Georgia forestry, Vol. 47, no. 3 (Fall 1994)

Georgia
Forestry
USPS No. 217120
Fall, 1994 No. 3 Vol.47
STAFF Howard E. Bennett, Editor William S . Edwards, Assoc. Editor Jackie Bleemel, Graphic Artist Bob Lazenby, Technical Advisor
Zell Miller, Governor John W. Mixon, Director
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Jim Gillis, Jr., Chairman, Soperton
Felton Denney, Carrollton J. G Fendig, Savannah Dr. Gloria Shatto, Rome
Robert Simpson, III, Lakeland
DISTRICT OFRCES District One
3086 Martha Berry Hwy., NE/Rome, GA 30165
District Two 3005 Atlanta Hwy./GainesviUe, GA 30507
District Three 1055 E. Whitehal Rd./Athens, GA 30605
District Four 187 Corinth Rd./Newnan, GA 30263
District Rve 119 Hwy. 49/MiUedgeville, GA 31061
District Six 1465 Tignall Rd.,/Washington, GA 30673
District Seven 243 U. S. Hwy. 19 N/Americus, GA 31709
District Eight Route 3, Box 17mfton, GA 31794
District Nine P 0 . Box 345/Camilla, GA 31730
District Ten Route 2, Box 28/Statesboro, GA 30458
District Eleven Route 1, Box 67/Helena, GA 31037
District Twelve 5003 Jacksonville HwyJWaycross, GA 31503
Urban Project 6835 Memorial Drive Stone Mountain, GA 30083
Georgia Forestry is published quarterly by the Georgia Forestry Commission, Route 1, Box 181 , Dry Branch, GA 31020. Second class postage paid at Macon, GA POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Georgia Forestry Commission, Route 1, Box 181, Dry Branch, GA31020.
2/Georgia ForestryFall, 1994

s District Forester Geoff Rockwell examines the trunk of Tifton landmark Magnona
which has been defaced by vandals.
ANOTHER TREE IN TROUBLE
Another historic Georgia tree is being threatened. This time, its a magnificent magnolia with a crown spread of more than 88 feet that has existed for at least 500 years at a site that is now part of an industrial park on the outskirts of Tifton. Other endangered trees featured in this magazine included an ancient red oak that stands in the way of a highway-widening project in Richmond County and a landmark live oak in the path of planned road construction in Albany. The "Save the Magnolia Tree Committee" in Tifton, however, has no problem with the Department of Transportation; its protest is against vandals who have carved on some of the tree's several main trunks and defaced it with spray paint. The committee bent on saving the huge tree was formed in 1991, after Dr. Kim Coder, a forester with the University of Georgia Extension Service, recommended steps that should be taken to slow the decline and improve the general health of the magnolia. The necessary $2,500 to fund the project was not raised and the tree has continued to be abused. District Forester Geoff Rockwell of the Commission's Griffin Office, said maintenance of the tree is difficult because of its remoteness. "It's in a bad location," he said. "If it was within the city it could be properly protected." Rockwell and others interested in salvaging the tree, said to be one of the largest magnolias in the state, are not giving up. They hope the committee can renew its fund raising efforts and they are seeking a federally-funded urban forestry grant. The tree site is expected to be less isolated and less of a target of vandals as new industries continue to build in the area, but the immediate goal is to take steps to keep it alive until it can be better protected.
ON THE COVER - An aerial view of the Ocmulgee River on a rampage through Central Georgia. The Ocmulgee and Rint Rivers teamed up to give Georgia the greatest flood in its recorded history.
Photo by BiUy Godfrey. (See flood story, photos on pages 8-12).

The Commission has launched a statewide urban tree planting program to welcome the 1996 Summer Olympic Games to Atlanta with the goal of planting 25 ,000 trees on Olympic corridors and major event sites.
Commission Director John Mixon said th is is the largest urban forestry tree planting program ever initiated in the state's 27 years of an officially adopted urban forestry program .
Georgia Governor Zell Miller, and the Georgia General Assembly, with the support of Representative Terry Coleman, appropriated $100,000 to the Commission for a matching grant to purchase trees for Georgia towns and cities. A community that applies for the funds must provide a minimum 50-50

match for trees - then plant and maintain the trees for at least three years.
Although urban Olympic tree planting will focus on Atlanta, other sections of the state will also benefit from the program. To implement the massive and detailed statewide program, the Commission formed Georgia Trees Coalition (GTC) in 1991. Coalition membership is composed of partners throughout Georgia representing citizens tree groups, businesses, local institutions, and representatives of local, state and federal government. The Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) is also be a member.
Sharon Dolliver, Commission Urban Forestry Coordinator for Georgia, said, "Although GTC members have different

priorities, partners have unified to make the best possible impression for Georgia and the United States. The Coalition is now one strong and unified entity dedicated to that purpose."
Dolliver added that even though Georgia was one of the first states in the nation to implement an urban forestry program, nothing has ever compared with this monumental tree planting in scope or detailed planning efforts. "There's a universal aura of enthusiasm and cooperation within the program,"
Tree lined street scene below is typical ofview planners hope world visitors will find in Atlanta and other Georgia cities..

Georgia Foresby/Fa/1, 1994!3

she said. "Every Coalition member knows that the accomplishments of this program will create a positive influence for visitors from all over the world. And many of our foreign visitors will carry this one-time image with them for a lifetime."
Coalition members know the aesthetic value of well-planned tree planting will greatly influence this first impression of Georgia and the U. S. "The whole world will be watching," Dolliver said, "and representatives from much of the world will be watching from Atlanta."

STATEWIDE PLANTING

Although the Olympics will be concentrated in Atlanta, other Georgia cities and towns will be Olympic training sites during Spring and summer of 1996. Macon will be the training site for Russian athletes, while LaGrange is scheduled to host participants from Nigeria, Athens, Columbus and Moultrie are potential sites .
Other Georgia areas are preparing for the international attention because of recreational, cultural and historic significance. Savannah is typical of such areas.
Initial Coalition enthusiasm was diluted to a degree when the magnitude of the tree planting was realized. But partnerships soon began to evolve and the project progressed on schedule.
Trees Atlanta, a nonprofit volunteer group, devised a method to inventory every potential tree space in downtown Atlanta. The analysis included sidewalk details, utility line locations, awning obstructions, etc.
Following the inventory, a team of volunteer city planners, contractors and landscape architects was formed. The team volunteered time every Tuesday and Thursday; the result is a green strip painted on every location designated for tree planting.
COMPUTER TREES
The Trees Atlanta computerized inventory included every city block and street - providing at the touch of a button the number of trees that needed to be planted, varying calipers, species, and whether the trees would be planted in
4/ Georgja Forestry/Fall, 1994

Trees plantednow wjjl blend jn wjfh large, estabHshed trees jn Atlanta and other Georgja daes to provjde a more pleasjng linage by the ame the 0/ympk Games are held jn the summer of1996

planters or sidewalk soil. This high tech mapping is expected to be used frequently in future urban forestry activities.
When former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson examined the mapping technique, he appointed Trees Atlanta as coordinator for all volunteer planting within the "Olympic Ring" - defined as a 2.3 mile area where most Atlanta Olympic venues are located. "I'm excited about all these activities ," Mayor Jackson said . "It's gratifying to see all these partnerships coming together to beautify our city and state for the '96 Games ."
Mayor Jackson's views are being shared by citizens and organizations throughout Georgia. As activity intensifies , the Coalition is developing tree planting sponsorship programs for businesses , corporations , and individuals; Georgia Power and Georgia Pacific contributed $10,000 to this effort.

