Georgia forestry, Vol. 39, no. 4 (Dec. 1986)

Georgia

FORESTRY

USPS No. 217120 December, 1986

No.4

Vol. 39

Joe Frank Harris Governor John W. M ixon - Director

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

Jim L . Gillis, Jr ., Chai rman. Soperton Felton D&nney , Carrollton Eley C. Frazer. Ill , Albany
Patr icia B . Rob inson . Atlanta Robert Simpson , Ill, Lakeland

STAFF Howard E. Bennett , Ed itor WilliamS . Edwards, Associate Ed itor Jack ie N. Swinson , Artist

DISTRICT 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. Box 1080 Newnan, GA 30264

District Five Highway 49 Milledgeville, GA 31061

District Six Route 2, Box 266 Washington, GA 30673

0 ist rict 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. Box 28 Statesboro, GA 30458

District E Ieven 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 Commission, Route 1, Box 181 , Dry Branch , GA 31020. Second class postage paid at Macon , GA . POSTMASTER : Send address changes to Georgia Forestry Commission, Route 1, Box 181, Dr Branch, GA 31020.

2/ Georgia Forestry/December 1986

BUILDING IN A FOREST

DON' T LET DANGER LURK BEHI ND SYLVAN BEAUTY

A suburban or rural home nestled in a scenic forest is often considered the ideal setting for a beautiful residence.
It's the dream of many fami Iies to have a home surrounded by an ever changing forest; to enjoy its freshness in the spring, its blazing hues of autumn, and its serenity in the leafless winter .
But that dream can turn into a nightmare!
Last year, stubborn wildfires in neighboring Florida raced through expensive residential subdiv isions that were built on heavily wooded land . There was a staggering loss of property because the homeowners had taken no precaut ion against a threat that is always present when wood lands are dry and the w ind is high.
The Commission's Forest Protection Department fears a structural fire situation might occur during the current season. There is also a growing concern among other firefighting agencies - mainly city and county fire departments - that the tendency in recent years for developers to bu ild homes in thickly wooded areas will result in serious problems if fire strikes under certa in weather conditions.
Accord ing to the 1985 Southeastern Area Fire Summary, fires in Georgia and twelve other southern states destroyed or damaged more than 700 homes.

A report by the Southeaste rn States Forest Fire Compact Comm iss ion c ites confusing road systems, burned road signs, bad commun icat ions among fire protection agencies, vacant forested lots and extreme drought and fuel conditions as problems in subd ivision fir e cont rol .
SAFETY MEASURES
On the other hand, gre en lawns, clean yards, broken tree crown closur e, sprinkler systems, brush clearance around the house, and active fire defense by res idents are recommended measures for suburban and rural fire prevention. Th e report also notes that frame houses, single houses in wooded areas, and houses on flat land are especially susceptible to dest ruct ion by w ildf ire.
To reduce wildfire loss, developers are encouraged to work with the f ire suppression o rgan izations in local areas to develop plans for w ild fi re protection .
They are also advi sed to create fuel breaks, to thin out dense for ests and to eliminate crown closure a round each structure. Grasses and shrubbery which do not burn as easily should be planted around structures, and dead fuels left over from construction should be dispos-

ON THE COVER
Few scenes in Georgia are as beautiful as the riot of color that comes to an autumn forest along a country lane. This spectacular photograph courtesy of Barry Nehr, U. S. Forest Service, Atlanta.

to help protect their home. They should close openings such as windows, doors and vents, as well as window shutters
drapes and blinds. Fl ammable item~
should be brought indoors and moved away from windows and sprinklers and hoses should be taken to the roof. Vehi cles should be parked in the garage and facing the evacuation route.
Though houses in some instances can be spared if the residents remain to fight the fire, sometimes evacuation is abso lutely necessary . Availability of water, type of roof, proximity of vegetative fuels, presence of firefighters , equipment and access to safe areas must all be con sidered in this decision. If there is any doubt, the safest and wisest cho ice is evacuation.

ed of with a prescribed burn wherever possible.
It is up to the residents to maintain fuel breaks and to keep roofs, yards and nearby trees clear 'of dead foliage, as some fires spread from garden Iitter to the house. They must also be sure to store firewood and flammable materials at least 50 feet from all structures.
For further protection, roofs, exterior walls, decks, balconies, fences and outbuildings should be constructed with fire resistant materials. During a wildfire, most houses are ignited by burning embers falling on the roof. Automatic roof sprinklers are too unreliable to take the place of fire resistant material. Other re commended structural materials are un derground power supply systems, metal skirting for mobile homes and spark proof screening for roof and floor holes.
CLEAR RO AD SIGNS
Concerning public facilities, the report stresses the importance of building high grade wide roads so that fire suppression equipment can reach every lot. Road signs are another great problem in forest ed areas. Clear road markings should be made of fireresistant materials.
Road side vegetation should be cleared back at least ten feet and land should be dedicated for a fire station in each large residential development. The pub Iic water system must be able to supply adequate volume and pressure for a minimum dura tion fire flow of two hours . An abun dance of fire hydrants and water supplies, such as pools, lakes or ponds, also help to control wildfires.
Every woodland home should have fire

emergency plans which include: escape routes, firesafe sanctuaries, normal and emergency communications, evacuation sites and delegated duties for each family member. During hazardous fire weather, residents should rely on television and radio for fire danger alerts. For minimum emergency firefighting, every house should be equipped with ladders, sprinklers, fire extinguishers, buckets, shovels, water pumps and two or more exterior faucets and garden hoses.
In case of an approaching wildfire, residents must make certain preparations

DAMAGE INCREASING
Although these fire hazards and safety tips have been available for some time, the damage from woodland home fires in the South increases every year. Homeowners, developers, local governments and others are either ignorant of the threat or indifferent to the problem. Many feel that living or vacationing in the natural environment is worth the risk involved, and that a wildfire will probably never effect them.
Fire prevention experts agree that safe and beautiful homes in natural settings can be achieved, but that day will not come until building architects, landsca pe architects and builders, as well as home owners themselves, come to realize the great danger in constructing in dense forests and abide by the several safety rules thatwould protect them from forest wildfire.

