JUN1 4 1983 oocu~E:'ns UGi\ t:E :~/1 S:I:S Georgia USPS No. 217120 June1983 No.2 Vol.~ Joe Frank Harris - Governor John W. Mixon- Director BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Jim L. Gillis, Chairman, Soperton Felton Denney, Carrollton Eley C. Frazer, Ill, Albany Patricia B. Robinson, Atlanta Robert Simpson, Ill, Lakeland STAFF Howard E. Bennett, Editor Thos. R. Fontaine, Jr., Associate Editor Thomas B. Hall, Artist DISTRICT OFFICES District One P. 0. Box 5026 Mount Berry, GA 30149 District Two Route 11, Box 37 Gainesville, GA 30501 District Three Route 4, Box 168A Athens, GA 30605 District Four P. 0. Box 1080 Newnan, GA 30264 District Five Highway 49 Milledgeville, GA 31061 District Six Route 2, Box 266 Washington, GA 30673 District Seven Route 1, Box 23A Americus, GA 31709 District Eight Route 3, Box 17 Tifton, GA 31794 District Nine Route 2, Box 722 Camilla, GA 31730 District Ten Route 2 Statesboro, GA 30458 . District Eleven Route 11, Box 46 I Helena, GA 31037 District Twelve Route 6, Box 167 Waycross, GA 31501 Georgid F c restrv is pu blished quarterly by the G":H Jia For '"U ' Comm ission, Route 1, Box r, Ory Brc.~r, . ( A 310 20. Second class ,.,t,l 1e p;>irl at V:, con. Gl I AM FOREST I FIELD I MOUNTAIN .. . I WAS BORN on July 4th, 1776, and the Declaration of Independence is my birth certificate. The blood lines of the world run in my veins because I offered freedom for the oppressed. I am many things a'nd many people. I am the Nation. I am 220 million living souls and the ghost of millions who have lived and died for me. I am Nathan Hale and Paul Revere. I stood at Lexington and fired the shot heard "round the world." I am Washington, Jefferson, and Patrick Henry.' I am John Paul Jones, the Green Mountain Boys and Davey Crockett. I am Lee and Grant and Abe Lincoln. I remember the Alamo, the Maine and Pearl Harbor. When freedom called I answered and stayed until it was over, over there. I left my heroic dead in Flanders Field, on the rock of Corregidor, on the bleak slopes of Korea and in the steaming jungles of Vietnam. I am the Brooklyn Bridge, the wheat lands of Kansas, the red clay of Georgia and the granite hills of Vermont. I am the coal fields of the Virginias and Pennsylvania, the fertile lands of the West, the Golden Gate and the Grand Canyon. I am Independence Hall , the Monitor and the Merrimac. I am big. I sprawl from the Atlantic to the Pacific. My arms reach out to embrace Alaska and Hawaii, more than 3 million square miles throbbing with industry. I am more than 3 million farms. I AM FOREST, field, mountain. And you can look at me and see Ben Franklin walking down the streets of Philadelphia with a bread loaf under his arm. You can see Betsy Ross with her needle, You can see the lights of Christmas and hear the strains of Auld Lange Syne as the calendar turns. I am Babe Ruth and the World Series, Fran Tarkenton of the Super Bowl. I am 169 thousand schools and colleges and 250 thousand churches, where my people worship God as they think best. I am a ballot dropped in a box, the roar of a crowd in the stadium and the voice of the choir in a cathedral. I am an editorial in a newspaper, and a letter to a Congressman. I am Eli Whitney and Stephen Foster. I am Tom Edison, Albert Einstein and Billy Graham. I am Horace Greely, Will Rogers, John Wayne and the Wright Brothers. I am George Washington Carver, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jonas Salk, John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King. I AM LONGFELLOW, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Walt Whitman and Thomas Paine. Yes, I e>:n the Nation and these are the things that I am. I was conceived in freedom and, God willing, in freedom I will spend the rest of my days. May I possess always the integrity, the courage and the strength to keep myself unshackled, to remain a citadel of freedom and a beacon of strength to the world. This is my wish, my goal, my prayer--now more than 200 years after I was born. Our thanks to Bill Rogers, Sr., publisher of the Forest Blade in Swainsboro, who ran this in his weekly column of his newspaper last July. The author is unknown. ON THE COVER -This type of planted forest is a familiar sight in many sections of Georgia. A pioneer planter, featured on Page 6, was one of the first in the state to set out pines in this manner for commercial harvest. Georgia Forestry/June 1983 GEORGIA HOLDS SLIGHT PULPWOOD LEAD Georgia continued its southern pulpwood production leadership in 1981 by a narrow margin over Alabama. Georgia's production of 8,866,800 cords of round pulpwood and residues represented an increase of one-half of one percent over 1980, according to the report, Southern Pulpwood Production, 1981. The report- reflecting latest figures available - was released by the U.S. Forest Service. Alabama's production was 8,644,300 cords of round pulpwood and residues. Pulpwood production throughout the South has been constant over the past three years. The 1981 production of 54.3 million cords duplicates the 1979 production and is 200,000 cords less than 1980. Other southern states producing more than four million cords were Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, and Texas. Tennessee and Florida had the largest increases, nine and six percent, respectively. Georgia had 11 of the 93 counties that produced over 100,000 cords of round pulpwood. Crawford County led Georgia with a production of 226,329 cords of round pulpwood. Other Georgia counties included Appling, Camden, Charlton, Coffee and Dodge. Laurens, Telfair, Troup, Ware and Wayne counties complete the list. Beauregard Parish, La. produced the most round pulpwood in the South, 371,000 cords. Butler County, Ala. was the only other county to top the 300,000 cords figure. Despite a three percent decline, Georgia led the South in wood residue output with 2,723,600 cords. Wood residue pro- duction in the South was 17,686,600 cords, an increase of one percent over 1980. The daily pulping capacity of Georgia's 17 pulpmillswas 17,341 tons. The 114 mills in the South had pulping capacities of 114,552 tons per day. This is an increase of two percent which resulted from the addition of one mill and expansion and modernization of existing facilities. TIMBER PROFITS HIGH ON MODEL FARM everal hundred farmers, foresters, soil and water conservationists, students and other interested persons gathered recently at the well tended Pippin Brothers Farm near Barnesville to witness an amazing transformation that has taken place within a year. The Lamar County farm was used as a demonstration area in May of last year in a "Rebirth of a Farm" program. Although drenched by heavy rains during the one day event lasf year, many innovative practices were put into place and the recent re-visit was planned to show results of those improvements. The Forestry Commission participated in the program by providing a helicopter water drop to extinguish a forest fire. Spectators were able to see the 'copter scoop water from a pond and drop the 500 gallons on the nearby fire. Druid Preston, Chief