T DOCU!.1t.NT UGA LIBRARIES FORESTRY USPS No. 2 17 120 Mar. 1983 No. 1 Vol. 35 Joe Frank Harris - Governo r John W. Mix on - D irector BOARD OF COMMISS IONERS Jim L. Gill is, Cha irman , Soperton Fe lton Denney. Carrollton Eley C. Frazer, Ill, Albany Patricia B. Robinson , Atlanta Robert Simpson, Ill, Lakeland STAFF Howar d E. Be nnett, Ed itor Thos. R. Fontai ne, Jr., Associate Edit o r Th o m as B. Hall, Artist DISTRICT OFFICES D istrict 1 P. 0. Box 5 0 26 Mou nt Berry, Ga. 301 49 Dist rict 2 Route 11, Box 37 Gai nesvil le, Ga. 30501 Dist rict 3 R oute 4, Box 1G8A Athens, Ga. 30605 District 4 P. 0. Box 1080 Newnan, Ga. 30264 District 5 Highway 49 Milledgeville, Ga. 31061 District 6 Route 2, Box 266 Washington, Ga. 30673 District 7 Route 1, Box 23A Americus, Ga. 31709 District 8 Route 3, Box 17 Tifton, Ga. 31794 District 9 Route 2, Box 722 Camilla, Ga. 31730 District 10 Route 2 Statesboro, Ga. 30458 District 11 Route 11, Box 46 Helena, Ga. 31 037 District 12 RoLte 6, Box 167 Waycross, Ga. 31501 Georgia Forestry is published quarterly hy the Georgia Forestry Commission, nute 1. Box 85, Dry Branch, GA '0?0 . Seco nd cla ss postage paid at V rn,Gl\. 2 Cruising The News TRIBUTE TO A LEADER Ray Shirley , director of the Georg ia Forestry Commission, has not been a highly visib le public official. You might say, you can't see him for the trees. In the past 25 years, Geo rgia has planted more trees than any other state. That's largely Shirley's doing. Under his direction, the agency has grown from a small group of firefighters protecting 6.5 million acres of land to an organization responsible for 24 million acres of private and public land. From the centrally located Macon base - and a North Georgia site - foresters, f ore st ra nge rs, f o rest p at rolmen, towermen , nursery men, pilot s and engineers conse rve t he state's most important natural resource. The organizat io n has b eco m e one of the best fire protecti on agenc ies in the count r y . O n J an . 1, Shirley retir es as cu stodian o f the st at e's for ests. H is successo r will b e John M ixo n, the agency's current chief of research. But Shirley won't get far aw ay from his belov ed trees, as long as h e stays in Georgia. All he h as to do is look left o r r ig ht f rom every highway . -The Macon Telegraph A GOOD RESOLUTION There was an interesting first of the year news item having to do with a New Year's resolution of especial interest to our area. J:mmy Lee, Ware County's Forest Ranger, said his resolution is to continue to protect our community against fire, insect and diseases that attack the trees. While 1982 wasn't a bad year in these parts as far as fires and forest diseases were concerned, any losses are too much, especially when they are preventable. The Ware Forestry Unit reported 512 acres burned in the county. Statewide, there were 6,318 fires which destroyed 24,895 acres. The leading cause of forest fires here, as elsewhere, is deliberate burning or, to put it in a more charitable way, burning areas in a careless manner and letting them get out of control. Forestry authorities continue to urge cau- t io n whi le doi ng outside burning. The recommended way is to check first with the forestry unit for advice. Ra nger Lee has reported no significant problems in the past year from insects and diseases although the Ips beetle and the fusiform rust of pines are regarded as major culprits in this a r ea. A good suggestion by the Ware foreste r is that area landowners consider reforesting their property with seedlings if the land is not producing crops and is not stocked with trees. The forestry office can provide seedlings and offer advice along this line. It goes without saying that preservation and conservation of our forest resources are in the best interest of our area and our country. -Waycross Journal Herald CONTE NTS Ice Storm Damages Surveyed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Naval Stores Conservation Program For '83 Announced .4 State Receives F IP Allotment . . . . . . . .5 Industry Appointments .......... . .6 New Heating System Termed Successful .7 Director Mixon Succeeds Ray Shirley .. .8 More National Champion Trees Discovered in Georgia . 10 Key Personnel Retire .. . 11 Director Promotes Six ..... . . 12 Veteran Rangers Retire..... . . 13 Letters, Logging the Foresters . . 14 Feature Page............ . . 15 ON THE COVER - Four-year-old Leslie Cook, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. Fred Cook of Gray, is proud of the tree that had just been planted in observance of Arbor Day. Thousands of trees were planted February 18 on school grounds, in city parks, and on residential lawns across the state as Georgia celebrated the special day to pay tribute to trees. The observance is encouraged each year by the Commission and brochures providing schools program outlines, planting instructions, Arbor Day history and other information are distributed to schools. Georgia Forestry/March 1983 Commission foresters survey ice storm damages at the A rrowhead Seed Orchard, where limb s and t ree tops littered the 218-acre facility near Cochran. Several wood chippers were brought into the orchard to dispose of the debris. ICE STORM DAMAGES FORESTS, SEED ORCHARD \ The recent ice storm that swept across central and southwest Georgia caused considerable damage to forests and destroyed approximately 30 to 50 percent of the expected seed crop at Arrowhead Seed Orchard. Jim Wynens, Chief of Reforestation, said a great mass of ice-covered limbs and tree tops crashed to the ground at the Commission's 218 acre seed orchard near Cochran. "They bore the maturing cones that would have provided much of our superior seed for th e spring planting in th e nurseries in 1984," the chief explai ned . He said cones that would have provided the fall seed harv est was not the only loss. "The limb s also held t he flowers, or conelets, that would have provided seed for our 1985 planting," Wynens pointed o ut. Arrowhead, one of three seed orchards maintained by the Commission, provides superior loblolly and slash pine seed that have been developed through years of genetic resea rch. The improved seed also includes a high