Georgia forestry, Vol. 29, no. 4 (Dec. 1976)

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Georgia Forestry

Dec. 1976 No.4 Vol. 29
George Busbee - Governor A. Ray Shirley - Director

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

H. E. Williams, chairman
Felton Denny Eley C. Frazer, Ill L. H. Morgan Robert Simpson, Ill

Woodbine
Carrollton Albany Eastman Lakeland

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 3022:;3
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 21 5, 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 quarterly 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
Forestry Commission Offers Master Fire Planning......................................................3 Southern Forest World Center Planned......................................................................:4 Landowner Conferences Highlight Forestry lssues.....................................................5 Soil Bank Plantations Have Growing Volume Of 14.5 Million Cords..........................6 Forest Resource Growth In Georgia Over The Past 40 Years .................................. .7-9 Forestry Faces And Places...................................................................................10-11 Foresters Hall Of Fame.............................................................................................12 Williams Named Board Chairman
Vo Tech Schools Aid RFD Program ....................................................................13 Logging The Foresters.........................................................................................14-15
Cruising
The News
The Value of Forestry
Georgia State University has completed a study that reveals that forestry contributes more than three billion dollars to the state's economy. That is a pretty big contribution.
The study, commissioned by the Georgia Forest Research Council, shows that $2.82 billion is generated in sales and services, with another $538 million from other jobs. Wages, salaries and dividends total $640.2 million, with ad valorem and other taxes totaling $177.7 million.
With this kind of impact, it is important what is done about the Monongahela issue that threatens to stop all timber cutting in national forests. So far the issue does not hit Georgia directly. It has hit Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina, and will very soon affect Georgia because of the impact on the industry in these neighboring states.
The Senate has a compromise bill, SB-3091, which is a compromise bill that Senator Herman Talmadge says is the best measure his committee on Agriculture and Forestry can pass. A substitute bill in the House, HR-15069, has the endorsement of virtually all forest interests, with support from business, consumer and labor groups.
One of the major additions of the House bill would require that National Forests be reforested, where necessary.
But, this issue must be resolved. If we can not preserve our forests in their medieval state, we can protect them by wide conservation measures. The solution is one of the compelling questions of the industry that is providing a livelihood for a big segment of our state.
(From the Carroll County Georgian)
Pine Beetle On Decline
Colquitt County seems to have been given a rather clean bill of health as far as pine forests are concerned.
The Georgia Forestry Commission has just completed a statewide insect and disease survey. It says the southern pine beetle spots have decreased by 2.470 since 1975 to 1,086 "infected" spots.
Pitch canker, a troublesome pine disease. is reported "light to moderate" in South Georgia. Of 483 plantations surveyed, only 18 percent showed any incidence of pitch canker, and on an average there was less than five percent incidence.
Colquitt County was not listed among eitlier of the higher "incidence rate" counties for pine beetle infestation or pitch canker.
It speaks well for forest care in this section of Georgia.
(From the Moultrie Observer)

Forestry Commission Offers

Master Fire Planning

Fire protection has been largely a

local responsibility . Each community

has a set of conditions unique to itself.

A system of fire protection that works

well for one community cannot be as-

sumed to work equally well for other

communities.

To be adequate, the fire protection

system must respond to local conditions,

especially changing conditions. Planning

is the key. Without local level planning,

the system of fire protection is apt to be

ill -suited to local needs and lag behind

the changing needs of the community.

The National Commission on Fire
. Prevention and Control, in 1972, recom-

mended that every local fire jurisdiction

prepare a master fire plan designed to

meet the community's present and fu-

ture needs in fire protection, to serve as

a basis for program budgeting and to

identify and implement the optimum

cost-benefit solutions in fire protection.

~

The Commission also recommends

that federal grants for equipment and

training be available only to those fire

jurisdictions that operate from a federal-

ly approved master fire plan for fire

protection.

The Georgia Forestry Commission

made a statewide survey to establish the

_.. availability of rural fire suppression

equipment. The survey revealed the need

for countywide master fire planning.

Based on this need, the Forestry Com-

has its costs such as property losses, deaths, injuries, hospital bills, lost tax revenues, plus the cost of maintaining fire departments, paying fire insurance premiums and providing built-in fire protection. Each community must decide on an appropriate level of investment in fire protection.
Master fire planning calls for a broad approach, considering changes in laws, codes, fire prevention, safety education and others.
In formulating a workable fire plan,

mission has instituted a program provid- the fire planner and local officials must

ing this service to requesting county take a realistic view of the entire area to

governments.

be protected. Consideration must be

Countywide master fire plans have given the geographical features, econo-

been completed for Dooly, Elbert, Har- my, industrial projection and popula-

alson and Upson Counties . Requests are tion of the county.

pending for six counties.

