Georgia forestry, Vol. 43, no. 2 (Summer 1990)

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PLEASE HELP D.O.T.
STOP
ILlEGAL TREE CUTTING
J-800-72Z-6611"

Georgia
FORESTRY
Summer, 1990 No.2 Vol. 42 I
USPS No. 217120
STAFF Howard E. Bennett, Editor William S. Edwards, Asso. Editor Jackie N. Swinson, Graphic Artist
Joe Frank Harris- Governor John W. Mixon - Director
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Jim L. Gillis, Jr., Chairman, Soperton Felton Denney, Carrollton James Fendig. Savannah Dr. Gloria Shatto, Rome
Robert Simpson, Ill, lakeland

This logging truck was caught in an ironic photograph as it passed by this familiar
Department of Transportation sign on the right-of-way of interstate 75. However, this trucker is hardly the intended target. The DOTworks to stop those who illegally remove trees along the Georgia highways and encourages anyone witnessing an unlawful ad to report it.
ON TH f COVER - Like bones of an elephant graveyard, dead oaks cover
this section of jekyll Island beach where shifting tides leave them. Dead tree in foreground has a role in nature's scheme as do live counterparts. This dead oak no't only offers wind sculptured beauty for beach visitors, but al o provides homes for everything from minute organisms to small bird and mammal . In time, decayed remains will return to the soil and sea to nourish nature's future. (Photo By Bill Edwards)
2/Ceorgia Forestry/Summer 1990

DISTRICT OFFICES
District One 3086 Martha Berry Hwy., E/Rome. GA 30161
District Two 3005 Atlanta Hwy./Gainesville, GA 30501
District Three 1055 E. Whitehall Rd./Athens, GA 30605
District Four P.O. Box 1080/ ewnan. GA 30264
District Five Highway 49/M illedgeville, GA 31061
District Six Route 2, Box 266/Washington. GA 30673
District Seven Route 1. Box 23A/Americus, GA 31 709
District Eight Route 3, Box 17/Tifton, GA 31 794
Di trict Nine P.O. Box 345/Camilla, GA 31 730
District Ten Route 2. Box 28/Statesboro, GA 30458
District Eleven Rout e 1, Box 67/HeiPna. GA 310 37
Di trict Twelve Route 6. Box 167/Waycros . GA 31 501
Urban Fore try 6835 M emorial Drive/Stone Mountain, GA 30083
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[] harles A. (Chuck) Leavell was on tour in Europe with the Rolling Stones when the selection committee visited

his Twiggs County plantation for a careful inspection of his forest and designated him Georgia's Tree Farmer

of The Year.

Leavell, who plays the keyboard

with M ick )agger's famous rock band,

didn't have to be home for the com-

mittee to learn how well he manages

his 1,1 86 acres of forests; they saw

evidence of

many excellent

forestry prac-

ti ces

that

prompted one

member of the

inspection team

to declare it " the

most beautiful

multi-use forest

I've seen in years

' f

in our search for

the annual Tree Charles A. Leavell

Farm."

Actually, Leavell and his wife, Rose

Lane, share the 1990 Tree Farmer

honor. Both became certified Tree

Farmers after they moved from Macon

to the orooertv ten vears ago. The

place, which they named Charlane

Plantation, was already heavily forested, but they set out to enhance their stands by employing a consultant forester to prepare a management plan.
The plantation, which includes a network of forest trails, winding roads and a large, picturesque farmhouse built in the late 1980s, is divided into 33 forest stands that range from Rose Lane Leavell 4 to 112 acres.

Precom mercial thinning, hardwood control with herbicides, wildlife habitat planting and other practices are carefully carried out. Whenever logs or pu lpwood are harvested, they make sure the area is replanted in trees.

The Twiggs County Forestry Unit plowed firebreaks around the wooded sections of the plantation shortly after Leavell's wife inherited the land from her gJandmother and they moved onto the

TREE FARMER OF YEAR HONOR GOES TO COUPLE IN TWIGGS

property, but the musician-tree farmer now plows the breaks and keeps the trails clear with a farm tractor. He also plants seedlings, performs controlled buming, works with his Christmas trees and frequently adds more feed plots to increase the quail population when time permits.
Leavell, who has been on the road with the Rolling Stones for almost a year, finds little time to come home, but when he is
able to return to Charlane plantation and his wife and daughters, Amy, 14, and Ashley, 7, he enjoys working in his trees and planning improvements. Although he has some hired help, he prefers to do the work himself when possible. " Chuck is a very hard worker," his wife said. "I grew up in the country and have always appreciated trees, but forestry was something new

to Chuck and he really works at it." Leavell said during a recent trip home
that tree farming provides a "wonderful balance" in his life. He said he thoroughly enjoys playing with the band before huge audiences in many of the major cities of the world. "It's fun and very rewarding," he added, "but I always enjoy a break so I can come back to the serenity of the Georgia countryside."
Although he had scant knowledge of forestry when the couple moved to the country, Leavell immediately began to read books on the subject, consult foresters and neighboring landowners, take woodland management courses and engage in a lot of hard work. The result a showcase tree farm, an excellent example of how good forestry practices can transform an ordinary forest into a highly productive, multi-use forest.

EDITOR'SNOTE: We were unable to reach Charles Leavell at his hotel in Hanover, Germany after he was named by the committee, but the following message by Fax transmission was received by his wife and passed on to us for publication.
My wife, Rose Lane, just gave me the wonderful news that we were selected as outstanding Tree Farmers for the State of Georgia. We're both very excited and overwhelmed to receive this most flattering honor. My only regret is that as I am currently on tour with The Rolling Stones in Europe , and will be until mid-August, I'm afraid that I will be unable to attend the convention and therefore not able to accept the award personally. However, Rose Lane will be able to attend and shall be pleased to accept the award for both of us.
We have worked hard on Charlane Plantation since 1t came to us almost 10 years ago. It has been a labor of love, and this extremely gratifying recognition that you have bestowed upon us will serve as a great encouragement to continue to learn more about the wonderful subject of forestry and to implement the knowled ge we gain into improving our woodlands and encouraging other fellow Tree Farmers to do the sam e.
Thank you again for this honor to represent such an outstandin g organization!
With Gratitude Chuck Leavell

Georgia Forestry/Summer 1990/3

he combination of forest management and sewage treatment on an increasing number of Georgia sites is resulting in reduced pollution and accelerated pine growth. One of the state's larger sites for this relatively new concept is the Covington/Newton County Land Application Facility funded by the city, county and federal government (EPD) . The facility totals 830 acres with 550 acres of pine forest. The area is divided into eight sprayfields that are sprayed on a rotating basis with treated waste water. The result has been an unexpected burst of growth in pines 70 to 100 years old -as well as unusually rapid growth in newly planted seedlings. Before establishment of the land application facility, Covington and Newton County were confronted with the task of upgrading their waste water system beyond standards generally appl ied in Georgia. The standards involved stricter regulations on quality of treated waste water emptied into the Upper Ocmulgee River Basin (including rivers upstream of Lake Jackson). Research to meet required standards of nitrogen and phosphorous reduction resulted in establishment of the land application project.
David Croom, mal"ager of the facility, said the project was started in 1985. A University of Georgia graduate with a degree in agricultural economics, Croom was employed to manage the project five years ago. Although in operation for five years, the system is operating at only 70 percent of the design flow

APPLICATION OF SEWAGE ACCELERATES PINE GROWTH

11 1Wou
lieved Smr1tt~rft1FI1
ult If
n he
atural Ar as
ing Like

capacity with potential remaining for expansion. Basically, the system operates by aerobically digesting domestic sludge that is
transported to a landfill. Treated water (secondary effluent) that remains was previously emptied into the rivers, lakes, etc. However, under this concept, the water is pumped into an 18-acre holding pond and subsequently sprayed on the 550 acres of pine forests. The holding pond is stocked with gambusia and crappie to control masquitoes. Gambusia are capable of devouring 150 mosquito larvae per day.
Fifty-four miles of underground pipe stretch from the holding pond through the pine sprayfields. Lateral pipelines are 85 feet apart and spiked with more than 5,000 sprinkler heads placed at 60-foot intervals. A designated sprayfield is sprayed for a maximum 12 hours averaging three million gallons a day, then dried for six days before being sprayed again. A

maximum of 2.25 inches of treated water is sprayed on a field during a oneweek period. Regular testing of soil and water has shown no significant changes .