of the Commission's Forest Management Department, conducted a forest thinning demonstration during a morning session for public school students from three counties and repeated the demo in the afternoon for several hundred landowners. Preston showed a pine stand that was planted in 1959 at 1,000 seedlings per Georgia Forestry/June 1983 acre, with every fifth row removed in 1978 to yield 10 cords per acre. The en- IN THIS ISSUE Three-year inventory of Georgia's forests completed, Page 8; The Truss-Frame System, a better way to build with lumber, Page 4; Forest Service discusses possible sale of portions of National Forests in the state, Page 10; County pageant winners ready for state finals on Jekyll, Page 12; Pierce County takes ::tate FFA Field Oay honors for fifth consecutive year, Page 15 ; Tree Farmer of Year announced, Page 5 . tire stand was prescribed burned in 1982 and thinned the following year. Timber on the 24-year-old stand has earned the landowner $43 per acre per year and present value of stocking is set at $822 per acre. The water drop by helicopter was conducted by the Commission's Forest Protection Department . The aerial drop is used on stubborn areas which are not readily accessable to ground crews. Commission Director John Mixon, one of the speakers at the event, praised t he Pippin Brothers and the sponso ring Lamar County Soil and Water Conseervation District for the progress made on the farm and pledged the continu ing support of the Forestry Commissio n in aiding farmer s and other land ow ners in forest management and protection. Visitors saw terraces t hat were built with pipe outlets to carry water from a field, thus allowi ng sediment and pollut ants to se ttle in the field instead of in streams and ponds. They saw grassed waterwa ys, repaired and shaped gullies planted to grass, mu lti-purpose ponds used fo r ir riga t ion, livestock and fish pro ductio n, and a t il ed drainage system. 3 ow t hat resid ential construction ~n Georgia is f inall y showing an 1ncrease over the past few years in which buildi ng act ivity was gr eat ly depressed, it's ti m e to consider so me o f the latest engineerin g techniques in th e use of lumber. Now you can build a st rong, high qualit y home in a shorter tim e at a lower cost, according to t he U. S. Forest Se rvic e. Th e home is buil t u nd er the new Truss-Framed System. G EORGIA FO REST RY ask ed the Forest Se rvice for details on the system , which was recently develo ped b y t he U.S. Forest P roducts Laboratory in Madiso n, Wisconsin, and here is how it differs fr o m co nventional construction: The system's key struct u ral co m ponent is a truss frame. It consists of a roof t russ, a floor truss, and wall studs all fastened together into a sing le rigid unit. These are spaced on 24-inch centers to form the skeleton of the building. The engineered design of TFS assures high quality and durability. It is a building system that provides greater resista nee to strong winds and earthquakes and offers several other advantages. The design combines the best factory and site-built construction techniques, emphasizes use of 2 x 4 structural lu m ber throughout, accommodates innovative architectural and energy conserving plans, adapts to a wide variety of residential and light commercial uses, and needs no internal load supporting walls or columns. Framing on foundation can be accomplished in two to three hours and a secure structure can be provided in one to two days. The system saves labor and material costs through use of lightweight components and fast construction. It saves up to 30 percent of framing lumber and minimizes on-site loss of materials and equipment by providing immediate enclosure. The truss-framed system of construction was conceived as part of a mission by the laboratory to find more efficient ways to utilize timber resources. The system has been patented for public use and 1s available on a royalty-free oasis to anyone nterested in applying for i The TFS concept shows great promise 4 BUILDING BETTER WITH LUMBER for both the builder and the home buyer. Basically, TF S incorpo rates floor , wal ls, and roof into a unit ized frame that provides structural conti n uity fr o m the foundation up through the roof. It o ver comes conventional co nst ruct ion we ak nesses in the connections between floo r and wall, and wall and roof. TFS extends the engineering principles that led to the success of prefabricated roof and floor trusses to the entire c ro ss section of building. Persons interested in obtaining d eta iled construction plans of T FS homes should contact area builders, architects, o r truss manufacturers. Such plans are not available from the Forest Service. Several builders or plan service companies across the country, however, are offering the detailed plans at cost. Georgians interested in the plans should contact Econergy Corporation, 11720 B East Sheldon Road, Tampa, Florida 33624 (813) 920-3270. Free technical assistance is available in this area from Mr. Milton Applefield, USDA, Forest Service, Room 2105,3620 In t erstate 85, NE, Doraville, Georgia 30340. An encouraging rebound in housing construction in Georgia and surrounding states has brought about a rise in timber prices, according to Eley C. Frazer, Ill, president of the Albanybased F&W Forestry Services, Inc., a forestry consulting firm. He said a survey of market conditions by his firm's five branch offices in Georgia and Florida, and an affiliated firm in Alabama, points to a definite upturn in sawtimber prices. Frazer's report of increased prices and activity in timber and lumber markets is good news for the state's economy. Georgia is a major producer of lumber for housing construction. "Housing starts have improved each month for the last several months and several of the West Coast mills have resumed operations," Frazer said. "The market is probably in a rising situation and most operations do not have much stumpage bought ahead. Assuming continued improvement in the national economy and present or more favorable interest rates, sawtimber stumpage seems certain to rise in value." F&W monitors timber prices and market conditions at the following locations: Albany, Swainsboro, Macon, Atlanta, and Savannah, Ga.; Gainesville, Fla.; and LaFayette, Ala. Georgia Forestry/June 1983 At left: Tree Farmer Worsham , center, shows his land plat to Bill Craft, left, of ITT Rayonier, tree farm committee mem- ber, and Jack W. Gnann, committee chair- man. Below: The Tree Farmer of the Year examines a sign on his Lamar County forest. TREE FARMER OF YEAR NAMED [fJ orester David Nicholson and landowner Grover Worsham have been known to set a prescribed burn at dusk and then stay up all night in the forest to see that the fire behaves properly. That kind of devotion to good forest management, as well as many other fac~ tors, has earned Worsham the distinction of becoming Georgia's Tree Farmer of the Year for 1983. The forester from the Commission's Newnan District has been telling people for some time about Worsham's excellent 400 acre tree farm