The fire planner must inventory all

The countywide master fire plan is a existing fire hazards within the study

positive guide directed toward coordinat- area. He should know their type of

ing county and commun ity efforts in structure as well as location. The water

providing adequate countywide rural supply must be adequate in case of an

fire protection services in minimizing emergency.

loss of life and property.

No fire protection organization is

Therefore , those persons that have better than its communications system.

assigned the responsibility of master fire Many rural communities depend on law

planning for countywide fire protection, enforcement officials to dispatch fire

must consider means of reducing fire suppression equipment, since they oper-

losses beyond mere fire suppression .

ate on a 24-hour basis.

Fire, both as a threat and a reality,

After the survey is completed, find-

ings are reviewed with local government officials, interested citizens and planning groups. Once the structural organization has been established, fire personnel must be trained to put the plan into action.
Once implemented, the master fire plan must contain provisions for continuing review. Detailed fire records must be maintained. Are losses proving to be acceptable? Could the resources be decreased or should they be increased? Should the fire codes receive further revision?
The Georgia constitution provides that counties and municipalities are authorized to establish and maintain adequate fire protection within their jurisdiction. Assistance with fire planning is available to any county in Georgia. However, the initial request must be made by the local county government.
For information on establishing a master fire plan for your county, contact your county forestry unit of the Georgia Forestry Commission. The Forestry Commission has personnel in each of its 18 districts available for master fire planning.
3

Southern Forest World Center Planned

Southern Forest World, Inc. at Waycross has asked for bids on a Center that will be devoted to the history as well as the present and future uses of eastern forests.
W. J. Barton, manager, Savannah Woodlands Region, Union Camp Corp. and president of Southern Forest World, said the two-story facility will encompass 7,200 square feet, and will cost approximately $200,000 to build. The new building will be located at the Okefenokee Heritage Center in Winona Park. An announcement on ground breaking ceremonies will be made in the neat future, Barton added .
The building will be of aesthetic and appropriate design utilizing exposed beams, board and batten, and cedar and shingle roof. It will be constructed primarily of forest products to illustrate 4 the wide range of materials available on

the market today. Funds toward the Center's construction were made available through a grant of $185,000 from the Coastal Plains Regional Commission through the Southeast Georgia Area Planning and Development Commission.
There will be exhibits designed to depict the evolution of the wood-using industry in Georgia's natural heri.tage as it evolved in relation to the historical development of our state during exploration, settlement, rural ization, early industrialization and now urbanization and the space age.
The newest techniques in the forest industry will be depicted through dynamic working models and demonstrations. This will include the life cycle of the tree, the grafting process, an explanation of the complete root system and the role of the tree in today's environ-

ment. Interesting scientific facts and figures Ol] the forest industry will be illustrated.
The full story of the astoundingly large number of products which come from the forests will be told. Information on the history and development of forest fire control and forest management innovations will be cited. Innovative educational methods of instruction will be utilized.
Barton pointed out that the Center will tell the story of what the tree means to us in terms of historical, natural as well as economic benefits.
The officers of Southern Forest World, Inc. are Barton, president; John S. Laws, president, Filtered Rosin Products, Baxley, vice president; Mrs. S. William Clark, president, Okefenokee Heritage Center, secretary; and William S. Bazemore, president, First National Bank, Waycross, treasurer.
The executive committee includes the officers and B.E. Allen, corporate land agent, Union Camp Corp., Savannah; James G. Fendig, manager, Gilman Paper Co., St. Marys; Harold Gowen, landowner, Folkston; and Ray Shirley, director, Georgia Forestry Commission, Macon.

The Georgia Chapter, Society of American Foresters, has installed John W. Cooper, Atlanta, into its Foresters Hall of Fame. Cooper, who is ill, was not able to attend the Chapter's annual meeting.
The plaque was accepted by Mrs. Cooper on behalf of her husband. Curtis S. Barnes, Macon, Chairman of the selection committee, presented the plaque. Also taking part in the ceremony was Eley C. Frazer, Ill of AI bany, who is chairman of the Georgia Chapter, SAF .
Cooper's induction brings to 21 the number of foresters in the Foresters Hall of Fame. His name will be inscribed on a permanent plaque displayed at the

Eley C. Frazer, Ill, chairman Georgia Chapter, SAF
Mrs. John W. Cooper, Recipient
Curtis S. Barnes, chairman, Hall of Fame Committee

