Georgia forestry, Vol. 45, no. 4 (Winter 1992)

Georgia
FORESTRY
US PS No. 21 7120
Winter, 1992 No. 4 Vol. 45
STAFF Howawrd E. Bennett, Editor William S. Edwards, Assoc. Editor jackie N. Cundiff, Graphic Artist Bob Lazenby, Technical Advisor
Zell Miller, Governor John W. Mixon, Director
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS jim L. Gillis, Jr., Chairman , Soperton
Felton Denney, Carrollton jam es Fendig, Savannah Dr. Gloria Shatto, Rome Robert Simp son, Ill, Lakeland
DISTRI CT OFFICES
District One 3086 Martha Berry Hwy.. NE/Rome. GA 30161
District Two 3005 Atlanta Hwy./Gainesville. GA 30501
District Three 1055 E. Whitehall Rd./Athens. GA 30605
District Four 184 Corinth Rd /Newnan. GA 30263
District Five 119 Highway 49/Milledgeville GA 31061
Di trict Six 1465 Tygna ll Rd./Washin gton . GA 30673
District Seven Route 1, Box 23A/Americus, GA 31709
Distri ct Eight Route 3. Box 17/Tifton . GA 31794
Dis tri ct Nine P.O. Box 345/Camilla. GA 31730
District Ten Route 2. Box 28/Statesboro , GA 30458
District Eleven Ro.Jte 1. Box 67/Helena . GA 31037
District Twe lve 5003 jacksonville Hwy./Waycross. GA 31501
Urban Forestry 6835 Memorial Drive Stone Mountain. GA 30081
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, Dry Branch, GA 31 020.
2/Georgia Forestry/Winter 1992

/
The terrible force of the band of tornados that swept through Georgia in November is demonstrated in the twisted tower at th e Commission's Baldwin-Putnam County Forestry Unit. Mammoth concrete foundation blocks that were mainly underground offered no resistance to the funnel that twisted the 11 0-foot steel tower from the footings and slammed it into the roof of a nearby shop Th e late afternoon storm also destroye d several homes and uprooted many trees in the vicinity. Other information and aerial photographs on page 2'1.
ON THE COVER -Ice had generously glazed the forests of North Georgia when Forester/Photographer jim Goebel of Mansfield went out hunting with his camera and came upon thi~intry scene.

FUNGUS IS DEATH TO DOGWOODS

Th e dogwood tree is unsurpassed in Georgia in lending beauty to both the urban landscape and th e broad co untryside; it prese nts a fine show of deep red foliage in the autumn and perform s again in the earl y spring with a burst of white flowe rs.
The native dogwood, Comus Florida , is a bushy tree with a short trunk that features several spreadin g branche formin g a dense rounded crown.
Th e tree usually thrives best in the hade of other hardwoods and reach es a height of 15 to 30 feet. Th e tree usually must grow from three to five years before th e first flowers appear in the sp rin g. On ce flowerin g begin s, the homeowner ca n usually expect yearly blooming, with a heavy crop about every other year.
Unfortunately, the anthracnose fungu Discula destructiva, has ravaged ections of North Georgia in re ce nt months and there is no known resistance to the killer. Th e one recommended defense, however, is to plant only healthy dogwo0ds and never transplant trees from th e forests where the disease is most often' found .
Joh nny Branan chief of the Com-
mi sian's Refore~tation Departme nt,
report~d earlier this year th at th e
~eo~g1a Crop Improvement Association 1~spected and ce rtifi ed dogwood
eedlin gs in the state nurseries to be free of the dreaded fun gus.

Foresters and nurserymen also point out that selection of a plantin g si te, the method of plantin g, and co ntinued maintenance often determin es the health and survival of a dogwood. Th ey advise that th e tree should never be planted in poorly drained sites and the shallow-rooted plant should not be planted deeper th an it grew in the nursery. Th e tree should be watered during dry seasons, and lawnmowers and string trimmers should not come in co ntact with the trunk.
Th e tree in its natural state usually does not req uire fertilization, but those in lawns and oth er restricted growing sites often benefit from fer-

tilizer applied in late sprin g or early summer, after leaves complete their expan sion . The fertilizer should be broadcast on top of th e ground and th e plant should be thorou ghly watered. Waterin g dogwoods with a sp rinkler is not reco mmended as it wets the foliage , creating conditions that co uld lead to diseases.
Do gwoods also need to be mulched to protect the root system from ex-
treme cold and heat; a four to six inch layer of pine straw or bark should be placed around the plant. Mulching also discourages weed growth and bark injury caused by mowing and trimming equipment.
Quality dogwood seedlings produced by the Commission's nurseries are sold in packages of 50, 500 and 1,000 and are delivered to county forestry units after dormancy. Height of the trees range from 12 to 24 inches.
Some of th e information contained here is adapted from the pamphlet, Growing and Maintaining Do gwood s, by Ken Bailey, Athens Di strict Forester, Georgia Forestry Commission; and Edward A Brown, II, plant pathologist, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Georgia. The illu strated pamphlet, which describes other dogwood diseases and additional planting and maintenance information , is available free at all Commission offices.
Georgia Forestry/Winter 1992/3

Forester Gary White directs a crew of forest rangers in clearing fallen trees in the wake of the recent tornado, a task he wou ld have never faced during his service in an almost treeless area
of Africa.
FORESTER FOUND PEACE CORPS SERVICE CHALLENGING AND REWARDING

Forester Gary White rode a donkey along an ancient caravan route to Timbuktu and spent some time astride a camel to explore a strange and primitive land, but most of his time in the Peace Corps in Africa was devoted to t he operation of a tree nursery on the rim of the great Sahara Desert.
White, now forester and ranger of the Commission's Franklin-Hart County Forestry Unit, was on the continent to help reforest Upper Volta, a former French colony that was renamed Burkina Fasco in recent years.
After studying French and local culture for two months and receiving technical instructions in Ouagadougou, the little country's capital city, civilization as the young man from Delaware had known it abruptly ended as he and his gear were loaded into a truck that headed across a sun-baked and almost treeless landscape to a village where he was to live and work for the next two years.
When he reported to the little hamlet of Didyr, a cluster of round adobe huts with thatched roofs, he found a desolate land plagued by drought, over-population, deforestation, overgrazing, woefully depleted soil and th e
4/G eorgia Forestry/Winter 1992

By Howard Bennett
His missioo was inalitHe African republic plagued
by many problems. It is a
land where life expectancy is only 44 years.
slow, but relentless encroachment of the desert.
The forester, a graduate of West Virgini a University, said his principal goals were to help grow fast growing exotics (species from Australia and India) in the nursery for firewood production; produce local species important for fruits, nutsand other products; provide seedlings for agri-forestry projects; and keep trees growing as a barrier in a zone where the desert attempts to move into farmland.
While the villagers lived in huts, White said he was fortunate to rent "the best house in town" a small con-

crete block bulldmg with a tin roof, but without electricity and runnin g w ater. It was built for Peace Corps personnel who had previously served in th e area.
The forester used a kerosen e lamp for lighting and built a bed from scrap wood. "On many hot nights," he said, "I would carry my bed, mattress an d mosquito net outside and sleep under the stars."
White said he ate mostly with his neighbors, with goat meat often being the main course, but did his own cooking when he could find somethin g at a little market that opened a couple times a week.
The Peace Corps volunteer had contact with the outside world twice each month when he mad e an 80-m ile round trip to the capitol on his dirt bike to pick up his mail. He also was aware of world events by tuning in to the BBC in London and broadcasts in Fren ch from Pari s. In cidentally, the French language iswhat landed him in the African repub li c in th e first place.
"When I was studying in West Virginia," he explained, "my intentions were to work in tropical forestry in t he rain forests of South America, but the