gum y ie ld slash pine fo r the naval stores industry. "It will take years to fully recove r from th is seed loss," Wynens said. "We w ill have to remove and replant trees in some of the mo re severely damaged areas in the orch ard." He said some of the trees in the Arrowhead O rchard are 28 years old. Meantime, Commission entomologists have Georgia Forestry/ March 1983 wa rned forest la nd owners that stress inflicted on the trees by t he sto rm damage cou ld bring about an invasio n of ba rk beet les as warm weath er approach es. La ndow ners have been ask ed to re move severel y damaged trees and deb ris from th eir lands. Th e last statew ide aerial survey revealed that beet le activ it y is increasing and the entomologists said there is a possibility of a serious problem w ith Southern bark beetles this spring. They cautio ned landowners to be alert to yellowing tree tops as a sign that the insect is present in their trees. Measures that should be taken when th e insect is discovered is available at all district offices and county units of the Commission. 3 Roy Cates, state executive director, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, Athens, has announced the approval of the 1983 Naval Stores Conservation Program. Jim L. Gillis, Jr., president, American Turpentine Farmers Association, Soperton, made the request for the program's continuation on behalf of the Association's membership. Gillis said he was pleased that the Department of Agriculture had continued the program for the gum naval stores producers. He noted that naval stores is truly a conservation program because of the accumulation of timber inventory while working the trees. Cates pointed out that the maximum cost-sharing is $3,500 to each producer, including any ACP earnings under the current program. The Georgia ASCS office will make the cost-share payments. The rates and practices are 25 cents per face on a 9-inch practice, 31 cents per face on a 10-inch practice and 35 cents per face on an 11 -inch practice and above, with spiral gutter or Varn apron and double-headed nails applying to all three practices. Others include 12 cents per face for the elevation of cups and aprons using double-headed nails, 33 cents per cut for NAVAL STORES CONSERVATION PROGRAM APPROVED a new plastic or aluminum two-quart cups, and eight cents per unit for a new plastic apron-gutter. Grady Williams, naval stores specialist, Georgia Forestry Commission, McRae, stated that at least two streaks and one dipping will be required before qualifying a face for cost-sharing in any practice. He emphasized that cost-sharing, for the elevation practice and installation of new plastic or aluminum cups, requires the trees to be no less than 9-inches dbh. Other requirements include no double cupping on trees less than 14-inches; pick- up faces will not be allowed with any practice; the recommended bark-bar width of both bark bars must be at least 7-inches. Gum naval stores producers may make th e ir requests for NSCP participation through their county ASCS office or county forestry office, effective immedi- ately, he said. John W. Mixon, Forestry Commission director, pointed out that the field phase of the program is under the directio n of the state foresters of Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi. The Commission coordinates the field services in the four states, he added. 4 Georgia Forestry/ March 1983 The 1983 Fo rest Incentives Program (F IP) has been approved, according to a jJint announcement by John W. Mixon, d.rector, Georgia Forestry Commission and Roy Cates, executive director, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, Athens. Cates said that Georgia's basic FIP allocation is $1 ,232,000. The total for the nation is $12.5 million. Mixon emphasized that the program is designed to increase timber production through tree planting and/or timber stand improvement. The local county ASCS office will approve the applications, keep records and make payments to the landowners. The Commission will provide the technical forestry field assistance. In approving requests, high priority will be given to practices that result in the planting of 40 acres or more of trees, timber stand improvement of 40 acres or more or a combination of both. F IP payments to the landowners are li mited to $10,000 per calendar year. Approved practices remain in effect until cancelled. The payments may be assigned to a vendor with the landowner's approv- al. Those eligible, primarily small landowners, include private individuals, groups, assoc1at1ons, corporations or other legal entities who own non-industrial private forest lands capable of producing a commercial wood crop. A landowner must have a forest management plan, prepared by a forester under the direction of the Georgia Forestry Commission, for the area in which the practice will be carried out. The Forestry Commission has the responsibility for: (1) certifying the need and suitability for the practice, (2) preparing a forest management plan, (3) providing a prescription for the on-theground methods to be used in the application of the practice, (4) assisting approved landowners in securing the services of vendors and (5) certifying that the practice has been satisfactorily completed so that the cost-share payments can be made. Tree planting is one of several activities under the cost-share FIP Program. STATE ALLOTTED $1,232,000 IN 1983 FOREST INCENTIVES PROGRAM The following co st s are th e ma x im u m flat cost-share rat es, as recomme nd ed and approved by th e State ASCS Committee: Payments rec eiv ed by th e landow ner for FP-1 are : $18 p er acr e wh ere p lan t ing is done with farm equipm e nt; $ 23 per acre where planting is d one by ha nd or with heavy equipment ; $33 per acre for light site p re paration; $ 56 per ac re for medium sit e p rrpara ti on; $88 per acre for heavy site preparat ion; and $5 per acre for tree seedlings. Landowner paym e nts fo r t h e FP-2 practice are $24 per acre for precomm ercial thinning; $2 per acre for prescribed burning and $31 per acre for sit e prepara tion for natural regeneration. Practice FP-1, tree planting, is to es tablish a stand of