School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia , Athens . Barnes sa id that the "Hall of Fame" provides a means of honoring those persons who have been responsible for the outstanding success of the fo restry program in Georgia .
Cooper, a native of Athens, Georgia, graduated from the School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia with a BS degree in Forestry .
Following graduation, he was employed by the CCC's and in 1935 was employed by the U.S. Forest Service as District Ranger on the Nantahala Na tional Forest in North Carolina, and later on the Cherokee National Forest. He also worked on the Ocala National Forest in Florida .
While in Ocala, he was instrumental in stopping a serious forest fire problem that existed and pushed reforestation in all areas of the South .
From 1943-45, Cooper served in the U. S. Navy where he rose to the rank of Lt. Commander.
After World War II, he worked for the Southern Experiment Station in New Orleans, on a timber industry survey and later transferred to the U.S. Forest Ser-

vice Regional Office in Atlanta as a Forest Fire Control specialist where he initiated many new practices in containing forest fires in the South.
He later served as assistant supervisor of the Mississippi National Forest and then became the Supervisor of the Naval Stores Conservation Program. In the five Southern States of the naval stores belt, South Carolina to Mississippi, he materially increased the effectiveness of the conservation program.
Coope r moved on as Supervisor of the Texas National Forests and then transferred back to Atlanta to the Division of Information and Education until he retired on June 23, 1972.
He was a member of many civic and professional organizations, rising to posit ions of leadership in these organizations. He was also very active in the Presbyterian Church .
He was an enthusiastic supporter of the School of Forest Resources and helped strengthen the School through his efforts .
He gave much of his time in helping young foresters and students progress in their chosen profession.

Soil Bank Plantations Have GroY~ing Volume of 14.5 Million Cords

Georgia's 1956-60 conservation re-

serve soil bank pine plantations have a

growing volume of 14_5 million cords,

according to a cooperative study by the

Georgia Forestry Commission with the

U. S. Forest Service and the Agricultural

Stabilization and Conservation Service

completed in August. Ray Shirley, Forestry Commission di-
rector, stated that the present growing stock is on 83 percent of the 693,499 acres planted in Georgia under the soil bank program. The 562,000 acres is growing approximately 25.78 cords per acre .
Of the remaining 17 percent, 14.5 percent has been harvested, and is not restocked at the present time. Another 1.1 percent was converted back to agriculture. Urban or other development constituted approximately one percent.
Georgia was the nation's leader in acreage planted . There were 1,926,628 acres planted throughout the United States. Slash and loblolly pine represented 71 and 29 percent of the acreage planted in Georgia. More than 80 percent of the soil bank plantations are located in the piedmont and coastal plain regions of the state.
With an average of approximately six cords per .acre already harvested, the average cubic foot production per acre per year has been over 150 cubic feet .
Shirley noted that the present stumpage value for the plantations is over

average 18-year old soil bank plantation is about $60 per acre.
In North Georgia, prices range from
$5 to $8 per cord and $35 to $60 per thousand board feet. The price spread in Middle Georgia is $7 to $18 per cord and $40 to $90 per thousand board feet. South Georgia has the highest price range, $15 to $30 per cord and $75 to $120 per thousand board feet.
The study results also show that most of the plantations are overdue for at least a precommercial thinning, and it is likely that a majority of the stands will reach sawtimber size, Shirley added. He pointed out that the average plantation is approaching sawtimber size, and will probably continue to produce an average of $30 worth of wood per acre per year .
The purpose of the cooperative study was to determine the current status of the soil bank plantations regarding acreage, volume harvested and growing stock. The collected data included plantation location, growing volume, volume removed, stand condition, species, area converted to other uses and age.

$400 per acre. This is based on a state-

wide average value of $15 per cord and

$80 per thousand board feet for saw-

timber . The study revealed, with an es-

timated average value of $400 per acre,

6 that the net worth accrued to date on an

greater than the annual drain. Round

pulpwood production in the state was

approximately one-half million cords.

Th is timber was being produced on

small ownerships which comprised 11.5

mill ion acres .

Our latest survey, in 1971, illustrates

the shift of population from our rural to

urban areas. Farmer-owned forest acre-

age had declined to 8.4 million forest

acres even though the commercial forest

acreage had increased more than 16 per-

cent to 24.8 million acres.

However, in the 35-year interim, tim-

ber volume had increased 59 percent to

28 billion cubic feet. Annual growth had

more than doubled, and exceeded an-

nual drain by 55 percent.

The annual growth of sawtimber had

reached 5.2 billion board feet in 1971,

double the 1936 growth rate. Growth

was exceeding drain by 41 percent in

1971. Round pulpwood production, in-

cluding residues, was 7.2 million cords

at the completion of the latest survey,

and has since grown to 8.1 mill ion cords.

It was only 50 years ago that the

State's legislature created a State Fores-

try Board that today we know as the

Georgia Forestry Commission. Founded

on a need for forest fire protection and

reforestation, our objectives now include

programs designed to conserve, perpe-

tuate and increase the forest resources

of the State and the resultant benefits

to the people.

The landowner timber protection

organization was the backbone of states'

forest protection efforts. By 1933, there

were 87 TPOs scattered throughout the

State covering more than seven million

acres.