PERRY NAMED PERSONNEL DIRECTOR
Randall C. Perry, formerly Personnel Manager Ill in the Commiss ion's At lanta office, has been named Personnel Director to fill the post recently vacated by the death of Jul ian Reeves.
Perry, a native of Laurens County and a graduate of the School of Forest Resources, Univers ity of Georg ia, came with the Commission in 1972 in the old Griff in District and later served as forest er in the Burke County unit before his promotion to the Atlanta off ice in 1983.
The personnel director and his w ife, the former Miss Kathy Potts of Commerce, have two children, Jason 12, and Jill, 5.
The family resides in Grayson, an Atlanta suburb.

Georgia Forestry/December 1986/3

At left: J. T. Daughtery, center, and son, Gene, check conveyor as Charles Daughtery brings up another load of sawdust. Below: Cook County Forest Ranger John Mainor and Gene Daughtery inspect thoroughly cured tobacco leaves.

The sawdust is hauled from a sawm ill

in Alapaha and store d in a shed that has a

capacity of 120 ton s. That's almost

enough to last dur ing the six-weeks curing

season.

Actually, the system being used on the

Cook County tobacco farm has been tried

on at least one other farm in Georgia on

an experimental basis . In that instance ,

wood chips were used and several opera-

tional problems were encountered.

In recalling his half century in the
CURING WITH SAW DUST business, Daughtery spoke of the times when he fired "woodpecker barns" with
stove wood, logs, and any debris from the

forests that would burn . Unlike the con-

Farmers in the tobacco belt of South sawdust and cause problems .

stant heat that is maintained by thermo -

Georgia have used wood, coal, propane and diesel to cure their leaf each season, but none of those fuels have been more economical or readily accessible as that used by J . T. Daughtery and sons of Cook County.
On the Daughtery farm near Adel, plain old sawdust is being used to . generate heat to turn green tobacco leaves to golden brown.
Daughtery, a 50 year veteran in the

The savings in fuel costs Daughtery and his sons are realizing is impressive. When four tons of sawdust at $50 .00 will provide the same amount of heat derived from a 300-gallon tank of diesel at $180 .00, it is easy to understand why they spent considerable time and money in experimenting and modifying a strange, virtually untried system to make it perform satisfactorily.
"Now our electric bill is a lot higher

stat in his present-day barns, heat in the earl ier days were poorly regulated and keeping a fire was a hard, time consuming chore .
Today, he said very little labor is re quired and exact temperatures are automatically kept around the clock. -
During the 1986 season, more than 60,000 pounds of tobacco passed through the barns on the Daughtery farm and every leaf was cured by heat from the big

business of growing and processing tobac - than our fuel bill," the father said . Elec- boiler fueled by sawdust - a material that

co, has seen the curing process come full tricity is used to power a water pump, a for generations was considered a waste

circle in depending on the forest as a fuel conveyor motor and four large fans in the product and was burned day and night

source. Abandoned, old -fashioned barns tobacco barns.

out on the edge of the mill yard.

throughout the belt are reminders of the

early days when wood was used exclusive-

ly and now a by-product from the lum6er

mills has found its place in modern -day

curing .

In the Daughtery operation, sawdust is

blown into a furnace to heat a boiler that

sends hot water circulating through a net-

work of large pipes in the four barns. The

temperature is first set at 110 degrees

fahrenheit to color the tobacco and then

raised to 180 degrees to dry the leaf .

Daughtery and sons , Gene and Charles,

bought the system about eight years ago

from a manufacturer in Moultrie . They

said it had some mechanical flaws, but in

making many changes through a trial and

error procedure, the apparatus now func-

tions smoothly .

"We started out feed ing the furnace

with an augur ," Daughtery said, "but we

soon learned that the system would be-

come clogged and we went to a 'vacuum

cleaner' type of operation by blowing the

sawdust into the furnace."

A "squirrel cage " is used at the front

of the conveyor to sift and separate any

chips or shavings that might be in the

4/Georgia Forestry/December 1986

THE GREAT SWAMP TIMBER HARVEST

REMNANTS OF A LEGENDARY ENGINEERING FEAT TELL THE STORY

BY AMY BEAN

Out of place in the primeval landscape, jagged bits and pieces of railroad piling jutting out of the murky water are the only remnants of the past left to hint at civilization's brief liason with the Okefenokee Swamp. Gazing out at the wilderness, it's hard to imagine that the forests, thick with fauna and wildlife, were once home to hundreds of lumbermen who less than 60 years ago cleared nearly 90 percent of the swamp, leaving only the timber stands that were not economically feasible to cut. For more than half a century, man tried to tame the "land of the trembling earth." Some of the lumber companies found success, others met with bankruptcy.
JACKSON'S FOLLY
Although logging companies were cut ting timber from the swamp before 1890, none captured the attention of the public quite like the Suwanee Canal Company . Started by Captain Harry Jackson, a lawyer from Atlanta, the Suwanee Canal Company planned to harvest the lumber from the swamp while at the same time draining the waterways and reclaiming fertile farm land. With much ado, Jackson proposed to boost the economy of the surrounding counties of Ware , Cl inch and Charlton , by spending millions in carry ing out his project. In reality the Suwanee Canal Company was grossly underfinanced and its personnel unexperienced in logging operations.
According to Robert lzlar and Chris Trowell, authors of "Jackson's Folly : The Suwanee Canal Company in the Okefenokee Swamp," the company was doomed to fail from the start because of lack of money and expertise. Another strike aga inst Jackson's Folly : The personnel had little or no knowledge about the swamp itself. The co-authors wrote " ...there is no evidence that the company ever conducted a systematic swamp-wide timber cruise prior to 1893, and cruises thereafter were superficial." (See editor's note .)
Jackson's plan was to bu ild a canal and channel the water into the St. Mary's River . Because of h is lack of planning , he had no way of knowing that the Okefenokee Swamp is shaped much like a saucer and sits on a coastal plain . A ridge borders the pla in on the east caus ing the swamp to dra in southwest toward the Suwannee River. Only a small percentage