Peace Corps saw it differently. Wh~n

they learned 1had taken French back m

high school, 1was assigned to th~ little

~fofuicniatlry

in Africa where language." He

aFdr~e1~tcthed1s

the the

two-month crash course m the lan-

guage was essential to bolster.what.he

had previously learned m h1gh

school. The seedlings grown in the nursery
are the joint effort of the Peace Corps, the little country's government foresttry agency, schools and lo~al farmers. The seedlings are used mamly to supplement the few remaining forests in the areas, which are merely scattered patches of trees. White said refores.tation is an effort to correct a pract1ce that started many generations ago when land was cleared of trees for row crops, farmed season after season until the soil was depleted and then abandoned as whole villages moved to another wooded site to clear and farm new ground and then repeat the pro-
cess.

TRIBAL TRADITIONS

The former French administrative district includes the territory of several indigenous tribes and most of the inhabitants continue to farm in the tradition of a tribal society. The farming system has helped destroy much of the forests, but the sole dependence on wood as a cooking and heating fuel has further depleted the fragile timberland.
Another major hindrance to the little country, which is about the size of Colorado, is the vast Sahara Desert on its southern border. The hostile wasteland is a little larger than the United States and is ever expanding into populated grasslands and forests, often
uprooting people. The Sahara, the largest desert in the world, expanded by 251,000 square miles in the last 50 years.
An anti-erosion project that involved White was the construction of catchments similar to those in Israel. Terraces are made of field stone to trap water on a hillside and then directed to planted areas on a lower level. The forester also is credited with improving the.way in which the villagers cooked the1r food. Generations have balanced their cooking pots on three rocks, but White built an outdoor stove with ad<;>be brick that burns wood and crop res1due more efficiently and many of the women were pleased with the innovation.

The forester said he had learned to make brick by watching, and some-

White's mission was to 'grow seedlings that would help reforest one of the poorest and most unstable countries in Africa. It is a land of poor soil, frequent droughts and the invading sands of the Sahara Desert.
Georgia Forestry/Winter 199,2/5

White Claims Service Abroad Helped Him Become A Better Forester In Dealing With Conservation Here In Georgia

times helping the local men mix clay,
straw,manure and water together to be placed in molds and baked in the sun. All native huts are made of adobe brick and then plastered over with a thin mixture of mud and tree bark extract.
White said seedlings grew rapidly in the nursery, but when he first arrived some of the plots were favorite grazing areas for roaming goats and other farm animals. "We were finally able to get some fencing material ," he said,"and that immediately solved the problem." Farmers grow millet, cowpeas and some ri ce and they have a similar problem as livestock have an open range.
After White had been on the project for about a year, a group of newly recruited Peace Corps volunteers came through the village on a day that was to be a highlight in hi s life. The visitors included Katrina Greenway of Norcross, Georgia, who was to become his wife. She had an associate degree in forestry from Abraham Baldwin College and also had been required by the Corps to learn French prior to her African assignment.
After they returned to the states, she attended the University of Georgia to earn a degree in agronomy. They were married in 1988 and now have a threeyear-old son.
Not unlike the experiences of most dedicated teachers and instructors, the forester said he learned as much from the Africans as they learned from

him. While he provided the technical training in nursery operations and emphasized the need for forest management and its long term benefits, he said, " throu gh their lifestyle, they taught me a lesson in conservation and how to survive in a very harsh environment. They know how to improvise and they showed how practically everything can be recycled. "
"SHAMEFUL WASTE"
The forester said the experience opened his eyes to the "shameful waste we tolerate in this country." When he returned to the United States he said he soon realized how much his service in the Corps had helped him become a better forester in dealing with the conservation effort in Georgia. "Those people in West Africa have so little and we have so much," he said, "and the contrast is particularly startling when you finally have time to stand away tram the scene and look back."

White said he sees wood rottin g in the forests of Georgia today and remembers riding his motorcycle to town for his mail back in Africa and taking along a piece of firewood to trade for a fish. "That little piece of w ood was worth a quarter over there, " he said, " that was a lot of money in that town."
The forester said, "you can't com pliment Africans on the conservation of their forests in the past," but he pointed out that good forest management is now being taught on the continent and there is hope reforestation will eventually become widespread. 'They don't have the climate, soil and experience we have here in Georgia," he emphasized, "and any accomp lishment over there, of course, is much harder to come by."
White said contrarv to the wi dely held belief that people of the th ird world are lazy, he found people in the
village of Didyr "willing to work hard under difficult circumstances." He told of entire families arising at 4:30 a.m. to cook, pack a lunch and take off on foot to work in their field three to 15 miles from their home.
Now that he is back in his native land and pursuing his career as a professional forester, White said he often reflects on his experience in th e foreign land as he goes about his daily assistance to Georgia forest landowners. "I think I learned something about diplomacy over there," he said. "I had to convince people to ch ange the way some things had been done

Above, the village of Dydir, home to Forester White for two years. At right, a portion ofthe tree nursery managed by the Peace Corps volunteer.
6/Georgia Forestry/Winter 1992

f~r

centuries and in this country some our landowners are just as reluctant

two0itehndneowldttercahdnitoioInosgyw.mhefnorceosnt rfyro."nted

CHALLENGE OFFERED
Wh ite said he considers the Peac~ Corps, a Federa.l Governm~nt organi-
zation initiated m 1961 dunng the ad-

ministration of President John F. Kennedy "a challenge and a sound investment for foresters and others who want to learn something of the th~rd world nations and attempt to make hfe better for the people of those regions." The aim of the organization is to train and send Americans abroad to work with

people in developing countries on projects for technological, agricultural and

educational improvement. The forester said he has heard that
the annual cost of maintaining the Peace Corps is less than the cost of just one military jet fighter plane. " If that's true," said White, "the taxpayers are getting a real bargain in our effort to promote peace and understanding and a better way of life for people in many countries around the world."
Now that it has been some time since it was necessary to use their foreign language skills, do the Whites continue to converse in French once in awhile? " Hardly," said the forester. "We're a little rusty from non-use, but we do co mmunicate in French when it is necessary for our son William not to understan d what we're discussing."

But yo ung William will undoubtedly

one day understand the significance of

the Peace Corps and be proud of par-

ents who served to help make a dif-

ference in the world.

