Georgia forestry, Vol. 39, no. 2 (June 1986)

Georgia

FORESTRY

USPS No . 217120

June 1986

No.2

Vol. 39

Joe Frank Harris Governor John W. Mixon - Director

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

Jim L. Gillis, Jr., Chairman, Soperton Felton Denney, Carrollton EleyC. Frazer, Ill, Albany
Patricia B. Robinson , Atlanta Robert Simpson, Ill , Lakeland

STAFF Howard E. Bennett, Ed itor WilliamS . Edward s, Associate Editor Jackie N. Swinson, Artist

DISTR ICT OFFICES

District One 3088 Martha Berry Hwy., NE
Rome, GA 30161

District Two Route 11, Box 37 Gainesville, GA 30501

District Three Route 4, Box 168A Athens, GA 30605

District Four P. 0. Bo x 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 Camill a, GA 31730

District Ten Route 2, Box 28 Statesboro, GA 30458

D istrict Eleven Route 1, Box 46 Helena, GA 31037

District Twelve Route 6, Box 167 Waycross, GA 31501

Urban Forestry 6835 Memorial Drive Stone Mountain, GA 30083

Georgia Forestry is published quarterly by the Georgia Forestry Comm ission, Route 1, Box 181, Dry Branch, GA 31020. Second class postage paid at Macon, GA . POSTMASTER : Send address changes to Georgia Forestry Comm ission, Rou te 1, Box 181 , Dry Branch, GA 31020.

2/Georgia Forestry/June 1986

Bags of quality rosin on the yards of the FRP Company in Baxley await shipment to domestic and foreign markets.

BAXLEY PLANT LEADS COUNTRY IN GUM NAVAL STORES PRODUCTS

It's known simply as the FRP Company, but if you're a native of Baxley, Georgia you know that the letters stand for Filtered Rosin Products.
But what is not well known, however, by townspeople and others is the international importance of this plant in Baxley that is a mainstay in a dwindling and highly specialized industry that is peculiar to Georgia and the South.
In fact, the three remaining plants that continue to process crude gum are located in this state. The FRP Company is the largest and the Union Camp Corpora-
tion's plant and the Shelton Naval Stores plant, both in Valdosta, round out the trio that currently accepts raw gum from producers in the great pine belt of South Georgia and some areas of neighboring Florida.
High qual ity rosin, turpentine and resins are produced by the FRP Company and sold across the United States and in Europe, the Orient and South America. A great volume of the company's resi ns go into the manufacture of printing inks; the ink used in this publication was probably based on material from the Baxley plant, which prov ides 75 percent of the country's gum naval stores products.
Rosin is sold in 50 and 100 pound

bags and 517-pound metal drums. Volume buyers have it shipped from the plant in 22-ton highway tankers and railway tank cars of 80,000-pound capacity.
Turpentine is sold in bulk to canneries that package the product and distribute it to hardware and paint stores and other wholesale and retail outlets across the country.
It is interesting to note that the company's rosin also is used by restaurant chefs, musicians and baseball players.
Orders are filled for about 50 restaurants around the country that proudly feature "rosin baked potatoes" on their menu . Gourmet cooks claim that the unpeeled spud baked in molten rosin retains a true potato flavor.
Violinists the world over have found no favorable substitute for rosin for their bows and the Atlanta Braves each season order a bag of F RP rosin to aid players in getting a better grip on the bat.
James E. Feltham, president of the company , said a major market for the rosin, however, is manufacturers of antifouling paint used on the hull of ships. A combination of the American-produced rosin, which has properties not found in other rosins, and copper oxide is used in the paint to prevent barnicles from form-

ON THE COVER- Healthy young pines flourish up and down rolling hills in Floyd County near Rome. They are representative of thousands of acres planted in trees across the state as the result of the commission's continuing reforestation campaign.

ing and living on the bottom of ships. Rosin also is used in solder flux .
Feltham said the American product "has unique chemical and physical proper ties not found in foreign sources and , of course, it sells at a premium ."
But despite the superiority of the rosin that is produced from Georgia's pines, the industry in this country is facing extremely stiff foreign competition. "China has become our biggest competitor," Feltham said . "Labor is a major factor when a naval stores worker in that country earns on ly $400 a year and in this country we pay the prevailing minimum wage or more."
If no wage differential existed, howeve r, there would continue to be a labor problem, the company president explained . "It's long hours, it's hot and it's dirty work out there in the woods gathering gum and the old , experienced workers have mostly died out and the young workers are not too interested in that ki nd of labor."
Feltham's company began operations in 1940, a year that saw a sharp decl ine in t he direct-fired stills that dotted the pine lands . Today , those on -site stills are exist ent only as museum pieces and producers se ll their crude gum directly to the F RP Co mpany and the other two modern processors.
" We buy on a competitive market fro m about 300 gum producers that are mostly in Georgia," Feltham said . He pointed out that most are concentrated in a wide band of forests that extend from Soperton to Homerville. Individual producers bring their gum to the nearest buying platform established by the company and highway tankers are sent out to pick up the raw material when there is sufficient accumulation.
Incoming raw gum from the pine forests is deposited into four huge concrete vats according to grade determined by a highly skilled inspector. A workman with an electrically powered bucket lifts the gum into a carrier that moves the material to the processing section of the plant. In the other photo, James E. Feltham, president of the F RP Company, goes over a production report as Claude E. Bird, vice president, looks on. The company produces 75 percent of the nation's gum naval stores products.
The company president, a native of Alabama and a graduate of Georgia Tech, said the plant is currently producing 10 ,000 barrels of rosin annually, but has a capacity of 100 ,000 barrels . But despite the decline in demand , the competition fro m China and other foreign countries, and the problems with labor, Feltham sai d his company continues to export from the Port of Savannah and some of his foreign customers drop by his plant when in this country to tour the facilities
(continued on pg. 14)