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An illustration in the Atlanta Constitution in 1893 was captioned "The Dredge at Work in the Okefenokee."

of the swamp's waters flow to the St. Mary's. After completing only 13 miles of the canal, at the rate of three miles a year, Jackson called a halt to that part of his project. It was estimated that it would take 300 miles of canal to drain the swamp.
When Jackson died suddenly in 1895, his father was elected company president. A former general in the Confederate Army, Henry Jackson sold the company's swamp holdings to the Okefenokee Trust in 1897 . It seems both Jacksons were inadequate in marketing their cypress as the company had over five million feet of timber left in the mill at the time of the sale .
Desp ite its failure, Suwanee Canal Company's meth ods of logging is claimed to be one of the forerunners of industrial cypress logging . Using steamboat skidders and pullboat methods from 1895 to 1897, the company towed the lumber from the swamp to Camp Cornelia, its mill in Folkston. Unfortunately , transporting the timber was expensive and probably the extra cost helped speed up the company's downfall.
All that remains in the Okefenokee as ev idence that the Suwanee Canal Company ever existed is the canal itself. Although the Swampers, a small clan of people who farmed in the swamp as early as 1850, dubbed the company Jackson's

Folly, they thought the canal was an excellent fishing hole. For even now, low water levels cause fish to gathe r in the canal .
At the turn of the century, a Phil idelphian took an interest in the South Georgia wetland and bought the Okefenokee Trust's holdings in the swamp for roughly 68 cents an acre or a total of $175,000. Charles Hebard, with the help of his sons, Charles and Daniel, founded the Hebard Lumber Company .
A TOWN IN THE HEART OF THE OKEFENOKEE
Based only on the amount of timber brought out of the swamp- over a billion board feet - one would be correct in surmizing that the Hebard Lumber Company was a successful venture. But that success was not easily obtained. The Hebards spent eight years buying additional acreage in the swamp, cruising timber, laying railroad tracks, incorporating two add iti onal companies, bu ilding a mill , and hiring logging crews before the first board from the swamp was sawed in the winter of 1910.
Unlike the Jacksons, the Hebards dec ided not to change the basic nature of the swamp and concentrated mainly on harvesting cypress and transporting the logs to Hebardville, by way of train, to

Georgia Forestry/ December 1986/5

their mill for processing. Many, including writers Trowell and lzlar, feel this was the key to their success. " ...the Hebard Lumber Company did not repeat the Suwanee Canal Company's mistakes," they wrote . " ...the Hebards intended only to log the swamp, not develop it."
Although the Hebards hired John Hopkins, a lawyer and civil engineer, to cruise the timber in the swamp, the Georgia native stayed with the company as superintendent and helped stake out railroad tracks in the swamp. The stopping po int of the Waycross and Southern Railroad, a subsidiary company of the Hebard Lumber Company, is named after the talented employee (see map) . At Hopkins, "dummy engines," pulling smaller trains would bring in the lumber from all over the swamp. Here the engine would be swapped for a regular locomotive and transported the 36 miles to Herbardville .
As the crews laid track they found that the Okefenokee was appropriately named . Pilings, made of pine and cypress, were driven 12 to 20 feet in the ground before they found a solid base. In some areas a permanent track built on pilings was not possible so temporary tram roads were laid . lzlar explained that in one area they sank 60 feet of piling into a hole before deciding to crib the track until they reached firmer ground . Unlike the main Iine which had tracks anywhere from four to six feet above the water, the temporary spur lines were sometimes completely underwater, but trains still traveled over them.
The Hebard's logging technique was unusual but very efficient. After an area was cruised, usually an area called a skidder set which measured about 600 feet square, a crew would come in to deaden the trees . Gird Iing crews went out three or more months ahead of the loggers. Cutting a four inch line into the cambium, the sap was allowed to drain and the tree eventually died.
After the pile drivers laid out cribbing track to the area, the sawyers and skidder crews arrived to cut and transport the logs . Wrote lzlar , " A spar tree 60 feet tall was selected near the middle of the set... various cables were run from the spar tree to tail trees 1000 feet away . In this way, the entire set could be covered . A choker was attached to a trolley that ran on these long cables . The overhead skidder , which was steam operated, provided the power to pick up the logs . The trolley would be swung out to the logs, where the men would set the chokers on the logs . The overhead skidder would then pick up the logs, transport them back to the deck and load them onto the flat cars ."
As the crews went further into the swamp cutting timber, the Hebards decided it would be easier to build a perma nent lumber camp on Billy's Island, rather than transport the crews by train
6/ Georgia Forestry/ December 1986

T ramroad s - - C anals

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from Hopkins every day (see map) . Paying the Lee family, who had farmed the island since 1850, $1000 for the small island, the Hebards built homes, a movie theater, a blacksm ith and machine shop, and a general store . The bustIing boom town had a population of over 600 during it's heyday.
As the timber crews moved deeper into the swamp, the easily obtained stands became more scarce until the Hebards decided to cease logging opera-
The Lee's watched the
lumber town grow into
a bustling community
and then dwindled
into obscurity.
tions in 1927. Virgin cypress stands were left untouched in the swamp mainly be cause the cost of harvestin g the trees would exceed the amount of profit to be gained. The Hebardville mill continued operations for se veral years until all of the lumber had been sold.
BILLY'S ISLAND REVISITED
Following a trail of klinkers, mineral residue left by coal burning trains, the

