Georgia forestry, Vol. 35, no. 4 (Dec. 1982)

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Georgia

FORE

RV
DECEMBER, 1982

Georgia

FORESTRY
USPS No. 217120

Dec. 1982 No. 4

Vo l. 34

George Busbee - Governor A. Ray S hirley- Director

BOAR D OF COMMISSIONERS
Jim L. G illis, Cha irman, Soperton Felton De nney, Carrollton Eley C. Frazer, Ill, Albany Patrici a B. Rob inson, Atlanta Robert Simpson, Ill, Lakeland
STAFF
Frank E. Craven, Editor Howard E. Bennett, Associate Ed itor Thomas B. Hall, Artist
DISTRICT OFFICES
District 1 P. 0. Box 5026 Mount Berry, Ga. 30149
District 2 Route 11, Box 37 Gai nesville , Ga. 30501
District 3 Route 4, Box 168A Athens, Ga. 30605
District 4 P. 0 . Box 1080 Newnan, Ga . 30264
Distr ict 5 Highway 49 Milledgeville, Ga. 31061
District 6 Route 2, Bo x 266 Washington, Ga. 30673
District 7 Route 1, Box 23A Ame ricus, Ga . 31709
District 8 Route 3, Bo x 17 Tifto n, Ga. 3 1794
Dist rict 9 Route 2, Bo x 722 Camilla, Ga. 31730
District 10 Route 2
Statesbo ro , Ga. 30458
D ist rict 11 Route 11, Box 46 Helena, Ga. 31037
District 12 Route 6, Box 167 Waycross, Ga . 31501
Georgia Forestry is pub lished quarterly by the Georgia Forestry Commissi o n, Route 1, Box 85, Dry Branch, GA 31020. Second class postage paid at Macon, GA .
2

Cruising The News

KEY TO KUDZU CONTROL SOUGHT

Kudzu, the wonder cure for soil erosion in the 1930s, is the bane of '80s farmers and timber growers.
Forestry officials are in the middle of a frantic search to find an inexpensive herb icide to contro l the creeping vine, which overtakes and kills virtually everything in sight.
The key to control , the fo rest resea rchers say, is finding a chemica l which can attack and

ki ll kud zu root s, wh ich can grow 15 feet deep in the so il.
Kud zu covering every available inch of road sid e view is a wonder to look at , but an eve n greater challenge to control.
The prosperity of Southern timberland owners, however , depends on its being co nt roll ed.
-The Macon Telegraph

TREES ADD BEAUTY AND VALUE

The beautiful trees of Georgia ca n e nh ance the beauty and value of a home, a st reet, and even make an entire area or city a bette r p lace to live and work .
No state in the nation is b lessed w ith a greater variet y of tree species. However, trees planted in the wrong place can ca use p ro pe rty damage and become a detriment rather than an asset to these same areas. A few minutes spent in planning the placement and species of a tree before it is planted will mean that the tree will not grow into a hazard or nuisance w hen it reaches maturity.
The following things should be conside red before selecting a tree.
1. Why is the tree being planted? Do you want shade, screening, to frame you r

house, spring flowers, fall colors or simply something green? 2. How large will the tree u ltimately become? Will the tree sti!l fit into you r yard when mature? Remember, trees grow in width as well as height. 3. Growth form - will the tree form an upright, round o r spreading type? 4. Will t he t ree bear objectionable frui t? Or produce large seed crops that w ill litte r th e yard ? 5. Will t he t ree be able to surv ive in the loca l climate? And soil? 6 . Is the wood of t he tree strong enoug h to bear lo ad s of ice and wind withou t b reakage?
Pickens County Progress

MONEY DOES GROW ON TREES

The Georg ia Forestry Commission is proving that money really does grow on trees.
The comm ission has been conducting a wood gasification experiment at the Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital complex in Rome that has resulted in a savings of $1,000 a day in heating bills compared to natural gas.
The unique process of bu rn ing wood chips in a 25-million-BTU wood gasifier, then p ipi ng the smoke and gases to a retrofitted boi le r in the hospital' s power plant , has attracted tech nical visitors from all over the world .
The entire tree is used, even the leaves and '

smoke . Al so , wood is a renewable natural resour ce, ch ea per t han oil or natural gas.
Wh ile wood gasification may never be pract ica l fo r homeowners, it could become invaluabl e fo r users o f large amounts of energ y.
At a time when the future supply of, and access to , oi l is in doubt, it is most reassuri ng to see t hat experts lik e those at the Georgia Forestry Co mmission are coming up with altern atives t hat are even superior to what we are now using.
the Macon Telegraph

CONTENTS

War Against Kudzu Underway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

.3

Sparta Mill Finds Way to Drastically Cut Fu el Costs .

.4

Commission Helps Dade County Recover .. . .. .. .

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Macon Cent er Now Heating With Wood . . . . .... .

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South ern Forest World Drops Admission Charge Unti l Ju ne.

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GFA Conducts Successful Landowner Conferences

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Georgia Fo rest Su rve y Completed .. . .. . .

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Beetle Act ivity Observed in Some Counties . .

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Good Progress Noted in Annual Report ... ..

. 11

Mo re Retirements Announced, Tributes Held .

. 12

Pierce Holds RFD Appreciation Day .