forest trees for timber production purposes and to preserve and improve the environment. Cost-sharing under this practice, in addition to tree planting, is authorized for clearing land occupied largely by scrubby brush when it is essential to permit planting desirable tree species. Cost-sharing is not authorized for planting trees on less than 10 acres, planting orchard trees, planting for ornamental purposes, Christmas tree production or fencing. The tree species will be determined by the Forestry Commission, and must be planted between November 1 and March 31. The trees must be spaced uniformly over the area, with a minimum of 600 trees per acre. Practi ce FP-2 is for improving a stand of forest tr ees. This is applied to stands of forest trees needing improvement for the purpose of producing sawtimber and veneer logs where the potential productivity of the stand or site meets or exceeds minimum forestry standards. Cost-sharing for the FP-2 practice is authorized for pre-commercial thinning or releasing desirable tree seedlings and young trees. Also included are prescribed burning and site preparation for natural seeding. This improvement should be carried out in such a manner as to preserve or improve the environment, especially wildlife habitat and the appearance of th e area. Cost-sharing, under the FP-2 practice, is not authorized fo r timber stand im provement on less than 10 acres and for prescribed burning, exc ept wh e n app roved in conjunction with sit e pre paration and fencing. For detailed sp ec if icat io ns and other F IP information , land owners are urged to contact th e ir county forestry unit or their loca l county ASCS office. Georgia Forestry/March 1983 5 ']' BARTON MALM ROZIER MILLER INDUSTRY APPOINTMENTS C. Richa rd Mordecai, Jr., General Manager of Union Camp Corporation's Woodlands Division, has announced a number of chang es in the Division. Robert E. Lee, Ill, was appointed to the new position of Director of Land Resources and William J. Barton was promoted to Southern Regions Manager, having the responsibility for the Savannah, Alabama, and Eastover, S.C. Regions. Samuel P. Kill ian, Ill, was promoted to Operations Manager of the Alabama Region. His new responsibilities include land management and support functions as well as wood procurement. Richard L. Maim was named Operations manager of the Savannah Region. He will be in charge of land management, wood procurement, timber purchasing, and the landowner assistance program for the Savannah Region. Joseph S. Tyson, formerly Operations Superintendent in the Savannah Harvesting Department, was promoted to Wood Procurement Manager of the Alabama Region. William F. Miller, Ill, was promoted to Wo0d Procurement Manager in the Savannah Region. Eleven others in the division also received new appointments, according to Mordecai. LANDMARK TREE IS SAVED Thanks to a drive that netted 167 signatures on a protest petition and concerned many citizens, the Lone Post Oak in Grovetown has been saved. According to The Columbia (County) News, Mrs. Susan Clayborn, a resident near the landmark tree, noticed that en- gineering stakes marking a section to be paved at the site were pla~~da~~~hh:~~r:~t~:~~~:nTra~nspo)~~at~io~~~ /6~;Y.'- -~- ,'/;' a~d sev~ral neighb?~s began c1rculatmg the pet1t1on to ~,:1. \ . ~~~V~f0;'Tf%1J"!,~2.K save the 161-year old on Highway 78. Several neighbors \'V' stood by the old tree t,Z'i- and stopped passing tre.e._~.\~~~J~".t\,:. ~.~~' (11/J'fr..J)#.~i?;.,~j j~ {~~ r.::i.~ J - ~ ~~\~~1. ,\\ I f: .N !~u.i'.:/~rW~;~<:~:,\~:~ r;/J motorists who agreed y~ " .~ , to sign the petition. ~' , r1 Officials of DOT, ~ v' however, were not ' ,. ' ~ insensitive to the problem even before residents of the area began their protest. An engineer said that instead of removing the old tree, the proposed passing lane on the highway would be shortened. The long exist e nce of the tree is somewhat miraculous in itself. Columbia County Forest Ranger Wayne Meadows, who came out to determine the exact age of the tree, told the resi- dents that its root system is under much pressure and that he was surprised that it survived so well near the road. The tree stands in its bare winter splendor now, decked in a yellow ribbon and wearing a "thank you" sign. FORESTRY FORUM SCHEDULED Integrating Wildlife Consideration with Forest Management, a one-day Forestry Forum, will be held on March 15 at Clemson University. Topics will include intensive site preparation and wildlife habitat, forest management and small game, implications of wildlife management, wildlife and forest management. The Forum, sponsored by the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service and Department of Forestry, will provide information to professional foresters. For further information, contact Donald L. Ham, Extension Forester, Department of Forestry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29631. Telephone: 803/656-2478. In photo at left, Commission personnel guide a wood chip hopper into place at Westside Elementary School in Whitfield County. The hopper, part of a wood energy heating system being installed at the school, was designed and fabricated by engineers and skilled workmen in the Macon shop. The Commission has aided in the installation of similar systems in other schools. prisons and institutions in the state. 