What this translates to in forestry benefits is that approximately 75 to 87 pounds of phosphorous and nitrate are applied annually per acre (respectively). Pines can effectively remove nutrients from the soil in these amounts for 20 years. Hardwoods can remove such nutrients for 40 years.
Since pines require large amounts of nitrogen and phosphorous for growth, the trees offer a double system of benefits. Pines easily absorb the treated waste water and the nutrients stimulate an accelerated growth reaction in the trees.
"I would not have believed some of the results if I hadn 't seen the tests," Croom said . He cited one

of the most impressive test results was obtained when a large segment of old growth timber was designated for harvest. However, before cutting was scheduled, Commission Forester Lane Gardner extracted a series of increment bores that revealed 70-year-old trees showing an annual growth rate of 6.8 percent. Other pines, some of which were nearly a century old, showed similar renewed spurts of growth. Various increment bores revealed rings- almost merging before the waste water treatment - were now almost an eighth of an inch apart. Harvest was postponed on this particular site pending further growth studies.
" In natural regeneration areas, it's even more impressive," Croom said. 'Trees are growing like wildfire."
Similar results occurred in cultivated areas. When the land application program was established, 70 of the 550 acres of pine timber were harvested and replanted. Later evaluation showed that the growth in the replanted section was also accelerated. The program proved so successful that 250 more acres of ti mberland have been scheduled for purchase.
Although the facility was not initiated as a money making project Croom said timber sales and accelerated tree growth will be a positive factor in offsetting operational costs.

4/Ceorgia Forestry/Summer 7990

Croom, who attends regular seminars concerning developments in this field, said he believes the concept is attracting a lot of interest in Georgia and other states. He pointed out that numerous projects of
this sort (ranging from 5
acres to 8,500 acres) have been established in Georgia.
'There's a lot of small facilities around now," Croom said. 'These operations are going to be a big help because this is a new technique and there's still a lot to be learned."
Society is becoming increasingly concerned over pollution and appropriate disposal of massive quantities of waste. The tremendous volume of human waste is what makes the problem so difficult in this

type of disposal. Only 150 years ago, sewers were rare. Human waste was channeled through streets and storm drains into the nearest body of water. Even then, such a disposal system caused health problems. Today, it would be a disaster.
However, one thing is for certain. Considering what has already been learned about the land application technique, it is apparently a promising way to rid the environment of this type of waste while simultaneously providing nutrients that will accelerate the growth of pines and hardwoods. Properly managed application of this process could provide important benefits in future forestry management programs.

David Croom, manager of the Covington/Newton County Land Application facility, adjusts sprinkler on system that prays 550 acres of pine forests with domestic sewage. Pines absorb nutrients from the treated waste water that produces accelerated tree growth. Increased growth has been measured in pines ranging from seedlings to 100-year-old trees.

Georgia Forestry/Summer 7990/5

GYPSY MOTH SLOWLY
INVADING SOUTHLAND
The dreaded Gypsy Moth, a longtime nuisance in many northern states, is gradually moving south, and T~rry
Pisriscee~kthiengCtohme maiisdsoiofnp'seersnotonsmomloogviisntg,
into Georgia from that area to help control the insect.
Price said the Commission hopes to contact as many people as possible who have moved to Georgia in the last 12 months from Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, New jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virgini_a, Michigan or Washington, D. C. He sa1d the newcomers are urged to call the Commission at the toll-free number 1-800-GA TREES, and will be under no obligation or penalty of law if egg masses are found on their belongings. The entomologist explained that the eggs or moths are often unknowingly brought into the state on vehicles from the northern states.
The Gypsy Moth, once confined to the New England states, has been spreading to the warmer climate Georgia offers, Price said, and for those who enjoy the beauty and shade provided by hardwood trees, this is not good news.
The moths, in the caterpillar stage, are capable of devouring large amounts of foliage on many species of hardwood trees, which will eventually kill the trees if the moths are not eliminated. State and federal officials in Georgia are currently combating the spread of the Gypsy Moth with traps baited with a synthetic sex lure. These traps are good for intercepting hitchhiking male moths, but can do nothing about the egg masses that are continually being transported into Georgia by tourists and new residents. The female Gypsy Moth does not fly and wi II lay eggs on various outdoor articles such as trailers, cars, boats, firewood, toys and gardening tools.
The moths were introduced to the United States in 1869 by a biologist who was trying to interbreed the Gypsy Moth and the Silkworm Moth. A number of Gypsy Moths escaped from the Massachusetts laboratory and proceeded to propogate in the New England territory.
6/Ceorgia Forestry/Summer 1990

(Eric Long, Photographer, Smithsonian Institute)
GEORGIA PLOW NOW ON DISPLAY

A unique piece of Georgia Forestry his~o.ry, in th~ form. of a fir~ pl?w, _is

now on permanent display at the prest1g1ous Sm1thson1an lnst1tut1on 1n

Washington, D. C.

.

The Mathis plow was used for more than 25 years to cut forest f1re

lanes in South Georgia. It revolutionized forest fire fighting during the

great depression and set a new standard and a modification of the pl ow

continues to be used.

.

The old plow consists of two disc~ with cast wheels a~d a mechan1cal

lift. It was the first plow to have a rolling coulter and a m1ddlebuster, and

there were only six made of this model.

The plow was originally made for the Superior Pine Products Co~

pany in 1933 at a cost of $525.00. It be~ame the property ~f the St. Reg1s Paper Company in 1948 when St. Reg1s purchased Supenor. The ~om

pany was commissioned to build the plow by W_illiaf!l M. Oettme1r, Sr.,

who managed the Suwannee Forest for the Supenor Pme Products Com-

pany, from plans provided by the U. S. Forest Service. It was used on the

220 000-acre Suwannee Forest for over 25 years.

The plow was used by St. Regis for fire suppression and prescribed

burning, including the big fires of the middl~ fifties.

.

St Regis and Mathis Welding restored the f1re plow and donated 1t to

the Smithsonian.

ANNUAL FFA FIELD DAY

It was a repeat performance for the top winning high school in the annual state FFA Forestry Field Day competition held recently at the Georgia Forestry
Center in Macon. FFA Chapter of Perry High School (above) took top place just as it did last year and the
Pierce County High School 's FFA team (below) captured second place at the 1990 competition. Head
Football Coach Ray Goff (left) of the University of Georgia addressed the
220 students and their advisors prior to field tests that determined the
students' knowledge of forestry. The state finals were sponsored by the Trust Company Bank of Middle Georgia, which presented cash award s.