. 13

Logging The Foresters

. 14

Awards ................ . .. .

. 15

f!J he Georgia Forestry Comm ission has declared war on kudzu, that rap idly spreading vine that has laid waste thou sands of acres of potent ial for estland throughout the state. As th e new year approaches, the Commission is gearing up for a battl e against the menace with an a rsenal of newly developed chemicals that are being tested in several experimental plots .
Three demonstrations have been held to apprise landowners of th e progress that has been made in research to control th e plant and more are being plann ed in various sections of the state.
Research plots have been established in Treutl en, Carroll and Marion Counties. The Carroll County demonstration includ ed a session at the Roopville Community Center at which the properties, successes and limitations of several chemicals were discussed .
Commission Director Ray Shirley rem inded the large group of landowners that kudzu was beneficial when introduced by the soil conservationists of Georgia in the 1930's. "It was to be the salvation in the control of erosion," he said, "and it did a good job in preventing our soil from washing away."
The director said the vine, however, "didn't know when to stop... it went too far." He pointed out that the plant is rampant over virtually all the state and "timberland is just too valuable to surrender to worthless kudzu."
Dr. James H. Miller of the U.S. Forest Service, Aubu rn University, gave an account of the development of kudzu since it's introduction in this country from Japan in 1876 and told of promising new chemicals for control of the plant.
John Mixon, Chief of the Commissio n's Forest Research Department which is spearheading the statewide campaign again st the prolific vine, introduced the speakers and later led the group on a tour of an experimental plot in rural Carroll County.

e As an erosion control
measure, the federal government at one time pa id landowners $8.00 an acre to plant kudzu on
etheir property. The plant, a lupine akin to the soybean and pole bean, is capable of growing 100 feet in a single year. It is a nutritious plant and can be grazed by livestock, but the root system is the key problem. Although the rank vegetation is destroyed at ground level, roots have been found to be 12 feet deep in some locations and nine inches in circumference.

Top photo: A tall pine is complete-

ly obscured by clinging kudzu. Mid

page: Observers examine control

plot in Carroll County. Above:

Treated kudzu is checked to deter-

mine if it is really dead. At left:

Landowners confer with forester on

herbicide schedule.

~)

Georgia Forestry Commission/Dec. 1982

3

SAWDUST SLASHES MILL ENERGY BILL
Charlie Edwards, left, and his brother, A aron, o f Edwards Lumber Company in Sparta , discuss the operation of the new dry kiln system with Forester Ken Bailey, the Commission's drying specialist.

sawd ust th at fo rmerly required $1,100 wo rth of gas.
The mill own ers have been told that the high tem perat ure process is probably the only o ne of its kind in Georgia and may be the only one in existence.
The unique system consists of a chute which automatically feeds sawdust into a "heat box" where it is consumed at high te mperatu res. The high temperature first d ries th e sawdust, and then gasifies and burns it.
Hot air is filtered to prevent sparks fro m enteri ng t he kiln itself, where dried wood can easily be set ablaze. The ai r then is c ircu lated in the k iln. Because th e te m perature inside the heat box is so high, t he sawdust leaves no creosote residu e on th e smokestack and leaves few ashes.
Since it has been in operation, th e Edward s say t hey have had visitors from other mill s as fa r away as Texas to study the process.
Th e fam ily-ow ned lumber mill, which was started years ago by the father of the three brot hers, is one of the chief industries in Hancock County. The conversion to a pl e nt iful and economical fuel is expected t o be a big factor in keep ing the mi ll operat ing du ri ng the current depressed economy.

With the building industry in a pro longed slump and mill operating costs soaring, the Edwards brothers of Sparta knew they had to make some rapid changes if they were to continue to manufacturP. lumber.
The answer to their problem was right there on the mill yard. It was green sawdust.
The natural gas necessary to kiln-dry 1,000 board feet of lumber was $3.75 in 1972, but this year the cost has rise n t o $27, with further increases pred icted in the future. The brothers, Aaron , Ernest and Charlie Edwards, began search ing fo r ways to use wood chips and oth er residu e at the mill for fuel to operate th e k iln .
They knew that there is nothing new about using waste wood in fi ri ng a k il n , but when they priced such a system t hey learned that the cost would run about $200,000. Besides, there were safet y problems to consider.
Despite d iscouragement, the search fo r a solution continued and they found it in Missouri . It was a low-temperature k il n that was fired by green sawdust. Such kilns operate at about 185 to 200 degrees Farenheit and it takes about three days t o dry a charge of 55,000 board feet of lumber.
4

The Edwards brothers asked the develo per of the kiln if a sawdust fed hightem perature kiln could be designed. The answer was yes.
Don Baldwin of Energy Systems Limited of Independence, Kansas, developed such a system for Edwards Lumber Co mpany, Inc., and now the Sparta co mpany is drying lumber with a $50 load of

Ernest Edwards, left, explains controls to propane and natural gas systems at the kiln at Edwards Lumber Company to Paul Butts, the Commission's utilization forester. The fuels were used before the company switched to a green sawdustburning system and they are retained as a back -up system.