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Okefenokee guide draws a verbal picture of Billy's Island Lumber Camp as it was in the 20's . "You'd think this loblolly stand has been here for hundreds of years," says William Cribbs, " but you know that can't be true, because the trees are growing where the rai Iroad tracks used to be ."
Pointing to a row of oaks, Cribbs comments , "This was the main street through town. These people lived a great life right here in the middle of the swamp. They had money to spend, nice houses ...they def initely we ren't living in hardship ."
A rusted car frame, yards of cable, and two boilers interrupt the otherwise pristine forest scene. The Hebards gave the lumbermen their island homes and they were transported intact out of the swamp on rail cars . What was left behindrailroad pil ings and other wooden buildings - were burned down during the fires that swept through the swamp during the 40's and 50's.
Leaving the island, the Valdosta State College Biology Professor pauses at the small graveyard, "My father's uncle is buried here . My grandmother was Creasie Lee ." The Lees watched the lumber town grow into a bustling community and then dwindle into obscurity with the calm acceptance common in those who have to wrest a living from the soil. But eventually they too were forced to leave the

swamp . In 1938 the Hebards sold their Okefenokee Swamp holdings to the U. S. Government for $1 .50 an acre or almost $400 ,000 .
Al tho ugh the swamp suffered the ravages of nature and man, the "la nd of the trembling earth" continues to renew itself. Accl ai med as being one of the last true wildernesses on the North American Continent, one can visit the Okefenokee and walk among cypress and pine trees t hat witnessed the birth of our nat io n, since the He bards did not completel y clear cut the swamp.
"Actually we owe a debt to the Heba rd s," said Cribbs. "If t hey hadn 't taken the trees out, the government would have neve r bought the land." He pauses , chuckles to h imself, and glances fondly around at the pr im it ive, but haunting beauty of t he swam p. " Up 'til then, everyone though t the land was worth less ."

Ed itors Note: Several documents, interviews and books,
invaluable to the aut hor's research , deserve special recognition : " The Hebard Lumber Com pany--Logging Operations in the O kefe nokee Swamp ," Robert lzlar's specia l t hesis written fo r the Un iversity of Georgia School of Forest Resources; " Jackso n' s Folly ; The Suwanee Canal Company in the Okefenokee Swamp," written by Chris Trowell and Robert lzlar; "Okefenok ee Folk ," by Francis Harper ; and Dr. William Cribbs, who granted an interv iew , prov ided a guided tour of Billy's Island .
Trees, underbrush and wildlife reclaimed the great swamp that once echoed the lumberman's axe and saws and the puffing of steam locomotives as they hauled out the virgin timber.

DEATH CLAIMS
JULIAN REEVES
Co -workers and other friends from around the state were saddened recently to learn of the death of Julian Reeves, veteran forester who helped shape the Georgia Forestry Commission during more than three decades of distinguished service.
A native of Palmetto, he earned a Bachelor of Sci ence Degree and a Master of Sc ience Degree from the School of Forest Resou rces, University of Georgia . He served as distr ict forester, assistant chief of forest management, deputy d irecto r and coordinator of forest programs and for 22 years as personnel officer, the t itle he held at the time of h is death.
He was a member of the Society of American Foresters, Lions Club, Kiwanis Club, International Personnel Associat ion, Metro Atlanta Personnel Association, chairman of the Board of Directors of th e State Employees Cred it Union and had an affiliation with several othe r organizations.
Julian died in an Atlanta hospi tal Septemb er 18 following a brief illness and funeral services were held in Fa irburn . Survivors include his wife, V irley, of Fairburn, and a siste r, Evelyn Mauldin, and a brothe r, Clifford Reeves, both of Rico .

WORKSHOPS PLANNED
Two workshops, T im ber and the Federal Income Tax and Estate Plann ing and Forestry, are scheduled at The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education, Feb. 17-19.
For further inform ation contact Dr. Leonard A. Hampton, phone 404/ 542-3063, Athens.
Georgia Forestry/ December 7986/ 7

Conservation 1rees
'Jrees are such a commonplace part ofour environment that it's easy to overlook their vital roles in making our communities and rural areas more livable, pleasant places. In addition to adding natural beauty to a landscape, trees perform many important conservation functions.
Without A treeless landscape is barren, seemingly devoid oflife a landscape without the familiarity and natural ambience 'frees: normally provided by our leafy tree companions. But it's also a landscape with resources that are left vulnerable to the forces of wind and weather.

With
'frees:

T he a t iona l Arbor Day Foundat ion's Conserva tion 'J}ee progr a m encourages Ameri ca n t o pla nt, manage a nd preserve trees to conserve oil , energy, water a nd wildlife.
Leafy, tree-filled landscapes have a beauty that is practical as well. Whether natural or planted, trees provide protection from sun and wind, hold the soil and improve its permeability- as well as providing a living beauty that changes with the seasons.

Without trees to break its

Without shade trees to RAPID RUNOFF

SHELTERBELTS AND Stream bank trees are a SHADED

Along with protecting hill-

force , the wind finds the exposed topsoil easy pickings. Ifblowing continues unabated, wind erosion produces giant, gritty clouds of dust that steadily diminish America's precious soil heritage.

Silt from eroded hillsides and fanns can choke a stream, killing fish and destroying wildlife habitat. Silt deposited on the river bottom raises the bed ofthe river, making it more likely to overflow its banks. Stream channelization and levee construction to control flooding destroys stream bank trees, turning the river into an unattractive environment.

help cool homes, yards and buildings, streets and parking lots soak up the sun's heat and raise the temperature significantly. Air-conditioning costs soar in the summer, and home heating costs rise in the winter. With temperatures more extreme outside, people stay indoors and the community becomes a less lively and inviting environment for human activities.

If deprived of their protective cover of trees, hillsides are easily eroded and less able to absorb and retain rainfall . In addition to destroying the natural balance and ecosystem of the hillside, erosion can threaten the quality of the soil and water of areas downslope .

Once the soil is freed from the protective grip of tree roots, gullies can eat th ir way into pastures and fields , destroying their usability for agricultural purposes and reducing land values.

WINDBREAKS

key part ofa natural river

When agricultural land includes shelterbelt plantings and farmstead windbreaks, maximum protection is provided against the erosive power
and chilling effects ofwind. ln addition, a wellmanaged windbreak or ' helterbelt can be a source of fuel or sawtimber.

environment, reducing flooding by slowing water flowing into streams and rivers after heavy rains. In addition to their role in minimizing bank erosion, trees provide nests and shelter for a wide variety of birds and wildlife- as well as making a more pleasing riverscape.