Georgia Forestry/Summer 7990/7

LIFESTYLE OF CISTERIAN MONKS BLENDS WITH FOREST MANAGEMENT

By Bill Edwards

ID he Conyers-based monastery of Cisterian monks is founded on concepts of simplicity and isolation from the outside world -a detachment which has not prevented the use of a progressive forestry management program for almost half a century.
This precocious attitude toward forestry could be interpreted as the result of Divine Guidance, good business, common sense- or a blend of all three. Regardless of motivation, results have been po itive and financially rewarding.
Father Damian, the 64-year-old monk in charge of maintenance and
8/Ceorgia Forestry/Summer 1990

forestry for the monastery, said interest in forest management began shortly after the monastery was established in 1944. Approximately 1,400 of the monastery's 2,000 acres are now in pines. Fifty acres of timber, damaged by a recent tornado, have not put a serious dent in the program .
"We (the monastery) have averaged $10,000 a year net income from forestry since I took the vows 32 years ago," Father Damian said. "Of course, this is an average of good years and bad years."
Recent proof that forestry is alive and well in the world of monastic economics is a recent 370-acre timber tract sale that totaled $240,000.

Although tim es, attitud an d bu iness interests have changed since the monastery was e tablished, benefit of forestry have remained relatively co nstant - so the monks have stuck with it. The community of some 60 monks has already remained relative_!
constant, with population peaki ng 1n
the 1950s at 100 resident monks. Since the monastery i generally self- ufficient, the monks are o bl iged to pursue only tho e economi c avenue that are profitable. Bottlin g water frorn a nearby spring may be the ne t
business. Wh en the initial 1944 colony of
monks founded the commu nity on St. Benedict' Day, they brought with

Father Damian, a monk for 32 yea~ at the Conye~ based monastery, prepares to bulldoze road through a pine forest. Father Damian is in charge ofthe forestry program for the monastery which has 1,400 acre in pines. A recent 370-acre timber sale totaled $240,000.

them to Georgia a tradition more than a thousand years old. Their values were based on the actions of their patro n, St. Benedict, who withdrew fro m the excesses of fifth century Rom an society to seek God in solitude on the desert. However, support of su ch traditions in twentieth century rural Georgia demanded finances,and a number of possibilities came and went through the years.
Almost immediately, the monks foresaw the possible long term benefitsof forestry management. They also set up a dairy, raised pigs, chickens, beef cattle and rabbits. Except for a small herd of beef cattle, these activities have been phased out because they were too time-consum-
ing. However, the forest management program was retained.
As dairy farming and other agricultural pursuits were discontinued, pine treeswere planted in their place. Also, various occupations surfaced to rep lace those that had been phased out. New pursuits involved talents of the sculptor, sand castor, tailor, horticulturist and stained glass designer. A bakery, bookstore and greenhouse were also developed.
Despite the tendency toward traditional monastic occupations, the forest management program remained progressive and profitable.
Technological advancement and stable interests (such as forestry) may have contributed to alterations in the . everity of monastic lifestyle. For mstance, when Father Damian first cam e to the monastery, monks lived under restrictions of silence and commun icated in sign language. But how does one discuss subjects such as com puter technology - or even forestry - in sign language?
"Things have changed," said Father Damian, leaning against a bulldozer. H.e has been clearing a road through a Pine thicket, and he recalls when

much of this forested area was terraced farmland. He is not dressed in the immaculate black and white flowing robes of the monks. He wears stained green pants, torn yellow tennis shoes, plaid flannel shirt and tattered red cap. These are his working clothes. Hard work is part of t~e monastic concept, and Father Damian's clothing has suffered the accumulated consequences.
1J1 ather Damian said there was not much timber growing in the area when he first visited the monastery at the age of 25 . A native of Ohio, he was then a youthful construction worker, wondering if there was more to life than the usual values offered by
AFTER A HALF -CENTURY, THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT THE MONASTIC LIFE STYLE AND FORESTRY ARE COMPATIBLE.
society. Eight years later, when he took the vows that included chastity and

obedience, pines were beginning to grow on sections of abandoned farmland; much of this growth was the result of natural regeneration.
"The original monastery was built from timber cut here and processed at the monastery sawmill," Father Daminan pointed out. Later, the current monastery was built with great attention to architectural design - an attention which omitted the intricate Gothic detail often associated with such structures.
Architecture promotes a particular lifestyle, a fact recognized today by city planners, but realized centuries ago by monks. Consequently, the monastery, intended as the threshold of spiritual vision, has been stripped of unnecessary distractions -like the lives of the monks. Contemplative prayer is the monk's main task, and his physical environment should be conducive to objectives. The stark simplicity of the monastery and serenity of surrounding pine woodlands uggest such an atmosphere.
However, in spite of regimentation and the search for transcendent truth, there must be interaction with the outside world for financial and other reasons. As maintenance manager and custodian of forestry pursuits, Father Damian has interaction with landowners and a private consulting firm . Don Esteve, a consulting forester with Forest Resources Consultants (Macon) maintains communication with Father
Georgia Forestry/Summer 1990/9

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DEATH CLAIMS THR

RETIRED FORESTERS

Trappist monks ofthe Monastery ofthe HolySpirit gather for early morning Mass. Some of the monks perform forestry related duties. The monastery, established in 1944, has had some form of forestry management program for almost 50 years.

Damian to do the job. Father Damian also has frequent
contact with Commission Ranger Beryl Budd . Budd 's Covington unit has assisted the monastery with numerous forestry related tasks including controlled burns and tree planting. Father Damian said the monastery used to borrow the Commission's tree planter, but eventually bought a planter as their forestry program expanded.
After half a century, there is little doubt within the community that the monastic lifestyle and forestry are compatible. However, the Trappist Cisterian lifestyle of the Conyers monastery is often considered one of the most severe of religious disciplines. A number of the Conyers monastic pioneers, when asked why they chose to be Trappist, replied " because it was the hardest life to be found within the Church." What they referred to included frequent fasting, hard manual labor and total silence (except for communication with one's novice master). In essence, it was a composition of austerity, suffering and selfdenial.
Now, however, the monk has
10/Georgia Forestry/Summer 1990

periods of silence for meditative purposes only. One period of strict silence is required in his daily routine, which begins at 3:30a.m. It is also interesting to note that visitors to the monastery are now persons of diverse faith who come for counseling, prayer groups and to share meals in an area that was once designated a novitiate (training area for men striving for a closer relationship with God). This same space is now used to help nonmonastic visitors toward a similar goal.
Although Georgia is only four percent Roman Catholic, the monastery attracts an increasing number of visitors from Atlanta, as well as the entire Southeastern United States. Virtually all visitors reflect the feeling that this is a different place where a unique sense of calm and peace can be experienced.
Thus with all the aspects of the monastery considered, the objective observer could conclude that two fac-
tors of monastic life have remained constant - faith in the Lord and forestry management.


The Commission mournsth e deaths of three prominent retired foresters whose careers were testimon ies to the forestry profession.
Former Rome District Forester Thomas H. Joyner died recently at his Rome residence. He was 70 years ol d and retired from the Comm ission in 1985 after serving 22 years.
A Rome native, Joyner joined t he U.S. Navy when he was 17 years old and retired as Chief Petty Officer in 1957. He then returned to sch ool and received a B.S.F. degree fro m the University of Georgia and began working as a forester for Berry College. Shortly thereafter he came to work at the Commission and was a forester for 18 years. He was promoted to District Forester in 1983 and led District One to receive the Outstanding District Award in 1985.
Joyner is survived by his wife, Grayce, two daughters, Tomi Lynn and Debbie, one sister and two grandchildren.
Ollie C. Burtz, former Second District Forester died recently at his home in Gainesville. He was 67.
Burtz began working with the t he Commission in 1949 as Assistant District Forester in Americus after graduating from the University of Georgia School of Forest Resources. He was quickly promoted to District Forester in Gainesville where he remain ed until his retirement in 1972.
Burtz put strong emphasis on fi re protection during his career with t he Commission, and worked hard to get the counties in his district protected. In 1969, he led a well-trained crew out West to assist the Forest Service in t heir fire-fighting efforts.
He is survived by his wife, Martha,
two daughters, Marty and jeannie, two sisters and two gracndchildren.
C. Nelson Brightwell , University of Georgia Extension Service forester, died recently in Athens. He was director of Forest Research with th e Extension Service when he retired in 1983. He began working as an Extension forester in 1953 at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station and tran sferred to Athens in 1960. He was named director in 1970.
Survivors include his wife, Wanda, three children, Steven, joseph and Lori, a brother and six grandchildren.