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In the top photo, Forester Haynes Evans of the Rome District, left, and Ranger Andy Newby of the Dade County Unit study county map to direct flood clean-up operations. In the

other photo, Brion Williams of the Gordon County Unit, Bobby Smith of the Bartow County Unit, and Glenn Elliott of the Floyd County Unit, clear stream near Trenton of trees.

COMMISSION AIDS
FLOOD RECOVERY
Some residents said it was the worst flood in the history of Dade County. One man said he has lived in the area 65 years and he "had never known that much water to come off the mountain."
The wedge-shaped county in Georgia's northwestern corner is surrounded by mountains and when the unprecedented heavy rainfall continued for several hours, the streams in the valleys went out of their banks and wiped out several highway and railway bridges, flooded homes and farmland and derailed a freight train as it swept away more than two miles of track.
As the water receded, county officials met in Trenton and asked the governor for help in restoring services and repairing roads, bridges and other facilities. Governor George Busbee advised the Commission of the need to aid the county and Director Ray Shirley placed the Rome District in charge of operations.
Before long, men from several county units were working with crawler tractors, bulldozers and other Commission equipment to clear trees, stumps, limbs and other debris from several miles of Dade County creek beds.
In its role in the recovery operation, the Commission personnel contributed hundreds of man hours before the county was brought back to normal.

DECOSTER ASSUMES NEW AFI POST

Lester A. DeCoster has moved from a post in Maine to Washington, D. C. to serve as Vice President, Resources Division, American Forest Institute, and will direct the American Tree Farm System.
DeCoster, who succeeds Richard Lewis who recently resigned to accept another position, was a guest at a recent meeting of the Georgia Tree Farm Committee.
A professional forester, DeCoster has been manager of AF l's Northeast Region based in Bangor, Maine, since 1969. He was transferred to AFI's headquarters in Washington to direct the nationwide American Tree Farm System.
Before joining AFI , DeCoster was Assistant Information and Education Supervisor of the Maine Forestry Depart-

ment. He is a former Executive Secretary of the Maine Forest Products Council and received his bachelor's degree in forestry from the University of Maine in 1959.
"DeCoster's appointment reflects the increasing importance of forestry and the industry's efforts to encourage private, nonindustrial landowners to place their lands under management," said Robert 0. Lehrman, president of AF I.
Georgia Leads The Natio1
11 Reforestation ldivity
Almost two-thirds of the two million acres of land that were refor ested in the United States during Fiscal Year 1981 were in the Southern States and Georgia

took the lead for planting 222,437 acres. The report by the U.S. Forest Service
showed that Alabama planted 163,680 acres; Mississippi, 150,442; Arkansas, 152,199; North Carolina, 108,171; South Carolina, 130,812; Oregon, 194,601; and Washington, 140,287.
About 92 percent of the reforestation in the South was on private lands. Nursery production of planting stock totaled 1.5 billion seedlings; state nurseries provided half of those seedlings, with eight Dixie states producing two-thirds of that half.

Georgia Forestry Commission/Dec. 1982

5

CENTER CONVERTS TO WOOD HEAT SYSTEM

everal main buildings of the Georgia Forestry Center in Macon which were formerly on natural gas and electrical systems are now heated by hot water supplied by a central wood-fired boiler system. With the exception of the two boilers and part of the conveyor system, the entire system was designed and constructed by personnel of the Forestry Commission. An aircraft hangar was renovated to house the boilers and approximately 6,000 feet of insulated underground pipe was installed to connect the system to the various buildings. The system uses wood chips purchased in the Macon area and transported to the center in a live bottom trailer designed by the Research Department, which was in charge of building the heating system. Ray Shirley, Commission Director, and John Mixon, Research Chief, said the unique system is a showcase project employing wood energy through modern technology . They said the system will serve as a model for those who want to vis it the center and observe its operation. The conversion to wood is expected to bring about a significant savings in fuel costs, but such data will not be available until the operation has been monitored for a reasonable length of time. The elec-

A brochure, entitled Wood Energy in Georgia-A Five Year Progress Report, has been published by the Commission's research department in cooperat ion with the education department, and is now available to persons interested in the various projects around the state that are now operational. Write Research Department, Georgia Forestry Commission, Box 819, Macon, Georgia 31298-4599 or telephone 9 1 2 / 7 4 4 -3 3 5 3 .
trical and gas installations in the build ings are kept intact to serve as back-up units.
In building the system, which serves both Comm ission and U. S. Forest Service structures, GFC personnel were called in from several counties to aid center employees in welding, pipe fitting, electrical work, concrete finishing and other necessary skills.
The installatio n at the center in Macon is one of many wood energy systems which have been installed during the past five years by the Commission in schools, prisons and hospitals and additional projects are on the drawing boards.

Wood Energy System Building
-...---0

Greenhouse

Utility

Experiment Station Annex

Southeastern Forest Experiment Station

Georgia Forestry Commission Headquarters

At left, the dual pipes connecting the center facilities with the wood energy building are carefully insulated with three separate materials before they are covered with earth. The above plat shows buildings that are served by the new system. The main warehouse and shops at the center are heated by wood stoves.