6 Georgia Forestry/March 1983 Shown left to right inspecting the controls of the n ew heating system are Ray Shirley, former Commission director, State Senator Hugh M. Gillis of Soperton, State Representative L. L. (Pete) Phillips of Soperton , Commission Board Chairman Jim L. Gillis, Jr. , Soperton and Commission Director John W. Mixon. NEW WOOD HEAT SYSTEM AT CENTER RUNNING SMOOTHLY Employees at the Georgia Forestry Center near Macon have enjoyed a smooth transition from electricity and natural gas to wood as a heating fuel during the winter now ending. "We have not shut down since the initial start-up in December and we have not encountered any serious difficulties in the operation of the equipment," commented Fred Allen, Chief of Forest Research, on the twin-boiler installation that provides hot water to heat several of the main buildings at the Center. Fire boxes of the big boilers installed in a renovated a ircr aft hanger are automatically fed wood chips by means of conveyors a nd 6,000 feet of heavily insulated und ergro und p ip e carries hot water to the va riou s bui ld ings where heating syst e ms were con verted to accomo date the system . All e n said wood ch ip s are purchased from mil ls wit h in a 5 0 mil e radius of the center. He said natura l ga s and electrical syste m s w ere kept intact in th e bu ildings to serve as back up un its in the event of an emerg ency . In the dedication of the system , wh ich was d esigned to serve as a " w o od e ne rg y showcase" for those interest ed in ad vanced equipment used to heat a cluster of bu ildings with wood, Jim L. G ill is of Soperton, Chairman o f the Forest ry Comm ission's Board, pr esided, and special guests Senator Hugh Gillis and State Representative L. L. Phillips made re ma rks concerning t he syst em. Representatives o f t extile, concrete At left, a supply of wood chips are piled in f ront of the furnace building. A brochure , entitled Wood Energy in Georgia-A Five Year Progress Report, has been published by the Commission's research department in cooperation w ith the educat ion department , and is now available to persons intere sted in the various projects around th e st at e that are now operational. Wr it e Research Department, Georgia Forestry Commission, Box 819, Macon, G eorgia 31298-4599 or t e lepho ne 9 12/744 -3353. and lumber industries spoke on wood en ergy sy st ems in t h eir plants and Director John Mixo n, who was Chief of the Commission's Fo rest Research Depa rt ment at the time , outlined the eco nom ics of using wood as an energy sou rce in Geo rgia. Commission officia ls said co nsid erable savings in wood heating costs over e lectr ical and gas fuel system s fo rme rly used in th e Commission a nd U. S. Fo rest S e rvice buildings is ex pect ed a nd data would be availab le at th e end of th e w inter season. 7 The Macon Telegarph called it "the changing of the guard." The occasion was the retirement of Commission Director A. Ray Shirley after a 23year career and the naming of John W. Mixon by Governor Joe Frank Harris to succeed the veteran forestry leader. It was indeed the changing of the guard, as the director heads an organization that stands guard over Georgia's valuable 24.8 million acres of commercial forestland. During his career, which began in 1947 when he was named State Forester, Shirley saw the state agency grow from a small band of ill-equipped firefighters to a statewide force today that employs the latest in ground and air equipment in the detection and suppression of forest fire and has won national acclaim for its effectiveness over the state's forestlands. Shirley resigned his post in June of 1949 to assume the position of general manager of the American Turpentine Farmers Association, but returned as Director of the Commission in January of 1960. Since that time, he initiated many innovations that have greatly broadened the base of services offered to the landowner and the general public. Under Shirley's leadership, research in the state seed orchards and tree nurseries resulted in a genetically improved seedling as early as 1964 and is now produced in the millions each year to help perpetuate Georgia's 24.8 million acres of forests. When the energy crisis surfaced in the mid-seventies, the director had Commissio n personnel survey waste wood in the state's forests and determined that a great abundance of material not suitable for lumber and other products could be converted to energy. In July 1978, the legislature placed the Georgia Forest Research Council under the Forestry Commission. Since that time, many applied research projects of one to two years duration have been undertaken and completed. A native of Bowersville, Shirley earned a degree in Forestry from the University of Georgia in 1936. During World War II, he served as a captain in the U.S. Army's Corps of Engineers, with duty in Africa and Europe. He and his wife, Mary Virginia, reside in Macon, where the Commission headquarters is located. They have two children, Ray, Jr., a chemical engineer, and Rudy, a medical doctor, and five grandchildren. Mixo n, appointed by Governor- Elect Joe Frank Harris to assume directorship of the Georgia Forestry Commission January 1, pledged to "continue the many progressive programs" initiated by the outgoing director. "Director Ray Shirley during his 23 years of leadership built the Commission into an agency that has attracted natiOnal attention of it's genetically improved tree seedlings, Rural Fire Defence Program, applied research in wood energy and other innovative projects that I intend to continue to develop," said Mixon. A native of Johnson County and a graduate of the School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia, Mixon came with the Commission in 1961 and served in the Waycross and Rome districts. He 1eft the agency in 1963 to work two years in private industr y before returning in 1965 to head the establishment of the Commission's unique Urban Forestry Program. The program, which provides assistance by professional foresters to urban homeowners in the maintenance of shade DIRECTOR MIXON ASSUM and ornamental trees, started in Atlanta and soon became statewide under his leadership. Mixon became field supervisor of the Northern Region of the state in 1972, a post in which he coordinated all Commission programs, including forest management, reforestation, protection and education, with the field force. He later served in the same capacity in the Southern tier of counties. In his supervisory role, Mixon also worked closely with county commissioners, legislative members, landowners and others in the promotion of various Commission programs. In 1978, Mixon became Chief of the Commission's Forest Research Department, a new division of the agency which placed emphasis on applied forestry research as well as wood energy research following the Arab oil crisis. Under Mixon's direction, the department has been successful in applied research programs in cooperation with specialists of the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, Clerr.son College, Auburn University, the University of Florida, U. S. Forest Service and private consultants. The Commission's accomplishments resulting from wood energy research includes a wood gasification installation at a Rome hospital and direct-fired wood energy heating systems in several public schools, three prisons, a state hospital, and the Georgia Forestry Center with additional projects in the planning stage. The new director graduated from Kite High School and attended Berry College in Rome prior to enrollment at the University of Georgia. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve. The Mixon family resides in Monroe County where his wife Sue is employed as a hospital-homebound teacher. He is a member of the Society of American Foresters, Georgia Forestry Association and the Georgia Farm Bureau. Georgia Forestry/March 1983 Commission personnel, government leaders, other friends and rela- tives gathered in Macon recently to honor retir- ing Director Ray Shirley. 1 (_ eft to right, top row, he accepts a photograhic montage from Charles McMahan and Tom Ellis, U. S. Forest Service, Ma- con; the Rev. Wayne Ates, Jesup, delivers address; Leonard Killian, State Forester of South Caro /ina, presents a plaque. At bottom, LeRoy Jones, U. S. Forest Service, At- lanta, presents a citation; Assistant to the Director Cash Harper, master of ceremonies, presents gifts from the Commission; Shirley responds to the many tributes. :r.OMMISSION LEADERSHIP AS RAY SHIRLEY RETIRES Director A. Ray Shirley, during his last week as head of the Forestry Commission, presented Commendation A wards to these employees in a ceremony at the Forestry Center, Macon. Front row, left to righ t, are John A. Osbolt, Jr., ranger, LamarPike-Spalding Forestry Unit; W. Glen Edwards, ranger, Gwin nett County Forestry Unit; Mrs. Mary J. Bishop, programmer analyst, DOAS; Mrs. Edra S. Wrye, accountant; Shirley; Miss Orene Duvall, personnel manager; and Druid N Preston, ch1ef, Forest Management. Back row, left to right, Grady Williams, naval sto res specialist, Howard W Stanley, forest nurseryman,Dawson S. Wells, machinist; Jerry L. Roth, general trades cra ftsman,- Charles A. Amerson, general trades supervisor; John W. Mixon . incoming director; Lewis M. Ware, clerk; and James C. Wyn ens, chief, Reforestation. Georgia Forestry/March 1983 9 GEORGIA HAS 20 CHAMPION TREES Johnny Withrow and Jerry Merritt nominated t h e nation's largest pin cherry tree. T hree Georgia champion t rees have been added to the American Forestry Association's National Register of Big Trees. They include a pin cherry, slash pine and sparkleberry. Th is brings to 20 the number of trees on the national list. The nation's largest pin cherry tree is located in a remote section of Gi lmer County on Walnut Mountain, southeast of Ellijay. The tree was nom inat ed by Jerry Merritt, forester, Georgia Forestry Commission, and Johnny Withrow of Ellijay. The tree is 6'8%" in circumference, 80' tall and has a crown spread of 35'. T he slash pine's championship measurements are circumference, 12'; height, 140' and crown spread, 45'. The tree is located 200 yards north of O ld Burkhalter Road at the Ogeechee River in Bulloch County. The property is owned by Mrs. W. A. Hagins, Statesboro. Jerry Marsh, Forestry Commission forester and W. H. Fell, Statesboro, nominated the tree. The sparkleberry tree had its name added to the national register as a result of its 4' circumference, 23' height and 30' Sparkleberry Tree crown spread. The tree is located in the front yard of Mr. and Mrs. John 0. Overstreet, Jr. They reside at 2817 Lombardy Court, Augusta. Roy Simkins, Augusta, nominated the tree. National champions must be native American species. Anyone interested in submitting a Big Tree nomination should contact the nearest Georgia Forestry Commission office. A forester will check the tree and assist in submitting its nomination to the AFA. Owners of state and national tree champions are presented a certificate acknowledging their participation in the program. Foresters honored at the recent annual meeting of the Southeastern Society of American Foresters were left to right, H. G. Harris, Swainsboro; George A. Gerhart and J. Walter Myers, Atlanta; George Garin, Auburn, Alabama (accepted by Dr. Everett Johnson); and Ernst V. Brender, Macon. Barry F. Malac could not be present due to a speaking engagement. '3render, a Fellow in the society and a native of Germany, was recognized as the leading authority on loblolly p in e silviculture on the Piedmont. He is retired fro m the U. S. Forest Service. Malac, a native of Austria, a technical cf!fector for Union Camp Corporation, Savannah, and a FL>//ow, was selected at the Southeastern Tech- nical Award recipient for his research efforts. Myers, recently retired from the Forest Farmers Association, and currently SAF Council Member for the Southeast, was awarded the General Practioner Award for his long service to southern timberland owners. Gerhart, retired from TVA; Garin, retired professor emeritus, Auburn University; and Harris, retired from Continental Can Corporation, were awarded 50-year certificates by the society in recognition of their forestry knowledge and skills used over the years to help advance the practice of professional forestry in the South. Plaques were presented by Master of Ceremonies Frank E. Craven and Section Chairman David K. Mitchell. Georgia Forestry/March 1983 COLLIER CRAVEN RETIREMENTS TURNER Two Commission department heads and a field supervisor ended long careers when they retired January 1. The off ic ers, all based at the Commission's state headquarters in Macon, included Frank Craven, Chief of Forest Education; James Turner, Chief of Forest Protection; and George Collier, Field Supervisor. The three are graduates of the School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia, and they came with the Commission in its early days of development into an effective statewide organization. Craven, a native of Oswego, New York, served in the Army following graduation from high school and earned his degree in forestry at the university in 