974. In Georgia, Arbor Day is observed on the third Friday in February.
The contest, open to all third -fifth graders in Georgia, was co-sponsored by tfie Georgia Forestry Commissi on and the Georgia Forestry Associatio n. Ap proximately 100,000 youngsters entered an essay in the contest . Tanner's essay reads :
"A tree means birds singing and squirrels cracking nuts.
A tree means sticky pine needles. A tree means beauty in a shady forest."

Bill Tanner, 10, took first place, statewide, in the "What A Tree Means To Me" essay contest. He is the son of Mr. and Ms. W. V. Tanner. Listening to Bill explain about the "sticky" pine needles are, 1-r, W. V. Tanner, Bill, Ms. Tanner and Walter Jackson, ranger, Bibb-Monroe Forestry Unit.

Thousands of Georgia school children are raising their own slash pine tree seedlings.
On Arbor Day the Geo rgia Forestry Commission distributed 142,000 Arbor Day Seed Kits. Each kit contained a peat block, three slash pine seed and a set of instructions.
The kits were furnished by local banks, businesses, civic anrt garden clubs and other organizations. Forestry Commission field personnel assembled the kits for distribution .
3

10-Year

Reforestation

Experiment To Demonstrate

Increased

Growth
With the chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry planting the first seedling, Interstate Paper Corp. has begun a 10-year-long demonstration to dramatize the increased growth that can be obtained through modern reforestation methods .
Approximately 30 acres hLve been set aside at the Interstate complex at Riceboro for the experiment. Half of the area will demonstrate the results 4

Georgia Senator Herman E. Talmadge, center, chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, prepares to plant the first "super tree" seedling to launch Interstate Paper Corp.'s reforestation demonstr~tion. Assisting the Senator is Interstate President Howard D. Epstein, left and William J. Verross, right, vice president and general manager.

of reforestation through natural regeneration.
Senator Herman E. Talmadge, who heads the Senate Agriculture and Forestry Committee, helped to launch the project by dibbling in the f irst "super tree" slash pine seedling in the continuing demonstration.
Talmadge said the Interstate Paper forestry project will provide an "ongoing, living demonstration of the dramatic timber growth that can be achieved through proper management and modern technology ."
William J . Verross, vice president and general manager, Interstate Paper, said the 10-year demonstration was undertaken to help encourage greater production on Georgia's privately -owned forest lands by showing "the spectacu lar growth gains that are possible in much of south and coastal Georgia through modern forestry practices.
The forestry demonstration area lies on both sides of the access highway linking the Interstate mill with U.S. Highway 17 just south of Riceboro. The area is a natural woodland, typical of much of coastal Georgia , from which all commercial pine and hardwood timber recently was cut.

The area on the south side of the highway has been divided into 10 oneand -one-half acre experimental plots to be reforested one at a time over a 10year period . Each plot will be cleared of scrub trees and undergrowth, prepared with heavy bedding harrow equipment and planted in superior slash pine seed1ings grown by the Georgia Forestry Commission .
By contrast, the cut-over area to the north of the access highway will be left untouched during the 10-year period and allowed to reforest itself through natural regeneration.
"I am willing to predict now that by the time the 1Oth experimental plot is planted in 1983, the first plot we are planting this year will be ready for its first commercial thinning," Verross said. " "By giving nature a helping hand, a new forest can be brought into being in a relatively short time," Verross added . "Thus beauty is restored to the land, a protective habitat is provided for wildlife, and the land becomes productive for society and profitable for for the owner."
"We believe this is resource conserva tion at 1ts finest," Verross added.

The smoke is being taken out of urban development. A curl of smoke in an urban community is usually the first signal of a new subdivision, shopping center or new highway.
Recently, in Cobb County, a subdivision had its beginning, not by the blaze, but by the blade. Tree harvesters were systematically operated up and down designated streets removing timber of all shapes and sizes. Following the bite of razor sharp hydraulic shears, the full length trees were dragged to the "chip harvester", reducing the tree length stems to domino size chips.
Miller Davis, rresident, Woodland Chippers, Inc ., Smyrna, said by chipping up the trees you eliminate the smoke problem in cutting and burning, and, in cases where the trees are piled and left, you eliminate the problem of spreading insects and diseases.
Miller added that the chipper is capable of chipping approximately 2,500 board feet of timber per day. The machine will take trees up to 22 inches in diameter. The mobile chipper costs about $100,000 and approximately $8,000 per week to operate.
In the past the trees have gone up in smoke not to return; today, the trees may return in the form of bags and cartons or other paper products.