Tree p lanters in Burkina Fasco

The Christmas tree recycling movement is gaining momentum each year as more Georgians decide to dispose of their tree for useful purposes.
AFTER CHRISTMAS REMINDER
Georgians are being urged again this season to take their Christmas trees to a local recycling center site Saturday, January 2, to have them chipped into useful mulch or used in other ways.
More than 70 cities and counties are cooperating in the project by establishing 250 recycling sites across the state. The collection points will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and persons bringing trees will be given red maple or dogwood tree seedlings while available.
The effort, coordinated by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, is expected to divert approximately 300,000 Christmas trees from landfills to useful products. The Georgia Forestry Commission coope rates in the annual project. Most of the trees will be run through chipping machines to convert the wood, bark and needles into mulch, a material that can be used by communities as a protective cover around plantings in parks and other public grounds. The mulch helps reduce evaporation, maintain soil temperature, prevent erosion, control weeds and enrich the soil.
The sponsors also point out that the program will prevent about 3,000 tons of waste from being dumped into landfills across the state.
In Richmond, Monroe and Hart Counties, the Christmas trees will be placed in area lakes to enhance fish habitat. In Dougherty County, the trees will end up as an alternate fuel for Proctor and Gamble Paper Products plant. The tree mulch will be added to nature trails in a state park in Barrow County and recreational areas and parks will benefit from the mulch in Bibb County.
Georgia Power's sponsorship includes printing and distributing 650,000 promotional flyers and 1,000 directional signs, purchasing 130,000 tree seedlings, placing promotional inserts in 1.5 million utility bills and offering assistance in the cities and counties from local company offices.
WSB-TV of Atlanta, through its Family 2 Family Program, will produce and distribute public service announcements to promote the recycling program. A caricature of a beaver dressed as Santa Claus and the slogan, "Bring One for the Chipper", will be symbols of the effort.
For additional information on this year's Christmas Tree Recycling Program and collection sites, residents should check for advertisements in their local paper on December 30th and 31st or call the county unit of The Georgia Forestry Commission.
Georgia Forestry/Winter 1992/7

Scenic hardwood stands fringing Chattahoochee River compose part of 551 100-acre tract of urban forestry development carefully planned 20 years ago.
MODEL URBAN FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT PRESERVED BY ATLANTA CORPORATION

By Bill Edwards

Stockholder Systems, Inc. (SSI) may be the best kept urban forestry secret in the Atlanta area. The secrecy is not deliberate - just an inherent characteristic of the office complex originator who wanted to be an anonymous inhabitant of the environment 20 years ago.
Located on the Chattahoochee River in the Peachtree Corners area, the site could serve as an urban forestry and environmental model. From an aerial view of the 100 acre SSI terrain, the office complex looks as if it has been slipped compactly into the hardwood forest sloping down to the river.
SSI, a highly successful company that has specialized in computer software solutions for financial services and corporate needs for more than 20 years, moved its corporate headquarters into the progressive environmen-
8/Georgia Forestry/Wi nte r 1992

tal complex in 1984. Then known as the Jones Bridge Corporate Campus, the building nestles on 50 heavily wooded acres 20 miles north of
It is a common sight to see employees strolling or jogging along the hardwood fringed lanes during breaks and lunch periods.

Atlanta in the Norcross suburbs. Rick Camp, SSI executive vice presi-
dent of business practices, remem bers the initial enthusiasm over locati ng on the site. "When Larry (Larry Dean/SSI president) saw this site, he knew t hat it was exactly what he wanted. A basic concept of SSI has always been t hat if people are comfortable in nice, environmentally natural surroun dings with plenty of trees - they will have good attitudes, be more productive, and actually look forward to coming to work. That has certain ly been the case here."
ENHANCEMENTS
Camp pointed out, however, that SSI has made some additions since the 1984 purchase. Fifty more acres of woodlands were purchased. Several new buildings were added to blend with the original environmental de-

sign. Thousands of flowers were pl~nt ed. And now, all flowers, vegetatron and trees are cared for by three fulltime horticulturists. The company now employs some 300 people who enthusiastically support the casual dress code, flex time work hours, and two free meals a day. The compa~y al~o has a swimming pool and physrcal frt-
ness eq uipment. It is a common sight to see employ-
ees strolling or jogging along the hardwood fringed lanes at all hours of the day during various breaks and lunch periods. Vice President Camp is apparently right w.hen he says the scenic forest envrronment creates good attitudes and a pleasant work place. One long-term employee emphasize d this factor ~ve~ more when he pointed out that " rf a JOb opens up here on Monday, it's usually taken by Wednesday - with word of mouth bein g the primary form of advertise-
ment. " The environmental haven of forests
on the Chattahoochee has apparently spawned a haven of sorts for employees. For clarification, however, it should be noted that the highly progressive SSI has sustained healthy profits even during the most dismal of economic slumps. President Larry Dean attributes the success simply to the scriptural concept of Matthew 20:26 - " You that would be greatest, let him be servant to all."
ORIGIN
But what about the origin of this enviable urban forestry development? Althou gh SSI moved in almost ten years ago, development of this area goes back much further - to a time when urban forestry was little more than a footnote among more established fo restry pursuits.
In the early 1970s, the Atlanta architectural firm of Thompson, Hancock, Witte & Associates, Inc. was contacted by a "Mr. X" from a New York corporation. The contact said the pace of the Manhattan business day was debilitating and the company wanted to relocate its executive headquarters to a large wooded site on the Chattahoochee River. At first, the request was not taken completely seriously because ofthe intricate nature of environmental concerns detailed in the plan. Later, when the identity of the M r. X and the company was learned, the offer was taken seriously.
The individual proposing the development was Grant G. Simmons, Jr.,

chairman of the Board of Simmons Company, famous for its bedding products but also a diversified international company and major manufacturer of home furnishings.
Grant Simmons had analyzed the project thoroughly. He wanted an efficient working building constructed with a minimum of environmental impact on the heavily forested grade that sloped down to the Chattahoochee banks. Trees were a top priority with Simmons (later, when the parking lot

was being paved, his contract with the paving company demanded that fines be imposed if so much as a nick of damage was suffered by a tree).
The usual construction would have been a two story building perched on top of the hill. The area would be bulldozed and dirt would be piled up; the building would be set on the dirt. In such a case, of course, the dirt would cover the root systems of trees and many hardwoods in the area would die.

SSt corporate offices, on Chattahoochee River nearAtlanta, remains urban fores-

try role model 20 years after construction. Possibly having evolved before it's

time, the complex remained vacant from 1875 to 1984. Grant Simmons, }r. (Sim-

mons Company) established the headquarters with intentions of being an

anonymous inhabitant of the environment.

Georgia Forestry/Winter 1992/9

Simmons would have none of this. As acceptable plans developed, he reviewed possibilities down to the smallest detail. What finally evolved was a wooden building that seemed to have grown up with the trees. Si~ mons' desire to be an anonymous mhabitant of the environmentally preserved landscape is reflected by the location of the building 300 feet from the river- well below hardwood stands on top of the hill.
To minimize solar loading, an analysis of the sun's azimuth and altitude was made for every day of the year. The solution was radical, but simple.
INNOVATIONS
What would have normally been a vertical wall of glass was sloped at the appropriate angle to deny direct entry of the sun's rays. Consequently, air conditioning costs are reduced - and occupants have a year-round view of the scenic hardwood forest without the uncomfortable glare of direct sunlight.
The building is elevated on steel trusses so the sliding glass doors of each office opens onto terraces extended out at treetop level. The view from the individual office terraces looks down on the tree fringed banks of the Chattahoochee. Aside from the steel elevation trusses, the building is framed entirely with heavy wood members. Designed for low maintenance, the exterior siding is red cedar and cedar shakes cover the roof. The interior has similar wooden designs.
The opposite side of the building is a secretarial deck that also offers an elevated view of trees. Elevated trusses supporting the building do not interfere with the natural drainage through the forest below and down into the river.
On the opposite end of the building, an elevated wooden walkway threads through the tree tops to the dining module. Not only do SSI employees get free meals, they are also provided with a dramatic 270 degree overview of the river below. The dining module offers a representative view of the many hardwood species growing along the Chattahoochee, which compose approximately 85 percent of trees on SSI property. The remaining percentage is predominantly Virginia and loblolly pines.
Within easy walking distance down the slope from the dining module, the following hardwood species can be seen: American beech, magnolia, river birch, sweetgum, basswood, yellow
10/Georgia Forestry/Winter 1992