Other tree planting funds resulted from contacting congressmen, meeting with the Woodruff Foundation, and seeking corporate donations. A $500,000 U. S. Forest Service Grant was obtained for planting trees within the Olympic Ring.
GRANT WAS VITAL
This $500,000 grant was vital to the Coalition and appreciated by a ll concerned - but there were conditions; the money could not be used fo r overhead or maintenance. Furthermore, none of the half million dollars could be spent on anything unless there was a matching grant. In the spirit of partnership and national pride that has characterized this entire tree planting program , the Woodruff Foundation matched the funds .
Another source of funding came when the Small Business Administration Tree Planting Program provided a $12 ,250 grant to plant along a highprofile

Olympic corridor in Atlanta ; 26 Darlington Oak Trees were planted along Atlanta's Ponce DeLeon Avenue . Matching funds were provided by the organization of Park Pride. The matching funds totaled more than $16,000, bringing the total project value to over $28,000. In other sections of Georgia, the Small Business Administration (SBA) provided grants for planting more than 1,000 large trees.
SAVANNAH PREPARES
While Atlanta increased tree planting, Savannah was busy with similar activities. Located five hours southeast of Atlanta, this historic seaside city had been selected for Olympic yachting competition . Nonprofit groups matched funding and A Phase One Plan was developed to inventory art resources, heritage sites and transportation corridors . Phase Two followed and Savannah was awarded more than $3 million in ISTEA funds (Intermodel Surface Transportational Efficiency Act of 1991 ). Savannah must provide matching funds of 20 percent and pay improvement design costs.
ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE
Even the most negative of situations seem to have reversed themselves through the cooperative partnerships of the Coalition . One such negative potential was the scheduled destruction of 300 trees to be bulldozed from the site of the Olympic Equestrian Center in Rockdale County. But to Coalition enthusiasts, this seemed a flagrant violation of what they were working to a ccomplish .
A decision was made quickly among Coalition partners. The equestrian facility would be established on the site, but all 300 trees would be saved. A Commission urban forester with many years of experience was appointed to transfer the trees to other sites . Ken Bailey, District (3) Forester, identified the numerous species and located appropriate sites for replanting them. Many of the trees were more than 20 feet tall and required extreme skill and care in moving. Bailey, however,

MASSIVE TREE PLANTING
PROJECT AIMED AT GIVING OLYMPIC VISITORS A
PLEASING VIEW OF GEORGIA.
completed the job without losing a single tree .
Species that were replanted at a lternate sites included river bi rch , sumac, wateroak, and sassafras. Most of the trees were replanted on Rockdale County School System locations. The larger trees were removed by tree spades p rov ided by the Comm ission and Georgia Department of Transportation - another example of successful Coalition partnerships.

No a ccount of Georgia 's h istoric Olympic tree planting would be complete witho ut recognition of Tim Warnick's 440-mile run through Georgia to spread his contagious interest in trees.
Sponsored by the Coalition, Warnick made statewide appearances to school children , teachers, mayors, tree board members, county commissioners, and media representatives. Warnick's treeinspired odyssey started years ago when his interests in nature helped him discard a fast-lane lifestyle . Today, he is a prominent spokesman for forestry and the environment. The Coalition feels fortunate that Warnick's Georgia run coincided with the statewide tree planting campaign.
Coalition members believe Warnick made a significant contribution to Olympic tree planting goals. In addition to the goal of 25,000 trees planted on Olympic corridors and venues, Coalition partners have also been involved in planting more than 80,000 trees and seedlings in other Atlanta locations and cities throughout the state.
As tree planting continues, the multicultured international city of Atlanta awaits hundreds of thousands of guests to pour into the city from all over the world. Already well known as "The City In A Forest," Atlanta will graciously offer a multitude of international visitors the urban personality of a state that has planted more trees in rural areas during


Some of the Olympic games will be held in Sa vannah and the historic coastal city is enhancing its natural beauty by adding more trees in parks and along avenues.

Georgia Forestry/Fall, 1994/5

1he last decade 1han any state in 1he nation or any nation in 1he world.
Commission Director John Mixon summed up the situation saying, "It is the hope of all !hose involved in Georgia Olympic tree planting campaign 1hat the effort will reflect 1he need to cultivate a better world - a greener world."
COAL1110N MEMBERS
Currently increasing GlC membership includes the following partners: American Society of Landscape Architects; Association of County Commissioners of Georgia; Atlanta Botanical Garden;Atlanta Committee for 1he Olympic Games; Atlanta Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs; The Atlanta Project; Augusta Trees & Park Department; The Buckhead Coalition; The Carter Center; Decatur Downtown Development Authority; Fannin County Tree League; Fernbank Museum of Natural History; Folly Lake Farms Nursery; Fulton County Department of Public Works & Grounds; Fulton County Soil & Water Conservation; Rockdale County Soil & Water Conservation; Georgia Agribusiness Council; The Georgia Conservancy; Georgia Institute of Technology; Georgia-Pacific Corporation; Georgia Power Company; Georgia State University; Georgia Urban Forest Council; The Home Depot, Inc. ; Keep MaconBibb Beautiful; Macon Cherry Blossom Festival ; MARTA; Metro Atlanta Landscape and Turf Association; Morris Brown College; Fernbank Museum of Natural History; Georgia Department of Community Affairs; Georgia Department of Corrections; Georgia Department of Pardons & Paroles; Georgia Department of Transportation; Georgia Forestry Commission; Georgia Environmental Organization (GEO);Georgia Green Industry Association; Moultrie-Colquitt County Chamber of Commerce; North Georgia Regional Development Authority; Paradise Park Conservancy of Thomasville; Rockdale County Soil & Water Conservation; Park Pride Atlanta; Plant-It-2000; Savannah Park & Tree Development; Southern Nurserymen's Association; Stone Mountain Authority; 316 Alliance; Tifton-Tift County Clean Community Commission;Trees Atlanta, and USDA Forest Service.

FIGHTING THE

WESTERN FIRES

The Commission expects more than

175 firefighters will have been involved

in the great Western fires before the

destructive flames are finally contained,

according to David Nicholson, GFC

coordinator for the Western crews.

Commission personnel

all

volunteers on annual leave from their

state employment - are dispatched to

the western states in 19-member

crews.

Terry Russell , a member of the

Commission's first team to respond to

the big Western fires in July, has

volunteered for the duty in four previous

seasons. He contends, however, that it

is "never routine out there."

DANGER LURKING

Russell pointed out that danger is always lurking and a couple of times "fire started crowning from vertical fuel" and our crew had to be pulled back from the inferno until conditions improved.
Although the firefighters enjoyed 50degree weather as they spent their nights in sleeping bags , they endured temperatures up to 95 degrees during their 15-hour work day on the fire scene.

"It was not only hot out there, it was extremely dry," Russell said. "Except for a few green patches where they had irrigated, all the grass was brown."
The Twiggs County ranger said he and his fellow Georgians enjoyed working with Indian crews in Montana. "We ate with them at the base camp and enjoyed their company and when we ran a water hose to them - saving them a three-mile trip to get water - they were so grateful they said they would name futu re children after us and even call one 'Georgia Forestry Commission'."
Although he had some unforgettable experiences, Russell said he was anxious to get back home to his wife, Teresa, and their children, Dawn and Cliff, in Dry Branch .
Steve Miller, foreman of the automotive shop at Macon GFC headquarters and former patrolman in the Bibb County Unit, made his sixth annual trip to the fires and said "it is still challenging and rewarding. A chance to climb mountains, see scenery and visit places I would not otherwise have an opportunity to visit."
TOUGH JOB

The foreman admits, however, that

WASHINGTON~ ) MONTANA

it's not a leisure vacation. "It's a tough job that can take your life quickly," he said , "and you have to b e

constantly alert. Safety Rrst were the

7 OREGON

IDAHO

t-- r- I l

first words we heard over and over

WYOMING

from the incident commander

L.------ before we left the base camp every morning."

\ Miller said he enjoyed the church

NEVADA

UTAH

COLORADO services held at the base camp, the food at lunch and supper, but grew

CALIFORNIA

~t - - - - - + -

a little tired of the "same old" bag lunch they had each day while fighting fire on the mountainside .

{ ARIZONA NEW MEXICO

6/Georgia Forestry/Fall,1994

Ranger Jack Wagner of the Bibb County Unit is believed to have answered the call to assist in the great fires more times than has any other person presently employed by the Commission. He started out on the first call in the early seventies and has not missed a trip since. He even made three trips during one season.
Wagner has been in some dangerous spots in the six states in which he fought fires, but he said safety first are the key words for survival.
Ranger William Wells of the Murray County Unit was crew boss of the Commission's first wave of firefighters to fly west this year and he said "our people worked well out there." He said safety is being stressed more than ever this year and GFC personnel were "well aware of the need to put safety first in such a dangerous environment."
WORKED WITH INDIANS
Wells said the Commission crew worked on fires in Plains and Hamilton, Montana and Pueblo Indians were also on the scene. "They were super workers and we had some interesting conversations with them, although we had some language differences and communications were a little strained at times ."
The crew boss said the language of his own personnel also presented some fascination for many of the firefighters from Connecticut, Minnesota, Wisconsin and several other states. "They wanted to hear our Southern accent," he said.
Randy Scarboro of Swainsboro came with the Commission ten months ago and when word reached the Emanual County Unit that volunteers were needed to help battle the big Western fires , the ranger wasted no time in signing up for a new adventure. "I had never been in that part of the country," he said, "and it turned out to be a great experience."
Scarboro said the firefighters "got up at 4:30 each morning at the base camp and after breakfast we headed out for a 15-hour day on the mountain, working with shovels and pulaskis." He said he was surprised he didn't encounter any snakes in the rocky terrain
The ranger said, "it was so dry out there that the brown grass looked like frost had hit the land and even the trees