The chipper is capable of chipping about 2,500 board feet of timber per day. The machine will take trees up to 22 inches in diameter.

Trees are scissored to the ground, food for chips.
5

Nelson
District Forester Named

L. Garland Nelson

Ray Sh irley, director, Georgia Fares try Commission, has named L. Garland Nelson to the position of district fares ter for the Atlanta District. The district office is located in the State Agriculture Building in Atl anta.
The Atlanta District includes Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, South Fulton and Gwinnett Counties.
Nelson came with the Forestry Commission in March 1971 as a forest tech nician. He was promoted to forester in July 1972 with assignment in the Forestry Commission's Metro Forestry Pro gram .
The native of Fort Valley is a grad -

uate of the University of Georgia School of Forest Resources.
Prior to coming with the Forestry Commission , Nelson was branch manager, Home Fede ral Savings and Loan Association, Cumming. Nelson served in the U. S. Army Reserve from 195966.
Nelson and his wife, the former Mildred Anne Grahl, Macon, have two children, Matthew, six, and Anne, three. The family is a member of the Snellville United Method ist Church where Nelson is a member of the Administrative Board .

Wh ilden

Don Whilden of Stockton has been named the Georgia winner of the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad's Forestry

Lanier Countian SCL

Project Contest for FFA students. While a student at Lanier County High School, unde r the guidance of Vo Ag teacher

Forestry Proiect Winner

W. H. Keene, young Whilden planted

2,100 seedlings, site prepared for plant-

ing seedlings on three acres, controlled

scrub hardwoods on nine acres, thinned

two acres of trees and prun<!d three

acres. In addition, he prescri bed burned

seven acres, built two miles of fire

breaks, handled a contract to clear cut

55 acres, controlled insects on one acre

and gum farmed 7,500 trees.

As the Georgia win ner , Whilden was

given a trip, along with five other FFA

winners from the Southeast, to Cincin-

nati, Oh io. While in Cincinnati, he spoke

to a group of businessmen about his

Forestry project and received a plaque.

As an added treat, he was taken to see a

Cincinnati Bengals football game. From

here, he went to the National FFA Con-

vention held in Kansas City .

While in high school , this versatile

young man received FFA awards for

two years as having the outstanding livestock projects, two years for best re-

Checking the age of a pine tree, by use of an increment borer, is Don Whilden of Stockton. He is the State winner in the Forestry Projects contest sponsored for FFA

...

cord keeping and he had the Grand youth by the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad. Looking on is W. H. Keene, Whilden's

Champion steer and boar at the Fair .

Vo Ag teacher at Lanier County High School. Taking second place in the State was

He is now attending Valdosta Tech Andy Hull, Franklin; third place, Johnny Brown, Stockton; and fourth place, Ricky

and will enter Valdosta State College . Sirmans, Lakeland.

6

Georgia, for the 25th consecu tive year, led the South in pulpwood production . The 1972 product ion of 7,565,100 cords represents a fou r percent increase over the 1971 production , according to the report, Southern Pulpwood Production , 1972, rel eased by the Forest Service, U . S. Department of Agriculture.

Alabama was second with a produc tion of 6,991,800 cords of round pulp wood and residues.
Southern pulpwood production was 44,279,500 cords in 1972, a record high. The production amounted to a six percent increase over 1971 . The previous record high was in 1970. The record production accounted for ap proximately 67 percent of the nation's pulpwood supply.
Other southern states producing more than two million cords were Ar kansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Carolina , Texas and Virginia .
For the third consecutive year, the South's forests produced more than one billion dollars worth of pulpwood in 1972 according to the Southern Forest Institute, Atlanta.
The value of pulpwood harvested and delivered to the South's 112 pulp and paper mills was $1,106,987,500. Georgia's pulpwood harvest value was $189,1 27,500.
Pulpwood harvest values for other southern states were Ala., $174,795,000; Miss., $114,61 0,000; La., $103,441 ,500; N.C ., $102,655,000; S.C., $86,847,500; and Ark., $84,847,500.
Others were Fla., $84,832,500; Tex. , $83,077,500; Va., $55,165,000; Tenn., $15,847,500 ; and Okla., $11,740.000.