in Lamar County and the manner in which he developed the property from a dairy farm to a multiple use forest. Now those who visit the farm and are given a tour of the property by the en thusiastic owner are equally impressed with the tall timber, the clean sweep of the forest floor achieved through carefully regulated fire, the areas developed for deer and turkey hunting, the results of precise thinning operations, and the well kept trails that give easy access to every section of the land. The acreage is part of a large farm on which the tree farmer's grandfather culti vated cotton and corn for many years. After Worsham's father inherited the land, he started a dairy on part of the land and upon his retirement several years later, the son began planting trees on the property. The year was 1959, a time when land owners were taking advantage of the Soil Bank Program. Worsham investigated the Georgia Forestry/June 1983 program and decided that forestry in the long run would be more profitable than dairying. He not only planted trees, but made a committment to wisely manage his young forest. After all, he is vice president of the Forsyth Branch office of the Federal Land Bank of Carrollton and specializes in forest and agricultural land loans. He knows the worth of good continuous management in any investment situation. Fine sawtimber is found in many sec- tions of the property, but Worsham presently is harvesting only pulpwood through thinning operations. He said pulpwood sales over the years have paid the taxes and allowed a "little extra to buy a tractor and pay insurance and maintenance costs." Worsham said he plans to sell some sawtimber in about seven years and from that point he hopes to begin a sustained management plan for timber harvesting. A forestry consultant firm, as well as the Georgia Forestry Commission, is aid ing the tree farmer in the management of his land. The Commission has also estab lished an experimental kudzu control plot on his land as part of a statewide study aimed at destroying the unwanted plant that is robbing Georgia of thousands of acres of potential forestland. Worsham live~ in Thomaston and he and his wife, June, have a son, Wayne, who is now studying forestry, and a daughter, Wanda, who will graduate this year from the University of Georgia. The family is active in the First United Meth odist Church of Thomaston. 5 PIONEER TREE PLANTER HON ORED Robert Simpson, Ill SIMPSON TO CONTINUE AS BOARD MEMBER Governor Joe Frank Harris has announced the reappointment of Robert Simpson, Ill. of Lakeland to the Georgia Forestry Board of Commissioners. Simpson, named to a second sevenyear term, is one of five commissioners who serve on the Board. Other members are Jim L. Gillis, Jr., chairman, Soperton; c: Felton Denney, Carrollton; Eley Frazer, Ill, Albany; and Patricia Robinson, Atlanta. Simpson is engaged in general farming, naval stores and the timber business. This has been a family vocation for more than 50 years. A native of Lakeland, Simpson graduated from Lanier County High School in 1945 and the University of Georgia, with a BS degree in Business, in 1950. He served in the U. S. Army from 1951-52, spending 18 months in Korea. The woodland owner is a member of the Lanier County Developmental Services Center, chairman of the Farmers and Merchants Bank Board , and president of th e Lanier County Fa rm Bureau, wh ich he served as director for several y e ar s. He is a past supervisor of the Lanier Count y So il Conserva t ion Service, past chairman o f the ASC Co mmittee and vice chairm an o f the Lan ie r Cou nt y Welfare Board . Simpson is married to the former Patrici a Lanier of Daw son . They are me mbers of the Lake lan d United Methodist Churc h where h e is a m emb er of the Admi n is trat ive Board and past superintendent of th e Sunday Schoo l. The Simpsons have five children and three grandchildre n. " I was driving along a newly graded road near Homerville and saw these seed- lings growing on the road bank and I had a worker pull them up and put them in the back seat of my car," said A. V. Kennedy of Waycross. That spur-of-the-moment decision on a December day in 1926 was the meager beginning of a massive reforestation pro- gram that culminated in Kennedy plant- ing millions of pine trees by the time he "stopped counting in 1940." Kennedy, who will celebrate hi s 97th birthday in October, had leased pine for- ests since 1916 for naval stores opera- tions, but he decided that the best way to really get into the business was to own his own forests. There were no forest tree nurseries, no significant scientific data, no instruction manuals and no special tools to aid the reforestation pioneer as he unloaded the 3,000 trees from the back seat of his Hudson at daybreak the next morning and set about planting them in neat rows. The experiment in Toombs County later served to convert many open fields and cut over land to productive forests to supplement the holdings he had begun to acquire in 1923. Kennedy was never quite sure in the beginning that he was doing the right A. V. Kennedy, left, is presented the Woodman of the World Conservation Award from WOW representative Donald Outlaw at the annual forest festival in Waycross. thing by transplanting the young trees in rows. After all, other farmers and land- grades" and later attended a business col- owners had never attempted to create a lege for awhile to learn bookkeeping. He forest in that manner. said, however, that most of his education He attained good survival in that ini- was "not from books." tial planting, however, and he continued Although Kennedy became one of the practice. As nurseries were established Georgia's largest landowners through hard in later years, he bought trees to plant. work, thrift and vision, he admitted that He continued to plant manually and he made some mistakes along the way. turned to mechanical planting only in re- He recalled that in 1900 a farmer tried cent years. to sell him land for $10 per acre by advis- Kennedy's la nd holdings vastly in- ing that the value would surely increase. creased down through the years and at Kennedy said he pointed out that it had one time he possessed 72,000 acres of taken the land 1,900 years to become pine forests. worth $10 per acre and he doubted it As a resu It of his generosity, however, would appreciate in value to any great the retired landowner's personal holdings extent in the next few years. He refused have dwindled to about 1,000 acres. the offer. Some land has been sold, but much of Working with hand tools and mule- the acreage has been placed in trust for drawn wagons most of his life, Kennedy his children. He has given 4,300 acres to today marvels at the feller-buncher, wood the Georgia Baptist Childrens Home in chipper and other machines that are now Appling County and has provided gener- invading the woods to make harvesting ous gifts to other institutions and char- swifter and more efficient. ities. When the big parade for the 26th an- When the pulp and paper industry be- nual Ware County-Waycross Forest Festi- gan to locate mills in South Georgia, val moved through the streets the other Kennedy converted much of his lands in- day, friends and acquaintances- and they to pulpwood and sawtimber production. number in the thousands- were pleased The prominent landowner said he was to see A. V. Kennedy riding in the lead born in Appling County "about 10 miles vehicle as parade marshall. back of the depot." He attended a small They all knew that no other person in rural school that "was not divided into Georgia was more deserving of the honor. 