(Above) Class wall of551 secretarial deck is slanted to minimize solar loading and offer view of outside forest without direct glare of sunlight. (Below) Granite rock with corporate logo indentifies narrow road winding through forest to 551 corporate headquarters.

poplar, black cherry, redbud, horn-
beam, sourwood, willow oak, sassafras, pignut hickory, water oak- and in the spring a myriad of dogwoods create a visual explosion of white blossoms.
There is little indication of develop-

mentwhen passing the entrance to SSI on East jones Bridge Road that connects the company with the outsi de urban world. Only a large granite rock with the company letters mounted on it is noticeable at the SSI entrance.
Roads leading in and out of th e for-

ested development are one-way and only 14 feet wide to minimize space taken by such necessities. Like deer trails, the roads wi~d through the woods like paths takmg the course of least resistance. Trees overhang these naturally designed . paved .pa!hways leading to parkmg lots fnngmg the office complex.
Viewing the parking area from uphill, vehicles seem to be parked haphazardly among the trees; but a closer look reveals that paved areas are slipped among the t~ees - just as the buil dings were des1gned.
Aswith the SSI addition of buildings, additional parking areas designed by the company blend with the original design - leaving the environment intact while enhancing a model urban forestry development that may in time become even more appreciated for this factor along. In the meantime, SSI continues to prosper.
AFTERMATH When Grant Simmons established the Jones Bridge Corporate Campus in the early 70s, he believed the building and method of development would be a much needed trend of the 21st centu ry; but when another company acquired the Simmons organization, the corporate headquarters was abandoned. Possibly having evolved before its time, the complex remained empty from 1975 to 1984. When SSI purchased the site in 1984, Corporate President Larry Dean also believed this sort of urban forestry complex was a forerunner of 21st century good things to come. He still believes this and has no intentions of abandoning his corporate headquarters in the Chattahoochee River forest.
~ick Camp, 551 executive vice presi-
ent of business practices

Commission patrolman turned teacher Larry Bell, left, welcomes Chief Ranger Micah Hamerick and Smokey to his fifth grade class
SCHOOL BELLS CALL PATROLMAN BELL
Forest Patrolman Larry Bell enjoyed his work with the Forestry Commission, especially when his duties called for the presentation of fire prevention programs for fourth grade students throughout the Paulding County school system. Although he felt a sense of statisfaction in plowing firebreaks and helping forest laqndowners in other ways, there was a very special appeal in instructing young boys and girls.
After 11 years with the Commission and hundreds of hours of college classes-mostly attended at night- Bell traded his title of forest patrolman for fifth grade teacher at the County's Union Elementary School at Temple.
"Working with the Commission was a wonderful experience," Bell said, "and I will always cherish the friends I now have in forestry, but teaching and working with children is something I have always wanted to do and I felt I eventually had to make that decision."
Bell came with the Paulding County Forestry in 1978 and began taking night courses at Floyd College in 1987, resigning two years later to take education courses at Kennesaw College to prepare himself for a teaching career.
The former patrolman said he is pleased that his first assignment as a teacher is at the school he attended as a child. His wife Debbie is a guidance counselor at the school and he credits her for giving him the support and encouragement he needed when he began his college studies at age 30.
How does teaching compare with Forestry Commission work? They're both challenging, according to Bell. He said driving a crawler tractor in a battle against a raging forest wildfire is a real challenge, but "so is facing a classroom full of bright, young faces looking up at you for guidance." He contended that it is overwhelming at times, "but very rewarding when you see a child's eyes light up when he or she suddenly grasps something important."
One thing is certain: when Bell's fifth graders complete the school term, they will be well versed in the importance of forestry and the need for woodland protection. The teacher is sometimes joined by the local forest ranger and Smokey Bear in getting the forestry message across.
Chief Ranger Micah Hamrick said Bell scored high as a valued employee of his unit; that can also be said of his college record. Although he held down a fulltime job while attending college, he achieved a 4.0 average.
Georgia Forestry/Winter 1992/11

GEORGIA'S BARRIER ISLANDS OAKS ' ' SPAWNED U.S. NAVY FLEET

By Randy Lescault

Our modern Navy is perhaps the mightiest fleet the world has ever known. In the post-Cold War era, our sleek fleet of cruisers, destroyers, nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines ply the seven seas virtually unopposed.
But, unknown to most folks, our mighty fleet had its humble origins in the swamps and lowlands of Georgia's barrier islands.
In the years following the Revolutionary War, the United States had no
12/Georgia Forestry/Winter 1992

navy. The merchant ships that were hastily converted for wartime use had been sold-by a deficit-ridden government; their officers and crews disbanded. Many citizens questioned the need for a naval force; they were of the opinion that if the United States possessed one, it would be too apt to use it, and be needlessly drawn into conflicts outside its borders. In general, a strong spirit of isolationism gripped the country.
But in the face of events unfolding in

other areas of the world, the isolationism could not stand.
American merchant ships were obviously no longer under the protection of the mighty British fleet after the war, and the United States possessed no warships of its own. So it was not surprising that American ships soon fell victim t o th e pirate ship s of the Barbary Coas t of North Africa. Th eir piracy was a business officially sanctioned by the various " Deys" or ru lers of the area, who received a percentage

of each prize taken on the high seas. In

addition, they held the crew and passengers of the _ships for _r~nsom.

Many Americans d1ed 1n capt1v1ty due

to th e harsh treatment imposed by

the " barbarians". .

.

An incensed Amencan public de-

manded action. On january 2, 1794,

the U. S. House of Representatives

approved a measure that stated, in

part, " ...that a naval force adequate to

the protection of the commerce of the

United States, against the Algerine cor-

sairs, ought to be provided." A Com-

mittee recommended the construc-

tion of six frigates; four ships of 44 guns

and two of 24 guns. The ships were to

be constucted at six different loca-

tion s: New York; Boston; Baltimore;

Philadelphia; Gosport, Virginia; and

Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

A NEW NAVY

Th e frigates were to be of a sleek, new American design that would incorporate the finest attributes of British and French warships--a combination of great strength, firepower and speed. And, unlike their European counterparts, these "superfrigates" were to be constructed of timbers native to American soil.
White oak was chosen for the strakes (the horizontal planking that stretched the length of the vessel) and the wales (the heavy, thick planking on the ships' sides that served as its armor.) The decks were to be of yellow pine. And live oak was chosen for the fram es and other principal structural components of the ship.
Live oak was chosen primarily for its trem endous strength. Its extremely dense, heavy wood could be found growi ng naturally in the odd angles required to form the various braces, struts and curving members of the ships' hull. And large stands of live oak were available for harvest on the barrier islands off the South Carolina and Georgia coasts.