Georgia has nine of the 68 counties that produced over 100,000 cords each. Ware County led Georgia with a production of 189,898 cords of round pulpwood. This placed the South Georgia county fifth in the South behind Choctaw County, Ala.; McCutain County, Okla ., and Sabine and Venon Parishes, La .
The other Georgia counties were Appling, Atkinson, Brantley, Charlton, Clinch , Dodge, Liberty and Wayne .
Georgia was first in the output of wood residue with 1,561,500 cords. This is a 1.6 percent increase over 1971. Wood residue production in the South was more than 10.8 million cords, a seven percent increase over the previous year.
The daily pulping capacity for Georgia's 15 pulpmills was 14,233 tons per day. This is an increase of 345 tons per day for the reporting period.
The daily pulping capacity of the 109 southern mills totaled 88,124 tons, up one percent from 1971.
The report includes charts and graphs on the number of companies procuring wood, mill capacity, production increases and declines and detailed tables on all phases of production by state. Round hardwood and pine pulpwood production cordage is listed by state and county.
7

Disaster plan initiated, beetle evaluation made, successful forest protection year, forest survey completed and improved "super" tree seedling production up.
These highlights are depicted in the 1973 annual report of the Georgia Forestry Commission, Ray Shirley, director.
The Forest Disaster Control and Recovery Plan was initiated for the first time due to a tornado in Northeast Georgia. Southern pine beetle infestations were evaluated in 46 counties in central and north Georgi a in the Fall, 1972, and Spring, 1973. The Commission urged a salvage control program based on increased beetle activity.
Georgians experienced 8,642 wildfires averaging only 3.39 acres, the lowest on record . The 24,756 forest acres burned is the third lowest recorded.
Technical forestry assistance was provided 26,261 landowners, an increase of 12.5 percent. The Commission assisted the U. S . Forest Service in the Georgia Forest Resource Inventory which was completed.
In contrast to the 1961 inventory, major changes are more timber growing on less acreage, yearly average growth rate of nine -tenths of a cord per acre, 34 percent reduction in unproductive forest area and 21.4 percent needs some forest treatment to upgrade forest lands. Tree growth exceeds removal by 55 percent; the major increase in the northern half of the state. Forests cover 68 percent of the state's land area .
8

,_
experienced 8,642 wildfires 3.39 acres, the lowest on
Georgia landowners purchased 47.7 million tree seedlings, an increase of 13.4 percent. The "super" trees accounted for 70.6 percent of the production. The genetically improved tree seedlings, grown and shipped since 1964, total 141 million .
Through a wide variety of educational programs, the Forestry Commission strives to reach all Georgians with the importance of maintaining its forest resources in a multiple use condition.
Georgia's forest survey shows that the volume of growing timber exceeds annual harvest by 55 percent. Annual growth also exceeds removals by 55 percent.

A cooperative on the job volunteer training program is being conducted at the Stone Mountain Memorial Park to assist inmates in becoming se lf supporting.
The Georgia Forestry Commission, Georgia Department of Offender Rehabilitation and the Stone Mountain Authority are jointly participating in the tree service maintenance training.
Tommy Loggins, forester, Lawrenceville, heads the training program which is tied to the needs of the Park . Loggins said the program year is divided into four quarters. This enables the inmate to train three, six, nine or 12 months depending on the amount of time that he will be at the correction facility. After three months he is eligible to receive a certificate of accomplishment.
The purpose of the program, Loggins emphasized, is for the inmate to develop some proficiency in the required skills of a tree service operator in identifying and solving tree problems. The program includes planting, . tree identification, pruning, insect and disease control, fertilization , fill, construction, ice and wind damage and safety in the use of of insecticides, chain saws and climbing.
Loggins pointed out that following completion of the course, the Department of Labor assists in finding employment with parks, recreation facilities and tree service companies.

Fertilization and insect and disease control are two areas of training provided " in the development of skills in identifying and solving tree problems.
9

In Memoriam

Forestry Faces

~Henry E. Williams, Woodbine, was

1._

recently appointed to the Board of

Commissioners of the Georgia Forestry

Commission by Governor Jimmy Carter. He succeeds M. E. Garrison, Homer.
Williams, elected for a seven year term, is one of five commissioners who supervise the forestry program in Georgia. Other members of the Board are

Hugh M. Dixon, 57, Vidalia, a mem ber of the Georgia Forestry Commission

February 1966. During his eight year tenure, he chaired the body for three

Alexander Sessoms, chairman, Cogdell; W. George Beasley, Lavonia; Hugh M. Dixon, Vidalia; and L. H. Morgan, Eastman.