6
Georgia Forestry Commission/ Dec. 1982

FOREST WORLD DRAWS

GEORGIANS, TOURISTS

TO SEE UNIQUE DISPLAYS

The directors of Southern Forest World have announced that there will be no admission charge to the unique educational exhibit in Waycross until June 30, 1983.
Thousands of Georgians, including large groups of school students, have viewed the big exhibit and many Floridabound tourists have stopped by to see the complex which tells the story of Southern forestry.
A tree big enough for a person to walk up a spiral staircase inside the trunk; a waterfall inside a building; a talking tree, a quiz board, a genuine fire lookout tower. These are but a few of the attractions awaiting visitors at Southern Forest World.
The exhibits were designed and constructed by one of the South's leading interpretive builders, and they very graphically portray the tree story, beginning with a tree seed and continuing through the genetics program, planting, management, harvesting and utilization.
Upon entering the building, one is greeted by a simulated waterfall which gently flows into a catch basin containing native plants obtained from deep within the mysterious Okefenokee Swamp. A forestry quiz board will test a person's knowledge about forestry and a talking tree will tell visitors what lies ahead .
Entering through a large tree trunk, the visitor is confronted with a colorful multi-screen exhibit which presents a history of forestry over the years. Next are exhibits telling the story of tree improvement and management. A quick turn to the left reveals huge color transparencies of native trees of Georgia.
And, as if by magic, a tremendous man made tree is seen and it appears to be growing out of the middle of the floor.
The visitor can enter the trunk and climb a spiral staircase to the second floor area . In this area will be found exhibits telling the pulp and paper story, along with that of the veneer, lumber and wood energy industries. A unique movie theater shows a film of how forest fires are spotted and controlled.
Southern Forest World, located on Augusta Avenue in Waycross, is open from 10 a.m . until 5 p.m. daily, except Monday, and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Commission personnel are shown erecting the 100-foot Butts County tower on a plot at the edge of Jackson. The tower was moved from a remote spot in a rural section of the county where the structure was subjected to vandalism. The new site is in a populated area in which security can be maintained.

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Georgia Forestry Commission/Dec. 1982

Secretaries from the Commission's district offices, Atlanta office and Macon headquarters gathered in Macon recently for their annual meeting with the director and department heads. This group photograph was made following the last business session of the two-day meeting. Front row, left to right, are Margaret Perry, Paula Kaplan, Sharon Bennett, Carol Layton, Gloria Thompson, Sonia Brooks, Mary Jo Coleman, Harbyn

Cook and Jeanette Moss. Second row, 1-r, Glynda Thornton, Virginia Tyndall, Catherine Kelly, Mary Jane Turner, Karen Mulkey, Judy Batchelor, Sherrie Raley, Evelyn Vause, Nancy Young, Orene Duvall and Julia Queen. Third row, 1-r, Edythe Lee, Faye Brown, Bonnie Jones, Pamela Kennedy, Frances Stanley, Zelia Wilbanks, Virginia Collins, Betty Walters and Warnie Griggs.

FOREST FARMER ASSOCIATION NAMES WARREN VP

. B. Jack Warren, president of Forestry Update, Inc. of Long Beach, Miss., was recently named executive vice president of the Forest Farmers Association to succeed J. Walter Myers, Jr. , who retired after 31 years in the position.
The new executive vice president was born in Albany , Georgia, and holds bachelor's and master's degrees in forestry from the Univ ersity of Georgia. From 1960 to 1965 he served as forest land manager for Stuckey T imberland, Inc., Eastman, Georgia . In 1966 he joined the Georgia Cooperative Extension Service as a forester and worked there until 1974, when he became director of the Forestry and Harvesting Training Center, Long Beach Miss. In the latter capacity he administered continuing education programs for 19 forest products companies throughout the South.
In early 1980 he left the center to establish his own business, Forestry Update, Inc. His company developed and conducted specialized training courses for
equipment manufacturers, forest indus

tries, logging contractors and timberland as a forestry consultant to timberland investors. In addition, Mr. Warren served owners and attorneys.
DEATH CLAIMS RETIRED RANGER
Retired Ranger Ray Thomas established the Gwinnett County Forestry Unit by soliciting funds from local merchants and other business men for building materials and a building site and then administered the unit in a superior manner for 21 years, according to those who worked with him and admired his dedication.
Thomas, a native of Hall County, came with the Commission in July, 1953, and retired in December, 1974. He passed away September 11 and services were held in Lawrenceville, with burial in Gwinnett Memorial Gardens.
He is survived by his wife, Vivian; one son, Bobby; two daughters, Mrs. Carolyn Thomason and Mrs. Nora Ann Criswell; three stepsons, Curtis, Calvin and James Nelms; a sister and a brother and 14 grandchildren.
The Commiss ion expresses sympathy to the survivors of this ranger who played such an important role in bringing forest protection and other forestry services to Gwinnett County.

8

Georgia Forestry Commission/Dec. 1982

Thanks to the cooperative efforts of the Murray County Li-
brary, the Murray County Women 's Club and the Murray County Forestry Unit, almost 100 children participated in the Smokey Bear Reading Club this year_ Ranger Steve Tankersley said the main purpose of the program was to encourage childr-en to read good books and through reading learn about conservation_ Among those taking part in the Reading Club were the five children of Mr_ and Mrs_ Paul Baker Allen, Jr. Baker is Assistant Ranger of the Cohutta District, U. S. Forest Service. The children pictured with Smokey are Melissa Faye, 10_- Paul Thomas, 1_- John Gordon , Jim Daniel and Joe Frank , triplets, age 3.