. '
U NION-FANNIN-TOWNS FORESTRY UNIT

"The Fannin-Towns-Union Forestry Unit personnel are highly skilled in mountain firefighting and also very effective in such areas as reforestation and conservation. They are always willing to serve outside their unit when help is needed anywhere in the district or across the state.
Forest Ranger Everett Rhodes is a supervisor who knows what to do and he does it! His supervision is reflected in a record of absolutely no turnover in personnel in many, many years.
The mountainous unit- the largest in area in the district- often receives less aid from the district office because of its isolation, but continues to receive a superior efficiency rating for its day-today operation."
David McClain Gainesville District Forester

0

he logging work of Forest Ranger Everett Rhodes in his native North Georgia mountains and his operation of heavy equipment in an Army engineering company in Korea are

experiences he feels have helped him considerably in the

supervision of his three-county forestry unit.

The ranger gives greater credit, however, to the

"dedication and close cooperation of the personnel that

serve in the unit." Although separate offices are located in

Union, Fannin and Towns Counties, Rhodes said "we work

as a close-knit team...like a family." He said his eight pa-

trolmen are thoroughly familiar with the wide area that

encom passes his unit, and they are "interchangable"

when needed away frqm their home county.

Ranger Rhodes, who maintains the unit's headquarters

near Blairsville, said, "All my patrolmen are natives of these

mountains and they have had a lot of experience in fighting fire in rough terrain." He said he recalls only one "really bad experience" during his 17 years with the Commission. That occasion, he explained, was when five of his men were trapped on the side of a mountain by a fast moving fire that abruptly changed directions. They were surrounded by fire and dense smoke when a Commission aircraft pilot spotted a small escape route and radioed directions that perhaps saved their lives.
The ranger, who also attributes the unit's excellent performance record to " our district forester and the field supervisor, two men who always give us excellent support," is well known in Georgia's mountain counties as a country musician and song writer. He said he enjoys "singing and playing the guitar at birthday parties, benefits and on other occasions just for the fun of it."

Forest Ranger Everett Rhodes, left, and Patrolman Mike Payne in photo above check landowner files in the Union County Unit office. At right, Patrolman Ricky Hood keeps an eye out for wildfire from his vantage point at the tower at Brasstown Bald, the highest mountain peak in Georgia.



ANOTHER IN ASERIES OF STORIES ON OUTSTANDING COUNTY FORESTRY UNITS

Georgia Forestry/Summer 1990/11

Rhodes is a graduate of Fannin County High School, and he completed courses in mechanics and business administration at the Tri-County Technical School in Peachtree, N. C. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge and an avid deer hunter. The ranger and his wife have four children.
UNION COUNTY
Patrolmen stationed at the unit's Union Countv office include Gordon Payne, Mike Payne and Ricky Hood.
Patrolman Gordon Payne, a native of Union County, came with the Commission in 197'3. He said he has always enjoyed working with the unit and serving the landowners around the county, but he also finds satisfaction during many of his off-duty hours by working for New Union Baptist Church, where he is a deacon. He works in the church cemetery and is currently helping build a fellowship hall.
Payne, a member of the Masonic Lodge, and his wife, Mary, have seven children and 14 grandchildren.
Patrolman Mike Payne, also a native of Union County, came with the Commission in the winter of 1975. He attended North Georgia Vocational School and Haywood Tech in Clyde, N. C. He studied forestry and ornamental horticulture and enjoys growing Bonsai trees as a hobby.
Payne said the greatest improvement he has seen in the Commission during his 15 years of service has been in radio communications. "Now that the tractor on the fire line is in constant contact with other units, the tower, aircraft, etc., we do a much safer, more efficient job," he said.
Payne grows apples and tends a cattle farm. The patrolman and his wife, Barbara, and their two children attend New Union Baptist Church where he is the Sunday

School Superintendent and a member of the building committee.
Patrolman Hood maintains the forestry lookout tower at Brasstown Bald, the highest mountain peak in Georgia He said he finds the work at 4,784 feet above sea level interesting and prefers winter to summer months. "In summer," he said, "I think of everybody out th ere enjoying planting, doing yard work or enjoying recreation while I'm confined to the tower."
In the past couple of years, however, Hood has been catching up on off-duty pursuits. He is building a rustic home with the help of his wife, Hilda, "my three childen and anybody else who wants to pitch in," he said. The lumber and shingles are made from trees he has cut from his own land.
Hood served in the Army in Korea and studied mechanics, business administration and radio an d television repair at the Tri-County Technical School. The family is active in New Union Baptist Church.
FANNIN COUNTY
The Fannin County office of the tri-county unit is manned by Patrolmen David Long, Ronald DeWeese., and Charles Dillingham, and they have somethin g in common: each had good, responsible employment in Atlanta, but they moved back to their native mountains to live the country life.
Patrolman Long, a native of Fannin County who came with the Commission in 1974, worked ten years for the Ford Motor Company in Atlanta before heading back to the hills of home. He is a licensed barber and learned welding at a trade school.
Long remembers one harrowing experience th at came about just two weeks after he started work with the unit. Someone set a back fire too close to th e area

12/Georgia Forestry/Summer 1990

he was plowing and he almost became trapped in some fast spreading flames. Since that incident, however, he said firefighting and other duties have been "just routine."
The patrolman and his wife, Doris, have five children. They live and work on a 100-acre poultry and truck farm and the family attends Union Hill Baptist Church.
Patrolman DeWeese worked in an Atlanta machine shop before returning to Blue Ridge to work with his brother in operating a service station. He came with the Com mission in the fall of 1976. He attended Young Harris College and picked up his mechanic skills at DeKalb Cou-nty Technical School.
The patrolman and his wife, Judy, and their daughter are members of the Sweetgum Baptist Church, where he is treasurer and a deacon.
DeWeese is an expert in maneuvering a tractor up and down mountain slopes in fighting forest fire, but he also enjoys returning to the woods as a bird hunter during some of his free time.
Patrolman Dillingham was born in Canada, but the family moved to the North Georgia area during his
Patrolmen in photos, left to right: David Long swings
a paint brush to keep the Fannin County office neat
in appearance; Charles Dillingham restocks the office literature rack; jack Moss boards his truck to respond
to a fire call; Ronald DeWeese receives a call for
landowner assistance; E.}. Garrett runs up the flag at the Towns County office; Gordon Payne makes sure equipment at the Union County headquarters is ready for the next forest fire.

infancy. After graduation from high school he moved to Atlanta to work for several years with a major paper supply company as an assistant manager and trainer, but eventually returned to the mountains. He came with the Commission in 1977.
The patrolman and his wife, Carol, and their two children live on a country place that is mostly in forests. The family is active in Hemptown Baptist Church.
Dillingham said fire has run him "off of the mountain a few times" but he has had no serious problems in his 13 years of fire fighting.
TOWNS COUNTY
Patrolmen E. J. Garrett and Jack Moss are stationed at the unit's Towns County office in Hiawassee.
Garrett, a native of Towns County, came with the Commission in 1967. He studied auto repair at North Georgia Trade School and finds that the training comes in handy in helping keep the unit's equipment in top shape.
The patrolman served in the Army in Germany and is a member of the local chapter of Veterans of Foreign Wars. Garrett and his wife, Charlotte, have two daughters. The family attend the Bellscene Baptist Church.
Patrolman Moss, also a native of Towns County, studied brick masonry and radio/television repair before coming with the Commission in 1967. Ranger Rhodes said "Jack and E. J. make a good, effective team in fire fighting and otherwise serving the landowners," but when vacation time rolls around, Moss is off to Colorado to hunt for elk with bow and arrow.
The archery expert, who also enjoys target practice, has bagged an elk each year for the past four seasons.
Patrolman Moss and his wife, Arbena, live on an 85aqe cattle farm. They attend Bellscene Baptist Church, where he is a deacon. They have two sons.