Board of Commissioners, is dead . Dixon had served on the Board since

consecutive one -year terms . Ray Shirley, Forestry Commission

Williams, manager, Wood Procure-

ment Division, Brunswick Pulp and Paper Company, has been with the com-

r

pany since 1951 . He was ranger of the

Camden County Forestry Unit of the

Georgia Forestry Commission from 1946-51 . Williams was with the Georgia Forest Products Company from 194042. There, he was a forest supervisor.

The University of Georgia Forestry

graduate se rved four years in the U. S.

Army during World War II. He was a

captain in the armored cavalry, serving

in the European Theatre .

L

Wi lliams was elected to and served

on the Camden County ASCS Committee for ten yea rs. He is a member of

the Georgia Forestry Association, Woodbine Lions Club, Masonic Lodge No. 326 and The American Legion Post No.

170.

Will iams is ma rr ied to the former Bebe Lang Colson of Woodbine . They have two sons, Henry, Jr., Woodbine ; and Joel, Hilton Head Island, S. C. Williams is a member of the Vestry of St. Marks Episcopal Church of Woodbine where he serves as its treasurer and a lay leader.

....A forest study team, representing the Environmental Studies Board, National Academy of Sciences, recently toured forested areas infected by the southern pine beetle and salvage operations in the Athens area. Dr. Richard Miller, chairman of the group, said that the field trip gave them the exposure needed to better understand intensive forest management and protection activities. The scientists were attending their annual meeting in Atlanta. Theron L. Devereaux, forester, Northeast Georgia District, provided the group with data on current salvage operations and background information on beetle activity.

10

And Places

Burke County

director, stated that Dixon's leadership was highly valued throughout his service . In his eight years of faithful service, Dixon's actions and guidance were always in the best interest of the people of Georgia and in the perpetuation of forestry. He gave unselfishly of his time and council in all areas of Forestry Commission service, Shirley added.
The former mayor of Vidalia was a lumberman and timberland owner . He was president of the Hugh Dixon Lumber Company . Dixon began his lumber career with the Foley Lumber Company of Perry, Fla. Before going into business for himself in Vidalia in 1945, he work ed for the Wilson-Cypress Lumber Company, Palatka, Fla. and the Putnam Lumber and Export Company, Cross City, Fla.
A native of Perry, Fla., Dixon was a director of the Georgia Forestry Association, past director of the Florida Lumber and Mill Association, member of the Southern Pine Association and the Georgia Advisory Committee, Southeastern Forest Fire Compact Commission.
The Board member had served as president of the First District Georgia Municipal Association and a member of the State Chamber of Commerce and the Vidalia Chamber of Commerce. In 1963 he was an area chairman for the Georgia Wood Council.
Dixon was a Rotarian, Mason, Shriner, Moose and Elk and a member of the Toombs County Sportsman's Club.
A member of the Administrative Board of the Vidalia United Methodist Church, Dixon is survived by his wife, Myrtice, and three children, Bobby R., Ronny A. and Windell H.
.... Secretary of Agriculture Earl L. Butz has announced the appointment of Douglass A. Craig as his representative on the Federal Regional Council, Atlanta. Craig has been serving as area director for the Southeastern Area, State and Private Forestry, U. S. Forest Service, Atlanta.
As the Secretary's representative, Craig will work with state and local

government personnel in the Region, provide Council leadership on rural de velopment work and coordinate the Department's disaster activities.
Craig will serve Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North and South Carolina and Tennessee.
.... There are 306,600 commerical forest acres in Burke County . This represents 57.6 percent of the land area.
Approximately 78 percent of the commercial forest acreage is privately owned. Industry owned forest acreage is about 21.6 percent.

The forest acreage has a growing volume of 259.3 million cubic feet. The annual cut is 8 .3 million cubic feet .
There are approximately 146,300 acres in need of site preparation and/or planting in Burke County . About 35 percent is oak-pine .
There were 92,827 cords of round pulpwood produced in the county in 1972. This is their highest production on record. Since 1946 production has totaled 610,179 cords of round pulpwood.
There are approximately nine woodusing industries in Burke County employing 76 persons with an annual pay roll of about $225,000. The products produced by the industries include pulpwood, chips, air dried lumber and container veneer.