6 Georgia Forestry/June 1983 Above: Prison buildings to be heated by wood system. At left, visitors view silo and self unloading wood chip van at wood energy system on grounds of the new security facility. PRISON WOOD SYSTEM COMPLETED A wood energy system installed at the new Dodge Correctional Institute by the Georgia Forestry Commission, in cooperation with the Department of Offender Rehabilitation, became operational recently and officials said all equipment functioned perfectly. Fred Allen, Chief of the Commission's Forest Research Department, which was in charge of the installation, said it is believed that the modern facility at Chester is the first prison in modern times in which a wood heating system was included in the architectural plans. The start-up of the system was held in conjunction with an open house at which Governor Joe Frank Harris, Commission Director John W. Mixon and others officiated. It was a cold, windy day- ideal climate for testing the new system. Engineers explained that the primary steel boiler at the Dodge Correctional Institute generates hot water to provide space heating and domestic hot water for the prison built to house 400 inmates. They said the direct generation of hot water makes the boiler simplier to maintain than the more familiar steam producing boiler. The Commission has also installed a wood fired system at the Walker County Prison and a state prison at Alto. The Walker installation is operational and the Alto system is nearing completion. To date, the Commission has directed the installation of wood fired systems in 11 public facilities, including public schools, prisons and hospitals, and has worked with industry in developing wood energy systems. Other projects are in the planning stage. As a result of wood energy installation in public facilitie s, the state's taxpayers will realize annual savings of $1.4 million over costs of fuels previously used. Conversion to wood as an energy source is also creating other economic activities and the total annual benefit is estimated to be $2.9 million. In the operation of the new facility at the Dodge Correc- Georgia Forestry/June 1983 tional Institute , wood chips are delivered to the site in selfunloading vans of 20 to 25 ton capacity. The chips are passed over a rotating screen to remove oversized chips, limbs, slabs and other unusa bl e material. The properly sized chips are then conveyed to a large co ncrete storage silo, which holds a seven day supply. A metering bin ca refu lly regulates the fuel feed to the boiler to maintain a specific heat requirement at any given time. When operated at 100 percent capacity, 1.21 tons of chips per hour will be util ized. Mechanical collectors keep particulate matter from being exhausted into the atmosphere, and the stack is designed to exhaust all flu gases resulting from the operation of the system. In showing the system to visitors during the open house observance, it was pointed out that wood is Georgia's greatest renewable energy resource and it is a crop that can be increased as demand requires. The state currently has more than 24 million acres of commercial forest land and by utilizing even a portion of the annual surplus growth, including poor quality trees, logging and mill residue and other forest materials once considered wastes, there is an opportunity to substantially lessen dependence on imported fuels. It is estimated that 13.1 million tons of roundwood, chips, and residues are being used annually for fuel in Georgia. 7 GROWTH EXCEEDS REMOVALS SURVEY SHOWS COMMERCIAL FOREST ACREAGE DOWN MORE VOLUME ON LESS ACREAGE POORLY STOCKED ACREAGE UP [ I ] he Geo rgia Forest Resources Survey, a major project launched in the summer of 1980 to gain an accurate inventory of the state's standing timber and other vital forest information, was recently completed and fi ndings have now been compiled, according to Commission Director John Mixon. Mixon said that commercial forest acreage declined by 4.4 percent since the 1972 survey. There are 23,734,000 commercial forest acres. The loss resulted from forest land being diverted into agricultural, urban and water uses and indus t rial and residential developments. Georgia's commercial forest acreage comprises 63.5 percent of its land area. He pointed out that farmer ownership was the only area that registered a decline. Farmers, who receive their major income from farming, own 6.1 million acres or 25.8 percent; miscellaneous private individuals, 9.2 million acres or 38.7 percent; forest industries, 5.0 million acres or 20.9 percent; miscellaneous corporate, 1.9 million acres or 7.9 percent; and public ownership, federal and state, 1.6 million acres or 6.7 percent. Combined, farmers and private individuals own 64.5 percent of the commercial forest area. There are approximately 176,000 nonindustrial private woodland owners in Georgia. The fifth forest survey of Georgia was conducted by the Southeastern Forest Experiment Station, Asheville, N.C. Joe P. McClure was the survey project leader and Georgia Forestry Commission personnel assisted in the collection of field data. Previous surveys were completed in 1972, 1961, 1951 and 1936. The survey by units follows. SOUTHWEST The area of commercial forest land has in this unit declined by 248,000 acres, or nine percent, since 1972. This continued a declining trend set in 1972 when there was a six percent reduction. There are 2.6 million commercial forest acres or approximately 47 percent of the land area, in the 22 county unit. However, the volume of softwood growing stock is up 15 pe rcent and hardwood volume is up 20 percent. The net annual growth of 86 cubic feet per acre represents a growth of 1.2 cords per acre during the past decade. The net annual growth of pine sawtimber is 687 million board feet, with an annual removal of 507 million board feet . The net annual growth of hardwood sawtimber is 190 mil lion board feet, with an annual removal of 86 million board feet . Farmers now own 1.5 million acres, 13 percent less than in Softwood is down 7.2 percent. Oak-pine type down 28.6 percent. Bottomland hardwood up 10.3 percent. Landowners, profes- sional foresters, industrialists , economists and others will greatly benefit from the information gained through the comprehensive Georgia Forest Resources Survey which required three years of intensive field work to complete. Every county in the state was included in the inventory to give a precise picture of current resources and a basis for future planning. CHANGE IN COMMERCIAL FOREST AREA BY TYPE 