SELLING SHADE TREES BEWARE OF SHADY DEALS

Homeowners desiring to sell shade trees on their property will probably f ind the trees are not marketable- regardless of the value the species might have for commercial purposes. It is possible to sell a shade tree for lumber, just not probable .
For instance, black walnut is a common shade tree and one of the most valuable trees in North Amer ica. Since early colonial times, black walnut has been prized in the making of furniture because of the wood's unique dark color and finishing characteristics . High quality black walnut trees growing on woodlots bring high prices. However, the same tree growing on the lawn of a suburban home may be worthless for commercial purposes. There are a number of reasons why timber buyers are not interested in such trees. First of all there are economic considerations of harvesting. Commercial timber buyers are set up for large scale timber harvesting. The equipment used in harvesting may exceed $50,000 in cost; so this expensive equipment and the labor cost cannot be profitably concentrated on one or a few shade trees when larger quantities can be harvested in commercial forest situations. Then there is the question of quality. Shade trees are usually grown in the open, so they branch profusely and leave only the short trunk for lumber. Also, shade trees are often improperly pruned and have been damaged by lawnmowers, cars, etc. Anywhere a tree has been damaged, it is subject to decay which lowers the lumber value. If these drawbacks are not enough to prevent selling a shade tree, there are more. For example, just cutting down a shade tree can be difficult. Potential for damaging powerlines, buildings, septic tanks, driveways, etc., must be considered . Heavy equipment may also cut deep ruts in a carefully cultivated lawn, even when the ground is dry.
4/Georgia Forestry/June 1986

Finally, there is the deterrent of possible damage to sawmill equipment. Shade trees are frequently used for clothes lines, tree houses and fence posts, and may have any number of nails and other metal objects attached that are obscured from view
as the tree grows. Without special equipment, it is almost impossible to detect such objects inside a tree trunk; but if these objects are struck by a large headsaw used in modern sawmills, the result can be expensive damage. The entire saw
can be destroyed and cost over $1,000 to replace. Even if only a few saw teeth are damaged by striking a small nail or wire, the cost can run $100 or more when mill downtime is included. If the shade tree is processed in a veneer mill and a slicing knife is destroyed, the damage cost may again exceed $1,000. What all this boils down to is that it is usually not worth the bother or risk for a buyer to purchase a shade tree for lumber. However, in spite of the drawbacks, homeowners occasionally sell shade trees for commercial lumber. When this happens, it is not only a case of let the buyer beware - but also let the seller beware. The seller should remember that considering product value alone, shade trees are never
worth as much as commercial forest trees; the seller should determine exactly how much he is to receive and collect the entire amount before
the tree is cut. If the seller wants the tree top removed from his property, this must also be determined before the tree is cut (this is not usually part of
commercial timber harvesting). Finally, the seller should be certain that the people
working on his property are insured. The insurance should cover any property damage, and liability if anyone is hurt during the cutting operation. However, all things considered, a shade tree is probably more valuable as just what it is - a shade tree. No monetary value can really be placed on a tree that is identified with home.

TREE FARM
HONOR GOES
TO STRIPLING
Back in the fall of 1983, prominent Mitchell County land owner C. M. Stripl ing told a group of area farmers that timber grow ing is "the closest thing to a gold mine we have in South Georgia ."
Stripling, who wa s president of the Georgia Farm Bureau chapter in his county at the time, said in his prepared speech that he had carefully recorded some personal experiences in timber farming since 1956 for his wife and children "so they would know what has been going on on our farm and why I want to start an accelerated program ."
His accelerated program is now well underway and for his progressive management of forestry, the wise multiple use of his land and his influence on others who grow timber and practice conservation, the Georgia Forestry Association has named Stripling Georgia Tree Farmer of the Year.
The Stripling farm home is in a picturesque and secluded setting about six miles west of Camilla on State Highway 36. Well -tended pine forests surround three sides of the home site and other family-owned tracts are nearby_
Nominated for the award by Staff Forester William Lamp of the Georgia Forestry Commission, Camilla District, Stripl i ng is considered a pioneer in reforestation in Southwest Georgia . He planted his original 300 acres of pine by hand more than a quarter of a century ago.
Lamp said the tree farmer is an enthusiastic member of the Mitchell County Reforestation Committee, a group formed under the Forestry Commission's county-by-county campaign to bolster tree planting across the state . He presents figures from the records of his own operation to prove to groups that tree grow ing can be a very profitable enterprise .
Stripling has appeared before Congress in Washington along with other farmers at hearings aimed at improving the depress ed farm situation and worked tirelessly in support of Senator Sam Nunn's bill in 1984 to reinstitute a long-term conservation program.
The tree farmer was only 19 years old when he assumed ownership of the farm that belonged to his stepfather. He emphasized, however , that he had not actually inherited a farm, but had indeed "inherited a bank note ." In addition to row cropping that first year , he set out ten acres of pine seedlings with a dibble and caused some skeptics to wonder why he would want to waste his time and energy_
If those doubters returned to the Stripling property today they would find that that ten -acre tract has mushroomed into 800 acres of valuable pine that have undergone thinning, control burning , replanting and fertilization in some areas.
In nominating the prominent tree grower for the award, Forester Lamp said "Mr. Stripling is very supportive of any group action that works for the betterment of agriculture and the farming situation. He follows current events in agriculture closely and speaks out publicly, through letters to newspapers, landowner meet i ngs , and any other type of public forum that offers an opportunity for his contribution ."
Both the agricultural and business community of Mitchell County - and those counties that surround Mitchell - agree that all who farm and grow trees have had opportunity to benefit from the wise counsel of C. M _ Stripling, Georgia's 1986 Tree Farmer of the Year.
Pictured: Stripling examines fast growing pines, stands at his farm sign, poses with his wife, the home place.
e roia re r ne