Through a nursery agreement with

It is clear that we are growing and harvesting more timber today than ever before . Of the trees being harvested, 80-85 percent have been grown in the past 30-35 years. In spite of cutting about 30 billion cubic feet of timber during the period, Georgia has more than 59 percent more timber. In addition, we are growing about 55 percent more timber than we are harvesting each year .
The approximate one cord of wood per acre, that our Georgia landowners are growing, is the largest growth per acre in the South and probably in the

We hear much about the depletion of our natural resources and the deterioration of our forest lands. Let's look at the facts over the past 35 years.
The first nat ionwide forest inventory was completed in 1936. Subsequent surveys were conducted in 1951, 1961 and 1971 .
Georgia's 1936 forest condition showed us with a volume of 17.5 billion cubic feet of timber growing on 21.3 million acres of commercial forest land. The annual growth rate of four tenths of a cord per acre, and annual growth was

the University of Georgia School of Forestry, 400,000 tree seed! ings were grown and sold to landowners in 1929.
In 1932, the Herty Tree Nursery was established at Albany: Davisboro in 1948; and the Morgan at Byron and Page-Walker at Reidsville in the 1950's. State nurseries have produced 2.2 billion trees since 1929.
The first rad ios were used by the department in 1933. This innovation was spearheaded by the late William Oettmier, forester and manager of the Suwanee Forest in Cl inch and Echols

Nation. However, Georgia's forest acre- exceeding drain by 239 m ill ion cubic Counties.

age is capable of producing double the present growth over the next 35 years,

feet . The net annual sawtimber growth

The CCC st imulated interest in the TPOs since only forest lands in the

if the incentive is there to do it.

was 2 .5 billion board feet or 51 percent TPOs were eligible for CCC work. More 7

than 22,000 miles of firebreaks and truck trails were constructed by the end of 1936 by CCC crews. They also provided many other forest services to landowners.
In 1939, the General Assembly approved a constitutional amendment authorizing counties to levy a tax for forest fire protection.
A first in forest management assistance to small landowners in the U. S. began in 1940 with the first forest management plan which was prepared for E. C. Fancher of Pearson, Georgia . This was a cooperative state-federal program.
In 1943, a law was passed that any person convicted of willfully and maliciously setting fires is guilty of a felGeorgia's timber is growing at the rate of approximately one cord per acre per year.
There are 411 rural fire defense departments located in 141 counties in Georgia. These departments have 524 pieces ofequipment including 239 slip-on-tank units, fire knockers.
8

ony. Air patrol became a part of fire detection in 1945.
In 1945, the federal tax laws placed forests under the capital gains category. This was a tremendous factor in the increased emphasis on growing trees and developing forest properties for maximum yields.
The Georgia Forestry Commission forest fire protection act was passed by the 1949 General Assembly . This act established the Commission authority for statewide fire control in cooperation with the counties. At this time, there were 8.8 million acres under protection in 43 counties with the counties and TPOs bearing 60 percent and state and federal, 40 percent of the forest protec-

tion budget. The cooperative forest management
act of 1950 provided the impetus for our in-the-woods examination, analysis and recommendations concerning all needs of a landowner. In the 1975-76 calendar year, forest management advice and assistance was given to almost 55,000 landowners.
Georgia took an active part in forming the Southeastern Forest Fire Compact in 1953. The same year, the Georgia Forest Research Council was created to investigate and coordinate forest research in the state.
The federal Soil Bank Program began in 1957. With 700,000 acres of farm
.. land removed from row crop production
and planted in trees, Georgia planted 30 percent of the U. S. acreage. The state tree nurseries grew 325 million trees in 1960, the largest ever in any state. Forest protection took on a new dimension. A fire weather forecasting service and statewide air patrol was adopted in 1958;
Forest fire protection was expanded statewide in 1967 with over 24 million acres under protection with a uniform annual county assessment of four cents per forest acre of privately owned lands in each county.
Forest management was expanded to urban areas in 1967 with the initiation of an urban forestry program, also a first in the nation. The following year, a far reaching self-help community service program was developed, the Rural Fire Defense Program. It was made possible through the Clark-McNary Act of 1924 and the Federal Property and Services Act of 1949. The Rural Community Development Act, sponsored by Senator Herman Talmadge, has helped expand the program. There are 141 counties and 411 fire departments in the program with 524 pieces of equipment.
The 1970's have seen the development of a forest disaster control and recovery plan which the Georgia Forestry Association helped implement. A forest insect and disease control law was enacted in 1974 which places the state in a position to combat insect and disease much as we do fire . In 1961-63, a south- i ern pirie beetle epidemic was successfully brought under control in North and Middle Georgia by the Commission.
Federal matching funds were obtained. Another southern pine beetle epidemic was experienced in North, Middle Geor-