1972-1982 1972. Most of this decline is attributed to land clear ing. Forest industry acreage has increased by six percent to 266,000 acres . The nonindustrial private holdings represent 89 percent of the commercial forest acreage. SOUTHEAST Commercial forest acreage declined by 275,000 acres, cont inuing the decline of the sixties. The 7.2 mill io n forest acres represent 67 percent of the land area in the 35-co unty unit. The forest acreage was diverted to agr icult ural uses, urban and noncommercial forest. There was a net annual growth of 77.5 cubic feet per acre of 1.13 cords per acre during the seventies. Softwood and hardwood growing stock showed a 10 and 25 percent increase, respectively. The net annual growth of pine sawtimber is 1.54 billion board feet, with an annual removal of 1.49 billion board feet. The net annual growth of hardwood sawtimb er is 371 million board feet, with an annual removal of 195 mi llion board feet. The net annual growth of pine and ha rdwood is 5.9 and 1.6 million cords, respectively. The annual removal for pine and hardwood are 5.7 and .7 million cords. The area of commercial forestland owned by the nonindustrial pri vate landowner is 4.5 million acres, an 11 percent reduction . Forest industry increased their holdings from 2.1 to 2.3 million acres. An additional 505,000 acres are und er long term lease. Less tha n five precent of the forest area is publicly owned. CENTRAL There ate seven million commercial forest acres or 67 percent of the land area, in this 49-co unty unit. This represents a four percent decline or 301,000 acres. Agricultural, urban and water uses account for the diverted acreage. Nonindustrial private ownerships represent five million acres or 11 percent less than the sixties. Forest industry increased their holdings from 1.3 to 1.6 million acres. Increased rem o vals, mortality and a slowdown growth acco unted for a one percent decline in softwood growing sto ck , (Continued on Page 13) Georgia Forestry/June 1983 9 WILL PART OF NATIONAL FORESTS IN GEORGIA BE SOLD? AN INTERVIEW WITH A USFS SUPERVISOR REVEALS SOME ANSWUS Pat Thomas, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests Supervisor, recently answered questions about the Federal Asset Management Program and the 130,150 acres of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests which may be studied for possible sale as part of the program. a. Why are you studying these areas for possible sale? A. We are studying these lands in re- sponse to the President's Federal Asset Management Program which is a concerted program designed to improve the management of federal properties and to dispose of any property that is unneeded. a . How long has the Asset Manage- ment Program been going on? A. The President began the program in February, 1982, when he issued Executive Order 12348. a. Is there any national forest land which is for sale right now? A. None of the 130, 150 acres we an- nounced for study recently is currently for sale. In fact, we do not have authority to sell any of this land. Congress would have to pass new legislation before any of these acres could be sold. However, there is an area of approximately 9,000 acres located near Valdosta which is for sale. The law which authorizes the sale of this land currently says that the land can only be sold to another governmental body. So right now there is no national forest land in Georgia which is for sale to the general public. 10 a. How did you identify t he 130,150 acres for study? A. The Property Review Board established by the President in his 1982 Executive Order gave us some specific criteria to use to decide which lands we would study. Lands identified for further study included: (1) Lands needed for community expansion; (2) Special-use permit areas for which no higher public use is reasonably foreseeable, sale would not cause undue adverse consequences to nearby retained lands, the permittee has permanent improvements on the lands, and there is only one permittee and the use is not a right-of-way; (3) Scattered tracts for which further study is needed to determine if the tracts contribute substantially to the objectives of the unit and where a change in ownership could make an important contribution to federal or non federal purposes. Some 129,000 of the 130, 150 acres we've proposed for study fall into the category of scattered tracts. a. What would be the benefit of sell - ing this land? A. There are several possible benefits. One is that if the land were in private ownership tax revenue could be recognized from the land. The national forests currently return 25% of its receipts to every county in which it is located, but tax revenue from private ownership might be more than this 25% return. Another benefit would be to the national economy since President Reagan proposes using any money received from the sale of lands to reduce the national deficit. a. What would be the drawbacks of selling the land? A. We haven't done an in-depth study on this question, but an obvious drawback would be to hunters, fishermen, and people who like primitive recreation experiences. Some of the areas we're con- sidering at this time are heavily used by deer and turkey hunters. There might also be a drawback in that the counties would have to assume the upkeep of roads which we now maintain. a. How will you go about conducting sales of the land? A. We don't know at this time. We believe that if Congress passes legislation authorizing land sales they will include a wide range of methods and procedures for selling the land. a. Will the public have an opportunity to comment before any lands are sold? A. We expect that Congress will provide specific opportunities for public comment when they consider sales legislation. We are, of course, glad to listen to anyone who wants to comment now. a . Is it possible to see a map of the areas that will be studied for possible sale? A. Yes, all of the Forest Service offices have maps they will let you review. We have offices in Gainesville, Monticello, Clayton, Clarkesville, Dahlonega, Blairsville, Blue Ridge, Chatsworth, and LaFayette. Georgia Forestry/June 1983 -HARDWOOD WORKSHOP CONDUCTED- Georgia Forestry Commission management foresters have been given a two-day Hardwood Management Workshop des gned to increase the technical know 18d ge of the foresters in providing hard wood mangement assistance to land owners. Druid Preston, chief of the Commission's Forest Management Department, PUBLICATIONS The 1983 edition of Forest Farmer Manual , a guidebook for forestry practices which is written in easy to understand language, is now available. The authors clearly address virtually every aspect of growing, harvesting and selling pine and hardwood timber. The manual also contains the most complete directories on markets and sources of technical and financial assistance available to southern timber growers. Also listed are consulting foresters, southern pulp and paper mills, southern lumber mills, southern pulpwood dealers by county, forestry related associations, forestry schools, state