.... E. A. Davenport, right, chief conservation forester, Union Camp, Savannah, con -
gratulates winners at the South Georgia 4-H Forestry Camp. High scorers on the written exam were, lr, Walter Simpson, Camden Co.; Shari Pippins, Dougherty Co.; Tony Tyson, Houston Co.; Tamara Gavin, Muscogee Co.; and Samuel Salph, Glynn
Co. The camp was held at Laura Walker State Park near Waycross. 11

battle against the "flames", and equip ment "breakdowns" plagued the fire
bosses. Emphasis was placed on the use of
the Forestry Commission's patrol craft and an A-26 bomber in detecting and suppressing forest fires. The planes, equipped with two-way r?dios and loud speakers, are also used for directing ground crews to the blaze and keeping them advised of any sudden change in fire direction. The A-26, fire retardant chemical bomber, is used on major fires over the state and on major fires in

I

member states of the Southeastern For est Fire Compact Commission.
James C. Turner, Jr. , chief and Curt is S. Barnes, assistant chief, Forest Protection Division, coordinated plans for the "dry run" exercises.
At Canton, the fire problem was held on a tract owned by Georgia Kraft Co. Tommy Mauldin, Jr . and Preston Fulmer, district foresters, Rome and Newnan, respectively, were the plans bosses. The service umpire for the three fire problems was James Moore, fire technical specialist, U. S. Forest Service, Atlanta .

The Milledgeville "fire" roared through the forests of Classic Properties, Inc . The plans bosses were Don Griner and Rowe Wall, district foresters, Wash ington and Columbus, respectively.
The Waycross State Forest was the site of the mock fire near Waycross . The duties of plans boss were filled by James Henson and Jer ry Lanier, district foresters , Waycross and Statesboro, re spectively.
Shirley termed the simulated opera tion "very successful" and excellent training for all personnel concerned.

I
I ~

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i

Fire Fightin The progress of the "fire" is plotted and the course of "action" planned at the
mobile headquarters.

! Techniques

The continuing efforts of the Geor gia Forestry Commission to provide Georgians with the best possible forest fire protection service is evident by the record 3 .39 acres burned per fire in 1972-73 fiscal year. In order to main tain and improve upon this record, three fire problems were held throughout Georgia this past Fall .
Mock fires "destroyed "approximate ly 6,000 acres of valuable forests during the fire fighting exercises. The mock fires "roared" through the forests near Canton, Milledgeville and Waycross .
Ray Shirley , director, Georgia Fores try Commission, pointed out that the primary purpose of the drills was to combine personnel into an efficient team to battle forest fires. In addition it provided training in the management of personnel and equi pment on large fires under critical fire weather condi

exercise sites from the Forestry Com mission's state headquarters at Macon. Technicians installed radio and field telephone systems to handle communi cations as . the imaginary fires built up into a roaring inferno. Portable water and electric systems went into opera tion, and a "tent" city was erected at the fire camp headquarters.
Personnel carried out their suppression actions utilizing telephone and ra dio communications in moving ground and air personnel and equipment from one location to another. Referees threw in obstacles to make the exercises more realistic. Men were "injured" in the

Tested on Mock Fires

..J.
iI ,

First aid knowledge is a must. A victim of carbon monoxide inhalation is treated at the first aid station.

Records Officers kept personnel on the move.

tions. Shirley noted that industry is often
called in to aid in combatting large fires. The Forestry Commission wanted to acquaint their personnel as well as its new employees with the complete operation employed by the state agency when a wildfire strikes, he added.
The three 24-hou r drills res ulted in the use of 249 f ire fighters and fire sup pressi on equipment from the county forestry units in the Forestry Commis

sion's 18 districts. A headquarters trailer, field kitchen
and supply un it was dis patched to the

The anemometer is mounted which pro vides wind data that is crucial to forest fire suppression. Up-to-date maps assist the fire boss in making decisions on the movement of personnel and equipment.
An up-to-date communications system provides direct contact between head quarters and field personnel.
13