GEORGIA LIVE OAK
And so it was that a Mr. john T. ~organ , a Boston shipwright, found h1mself posted by the government to seek out and harvest the finest live oak he could find in June of 1794. It is doubtful that Morgan comprehended the daunting task that lay ahead, or the great sacrifice he and others would make to extract the live oak from the coastal lowlands.
Morgan traveled by ship to the barrier islands off Georgia and South Carolina to personally examine and

With the help of wood cutters and shipwrights imported from the north, the trees were felled and formed into desired shapes.
assess the live oak stands. The live oak of Georgia was his choice, due to its quality and cheaper price.
After Morgan located suitable stands, he contracted with the local landowner for the timber through government agents in Savannah or Charleston. The chosen sites were as close as possible to navigable waters to facilitate timber removal by ship.
Morgan had to visualize the various ship parts that needed to be cut as he examined each tree. Then, with the help of woodcutters and shipwrights imported from the north, the trees were felled and formed into the required shapes according to patterns sent from the shipyard . The live oak was difficult to cut, and even harder to work and form. Often, after the intensive labor had been nearly completed, dry rot or other structural flaws were discovered deep in the wood and the timber had to be discarded.

There were other difficulties to overcome. There were no roads over which to transport the timber with oxen to the loading areas. Roads had to be cut by hand, a laborious process that consumed a lot of energy in the year-round operation, especially during the hot, humid summers to which the northerners were not well acclimated. But Morgan's problems were not limited to technical difficulties.
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED
The woodcutters and other northern imports found the working conditions arduous. In addition to the hot and humid climate in the summer, they faced torrential rains and flooding during some ofthe winter months. The swamps and marshes where most of the timber was located was full of venomous snakes, alligators, bears and panthers. Mosquitoes and redbugs were unrelenting in their attacks upon their person. The lack of sufficient drinking water led to bouts of yellow fever or "yellow jack", an often fatal disease characterized by fever, jaundice and black vomit. Oxen sent to transport the timber often succumbed to disease as well. An extract from one of Morgan's letters to his superiors in Philadelphia gives us an idea of his sometimes disheartening situation:
"I have had no hands but Negroes and have been all but dead smce the 4th of September. I lost a fine lad, an apprentice last Saturday with fever. I

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Georgia Forestry/Winter 1992/13

have it now, everybody is sick..." . But Morgan overcame the obsta-
cles. He contracted to hire local slaves to replace the northern woodcutters (most of whom had died of the fever, or fled to the safety of New England), and trained them in the selection and forming of live oak timber. And, after a slow start, the work pr0ceeded apace.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
Finally, after nearly three years of harvesting, forming and shipping timber to the northern shipyards, the first three superfrigates were launched in 1797: the UNITED STATES in May from Philadelphia; the CONSTELLATION in September from Baltimore; and the CONSTITUTION in October from Boston.
Morgan and company had accom plished their mission. The Un ited States now possessed a fledgling naval power--the power to protect its right to freedom on the high seas.
The strength ofthe Navy's ships and crews were to be severely tested in the years that followed. But their strength, like the Georgia live oak of the . hulls, would prove legendary, and would earn the worlds' admiration during the quasi-war with France and the War of 1812.
But that's another story...

14/Georgia Forestry/Winter 1992

At left, the Constitution in drydock in Charleston, Massachusetts for possible repairs.

NAVY SEEKING OAK FOR SHIP REPAIR

Surprisingly, one of the original six ships of our Navy is still in commission. The USS Constitution, which is berthed in Boston Harbor, is the oldest warship in commission in the world. The Constitution served with great distinction during its active life, and won numerous naval engagements. In action against the Gueiere during th e War of 1812, a seaman observing the British shot bounding off the ship's sides was said to have exclaimed, " Huzza! Her sides are made of

iron! " From this she earned her nickname "Did Ironsides".
The USS Constitution is currently in drydock in Charlestown, Massachusetts, and is being assessed for possible repairs. Navy officials have expressed the need for live oak and white oak timbers for repair work. Timber should be from trees removed or scheduled to be removed due to construction work, etc. Live oak in 90, 98 and 100 degree angles is highly desired, as is white oak in 20-45 foot lengths.

The Navy Department is willing to pay transportation costs for raw or finished timber that is selected. Interested parties should contact Mr. Don Turner, USS Constitution Maintenance and Repair Facility, Bldg. #224 B.N.H.P., Charlestown Navy Yard, Charlestown, Mass. 021294543, phone (617) 242-0752, or contact the author via the Georgia Forestry Commission, (912)
751-3326.

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THE USS CONSTITUTION IN BOSTON HARBOR
Georgia Forestry/Winter 1992/15

Kim Coder, University of Georgia associate professor of forest resources and frequent contributor to Georgia Forestry Magazine, has been profiled by the UGA facu lty/staff newspaper Columns. Coder was selected from approximately 1900 faculty members to be featured in the article.
Coder, whose articles have also appeared in the Commission's urban forestry newsletter Tree Talks, has been with UGA for the past seven years. He also shares the Commission's interest and activities in Project Learning Tree - an awarding education program designed for students ranging from kindergarten through
high school. Interested in forestry since he was
13 years old, Coder is quoted in the UGA article as saying: " I figured if I could get a job in a fire tower, read all day long and get paid for it. You go to the top of a tower every half hour and look for fi res, then sit down and start
reading again." At that early age, Coder did not
know how to become a firewatcher, so he decided on the future goal of becom ing what he then thought was the closest thing to it- a forester.
Coder achieved this in dramatic scope with the fo llowing degrees from Iowa State University: Bachelor of Science in Forest Management, 1979,- Master of Science in Tree Physiology, - 1981 , - and Doctor of Forest Ecology, - 1985.
Coder remembers very well, however, his disappointment when he discovered upon enterin g fo restry school that foresters did not spend all their time outdoors. Nevertheless, he recovered from his initial disillusionment and three degrees followed .
Since joining the UGA staff, Coder has become well known as a fall forecaster of when the leaves will be at their peak of color change. Consequently, he spends much of his time

UNIVERSITY

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on the phone in the fall with reporters, park officials, and radio-tv personnel who want to know when the leaves will peak in a given area. Coder points out that Georgia experiences a threecolor leaf change for fall - yellow, orange, and then red. He focuses on picking the peak of the orange change so it encompasses all three colors. His predictions have been on target with deadly accuracy - he only missed one

year when an early frost cut the season short. Thi s record becomes even more impressive when it is considered that Coder is color blind.
Coder emphasizes that the interest concerning fall color changes offers an excellent opportu nity to educate th e public about forests and their environmental roles and influences. He sai d there are two times a year when most people are interested in trees. The first is when they are planting trees or sniffling from en haling spring pollen; the second is when leaves change col or in the fall.
Coder takes advantage of these interests by spending much of his time on the road; he offers the latest in research findings to builders, homeowners, various forestland owners.
One of his favorite subjects - as his work with t he Commission reflects- is urban forestry and its expanding ro le in the forestry commun ity. He also speaks on a wide variety of topics ranging from species preservation to wetland protection.
One of his most significant cou rses involves teaching urban tree management. Th e course concentrates on where to plant urban trees and how to diagnose problems. Coder considers this very rewarding because "more people are discovering the value of trees around them."
During the past year, Coder was also busy with duties that did not require being on the road . He chaired the UGA Council's Faculty Affairs and worked with the organization on new Guidelines for Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure. Coder said thi swasth e organization's primary project for the year and concentrate d on fair and objective processes for determ ining the processes.
Coder is currently serving on the President's Advisory Council as the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences representative.