foresters, federal forestry agencies, state soil conservationists and state extension service foresters. This publication can be purchased from Forest Farmers Association, P. 0. Box 95385, Atlanta, Georgia 30347 for $15.00, including postage. Forest Far mers Association is a grassroots organ iza tion of timberland owners, both large and small, represented by members in virtually every timbered county in the South. Acid Rain - A Teacher's Guide, along with a booklet entitled, Acid Rain What It Is and How You Can Help, have just been published and are now available to teachers and other interested persons. Both books may be obtained by sending $1.00 to the National Wildlife Federa tion, 1412 16th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. In offering the well written and illustrated literature, the NWF notes that ten years ago, few people had heard of "acid rain," but today it is one of our most serious environmental problems. Aboriculture: The Care of Trees, Shrubs and Vines in the Landscape, is a new book by Richard W. Harris for those interested in urban forestry, landscape architecture, nursery production, etc. The volume is well illustrated , highly readable . $34.95. Prentice-Hall, Inc. , Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 07632. said that ma nagin g hardwo ods is much more com p lex t han managin g p ines. He emphasized that it is imperativ e that the hardwood species match up w ith the soil t y pe and , in harvest ing, it is im portant that "you don't high-grade t he stand." Field exercises were conducted on both upland and bottomland hardwood sites. Conducting the workshop were Paul Butts, Commission utilization special ist, Macon; Bob Herron, hardwood si lvi culturist, Union Camp Corp., Franklin, Va.; Frank Shropshire, bottomland hardwood specialist, U.S. Forest Service, Jackso n, Miss.; and Dan Sims, hardwood speci alist, USFS, Region Eight, Atlanta. Foresters receive update on management of hard woods in Georgia. WO OD ENERGY FORUM SET FOR SEPTEMBER In respo nse t o the co nt inuing in t erest in current tech nical information about wood/biomass fuels, the Forest Products Res earch Society will hold its 7th international Industrial Wood Energy Forum September 19-21, 1983, at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. Th e technical program will feature mo re than 100 experts discussing the benef its and problems inherent in the use of wood/biomass fuels as an industr ial energy source. A showcase of exhibits will be a major attraction of Forum '83. For program, registration, and exhibit info rmation, contact Susan Rutter, FPR S, 2801 Marshall Court, Madison, WI 53705,608/231-1361. Georgia Forestry/June 1983 DEATH CLAIMS GEORGE SANDERS George C. Sanders, 56, procurement and services officer, Georgia Forestry Commission, Macon, died at his home recently. News of his unexpected death saddened co-workers and friends throughout the state. John W. Mi:wn, Forestry Com mission director, said the Commission has lost an efficient and thorough employee. Sanders brought integrity, dignity and dedication to his work, Mixon added. A native of Lyons, Sanders came with the Forestry Commission in 1956 as an assistant ranger of the Toombs County Forestry Unit. Since that time, Sanders served as nurseryman at the Page Nursery, assistant nurseryman at the Morgan Memorial Nursery, superintendent of the Davisboro Nursery, and general service assistant. Prior to coming with the Forestry Commission, he worked at the U. S. Forest Service Southeastern Forest Experiment Station in Tifton. Sanders had an associate degree in agriculture from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Tifton. He was a past member of the Davisboro Farm Bureau and a member of the Woodmen of the World. Sanders is survived by his wife, the former Loretta Faulk of Cochran, and a daughter, Robin, both of Dry Branch. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Macon, where funeral services were held. 11 ASSOCIATION PLANS JEKYLL CONVENTION The 1983 annual meeting of the Georgia Forestry Association will be held on Jekyll Island, June 5-6. President Bobby J. Taylor, Fitzgerald, will preside. Taylor said that a delegation of approximately 800 foresters and landowners is expected. A Seafood Buffet will kick off activit ies on June 5 and the convention's general session will be held the following day. The speakers are Thomas B. Murphy, speaker, Georgia House of Representatives; John W. Mixon, director, Georgia Forestry Commission; and Thomas D. Moreland, commissioner, Department of Transportation . Wayne Ate s of Blackshear, billed as the "Minister of Mirth and Motivation ," is the banquet speaker. H. Glenn Anthony, executive director, GFA, said the crowning of Miss Georgia Forestry will be one of the convention highlights. The pageant and the crowning of the queen will culminate the banquet festivities. This year, 24 county queens will vie for the state title. In addition to those pictured in this issue, the counties of Bacon, Bulloch, Columbia, Emanuel, Fannin, Johnson, Sumter, Toombs and Wayne will also be represented. Anthony said Miss Georgia Forestry will receive a $500 scholarship to the college of her choice in Georgia . During her reign, the title holder will represent the forest industry at various functions th roughout the state. The Association will coordinate her activities. The 1982 Miss Georgia Forestry is l ee Butler of Waycross. Ot her b usi ness will include the election of officers and the presentation of awards. These will include the Tree Farmer of the Year, Outstanding County Agent, President's Aw ard and Perforrmnce of Excellence Awards to Georgia F.: ?st ry Co mmission personn el. 2 Lisa McMullen Muscogee County Stacey Stokes Charlton County '"~. ~ '~ ... I Kelly Holmes Oconee County Lori Bullock Crisp County Renee Chalker Lincoln County Dee Maron Pierce County Stacey Roland Miller County Kathleene Rice Richmond County oung ladies from many counties throughout the state OO who have won the Miss Forestry title on the local level will be gathering on Jekyll Island June 5 to vie for the Miss Georgia Forestry crown. The local contests are are sponsored by garden clubs, civic clubs, Jaycees and other civic minded organizations interested in promoting forestry in their region s by sponsoring the young ladies. ~ounty rangers or other Commission personnel serve as chaperones for the young ladies during their three-day visit to the island and many parents also accompany their daughters to the state comp,etition. Dana Rowe Ware County Wendy Mason Treutlen County Connie Futch Long County Anne Allison Wilkes County Stephanie Deloach Cli nch Co u nty Lisa Law Macon County Allison Good rich Henry County Patricia Higgins Liberty County Georgia Forestry/June 1983 (Continued from Page 9) wh ich totals 4.4 billion cubic feet. However, the volume of hardwood growing stock increased 15 percent to 4.3 billion cubic feet. The net annual growth of softwood declined 37 million cu b ic feet to 315 million. The decHne is attributed to a large in c; 2ase in mortality. The removals of softwood