LETTERS
TOUR
On behalf of the Forest Study Team of the Study on Problems of Pest Control and the National Academy of Sciences, I would like to express my appreciation for the help and cooperation of the Commission in setting up a tour for our committee.
A number of your employees provided interesting and informative commentary on the southern pine beetle outbreak and salvage operations, as well as establishing contacts with people from Georgia Kraft and the Georgia Pacific plywood mill in Monticello . In particular, I would like to thank Druid Preston, who helped to arrange the tour, Paul Butts, Frank Craven , Theron Devereaux , Rip Fontaine, John Hammond, Billy McComb and W. D . Millians.
The committee learned a great deal, and enjoyed the trip thoroughly.
Judith A . Hough Staff Officer
BEAUTIFICATION
The Macon-Bibb County Beautification Commission was established to preserve and enhance the natural beauty of the City of Macon and the County of Bibb .
Your recent contribution toward beautification bas come to our attention . At its last meeting, the Macon -Bibb County Beautification Commission passed a resolution commending the Georgia Forestry Commission for outstanding effort and achievement in the beautificat-ion of the Macon-Bibb County area, and does hereby express deep appreciation -to you on behalf of the community .
Macon -Bibb County Beautifi cation Commission Carolyn Crayton, President
CONFERENCE
I want to thank Mr. Stephen Sandfort for his contribution to the Tidewater Shade Tree Conference program. His presentation was excellent. He did a fine job , and it was well received .
John A . Weidhaas, Jr. Extension Spec., Entomology VPI , Blacksburg, Virginia
WORKSHOP
The Ecology Workshop held in Macon recently was a very successful one . As a participant, I found it to be very informative and interesting.
14

We appreciate the contribution wh ich was made by Chuck Place. He is a very capable person and added to the success of the workshop .
Thank you for the many ways your department helps the educators of our state.
Mrs. Martha M . Saunders Science Consultant Heart of Georgia School
System Eastman, Georgia
EDUCATION
I wish to compliment an employee of the Whitfield County Forestry Unit, Mr. Larry Stewart . He talked to my sixth grade science class recently . The children and I were very impressed with his enthusiasm, knowledge and interest in all areas of wildlife . We especially appreciated his help in obtaining (on his day off!) a mule skeleton which he had found while making a firebreak .
Thank you for making people like Mr. Stewart available to my school.
Mrs. Norma Gordon Pleasant Grove School Dalton, Georgia
Thanks to Mr. Robert Lazenby for his fine presentation to the teachers attending the Teachers, Environment, and Technology Institute at Georgia Southern College.
His presentation was well received by the attending teachers and the Institute staff . The presentation on the forest history of Georgia with a brief touch on the Georgia Forestry Commission and the Metro Program was well received and certainly added another dimension to the forestry part of the program.
Thanks for being with us and for a job well done.
E. A . Davenport, Jr. Chief Conservation Forester Union Camp Corporation Savannah, Georgia
I'm writing on behalf of all P.E.C.E . students that have worked at the Crisp County Forestry Unit. Thanks to Mr. Lawrence Tondee for the time and opportunity he has given us.
I like most the outdoors and the mechanic jobs this area offers. It really fascinated me that so many jobs were wrapped up in one .
Th is is the end of this year in P.E.C .E . and we hope to carry it on next year . We hope that next year 's P.E .C.E . students can visit the Unit and get the same great opportunities we did .
Mitch Alexander A . S. Clark School Cordele, Georgia

Logging The
R. Max Peterson, regional forester, U.S. Forest Service, Atlanta, is the new deputy chief for Programs and Legislation for the Forest Service, USDA, announced John McGuire, chief USFS. Peterson will be in charge of development and analysis of the long-range forestry and conservation programs of the Forest Service. Peterson succeeds Philip Thornton who has been named dep!JtY chief 1. for State and Private Forestry.
GOAL ACHIEVED ...CHARLES Con naughton, past president, Society of American Foresters, announced that the SAF had achieved its goal of $350,000 for the construction of a new national headquarters in Washington, D. C. Collections had reached $362,000 as of the first of the year . The new facility will be called the Gifford Pinchot Forestry Building. PIM ... DON Bridges, veteran Atlanta newsman, has joined the Southern Forest Institute as public information manager, according to Dr. Benton Box, executive vice-president, SFI. Bridges succeeds Jerry Psenka who has gone with Weyerhaeuser Co. in Hot Springs, Ark.
AWARDS .. .WALT Disney Production has a new statuette to add to its collection of Oscars, Emmys and other awards. Mal Hardy, director, Smokey Bear Campaign, announced that the 1974 "Golden Smokey" award is being made to the Disney organization for its dedication to public service and continuing support of the forest fire prevention campaign.