STATE FORESTRY FIELD DAY
They came in school buses from Gilmer, Lumpkin, Bleckley, Worth, Echols, Clinch, Early, Oconee, Putnam, Harris, Paulding, Pierce and Charlton Counties. They came from high schools in Louisville, Perry, Harlem, Swainsboro and Cairo. They were the "cream of the crop." They represented FFA students who had captu red first and second place honors in forestry skills competition in regional meets around the state.
They came to the Georgia Forestry Center near Macon for the forestry field day state finals and the team representing Echols County was declared top winner after competing with some 180 other boys and girls in tree identification, tree planting, insect and disease identification, alnd measurement, timber estimation and other skills. Clinch and Pierce County schools tied for second place.
The students are shown listening to an opening address, competing in the va rious skills, watching a water drop staged by the commission and lining up for a fish fry at the conclusion of the contest.
Members of the winning Echols County High School team, shown in the above photo, are, front row, left to right: Chris McCain, Billy Rowe, Mitch Lehman, J im Culpepper and Tim Hughes. Back row : Lynn Hughes, advisor; Joey Walker, Charles Wetherington, Gary Boyd , Mike Coggins, JoJo Crosby and Ken Corbett.
6/ Georgia Forestry/June 1986

HUNDREDS ENTER CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM
----SECOND SIGN-UP ACREAGE TOPS 51,000 ACRES----

The second nationwide sign up sessions for a federal program encouraging landowners to plant trees and grasses on certain marginal lands has resulted in 51,101 Georgia acres being tentatively designated for planting trees .
Comm ission Director John Mixon said the program, stemming from a recently enacted Congressional bill, is aimed at utilizing farmland that is highly subject to erosion. Mixon called the program "vital to the state and national economy" and said it could launch the largest single tree planting project in Georgia history .
The initial sign up, held earlier this year, resulted in 32,881 acres of Georgia land being approved for planting trees. This Georgia total accounted for 30 percent of the acreage alloted nationwide.
"Georgia is the nation's leader in reforestation efforts," Mixon sa id . "And this response to the federal program emphasizes Georgia's role as a national leader."
The Commission director said that although landowners have the option of
planting trees or grasses, over 90 percent of Georgia landowners signing up for the program elected to plant trees.
The Conservation Reserve Program is administered by the Agricultural Stabil ization and Conservation Service. The ASCS is in charge of the contracting and bid process. However, during sign up sessions, the Commission provides technical assistance for the tree planting segment of the federal program.
Accord ing to program guidelines, cooperative efforts will be coordinated by forestry organizations, state government, and various county and local groups. Planting expense will be shared equally by landowners with the federal government . After a 10 -year contract has been fulfilled, a period in which the govern ment will pay rent annually, the trees will belong to the landowner.
Mixon explained that the Commission's role of technical assistance is provided in cooperation with the U. S. Forest Serv ice. Commission personnel will inspect and certify planting sites, assist in plans for planting, monitor plantings, and make follow-up maintenance inspections. The program will extend through the 1990 crop year and may include as many as 40 to 45 million acres nationwide .
Qualif ied landowners w ill make the decision whether to plant trees or grass. However, Mixon points out that "trees are generally less costly to establish and maintain than grass... and trees provide greater enhancement of the land." The Commission director also emphasized

that since 75 percent of the planting w ill be in the South, Georg ia will have a very influential role in the program.
The third sign up session for landown ers is tentatively scheduled for late summer or early fall of 1986. Exact dates w ill be announced later.
Th is program already shows definite indications that the response of Georgia landowners will "go a long way in our continuing effort to close the gap between trees planted and trees harvested

in our state," Mixon said . "We're very proud of the response of Georg ia land owners ."
Mixon said the state is relying on another big turnout of Georgia landowners for the next sign up . "If landowners will study the provisions and benefits of the program, I bel ieve they will respond ."
For complete informat ion on eligibil ity and benefits of the program, land owners should contact the nearest office of the Georgia Forestry Comm ission.

Reproduction of prize-winning poster
GEORGIA STUDENT'S POSTER WINS
TOP PRIZE IN NATIONAL CONTEST
A 15-year-old Central High School student in Newnan is a national winner in the 1986 Environmental Poster Contest.
Announcement of the award to Jamie McPherson, son of Mr. and Mrs . Charles E. McPherson of 1410 Roscoe Road, Newnan , was made at the recent 57th annual convent ion of the National Council of Garden Clubs in Chicago .
The annual contest is sponsored by the Garden Clubs of Georgia , the Georgia Forestry Commission and the U. S . Forest Serv ice. Mrs. James W. Phillips of Moultrie, State Contest Chairman for the Georgia clubs, said 450 posters were entered statewide this year and "We are extremely proud that we had a national winner."
Jamie was winner in the 9th to 12th grade category. "Jamie is an honor student in art at Central High School," his mother said . "We are very proud of him." She said her son enjoys the outdoors and wanted to enter the contest by creat ing the Smokey Bear-Woodsy Owl poster that promotes a safe, clean forest. Mrs . McPherson said Jamie plans to enter Georgia Tech following graduation from high school to study architecture.

Georgia Forestry/June 1986/7

This oak fringed park between Bay Street and Savannah 's waterfront River Street is as much a part of the city to this generation as the nearby Atlantic Ocean, but studies by the city's Park and Tree Commission reveals that these landmark trees will be among the first to go if preventive measures are not taken soon.