Georgia Forestry/Summer 1990/13

LANDMARK OAK PROTECTED BY HEPHZIBAH RESIDENTS

By Mollie Batts

F or 200 years the massive Southern Red Oak has grown by the roadside, from a deter-

mined little seedling to a

downright indomitable oak tree. Its

shade has provided relief to cotton

pickers of the Old South, to south-

bound vacationers of the 20th cen-

tury, and even to former President

Franklin Roosevelt himself. With

the help of local citizens, the tree has

survived, despite re-

peated antagonism that

has threatened to trans-

form this flawless scene

of beauty into a slab of

steaming black asphalt.

The latest defender

of the tree is 7 7-year-

old Lottie McGee, who

has lived in Hephzibah

since the day she was

born, and can remember

the tree almost that

long; when the sur-

rounding countryside,

now homes and busi-

nesses, was all cotton

f ields.

'They used to bring

the cotton up here and -

/

see where there used to

be a branch right there?"

She motions toward a

10-inch diameter stub,

Garden Club. The club began meeting there for gatherings and picnics, planted flowers and kept the area appealing and comfortable.
When the Garden Club disbanded, former member Postmistress Alva Lindsey made it her personal duty to continue caring for the park. She died in 1969, and for a while the park went unmanaged. A few years later, Lottie McGee, then vice-president of the

to prepare the dedication . Th e event was planned and executed, an d the sizable crowd that gathered there included three county comm issioners and three city councilmen.

A car carefully pulls up to the first picnic table, and two young women get out with a collection of containers and bags. While one arranges th e food
on the table, the other slowly scans the area, the wind gently tugging at her t-shirt. They both commence to eat.
" That's fine!" McGee exclaims. "It just thrills me when I see somebody using the park." With a grin across her face, she sighs. "I thin k that's great."

McGee says the park ..... was so well used that
the soil began to erode away from the roots, exposing them to t he open air. As the problem worsened, she appeal ed to the State Department of Transportation to bring some dirt to cover

with weather-beaten and arthritically curled

Crusader Lottie McGee and mighty oak she helped save.

tthetrool tsd. .A f t e r hperDsOisTen pea mg. t e

edges. that protrudes from the great Hephzibah Homemakers Club, called finally delivered loads of di rt to the

trunk. 'They used to hang the scales upon the rest of the group to take base ofthe tree, covered the roots, and

from that branch and weigh the cotton over the job of park upkeep, and plan revitaliz~d the aging landmark.

when it came up from the fields .. .that to dedicate the park to the memory In 1987. when Jim Williamson be-

branch has been long gone."

and devotion of Alva T. Lindsey. gan building his hardware store about

Around the base of the tree are Marion Purkey was president of the 100 yards from the tree, the DOT told

positioned three concrete picnic Homemakers Club. and she and the him his store would require decelera-

tables and be11ches, placed there in rest of the group enthusiastically tion and acceleration lanes to acco

1963 by the now defunct Hephzibah agreed to the idea, and worked hard modate traffic congestion. Marion

14/Georgia Fore!>try/Summer 1990

Purkey knew these lanes would jeopardize the tree 's health, and spent a great deal of time with Williamson and the DOT modifying the plans . Purkey was also distraught with Williamson 's plans to pave a parking lot. but Commission foresters assured her the lot was too far away to do any damage.
Today the Richmond County Department of Parks and Recreation has take n responsibility for the tree and periodically cleans the area and empties the trash cans they have provided for vi sitors.


About two years ago, the Department of Transportation determined that State Highway 88 was carrying too much traffic and needed to be widened. The widening of that road , according to original plans, meant the axe for the old tree. Lottie McGee had too long a relationship w ith the tree to allow the DOT to yell " timber! " while she was still alive.
When the DOT announcement was made, McGee organized a movement either to stop the project altogether or to persuade the DOT to alter the plans enou gh to miss the tree. She recruited some hard workers and drew up a petition that she distributed to area businesses and carried with her wherever she went. She garnered support from Jim Williamson and his Hephzibah Hardware, Ft. Gordon and Gracewood State School and Hospital. Dedicated allies got the tree media attention, which opened the doors to more support and , ultimately, more signatures on the growing petition .
DOT pre-construction engineer Charles Lewis explained that the project included the widening of State Highway 88 by three lanes between county road 65 (Windsor Springs Road) and State Route 121 (U.S. 25) , which is a section of road a little over two miles long.
Lewis said DOT projects take about 2.5 years to plan, which includes negoti ating with officials and citizens ~:lVer rights-of-way and community Interests. As part of the plan, the DOT holds a public hearing to solicit com~ents from the community concernIng th e project. " Depending on the comments, we try to adjust the project according to public desires," he said. . On July 24, 1989, the public "hear~~g was held in the Hephzibah Recreatio n Center, and over 7 5 people

The spreading oak dominates the landscape on this stretch of State Route 88 near Hephzibah.

showed up to express their opin ions and find out more about the issue.
DOT spokesman Jerry Stargell sa id working with the public about a proposed project is a routine event, and the fact that many wanted to save the tree was no surprise. " It's not unusual for us to try to make adjustments if at all possible," he said . " If a change can be made to save a significant tree, throughout my 21 years.here we have made it." Stargell added that there are some cases when the tree cannot be saved, but that the DOTs first and foremost respons ibility is to provide safe and efficient roads, even if it means losing a tree.

Ronnie Hadden, his brother David and their mother Lois own and manage " Mama's Kitchen ," a home-style restaurant that's been serving up large helpings of southern food to the people of Hephzibah for the past two years. The Haddens gave their support to save the tree, which is located outside their storefront. " I didn 't want to see them cut it down," Ronnie said. " I go hunting a lot and I've seen a number of giant white oak trees fall and it makes me sick."
WGUS, a country radio station out of Augusta, heard about the plight of the Hephzibah Oak and decided to do a live broadcast from under the tree on St. Patrick's Day, 1989. The four-hour

broadcast was hosted by DJ Ron Jones, who dressed as a leprechaun and stopped people on their way to work, petition in hand . Mama 's Kitchen provided coffee and pastries while Hephzibah Hardware gave door prizes. McGee said there were " two long lines of cars wa iting to sign the petition," and over 200 signatures were collected that morning alone. People in Augusta (12 miles away) heard the broadcast and came out to show their support.
McGee delivered copies of the petition, wh ich contained almost 2 ,300 names, to seven publ ic officials, and hoped she had done enough. About two months later she received a letter from DOT Commissioner Hal Rives : the tree was to be saved. The letter stated that the changes made in the plans involved sh ifting the road slightly to the north of the park, which put the tree out of the bulldozer's path. The letter also stated , however, that the road would still come six feet closer to the tree.
In response to this news, Sixth District Forester Cathy Black wrote a letter to the DOT recommending that a professional arborist be hired to care for the oak throughout the construction period, as construction damage could easily kill the tree. Black said she did not get a reply, and does not know whether or not the DOT will take her advice.
(continued on pg. 22)
Georgia Forestry/Summer 7990/7 5