THIS F EATURE COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL A RBOR DAY FOUNDATION

AND HOMES
Providing sun-dappled shade from leafy canopies, urban trees beautify streets, homes and parks. They also help improve air quality by the oxygen they produce, as well as helping reduce noise and mitigate summer temperatures. Urban trees also attract songbirds and create natural elements in the city environment.

sides from erosion, trees are critical in maintaining soil moisture and underground water supplies. Instead of falling directly on the unprotected ground, rainfall is first deflected by the tree leaves and branches and allowed to percolate slowly into the soil below.

FARMLAND
Protected from the dissection of gully erosion, farmlands with trees are productive as well as pleasant to Behold. Steam courses, steep slopes and other normally unproductive lands can , when planted with trees, provide farmers with supplemental income from orchards, Christmas tree plots, or woodlots.

8

9

ANOTHER FARMER TURNS TO TREES

Forestry opened the door; Conservation Reserve Program paved the way

BY HOWARD BENNETT

This will be Lamont Giddens' la st year of row-cro pp ing . He is finally giving up on trying to make a decent profit growing soybeans, corn, peanuts and hay on some very stubborn acreage on his Bleckley County farm near Cochran .
But Giddens, who owns about 220 acres, is not giving up on his land. "Couldn't do that," he said. "I grew up on a farm and that's where I'll stay." He will now stay on as a tree farmer.
The drought that has virtually seared the life out of many Georgia farms was not a factor. His decision was made before the rains ceased.
When Giddens concluded that conventional farming on his particular soil would probably always br ing about lean finan cial returns, he began working for Southern Bell. During his 17 years with the telephone company, he has enjoyed a career as a cable repair technician, all the while living on the land and continuing to seek ways to improve it.
Trees ultimately provided the way. "When I looked hard enough ," Giddens said , "forestry opened a door for me ." He sa id he "asked for and got valuable help from the Georgia Forestry Comm issi on . I began attending landowner conferences, tax forums, and workshops sponsored by the Commission. I started reading material on silviculture and studying research papers. It was fascinating and I gradually learned a great deal about growing trees." Commission Forester Gregory Long agreed that the landowner has become "quite knowledgeable in forestry and is one of the most enthusiastic advocates of forest management in my district." Six years ago, Giddens planted 10 acres of loblolly pine, followed by five acres of slash pine. He later planted six acres of white oak and three acres of poplar. Much of the planting was by hand and he said h is wife, Jul ie, was "out there helping me every time." In fact, his wife accompanies him to conferences and other events on forestry and shares his keen interest in trees.

Today, planted stock and natural stands on the property total about 120 acres and the landowner is converting an addi tional 87 acres to trees by taking advantage of the new Conservation Reserve Program . During the first and second sign-up periods in the federally-financed program that shares establish ment costs and then pays annual rent on the land for ten years, Giddens received approval to plant pines on an eroding field of sandy loam that has struggled for years to support soybeans and peanuts.
In the initial sign -up , his bid of $20.00 per acre received approval on 51 acres and in his second time to apply for the
"H's hard to convince people
to turn away from the way they
are farming, even if it's on
eroding land."
program, a bid of $25.00 per acre was accepted . Actually, the 36-acre tract of low-productive cropland was planted in pine seedlings last winter and the remaining acreage will be planted this winter.
Giddens estimates that 37,000 seedlings at a cost of $814.00 will be required to plant the 51 acres and the cost of planting will run $1,785 .00. Some expenses will be incurred in site preparation, but the government will pick up half the entire cost of establishing the cover. Although landowners have the option of planting trees or grasses under the program, the vast majority in Georgia have chosen to plant trees.
The check for $1,920.00 that he will receive annually for the next decade "will pay my taxes on the land," Giddens reasoned, "but the big difference it will make will be the con servation of the land."
"Mr. Giddens is big on conservation," explained Forester Long, "he means what he says."
Giddens said "I know I'm on the right road ... planting trees on worn out land is the way to go ." He also plants for wildlife, clears edges and maintains two scenic ponds. The tree farmer enjoys hunting deer, turkey and quail on his land, but he said "there is a lot of comfort in just walking through the woods."
In recalling his youth on the family farm some four miles down the road from where he now lives, he said "there was a time when the soil we farmed was as black as your shoes , but that same rich land became poor because, like everybody else, we 'cottoned' it to death."
Giddens has become such an ardent believer in conservation, especially in forestry as a means of restoring the land, that he encourages others to consider the many long range benefits of reforestation. "But it's hard to convince people to turn away from the way they are farming, even if it's on erod ing land," he said. "Too many people are looking for what they

At left: Forester Gregory Long and Farmer Lamont Giddens inspect an eroded field where pine trees will be planted this winter under the Conservation Reserve Program. Opposite page: The two observe a stand of rapidly growing pines that Giddens proudly shows visitors at his Bleckley County farm.

can make now, this season ...they don't want to plan for something that pays off down the road."
In his diversifi cation as a tree farmer, Giddens has not overlooked the value of natural regeneration. A generous crop of longleaf pines are sprouting along a high ridge on his property and volunteer trees are growing vigorously in other sections of his woodlands.
"I like to experiment," Giddens said. "When a new research paper comes out, I read it carefully and try to apply it to my forestry effort ... l can see that research in forestry is really making a big difference in Georgia ."
The tree farmer admits that his conversion to trees has not always gone smoothly. "When I planted my first ten acres of loblolly," he said, " I got my first taste of tip moth, but the Comm ission forester helped me over that problem." A good network of firebreaks has reduced the risk of fire, but the record breaking drought that took its toll across the state continues to be a problem . He knows he will have to replant some seedlings because of the severe drought.
Giddens doesn't remember the exact day he decided to turn all his acreage over to trees, but the revelation probably came on one of those long, weary Saturdays when he traded his telephone maintenance van for a tractor and again bounced over rough, unyielding slopes that would never properly nurture soybeans or peanuts or corn.
Perhaps he looked across a valley and studied the green timberline and knew there was a better way.