Foresters ...
Service Awards
30 YEARS
W. H. McComb............. Research and Training Analyst Macon, Ga. Dec. 1943
25 YEARS
Herbert G. Moore ........ Ranger Greensboro, Ga. Feb. 1950
Leon A. Ray ................. Ranger Swainsboro, Ga . Sept. 1951
Preston H. Rozier......... Patrolman Midway, Ga. Oct. 1948
20 YEARS
Benjamin C. Bagby ....... Patrolman Lawrenceville, Ga. Oct. 1953
Sam T. Gibbs................ Patrolman Quitman, Ga. Oct. 1953
Robert H. Lane ............. Ranger McDonough, Ga. Oct. 1953
Ms. Fay May ................. Towerwoman Jesup, Ga. Oct. 1953
Joseph S. Rozier.... ....... Patrolman Townsend, Ga. Nov. 1953
Walter F. Smith ............ Patrolman Greensboro, Ga. Oct. 1953
Ernest W. Spafford....... Towerman Douglas, Ga. Dec. 1953
Edward L. Wright.. ...... . Ranger Cumming, Ga. Nov. 1953

Fred Baker, coordinator, Rural Fire Defense Program, Georgia Forestry Commission, reports that through December 31, 1974 there were 287 units operating in 127 counties with 350 major pieces of equipment. There were 41 equipment requests pending.
The following table lists units established since July 1, 1973.

COUNTY

RURAL FIRE DEFENSE DEPARTMENTS JULY 1 -DECEMBER 31 1974

UNIT

COUNTY

UNIT

Bibb Brantley Chatham
Forsyth Franklin Haralson Jenkins

Kings Park Hoboken Bloomingdale Seven Fire District Forsyth Co. Fire Dept. Sandy Cross Corinth Jenkins Co . Fire Dept.

Laurens Peach Quitman Talbot Tift
Union Wayne

Dudley Byron Georgetown Geneva Omega Tift Co. Fire Dept. Suches Screven

RETIREMENTS...JACK R. BROWN, patrolman, Twiggs-Wilkinson Unit, Feb. 8, 1960-Nov. 1, 1973...THOMAS W. DEVANE, towerman, Quitman-StewartWebster-Randolph-Terrell Unit, June 6, 1960-Nov. 1, 1973... LEE ROY GREEN, patrolman, Berrien-Lanier-Lowndes Unit, Oct. 20, 1952-Nov. 1, 1973.
MEETINGS...COLUMBUS Shade Tree Conference, Columbus, Ga., Apr. 18... WARE County Forest Festival in conjunction with Waycross Centennial, Waycross, Ga., Apr . 30-May 1...SOUTHERN Forestry Conference of the Forest Far-

mers Association, Daytona Beach , Fla ., May 8-9 ...YOUTH Workshop, ABAC. Tifton, Ga., June 10...GEORGIA Forestry Association, Jekyll Island, Ga ., June 16-18.
MASTER RESCUE INSTRUCTORS... THREE Georgia Forestry Commission personnel have been certified as master rescue instructors by Major General Joel B. Paris, Ill , director, State Civil Defense. They are Donald C. Freyer, fores ter, Warner Robins; Sam M. Martin, forester, Gainesville ; and J. B. White, ranger, Summerville.

BOY SCOUTS...T APPI and the Boy Scouts of America have announced the establishment of a Pulp and Paper Merit Badge. The program was officially started at the TAPPI annual meeting in January. This endeavor will put the story of the pulp and paper industry before a potential audience of six million boys and their parents.

Georgia District of Kiwanis Governor William F. Grant, Elberton, presents past presidents plaque to Bill Millians, past president, Kiwanis Club of Milledgeville. The presentation was made at the Ninth Division Rally at Milledgeville. Millians is district forester for the Georgia Forestry Commission's Oconee District.
15

Georgia FORESTRY
March, 1974,
False Alarms Waste Fuel

SECOND-CLASS POSTAGE PAID AT DRY BRANCH, GA.

Notify Your Forestry Unit Before Burning