More Than 8, 000 Acres Of Timberland Properties Given Or Bequeathed To UGA Foundation During Past Two Years
By Howard Bennett

[!] he University of Georgia Foundation is receiving a gift of 1,000 acres of Grady County pine and hardwood forests from a civil engineer who quit his profession to become one of the state's most enthusiastic tree farmers and conservationists. Charles W. Terrell contends that " tree farming just can 't be done in one lifetime" and said, " There are individuals I trust and could leave my land to after I'm gone, but their possession would be short-termed, too. " He said the university will bridge generations and perpetuate good management of his forests. Legal arrangements are being made for Terrell to donate the property to the University of Georgia Foundation for the benefit of the School of Forest Resources. The 73-year-old landowner will remain on the property as a tenant for the remainder of his life while continuing to manage the woodlands. " I was 40 years old," said the graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, "when I realized what trees were all about and now you might say that forestry is almost a religion with me." His reverence for the woodlands became apparent to three visitors to his property recently as they were led through stands of mature pines, across broad fields of planted seedlings, and along streams that nurture baywood, wild cherry and oak. Terrell, who lives alone since his wife, Margaret, died ten years ago, has a modest brick home at the end of a long, winding woods trail off State Highway 112 a few miles north of Cairo. Surrounded by forests, he enjoys the company of four dogs
16/Ceorgia Forestry/Summer 1990

and the wild animals that roam his land. He was born in Alabama, but early in childhood his father's work in construction took the family to the New England States.
Terrell served in the Navy, earned a degree from MIT and returned to the South to work as an engineer on the construction of the jim Woodruff Dam in Seminole County. " The dam site is where I learned a bitter lesson
"Within the past two years, two other timberland properties totaling more than 7,000 acres have been bequeathed or given to the University of Georgia foundation for the benefit of the School of Forest Resources. These properties will be managed in per petuity for the support of the univer sity's mission of teaching research and public service.
"Timberland owners who may be interested in adiscussion on having the School of forest Resources manage their lands in perpetuity for the benefit of forestry research and education should contact the dean of the School of forest Resources. "
W. N. Hayrws Adjutant ProfPssor and Consultant to thP UnivPrsity of GPorgia Foundation
concerning forestry," he said. " It's where I began to appreciate trees in a new way." The merchantable timber surrounding the dam site had been harvested, but Terrell said that when he realized that 36,000 acres would be flooded to form a lake "it did something to me." He said " A potential forest that would provide

valuable timber, camping sites, hiking trails and wildlife habitat was being lost to water skiing." His awakening to the multi-value of the woodlands prompted him to begin buying land in South Georgia.
Terrell and his wife bought th e place he now manages at a price " much less than we would have had to pay for land up in. New En gland where we had previously lived." He said much of the land they purchased "at a good bargain" had been severely abused for several generations by careless logging and farming practices, and they set about immediately to reclaim the erosionscarred fields and neglected w ooded tracts. The couple started planting seedlings at the outset and now, after 30 years of reforestation, Terrell estimates he will soon plant his millionth pine.
Forester Wayne Worsham of the Commission's Camilla District said Terrell is " self taught in forestry" an d to a great extent does his own forest management. " He often calls me for assistance and sometimes he is asking advice on something I've never thought of before and that's when I have to go back to the books for an answer."
Terrell said he tries to imagine what the property was like years ago. " Now, that big oak over there was probably spared because the loggers couldn 't get their logging cart across this gully," he explains to visitors trailing him through the wood s. " That's all that saved it." He showed several other prime specimens that somehow escaped the crosscut saw and axe of another generation.
" When we first took possession of

At left .landowner Charles Terrell and Ranger Elaine jones study land plat. Below, Terrell proudly shows prized pine to Foresters Wayne Worsham, left,and Michael Ryfun.

this place," the landowner said, " I had a bulldozer working here and you should have seen the big heart pine stumps that were unearthed. I just wish I could have seen the beautiful, dense forest that once grew on this location. "
Forester Worsham admits that Terrell leans more to the aesthetics of the forest than do most landowners, but said " I understand his reasoning. He is a good steward of the land, a very devoted environmentalist who wants to leave the land in much better condition than it was in when he came to Grady County."
Terrell has healed most of the wounds inflicted by previou s owners
by an extensive tree planting schedule, but the reforestation is not confined to pine. Plots of planted river birch, rows of cedars and scattered dogwood are found on the property. Ornamental trees and flowering shrubs line the woods trail that leads to his home. Cypress has been planted on the rim of five clear water ponds, but that planting project has resulted in a continuous battle with beavers intent on chewing down many of the youn g trees. Th e
problem is somewhat painful to Terrell as he is an active member of the ' ~ u.mane Society and is opposed to kllhng any wild animal; he doesn't

allow any type of game hunting on his land. The conservationist was forced to draw the line, however, when it came to the destructive beavers. He hired a trapper to reduce their population.

Ranger Elaine jones of the Grady County Forestry Unit works closely with Terrell and considers the landowner " a very unique individual and I wish we had more just like him!" The ranger has walk~d many miles with him across his woodlands in planning control burns and other management practices. She has taken 4-H students into Terrell's woods "to show them an ideal forest."
The landowner said he always receives excellent cooperation from Ranger jones and foresters in the Camilla District office and never hesitates to "lean on them" when he needs assistance or advice.
Terrell's many interests include opera, but he is just as content to be
(continued on pg. 79)

museum is built completely of wood,

including pine floors and wooden

ceiling tile . The building's wooden roof

shingles are made of treated southern

yellow pine instead of the traditional

cedar to utilize materials derived from

Georgia forests.

Historic material gathered from many

sources tells the story of forestry in

Georgia and explains the role the Com-

mission has played and continues to

play in forest protection, management,

reforestation, education and research.

Outside the museum , a display shed

houses forest equipment including fire

plows, tractors, planters, saws and other

forestry-related machinery used in the

Miss Georgia Forestry, Kathryn Leigh May, flanked by David Westmoreland, left, past.

Assistant to the Director, and john Mixon, Commission Director, cut the ribbon to

All construction on the mu eum was

officially open the new museum. It was one ofMiss May's last duties before passing provided by Commission per onnel

the crown on to the 1990 Miss Georgia Forestry.

under the direction of David

Westmoreland, assistant to the director.

INTERESTING HISTORY OF FORESTRY Those who provided carpentry, masonry, painting, roofing, electrical wiring and other skills were honored at the

IN GEORGIA TOLD AT NEW MUSEUM dedication, as were representatives from companies that donated materials to the project.

The companies included AAA Log

The history of forestry in Georgia is dilapidated to be moved. The original Homes; Tolleson Lumber Company,

now told in displays, photographs

floor joists were salvaged and used in

Perry; Georgia Pacific Corp., Atlanta;

and artifacts in a rustic five-room log the new museum, which now resem- Langdale Forest Products, Valdosta; Vin-

structure on the grounds of the

bles the old log building in floor plan

ing Stone Company, Griffin; U. S. Borax

Georgia Forestry Center in Macon.

and certain architectural features.

and Chemical Corp., Atlanta; and

The Georgia Forestry Museum, a

Except for the foundation, the

Georgia Power Company, Macon.

project in the planning stage for the

past seven years and built in recent

months, was officially opened re-

cently when Miss Georgia Forestry,

Kathryn Leigh May of Tennille, cut the

ribbon during dedication ceremonies.