SAVANNAH'S MAJESTIC LIVE OAKS

CAN A HISTORIC CITY SAVE ITS BEAUTIFUL TREES?

avannah has always had a serious rapport with trees. Shortly after James Oglethorpe landed his sail ing vessel in 1733 on the river bank of what was to become Savannah, one of his prominent crew members established a ruling that no tree in the Colony of Georgia could be cut without his personal permission. The crew member, Noble Jones, was Oglethorpe's right-hand -man and had the influence to make the ruling stick. Jones may have been the continent's first urban forester before the environment or the term existed . The concern for trees continued and the Savannah Park and Tree Commission was established in 1896 . Today , Dr . Don Gardner is the sixth d irector of the organization. Dr . Gardner , a plant pathologist who received h is Ph .D. from Oh io State University, said the goals of the organization rema in basically the same ..."to maintain, improve, and sustain the excel lent health , safe cond ition, and aesthetic beauty of all trees within the city of Savannah ." Dr . Gardner points out that Savannah's rapport with trees has not diminish-
8/Georgia Forestry/June 1986

ed throughout the city's history. As an example, he cites a plan in the late 1970's to widen one of the city's main thorough fares and remove a number of live oaks. Opposition formed and a small group chained themselves to the live oaks when chain saws threatened the trees . The media took notice and the gesture received wide publicity.
"These people might be considered tree fanatics or tree advocates, depending on your point of view," Gardner said. "But t h e result of the publicity was a revision of construction plans. Those 200 live oaks are still standing and will be preserved during construction of the new roadway."
Although these live oaks were saved from the chain saw, 90 percent of Savannah's 1 1 ,000 live oaks could now vanish under mounting pressure of an accumulation of negative urban influences.
Gardner, who came to Savannah in 1983 as d irector of the Park and Tree Commission, says he likes live oaks. "That's one of the ma in reasons I took this job," he said . "Live oaks are the perfect urban tree, and Savannah's 22 percent live oak population represents the

largest group of any species in the city ." Gardner makes an impressive list of
why the live oak is a perfect urban companion . "They have small leaves that don't clog sewers,...highly resistant to disease, ...tough and resilient, ... roots follow underground concrete surfaces rather than breaking up through sidewalks and streets, ...h igh salt tolerance for a coastal c ity ,...green leaves year-round for shade and beauty ,...acorns propagate easily ,... provides plentiful food for urban wildl ife ,.. .requires relatively little care."
"And even in death , the live oak is still compatible with urban surroundings," Gardner said. "When a live oak dies, there's no immediate breaking off of heavy limbs to injure persons or property. It's at least three years before the tree even begins to shed twigs ; so there's ample time to remove it ."
But Gardner points out that although the live oak is perfect for an urban setting, it is not immune to the laws of nature or the accumulation of negative urban influences now being brought to a head in Savannah.
"First of all, we're dealing mainly with

an even-age urban forest," Gardner explained. "Ninety percent of Savannah's live oaks were planted 60 to 75 years ago by the Park and Tree Commission. So many of these trees are reaching the end of th eir life span in an urban environment, if they do not receive the proper care."
Ga rdner said that although a !ive oak will live 200 years in a natural forest, urban stress factors can cut the life expectancy drastically. The urban tree is subjected to a maze of negative factors includ ing air pollution , lack of irrigation, disruption of root systems, vandal ism, traffic ab use, restriction of root space, no natural fertilizer from shed leaves, construction projects, sewer lines, neglect, and improper pruning.
"So 90 percent of Savannah's live oaks are reaching the end of the line unless they get proper care," Gardner emphasizes. " However, with proper care, we could extend the lifespan up to 30 years, and regulate the loss to a gradual processcombined with replanting."
Gardner's statistics show street trees to be in the most dire need of attention . Live oaks located in parks and squares, where irrigation and other care has been more prevalent, have fared generally better . However, the street oaks- cramped for root space and lacking irri gation, have reached a critical point; unless adequate root space, irrigation, and proper pruning are provided, many of these trees will d ie within the next few years.
"And once these street oaks in Savannah are gone," Gardner said, "neither this generation or the next wi II see anything like them in this city."
He added that neglect is anot her factor . "The neglect has not been deliber-

ate," Gardner said, "nevertheless, it exists and has taken a serious toll." Gardner emphasizes that proper and regular pruning is the most vital factor in promoting a long and healthy life for an urban tree. He said pruning and other care for the oaks has often been neglected because of "emergency" tasks required of the Park and Tree Commission .
Gardner said the organization has frequently operated in the past as a crisis oriented organization and a seemingly benign lack of routine maintenance could now prove fatal to the majority of Savannah 's live oaks. "Since this 90 percent of

ed and dies. There is no cure. The answer is protection against injury causing open wounds .
To compound the problem being suffered by the live oaks even more, Savannah has 66 species of trees that require care and concern in varying degrees. Savannah's main tree species occur in the following percentages: live oak 22%, sweet gum, 18%, palmetto 11%, crapemyrtle 11 %, dogwood 8%, magnolia 6%, sugarberry 4%, sycamore 3%, laurel oak 3%, holly 2%, and elm 2%. The remaining species, occurring in percentages of less
than 2%, range from chinaberry to

"Ninety per cent of Savannah's live oaks are reaching the end unless they get proper care. "

the oaks are an even-age urban forest," Gardner said, "It's hitting us all at one time."
HEART ROT
The live oaks, still withstanding the negative pressures of urban existence, are also being attacked by disease . Gardner said heart rot (Fomes igniarius) is a major problem . This disease is spread through spores and infects a tree through open wounds (open wounds are common among urban trees). Once a live oak has this disease , the tree is gradually weaken-

Australian palm . The key factor in these percentages - as it relates to the live oak situation - is the sweet gum population, which at 18% is the second largest tree population in the city.
"There are approximately 5,500 sweet gum trees in Savannah," Gardner said. "If I could, I would put them on a preemptive removal schedule and remove 1/15 of the population each year." Although Gardner is a tree lover who considers his profession to be a "sort of general MD for trees," his love for trees obviously does not extend to sweet gums. The reason is pragmatic ; the Park and Tree Com-

Dr. Don Gardner, director of the Savannah Park and Tree Commission, examines live oak with a Shigometer.