Patrolman Barry Bradley puts a finishing touch to the gateway to a nature trail he recently constructed at the Carroll County Forestry Unit. Shortly after the enterprising patrolman opened the trail, which features about 28 native trees and a host of other forest plants, six groups comprising 200 students toured the trail and many individuals had visited the attraction. Special features include a bear's den, a simulated campfire and an Indian teepee. The trail was developed in a ravine of an old road bed and contains an abundance of plant life suitable for the educational exhibit. Bradley conducts most of the tours and Smokey Bear is on hand as his helper.

Two recent forest landowner conferences, sponsored by the Georg ia Forestry Association to promote increased forest production and profits, were well attend ed.
The meetings, held in Macon and Tifton, generated considerabl e interest amo ng landowners who were given information on investment potentials, assistance programs, the latest methods of estate planning and other matters perta ini ng to their forest resources.
Opening remarks at each session were given by Bobby Taylor, president of the associ ation and ch ief executive of a forest Prod ucts company in Fitzgerald .
Georg ia Forestry Comm ission/ Dec. 1982

VITAL FORESTRY TOPICS DISCUSSED AT CONFERENCES
Oth ers serving on the panel were C. Nelson Brightwell, head of the Extensio n Forest Resources Department, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Georg ia; Jack W. Gnann, Chairman of the

GFA Tree Farm Committee and an executive of Union Camp Corporation ; Douglas E. Du ncan, tax attorney with th e Atlanta law firm of Haas, Holland, Levison and Gilbert; and Ray Shi rley , Director of the Georgia Forestry Commission.
T he speakers elaborat ed on th e o utlook for timber prof its, recomm end ed forestry pra ctices to increase productivity , revi ewed tax at ion as it relat es to t im ber growing a nd outlin ed sources of f inancial aid for woodl and management.
Co mmission D irector Shirl ey p ro vid ed a summary at each sessi on and a qu estion and answer period concluded th e meet ings .
9

BEETLE ACTIVITY SEEN
IN 41 COUNTIES, BUT POPUlATION STATIC

These two men, flanked on the left by Lester DeCoster, Vice President for Develop-
ment, American Forest Institute, Washington, D.C., and on the right by Jack Gn-ann Cha~rman, Georgia State Tree Farm Committee, are awarded plaques for outstandin; serv1ce to the program. They are, left, Jim Fitzgerald of Hogansville, named Outstanding D~St:rict Tree Farm Chairman, and John Rutland of Washington, the state's Outstandmg Tree Inspector.

COMPLETED STATEWIDE FOREST SURVEY TO PROVIDE WIDE RANGE BENEFITS

The statewide forest survey conducted by the U. S. Forest Service, with assistance from the Forestry Commission, has been completed, but data on the last two units completed will not be available until early 1983.
At that time, officials said, a complete picture of Georgia's forests will be avail able for industries, landowners, economists and others interested in an up-to date inventory of this great natural wealth and it's potential.
The survey is made about every ten years and requires about two years to comp lete. The state was divided into five units and teams of U. S. Forest Service personnel, along with Commission personnel assigned to the project, cruised the forests in a pattern set up at the outset of the survey.
In preliminary reports, the survey revealed that commercial forestland decreased during the decade in Southwest Georgia, but volume of softwood stock was up by 15 percent and hardwood growth increased by 20 percent.
In Southeast Georgia , commercial forest acreage fell four percent, but softwood grow ing stock climbed 10 percent and hardwood volume increased an impressive 18 percent.
Annual re moval of pine growing stock in Middle Georgia exceeded net annual
10

growth by about three percent, but hardwood species continued to increase in inventory volume as the annual growth exceeded removals by 66 percent. Heavy timber loss due to beetle infestation accounted for some of the slight decline in pine growth in the mid section of the state.
The final report in 1983 - to include the recently completed survey of the Piedmont and Moun tain units - is expected to show a healthy increase in the state's timber growth and offer encouragement to wood-related industries looking to Georgia for plant sites.

A total of 540 Southern pine beetle infested spots were detected in the forests of Georgia during the recent statewide aerial survey conducted by the Forestry Commission.
The flight revealed an increase in th e population of the insect, but Commission entomologists said the activity declined following the survey and the situation is expected to remain static throughout the winter months. They said beetle activity , however, will probably increase in th e spring of 1983.
Activity is currently seen in 41 cou nties, with most spots representing less than 50 trees. The counties include Henry, Newton, Rockdale, Harris, Stewart, Talbot, Terrell, Webster, Grady, Mitchell, Thomas, Bulloch, Glynn, McDuffie, Wilkes, Dawson, Forsyth , Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lum pkin, Rabun, Stephens, Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Gwinnett, Madison, Morgan, Oglethorpe, Houston , Telfair, Baldwin, Bibb, Jasper, Monroe, Twiggs and Wilkinson .
The recommended control is immed iate removal of all infested trees, including a buffer strip of green uninfested trees. During the winter months, it is not necessary to cut as large a buffer strip as would be needed during the summer. However, southern pine beetle populations disperse during the last generation in September and October away from areas in whic h they occupied during the summer.
To adequately locate and remcve infested trees during the winter months, observers need to scout out in all directions from previously infested areas and look for new areas of infestation.
A total of 5,124 cords of wood was killed by Southern pine beetles during August and September of this year. The largest areas of infestation were in Glyn n, Grady, Telfair, and Thomas Counti es. Salvage ope,rations are currently unde rway in all areas of the state.
The latest aerial survey also showed that Ips and black turpentine beetle activity has increased. A total of 4 12 spots were seen statewide, with the average from one to 25 trees.
Georg ia Forestry Commission/Dec. 1982