More than 8. 1 million cords of round pulpwood and residues were produced in Georgia in 1974.
Through the Georgia Forestry Commission's tree improvement program, more than 211 million improved loblolly and slash pine tree seedlings have been produced since 1964.
gia and Southeast Georgia. This attack was brought under control, but damage was much more severe; however, it now has been reduced to manageable levels.
Naval stores producer's assistance was added to our service program in 1973. Georgia is the leading gum naval stores producer, with 90 percent of the nation's supply.
In the past 45 years, Georgians have planted more than four million acres in

trees. This, as a supplemental to natural reproduction, has provided the raw material that enticed wood-using industries
to locate in the state. The first pulpmill was built in Savannah and began operation in 1936. Another was built in Brunswick in 1938. The number increased to seven by 1950, and 15 by 1968. Their pulping capacity exceeds 15,119 tons per d~y. In 1974, more than 8.1 million cords of round pulpwood and residues was produced in the state. Georgia has led the south in pulpwood production for the last 27 years.
The number of sawmills has declined from approximately 3,000 in 1952 to
281 in 1975. However, we are manufacturing more and better lumber than ever before. In 1974, Georgia's woodusing industries processed 1.7 billion board feet of round timber excluding pulpwood. Plywood, veneer, treating plants, naval stores and other timber industries are important to the state's forest economy.
Georgia's tree improvement program, initiated in 1954, is providing the state's landowners a faster growing tree. The nation's first certified pine cones came in 1961 followed by the production of 600,000improvedtree seedlings in 1964 also a first. Since 1964, more than 211 million improved loblolly and slash pine tree seedlings have been grown. This year, all loblolly and slash pine seedlings will be super trees.
Ad valorem taxes are assessed to produce revenue at the county and city levels of government. Taxes should be maintained at a level in keeping with investment and returns.
All concerns, industry, transportation, government and landowners need to seek a middle ground in the harvest and selling of timber that will provide forest resources needed in the future for industry, game and wildlife and areas for recreation.
The nation's need for timber will be greater in future years and we will have the potential to meet that need.
We are grateful to the landowners, industry and public officials who have brought forestry where it is today in Georgia, and with their continued support, we can meet the timber needs for the future.

There are 24.8 million commercial for-

est acres in Georgia.

9

Cherokee County
.....There are 219,900 commercial forest acres in Cherokee County. This represents 81 .5 percent of the land area.
Approximately 75.5 percent of the commercial forest acreage is privately owned. Industry owned forest acreage comprises 20.1 percent.
The forest acreage has a growing volume of 170.5 million cubic feet. The annual cut is 8.9 million cubic feet, and the annual growth is 9.5 million cubic feet.
There were 34,018 cords of round pulpwood produced in the county in 1974. The highest production, 53,964 cords, occurred in 1971. Since 1946, production has totaled 598,670 cords of round pulpwood.
There are approximately 21 wood using industries in Cherokee County employing 183 persons with an annual payroll of $1,115,568. The products produced by the industries include rough and dressed lumber, pulpwood and chips.

boro, Ga., the official U.S. government "Horizons on Display" award.
The Bicentennial Award -- a certificate of recognition and a Bicentennial Flag -- was presented to William J. Verross, vice president and general manager of Interstate/Riceboro by Senator Nunn in ceremonies attended by company employees, relatives and Coastal Georgia friends.
Interstate Paper was the only pulp and paper industry among the 200 "Horizons on Display" recipients -- and only one of seven commercial enterprises selected by the program. Sponsors of the project, the American Revolution Bicentenni'!l Administration and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, chose Interstate for its economic and environmental contributions to Coastal Georgia. The pulp and paper mill provided needed jobs to an area of high unemployment, and at the same

Forestry Faces
time, met stringent water quality standards .
The "Horizons" award cited Interstate Paper for its "advanced waste treatment system which has preserved the quality of coastal waters below the mill, thus protecting fish and other marine Iife and the recreational appeal of the area ."
Commenting on Interstate Paper's economic influence in Coastal Georgia, Senator Nunn said, "As we celebrate our nation's 200th birthday, there is no more meaningful challenge than to meet



...... Georgia Senator Sam Nunn, right, has 10 presented Interstate Paper Corp. of Rice-

....Jack E. Vickers, center, ranger, Irwin County Forestry Unit, has been awarded a cash payment from the State of Georgia for his suggestion to prevent the theft of ,_ State vehicles.
Vickers' suggestion, involving an outlay of only one dollar plus installation, concerns the grounding of all electrical current to the vehicle's distributor by means of a hidden switch.
The award was made by the State Merit System's Employee Suggestion Program, and was presented by Julian Reeves, left, coordinator of Forestry Programs, Georgia Forestry Commission, Atlanta. Also taking part in the ceremony was Vicker's supervisor, James Tidwell, Ashburn District forester .
Tidwell said this was the third suggestion made by Vickers and adopted by the State. The other awards dealt with backup lighting systems on tractors and trailers.