growing stock was one percent more than the net growth. Softwood removals increased by 45 percent. NORTH CENTRAL: Since 1972, less than 296,000 acres of commercial forest land have been diverted to other land uses, about 48 percent to urban development and the remainder to agricultural and water uses. There were 111,500 acres of new forests added for a net decrease of 184,000 acres. Commercial forests currently occupy 3.8 million acres or 62 percent of the land area. The nonindustrial private forest landowners own 3.2 million acres, down eight percent. Forest industry increased its holdings to 482,000 acres, up 19 percent. They have another 44,000 acres under long term lease. The softwood and hardwood net growth exceeded removals by eight and 109 percent, respectively. The net annual growth average was 77 cubic feet per acre, and included 1.2 billion board feet of sawtimber. The volume of softwood growing stock increased more than one percent to 2.5 billion cubic feet. The hardwood growing stock volume increased about 25 percent to 2.5 billion cubic feet. There was an increase of 51 and 24 percent in the removal of softwood and hardwood growing stock. NORTH: The three percent decline in commercial forest acreage, 96,000 acres, was the lowest of the five survey units. The 3,096,735 commercial forest acres is 73.6 percent of the total land area. The private nonindustrial landowners own 1.8 million acres. Public holdings total 715.452 acres. There are 271,502 acres owned and leased by forest industry. The volume of softwood and hardwood growing stock was up 10 to 14 percent, respectively. The softwood volume is 5.4 billion board feet, and the hardwood volum e is 6.6 billion board feet. The net annual growth of softwood is 93 million cubic feet, down 13 percent. Hardwood net growth increased 25 percent to 85 million cubic feet annually. The annual removals of softwoods are 60 million cubic feet and hardwoods 24 million cubic feet. This represents an 11 percent increase for softwoods and a 31.5 percent decrease for hardwoods. The Georgia Forest Resources survey is carried out at approximately 10 year intervals. A new featu re in the survey just completed was the inclusion of biomass. "This means," said Druid Preston, Chief of the Commis- sion's Forest Management Department, "that every stem was in the count to determine the total volume of materials in our forests." Preston said biomass was added to the survey this time be- cause of the new demand on the forests to provide wood as an energy source. This is the first statewide survey conducted on all resources since the oil crisis in the early seventies, which led extensive utilization of wood as an energy source. The survey teams began in the southern portion of the state and worked northward in recording the amount of growing stock, number of desirable trees, ownership of land and other data. An old fire tower that stood for more than a quarter of a centruy atop Brasstown Bald, Georgia's highest point in her mountains to the north, is now a historic attraction in the heart of the great pine belt deep in South Georgia. The lookout tower is now located on the grounds of Southern Forest World in Waycross and visitors often climb into the 12 x 14 ft. cabin as they tour a nature trail, photograph a vintage railroad locomotive and enjoy other interesting attractions at the center. The two story Southern Forest World building features exhibits depicting the history of forestry in the South, as well as displays on modern wood industries. The old fire tower, moved to the Waycross site in 1980 by Georgia Forestry Commission personnel and others, is only 22 feet high (compared to the 100-foot towers that dot the flat landscape of South Georgia). When mounted on the mountain peak 4,784 feet above sea level, however, an official said on a bright clear day "the tall buildings in Atlanta and Clingsman Dome in North Carolina" were visable from its cab. It was estimated that the tower operator had an excellent view of about 50 miles in all directions when the weather was good. This information is expected to be of significant benefit to wood using industries economists, and others throughout the state and will pro vide an incentive for companies considering plant locations in Georgia. In cooperating with the Forest Service, the Commission provided manpower and equipment to aid in the inventory. Commission personnel were especially helpful in contacting landowners and explaining the purpose of the survey as the teams moved through the state. A more detai led compilation of the survey will be published later this year, according to Forest Service and Commission officials. 13 IN THE CHESSE R MOSS JONES LAYTON BARRY CHESSER has been named ran ger of the Brantley County Forestry Unit , replacing Eber Rhoden who recently retired. Chesser came with the Georgia Forestry Commission in 1973 as a patrolman in Brantley County. The native of Jesup is married to the former Annette Hixon. They have one son ...JEANETTE MOSS is the new procurement and services officer, succeeding GEORGE C. SANDERS, who died recently. The native of Butler came with the Commission as receptionist in 1969. She and her husband, James P. Moss, have o ne daughter. The family is a member of the Ingleside United Methodist Church ...BONNY JONES has succeeded Mrs. Moss as warehouse clerk. The former payro ll / personnel clerk came wit h t he Fo restry Co mmission in 1978. She is a member of t he First Rebecca Baptist Church ... CA ROL LAYTON has assumed t he duties of payroll/personnel clerk . The former Macon District secretary came wi t h the Forestry Co mmi ssion in 1980. Sh e is a native o f Butler and a member of the Cochran F ield Baptist Church. She is married to Richard H. Layton. They have two sons ... T he Georgia House of Representatives recently passed a resolution commending W.PAT THOMAS, Forest Supervisor of the Chattahoochee and Oconee Natio nal Forests, for "outstanding performan ce of his duties." The resolution furthe r recogni zes Thomas for "consistently d emonstrating intelligence and reasonabl eness in deal ing with the various interests w hi ch affect the management of the national forests." Thomas, a native Georgian, has served as forest supervisor on Georgia' s two national for- ests for th e past nine years ... RANGER T ROY E. F LOYD of the Commission's Floyd County Fo restry Unit in Rome re- cently retired having completed 34 years of dedi- cated service. He came with the Commission as a patrolman in his native Chattooga County in 1950, and became ran - ger of Haralson FLOYD County in 1951 when that coun- came under organized protection. In 1963, with the combining of Haralson and Polk Counties, Floyd was made ran- ger of Floyd County. Under his leader- ship, the Floyd County Unit was recog- nized as the most outstanding in the state in 1965. Forestry Commission employees and other friends recently honored Floyd with a dinner and gifts. He is married to the former Gloria Kathryn Weaver. They have four children. John Campbell, left, Chief Executive of the Economic Fores- try