A huge American chestnut tree with a circumference of 23 feet and four inches on the property of Mrs. Rosa Lee Dyson in the Midway Community just off State Highway 93 in Grady County has been declared a state champion.
Nominated by Commission Foresters Michael Ryfun and Joseph Wall , the tree has a crown diameter of more than 60 feet. Mrs. Dyson, who said the tree grew from a seedling purchased about 1915 from a door-to-door tree salesman, has been presented a certificate and the tree has been offic ially recorded on the list of Georgia champion trees.
Mrs. Dyson -shown at right at the base of the tree -said children down through the years have enjoyed tree houses in the crotch of the big tree and many genera tions of kittens have been born in its tangled branches.
The tree owner said the chestnut is the most beautiful when it is loaded in the spring with pollen blooms.

YEAR OF PROGRESS DETAILED IN ANNUAL REPORT

A year of mark ed progress in the protection, perpetuation and utilization of Georgia's for ests was refl ected in the annual report of the Forestry Commission for Fiscal Year 1982.
The report showed that fire occurrence and acreage burned is reduced, insect and disease incidents were the lowest in four years, nursery expansion is underway and additional wood-fired systems were installed in state and educational facilities .
Commission Director Ray Shirley said 9,376 wildfires and 39,456 acres burned represented reductions of approximately 50 and 61 percent, respectively, from the previous year. He noted that there were only seven fires in excess of 100 acres, with the largest burn ing 352 acres.
The Rural Fire Defense Program cont inued to grow, with 563 stations located in 140 counti es. This vital support arm of the Commission, Shirley said, responded

to 9,592 fire calls . In addition to forest and open land fires, oth ers included structural, dumpster, flammab le waste, railroad and landfill fires. Hazardous material spills and mutual aid were other responses made, Shirley added.
The Forestry Commission kept abreast of insect and disease activity in the state with two statewide aerial surveys that were supported by ground checks. The 504 Southern pine beetle and 867 Ips and black turpentine beetle spots detected were the lowest in th e past four years, Shirley emphasi zed. There were 1,800 cords of pulpwood and 72,000 board feet of sawtimber salvaged by the 273 woodland owners affected.
The Commission continued to meet landowner needs through a perpetual forest resource program. A total of 41,638 woodland owners were provided forest management service on 1.1 million acres, according to the report.
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

Shirley pointed out in the annual report that construction has begun on a new 257-acre tree nursery in Tattnall County . The facility will enable the Forestry Commission to meet present and future demands demonstrated by landowner demands over the past five years. More than 82 million tree seedlings were shipped from Commission nurseries in fiscal 1982.
Conversions to wood-produced energy continued , Shirley reported. A wood -fired system was utilized by the Forestry Commission to dry pine cones for seed extraction and reduced seed moisture content. A $2.5 million allocation was made to install a wood-fired system at Central State Hospital, Milledgeville, and construction plans began on the installation of a wood system at the Forestry Center in Macon.

JIM L. GILLI S, JR . Chai rma n, So perto n

FELTO N DE NN EY Ca r rol l to n

Georgia Forestry Commission/ Dec. 1982

ELEY C. FRAZER , Ill Albany

PA TRICI A B. ROB IN SON A t lan ta

ROBE RT SIMPSON . I ll Lak eland
11

The Commission this fall said farewe ll to two foresters and four forest rangers as retirement marked the end of thei r long years of service.
Retiring personnel included Foresters Floyd W. Hubbard and Floyd M. Cook and Rangers William Muns, Austin Guinn, Franklin McArthur, and Earnest Rahn.
Hubbard, who served as project forester at the Rome District Office since coming with the Commission in 1953, was honored at a dinner attended by Commission employees and other friends. A native of Texas, he graduated from high school in Arizona, served in the Air Force, earned a degree in forestry at the University of Michigan and served in the research field at the School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia.
The forester, who is married to the former Miss Frances Rybnikar of Charlotte, Mich., is an Elder of the Church of Christ. The couple has two sons.
Cook, who has served as ranger, unit forester, area forester and urban forester, came with the Commission in 1952. A native of Pensacola, Florida, and a graduate of the University of Florida, he served in the Navy during World War II.
The forester, who pioneered urban for-
, RETIREMENT