C ommission firefighters who volunteered for the hazardous duty of fighting Western forest fires were fortunate in suffering no casualties. However, the deaths of 14 other firefighters on Oregon's Storm King mountain emphasized the constant danger of fighting massive wildfires - and the little known relation of Native American symbolism to the tragic event.
For many Native American tribes, the eagle is a revered messenger. The day after a firestorm engulfed Storm King Mountain, three eagles appeared over the charred mountain, circling directly over the slope where 14 firefighters died. Sunday memorial services were held for the firefighters in a Glenwood Springs park. While community residents and 700 firefighters stood in a group singing Amazing Grace, three eagles were seen again, circling above the mourners. The majestic birds floated silently overhead throughout the service . "The eagles will take the message to above of the prayers said today," said Kenny Frost, Ute tribal liaison. In yet another symbolic appearance, the
three eagles circled a small airfield used by the Mount Hood National Forest as a DC-3 landed to deliver the remains of 27-year-old firefighter Scott Blecha to his family. The eagles seemed to repeat the same gentle, circular ritual that was seen over Storm King Mountain and Glenwood Springs.
Native American Utes consider the eagle to be a messenger that gathers prayers and takes them to the Creator. The Indians regard eagle appearances in connection with the deaths of 14 firefighters to be an honorary gesture of nature signifying the bravery and selflessness of those who lost their lives.

were turning brown from the dry

weather" and he told of lightning

setting fire to the dry vegetation .

"Some nights , lightning would set 20

to 30 fires and at one time it got so

bad they pulled us off the hill. "

The young ranger said he was a

little apprehensive about making the

tour as his wife , Lisa , is expecting

their first child in October. He was

assured during frequent phone calls

from Montana, however, that

everything was going smoothly back

in Swainsboro.

Hunting elk in the high country of

Colorado and attending auto races in

Riverside, California are diversions

thoroughly enjoyed by Ranger

Carolyn

Reagan of the Dawson

County Unit, but her most frequent

trips westward concern forest

wildfires . Her trip this year marked

her fourth time to join in the annual

battles.

The ranger said the hours were

long, the work was hard and the weather was hot, but she was glad to be a part of the 25,000 that were battling the blazes that were running wild in several states. She told of an incredible view from atop the 7,000-foot Henry Peak near Plains, Montana. "We could see for 40 miles," she said, "and we spotted a lot of fires caused by lightning and the danger from lightning even pulled us back a couple of times."
Ranger Lance Graham of the Cherokee County Unit passed the physical, met other qualifications and looked forward to going west for firefighting four years ago, but he said "something always came up when it was time to go. I was on annual leave or something."
He made it this year. He said he cancelled a planned vacation and caught the flight out of Knoxville. Now Graham is back home with memories of the experience - an experience.

Georgia Forestry/Fall, 1994/7

Employees of the G~rgia Forestry Commission have battled some mammoth forest wildfires, cleared miles of timber in the aftermath of tornadoes and worked to help victims of devastating hurricanes, but Georgia's Great Flood of 1994 presented new challenges.
Foresters, rangers and other Commission employees were quick to join in the massive relief effort as the rampaging Ocmulgee and Flint Rivers and dozens of creeks destroyed homes, businesses and bridges, leaving 32 persons dead and hundreds homeless, from the mid-state to the Florida line.
"Our people moved in during the early hours of the disaster," said Wesley Wells, chief of the Commission's Forest Protection Department and coordinator of the GFC's response . "They knew what to do and they did it very effectively." Their assistance ranged from rescuing families from rapidly rising waters and providing fresh water to the public to transporting food and repairing washed out roads. In some areas they had the grim task of pumping water from cemeteries so caskets that floated up from graves could be reburied.
COMMAND CENTER
While flood waters in Macon were reaching incredible heights - even covering Interstate Highways 75 and 16

/
FULL RESOURCES
OF COMMISSION
MADE AVAILABLE DURING STATE 1S
MAJOR DISASTER.
in places - a Forestry Incident Command Center was set up at local shopping center and Commission personnel went to work in force under the direction of Chief Ranger Glenn Williams of the Jasper-Jones County Forestry Unit, who was named Incident Commander for the area.
Macon's municipal water system was flooded out and the Commission helped transport and distribute drinking water and water for sanitary purposes for 20 days to more than 130,000 residents. Personnel handed out bottled water at points around the city and dispatched water tankers to hospitals and nursing homes in cooperation with volunteer firemen of the Rural Fire Defense program - a program administered statewide by the Commission . The effort in the Macon area involved more than 8,400,000 gallons of water, or an average

/ daily delivery of 420,000 gallons. Some water was drafted from area ponds by RFD trucks , while another source was purification units set up by the U. S . Army on the bank of the Ocmulgee River. Bottled water was trucked in from points as far away as Pennsylvania and Arkansas. The Commission and other agencies and organizations operated under the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) and Staff Forester Alan Dozier represented the Commission at GEMA headquarters in Atlanta during the disaster.
WELL PREPARED
"Fortunately, we had the well-trained manpower, the equipment, the advanced communications network and other assets to carry out a wide range of emergency services to help our distressed fellow Georgians," said Commission Director John Mixon, "and I commend all our people for a superior performance under very hazardous and difficu lt circumstances."
Shortly after the flooding began and Macon's water plant was shut down, Governor Zell Miller called the National Guard to active duty. Bob Lazenby, chief of the Commission's Information and Education Department, and also a lieutenant colonel in the Georg ia National Guard , was named commander

8/Georgia Forestry/Fall, 1994

Hundreds of Commission employees worked for three weeks in transporting and distributing water to residents ofMacon.

of water procurement and distribution and served as liaison officer for the City of Macon.
Several hundred troops, including those who helped distribute bottled tank water, as well as water purification specialists from the U. S. Army's 559th Quartermaster Battalion, were under his command.
Although his time was devoted to his military mission during the three weeks of duty, Colonel Lazenby said he did have time to observe the many forest rangers and other Commission personnel working in flood relief "and I was never more proud of our people." He said the emergency" proved how effectively and smoothly our people can perform in time of a disaster."
"Our people put in an estimated 21 ,000 man hours throughout the flood zone," Wells said, "and our trucks traveled more than 113,000 miles during the flood emergency and recovery effort."
Rangers in several towns helped haul sheetrock, carpeting, furniture and other water-logged debris to landfills after it had been taken from flooded homes and piled along the streets.
MONTEZUMA

banks and the Flint River would be backed up against the levee, but he didn't expect the flood of the century to swamp his town!
He said the reality of what was happening came when he heard an early appeal on a sheriff's radio for help in evacuating families from rapidly rising water in a residential area. From that moment on, the ranger and his personnel worked almost around the clock to aid victims in a flood that covered the downtown section in eight to twelve feet of water and washed out numerous roads and bridges.
"Our first effo rt was to evacuate

families in the northern section of the county," Chief Range r Conner explained. "The water was rising fast and we used our trucks to haul as much of their household furnishings as possible to higher ground and, of course, to make sure all occupants were rescued from the homes." He said the belongings of some of the flood victims were stored in a building at the Commission's Flint River Nursery.
The forestry unit continued to work in the fast moving flood by helping merchants remove merchandise from their stores . To complicate matters, a major fire broke out in the midst of the disaster after water had knocked out the local fire department and the forestry unit aga in came to the rescue . Ranger Conner called in RFD units from surrounding counties and water was drafted from a nearby creek to battle the blaze at Southern Frozen Foods.
"We used the RFD Units all night," Conner said , "and after our Commission helicopter arrived, water drops were made for three hours before the fire was finally contained ."
As water from the rampaging Flint River inched toward the unit headquarters , all files and office equipment were moved up a slight elevation and into the shop and truck shed. When the river crested at a recordbreaking 35 feet, eight inches of water

Chief Ranger James Conner of the Macon County Unit thought it would never quit raining. When an overwhelming 15-inch deluge fell on Montezuma in 24 hours, he knew Horse and Beaver Creeks would be out of their

The office ofthe Macon County Forestry Unit, the only unit under water during the Rood, had to be completed renovated inside.