This Savannah sugarberry tree could no longer hold on in restricted root space. Although this species does not usually cause problems, it is an example of what the city is striving to prevent from happening in large numbers with other trees.
Georgia Forestry/June 1986/9

m1ss1on spends 26% of it's time dealing with damage and other problems caused by sweet gums. Gardner explains that sweet gum limbs (unlike live oak limbs) break and fall with no warning; the limbs are alive, green and often heavy enough to cause considerable damage to anything underneath . Also, Gardner says sweet gum roots (unlike live oak roots) tend to push up and break sidewalks and streets. He stated approximately $750,000 in sidewalk damage has been done in Savan nah by trees; and the predominant amount of this damage has been caused by sweet gums.
Gardner says he has an "uncomfortable" file on sweet gum limbs falling and causing damage to cars. "Mostly to cars," he said, "so far we've been lucky with houses and no people have been hurt." He added that Savannah's sweet gum population is also an even -age forest that has reached an age when the size of fall ing limbs is most hazardous .
Gardner's primary dislike for the sweet gum stems from the time consuming work they create. "Time that could be spent preserving and prolonging the in finitely more compatible live oak," he emphasized.
Gardner is the first to recognize the complications involved in Savannah's live oak problem . "Basically, I can say this," Gardner emphasized, "we can maintain and preserve many of the beautiful live
oaks for as much as 30 years with appropriate resources."

shrouded squares. The city's St. Patrick's Day celebration is second only to New York City . This year's celebration brought an estimated 300,000 visitors to Savannah for festivities that went on for three days.
Gardner sees all these activities stem ming from the character of the city - of which the live oaks are an integral part . "I believe two of the basic things attracting visitors to Savannah are to experience the historical atmosphere and see our beautiful architecture," he said. "I don't like to imagine the negative impact on these interwoven attractions if the live oaks were gone."
But once, Gardner said he experienced to an extent what it would be like . During one of the most severe winters of the past several years, extreme cold defoliated Savannah's oaks.
"I have never seen cold defoliate live oaks before," Gardner said. "And it was an eerie feeling to drive through this city - made green by live oaks the year round - and look out at the bleak change."
THREATENING RECORD
Dr . Gardner's statistics show that Savannah removed 347 urban trees in 1983, 607 trees in 1984, and 933 trees in 1985. Approximately 25 percent of the total 1.787 trees removed were live oaks .

Gardner said that action must take the form of public recognition and understand ing of the problem, increased resources for the Park and Tree Commission , and adequate funds to do the job.
"We expect to encounter obstacles," Gardner said. "But with public support, the problems can be ironed out and we can save these trees and regulate inevitable losses so the character of the city can be preserved ."
Gardner knows that when Savannah residents realize the character of their city is threatened, they' ll do something about it. He recalls that the Savannah Historic Foundation was formed in 1955 after the city's historic City Market was torn down to make way for a parking garage . Since the foundation was formed, renovation and historic preservation have become vital traits of the city .
Gardner is relying on similar reactions when the public understands the serious threat to the city's live oaks. "An under lying problem is that most people seem to think that these trees have always been there - so they'll always be here," Gardner said. "That's why we appreciate the educational programs of the Georgia Forestry Commission; these programs educate the public in a variety of ways and are invaluable to us at a critical time
(continued on pg. 14)

This majestic live oak, shading Savannah's river front, is typical of thousands of other such trees in the city now endangered by an accumulation of negative, urban factors. Ninety percent of the city's live oak population is threatened.

By "appropriate resources" Gardner is referring not only to monetary funds, but public understanding and support of the problem and what needs to be done .
"I realize that there are more important problems in Savannah than live oak trees," Gardner said. "But these trees are inherent to the character of the city, and when considered in perspective, they are highly significant."
Indeed, the live oaks are significant to the character of Savannah, a city which experienced $183 million in tourist trade last year. A major tourist attraction is the city's one-square-mile historic district (the largest historic district of any city in the United States). The squares and streets of this district are lined with majestic live oaks . James Oglethorpe's six original squares, and the 18 others that followed his 1733 landing, became a unique showcase for live oaks and sur rounding architecture. Oglethorpe la id the squares off in a rarely found gridwork that some historians believe is patterned after military designs of ancient Rome .
Savannah's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade winds through these scenic, oak
10/Georgia Forestry/June 1986

TATION

Planted in 1873, this Loblolly Pine Plantation may very well be the oldest of its kind in the nation.

I
Wayne Nuite, manager of Windso r Springs, and Tammy Johnson, Commission urban forester for Augusta, show giant girth of loblolly pine located on Nuite property near Windsor Plantation.