And Places
the balance between the economic and environmental needs of our nation."

..... The Thomasville County Forestry Unit of the Georgia Forestry Commission has been recognized by Thomasville Landmarks, Inc. Ms. Marguerite Williams, president, Thomasville Landmarks, Inc., presented a certificate of commendation to Wyman W. Lastinger, ranger, Thomas County Forestry Unit. The certificate reads, "for significant contribution to the continuance of historic and aesthetic character and quality of Thomas County Georgia .

.... Some 55 Whitfield County school

children have gained knowledge about

America's natural resources through par-

ticipation in the summer Smokey Bear

Reading Club. The Club was co-sponsor-

ed by the Dalton Junior Woman's Club,

the Dalton Regional Library and the

Georgia Forestry Commission .

Two young girls read the most books.

Left to right, Laurel Asperger, 8-year

old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dan

Asperger, Dalton, read 30 books and

Tracie Cordell, 10-year old daughter of

Mr . and Mrs. Charles Cordell, Dalton,

read 35 books.

All the children had to read at least 10 conservation books. "Smokey Bear" was on hand for graduation ceremonies and passed out certificates to the youngsters.

transferred to Atlanta from San Francisco, where he served as Deputy Regional Forester for State and Private Forestry in the Forest Service's California Region.
Forest Service Chief John R. McGuire

..... Pam Bellamy, 16, Stockbridge, is the first entry for the 1977 Miss Georgia Forestry trtle. The Henry County forestry queen will compete for the title at the Georgia Forestry Association annual

..... John A. Vance has been named Di- said Vance will administer a wide range meeting at Jekyll Island, June 12-14,

rector of the Southeastern Area for State of cooperative programs for the plan- 1977.

and Private Forestry, U. S. Forest Ser- ning, protection, development, and man -

Miss Bellamy is the daughter of Mr.

vice, Atlanta.

agement of State and private lands in and Mrs. C. W. Bellamy.

Vance succeeds Sidney Weitzman, the 13 Southeastern States, Puerto Rico,

The current Miss Georgia Forestry is

who retired in July. The new Director and the Virgin Islands .

Paula Clark of Folkston.

11

Landowner Conferences Highlight Forestry Issues

A series of 20 forest landowner conferences are being held throughout Georgia. The conferences are sponsored by the Georgia Forestry Association and cosponsored by the Georgia Forestry Commission, Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Soil Conservation Service, Georgia Farm Bureau, Georgia Cooperative Extension Service and the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service.
The statewide conferences are open to the public, and there is no charge . All meetings begin at nine a.m . and con clude at twelve noon.
Ben Meadows, president, Georgia Forestry Association, said the conferences highlight forestry issues facing today's woodland owner. Forestry leaders from industry and state and federal agencies

direct remarks to the various aspects of timber management including planting, harvesting, marketing and taxes, Meadows added.
The speakers and their subjects are Meadows, "Issues and Problems Facing Forestry"; Bill Miller, Georgia Operations Superintendent, Southeast Timber Division, ITT Rayon ier, Jesup, "Markets
For Your Timber and Outlook For Best Income"; and C. Nelson Brightwell, head, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Georgia , Athens, "Timber Sales and The Federal Income Tax".
Others are W. P. Thompson, forester, Soil Conservation Service, Athens, "Con-

servation Forest Planning"; Roy D. Cates, chief, Conservation Division, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, Athens, "Cost-Sharing For the Forest Landowner"; Druid Preston, chief, Forest Management Division, Georgia Forestry Commission, Macon, "Getting Planting and Timber Stand Improvement Work Done"; and Adron Harden, legislative director, Georgia Farm Bureau Federation, Macon, "Ad Valorem Taxes".
Meadows pointed out that the meetings are being held by Area Planning and Development Commission Districts. The locations and dates of the landowner conferences from January through May are: Atlanta Region, Atlanta, Jan. 5; Mcintosh Trail, Griffin, Jan. 6; Chattahoochee Flint, LaGrange, Feb. 8; Middle Georgia, Macon, Feb. 9; AltamahaGeorgia Southern, Reidsville, Mar. 15; Coastal, Hinesville, Mar. 16 and Brunswick, Mar. 17; Coastal Plain, Tifton, Apr. 12; Slash Pine, Waycross, Apr. 13; Oconee, Milledgeville, Apr. 14; Coosa Valley, Rome, May 10; North Georgia, Jasper, May 11; and Georgia Mountains, Cleveland, May 12.
The initial landowner conferences were held in the Heart of Georgia, Northeast Georgia, Lower Chattahoochee, Middle Flint, Southwest Georgia and Central Savannah River Area and Planning and Development Commission Districts.