Georgia Forestry/Fall,1994/9

stood in the office. By that time, State Highway 26 in front of the unit was in eight feet of water and roads to the building were impassable. Personnel had earlier abandoned the headquarters and moved trucks to their homes, where they continued to receive calls and go out and help victims.
As the water receded, unit personnel used their crawler tractors to help restore washed out roads around the town and county. When this work was finished, they finally had time to go back and assess the damage to the unit office.
"I met with GEMA building inspectors and they told us what had to be done," said the ranger. "We had to rip out the paneling and remove all wall installation because of contamination by the filthy flood water. Floor covering and some floors had to be taken up and replaced and studs and other framing had to be washed with disinfectant."
Chief Ranger James Conner has been through some tough emergencies during his years with the Commission, but he said he has never experienced anything as hectic and demanding as were those four days in July that marked the "Great Flood of '94."
AMERICUS
A mericus didn't dominate the national headlines as did Macon, Albany and little Newton during the flood, but among the 32 persons who lost their lives, 15 lived and in and near the Sumter County city.
Chief Ranger Troy Key of the Sumter County Unit, who helped the Americus Fire Department search for bodies along the swollen Town and Muckalee Creeks, said several people were drowned when they attempted to drive through what they believed to be shallow water, when actually roadways and bridges has been washed out, resulting in gorges from 15 to 25 feet deep.
The ranger said roads in the county were washed out or under water in more than 30 locations. "I was hemmed in and couldn't leave home during the first day of the flood and my rangers were in the same situation, he said." After that first day of frustration , however, water had receded to a point where they could join

Chief Ranger Troy Key of the Sumter County Unit, who helped search for bodies, stands before an Americus home wrecked by waters from a swollen creek.

other agencies in the emergency. Key said one of his duties was to direct traffic away from a huge 30,000-gallon bulk fuel storage tank that had been ruptured. "A backfire from a car could have set off a major fire ," he explained.
The ranger said, "We had 23 inches of rain in 24 hours, after we already had enough rain during the July 4 holiday weekend to saturate the ground. When dams on several ponds and lakes broke, they caused our two creeks to overflow." Although 35 homes were destroyed or damaged, he said he has not found any damage to timber in the county as a result of the high water.
At one point Ranger Key feared he was going to have to deliver a baby. "We got an emergency call that a woman was in labor," he said. "We finally got a boat up to her house and had an ambulance standing by on the other side of the water, but she suddenly decided she didn't want to have a baby during the flood and could hold off."
ALBANY
W hen water began rising on three sides of the Dougherty County Forestry Unit, Chief Ranger Warren (Frosty) Kavanaugh and his personnel were forced to turn their office into a "makeshift barracks."
They set up cots for sleeping and prepared their own meals in the unit kitchen when they were not out working

in shifts in around-the-clock flood relief duty.
The ranger, who was designated incident commander for the Commission in the Albany area, called on personnel in other units to join his people a nd together they worked long hours, day after day, wherever they were needed. One of the first efforts was helping build sandbag dams around Palmyra Hospital and later aiding the National Guard in making a sandbag landing pad for helicopters.
CASKETS FLOAT
When hundreds of caskets floated out of cemeteries in the area and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called on to retrieve and identify the bodies for burial, the forest rangers began a water pumping operation to clear the cemeteries and surrounding pools of stagnant, contaminated water where it was believed other bodies might be found.
'We pumped water around the clock during almost all of July and into early August," said Kavanaugh, "and the water in some areas adjacent to the cemeteries was 20 feet deep." As the water level lowered, unit crawler tractors were brought in to build "shelves" on the slopes so pumps could be moved closer to the water for more efficient vertical pumping.
Ranger Phil Hammond, in charge of the pumping operation, and those working with him were required to wear masks, gloves and boots. All Commission

10/Georgia ForestryFall,12994

pmnnnel irMJivaj in lkxxi relief work in the area were given tetanus sho1s.
Incident Commander Kavanaugh said he d.idn'tfullygrasptheextentofthewidespread and destructive flood until he took to the air and viewed the neighborhoods,farms,forests and major highways that were under water.
Ranger Diane Johnson was the only person in the local forestry unitto experience flooding in the home. "A neighbor woke me about four o'clock in the morning and said water was rising in a big ditch near my apartment,"she said, "and we began to help some people evacuate and before long my own apartment began to flood ." Water eventually rose to six feet in her apartment, but ''that didn't stop her from reporting to work at the unit that morning and staying on the job for the duration ofthe emergency," according to Kavanaugh.
NEWTON

W hen the little town of Newton was almost swept away by the rampaging Flint River, the Baker-Mitchell County Forestry Unit lost no time in swinging into action. Camilla District Forester Greg Findley named Ranger Coy Biard Incident Commander for the region and said, "I soon learned that I had made a wise choice. Coy did a great job, he worked tirelessly and almost around the clock until he knew that he and others had done all that was needed during the emergency."
One of the problems that kept Biard and his crew on the scene for many days after the water had receded was the contaminated water left in several lowlying places. The men worked day and night pumping the water back into the river through large fire hoses. Residents who lived adjacent to the large basins of standing water were not able to return to their homes until the pumping was finished.
FOOD SUPPLY
Three refrigerated trailers supplied by the Commission were set up in the town and personnel transported food and ice from Bainbridge and other areas to keep them well supplied for benefit of the many flood victims. For a time, two water

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Top to bottom: Camilla DistrictForester Greg Rndley confers with National Guardsmen as they work together to aid Rood victims in Newton . Ranger Tony Gentry of the Early County Unit pumps water in Newton. Hint River leaves large sand deposits along its banks in Sumter County.
Georgia Forestry/Fall,1994/11

buffaloes (military tank trailers) were pulled from house to house to provide potable water.
Personnel of the Baker-Mitchell Unit and assisting forestry units from other counties also transported chlorine bleach from Atlanta, did emergency ~lectrical and plumbing work and operated heavy equipment to help drain flooded streets.

BAINBRIDGE
T he Decatur Forestry Un it at Bainbridge was prepared for the worst. It was predicted the raging Rint River would crest at a record high; muddy water three feet deep would invade the unit office at 1611 Dothan Street. Personnel hastily evacuated the unit and set up operations at the Decatur County Fire and Rescue Station.
Fortunately, the dire prediction never came true. The flood never came closer than a half-mile of the unit.
The flood was damaging to many, nevertheless, and Chief Ranger Ronnie Martin, Incident Commander for the Bainbridge area, and his person nel quickly went to the aid of residents who were in trouble.
Thanks to an early warning fro m upstream, local GFC employees and those from other units were able to help evacuate 200 families from low-lying areas. During the peak of the evacuation effort, about 50 GFC employees, some coming as far away as Dade County, were hauling household furnishings to higher ground.
Several Commission refrigerated trucks , as well as some borrowed vehicles, transported food , ice, medical supplies, cots and other items fro m Bainbridge Salvation Army and Red Cross storage areas to Newton, Albany, Americus and Montezuma.

Top to bottom: Chief Ranger James Conner of the Macon County Unit points out high the water rose on the highway fronting his office. Roads and bridges washed out caused 15 death in the Americus area.
12/Georgia Forestry/Fall, 1994

When the crucial period of the
great flood had finally ended, Chief Ranger Warren Kavanaugh of Albany said it best: "Many people in this town are ready for some sense of normality so we can all get our lives back." It was the sentiment of thousands of others from Macon to Bainbridge.

LIFE SIZE T-BEAR CARVING READY FOR TOUR OF DUTY

A life-size-one-of-a-kind sculpture of Smokey's sometimes alleged cousin, TBear, is resting quietly and awaiting further forestry related duties at the Commission's Lincolnton Unit near Augusta. T-Bear's repose follows numerous District 6 parades and special appearances.
For those unfamiliar with T-Bear, he is Smokey Bear illustrator Harry Rossell's latest creation to assist with changing needs of modern forestry. Rossoll christened his new character ''T-Bear" (for Tree Bear) after three years of transformations that evolved the new forest custodian into a pleasing character with the message emphasizing tree harvesting and wood products are completely compatible with good stewardship of the land.
T-Bear finally began gaining media recognition in 1993. Shortly after TBear's debut, retired Commission Patrolman Neal Hinegardner overheard members of his Harlem unit saying they wished that they could find a T-Bear likeness to use on the Thanksgiving Parade Aoat. The parade was only 13 days away.
Hinegardner, who retired from the Commission as a cabinetmaker and firefighter a year before, has dabbled in artistic pursuits for most of his 68 years. He won his first art prize in the fifth grade for drawing a display of miniature animals in his native Kansas. Several years ago, he carved a Statue of Liberty for the Commission, and a seven-foot wooden soldier for the Harlem unit's Christmas Parade float.
"So being retired , I volunteered my services even though there was a 13-day

deadline," Hinegardner said. With such a tight deadline, he knew there was not enough time to carve the likeness from wood, so he opted for Styrofoam.

Hinegardner finished the sculpture on schedule. Unless an observer is within a few feet of the sculpture, it is unlikely anyone would guess the painted likeness

Retired Commission Ranger Neil Hinegardner poses with his sculpture of T-Bear complete with dibble. T-Bear (for Tree Bear) is onlyknown life-size likeness ofcharacter created by illustrator Harry Rosso// to promote changing needs ofmodern forestry.