When Adam Johnston planted three acres of loblolly pines near the Savannah River in 1873, he had no idea that Georgia would plant more than 70 million of these valuable trees annually as part of a reforestation program that has established an $8.6 billion industry for the state . He also had no indication that his three-acre: planting would be regarded as a historic event establishing the oldest loblolly plantation in Georgia .
However, like many Georgians today, Johnston planted pines to rebuild and beautify his family fa rm. The house Johnston lived in- and many of the pines he planted in rows are st il l standing . The pine plantation is also sprinkled with planted oaks. Little change has occurred since the pines were planted to alter the course of nature on this property located nine miles from Augusta, just off Tobacco Road .
Many prominent Confederate soldiers and Southern gentlemen have lived in this plantation house. General W. H. T. Walker and his brother, General Valentine Walker, were both residents. The plantation house was the home of General W. H. T. Walker when he was killed during the Battle of Atlanta. Other prominent residents included Freeman Walker, the first Mayor of Augusta; and Colonel Paul Fitzsimmons of South Carolina.
In 1860, Anne A. Johnston in herited the property from her aunt, Mrs. Z emula Walker, widow of General Valentine Walker. The Johnstons held on to the farm throughout the Civil War . Although the years after the Civil War were depressing ones, the Johnstons showed optimism and foresight in rebuilding their farm. They were especially interested in grow ing things especially loblolly pines; this interest led them to establish a sort of three-acre forestry monument that has created interest for generations.

But the 1940s owner, George M. Cla rke, dec ided not to cut any trees. He felt a kinship with the old plantation trees that is sustained today by his daughter , Ella Clarke Nuite . Now 82 years old, Mrs. Nuite lives in the plantation house . The twostory house seems to have maintained much of the sturdiness that sustained it through the Civil War. There are 10 rooms and each room has a fireplace . G iant shrubs and trees obscure the view of nearby Tobacco Road , whe re cars constantly whiz by, unaware that vintage h istory is preserved a short distance away.
Although the Clarkes had lived on the plantation since 1903, George Clarke did not buy the plantation and surrounding property until 1920. When his daughter, Ella, attended the University of Georgia as a home economics major, she met Charles Nu ite, a forest ry majo r. The two married and Charles Nuite became Georg ia's first district forester. He served under Burley M. Lufbu rrow, the Commission's first director (1925-34) .
Al though Charles was stationed in Waycross with 25 southern counties designated for his protectio n, the Nu ites held on to the Tobacco Road plantation . Nu ite's main duties involved educating the public concerning the value of the newly formed commission and signing up landowne rs for a type of forest protection service.
"Landowners paid three cents an acre and the state put up three cents an acre in matching funds," Mrs. Nu ite remem bers. She added there was no indication at the time that the reforestation efforts at the Augusta plantation would mushroom throughout Georgia to establish the state's booming number one industry.
The Nu ite's later moved to South Ca rolina, whe re Cha rles continued his work as a forester. Although much of his job involved harvesting trees, none of the plantation trees near
Georg ia Forestry/ Jun e 1986/ 11

Augusta were cut. Later, when the Nuites returned to the plantation, the trees remained uncut.
Today, Mrs . Nuite described it th is way : "We came to love these trees mo re and more . We decided neve r to cut them."
Through the y ears, it could have been a financial tempta tion to harvest the plantation trees, but the family's established "spr ing water business" provided security for the trees.
Windsor Springs is located on the fringe of the plantation . Only three acres are the actual plantation, but the Nuite property totals approximately 100 acres. Much of the Nuite land has the look of a primeval forest, with undergrowth and overgrowth wind ing through giant trees. The trees sur rounding Windsor Springs are so large that some seem to be mutations. One huge pine now leans dangerously toward the spring area, seemi ngly too large to remain standing any longer. Not far away, a giant sweet gum tree towers over the spring area like a sentinel.
Mrs. Nuite attributes the size and good health of the spring area trees to roots nourished by the waters of Windsor Sp rin gs. Many residents of the Augusta area are on the "Windsor Springs water route" and receive regular refills in 25 gallon jugs . There are numerous stor ies concerning miraculous cures resulting from drinking the water; and many well known people throughout the years have used the water.

Mrs. Clarke Nuite, owner of the plantation, looks up at one of the pines planted in 1873.

The trees surrounding Windsor Springs are so large that some seem to be mutations. One pine leans dangerously toward the spring, seemingly too large to stand.

President Taft took 50 casks of the water abroad when he negotiated terms for the Panama Canal.
At 82 years old, Mrs Nuite is a walking testimonial for the spring wate r. Her movements are quick and agile, and her skin has an unusually healthy tone. Most people - if they are fortunate enough to reach her age - are on some sort of re stricted diet. Not Mrs. Nuite. "I eat anything I want, anytime I want, anywhere I want," she said.
"I know this water is good for anything that uses it," she sa id looking up a tall pine near the spring. "I've used it for drinking water most of my life," she said. "Even when I was going to the University of Georgia, my father used to send drinking water to me ."
The size of the spring trees and Mrs. Nuite's obvious health supports her theories. Until three years ago, Mrs. Nuite worked at the spring. She bottled 25 gallon jugs of water, loaded them in a station wagon, and delivered them to customers. Her grandson, Wayne, now takes care of the water business. Wayne is quick to point out that the trees around the spring diminish in size according to their distance from the spring .

FUTURE PROSPECTS

But now the springs and the plantation are threatened .

The Nuite property is like a natural oasis in the midst of urban

conglomeration. All along Tobacco Road , civilization is push-

ing in . Shopping centers. Apartments. Power lines. Houses .

Roadways. And now, a proposed sewer route threatens the

purity of the springs. "Civilization is encroaching on us."