AFTER THE DROUGHT
WHEN AND HOW TO WATER
BY ROB MASON
As one good ol' boy said, "Facts is facts, you can lie about 'em, you can deny 'em, but they go right on bein' facts." And in the north half of Georgia, it's a fact there has been a dry spell like there never was since they started keeping records.
People tell us it takes roughly three hours for water to soak into our red Georgia clay to a depth of one-fourth inch. That's right; 12 hours to move one inch vertically! With most of the roots 8 to 20 inches down, you'd have to have a pond under every tree. Trouble is most tree roots need oxygen to stay healthy and there's not enough in standing water to make even a small brook trout happy. So that means not only do we have to water, it's a matter of both how long and how much. A diplomat would say, "It all depends on certain factors." Since most trees are more definite than most diplomats, the factors can be reduced to six: soil type, season, slope, site, species and suitability.
As we've noted, if there's a lot of clay, the water will go in slower and come out slower. The sandier the soil the less time to get water down to the roots that supply the tree between water-
Species determines the size and number of the cells that carry the water to the top. The "Plumbing System" is the right size...
ings. Experiment a little; ideally there should be no water pooled on the surface 24 hours after watering ends.
Seasons make a big difference. The botanists say, all things equal, water produces "soft" growth which is more easily damaged by cold. So, by not watering as much in late fall, we allow the trees to "harden" for winter.
Slope helps decide if a tree gets sun all day or only part of it. The more sun, the more water needed to cool the leaves through evaporation.
Site goes along with slope since it is the tree's location in relation to its surroundings. Site differs because it takes into account objects like houses, walls, pavement, ponds, rock outcroppings or other trees.
Species of tree is a major factor because that determines the size and number of the cells that carry the water to the top. The "plumbing system" is the right size to supply the water demands of the leaves under normal conditions. A dogwood normally grows in the shade of bigger trees so if it's planted out by itself in full sunlight the top leaves may shrivel in late summer. If it gets little or no additional water and the sunlight gets hotter each day, the leaves turn color and fall off because the plumbing can't supply enough water to meet the demands of those leaves .
Suitability combines the other five factors. You can plant a banana tree in jungle soil, keep it in a tropical climate all year, position it to get the right amount of sun, protect it from being too crowded and water it like a cactus week after week. You might or might not get bananas before it dies, but it wouldn't die ahead of its time if it was suitably watered like a banana tree instead of a cactus.
We have no control over the weather but we can control how often and how much watering a tree gets. It's a matter of how much it is worth to have the tree.
Georgia Forestry/December 1986/11

Wanton destruction marked the path of loggers before the land became part of a natural forest and it required many years to completely heal the devastated land. In the other historical photograph, workmen gather chestnut bark for the extraction of tannic acid, which was used in tanning leather.
SO YEARS!
A GREAT NATIONAL FOREST CELEBRATES
A HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS
IN TRANSFORMING A RAVISHED
NORTH GEORGIA LANDSCAPE INTO A SCENIC MULTI-USE
WOODLAND

The scenic 750,000-acre Ghatta hoochee Natio nal Fo rest in North Georgia, birthplace of two rivers, recreational haven for two million people each year, and an area with an annual timber harvest that pro duces enough lu mber to build 1,500 homes, this year is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
To mark the event, six day s d uring t he summer were set asi de fo r a h istoric symposium and to bring several dignitaries together to speak on topics ranging from forestry and wood production to tourism and trade.
The section of the state that now forms the national forest was populated by the Cherokee and Creek Indians when the first colonists arrived and they initial ly learned to live in harmo ny with the new settlers. When gold was discovered, however, the nati ves were d riven off the land to reservations in Ok lahom a and their land was given away in lotteries.
The railroads, built by large landown ers who acquired their ho ldings by paying as little as one dollar per acre, began penetrating the North Georgia mountains in the 1880's . The goal was to cut the vir gin t imber, sell the land and move on to other locations.
They logged the land not o nly for tim ber, but for the bark of chestnut, chest nut oak, and hemlock fo r t he extractio n
12/ Georgia Forestry/December 1986

of tannic acid, which was used in tanning leather.
As logging and farming moved into the area, forest wildfires began to take a frightful toll. Sparks from wood-burning locomotives and fires set by farmers clearing their land caused many of the fires that raced across the mountains. The loss of valuable timber resources began to change, however, after Congress passed the Weeks Law which authorized the land purchases for the national forest.
To those attending the 50th anniver sary festivities, it must have been hard to imagine the Chattahoochee as it was in the early 1900's, a virtual eyesore . "When the Chattahoochee was proclaim ed as a National Forest back in 19 36, much of the land was largely logged -over, unproductive forests or abandoned and eroded farmlands where private landown ers saw little hope in managing the land for profit," said Forest Supervisor Pat Thomas.
After the government began gathering and buying tracts of land in the northern area of the state and the Chattahoochee was proclaimed a national forest, Forest Service personnel wrote management plans for forest resources, stressing re forestation . The Civilian Conservation Corps put the plans into action by plant ing trees, controlling tree diseases and insects, laying communication lines,

doing erosion control wo rk and building fire towers, roads, ranger statio ns and recreation areas.
Bill Stevens , chairm an of the Brass town Bald Interpretive Association, said the anniversary celebration served as a reminder to all Georgians of the impo rt ance of the forest and its contribution to the quality of all lives. "Within this fo rest are the creeks, branches, and streams that supply the majority of surface water for our state . While the forest is important for its beauty and recreational value, we should never forget that the very future of this state depends on this irreplaceable watershed," he said .
The highlight of the week was the dedid ication of a log cabin the new interpretive center to the former Ninth District Congressman Phil Landrum . O ver 800 guests hiked the highest mo untain in Georgia, Brasstown Ba ld , to attend the impressive ceremony.
After years of neglect and abuse, land now known as the Chattahoochee Na tional Forest has made an amazing come back . Where once the land was barren and scarred, it is now rich in an abundance of wildlife, recreational opportunities, and valuable timber.
A half century of stewardship of the Chattahoochee's natural resources has left a legacy that will be enjo yed fo r genera tio ns to come.