Georgia Forestry/Fall, 1994/13

is carved from Styrofoam. "I selected Styrofoam because it's light,
easy to work with, and requires only a knife and saw to get a finished likeness," Hinegardner said. "Anything else, like wood, takes a lot of time and a lot of tools. So I finished on time and nobody who has seen T-Bear seems to care what he's made of."
For practical reasons, of repair and refinishing, Hinegardner sculpted T-Bear in sections which are fastened together with metal rods that are not visible. The bear was painted with acrylic paint because oil-based paint or varnish would dissolve the Styrofoam.
NOT MICHELANGELO...BUT
"This was hardly a Michelangelo project of sculpting a block of stone to reflect life," Hinegardner said. "But I like to think there are similarities. Sculpting in general - anything out of anything - is generally considered the most difficult art form because you have to see it in your mind completely. There is no pattern because you can 't make a threedimensional pattern."
Hinegardner, who retired from the military after 22 years service before working with the Commission for 14 years, has had no formal art training but he can talk endlessly on art techniques, approaches, mediums etc. Since the first grade, Hinegardner said he has been drawing, painting, carving or sculpting in one form or another; but he never got around to getting any formal art training.
"I thought about going to art school a lot of times," he said, "but I just always seemed to be too busy."
However, just by his self-proclaimed "dabbling," Hinegardner apparently developed some impressive art skills. After he was discharged from the military following World War II, he was offered a job as a dress designer "But, at that time, my nerves were such that I just could not sit and draw," he said. "So, for better or worse, I moved almost completely away from art - except for compulsive dabbling."
Nevertheless, Hinegardner's dabbling, or piddling, or whatever he cares to call it, has always attracted requests for his

work. Requests have ranged from amusing children with cartoons to carving T-Bear. His old Commission colleagues at the Harlem unit are still trying to persuade him to carve a wooden buffalo head for the office wall.
"Like I told them," Hinegardner says, "maybe I'll get in the mood and do that one of these days. Or maybe, since I've got the time, I'll get in the mood to take some money that's been offered to me to do this or that art project."
Still not Michelangelo - but an artist must have inspiration. Hinegardner says the right price could really get him inspired .
FOREST FARMERS NAME NEWTON EXECUTIVE VP
Stephen M. Newton , who was legislative assistant for agriculture to Senator Paul Coverdell in Washington, has been named executive vice president of Forest Farmers Association to succeed B. Jack Warren, who recently retired.
Newton also served for nine years as commodity director with the American Farm Bureau Federation at the organization's national headquarters in Chicago. He coordinated and conducted seminars and meetings on marketing, regulation and legislative issues affecting forestry and other agricultural commodities.
The new executive vice president is a native of Georgia and holds two degrees from the University of Georgia and a masters of business administration in finance from DePaul University in Chicago.
During his career as executive vice president, Warren was instrumental in forming the Forest Farmers Association Education and Research Foundation. The foundation was organized to award scholarships to deserving forestry students and promote forestry research beneficial to private timberland owners.
Early in his tenure, Warren saw the need for a Washington-based representative to give quick response to national issues of concern to private timberland owners . In 1987, Randy Nuckolls, partner in the law firm of Kilpatrick & Cody, was hired and

remains as the association's spokesman in Washington.
Warren was instrumental in redesigning Forestfarmermagazine and manual for better readability and more useful information and has more than doubled advertising income.
The retired executive and his wife Nancy will continue to live in Atlanta.
COMMISSION RETIREES PLANS ANNUAL REUNION
The sixth annual Georgia Forestry Commission Retirees Reunion will be held Friday, September 23 at the Georgia Forestry Center, according to Curtis Barnes of Macon, chairman of the GFC Reunion Committee.
All employees who have retired from the Commission, their spouses and other family members, and spouses of deceased retirees, are encouraged to attend the annual event.
A guest speaker will be featured during a morning session and a business meeting will be held. A steak luncheon will be held at noon and a tour of the Georgia Forestry Museum and other facilities on the grounds will be available during the afternoon.
"The reunion begins at 11 :00 A M., but we are encouraging retirees and their families to come early and visit with old friends and former co-workers," said Barnes. "Last year, we had more than 100 attending and I believe we will have even better attendance this year."
The Georgia Forestry Commission is seeking a small sawmill to add to the collection of forestry-related machinery on display at the Georgia Forestry Museum. An old steam-driven mill would be ideal, but any small mill would be appreciated.
Please contact the Georgia Forestry Commission, P. 0 . Box 819, Macon, Georgia 31298 (Phone: 912/751-3530) if you can make such a contribution or have information on someone who might make the donation.

14/Georgia ForestryFall,1994

HISTORIC NATURE PRESERVE HANGS IN UNOFFICIAL LIMBO
FORESTED OASIS UNDISTURBED BY ATLANTA

BY BILL EDWARDS

A cluster of 11 historic trees are growing patiently in the Fairburn backyard of a retired Commission urban forester as they await transplanting in Fulton County's Cascade Springs Nature Preserve when a sevenyear-old maze of difficulties are resolved to officially establish the 135-acre forest preserve. Problems include zoning, legal and financial - all complicated by past internal wrangling of involved parties and attempts of developers to move in on the preserve located only six miles from the State Capitol in Atlanta.
Meanwhile, Louie Deaton, the retired (1989) Commission forester who has custody of the historic grove, continues to work with the project dedicated to establishing the unusual nature preserve. Since 1981, he has been on the Board of Trustees of the Outdoor Activity Center, an organization influential in establishing a master plan for the site that includes 115 upper Piedmont tree species.
In 1987, potential for establishment looked promising. Atlanta was selected as one of 32 locations across America to receive "Famous and Historic Tree Groves" with Cascade Springs Nature Preserve designated as the planting site. The American Forestry Association distributed historic grove seedlings to select communities for commemorative plantings on public land as part of the "Plant a Living Legacy to the United States Constitution" project on the

Bicentennial of the U. S. Constitution and Atlanta's 150th birthday celebration.
Since the Cascade Springs area was the origin of Fulton County, the historic grove was scheduled for planting there on Arbor Day (February 19), 1988. The "Plant a Living Legacy" project was dedicated in September of 1987 at the Georgia State Capitol as part of the Bicentennial Celebration of the U. S. Constitution. Later, in November 1993, the

Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation held a dedication ceremony for the Cascade Springs Nature Preserve.
However, the historic trees remain in the Fulton County backyard of Louie Deaton. "Delays and complications were expected," Deaton said . "The problem is that these trees are now seven years old. My main concern is that some may get so big that moving them could be a real

Forester Louie Deaton stands before the collection ofhistoric trees when they arrived seven years ago. Some trees, now 20 feet tall, pose a transplanting problem.

Georgia ForestryFall, 1994/15

(.---~~
~ -; - ~~
((: ._ --~~~
THE BOOK CORNER
1REE CONSERVATION ORDINANCES, by Christopher J. Duerksen, with Suzanne Richman. Scenic America, 21 Dupont
Circle, NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202-
833-4300) $24.00 plus $5.00 shipping.
One of the first (1993) and most comprehensive manuals on urban forestry tree ordinances. Serving as a how-to guide and explanatory study, the 107-page book includes five chapters: Tree Conservation The Next Emerging Environmental Issue, Legal Aspect of Tree Conservation, Crafting an Effective Tree Conservation Ordinance, and The Politics and Practice of Tree Conservation.
Mushrooming environmental concerns and related interest in urban forestry need such a guide that is not only informative, but enhanced by good photography and line drawings. Although the information does not pretend to make complicated topics simple, it does lead the reader on a well chartered course.
For instance, it points out " that drafting a good tree conservation ordinance is only half of the tree conservation game. Depending on the situation , it may take some political gymnastics to get the ordinance passed into law."
The text skips from one section of the country another, highlighting interesting developments and meticulous care that some urban forestry keepers are now applying to trees. In Austin, Texas, a provision calls for capital improvement projects to be reviewed by the city arborist; while Asheville, NC arborist Scott Knox, preaches no tree topping and no climbing with spikes unless the tree is to be removed.
The objective of this publication is to create community understanding and appreciation of trees that will result in effective ordinances . Protective ordinances should cultivate tree-filled communities for future generations.
As poet Robert Frost is quoted in the book: "The trees in the streets are old trees. Used to living with people. Family trees that remember your grandfather's name."
16/Georgia ForestryFall,1994