"I figured if Icould get a job in afire tower, Icould read all day long and get paid for it"
16/Georgia Forestry/Winter 1992

Increasing conflicting reports concerning effects of acid rain on Southern forests has resulted in a wide range of opinions within the forestry community. The basic question is whether or not acid rain is damaging trees in
the South. Much of the concern came in a re-
sponse to a 1984 U.S. Forest Service report describing a growth decline of pi nes in Georgia - and the death of nu merous spruce trees on Mount M itchel l, North Carolina. The report (Resource Bulletin #SE-7 titled Georgia's Forests) also stated: "the drop in radial diameter increment was most severe in the Piedmont and Mountain provinces. Reasons for the decline are not known, but drought and other meteorological factors are suspect-
ed." National media picked up the story
with numerous assumptions that " other meteorologica l facto rs" meant acid rain. The result was rumorfeeding upon rumor to form invalid conclusions. The immediate aftermath of the story - especially in the South- was a rash of negative reactions from landowners, foresters, investors, and the pu blic in general.
Since then there have been many varying accounts of the effects of acid rain on the South, confusion has created more confusion. The fact, however, is that there is currently no con-
clusive evidence that Southem forestry investment are being threatened by acid rain.

One generally ignored fact is that rain is naturally acid to some extent. Also,. it would be extremely difficult to establish scientific proof that a declining forest growth has been caused by acid rain. For instance, such research would require that large areas of forest be separated so only one area would be exposed to acid rain . This is not possible because rainfall occurs where nature precipitates it.
IS ACID RAIN DAMAGING FORESTS IN THE SOUTH?

Although laboratory experiments are valuable, such research cannot duplicate the "other meteorological factors" suspected of causing damage; these factors may have occurred in stages of varying intensity for many years. There is also the possibility that other influencing negative factors have not yet been identified.
The issue is complicated with some interesting fringe facts that introduce ever more contradiction s. It is surprising to some to learn that tree growth is sometimes even increased by acid rain. The reason for this increase is that nitrogen can limit forest growth, so when NOx is dissolved in rainwater, diluted nitric acid is added to the ecosystem. Acid rain also has hydrogen particles that can disrupt the flow of some soil nutrients - but it can also make other nutrients more subject to tree root absorption.
The bottorr1 line is that the evidence is inconclu~ive. There may not be an acid rain problem causin~ adverse effects on Southern forests. This is not to suggest that a complacent attitude be adopted. It indicates that federal, state, and industrial researchers should continue research efforts.
In view of the lack of conclusive evidence, however, the current situation also suggests that forest farmers in the South should sustain previously validated management practices so their investments will continue to produce profitable returns as they have in the past; this has been validated.

The Center for Environmental Studies, A U.S. Forest Service facility on the grounds of the Georgia Forestry Center in Macon, measures and evaluates acid rain and other pollutants.
Georgia Forestry/Winter 1992/17

The Commission has joined Georgia's official environmental promo~ion of composting by providing detailed instructions on the process and developing compost sites at the organization's 102 statewide units.
Georgia is the first state in th~ nation to adopt an official compostmg program. Governor Zell Miller is a staunch supporter of the program and has his personal compost bin a~ th~ governor's mansion to emphas1ze 1t.
As society in general runs out of garbage dumps, there is an incre~sing enviromnental movement to d1vert the overwhelming avalanche of trash to useful and beneficial channels. Georgia is leading the way with the first official program.
With a U.S. EPA grant providing seed money, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs is promoting the statewide home composting program with the theme: "Why let your leaves leave home?" Workshops and environmental education programs are key phases of the effort. As a result of the educational process, it is expected that eventually most Georgia homes and schools will have compost bins of one type or another.
Local governments and businesses will participate by providing used wooden shipping pallets; schools and residents can take advantage by receiving five free pallets and making their own compost. Making the bin is simple. One pallet is laid flat on the
ground with the elevated side up to provide aeration - the other four pallets are used as sides by tying the corners with rope or wire.
There are, however, many methods 18/Georgia Forestry/Winter 1992

COMPOST SITES TO BE ESTABLISHED AT FORESTRY UNITS

of composting and various types of containers including: barrels, concrete bins, plastic bins, wire bins, and such wooden bins as previously described.
Composting is the earth's natural process of recycling. A multitude of tiny creatures - ranging from microscopic bacteria to earthworms- digests organic matter and transforms it into rich humus. The transformation can be used to enhance soil or spread around as mulch. The best part is that the ingredients are free and would usually be thrown away to clog some overflowing landfill - if it was not used for this highly beneficial environmental purpose.
Many people ask: "What can I personally do to help the environment?" This is it - home composting. Many promoters of composting - especially home composting - consider it to be a vital missing link in the environmental effort. In the past, composting has been a sort of orphan in the environmental movement, having many friends but few serious promoters. That is rapidly changing.
Composting is basically a simple process. Dry leaves are mixed with green material (like grass) and kitchen scraps (no meat or dairy scraps). The mixture should be dampened with water. Mixing and turning pile accelerates the decomposition process to eventually form a crumbly organic

matter. A compost pile turned on ce a week or once a month - will form the desired decomposed matter in four to eight months.
Although biologically and ch emically complex, composting is easy to initiate; it is nature's way of recycling. Considering the fact that 17 states have already banned continued landfilling with leaves and yard trimm ings, the value of re-channeling these nat-
ural earth rejuvenators becom es obvious.
It has been determined that between 18 and 25 percent of what is now generally thought of as garbage coul d be recycled for the earth's needs in the form of compost. It is also estimated that the average household could actually compost as much as half of w hat it now throws away.
The following is a partial list of acceptable and non-acceptable food scraps for composti ng with the huge volume of leaves provided by Georgia's trees. Acceptable: apples, apple seeds, cabbage, carrots, celery, grounds, egg shells, fruit, lettuce, onion peels, potatoes, squash, tea leaves, tomatoes, turnips leaves, vegetable trimmings. Unacceptable: butter, bones, cheese, chicken, fish scraps, lard, mayonnaise, meat scraps, milk, peanut butter, salad dressing, vegetable oil, and yogurt.
Free brochures on compostin g are available at all Commission offices.

Billy Roland, Commission Ranger for the Miller County Unit, is dwarfed by 23-foo t wood sculpture crafted in 1973 by an intinerant artist 'rVhO left such Native American monuments across the United States.

COLQUITT WOODEN INDIAN MONUMENT ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND IN GEORGIA

M odem wooden monuments can seem strange- and their originators may seem even stranger.
During the winter of 1973, an itinerant wood sculptor drifted in and out of Colquitt to leave a 23-foot carved head of an Indian brave as a reminder of his presence. Peter Toth, a Hungarian-born sculptor,disappeared from Colquitt as unobstrusively as he made his entrance. But almost 20 years later, the towering face - hewn from red oak - still stares seriously out at State Highway 27 going South toward the Florida line.
A:t the time, few Colquitt residents real1zed how special their town was to be chosen as the site for Toth's oversized Wooden sculptures; the unusual carving

is the only one of its kind in Georgia. It was later learned that Toth was
devoting his life to traveling across America, leaving such monuments as a tribute to the noble heritage of the American Indian. Like a modem johnny Appleseed, he was wandering across the continent, leaving a trail of towering wooden faces in his wake.
ARTISTIC PROTEST
Toth's arrival in Colquitt created a similar reaction to that he encountered in other towns. Many local residents did not know what to make of him. After all, he wanted no money or payment of any kind for his wooden monuments - he just wanted to leave an artistic "protest"