Elaine Jones

Sandra Taylor

WOMEN BECOME RANGERS

This Fall , the Georgia Forestry Com m iss ion , for the f irst time in its hi story, promoted two women to the positi on of ranger. Elaine Jones was assigned to the Grady County Forestry Un it wh ile Sandra Taylor will assume her duties at the Barrow-Jackson Forestry Unit.
Jones, an Albany native, says she grew up knowing she would pursue a career with the Commission . "I grew up with the Forestry Comm issi on ... My father, J. K . Jones, who is now

retired, was a ranger and superintende nt of the Herty Tree Nu rsery and, of co urse, I learned a lot from h im ."
Taylo r, o riginally from Cartersville, claims that while she realizes the difficulties of 'being a female in a man's world ,' she's not allowing those problems to affect her job. "I don't think of myself as being one of th e first women rangers," she said. "I'm just a new ranger anticipating the start of the fire season."
(continued on page 15)

State Representative Pete Phillips, left, is presented a plaque by John Mixon on behalf of the Alumni Association, School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia. He was cited for his "outstanding contributions to advance the school toward its goal of excellence." Mixon, director of the Georgia Forestry Commission, serves as president of the Alumni Association.

Over thirty million peopl e can ' t be wrong --1 ive Ch ristmas trees are stil l an Am erican tradition . Every December more than 800,000 Georgi ans bring home evergreen s to decorate for the Yul etide season . Many of the spec ies bought here in Georgia are grown lo cally .
Acco rding to Staff Forester Ken Ba iley of the Urban Forestry Department, Ch rist mas tree prod uction in the South has dramatically increased in recent years and Georgia is no exception. "The number of producers has bee n increasing at the rate of 20 percent, or about 30 growers per y ear ," sa id Bailey . "We now have about 500 growers in the state and around seven m i llion tree s planted."
Many of the growers have turned to the enterprise as an alternative to traditional crops. Because of the longer -growing season and more favorable climate, a well developed tree can be grown in less time in Georgia than in No rthern states . In this state, trees can be cut t he day of shipping; the northern farmer , however, must cut his trees f ar in advance of shipping dates because of frequent deep snows and extremely cold weather .
A s more and more Georgia growers realized the market poten tial for Chr istma s trees, the demands for seedlings have also increased. A ccording to Johnny Branan, the Commission's Ch ief of Reforestation, over 806,000 V irgin ia pine seedlings were sold from the state nurseries this year.
Because of its exce ll ent shape, l imb strength, and ability to hold up well in use, t he Virg inia pine is gaining popularity with t he Georgia consumer. The species grows well in all areas of the state and mak es up over 75 percent of total production. Th e cedar -cypress type grows well in the warmer climates of M iddle and South Georgia.
Georgia Forestry/ December 1986/ 13

RANGER IS EXPERT WOODWORKER
Builds cabinets, other fixtu res for the Commission

What do you do for relaxation after you've been shot, suffered th ird degree burns , had your leg half cut off by a chainsaw, and been the victim of two heart attacks.
Wayne Meadows , a 25 -year Comm ission veteran and ranger for the Columbia County Unit, builds cabinets. This may sound like a bad joke, but it's true . All these th ings happened to Wayne Meadows , who bu ilds cabinets and numerous other types of wooden fixtures for Commission offices throughout the state.
When he was growing up, his uncle mistook him for a prowler and shot through a window. Wayne was hit and not expected to live . However, he recovered and suffered no ill effects, al though the 25 caliber bullet is still lodged in h is liver. The only time he notices it is in cold , damp weather, when he "can feel the path the bullet traveled ."
Then, while f ighting a fire for th e Commission , his tractor stalled and he suffered second and th ird degree burns, but he recovered quickly and was back on t he job. Not long after the burns, he was involved in a cha insaw acciden t that al most severed his right leg . More than 150 st itches we re required to repa ir the leg; but Wayne recovered again and moves like the accident never happened. Finally , he suffered two heart attacks, recovered from al l of them and is st ill go ing strong.
The pos it ive side of all th is is that no one would know by loo king at him that any of these unfortunate situations had occurred . His job and hobbies keep him acti ve , and he looks like he spends h is spare time working out in a health spa .
" Some people say I have nine lives," Meadows said . "The only thing that really bothe rs me is the heart condit ion. The do cto r said not t o lift heavy weights any
14/ Georgia Forestry/ December 1986

more; other than that, I do pretty much what I want ."
After so many unpleasant experiences, anybody d eserves a little rel axati o n. Meadows fi nd s it in cabinet making, wh ich has become a majo r pa rt of h is jo b and h is fa vorit e hobby.
COMMISSION SHOP
In 1979, Meadows started a cab inet making operation for the Comm issio n that grew t o se rve more than 100 units th roughout the state . Three years ago , he h ired Neal Hinegardne r as a patro lman and a right-hand -man assistant in t he cab inet shop. Hinegardner, a retired Army el ectron ics special ist, has all t he complementary talents needed fo r th e expanding cabinet making operation.
" Up until about a year ago, our shop was the only Comm ission cab inet making fa c ility in the state," Mead ows said. "Now, another has just started in another county un it , and it w ill be a b ig help."
Cab inet mak ing is not easy. It req uires sk ill and artist ic talent . Although he has no formal tra ining, Meadows esti mates an apprenticeship should last fo r at least two yea rs. He started in high school by concentrating on shop and mechanical d rawing courses. Later, he polish ed his skills with two years of e ngineeri ng and draft ing cou rses at August a Tech .
" It's not something you learn, and then that's the end of it," Meadows said. "I am constant ly learn ing somet h ing new."
Meadows agrees w ith t he t heo ry t hat certain artist ic talents can be ge neticall y inherited. Both his father and grand fathe r were talented woodworkers, and he considers many of his woodwo rk ing talents t o parallel their abil ities. He po ints