Group, with offices in London and Oxford , England, is shown with John Mixon, Commission Director, during his recent visit to the Georgia Forestry Center in Macon. Campbell, pictured here presenting a tie to the d irector, h eld talks with Commission foresters, entomologists and o thers on a wide nnge of subjects dealing with forest maangem ent and protec- "- Camp 'r?ll is one of several foreign visitors who visit the 1ter for mation and an exchange o f ideas. Campbell's 1anization 1 "' f lrest holdings in Geo rgia. A. Ray Sh irley, center, who recently retired as D irec tor of the Georgia Forestry Commission, receives the J. Sterling Morton Award f rom the National Arbor Day Foundation. The award, the highest honor bestowed by the foundation, was presented recently in Nebraska City, Nebraska, the organization's natio nal headquarters. Shirley was recognized for his leadership in p ioneering innovations in forestry, including urban and co mmunity forestry programs. Pictured with Shirley are Tony Dorrell, director of Cooperative Forestry for the U. S. Forest Service, and D r. Mitchell Ferrill, president of the National A rbor Day Foundation. Georgia Forestry/June 1983 STATEWIDE AERIAL SURVEY UNDERWAY The Commission is conducting an aerial survey over 25 percent of each county in the state and as soon as results are known, landowners who have beetle activity on their property will be advised. Terry Price, Commission entologist, said preliminary evaluations indicate that the Southern pine beetle may be a problem for many Georgia landowners this summer and fall. Price said landowners themselves can help in the survey to determine the extent of beetle activity by inspecting their forests. The first sign, he said, is usually a series of small pitch tubes on the bark and discolored foliage in the top portion of trees. Needles in the tree top that are attacked by the insect turn yellow and then fade into a rust color. The Commission continues to advise landowners who have invasion of the insect on their lands to remove trees that have been killed and cut out trees surrounding the infected spot to provide a buffer zone and prevent the beetles from spreading to other trees. Assistance in marking out spots is available from local GFC office. The entomologist also announced that the Gypsy Moth is being transported to Georgia and the South on recreational vehicles and by other means. He said the insect, which has been a serious problem in some Northern and New England States, seems to be gradually moving South. Price said 500 traps have been set throughout the state to determine the extent of the migration. The insects destroy oak species. He said the tiny traps, which are usually tied to tree limbs, have been installed by Commission personnel, U.S. Forest Service personnel, USDA, APHIS, and the National Campers and Hikers Association. .._.,.._. ~"~ 'I Members of Pierce County High FFA Chapter return to their school to resume work on their nature trail after taking first place in the annual statewide Forestry Field Day competition. Left to right are Payton Crawford, Bernie Davis, Joey Thomas, Bryan Sinclair, Mike Moore, Derrick Dennison, Robert Hiers, Tony Gill, Jarrett Wagner, Carl Foreman, Kevin Allen, and Advisor Jimmy Mock. PIERCE COUNTY WINS AGAIN he Pierce County High School Chapter of the Future Farmers of America did it again! The eleven young men this year displayed their superior skills at the state finals of the FFA Forestry Field Day and captured first place. It is the fifth consecutive year in which Advisor Jimmy Mock has produced a winning team at the meet. NOT JUST A CONTEST TO THEM, IT'S A WAY OF LIFE. -FFA Advisor Jimmy Mock The Statesboro and Harlem FFA Chapters tied for second place at the finals, which were held at Veterans State Park near Cordele. In competing for the state title, the chapters must first win first or second place at a regional field day. They compete in such skills as tree planting, standing pulpwood estimation, sawtimber estimation ocular estimation, land measurement, 'tree identification, insect and disease identification and selective marking. But why is Mock's chapter a consistent winner? "Well, our boys just seem to have the motivation," the Vo-Ag teacher explained. "Learning forestry skills is not just a contest to them, it's a way of life ...some 73 percent of Pierce County is in forests and many of the boys parents are employed in forest-related industries." He said many of his students (and he has had 51 FFA students competing during his five-year winning st reak) know that they have a gaud opportunity to work in forestry after graduation "and they begin to prepare for it here at Pierce Georgia Forestry/June 1983 County High." Mock, a native of Patterson and a grad- uate of the University of Georgia, said at least one-half of his former F FA students are now attending college or vocational schools to further their study in forestry or they have finished school and now work in forestry or industry. After taking top honors at Cordele, Mock had to endure the traditional dunking that goes with winning at the state meet. His boys threw him into the big lake at the park. The shivering advisor swam to the shore and quickly announced that "it was well worth it." He said he hopes to "get wet again next year." Dr. Curtis Kingsley of the Georgia Department of Education, Atlanta, featured speaker at the state field day, challenged the participants to put their talents, knowledge and demonstrated interest to work in the years to come to serving their state and fellowman through keeping our forests green, growing, expanding and producing. The FFA Field Day was sponsored by the Trust Company of Georgia and its affiliated banks in Atlanta, Albany, Augusta, Bowdon, Brunswick, Columbus, Conyers, Douglas, Douglasv ille, Jesup, Jonesboro, Lawrenceville, Macon, McDonough, Rome, Savannah and Smyrna. The bank provided cash gifts to winning students. Some 209 contestants, representing 19 chapters, participated in the field day. Other schools represented were Bleck ley Co., Coffee Co., Echols Co., S. Fulton Co., Gilmer Co., Harris Co., Lakeview, Louisville, Madison Co., Monticello, Oconee Co., Pelham, Perry, Pierce Co., Stewart/Ouitman, Swainsboro and Worth Co. 15 ~090 'V8 'SN3Hl~ S3I~V~8Il AliS~3AINn - V8n NOI1J3S SlVI~3S SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID AT MACON, GEORGIA Forests are more profitable when they are managed properly. Often it's a combination of good practices that bring out the potential in a tract of timber. Sound management can mean a thinning operation or prescribed burning. In some instances, clear cutting is adv ised. In reforestation, trees from the nursery should be planted in some areas, wh ile natural regeneration would be more beneficial in others. The time and type of harvest ing and marketing is important. If you ow n forestland and it is not under orderly management, contact the Georgia Forestry Commission or a consultant forester for a comprehensive analysis that will provide the right combination for optimum production.