Commission Director John Mixon

said many companies and individuals

were generous in providing some of

the materials necessary for completion

of the attractive building. "We are also

grateful to those who donated historic

items that are now preserved and

permanently displayed in an interesting

setting," Mixon said.

The museum was built with pine logs

from trees grown in the Commission's

Baldwin Forest. AAA Log Homes, Inc. in

Rayle processed the logs and assigned

a local representative to help initiate

the construction. At that point, Com-

mission personnel took over, and the Many of the items in the Georgia Forestry Museum and adjacent displa y shed

museum gradually became reality.

were generously donated. Three items in the display shed- a Fordson tractor,

Originally, an old log cabin office in manufactured in 1922, a pick-up truck and a gasoline engine- were donated by

Albany was slated to be moved to

the Barker family: T. A. barker, )r. (left) of Forest Park and Yatesville, ). B. Barker

Macon and serve as the museum, but (right) of Ft. Myers, FL and Columbus, and Frances Barker Vernon (not pictured) of

early attempts to move the structure, Wadesboro, NC. The items were donated in honor ofT. A. Barker, Sr. and Ka te

built in 1933, revealed that it was too Blasingame Barker.

18/Georgia .:Orestry/Summer 1990

A Gift Of Trees

(continued from pg. 76)

deep in the woods marking timber with blue paint as he would be attendi ng the Met. When he returns to Cambridge for the class reunions, old class mates from as far away as Californ ia have gotten the word that he is a tree farmer, and he said he is proud of this distinction.
The landowner said he is having a Cairo attorney prepare the deed to tum the land over to the university; the document will specify that paved roads are never to be built on the property. He at first specified that no buildings were to be constructed in an effort to preserve the pristine state of his woods, but he said he later changed his mind. "Georgia is growing in population," he said, "and I believe that one day the University of Georgia may be like the University of California and locate divisions in other areas of the state. Terrell said he realizes that educational buildings may be necessary if a school is ever established on the property he is giving to the university.
Whether the university eventually uses a small portion of the property as building sites or leaves the entire estate intact, future students of the School of Forest Resources will find the Charles Terrell Memorial Tree Farm in the far reaches of South Georgia to be a beautiful, lush laboratory in which to further their education.
DR. POWERS RECEIVES HIGHEST USDA AWARD
Dr. Harry Powers, )r., plant pathologist with the Southeastern Forest Experiment Station, has received the highest award that can be achieved from the U. S. Department of Agriculture.
Powers, who has benefited the Com mission with his research in fu siform rust and in other areas, was presented the award in the superior category in recognition of his work in fu ngal tree diseases.
Station Director ). Lamar Beasley sai d, " We are proud of Harry Powers here at the Station, and we are del~ghted that the Department of Agnculture has recognized his many accom plishments. Harry has had a long and distinguished career..."

Forester shows handsome trophy presented by federation.

DOLLIVER EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR

The Georgia Wildlife Federation has named Forester Sharon Dolliver, coordinator of the Commission's Urban Forestry Program, Conservation Educator of the Year for her many efforts to teach the public about the need to conserve natural resources through expert forest management.
The award was presented to Dolliver by Lt. Governor Zell Miller. As a forester, Dolliver works with Georgia cities and communities to encourage appropriate management of urban trees. She also works with the state educational system to promote utilization of Project Learnin g Tree. Her work with the Georgia Urban Forest Council includes coordinating publicity of Global ReLeaf (a project aimed at cooling the earth through planting trees) in Georgia.
The growing number of Tree City USA communities in Georgia reflects Dolliver's devotion to spreading the word about urban forest management. Five years ago, Columbus was the only Tree City USA in Georgia. As of last February, 25 cities have gained Tree City USA status.
Dolliver has had significant influence on the public throu gh Project Learning Tree, which illustrates the interdependence of all components ot a forest. She is a state coordinator of the program along with Laura

Newbern, Georgia Forestry Association, and Ru sty Garriso n, Cooperative Extension Service. Th e PLT system, which has trained over 1 ,500 educators in Georgia, is tailored to work with QBE. Classroom assignments from Project Learnin g Tree use the forest as a window into the natural world to investigate wildlife habitats, and in 1989 won the Outstandin g New Program in the Nation award. Dolliver helped tremendously by creating a brochure and video to inform educators about the program and by coordinating teacher workshops.
Dolliver's experience in PLT helped her create the curriculum for the Commission's Forestry Youth Camp. She designed the curriculum to expose the future leaders of Georgia to all facets of forestry. The Project Wild session teaches the students the basic requirements for supporting wildlife population in a forest.
As a charter member of the Georgia Urban Forest Council, Dolliver has created a forum for educating professionals about the unique needs of urban forests. She has worked as Secretary of the Counci l since its inception, produced the quarterly newsletter Georgia Tree Talks, and coordinated the first awards conference last November.

Georgia Forestry/Summer 7990/7 9

Lori A Lucas Bleckley Co.

Linda Gillis Brantley Co.

Chi Lynn Ward Coweta Co.

Tamara Grooms Charlton Co.

., -. .I
~
,,
Amy Hunt Crawford Co.

Kathy Bennett Clinch Co.

Cindy Heath Butts Co.

Amy McCord Decatur Co.

Brandi Canady Emanuel Co.

Shannon Lord Greene Co.

April Chalker Glascock/Jefferson

Deanna Harper Glynn Co.

Ginger McKee Henry Co.

Sadeanya A Waters Jenkins Co.

Sheila Justice Lincoln Co.

,. Amanda Seago Lanier/Lowndes

Meloni Belk Madison Co.

Julie Bryant Meriwether Co.

Krista! A Huff Morgan/Walton

Sonia Stafford Miller Co.

joy Daly Richmond Co.

Holly Henson Treutlen Co.

Kristi Parker Taylor Co.

Brandy Higginbotham Telfair Co.

20/Ceorgia Forestry/Summer 1990

Lisa Wessinger Toombs Co.

Anne Bates Ware Co.

Kelly Sanders Washington Co.

he was Judy Weston, considered the prettiest girl in Abbeville, when the local Lions Club insisted that the
reluctant teenager represent her hometown and Wilcox County in the first annual Miss Georgia Forestry
Pageant. That was fifty years ago. She competed against 21 other
attractive and talented young ladies and won. Today, she looks back on that contest as a very special event in her life. Now married to Robert Hicks of Cordele and the mother of two child ren, she said "after it was all over, I was certainly glad I entered...it was exciting and I had a wonderful time."
A half-century later, the 1990 Miss Georgia Forestry, Anne Bates, agrees that the pageant is still a "wonderful time."
The 18-year-old graduate of Ware County High School in Waycross said she felt very honored to be chosen Miss Georgia Forestry 1990 from "so