Ranger Wayne Meadows, left, and Patrolman N eil Hinegardner discuss an intricate section of a cabinet.
out that, like a sculptor or painter, a talented cabinet maker will evo lve a "definite style " that makes his work recognizable.
" It's reached the point now w here a lot of people will come up to me and say , ' I saw some of your work over at so-a nd so ,"' Meadows said. " T his real ly makes you feel good, because that's wh at being an artist and a craftsman is all about. The work will live on long after he's gon e."
Meadows said a good exam pl e invo lving a cabinet maker is Charles Ingles, t he character portrayed by Michael Landon on the popular television series " Little House O n The Prairie." Ingles beca me a famous cabinet maker and hi s wood work is now considered art.
Like a first class suit of clothes, qu al ity cabinets are tailored to their envi ro nment and intended purpose. Meadows operates Commission cabinet ma king as a custom -fit, custom -style procedure.
When an order is received, he will go to the locat ion and take measure ments. The design will then be drawn according to the intended use and environment.
Back at the shop, exact meas urements for the cabinets are made and preliminary sketches are drawn. The sketches and designs are then redrawn and cut o ut fo r fitting . Designs may be anything from abstracts to wildlife scenes. Hinega rd ner likes to draw from his imaginat ion . Meadows prefers to use models. T heir talents complement each other. St ages of the work are often painstak ing and del icate, but the results are worth it. F inally, t he cabinets are transpo rted t o t he origin of the order and installed. T he init ial fitting measurements now pro ve to be critical. Any mistake can destroy many hou rs of painstaking wo rk and design . " But that's cabinet making," Meadows said. "You have to like it to keep on do ing it ."
RETI REMEN T PLANS
Meadows likes it and intends t o keep it up when he retires. With 25 years in w ith the Commission, he doesn't have many years before retirement. He p lans to open up a combination woodworking and gift sh o p where everything from cedar chests t o gun cabinets to painted curi os w ill be sold. He even has an old South Geo rgia tobacco barn picked out for dismant li ng and reassembling to house the gift sh op . Mead ows says his wife, Joyce, has become very interested in woodwo rk ing and assists in making the vario us arti cles and running the shop.
Meadows thinks it will all be very relaxing. But considering so me of the things Meadows has experienced , going over Niagara Falls in a barrel wo uld be re laxing.

Ranger MAURICE BARNHILL, Grady County Unit, retired October 1 to end a 34-year career with the Commission. He was transferred to the county in 1965 from Seminole County, where he also
served as ranger. A luncheon was held in Cairo by fellow employees, relatives and other friends to honor him for his many contributions. He is succeeded in the post by Ranger Elaine Jones ... DEAN BARGER, vice president for finance and administration, Interstate Paper Corpora-
tion, Riceboro, has been appointed resident manager and THOMAS A. MEERSMAN has been named vice presi dent for manufacturing at the company's linerboard m iii. .. BENNIE BRANT has been named district forester for the Milledgeville District. Hired in 1958 as a forest ranger trainee in the Lowndes County Forestry Unit, Brant is a graduate of the University of Georgia School of Forest Resources. He is married to the former Miss Lori McBride of Sylvania and they have one son, Ray . The couple attend the First United Methodist Church

in Milledgeville . ROBERT G . CHAMBERS, head of the Timberland Trust for the First Nat ional Bank of Atlanta, was recently promoted to vice president. A professional forester, Chambers is responsible for the bank's trust with more than 29,000 acres of timberland in three states. Chambers and his wife, Glenda, and their two children live

Club member from Clarke County , has received the fourth annual F&W Young Forester of the Year Award . The student was presented a $500 scholarship from F&W Fo restry Services, which sponsors the competition...GREGORY SEABOLT, forestry with the Commi ssion recently to work at the Morgan Nursery. He Iives in Warner Robins with his parents, Mr . and Mrs. George Seabolt. He earned his degree in technol ogy at ABAC in T ifton .. . KENNETH MASTEN, who at tended Young Ha rris Coll ege and later transferred to UGA, where he earned a degree in forestry, has been assigned to the Americus Dist rict Off ice . A native of Toccoa, he formerly served as ranger of the Marion County Un it. He is marr ied to the former Miss Debra Ca rter of Waycross.

BRYANT

KARRFALT

in Woodstock ...LYNN McELROY , who came with the Commiss ion in 1973 as a tower operator and later became ranger of the Coweta County Unit, has been named District Ranger of the Newnan District. He is married to the former Miss Betty Jean Taylor and they have three children ...RAN DY BRYANT, a Meri wether County native who came with the Commission in 1983 in the Coweta County Unit, has been named ranger of the unit to succeed Lynn McElroy. Randy is married to the former Miss Ruby Hightower of Luthersville. They make their home in Newnan ... ROBERT

KARRFALT, formerly serving as Seed Processing Specialist at the National Tree Seed Laboratory at the Georgia Forestry Center in Macon, has been promoted to Director of the facility .. . Karrfalt, a native of Erie, Pa., earned a Maste r of Forest Science Degree from Penn State University . The new director and his wife, Verna , and three-year-old daughter live in Macon and attend Fa it h Luthe ra n Church in Warner Robins . Karrfalt succeeds Dr. Earl Belcher, who recently retired . STEPHEN J. PONTZER, a 4 -H

(continued from page 13)
Taylor will be living in Barrow County; she replaced Billy Roland who transferred to Colquitt County. Jones assumed the duties of veteran Ranger Mau rice Barnhill , who is retiring from the post after 34-years of service with the Commission .
Jones supervises three patro lmen and two tower operators and her un it is charged with the protection of the county's 185,000 acres of forests .
She came with the Commiss ion in 1982 as a temporary fire tower operator and later became a forest patrolman in her home county . "When I went out alone on my first fire," she confessed, "I was really scared . My knees were knocking on the way, but after I unloaded my tractor from the transport and began plowing the fire line, I calmed down . When I was able to radio a signal 8 (fi re out). it was a good feeling."
In assuming the supervisory role, the new ranger said "I'll miss my equ ip ment at first, but I know there will be plenty of chances to use it aga in." Forest patrolmen are generally the firef ig hters in a unit, but the ranger often joins in to help subdue a stubborn blaze.
Taylor came with the Commiss ion in 1980 as a patrolman and was promoted to assistant forest ranger four years later. As ranger, she supervises three patrolmen and a tower operator. The unit protects 90 ,000 acres of forests in Barrow County and 180,000 acres in Jackson County .
Severa l females have been employed as patrolmen during the past few years w it h fire fighting as their principal duty.
Georgia Forestry/ December 1986/ 15

SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID AT MACON, GEORGIA