Top, left to right, Forester Floyd Cook, left, is presented a plaque by District Forester Rowe Wall; Ranger William Muns at his desk for the last time. Second row, left to right, Ranger Ernest Rahn completes last assignment; Forester Floyd Hubbard, center, accompanied by his wife, receives a plaque from District Forester A. T. Mauldin , Jr. Bottom row, left to right, Ranger Franklin McArthur displays plaque at his retirement dinner; Forester Rowe presents a plaque to Ranger Austin Guinn.
12

estry programs in the Columbus area and was well known for his public relations work in promoting good forestry, has received awards from the City of Columbus, the Columbus Jaycees, the Georgia Forestry Association and many other organizations.
The veteran forester was recently honored at a barbecue in Americus by a host of fellow workers and friends.
Cook is married to the former Miss Josephine Littleton and they have two daughters, Jo Ann and Patricia. The family is active in the Baptist church.
Muns, a graduate of Thomson High School, was ranger of the McDuffieWarren County Unit as he completed a 30-year career. Starting as a tower operator in 1952, he was promoted to patrolman the same year. He became assistant ranger in 1953 and assumed the ranger post in 1958.
The ranger and his wife, Lottie, are members of Second Baptist Church in Thomson.
A fish fry honoring Guinn was held as he stepped down from the Taylor County Ranger post. He came with the Commission as a patrolman in his home county in 1949 and was named ranger the following year.
(Continued on Page 14)
Georgia Forestry Commission/Dec. 1982

The Rural Fire Defense program in Pierce County grew from an idea on paper to seven functioning departments in a short 11 months.
During recent ceremonies held at Blackshear honoring this accomplishment, Troy Mattox, a Pierce County Commissioner, lauded the Georgia Forestry Commission for its supportive role in bringing countywide fire protection to the county. It all began, he said, when the Hacklebarney Volunteer firemen and Joey Hall, Commission District Forester, presented a workable fire protection plan to the Commissioners. It was implemented for just $30,072 and required no tax increase to fund.
Wesley Walker of the Hacklebarney area recalled an incident that triggered the creation of the plan. He said two people were trapped in a fiery car wreck out in the county and Pierce County had nothing to respond with. Units from Ware County had to be called. He called Terry Herrin, Assistant Pierce County Ranger, and Joey Hall and they immediately began preparation of a Master Fire Plan. He emphasized that all county commissioners were 100 percent behind the plan. On behalf of all volunteer firemen, he gave thanks to the Georgia Forestry Commission for sponsoring the RFD program.
Mitchell Bowen, newly elected county commissioner, also thanked Joey Hall for the development of the Master Fire Plan. He said there are over 300 volunteers in the seven stations. He pointed out that areas of the county will experience a drop in fire insurance from a 10 to a 9 rating and hopes even this will be lower once the whole plan is implemented. He pledged the cooperation of the county commissioners to the RFD program and said he will try to make additional tax funds available if needed.
Ms. Alta Bruce, President, Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, spoke of the loss of property that has occurred over the years in the county. She reported the cost of insurance has gone down $100-$125 per family as a result of the reclassification of insurance rates in the county.
United States Congressman Elect Roy Rowland spoke briefly about the dedication of volunteer firemen and commend ed the Forestry Commission for sponsoring the RFD program .
State Representative Tommy Smith told the crowd that there is no way to measure financially what the R FD program means to Georgia. He said he will do his best to allocate additional state funds for the program.
Ray Shirley, Commission Director, traced the history of the R FD program
Georgia Forestry Commission/Dec. 1982

PIERCE CELEBRATES RURAL FIRE DEFENSE DAY

Top photo : Demonstration shows water drafted from a nearby stream being pumped into a portable holding tank. In other photograph, Director Ray Shirley, right, presents certificates of appreciation to County Commissioners Fay Kimbrell and Troy Mattox. Waycross District Forester Joey Hall is at left. Commissioner T. J. Smith was unable to attend and was presented his certificate at a later date.

which began in 1966 by using worn out equipment and federal surplus items. This was a start, he said, and in 1974 the General Assembly mandated the Commission to develop fire plans for towns with populations less than 10,000. Commission personnel developed the Fire Knocker, a quick response fire truck. He said a new commercial fire engine which costs $75,000-$150,000 would not do what the 1,000 gallon Fire Knocker can do. Seven of these units are now in Pierce County.
He said it cost $3,200 to build a Fire Knocker in 1974, without a chassis and two were built and demonstrated across the state to community leaders. Counties were asked to advance $3,200 for a Fire Knocker. These funds were used to purchase the necessary supplies to build the fire engines. The Commission built 100 the first year. Today, some 433 have been built.