against what he described as the betrayal of Native Americans.
Local confusion concerning his purpose was compounded by rumors circulating around Colquitt that he was a secret agent of some sort and was doing the carvings as a cover up. Then, to make things even bizarre, it snowed while Toth was in Colquitt. Snow is very rare so close to the Florida line; local residents still recall Toth chipping away at the top of his 23-foot carving with snow swirling around him - wearing no shirt.
Toth, however, saw nothing unusual about any of his behavior. As he pointed out later in a national news story, after his pilgrimage became publicized: " My protest is constructive -one of giving."
As more giant carvings were left throughout the nation, Toth's activities became even more publicized. It was hard not to notice powerful wooden images. Some said they were reminiscent of the haunting, arrogant expressions that reflected from the ancient stone heads on Easter Island.
By the early 1980's, Toth's sculptures had attracted enough attention to be featured on the national television show Real People. At the time, the show reported 34 such heads around the country. Some people liked them. Some did not. But everybody noticed them.
There is still not a great deal known about Toth. Some say the wandering wood sculptor began studying the American Indian at age 11 when he moved with his family from Europe to Ohio. This early and continued interest in Native American culture is also said to have led to his national wood carving crusade.
The story follows Toth that he married during his pilgrimage and supported himself and his wife mainly through the sale of smaller wood carvings, but steadfastly refused any payment for the giant wooden heads that he left as monuments. These stories coincide with those derived from his stay in Colquitt.
Toth appears to have faded from the national attention and nobody seems to know exactly what has become of the wandering wood sculptor these many years later. But there are those who are certain that Toth is the stuff from which legends are made, and that he is still spending his days in remote sections of America, chipping away at his towering wooden sculptures.
Regardless of Toth's current wh ere-
abouts, the Indian head on Highway 27 departing Colquitt continues to stare solemnly through the years at passersby.
Georgia Forestry/Winter 1992/19

Plant manager Helen Horton shows some of the items fashioned from forest materials. Below, employees bag moss, the company's major product.
THERE'S MONEY IN MOSS!

When it comes to utilizing the greatest variety of raw materials from the forests of Georgia, the International Manufacturing and Importing Company of Lumpkin probably tops all other forest-related industries in the state.
The company, the largest industry in Stewart County, specializes in buying, processing, packaging and selling Spanish moss wholesale to florists and others across the United States and in Germany and Japan.
Although moss is the company's dominant product, it also manufactures wreaths, bouquets and other dried decorative arrangements from oak leaves, acorns, pine straw and cones, dogwood and cedar boughs, wild grape vines, palmetto, rabbit tobacco, cattails, sweetgum balls, thorns, magnolia pods and other plants and fibers from the wild.
The firm grew out of the long established Mallard Frame Company, which was purchased by Mrs. Martha Arnold in 1983 when th e plant was closed and all sales had ceased. The new owner quickly learned that the dried material from the forests was more lucrative than picture frames and the company, with its new name, headed in a new direction. Mrs. Arnold and her newly hired plant manager, Helen Horton, began to build a thriving business.
When Mrs. Horton took on the
20/Georgia Forestry/Win ter 1992

management job, June sales were only $894.71 , but by March of the following year, the monthly sales had climbed to $15,545. By fiscal 1987, total annual sales had hit $1,132,000!
" We started with three employees," said Mrs. Horton. "That was when we would go out in the woods and gather moss in grocery bags, but now we buy it by the truckloads and sometimes it is hard for our sources to keep up with our demand."
The plant manager said the company
cleans, fumigates and dries about 20,000 pounds of moss each week, enough to keep 30 employees busy on the production line. At one time,

the company employed 50 local people, but the work force had to be trimmed when the current economic recession caused a slump in sales.
In setting up a system to heat the moss at 180 degrees, the company bought six steel-bodied ~ 'peanut wagons," vehicles used by area peanut farmers to harvest and dry their crops. The wagons are filled with moss and hot air is routed through ducts in the floor of the wagons. Some of the moss is air dried, but that process requires an extra four hours.
Excelsior, the long slim wood shavings once used for packing and stu ffing for upholstered furniture, is abou t the only material that the com pany doesn't get directly from the w oods. The manufactured excelsior is purchased in bulk and dyed at the plant in hues ranging from lilac and yellow to deep green and Williamsburg Blue. The straw-like material is woven into wreaths, bird nests and other items with much of it bagged and shipped to florists for use in Easter baskets and floral arrangements.
Big highway vans loaded with packaged moss, wreaths and other products pull away from the loading platform three times each week to make deliveries to customers across the nation.
The company owner said some people consider Spanish moss a parasite that damages the host tree, but she contends that the plant only endangers the tree by smothering some of its leaves and branches, and botanists agree with her; but as long as the high demand for moss continue s, Mrs. Arnold and Mrs. Horton will gladly relieve the host tree of the univited guest that hangs so gracefully fro m its branches.

COMMISSION ASSISTANCE GIVEN TORNADO VICTIMS
The recent rash of tornados in various sections of Georgia prompted the Commission to implement a comprehensive assistance program for landowners experiencing timber damage.
Following the widespread disaster, Commission aerial surveys assisted in determining acreage analysis of damaged timber. Districts suffering the most severe damage induded: Gainesville, Rome, Athens, Newnan, Milledgeville, Washington, and Americus.
Following area and damage estimates, the Commission pursued a priority status cost sharing assistance effort through ASCS for landowners with timber damage. A wide range of consultation was coordinated for forest and urban tree damages.
Landowners received Commission lists of timber buyers available for salvaging damaged timber; names of consulting foresters for possible timber sale assistance were also distributed. In addition, Commission foresters provided tax information on timber losses upon request.
Further aerial surveys revealed that some residential areas were threatened by fire due to tree debris left in the wake of tornados. The fire threat, sim ilar to that left by Hurricane Hugo in timber damage, would obviously increase with dry weather. In response, Commission personnel plowed fire breaks to protect homes.
In some instances, Commission personnel and equipment were used to clear debris from roads and driveways upon approval of agencies responsible for such operations.
Throughout the tornado assistance program, the Commission urged Georgia residents to contact their nearest office for assistance and information.
Georgia Forestry/Winter 1992/ 21

THE BOOK CORNER

HOW TO G ROW A GREEN ER

SCtIaTnYl~y

by Gary Moll and Young, living Planet

Press, Los Angeles - $7.95.

Growing Greener Cities, coauthored by Gary Moll and Stanley Young, is an instructional study of cultivated ecology right down to the recycled paper it is printed on with all royalty proceeds going the the Global Releaf campaign of growing trees and forests across America
The authors are well versed in their subject matter. Moll is vice president of the American Forestry Association and editor of Urban Forests magazine. Young is the author of several books including The Amazing L.A. Environment: A Handbook for Change; he has also worked as gourmet chef and hatha yoga teacher.
Promoted on the cover as "A Tree Planting Handbook", the book expands to more profounding horizons by focusin.g on the critical role trees play 1n natural earth cycles. Moving across the urban landscape with confident expertise, the authors emp hasize why more trees shou ld be planted and why better care should be provided tor trees already here - then the reader learns step-by-step how to do it.
Perfect for a textbook or addition to the ecology shelf of any library, the reader finishes the last page with a new - or renewed- appreciation of urban trees that make cities mo re livable by cooling in summer, cleaning air during all seasons, reducing need for electricity, and offering countless other environmental and social benefits.
Ecology is the study of balance that creates harmony.This book teaches the art of urban forestry perspective.