problem and they could be lost in the process."
Nevertheless, Deaton says he does not want to replant the trees within the preserve until guidelines have been developed that will ensure appropriate care on a continuing basis. Thus, the grove hangs in historical limbo.
All seedlings for the Atlanta historical grove (and the 31 other nationwide locations) were grown from seeds of trees connected with the birth, development and Founding Fathers of the United States. The following are trees selected for the Atlanta grove and their historical connection.
Southern Catalpa from trees lining Palace Green in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. Thomas Jefferson mentioned these trees in his plans for the Governor's Mansion .
London Plane from Bartram 's Garden, Pennsylvania. Shown in 1852 survey of gardens done by Thomas Meehan. John Bartram was a friend of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin.
White Plains Sycamomfrom registered historic tree in White Plains, New York headquarters of General Georgia Washington. Battles of White Plains were fought in 1776 and 1778.
The Tree (White Oak) That Owns Itself from a second generation in Athens, Georgia. In 1820, William H. Jackson willed land to the tree within eight feet on all sides. The tree died in 1942 and progeny was planted on the same spot.
Hackberry tree from Robert Carter House grounds on Palace Green in Williamsburg, Virginia. The tree is 150 years old and the largest hackberry in the state.
The Great Oak from white oak near Bassett Hall in Williamsburg, Virginia. Under this 300-year-old tree, Dr. W. A R. Goodwin and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. contemplated restoration of Williamsburg in 1926.
American HoUy from tree planted by United Daughters of Confederacy 60 years ago on grounds of Lauren County Historical Society and Museum in Dublin, Georgia. Planting was to commemorate soldiers who died in the Civil War.
Liberty Tree from willow oak planted

by Daughters of American Revolution in 1921. At Milledgeville, Georgia planting site. Soil samples from historical locations in 48 states were placed.
London Planefrom Uberty Island tree at base of the Statue of Uberty. Trees were planted in 1930s by Works Progress Administration (WPA) . These entry points to U. S. trees are often first seen by future Americans entering the country.
Ginkgo tree included simply because the species is a living fossil. This tree dates back 250 million years - before Jurassic Period and dinosaurs.
White Dogwood from 150th Atlanta celebration birthday tree. Planted in 1987 Atlanta Arbor Day Ceremony.
PRESERVE HISTORY
Deaton said the planting of these historic trees would serve as a "perfect enhancement to an already unique and historic nature preserve." He pointed out that Atlanta is the only city in the United States that has two natural forest preserves within its city limits. One is the 26-acre forest of the Outdoor Activity Center at Bush Mountain; the other is the 135 acres of Cascade Springs forest that supports an abundance of trees, plant and wildlife species indigenous to the area.
The Cascade Springs forest area has supported a succession of people that artifacts trace back to possibly 8 ,000 years ago when nomadic Indians of the Woodland Period hunted there during their migrational lifestyles.
Traces of more permanent settlements can be found in markings of Creek Indians during violent conflicts with Cherokees for control of the area. Minie balls and other remnants of the Civil War are still buried beneath the forest floor from the 1864 battle which saved a vital East Point railroad junction in Atlanta from Union forces and provided a temporary morale boost for the Confederacy.
But it is the old and diverse forest sheltering these historical treasures that hold the dominant fascination for Deaton. He never ceases to be amazed at how so many interwoven historical events, human habitations, progress of

LOOKING BACK

SPRING HOUSES & CASCADES 'PUMP HOUSE & POND QUARRY
' HANDICAP ACCESSIBlE TRAIL - 1150 UN. FEET
'NA1URAL TRAILS 1000 UN. FEET

civilization, and the international-city Atlanta expansion could have taken place and left the Cascade area relatively unmarred in its entirety. The concrete ribbon of 1-20 passes only three blocks away. Thousands of cars whiz by every day taking little notice of the woodland sanctuary once stained by the blood of 160 dead Union Army soldiers- but only 18 Confederate casualties in the Cascade Springs fighting of the historic Battle of Utoy Creek. Entrenched Confederates picked off Union invaders as they persisted in trying to advance uphill and secure the area for control of Atlanta.
Trees now cover the landscape where Civil War soldiers, American Indians, and white settlers once roamed. Numerous tree species include: Pine Family shortleaf and loblolly pine; Cedar Family - red cedar; Willow family - black willow; Walnut Family - bitternut and mockernut hickory; Birch Family- ironwood; Beech Family - beech, white oak, Northern red oak, black oak, Southern red oak, water oak; Elm Family - slippery elm, winged elm, hackberry; Mulberry Family - red mulberry; Magnolia Family - tulip poplar, bull bay magnolia, cucumber magnolia, bigleaf magnolia; Laurel Family sassafras; Witch hazel family - sweetgum; Rose Family - Southern Crabapple, hawthorn , black cherry; Pea Family mimosa, redbud; Holly Family -

American holly; Maple Family - box maple, red maple, chalk maple; Linden Family - basswood; Sourgum Family black gum; Dogwood Family - flowering dogwood, pagoda dogwood; Heath Family - sourwood; Ebony Family persimmon; Storax Family - silverbell; Olive Family - ash. (Some of the beeches are considered archaeological specimens.
DESTINED FOR PRESERVATION
Deaton believes the Cascade Springs forest is destined to be preserved. He said that since the turn of the century, the area has been basically preserved in one form or another.
After the Creeks and Cherokees left the area in 1835, a series of transitions occurred. Although there are numerous old trees in the area, sections of the forest are only 100 years old because forest areas were cleared for farming, houses, yards, gardens, fuel , and Civil War fortifications .
Between 1845 and 1906, Cascade ownership changed 17 times. In 1909, the land was purchased at public auction by John H. Zaring, Sr. for $5,100. The Zaring family owned the property for the next 70 years.
After purchase, Zaring began selling spring water. Confident that Indian

1858
To protect owners from persons stealing lumber, a crime that was "reaching sizable proportions," the Georgia General Assembly declared such thefts to be "indictable offenses."
1870
The Census this year reported that "carpentering, blacksmithing, building trades and flour milling contained the greatest number of establishments, with the lumber industry next in line."
1906
The beginning of what was later to become the George Peabody School of Forestry came into existence at the Unviersity of Georgia. It was made possible by a $2,000 gift by George Peabody to support a professorship of forestry on the Athens campus.
1947
The "Keep Georgia Green" program was launched in November by Governor M. E. Thompson. Union Bag in Savannah added a fifth paper machine during the year.
1948
Three pulp and paper mills began operation in the state. They included Georgia Kraft Company and Armstrong Cork Company, both in Macon, and Southern Paper Corporation, Savannah. Armstrong manufactures ceiling tile.
Georgia Forestry/FaD, 1994/17

stories concerning health-giving properties of the water were true, Zaring drank only water from Cascade Springs; he died in 1957 at the age of 90.
Zaring also built six large greenhouses that produced a variety of flowers and trees nourished by spring water. The Zaring family operated greenhouses until the early 1970s.
In 1975, developers acquired the Cascade Springs area. A local citizens organization, called the Cascade Forest Association, blocked the development effort by submitting a detailed report to the City of Atlanta. The report suggested that the City of Atlanta acquire ownership of the Cascade forest area and incorporate it into the city's official longrange plan of growth.
Among other things, the association report to the city recommended that in order to maintain the area's natural atmosphere "no more apartments should be constructed in the area and zoning of Cascade Springs should be downgraded to single-family residential. The report also recommended that the city purchase the Cascade property as a "natural park area ."
The report was well received by the city. During the next few years, city attorneys worked with Zaring's attorney, city representatives, and federal officials to acquire funds to purchase the Cascade tract. In 1979, the City of Atlanta purchased Cascade Springs to remain forever undeveloped.
Eventually, Cascade Springs was fenced in and a number of plans were studied to create a nature preserve. Deaton believes the current master plan, that he helped develop for the Outdoor Activity Center, will become a reality when the nature preserve is officially established. The plan includes $1 milfion visitors center, museum and nature study trails. Also a potential archaeological study - prompted by a quartz artifact already identified - could prove beyond reasonable doubt the existence of Paleo - Indian settlement at Cascade Springs more than 8,000 years ago.
Deaton emphasizes, however, that the archaeological study and other projects, will take place only after the preserve has been officially established .