The Commission four years ago was given a state appropriation of $50,000 to purchase hoses, pumps and other equip ment. The Commission also receives a yearly federal appropriation of $66,000. These funds have been used to purchase radios and pagers for the RFD units.
Director Shirley said only three coun ties had countywide fire protection at the beginning of the R FD program and now the Commission has helped 56 counties with countywide fire protection. He sug gested Pierce Cou ntians go by the county commissioner office and look at the Mas ter Fire Plan.
The ceremony concluded with the pre sentation of certificates of appreciation by Shirley to County Commissioners Foy Kimbrell, Troy Mattox and T. J . Smith. Forestry Commission personnel then demonstrated the Fire Knocker equipment.
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FREE INFO OFFERED
According to American Forests magazine two free pamph lets, Tree Values and Tree Casualty Pu zzle, are ava ilable to help tree owners calculate the value of a lost tree for insurance purposes or a casualtyloss tax deduction.
Send a stamped, self-addressed envellope to the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers, 232 Southern Bldg., 1425 H St., N.W., Washington , DC 20005 .
RETIREMENT
(Continued from Page 12)
The retired ranger is a member of the Howard Methodist Church. He is a graduate of Butler High School and a veteran of World War II.
Guinn and his wife, the former Miss Carolyn Kilby of Reynolds, have one son and two daughters.
McArthur came with the Comm ission as a patrolman in Montgomery County in 1956 and was promoted to the ranger position in Telfair County the following year.
A native of Twiggs County, he attended public schools in Macon and one year at Brewton Parker Junior College. He served almost four y ears in the Navy during World War II, with duty on t hree different ships.
Many fellow employees, relatives and other friends attended a recent retirement dinner in Eastman honor ing the veteran ranger.
McArthur, who is active\in the Methodist Church in his city, is married to the former Miss Carol Grogan of Bl eckley County. They have one son, Bill.
Rahn retired October 1 after 34 years of continuous service with the Commission's Effingham County Un it. A gradu ate of R incon High School, he came with the Comm ission as a patrolman in 1949 and was named ranger in 1953.
District Forester Jerry Lan ier and 45 rangers and retirees attended a recent appreciation dinner for the retiring ranger. He was cited for his dedication to his work duri ng h is long career .
The ranger said he came with the unit when it had only one old water truck and has seen it grow into a well equ ipp ed , well manned facility.
Rahn and his wife, Norma, have one

logging the foresters

ALEXANDER

BEVILL

JAMES R. ALEXANDER has been named Taylor County Forest Ranger, replacing the recently retired AUSTIN GUINN . The new ranger, a native of Hogansv ille, came with the Commission as patrolman in the Harris-Muscogee-Ta lbot Unit in 1979 and was promoted to Assistant Ranger in Talbot County in 1981 . He was named ranger in September of thi s year. A graduate of Carrollton High School and West Georgia Coll ege, he is married to the former Gisel e Nelson of Sh eridan, WY. They have two sons.. .VANCE BEVILL has been named ranger of the Effingham County Unit to replace ERNEST RAHN , who recently retired . Th e new ranger attended publ ic schools in Springfield and served in the National Guard following graduation. He is presently in the guard and has the rank of staff sergeant. He came with the Commission as patrolman in his home county in 1974. Bevill and his wife, Peggy, have three young children . They are members of the Baptist Church ... ALAN D. MARTIN, a graduate forester and a native of Marietta, has been named ranger of the McDuffie-Warren County Unit. He attended Kennesaw Junior College and Abraham Baldw in Agr i cultural College and later transferred to the University of Georgia, where he earned a BS Degree in Forestry . Martin came with the Comm ission in 1980 as a project forester working from the Washington of.fice and became ranger of the McDuffieWa rren post on September 1. The ranger and his wife, Corrine, have one son. They attend the Baptist Ch urch ...The new ranger in T elfair County, who succeeds FRANKLIN McARTHUR who recently retired, is JACKSON WALKER . A native of Dodge County, Walk er graduated from

Abbeville High School and attended th e Americus Trad e School. He saw combat serv ice in V iet Nam and was award ed several medals, including the Bronze Sta r. He came with the Comm ission as a patrolman in the Pulaski County Unit in 1970. Walker and his wife, Donna, have one son . They are members of the Baptist
Church ...WILLIAM JOHNSON, a nativ e of Albany and a graduate of Westover High School in Dougherty County, has been named ranger of the Commission's Early County Fo restry Un it. He succeed s CHESTER McKNIGHT. He came w it h the Commission as a patrolman in

MARTIN

WALKER

Dough erty County in 1976. Johnson and his wife, the former Miss Beverly Caro l Cloud, have a daughter, Katr ina . They attend the Baptist Church ... Forester HENRY SWINDELL, formerly Gr iffi n District Forester, has been transferred t o the Macon off ice to serve as Coord inator of Forest Protection F ield Services. Th e forester came w ith the Comm ission in June, 1958, as a reforestation assistant at Horseshoe Nursery. In 1960, he beca me Assistant Distr ict Forester, Statesboro, and was named Area Forester, H inesvi lle, in 1969. He assumed the Griffin post in 1972. Sw indell is married t o the for m er Miss Stella Maddox of Eatonton.

SWINDELL

JOHNSON

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A native of Twiggs County , he attend -

Georgia Forestry Commission/ D ec. 1982

..

At left, Commission Director Ray Shirley presents commendation award to Bobby Taylor, left, President of the Georgia Forestry Association. Commendation award recipients in above picture are, front row, left to right, Foresters David McClain, AI Smith, W Cash Harper (Director Shirley, who made the presentations), Julian Reeves and Larry Thompson. Back row: Foresters David Westmoreland, George Collier, James Turner, Frank Craven and Ken Bailey,

. AWARDS

..

Belo w, Director Shirley presents commendation awards to Macon Office personnel. Left
to right are Faye Brown, Mary Jane Turner and Catherine Kelly. At right, the director presents an award to Patrolman Arthur Hilliard of the Clinch County Unit. The awards were made at the Commission's annual training session for supervisory personnel held at Norman Park.

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Georgia FOR ESTRV
DECEMBER, 1982

SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID AT MACON, GEORGIA

WISHING YOU A JOYOUS
WIRI
AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR
Director Ray Shirley and the Staff, Georgia Forestry Commission