Williams Named Board Chairman

Henry E. Williams, Woodbine, has been elected chairman of the Georgia Forestry Commission Board of Com missioners. He succeeds L. H. "Luke" Morgan, Eastman.
Williams stated that forestry has been and is an important part of Georgia's economy. And, as such, he will work for :the best possible forestry program for the timberland owners and people of Georgia.
The new chairman, who has been on the Board since 1974, is one of five commissioners who supervise the fares try program in Georgia. Other members are Felton Denney, Carrollton; Eley C. Frazer, Ill, Albany; L. H. Morgan, East man; and Robert Simpson, Ill, Lake land.
Vo- Tech

Williams, a Wood Procurement Division Manager, Brunswick Pulp and Pa per Company, has been with the company 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 was elected to and served on the Camden County ASCS Committee for ten years. He is a member of the Georgia Forestry Association, Woodbine Lions Club, Masonic Lodge No . 326 and the American Legion Post No. 170.
Williams is married to the former Bebe Land Colson of Woodbine. They have two sons, Henry, Jr., engineer,

RAMCO, Saudi Arabia; and Joel, employed with W. R. Bean and Son, Inc., Atlanta. Williams is a member of the Vestry of St. Marks Episcopal Church of Woodbine where he serves as its treasur er and a lay leader .

Schools

Aid

RFD

Program

Thanks to the combined efforts of Walker County Tech and the Georgia Forestry Commission, 18 Georgia com munities had fire protection at the end of the 1976 fiscal year in June.
In an effort to upgrade its Rural Fire Defense program, the Commission began in 1975 a new phase of its RFD program with the production of a 950gallon slip-on-tank unit mounted on a truck dubbed the Fire Knocker.
There were 18 vocational technical schools that began manufacturing the 950-gallon tanks in August 1975. They had constructed and issued 66 tanks at the end of June 1976. The Comm ission picked up the completed tanks and delivered them to various county forestry units where they were put on trucks and the plumbing installed.
According to Roy Derryberry, director of Walker Tech and Frank Smith,

welding instructor at the school, some 31 tanks had been built by the school as of June 1976.
Smith said that each quarter, some 18-20 students are taught welding and the Fire Knocker tanks present a wonderful opportunity to teach the students welding techniques.
Smith added that the school has the very latest in shop equipment and is equipped to handle about any job requ ired by potential employers. The school has been very successful in plac-

ing its graduates, many of whom are

veterans.

According to Ray Sh irley, director,

Georgia Forestry Comm ission, during

the 1976 fiscal year, rural fire defense

personnel suppressed or assisted in the

suppression of 5,876 fires. There were

3,142 fires involving structures and

equipment. The efforts of RFD Volun -

teers resulted in the savings of property

valued at more than $26.5 million.

There were 187 Fire Knockers in service

across the state, Shirley said.

13

FIELD TRIP
The 66 students that accompanied Dr. Walterscheidt and I on the southern field trip were somewhat awed by what they saw and heard in Atlanta. They all extend a hearty thank you to Steve Sandfort and his associates for their efforts in communicating and demonstrating the scope of urban forestry problems and opportunities in the southern United States.

If one of your objectives was to interest our students in the field of urban forestry , you succeeded . I know of at least two students who have chosen to concentrate their final year at M .S.U . in the area of urban forestry .

Robert S. Manthy Professor Dept. of Forestry Michigan State University
"SMOKEY BEAR"
Charles Collins, Pickens County Forest Ranger in Jasper, accompanied by Charles Padgett, made a big hit as they introduced "Smokey the Bear" to one hundred children at the Pickens County Head Start Child Development Center near Tate recently .

Under the Smokey suit was none other than a regular Head Start employee, Tim Duncan , who is a great friend to the boys and girls as he works at the center.

Litter bags and books were distributed to the pupils and staff as Smokey shook hands with some and gave bear hugs to others. The classic book, Ask Mr. Bear, was used as a follow up activity .

The staff, children and parents are grateful to Mr. Collins and the Georgia Forestry unit for adding this learning experience to the Head Start curriculum.

Mrs. Betty H. Walker Director Pickens County Head Start Child Development Center Jasper, Ga .
EDUCATION
As coordinator of PATE, I must say thank you for Chuck Place and Stave Sandfort. The Forestry Commission , through these men, made a fine contribution to our course.

I am enclosing a schedule, plus a list of instructors and the flyer we sent to all schools in the State of Georgia. Through these you can see how much the Forestry Commission did for these teachers. Since we are there five days and nights, the teachers keep our faculty busy nearly 24 hours, with questions, hikes and identifications.

Mrs. J. E. Bixler

The Garden Club of Georgia

14

Tucker, Ga.