JUDY WESTON WILCOX COUNTY
1940

ANN E BATES WAR E COUNTY
1990

M ISS GEORGIA FORESTRY PAGEANT

many beautiful and intelligent girls." She plans to continue her job at the
Winn Dixie in her home town through the sum mer and then start school at the University of Georgia. Her major is tentatively finance, but she says she is unsure of what she wants to do after graduation.
The new Miss Georgia Forestry was chosen from a field of 48 contestants who won pageants on the county level. (Shown on the opposite page are those whose photographs were available at press time). Miss Gum Spirits of Turpentine was also selected at the pageant and is featured on Page 23.
Bates said she has lived in Waycross all of her life, and enjoys traveling to other places. Two summers ago she

toured Europe for three weeks, visiting Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy and England.
Her parents are Dr. Roger Bates and Ms. Gloria Bates.
The new Miss Georgia Forestry entered the Ware County Forestry Pageant last year and was third runner-up. She returned to the pageant in early spring of this year to become Miss Ware County Forestry. She said the Ware County Pageant is similar to the Jekyll Island Pageant, both of which include an interview and a banquet. She commented that the interview process was a highlight of both pageants because it gave her a chance to get to know the judges. She said she also enjoyed meeting the

other 47 contestants and made friends with several girls who are also going to UGA.
Amy Kathleen McCord of Decatur County was named Miss Congeniality. Runners-up to Miss Georgia Forestry are: third runner-up, Lara Amelia Williams of Crisp/Dooly County; second runner-up, Lara Kri tin Stanford of Liberty County, and first runner-up Amanda McEachern of
Ben Hill/Irwin County. Bates was crowned by Kathryn
Leigh May of Tennille, the retiring 1989 Mis Georgia Forestry. Th e annual pageant i ponsored by the Georgia Forestry Association, . with publicity and other support provided by the Forestry Commission.
Georgia Forestry/Summer 1990/21

T~o Soviet Georgia for~sters surprised Personnel Director Randall Perry (left) w1th 20 pounds of Sov1~t Georgia tree seed. Lado Varbosanidze and George Gotua came to the Umted States not to sow seeds of discontent, but to plant healthy friendships in American soil. They were just two of about 250 Soviets who participated in the two-week Georgia to Georgia Friendship Force exchange program in the attempt to bridge the cultural gap between Soviets and Americans.
Students in the Harris County High School Chapter, Future Farmers of America, in ~ooperation with the. Georgia Forestry Commission, planted over 50,000 1mproved loblolly p1ne seedlings in the Harris County area on unused privately owned land. . The forestry class carries out a forest management plan on a selected area 1n the 50-acre vocational agriculture forestry plot each year. The students measure and then harvest the timber on the area It is then cleared and replante? with impro~ed loblolly pine seedlings and a ground cover to control eros1on and prov1de a habitat for wildlife. Turner said the students are learning skills and abilities to be used fora career in forestry or to be of benefit as a private landowner. 22/Georgia Forestry/Summer 1990

(continued from pg. 15)

Hadden said he felt the DOT had been willing to make changes and consider all of the options. and had not left a bad taste in the mouths of Hephzibah residents. He also said that a lot of people , who were interested in selling their street-front property to the DOT. couldn 't have cared less about the tree.


. Constr~ction is scheduled to begi n

1n the spnng or summer of fiscal year

1992, and McGee is still concerned

for the tree 's health because th e road
being six feet closer. may harm th~

root system. If that happens, t he tree

could die after all. "That would break

my heart," McGee said.

McGee believes that what most

impressed her about the whol e inci-

dent was the public response. Th e

2,268 final signatures included some

from Tennessee. Florida. Al abama,

North Carolina. South Carol ina and

West Virginia; people who passed th e

tree on trips and had come to look

for it.

Last November at the Georg ia Ur-

ban Forestry Conference, Lottie

McGee was named Tree Steward for

her efforts to save the ancient oak.

"I know we worked hard, and I know

I've been called a fool, but eve ry time I

pass the tree I get the best feeling,"

McGee asserted . "It was all worth

it. ..



AFC SOUTHERN REGION NAMES KNIGHT MANAGER

Delos L. Knight has been named southern regional manager for the American Forest Council (AFC), it was announced by Laurence W iseman, AFC president. Knight will be based in Atlanta.
"The South continues to grow in impo'rtance as a major producer of ti mber and forest products," W iseman said. " Delos Knight's extensive knowledge of forestry and experien ce as a communicator will stren gthen the American Forest Council's programs throughout the region ."
The American Forest Coun cil is an association of forest products co mpanies who promote healthy, productive forests and help th e American public appreciate the value of fore ts in their lives and economy.

Forester KEITH SANDERS, a native of Colu mbus and graduate of Auburn University with a degree in forest management has been assigned to the Washington District and will be
stationed in the McDuffie County Unit. Sanders was previously employed as a foreste r for F&W Forestry in Albany and served as a staff forester for A.F.C. in Alabama. He and his wife, Angela Sue, live in Thomson ... Forester CHIP BATES has been hired by the Commission and assigned to the Statesboro District. A native of Selma , Alabama, Bates graduated from Auburn University with a degree in forest management. A member of Pittman Park Methodist Church , he has served nine years in the U.S. Army Reserves. He resides in Statesboro and is a member of the Savannah Forestry Club...Forester RO BERT FARMER, a native of Ohio, has assumed the duties of urban foreste r for the Statesboro District, and wi ll be stationed at the Chatham County Unit. Farmer has a bachelor's

Florida Division of Forestry... Forester JOSEPH BURGESS, originally from Norfolk, Virgin ia, has been assigned to the Cobb County Unit as an urban forester. He holds a master's degree in forest management from the University of Georgia School of Forest Resources, where he was formerly employed as a research assistant. He has an undergraduate degree in economics from Old Dom inion University. He and his w ife, Martha W illis, live in StoneMountain ...JIMMYDAVIS,who came with the Commission as a patrolman in the Irwin County Unit in 1984, has been named ranger of the Turner County Unit. A native of Fitzgerald, he is earning an associate degree in
forestry at Abraham Baldwin College. Davis is active in the Baptist Church and the Optimist Club...MORRIS COOK. who came with the Commission in 1984 as a patrolman in the Calhoun-Clay County Unit and later became a senior patrolman, has been named ranger of the Crisp-Dooly Unit. A native of Ft. Gaines, Cook is a graduate of Clay County High School and attended Andrew College and Georgia Southwest College to earn a BS Degree in Business. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church . Ranger Cook succeeds Donald Anderson, who was transferred to the Ben Hill County Unit.

degree from Louisiana Tech University and a master's degree from Clemson . Now a resident of Savannah . he was previ ously employed as a forest technicia n by the U.S. Forest Service in North Carolina, and as a forester by the

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Miss Cum Spirits of Turpentine and jim Gillis, president of the American Turpentine Farmers Association, shown at conclusion of pageant.
LISA WESSINGER NEW
GUM SPIRITS QUEEN
The Georgia Forestry Association crowned Lisa Wessinger of Toombs County Miss Gum Spirits of Turpentine at the recent GFA convention on jekyll Island. The 16-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donny Peterson will represent Georgia's naval stores industry for the next year.
Lisa attends Vidalia High School where she is a member of the Girts' Trio, the Key Club and FBLA. She is also a majorette and gives private baton lessons.
Miss Gum Spirits was crowned by the 1989 winner, Christian Dixon, also of Vidalia Lisa was chosen from 17 contestants, all of whom represented gum-producing counties.
Named Miss Toombs County Forestry earlier this year, she plans to attend the University of Georgia and major in pharmacy.
Georgia Forestry/Summer 1990/23

Global ReLeaf

comes in ~ shapes

and siZes. ~_,.

.

: . .{:f , ~~A

~I '1t

. J
.....

Global warming. The

right in your own community.

Greenhouse Effect. The continuing

You see, Global ReLeaf is

decline of our air and water. One more than a na,me. It's Americans

of the best and most effective ways like you - of all shapes and sizes

to respond to our growing environ- - who understand that evecy

mental crisis is to plant trees. In new tree can make a difference.

fact,you can even get started today,

So grab your shovel. By

planting even one tree, you'll be making apositivecontribution to the world we live in .
GiBAL
D~ ~ L1:M .
Th~ ~ Forestry Association
P.O. Box 2000, Washington, DC 20013

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COST $3718.86 OTY 8000