1951. He began his career with the Commission as forest ranger in Butts County in 1951 and was named Assistant District Forester at McRae the following year. He became Rome District Forester in 1955 and assumed the department chief's position in 1957. Craven was named Georgia's Outstanding Forester in 1969 by the Georgia Sportsmans Federation and has received awards from conservationists and other groups. He is a lay reader and past Senior Warden of the Vestry of Christ Episcopal Church in Macon. He served as Governor of the Georgia District, Kiwanis International, in 1978-79 and was designated "Distinguished Governor" in a special ceremony of the worldwide organization. Craven is married to the former Mildred Morgan of Athens and they have two daughters, Karen Brady of Salisbury, N.C., and Valerie of Atlanta, and one grandchild. Collier, a native of Tuskegee, Alabama, moved with his family to Athens during his youth. He graduated from Athens High School and attended the University of Georgia for a year before joining the U.S. Army. He served in combat in the European Theater during World War II and received the Purple Heart. Following the war, he completed his education at the university . Collier came with the Commission in 1950 as a forest ranger in Grady County and served as a forester in the Waycross District the following year. He was named District Forester in Washington in 1954 and assumed the position of field supervisor in 1972. Collier is a member of the Georgia Forestry Association and the Georgia Chapter, Society of Am erican Foresters. He is active in Mulberry Street Unit ed Methodist Church in Macon, where he serves on the Administrative Board. The veteran forest e r is married to the former Anna Fountain of Gordon and they have two childred, Robert and Gail. Turn er, who was born in Dutch Guiana, moved to Florida during his youth and is a graduate of Andrew Jack son High School in Jacksonville. Following graduation from the University of Geo rgia, he came with the Commission in 1947 as Assistant District Forest er in Washington. From 1949 to 1957, the year in which he was appointed Chief of Forest Protection, Turner served in several fire control, forest management and educational posts. During the span of his career, Turner's department reduced the fire loss from thousands of acres in a single fire to a present day average of less than five acres. He has been cited nationally for his leadership in this achievement. Turner is a member of the Georgia Chapter, Society of American Foresters; the Macon Exchange Club and the Board of Directors, Vineville Little League Baseball. He is a deacon and an elder of Vineville Presbyterian Church in Macon. He served in the U. S. Army, with duty in the Phillippines during World War II. The Forestry leader and his wife, the former Jane Brooks of Washington, have two sons, James, Ill of Warner Robins and Frank of Snellville. Below: Retirees and their wives at head table at a Macon banquet honoring the three. Left to right, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Craven, Mr. and Mrs. George Collier, Director and Mrs. John Mixon (the director was master of ceremonies) and Mr. and Mrs. Jim Turner. ..1 I {' t 1 '.t. WESTMORELAND BENNETT ALLEN WELLS LAZENBY McCLAIN PROMOTIONS Director John W. Mixon made several first of the year personnel promotions in the wake of December retirements and now those appointed to the posts have settled down to their new duties. David L. Westmoreland has assumed duties as Chief, Forest Protection Depart ment, Howard E. Bennett is Chief, Forest Education Department and J. Fred Allen heads the Research Department. Wesley L. Wells and William R. Lazenby were appointed field supervisors. David K. McClain was named Gainesville District Forester, a post that was held by Lazenby. Westmoreland, a native of Newnan and a resident of Perry in recent years, succeeded James C. Turner in directing Forest Protection. He holds a degree in forestry from Auburn University and served as forester for the Great Northern Paper Company before coming with the Commission in 1962. Hi s position prior to the new appointment was field supervisor for the South ern half of the state. The new department head is married to the former Miss Doris Pender of Ft. Valley and they have two sons, Scott and Blake, both of Perry. They are members of the Presbyterian Church of Perry. Bennett, a native of Arkansas and a graduate of Mercer University, succeeded Frank Craven in the education anc. public relations post. Prior to coming with the Commission as Public Relations and In formation Assistant in 1978, he had worked as a reporter for the Macon Telegraph and later served as news bureau chief in Warner Robins for both Macon newspapers, served as Public Relations D irector for Bank ers Health and Life Insurance Company, and more recently managed his own company, Bennett Advertising and Public Relations Ag ency. Bennett and his wife, the former Miss Betsy Hardie of Wilkinson County, have two sons, Keith of New York City, and Craig of Macon. They are members of Mulberry Street United Methodist Church in Macon. Allen, a native of Maryland and a graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in forestry, succeeded John Mixon. He began his career as a forest patrolman in the Newnan District in 1972 and following other promotions, he was named Assistant Chief of Forest Research in 1982. He is a member of the Georgia Forestry Association, Forest Products Research Society and the Jones County Lions Club. The forester and his wife, the former Miss Teresa Parham of Lyman, S.C., and their two young children, John and Michael, live in Gray. They attend First Baptist Church. Wells, a native of Commerce and a graduate of the University of Georgia, was Associate Chief of Forest Protection before his promotion. He has assumed duties of the post formerly held by Westmoreland. Th e professional forester came with the Commission as a technician in the Washington District in 1966 and was made management forester the following year. He held other posts before his transfer to the state headquarters in Macon several years ago. Wells and his wife, the former Miss Beverly