Georgia Forestry JANUARY 11.51 Page (he Georgia forestry Forest Fires Fire Protection Costly To All (from the Rome News-Tribune) The fall season is always a dan- gerous period for forest fires and the continued dry weather creates a greater hazard this year. TheGeor- gia Forestry Commission has urged extra precaution during the next few days . as ~he_ e'ftended dry peri- oc;l and lu gh w1nds 1ncrease the lik- 11hood of small fires spreading. . In .the 77 counties with organ- 1zed f1re protection, county forest rangers and their crews work round- the-clock to quickly detect locate and extinguish fires and reduce the loss in acreage. The Forestry Commission has is- sued a_direct appeal for public co- operat1on which can qtuoicpkrleyvednetstcroo~stltyhofuisraensd~ of acres of valuable t1mber and kill off young trees that wiil te so badly needed in the future. Carelessness is still the chief cause of forest fires. Nine out of 10 forest blazes are caused bycare- lessness. Punters and campers should make certain their fires are out b~fore leaving the woods. The dropp1ng of cigarets and matches from ~ speeding car can often result ~n a costly fire. Careless handl1ng of brush fires is also dang_':rous, as is the _I>ractice of b~rn1ng off new ground without f1rst plowing fire breaks around the area. All Georgia suffers when fires sweep our woodlands. Precaution in pre~enting fires will benefit the ent1re state. Our forests still represent one of our greatest re- sources, and it behooves us all to cooperate in preventing waste through woodland fires. (from the Wa~ker County Messenger) The heavy frosts the past days are causing the leaves to fall and make the setting for destructive fires in our wooded areas. Every precaution should be taken against setting the woods on fire. It.is a waste that care and caution can prevent. A lighted match thrown down after lighting a cigarette or pipe or cigar, starts a conflagration that, before itcan be checked, does damage that cannot be repaired, or if repaired it takes years. The loss is heavy and the future pays a too great penalty. Then it has been called to our attention that some of the farmers are planning to burn off their woods and timberland this winter and spring to kill the boll weevil. The loss by fire is far greater than any loss by the boll weevil, and before that is done the farmer who is plan- ning such a procedure should think a long time before he does it, and count the cost to himself and the community in which he lives. If.every person will get fireconsc1ou~ an~p;ay ~he part of a constru~t1ve c1 hzen 1n this matter, t~ere w1ll be no devastating forest f1res, and a tremendous waste of r~sources, of money and maybe lives w111 be saved. . So,. let us all be careful about flres 1n our woods and fields. Georgia Forestry Yol. 3 JANUARY, (QSO No. 1 A mon~hly bulletin putlished by the Georg1a Forestry Commission, 4~~ State Capitol, Atlanta. Fntered as second-class matter at the Post Office, Atlant of August 24, al~H2G.a.M, eumnbdeer,r the act [eorgi a Press Association. January, 1 950 Page Two Commission Activities Expanded Greatly During Past Six Months During the past six ~onths, State forestry in Georgia has expanded more than in any similar period on record. In fact, the great expansion in fire protection acti~i ties of the Ceorg1a Forestry ('.onrn1s- sion since July 1, 1949 has roughly equalled tne expansion during the previous ten years. Prior to the start of the present fiscal year on July 1, there were only 41 counties and 8 ~million acres under organized fire protec- tion. Today--just sixmonths later-- 79 counties have organized forest protection units covering 13 1/2 mi Ilion acres. Organization of the new Forest Protection Units has been a tremen- dous job. (ualified County Forest Pangers had to be employed to h~ad each of the county units. Spec1al schools were held during the summer to train all newly-employed Rangers in the techniques of fire prevention and fire suppression. Rangers le~rn ed first-hand how to use the vanous vehicles, plows, power pumps a~d other mobile equipment employed 1n fire fighting. A total of 84 vehicles have been purchased _and equipped with tan,ks, p.1mps, rad1os and liand tools . . ~--any of the vehicles have been f1tted with plows for making suppress~on plowing and making pre-suppress1on firebreaks. Vehicles have be~n equipped andoutfi tted at the Georg1a Forestry Commission workshops at Waycross. . Sixty-six steel forest f1re look- out towers are being erec.ted ~h~ough out the State. The 1nd1v1d~al county units completed construct1on of all foundations in the ea~ly fall. The nationwide steel str1ke occasioned an unavoidable and very regrettable delay in erection of ~he towers. Since the end of the stnke every possible ~ve.has been.made to expedite fabncat1on and dehvery of the tower material with a \i.ew to placing all towers inoperation dur- ing the first part of 1950. Georgia is assuming the lead among Southern states in the number of seedlings produced in state nurseries. Indications are that a record total of 40 mi Ilion seedlings will be shipped to landowners during the current planting season, and this will establish a new, all-time high for the State. The scope and quality of manage- ment and marketing services to landowners is increasing. Farm foresters are now providing management and marketing assistance in the