TIMBER HARVESTER IS FINED $25,000 FOR VIOLATING ACTS

Several citizens who have property along a creek in Southeast Georgia were concerned when water in the stream became unusually muddy and upon investigation they found the cause: a timber harvesting operation in violation of water quality acts and noncompliance of other recommended silvicultural practices.
As a result of the violations, the timber buyer and logger were fined a total of $25,000 for violating the state's Water Quality Control Act and the mandated stream crossing requirements of the federal Clean Water Act. John Mixon, Director of the Georgia Forestry Commission said, "It sets a precedent that water quality laws pertaining to the harvest of timber and other silvicultural practices are being enforced."
CITIZEN COMPLAINTS
The Commission, which investigates complaints involving silvicultural activities for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD), received several citizen complaints of the muddy conditions in the stream and upon inspection found skidders were operating in the creeks and crossing the stream at unplanned, random crossings, causing excessive sediment in the streams and damage to the stream channels.
Frank Green, the Commission's Water Quality Coordinator, said letters of enforcement from the EPD and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA) were originally intendedfor the landowners of the property. However, the buyer and logger recommended that since he caused the problem, the landowners should not be involved. He was fined $10,000 by the Georgia EPD for turbidity violations and $15,000 by the U. S. EPA for violating the federally mandated stream crossing requirements.
COMPLIANCE URGED
Green said the Commission is urging all forest landowners , consultin g foresters , industry foresters, timber buyers, loggers, site preparation vendors, and others involved with silvicultural practices to become more familiar with the state and federal water quality requirements and to follow th e recommended Best Management Practices (BMPs) for forestry.
BMP booklets contain recommendations pertaining to streamside management zones along perennial and intermittent streams, logging road location and construction , stream crossings, timber harvesting, and other practices .
Green said BMPs will not only prevent possible fines and penalties, but will prevent serious damage to the nation's waters. He urged landowners and timber buyers to stop by any county or district Commission office for a BMP booklet and a Sample Timber Sales Agreement which contains the BMP requirements, or call 1-800-GA TREES for more information .

"Funding, grants, and additional land are coming in slowly but surely," Deaton said ." The search for funds is ongoing, but not a major obstacle. The main problem now is development of an acceptable contract between the outdoor Activity Center and the City of Atlanta (Department of Parks & Recreation) concerning jurisdiction and liability specifications. "

Despite seven years of difficulties, Deaton believes the Cascade problems will be resolved soon. "The bottom line is Cascade Springs Nature Preserve will be a legacy fo r posterity - and with Atlanta's growing status as an international city, th is unique forest and nature preserve will attract visitors from all over the world during the Olympics and afterwards.".

18/Georgia Forestry/FaD, 1994

Miss
Gum
Spirits
Am~ Sarab Gowen

Miss
Georgia
Forestr~
Am~ Eunice

A my Eunice, a student at Valdosta State College and a ormer Miss Georgia Peach, is the reigning Miss Georgia Forestry and is representing forestry at fairs, conventions and other events.
The new queen , the daughter of Cecil Eunice and Bonny Brown of Waycross, competed with 34 other young ladies from across the state who had won pageants in their home counties and entered the 54th annual Miss Georgia Forestry Pageant in Macon to vie for the state crown.
Amy was crowned by Denise Griffin of Fitzgerald, the retiring Miss Georgia Forestry. Her ambition is to graduate from Valdosta State with degrees in criminal justice and sociology and contin ue her education at Mercer

University to obtain a degree in law. She said her special interests and hobbies include dancing, swimming and reading.
First runner-up in the pageant was Alicia Suzanne Bagley of Sylvester, daughter of Mrs. Coleen Bagley. Second runner-up honors went to Mandy Jackson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Jackson of Watkinsville, and the third runner-up was Delores Blair, daughter of Mrs. Mary Blair of Bainbridge.
Amy Sarah Gowen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Gowen of Folkston, was crowned Miss Gum Spirits of Turpentine. She was selected from contestants in the pageant who represented counties that produce naval stores. She was crowned by Amy Marie Thompson of Lyons, who held the 1993 title. She is a senior at Charlton County High School, where she

served four years as a band majorette and is an honor student active in the Beta Club, Drama Club, Spanish Club and several other campus organizations.
The new Miss Gum Spirits, who enjoys horseback riding and visiting the beach each summer, said she intends to attend Georgia Southern University and earn a degree in the business field .
Amy is representing the American Turpentine Farmers Association for a year and her photograph is featured on the organization's popular annual wall calendar.
Linda A. Sloan of Macon was emcee for the annual pageant and coordinators included Sylvia Parker and Melinda Parker, both of Augusta, and Sheran Strickland, Waycross.

Georgia Forestry/Fall,1994/19

Commission personnel, other friends and relatives honored the forester at a retirement dinner in Macon.
Turk said he will "probably do a little forestry consultant work and a little farming" on his land near Sandersville now that he is retired. He also intends to continue his woodworking hobby in his well-equipped shop.
ROBERT FARRIS

District Forester George Turk, seated, turns over the reins ofthe Milledgeville District to Forester Robert Farris.

MILLEDGEVILLE AND TIFTON DISTRICT FORESTERS RETIRE

Georgia Turk began his career as a young forester at Dixon Memorial State Forest and ended it 33 years later by helping victims of the great flood that inundated a great portion of Georgia.
Turk, who served in several capacities throughout those years, retired in July as Milledgeville District Forester, a distrjct that figured prominantly in flood relief work in the Macon area.
The forester, a native of Wilcox County and a graduate of the School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia, came with the Commission in 1961. After orientation at the Waycross Forest, he was named ranger of the Chatham County Unit and later assigned to the McRae District as management forester.

In July, 1969, he was promoted to area forester for Washington, Jefferson , Glascock and Johnson Counties, later becoming management forester for Johnson and Washington Counties after the area system was phased out.
Turk was transferred to the Milledgeville District Office in 1991 and promoted to district forester, the post formerly held by Bennie Brant.
Turk and his wife, the former Miss Nelle Haralson of Ashburn , live in Sandersville. They have two married children, Trent and Glenda, and a oneyear-old grandson, Tyler.
The forester and his wife are members of the historic Sisters Baptist Church in Washington County, where he is a deacon and Sunday school teacher.

Tu~k ~s succeeded as Milledgeville dtstrtct forester by Robert Farris, who has served as reforestation forester and worked in the Stewardship Program in the Newnan District for the past seven years.
A native of Atlanta and a graduate of Henderson High School in that city, Farris attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, DeKalb Junior College, Macon Junior College and the School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia.
The new district forester came with the Commission in 1986 as reforestation forester in the Butts-Henry County Unit and soon transferred to the Newnan office.
Although Farris was born and grew up in Georgia's largest city, he said he always enjoyed hunting and fishing and favored the outdoor freedom that country life offers . He said his fondness for the woodlands led him to seek a career in forestry.
Farris said his new position is a challenge he has looked forward to and now that he is becoming familiar with the 13-county, he realizes there are some landowners he has previously worked with as a Forsyth-based consultant before he came with the Commission. He said one big change in his career is that "now I have moved away from working in the woods and working more with people."
During his years in Newnan , Farris was coordinator for the Land Use and Forest Management Field Day in Griffin . The event was held four times under his direction.
The forester and his wife, Beverly, also a native of Atlanta, have four young children: Lee, Justin, Rebecca and Laura.

20/Georgia Forestry/Fall,1994

A few weeks before his retirement from the Commission , Tifton District Forester James M. Tidwell, Jr. leaned back in his office chair and summed up what 32 years of service with GFC has meant to him.
"If I could go back over it," he said, "I wouldn't change a thing. I have worked with some very good people and it won't be the job I'll miss in retirement, it will be the people."
A native of Bulloch County and a graduate of Bulloch County High School, Tidwell earned a BS degree in forestry at the University of Georgia and came with the Commission in November, 1962 , with his first assignment at Dixon State Forest.
Within two years, he was promoted to assistant district forester in Waycross and five years later transferred to Ashburn to serve as area forester. He became Tifton District Forester in 1973.
Actually, the district office was in Ashburn when Tidwell was named to head the district, but it was moved to Tifton in 1982. An attractive and spacious district headquarters building was erected at the new site under his leadership.
Tidwell's office was lined with photographs, plaques and other momentous objects that speak of his long

career in forestry. He is particularly proud of two annual awards for outstanding achievement in his district, which includes 11 counties and encompasses 1,733,500 acres of forested land under protection.
The retired forester and his wife, Ida Jane, a native of Statesboro, have two married children, Beth and Jay, and two grandchildren, Nicole, 6, and Sherby, 3. Eastside Baptist Church has been the family's church for many years.
When asked how he will spend his time in retirement, the forester said "for the first six to 12 months, I intend to just play it by ear, to enjoy being with my family." He said he will later consider working in forestry as a consultant and probably work with a friend in automobile sales.
Commission personnel, other friends and relatives gathered for a retirement dinner in Tifton July 30 to honor Tidwell for his long service to the Commission and to wish him well as he entered his retirement years.
GEOFF ROCKWELL
G eoff Rockwell, a native of Bristol, Virginia and a graduate of the School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia, has

succeeded James Tidwell as Tifton District Forester.
Rockwell , who worked for the U. S . Forest Service and E. I. DuPont Company following graduation from UGA, came with the Commission in the fall of 1987 as management forester in the Tifton District. He was promoted to senior forester two years and six months later. He was officially named district forester upon the retirement of Tidwell on August 1.
In taking over the top position in the district, Rockwell admitted that "I don 't have all the answers , but I appreciate the confidence shown in me and the support I am receiving." The forester agreed with the retired Tidwell that "people make the difference" and said he is encouraged by the caliber of young people being employed by the Commission.
Rockwell said the district is staffed by efficient young foresters , rangers and suppo rt personnel and he is looking forward to his new role in working with them .
The forester and his wife , Ann , a native of Lynchburg, Virginia, have two children, Jessica Ann, 6, and Christopher Rex, 7 months. The family attends New Covenant Church in Tifton .