Jane Dailey, and their two sons, Tommy and Ken, live in Gray. They attend Elam Baptist Church. Lazenby, a native of Tennessee, transferred from Gainesville, where he had served as District Forester, to assume the field supervisory position. He succeeded George Collier. Lazenby ea rned a degree in forestry at the University of Georgia and came with the Commission as a forest technician in 1971. He is currently a captain and company commander in the Georgia Na tional Guard. The superv isor and his wife, the former Miss Claudia Robbins of Tifton, have two children, Robyn and Robert. Th e family is active in the Methodist Church. McClain, a native of Tiger and a graduate of Rabun County High School and the School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia, has served th e Commission in several capacities during th e past 17 years. In serving as a forest technician in recent years, he coordinated wood chipping demonstrations in many sections of the state. The forester is married to the former Miss Nancy Norton of Highland, N.C. and they hav e a daughter, Debbie, 19, and a son, Mark, 11. They attend the Baptist Church. The family presently lives in Rom e and will soon move to Gainesville. Georgia Forestry/March 1983 Former Ranger Chesley Gilmore and wife at retirement party given by Commission personnel and other friends. THREE RANGERS RETIRE A large group of well-wishers gathered in Oglethorpe recently to honor Ranger Chesley Gilmore at his retirement dinner party which marked the end of a 30-year career with the Commission. The Macon-Schley County forest ranger, a native of Oglethorpe and a farmer prior to coming with the Commission in 1953, directed many progressive changes in the protection and perpetuation of forest land throughout the two counties during his long tenure. Commission personnel, relatives, neighbors and other friends presented gifts to Gilmore and gave testimonials to his valuable service during the past three decades. The retired ranger is a graduate of Oglethorpe High School, where he was active in the 4-H Club and other school activities. He later attended Berry College in Rome. Gilmore said he will maintain his cattle farm som e 10 miles north of Oglethorpe during his retirement years. The evening of January 28 was a very special time forM. F. Futch, Jr., former ranger of the Liberty-Long-South Bryan Forestry Unit, and Preston Rozier, former ranger of the Mcintosh County Unit. The event was a retirement dinner honoring the two veteran rangers, and 68 fellow workers and other friends were on hand at Franklin Restaurant in Ludowici to express th eir ap preciation for the years of service rendered by the two m en. Futch served 32 years with the Commission a nd Preston completed 34 years. M. F. FUTCH, JR. PRESTON ROZIER Director Joseph Schenk shows oddity on display at Southern Forest World. DOG IN LOG EXHIBITED One of the most unusual attractions among the many exhibits at Southern Forest World in Waycross is a "mummified dog" in a hollow Chestnut Oak log. Joseph Schenk, director, explained that Doyle Lanham, a buyer and logging contractor for the Georgia Kraft Company, discovered the preserved dog after the tree had been cut into seven-foot lengths and loaded on a truck. The contractor showed his find to Dr. Philip Greear, head of Biology Department, Shorter College, who determined that the environmental conditions in the oak were sufficient for the preservation of the animal. He explained that a chimney effect occurred in th e hollow tree, resulting in an updraft of air. This, he reasoned, would c ause the scent of th e d ea d animal to be carried away, which otherwise would have attracted insects and oth er oganisms that feed on decaying animals. The educator said the hollow tr ee also provid ed relatively dry conditions and tannic acid of th e Chestnut Oak helped harden th e animal's skin. Upon investigation, it was establish ed that th e dog was lodged about 20 feet up the hollow of the tree a few feet short of the exit hole. Th e diam eter of th e tree hollow, at the point where the dog was w edged , is approximately 10 inches. The annual ring s w ere counted at the hole in the bottom of the stump to determine the amount of time that th e dog had been in the tree, and it showed that a span of 18 y ears h ad passed since the t ime that the dog entered and got wedged in the tree. Dr. Be n Mo ss, a Ced artow n veterinarian, determined th e hound to be no mo re t han four years old when it became wed ged in the t ree. Th e t e levision show, Tha t's Incredible, has been contacted about this very unusual exhibit and may do a segment on a future program, Schenk said. Southern Forest World is located in Waycross on North Augusta Av en ue, between U.S. High ways 1 and 82. T i1ere is no admission to South ern Forest World through June 30. It is closed on Mondays and major holidays. 13 I own a small tree farm in Decatur County. Your Bainbridge office sent out a crawler and plow to redo my fire breaks in December, 1982. The young man who came out to operate the crawler, Denny Sellers, does credit to your Commission. He was courteous, cooperative, efficient and thorough. I am most pleased with the work done and the friendly attitude of Mr. Sellers. You are most fortunate to have a man of this caliber in your employ. JosephS. Clark Tallahassee, FL As a resident of the Black Jack area, I wish to commend both the Decatur County Fire De partment and the Georgia Forestry Commission for their rapid response to a nd control of the recent brush fire at Black Jack. As a veteran of several years in the fire ser- vice, I was very impressed to witness the high degree of expertise and cooperation between these two departments in extinguishing this potentially hazardous fire, which could con- servatively have created a tremendous loss of life and property. George E. Elam Decatur County The South Fulton Vocational Center administrators and staff sincerely enjoyed the re cent visit of Forester Louie Deaton. The students were very impressed with his interest and questions about the Center were satisfactorily answered. We solicit his continued involvement in improving their instructional