Thank you for allowing Chuck Place to participate as an instructor in my class this summer. The feedback from the students-was all favorable.
I realize how difficult it is for the Commission to release individuals for special programs, but I feel that this particular program is well worth it because of the children the the teachers will reach . For the past two years, 60 teachers have been exposed to foresters such as Chuck, Armand Cote, Steve Sandfort and Bruce Hawkins in my course. If you multiply this factor by 30 children, you can see that a minimum 1,800 children have been introduced to environmental education and forestry.
I would predict that we could almost double this number because of the teachers working with other teachers in their schools. I hope that we can continue this association in the future.
Dr. Louis A. Gardner Associate Professor Science Education Georgia State University
Fl RE SUPPRESSION
My brother and I own some timberland about eight miles from Sylvania and we have had several fires out there in recent years, the most recent one just a few weeks ago. I want to tell you how helpful the Forestry Unit here, including Mr. Lloyd Bazemore and every member of his staff have been on each occasion. We have no one living on the property and without the assistance of Mr. Bazemore and his men, our loss would have been very severe .
We are very fortunate in having such a splendid organization in our county, and we appreciate the efforts that they put forth on every occasion. They are always most helpful and very courteous and accomodating. They are a great asset to this community.
Reba B. Duggan Sylvania, Ga .
MOVIE
This is to pass along both official and personal thanks for the help you offered to us on rounding up material for the SAF movie (now carrying the title, THE SOUTH'S AMAZING FOREST.. Your continued interest and guidance were important to us in getting to the final product, which apparently has met with enthusiasm by all who have seen it.
Our special thanks go to Ollie Knott for prov iding excellent footage from his camera and his fabulous film library. It's a pleasure to work with a craftsman like him, and we hope he feels his efforts ended up in a good product.
Stanford M. Adams Director Office of Information USDA, Forest Service Atlanta , Ga.

Logging The
PaulL. Bledsoe
Jack Finch
Joel W. Hall, Jr. MEETINGS...SOUTHEASTERN Section, Society of American Foresters, Albany,Jan . 26-27 ...ARBOR Day, statewide, Feb. 18.

Foresters ...

PERSONNEL. .. PAUL L. BLEDSOE, for-

ester, Camilla, promoted to district for-

ester, Camilla District ...JOHN R.

BRANAN, forester, Baldwin Seed Or-

chard, transferred to seed orchard super-

visor, Macon Office ...WILLIAM G.

COCHRAN, forester, Americus, trans-

ferred to forester, Ashburn ...JACK

FINCH, patrol man, Screven County For-

estry Unit, promoted to ranger, Screven

County Forestry Unit... DONALD C.

FREYER, forester, Macon, transferred

to forester, Rural Fire Protection, Ma-

con Office ...JOEL W. HALL, JR., fores-

ter, Ashburn, promoted to district fores-

te r, Americus District...CARL W.

MELEAR, forester, Griffin, transferred

to forester, Bibb-Crawford Forestry

,.

Unit .. .LARRY E. REYNOLDS, patrolman, Harris County Forestry Unit, pro-

moted to ranger, Harris County Forestry

Unit...PRESTON H. ROZIER, patrol-

man, Mcintosh County Forestry Unit,

promoted to ranger, Mcintosh County

Forestry Unit ... ROBERT M. YOUNG,

nurseryman, Horseshoe Bend Seed Or-

chard, promoted to forester, Baldwin

Seed Orchard . F. AL SMITH, assistant

chief, Forest Administration, promoted

to chief, Forest Administration.

Preston H. Rozier F. AI Smith

Lonnie N. Gary Thomas L. Holmes

Larry E. Reynolds
RETIREMENTS... FRANK 0. BAG WELL, claims examiner, Atlanta, Nov . 15, 1950-0ct. 1, 1976... HERBERT L. CORBITT, towerman, Ware County Forestry Unit, Apr. 9, 1957-0ct. 1,1976... MS. DORIS ANN EASLER, towerwo man, Bibb-Crawford -Monroe Forestry Unit, Dec. 1, 1951-0ct. .1. 1976...

Frank 0. Bagwell
LONNIE N. GARY, ranger, Sumter County Forestry Unit, Oct. 15, 19510ct. 1, 1976.. .THOMAS L. HOLMES, ranger, Cobb County Forestry Un it, May 5, 1951-Nov.1, 1976... MS . PEARL F. HUMPHREY, towerwoman, Troup County Forestry Unit, Mar . 1, 19670ct . 1. 1976...JOHN T. KIRBY, tower-

Charles H. Poppell
man, Gwinnett County Forestry Un it , Nov . 7, 1953-Nov. 1, 1976.. .CHARLES H. POPPELL, ranger, Mcintosh County Forestry Unit, Nov. 1, 1947-0ct. 1, 1976... GEORGE W. SCREWS, patrol man, Evans County Forestry Unit, Oct. 8, 1956-0ct. 1, 1976.
15

Georgia F 0 R E S T R V
December, 1976

SECOND-CLASS POST AGE PAID AT DRY BRANCH, GA.

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