Newly appointed Tifton District Forester Geoff Rockwell, left, looks over plans with ForesterJames TidweU, who recently retired after heading the district for 21 years.

Georgia Forestry/Fall, 1994121

I

William A. (Bill) Binns, left, retired corporate public relations official, is presented the j;{.?se Owl Award by Ed Kif/orin, a former recipient of the honor bestowed by the Georgia Forestry Association.
BINNS RECEIVES WISE OWL AWARD

The Georgia Forestry Association awarded the organization's highest honor, the Wise Owl Award, to retired Union Camp Public Relations Manager William A. (Bill) Binns.
The coveted award, presented at the GFA annual convention held on Jekyll Island, signifies a lifetime of superior service to forestry or exceptional and meritorious achievement in the field .
Award winner Binns, a Savannah native who retired from Union Camp Corporation in 1993 after 28 years of service , spent 25 of those years in corporate public relations. AU. S. Navy veteran , Binns served during World War II and the Korean War. He has also been active in community affairs, serving as president of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Pulp and Paper Corporation Association, Exchange Club of Savannah, and the United Way. Binns is also a former GFA president.
Ed Killorin, former Wise Owl Award winner, presented the award to Binns. He described Binns as having "rendered a lifetime of sterling support to forestry" and as possessing "the highest character and integrity."
The GFA, founded in 1907, promotes

responsible use of Georgia's forest resources. The organization encourages stewardship, education, research, sound environmental practices, and a healthy business and political climate for the state's forestry community.
ANNUAL FORESTRY
YOUTH CAMP HELD
Young students attending the annual Forestry Youth Camp near Covington are given a 100-question test after three days of indoor classes, outdoor instructions, field trips and time out for recreational pursuits.
The instructors, representing both the private and public sectors in the forestry profession, admits that some of the questions are tough, but point out that the campers return home with a better knowledge and a deeper appreciation of the forests and allied resources.
Byron Holcomb of Lawrenceville was declared first place winner in the forest skills competition at the recent sixth annual Forestry Youth Camp at the FFAFHA Camp on Lake Jackson, south of Covington. He received a certificate, a personal plaque and a plaque for his school.

Forester Sharon Dolliver of the Forestry Commission, coordinator for the camp, said Lance Retter of Covington was second place winner, with third place honors going to Will Avery of Swainsboro. Each received an attractive certificate.
CAMP PURPOSE
The purpose of the camp is to develop an awareness among 13 and 14 year old students of the value of forest resources to Georgia's economy and how those resources relate to everyday life , according to the Georgia Division of the Society of American Foresters, sponsor of the camp. The students, representing schools from across the state, are offered the opportunity to increase th e ir knowledge of forestry, wildlife, ecology and related interests in a picturesque, wooded setting.
While academics are an importa nt part of the Camp, there is plenty of time for recreational activities. The camp has excellent facilities for tennis, ping-pong, basketball, horseback riding, swimming and other activities. There is also a trip to Stone Mountain Park to view the Laser Light Show.
Dolliver said , "We had a very successful camp again this year. We had some bright, inquisitive students participating this summer and they benefited from our dedicated instructors."She said she appreciates the instructors who left their job to devote time to the youths.
Participants, both boys and girls , should be 13 or 14 years of age and interested in learning about Georgia's forest resources. Most schools recognize selected students by awarding the camp opportunity as a scholarship during the School Honors Program.
Dolliver said teachers interested in sending a deserving student to the camp next year should contact Dick Rightmyer of the U. S . Forest Service in Gainesville at 404-536-0541.

22/Georgia Forestry/Fall, 1994

peop e
1n the news
FORESTER CLINTON D. McKENNEY recently came with the Commission and is assigned to the Camilla District. The new forester, a native of Greenville, S.C. , attended Clemson University, where he earned a degree in forestry. McKenney attends the Baptist Church and is in the Georgia National Guard.. .The forester replaces FORESTER WAYNE WORSHAM , who came with the Commission in 1987 and recently

MCKENNEY

ELMORE

resigned to work in the private sector. Worsham and his wife, Becky, and their two children live in Donaldsonville . ..FORESTER TERRY R. ELMORE is the new forester in Glynn County. A native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the forester attended high school in that city and attended Auburn University, where he earned a degree in forestry. Elmore worked briefly for Georgia Pacific

JOHNSTON

ROGERS

Corporation before coming with the Commission. He replaces FORESTER RICHARD JOHNSTON, who resigned after serving nine years with GFC. A native of Louisiana and a graduate of the University of Kentucky, Johnston and his wife, Pam and their two daughters,

live in Brunswick. .. FORESTER WALTER DANIEL ROGERS recently came with the Commission and is assigned as a forester to work in Pierce and Bacon Counties. A native of Brunswick, Rogers attended Georgia Southern University and later transferred to the University of Georgia, where he earned a degree in forestry. He will be stationed at the unit in Patterson...FORESTER ROBERT N. HUGHES, a native of Bridgeport, Alabama and a graduate of Auburn University, recently came with the Commission as a forester assigned to the Americus District Office. The new employee replaces FORESTER DAN DURHAM, who transferred to the Athens District. .. CHIEF RANGER REGGIE MORGAN of the Jefferson, Glascock Unit was recently named Young Farmer of the Month by the Jefferson County Young Farmers Association. The organization recognizes tree farming, as

HUGHES

BULLOCK

well as conventional farming, and honors those who have interests in all phases of agriculture ...JACK WARREN , who recently retired as executive officer of Forest Farmers Association , has been retained as marketing associate of The Timber Bank in Eastman , a loan program offered by the Citizens Bank and Trust Company... Union Camp Corporation has named JAMES F. BULLOCK, JR. , wildlife manager for the company's four woodlands regions , which encompass 1.6 million acres of land in six states . He will be headquartered in Savannah. Bullock is

a forestry graduate of Mississippi State University, where he also attained a master of science degree in wildlife ecology...FORESTER SCOTT W. GRIFFIN , a native of Gainesville and a graduate of East Hall High School, recently came with the Commission and is assigned to the Newnan District Office, Griffin, who has a degree in forestry from the University of Georgia, replaces FORESTER KENNETH PURCELL, who recently retired after 34 years of service. A native of Franklin County and a graduate of the University of Georgia, Purcell came with the Commission in 1960 as ranger in the Oconee-Clark Unit and served as forester in Elbert, Madison,

GRIFFIN

PURCELL

Jeff Davis and Ware Counties. Before assignment to the Newnan District office. The retired forester and his wife, Bonnie, live in Carrollton and are active in St. Andrews United Methodist Church. They have three children: Tony, Vicki and Matt...FORESTER WILLIAM PITTS, a native of Pike County, has been assigned by the Newnan District to serve the Lamar-Pike-Spalding Unit. The new forester attended Emmanuel College and transferred to the University of Georgia to earn a degree in forestry. Pitts and his wife , Sherri, are members of the Pentecostal Church ...JOY RANKIN of Buena Vista is the 1994 winner of the F&W Young Forester Award. She received a $750 college scholarship for outstanding achievement in 4-H forestry projects.

PITTS

RANKIN

Georgia Forestry/Fall,1994/23

LIVE-OAK AS EMBLEMATIC TREE No. 14
A RESOLUTION
Whereas in many of the States of the Union some tree indigenous to the soil of the State has been chosen as an emblem of its sovereignty; and
Whereas hitherto the General Assembly of Georgia has made no such selection; and
Whereas the live-oak, being a tree indigenous to the soil of our State and especially flourishing along the Coastal plains and islands thereof where the first settlers and founders of this State resided, and which tree is so closely associated with our early history, and particularly with the lives of many famous Georgians such as General James Edward Oglethorpe, John Wesley and Sidney Lanier;
Be it therefore resolved by the House of Representatives of Georgia, the Senate concurring, that, at the suggestion and request of Edmund Burke Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, the live-oak be and the same is hereby adopted as and declared to be the official tree emblematic of the State of Georgia.
Approved February 25, 1937.