first, fourth, seventh, ninth and tenth districts. These farm foresters are qualified, experienced, technical foresters ....homark timber stands for cutting and advise forest owners on woodland management. More requests for assistance have been handled during the calendar year just closed than during anyother similarperiod. The educational and informational work of the ~eorgia Forestry C'omll1ission has been broadened as rapidly as the extremely limited funds and personnel have allowed. The entire fire prevention program--a most vital phase of the forest fire protection work--has been largely one of public education. Comprehensive, sustained educational programs are conducted in protected counties by the Pangers and District Foresters. Ail ava(lable. means--including press, radio, movies, public speaking, personal contacts and appearances, publishing of material and distribution of miscellaneous literature, demonstrations and exhibits--have been employed in reach- ing the landowners and citizens of the county. The fine support and excellant cooperation of the press and radio and other organizations and cooperating agencies throughout the State has been increasingly gratifying. Substantially increased State appropriations are absolutely essential to the continuation of the past progress in State forestry, to the maintaining of the present scale of operations, and to an expansion of fire protection to the extent the value of Georgia's great forest resource demands. An Immediate appropriation is required for use dUring thenext six months._ To ex- tend protection during next fiscal year, will require a greatly increased yearly appropriation. Page- Three Georgia Forestry Walker County Begins Protection; Ranger and Forestry Board Named The Walker County Forest Protection Unit began operation January 1, bringing 180,000 .c;nore acre~ of Georgia timberland under protechon. Seventy-one percent of the total land area of Walker County is in forest. Thev.oodland acreage totals 202,711, with 182,321 acre~ being in private and state ownershtp. Ralph G. McCUrdy, Sr., of Lafayette, has been appointed Forest Ranger for Walker County and as such will head the Forest Protection Unit. Mr. McCurdy graduated from Lafayette High School and attended Young P.arris College two years. ~'is past experience includes twelve years farming, four years as a ::bil Conservation Service Aide, and three years as a salesman and bookkeeper. At present, the Walker County a Unit is equipped with a quarter-ton jeep and pickup. The small jeep carries a power pump and suppression plow. The pickup carries tanks and a power pump. Foth vehicles are outfitted with hand pumps, fire rakes, fire flaps and other hand fire-fighting equipment. Plans call for early installation of twoway FM radios, in all ~ehicles and towers of the Walker Un1t. The services of the forest protection unit are available to all landowners of Walker County. The unit works on a 7-day a week, 24hour-a-day schedule and will answer fire calls in any area of the county. The Walker Cbunty Forestry Foard has been appointed and has be~ ~o function in an advisory capac1ty 1n the operation of the County Forest Protection Unit. Members of the Board, with their terms of appoint- ment are: Purl Hall, Chickamauga, one year; Raymond Hixon, Chickamauga, 2 years; Frank Shaw, Kensington, 3 years; J. C. Keown, Lafayette, 4 years; H. A. Davison, Lafayette, 5 years. Each of the members of the Forestry Foard is a forest owner and permanent resident of the county. Two forest fire lookout towers will be erected in the county in the near future. The 60- foot steel towers will be located on High Point, and on Gulf MOuntain. Foundations for the towers have alreadf been constructed. The towers w1ll be manned throughout the fire season, and when useo in conjunction with towers of the Forest Service, will give complete cov;rage of the <;ounty and greatly facil1tate detect1on of v.oods fires. Forest fires don't always stop at the woods edge. This was one of three farm buildings--including a farm home--destroyed by an intense, wind-driven woods fire in an unpro- tected county. - --- Hundreds of acres of woodland were destroyed. Organized fire Pro- tection could have prevented these great Losses. If this county had been under organized protection, the forest Protection unit could have confined the fire to a smalL area and averted destruction of the home and farm bui laings. 0 January, 1950 Page Four (/~ DJ.Mede!U RESI' RMlGER First you get a kettle and a fire that's hot and when everything is ready throw in the pot A doctor, a miner, of lawyers a few and add one sheep herder and a cowboy or two. Next add a surveyor and right after that-a man with good sense and a good diplomat; At least one good mason, then give it a stir,-and add to the mess a good carpenter. A man who knows trees, and don't leave from the list A telephone man and a fair botanist -~- The next one that's added must be there it's a cinch. It's the man who will stay when it comes to a pinch. Add a man that will work, and not stand and roar, .Who can do ten thousand things and just a few rmre Then boil it up well 'and skim off the scum-And a Ranger - you 11 find, is the -- -Residium- American Forestry January, 1950 Page Eight Farm Forestry Program Underway An expanded program of forest able to fill requests of small land- management assistance, designed for owners for' advice and help in mark- the express benefit of the small ing and proQ_er harvesting of forest woodland owners of the State, has products. The objective is to pro- begun as a cooperative project of vide the landowner with a substan- the Georgia Forestry Conmission and tial, sustained income from his the U. S. Forest Service woodlands. Experienced technical foresters, In rendering management services who formerly served as Assistant to l&lldo\lers. farm forester~ adhere District Foresters, have been de- to current Commission polfcY.. signated as Farm Foresters and as- This poficy is intended to make ---- signed to management: assistance and marketing duties in the first, fourth. seven~h. n;nth ann tenth congressional districts. 