Mrs. Nuite says. "But I am going to keep this property like

it is - in spite of it all." So far, Mrs . Nuite has maintained

1 /e r

r/

the atmosphere of the plantation and turned down more than a few tempting real estate offers in the process.
This is the same Tobacco Road that Erskine Caldwell made world famous - or infamous - in his controversial novel. Mrs. Nuite is not an admirer of the tale which depicted Tobacco Road residents as a blend of wretched poverty and question able morals . She calls the novel "just fiction wr itten to sell. Erskine Caldwell didn't come on our side of Tobacco Road. Even then, we had three historical homes in the area ."
But regardless of the varying op inions of the Caldwell novel, one thing is for certain; the Tobacco Road of Erskine Caldwell's day is gone forever. One of the few surviving remnants of that time is the Windsor Springs Plantation and surrounding Nuite land.
There are different views among the Nu ite family on how to best preserve this rare glimpse of forestry history and the natural atmosphere of the area. However, they are all in agreement on the desire to preserve it .
EDITOR 'S NOTE: The June 1948 issue of "American Forests" printed an article on a one-acre stand of loblolly pine planted in Maryland during 1871. The article suggests that this is "p robably the oldest plantation of loblolly pine in America." The Windsor Springs Plantation was planted four years before the Maryland stand. That creates a question. Is the Windsor Springs Plantation the oldest loblolly plantation in the United States?

This year, 38 young ladies who were victorious in county pageants across the state will gather on Jekyll Island June 15-16 to vie for the Miss Georgia Forestry crown.
The event is held annually in conjunction with the convention of the Georgia Forestry Association, the organization that sponsors the various county contests and state finals. Publicity is provided by the Education and Fire Prevention Department, Georgia Forestry Commission.
The contestant chosen for the Miss Georgia Forestry title for the year will represent the commission, the association , and forest industries in the promotion of forestry. She will appear in parades, attend festivals and make appearances at other forestry-related events. While on the island, the young ladies will attend a banquet, a special luncheon and other events planned for them by the association. The judges will interview the girls individually and on stage they will wear sports attire, later changing into evening gowns for the final judging. The contests held on the local level are sponsored by merchants organizations, civic clubs, garden clubs, forest industries and other groups. The commission considers the pageants each year one of the agency's best means of spotlighting forestry in the local communities .

Tammy Manders Barrow County
Tina Durham Crisp/Dooly County

Sheri Jordan Carroll County
Vanessa Ross Fannin County

Miranda J. Herrington Greene County

Donna Stubbs Glynn County

Cindy Sherwood Henry County

Kathy Finch Jackson County

Teresa Fulton Macon County

Ruth Bond Madison County

Terri Turner Montgomery County

Shelley Martin Oconee County

Stephanie Clark Pierce County

Kelly Ann Baxter Richmond County

Jenny Hickok Newton/Rockdale

Camille Lesuer Sumter County

Hope Harris Taylor County

Leslie Mclean Telfair County

Suzette Meeks Treutlen County

Diana Aspinwall Wayne County

Kim Tatum Ware County

Jody Price Wheeler County

Georgia Forestry/June 1986/ 13

FRP COMPANY

(continued from pg. 3)
and renew purchasing agreements. Feltham and Claude E. Bird, vice
president, also travel abroad to visit estab1ished customers, seek new customers and in some instances, study their competitors.
While conducting an interesting tour of the plant at Baxley for GEORGIA FORESTRY, Feltham paused at one point to observe an employee critically examining the color of a small block of rosin . "He's determining the grade by the hue of amber," he said. "A Iight hue is preferred, as it brings a better price . In fact, color can affect the price by as much as two to three cents a pound."
A standard system of grading by color was established some years ago by the U. S. Department of Agriculture and is now used around the world. The choice grade is designated WW , or Water White followed by WG (Window Glass). N (Nan cy). and M (Mary). To assure a cleaner, less dense coloration , the company encourages producers to keep the crude gum as pure and free of trash as possible . A well managed harvesting operation benefits both the seller and the buyer.
After the molten rosin is processed from the crude gum, it is funneled into special multi-layered bags or metal drums and becomes rock-hard. It also hardens after it is pumped into highway tankers and railroad tank cars for shipment and

Feltham stands near drums of rosin that are ready for shipment.

must be liquefied by steam for removal upon reaching its destination.
The F RP Company used natural gas for years but now wood chips, sawdust and other forest wastes are automatically fed into a giant furnace to manufacture an abundance of steam for the plant.
The concentrated distillation at one large facility has not only eliminated the small, troublesome "still" in the woods and greatly benefitted the individual producer, but it has removed a once serious forest wildfire threat.
Research down through the years has greatly improved the techniques of extracting gum from the pines of Georgia and methods of converting this valuable

annual crop into quality products in demand at home and abroad .
Although a historian in the naval stores claims that a production peak was reached in 1908 and 1909 and a marked decline started in 1938, the industry has held steady in recent years and today plays a significant role in Georgia's healthy economy.
As the FRP Company nears its half century in the business, James E. Feltham and Claude E. Bird and their employees will continue to provide a ready market for hundreds of gum producers. They will strive for an even greater percentage of the gum to produce that sparkling light amber grade of rosin called Water White .