program. Rulon B. Johnson, Director South Fulton Vocatio na l Center Soon after the 1982 National Register was released, you submitted several Big Tree nominations to me for consideration as National Champions. Although this follow-up comes much delayed, I would like to confirm Georgia's three new National Champions and offer our congratulations to the nominators. The three new champions are your 169point Pin Cherry, the 295-point Slash Pine, and the 78.5-point Spark leberry. The Pin Cherry will stand as a Co-champion with a 163.5-point Tennessee tree and the Sparkleberry will stand as a Co-champion with an 81point Florida tree. Kay M. Hartman Big Tree Program Washington, D. C. This is to express appreciation to Ranger Herbert Moore for the most prompt and effective response by his unit in connection with the grass fire at the home of Mrs. Cecil Cory on the Augusta Highway. The fact that he was able to be there within ten minutes is most reassuring, particularly since it involved the transporting of heavy equipment. His courteo us handling of the entire incident is most app reciated. Cecil C. Cory,Jr. Greensboro, Georgia DOZIER ALVIN LONG MARK DOZIER , a native of Atlanta and a graduate of the School of Forest Reso urc es, University of Georgia, ha s been named forest ranger of the Liberty-South Bryan County Forestry Unit. He succeeds M. F. Futch, who recently retired. R anger Dozier began employment with the Commission in 1980 as a patrolman in Burke County and later served as forester in several other counties. He is married to the former Miss Arlene Ard of Bainbridge ... RONNIE ALVIN, a native of Metter who served four years in the Navy, has been named ranger of the Mcintosh County Unit, to succeed Preston Rozier, who recently retired. Ranger Alvin served as patrolman in the Candler County Unit since he came with the Commission in 1977. A graduate of Metter High School, he is married to the former Miss Margaret Smith and they have one son ... ROBERT LONG, a native of Jesup and an employee of the Commission since 1973, has been named forest ranger of the Long County Unit. A graduate of Ludowici High School, Ranger Long succeeds M. F. Futch, Jr., who recently retired. The new ranger came with the Commission as patrolman of the Liberty-Long-South Bryan Unit in 1977, a time when the three counties were combined. He was later named assistant ranger. The ranger and his wife, the former Miss Barbara Wells, have two children. CARPENTER NAMED TAPPI FELLOW Dr. Charles H. Carpenter has been named a Fellow of the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (T APPI) . Dr. Carpenter is a consultant to the pulp and paper industry, with offices in Montgomery, AL. T APPI, with 23,000 members in over 70 countries and with headquarters in Atlanta, is the world's largest professional association of engineers, scientists, and managers serving the pulp, paper, converting, and allied industries. Th e designation TAPPI Fellow is conferred upon individuals who have distinguished themselves by their meritorious service to the Association or industry. Dr. Carpenter is being honored espe- cially for his research and development work, which was instrumental in the establishment of a newsprint industry in the U. S. South. His development of a practical method for pitch control in the mechanical pulping of southern pine was the key to the first successful use of this wood sp eci es in making newsprint. In January 1940, under his direction, Southland Paper Mills in Lufkin, TX, made the first commercial newsprint with southern pine mechanical pulp as the primary component of the furnish. He began his development work on newsprint from southern pine in 1936 when he joined the Pulp and Paper Laboratory of Savannah (Herty Foundation). Georgia F orest ry/ March 1983 .~~ F-EA-T'U-R~ PAGE . J I i GEORGIA FORESTRY I .C I ., : tt' , .. 1~1,.. (f. ..:I~ .. ./ t ~'I " Some 50 students were engaged in transforming an unattractive area into an eventual forested plot by planting improved slash pine tree seedlings. LANDFILL BECOMING FOREST PLOT Thanks to the forestry class of the Bleckley County High School, the Cochran-Bieckely County landfill has taken on a new look. In recent weeks, the students have planted 20 acres of the landfill to pine. Cliff "Bubba" Paulk, Vo-Ag instructor, said the project is being made possible by the City and Bleckley County governments. They have leased the 20acre site to the Bleckely County High School FFA Chapter for 25 years. Paulk pointed out that the lease will enable his classes to complete one pulpwood cycle. In addition to the planting experience for this year's class, future classes will carry out forestry practices such as removing undesirable trees, cruis- ing, mark ing and harvesting . The students will also get to practice fire prevention and insect and disease control, Paulk added. Approximately 50 students took part in planting the site by machine and hand. The site was planted in improved slash pine using a 6' x 8' spacing. A welding project was an outgrowth of the planting with the Vo-Ag students constructing 21 dibbles. Paulk noted that the landfill forest will be a much needed addition to their school forest program that is sponsored by Union Camp Corp. The landfill is located three miles east of Cochran on Ga. 26. Georgia F orest ry/Ma rch 1983 Hall Jones, ranger, 8/eckley County Forestry Unit and Cliff Paulk , Vo Ag instructor, 81eckley County High School, inspect tree seedlings planted by the school's Forestry class. 15 ~ -- -- - ---- ~- - - - - - -- ~ .Georgia F_QR ESTR I ~- - ___-_---. -- ~--~~ - -- - - - -- - ~ - . c;.... " l I N SECTS Cit ~. . t'.., t' .:..r I'\ .., r ,.\... . .~ ~ r.-.-~~ ~ FIRES SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID AT MACON , GEORGIA V) .w...... c:r c:( c:r en ~ _, ('\J 0 >- 1.0 2:1-0 o~M ~ V) u1- c::: UJ W>< V) .......... ~ 2: V) ::::> ~ _, V) c:( I 2: c- :rc:c::UrJ: UJ ~I V) ::::> c:( STORMS KUDZU SOME EMEMIES OF GEO RG IA'S FO RESTS / The Georgia Forestry Commission wages war against these and other enemies that plague our forests from time to (- time. Thanks to the cooperation of landowners and others, ma ny of the battles are being won.