22/Georgia Forestry/Winter 1992

GEORGIA WELL REPRESENTED IN TREE CITY USA PROGRAM

Georgia's current Tree City USA status is a solid indication of national public concern about trees and the environment. The state's largest Tree City USA is Atlanta with a population of 450,000; the smallest community to acquire the honor is Trenton with a population 1,992. Columbus was the first Georgia city to qualify for the status.
The following is a complete Tree City USA directory listing for Georgia: Acworth, Albany, Alpharetta, Atlanta, Augusta, Avondale Estates, Bainbridge, Ball Ground, Baxley, Brunswick, Canton, Chatsworth, Claxton, Columbus, Conyers, Cornelia, Dalton, Douglas, Eastman, Flovilla, Gainesville, Glynn County, Hagan, Hahira, Hinesville, Jesup, LaGrange, Locust Grove, Macon, Madison, Marietta, McRae, Metter, Millen, Mou ltrie, Newnan, Quitman, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Statesboro, Suwanee, Thomaston, Thomasville, Tifton, Trenton, Valdosta, Warner Robins, Washington, and Waynesboro.
The key to success of urban and community forestry in the United States is a solid basis of local tax supported funding. Volunteer organizations are also an essential factor in community forestry, but they cannot be expected to have the technical expertise necessary to manage valuable tree resources or provide daily care necessary for healthy tree populations.
Fortunately, this is understood by most communites in the Tree City USA network. That is why an important program requirement is that an annual budget of at least $2 per capita be dedicated to a forestry program - for the community to be eligible for a Tree City USA award; this is the minimum financia l commitment for a basic program.
INCREASING APPRE C IATION
People are realizing more and more that trees make cities more livable that life isjust better in cities filled with trees. Homes are nestled in green, shady neighborhoods. Commuting through tree-lined streets to work starts the day with a good feeling. Office workers take lunch breaks in parks and plazas filled with trees -

some even skip lunch to jog abn g tree shrouded lanes.
Weekend recreation can be enjoyed in the same natural atmosphere, and a solitary walk along a timbered cre ek or river can reveal a thriving and often unsuspected population of wildl ife ranging from songbirds to surprising influx of suburban deer that seem to enjoy proximity with urban dwellers.
In addition to the more aesthetic qualities- an urban cover of trees conserve the soil, purify the water, and clean the air.
SPECIAL CARE
Urban forests require even more intensive care than wildland forests. Trees in an urban setting must be protected from pollution, poor soil, extreme heat, root restriction, road salt, and vandalism. In essence, a good community urban forestry program responds to the need of land stewardship.
Establishing a good urban forestry for small towns and cities is actually a collaborative effort involving individual residents as well as organizations and tree experts. What it boils down to is each mayor, each city council member, each tree board member, each city forester, each civic leader, and each citizen assume responsibility for success.
W hile state urban foresters plan, city foresters both plan and tum those plans into reality. This leadership of tree-care professionals can be a decisive aspect of an urban forestry program .
Tree care professionals can help with numerous facets of urban fore stry management including: tree inventory, writing a tree ordinance, selecting species for planting, pruning procedures, and control of insects and diseases.
Anyone can become better informed on how to care for trees - regardless of whether the trees are in your city or your backyard - by staying current on the latest forestry news and innovations.
For further information on this organization and specific details on Georgia's urban forestry activities co ntact: Sharon Dolliver, Urban Forestry Coordinator, Georgia ForestJy Commission 912-751-3527.

STACEY TOMLINSON, a graduate of Clinch High School, was the recipient of the 1992 F&W Young Forester Award presented at the annual state 4-H Cnneress in Atlanta. The award, wr1tu1 mc1udes a $750 scholarship, is presented each year by F&W Forestry Services, Inc. Stacey plans to attend Yale Un iversity on a four-year academic scholarship ................ JON P. CAULFIELD,who has a master of science degree in forest economics from North Carolina State University and a batchelor's degree in forest management from New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry,

NEWBY, JR., of the Dade County Unit retired in November after 33 years of service with the Commission. More than 100 GFC employees, relatives and other friend s attended a dinner in his honor. The retired ranger is a native of Dade County and a graduate of the local high school. Newby and his wife Kathleen are active in Trenton Church of Christ, where he serves as secretary...TOMMY HAWKINS, a native of Floyd County, was named chief ran ger of the Dade County Unit to succeed the retired ranger, Andy Newby, Jr. Hawkins is a graduate of Armuchee High School and served three years in the Army. He came with the Commission in 1986. The new ran ger and his wife Debbie Renett have two young sons, Nicholas and Trevor. The family attends the Baptist Church ...

has joined Wachovia Trust Services as forest analysis of investment strategies and opportunities. Th e bank currently manages more than 250,000 acres of timberland for its clients ... MARVIN PRATER, a native of Westmin ster, S.C, was recently name forester and chief ranger of th e Johnson County Forestry Unit to succeed GARY WHITE, who was transferred to the Franklin-Hart County Unit. Prater, who earned a degee in fo restry at Clemson University, served almost six months in the Navy Seebees on active duty in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War and is now in the Naval Reserve. The forester and his wife Rhonda now make their home in Wrightsville where they attend the
Baptist Church...Chief Ranger ANDY

29TH ANNUAL EDmON OF MANUAL PRINTED
The 1993 edition of Forest Farmer Manual will be available in February, according to the Forest Farmer Association , publisher of the popular handbook.
Publi shed every other year, the manual is now in its 29th printing. Association officials said it represents the collective efforts of authorities on private property ri ghts, forest management, environmental laws and regulations, forest insects and diseases, government and private cost-share programs and many other areas of interest to those who seek to maximize their forestry investment.
Over the years timberland owners throughout the region have found the manual to be an invaluable addition to their professional library; It is standard readin g in the reference section of any of the South's schools and municipal libraries. Forest Farmers Association, founded in 1941 , is a Southern regional association of timberland owners who own or manage some 40

million acres of land in 16 southern states.
The 1993 edition of Forest Farmer Manual is available to non-members for $20, plus $3 for postage and handling. Members receive the manual as one of their membership benefits. Contact Forest Farmers Association, Box 95385, Atlanta, Georgia 30347; telephone 404/325-2954;FAX 404/ 325-2955 .
PROGRAM TO BENmT LUMBER INSPECTORS
The National Hardwood Lumber Association has released a co mputer program designed as atutorial for training lumber inspectors.
The program, called HALT (Hardwood Lumber Training), is a self-taught training exercise for students, beginning lumber salesmen, beginning lumber inspectors, salesmen and office personnel. The software runs on any IBM PC or compatible computer with MS DOS operating system . The board data files were developed by measuring and cataloging the type, size, and location of various defects on actual hardwood lumber, which were then recreated as data that the program interprets and explains.
Additional information can be obtained by contacting Anne Rowland at NHLA, 1-800-933-031 8.

IT'S NEXT YEAR!
Old 1992 slipped by in a hurry. It was a year in which many Georgians planted profitable forest trees on vacant lands, but it also was a year in which many others had those good intentions but never got around to it. If you don't plant for your own benefit, consider planting as an investment for those who come after you. Many of today's children are tomorrow's landowners and wise parents and grandparents often help guarantee the financial future of children by planting seedlings on land they will eventually inherit.

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