1n these areas, the farm foresters are avai 1- possible the giving of assistance to th.e greatest possible number C!f (Continued on Page 10) i'o res try and fire pro tee tion were f eatured in 111any fairexhibits in protected coonties during the fall. These exhi bits are the product of the Rangers' initiative, industry and resourcefuLness . Budget limi tations donot all0t11 County Ran.r! er s funds for 'this effective phase of educationaL work. At right is pictured the dispLay Habersham forest Ranger floyd lt'i l L1.a111s used to show the PeopLe 1-n his county the value of their wood lands and the benefits of fire protectton Page Nine Georgia F'ores try Jaycees Give FFA Groups Seedlings The Georgia Junior Olamber of Commerce is furnishing 1,500,000 pine seedlings to FUture Fanners of America for planting. Jaycee clubs in 38 Georgia cities are cooperating to provide a minimum of 5, 000 seed1 ings to each of the 286 FFA Chapters in the State. The seedlings wi 11 be furnished from the Georgia Forestry Commission nurseries at Davisboro, Albany and Flowery Branch. (Continued on Page 10) "JOE BEAVER" Something new has been added in the way of Fowl games. The first annual Gum Turpentine Powl game, srnsored cy the Valdosta Chapter o the Veterans of Foreign Wars with the help of the American Turpentine Fanners Association, was held ~ri day, December 16, in Valdosta. Cook County High School, Adel, Georgia was defeated 19 to 14 by Fernandina Bigh of Fernandina, Florida. Future plans call for an annual Turpentine Fowl with prominent undefeated high school teams competing. By Ed Nofziger Forest Service, U.S. Departm,cnt of Agriculture "I'm sorry you can't see him-Joe's busy with a tree-breeding experiment, crossing sugar maple with strawberries." January, 1950 Page Ten FARM FORESTRY (Conttnued from Page 8} small landowners. Large forest owners can profitably engage the services of recognized consultant foresters. Farm foresters now working under the program, with their assigned headquarters, include: Jim Coad, Statesboro; L. L. Lundy, Camilla; George Lavinder, Newnan; ~alph Davis, Fome; Fred P. Amsler, Washi1gton. JC'S GIVE SEEDLINGS (Continued from Page 9} Lee Price of Swainsboro, president of the Georgi a Junior Cumber, and Jim Dixon, DJblin, chairman of' the Jaycees state agricultural committee, are in charge of the program which is in line with the national Jaycees conservation project for the year. The Jaycees' purpose is to encourage Future Farmers to reforest bare acres and educate the FFA members in the need for reforestation and good forest management. T. G. Walters, state supervisor of vocational education, approves the plan as of great educational value in enabling the FFA members to learn by doing While planting the seedlings on their farms. GEORGIA FORESTERS \\HAT 00 WE PLANT WHEN WE PLA"T TI-'E TREE? What do we plant when we plant the trees? We plant the ship which will cross the sea, We plant the mast to carry the sails, We plant the planks to withstand the gales-- The keel, the keelson, the beam and knee-- We plant the ship when we plant the tree. What do we plant When we plant the tree? We plant the houses for you and me. We plant the rafters, the shingles, the floors, We plant the studding, the lath, the doors, The beams and siding, all parts that be, We plant the house when we plant the tree. What do we plant when we plant the tree? A thousand things .that we dail:y see. We plant the sp1re that out-towers the crag, We plant the staff for our country's flag, We plant the shade from the hot sun free: We plant all these when we plant the tree. --Py Henry Abbey (Continued from Page q} ern Kraft Timberland Corporation, Waycross. Members of the panel on 'The Ethics of the Forestry Profession', scheduled for discussion at the afternoon session January 28, include: C. F. Evans, Assistant Reg ional Forester, U.S. F. S., Atlanta, who will serve as moderator; Ted Liefeld, Consulting Forester, Thomasville; P. F. Grant, University of Georgia School of Forest~y, Athens; Floyd Cossi tt, U. S. F. S., Atlanta. The two-day meeting will behighlighted by the three panel discussions, a banquet and a social hour. Displays will be presented by leading manufacturers of forestry equipment. St. Mary's Kraft Corporation ex pects to place their bag unit in operation early in 1950. The mill will convert heavy kraft paper into bags for industrial use. The unit will greatly increase employment in forest products industries inCamden County. Do you know your forest fire pre- vention A. P. C's? They are: ALWAYS PE CAREFUL! Georgia Forestry JANUARY t a so Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office, Atlanta, Ga.