_ _ _ _ _......._,SAVANNAH LIVE O A K S - - - - - - -

(continued from pg. 10)
like this. At this stage, public education is really the key factor, and the wheels are already in motion from a number of sources."
In the midst of Savannah's live oak crisis, the city was named a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Founda tion . In view of the problems , this honor may seem a paradox, but the facts more than support the certification. In spite of the problems, Savannah remains a beautiful city of trees; and few cities in the na tion have launched a more intensive program to save, improve and enhance urban trees.
In spite of all problems with the live oaks , Gardner said, the problem can be coped with very well. "It's really just a matter of knowledge and simple mathematics," he said. "In fact, if we don't cope with it properly, more money will be required and more trees will be lost than if we just let it lie."
"We now have the knowledge; we know exactly what to do," Gardner continued. "More has been learned about trees - especially urban trees - in the past 30 years than in all past history combin ed ." Gardner attributes most of this new 14/ Georgia Forestry/ June 1986

knowledge to Dr . Alex Shigo, a retired USDA Forest Service plant pathologist.
"Dr. Shigo is no ivory tower theoreti cian," Gardner said. "He has personally dissected - with a chain saw - more than
50,000 trees on seven continents ." (Dr. Sh igo was present at Savannah's Tree City USA ceremony.)
So the knowledge is available, but the bottom line is what Dr . Gardner calls "simple logic governed by mathematics ." He said the Savannah Park and Tree Commission needs $25 per-tree -per-year to maintain and preserve the city's endangered live oaks.
Although this may seem a large sum, Gardner points out that an intensive inventory has valued Savannah's trees (in the historic district alone) at $8 million . Value is determined by nationally accepted guidelines established by the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers.
Also, when the $25-per-tree maintenance and preservation cost is compared with the current $550-per-tree removal and replanting cost for the average live oak , the logic becomes even more apparent.
" Only $25 per live oak, spread out

over an extended period of time, would be relatively mild compared to doing nothing and having a great number of live oaks die during a short span of time and have to be removed and replanted for $550 each ."
Gardner gathers up several folders, walks outside the cottage where his off ice is located and locks the door. He is the last to leave . The sun is setting, reflecting a glow from the green live oaks lining the street. The buildings are old; seafaring pirates once walked these streets. Seagulls riding high on a coastal wind screech above the live oaks. The smell of ocean salt is in the air. There is a rare, cloistered quality here, flavored by time, enhanced by preservation. Gardner leans against one of the giant live oaks and looks down the oak lined street. "Savannah is really a paradise for trees," he says. "But even when living in para dise, only so much insult can be tolerated ."

forester/ranger . Educated at West V irginia University, Busch has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forest Resources Management . Busch and his w ife, Miriam, live in Lawrencev ille and are members of

GREEN

POHL

FRANK GREEN, a forester educated at the University of Georgia, recently assumed the position of Reforestation Special ist in the Management Department at the Macon office. A native of Lawrenceville, Green is married to the former Miss Laura Smith of McRae. The couple is active in the Methodist Church .. .RUSS POHL who
holds a Masters Degree in Forest Genetics/Tree Improvement from Auburn University, was recently promoted to Senior Forester and transferred to the Reforestation Staff at the Macon office. Originally from Illinois, Pohl and his wife, Candace, reside in Riverdale with their two children,Aiysson, three, and Jeremy,

BARRETT

JOHNSON

seven months. Pohl transferred from the

Newnan District where he had been a

forester for three years ...The new Brooks

County ranger is JOHN BARRETT,

recently promoted from forest patrol-

man. Barrett transferred from the Camilla

District and now lives in Thomasville wi t h

his wife, Karen . The Barretts have two

children, Keri , eight, and Heather, six .

The family attends the First Presbyter ian

Church ...The Athens District welcomes

JAMES JOHNSON to their staff. Johnson,

a forester educated at Clemson Univer-

sity, holds a Bachelor of Science Deg ree

in Forest Management . A native of Atlan -

taat~enJdoshnsotnhe

now lives in Monroe and Presbyterian church ...

DARRELL BUSCH, a native of Vallejo,

California, is Stone Mounta in 's newest

BUSCH
the Church of Jesus Chr ist of the Latter Day Saints ...JOE WARREN is Sumter County's new pilot . A native of Virgin ia, Warren lives in Americus w ith his wife , JoAnn, and daughter, Lynda, one, and son , Joe, 14. They attend the Catholic Church .
FALL CONFERENCE SLATED AT CENTER
A fall conference on Forest Management Plan Preparation has been scheduled at The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education.
The course, to be held September 2325, will cover the component parts of a forest management plan, to include Management Recommendations, Forest Protection, Administration and Evaluation, and the Role of Microcomputers in Management Plan Preparation.
Additional information can be obtained by contacting Dr. Leonard A. Hampton, Room 237 Georgia Center, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 or by phone 404/542-3063 or Mr. Andy Little, Conference Facilitator, Room 251 Georgia Center, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 phone 404/542-1585.

BEETLE UPDATE
The Southern pine beetle is con tinuing an upwa rd trend in some portions of the state , according to Commission Entomologist Ter ry Price .
An aerial survey conducted in April revealed over 1800 individual spots , rang ing in size from 10 to 10 ,000 trees . Appro x imately 60 count ies are reporting activity . Nine of these are ep idem ic . An epidem ic county is one having more than one mult i-beetle spot pe r 1,000 acres of pine .
The entomologist listed the counties now in the epidemic stage as Clarke, Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Butts, Baldwin and Lincoln.
Pr ice said salvage has been good in most areas of the state where in festat ions have occurred. Over 65 ,000 cords of wood have been salvaged . '
The outbreak is expected to in crease dramatically during the summer of 1986. Although populations have declined in numerous areas , news reports coming to commission headquarters indicate in creasing numbers in many areas. Coastal populations are very active . Camden and Charlton count ies are experiencing isolated outbreaks in old growth longleaf and loblolly.
Price said five control zones have been organized statewide. Each zone is represented by a committee made up of industrial and state foresters . Landowne rs are being contacted by these committee members afte r each aerial survey to offer salvag ing assistance .
Price said landowners should call their local Forestry Commission office for more details on the control of the insect . The next aerial survey is scheduled for June 16July 1 ; all counties will be covered and landowners will be notified as soon as possible if spots are found on their property .
Georg ia Fo restry/June 1986/15

Think it
over ...
SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID AT MACON, GEORGIA