Georgia forestry, Vol. 51, no. 1 (Summer 1998)

Look Before You Dig

ment or environmental

statement rnav be

to a

scale rnodi-

land or

as well as cemeteries, are
strict state occur in

1998

fil:::IL SURVEYS IN FOREST MANAGEMENT
~lewardi.h,p By USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service

When forest management is discussed among forest landowners, the usual topics are timber harvest, thinning, planting, fertilization, and the types of trees to manage or plant. Many times, soil types on the property are not even considered or are given only a cursory glance in management decisions.
Soil types can and do play a dominant role in the types and species of trees to grow, the growth rate, the stocking rate, and many other factors in a forest management plan. Such information can be obtained in USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (N RCS) soil survey reports . Most counties in Georgia have soil survey information available, with many counties having this information in published book form. The soil survey books contain a vast amount of information about soil types in the area, and include maps covering the county or. counties in the survey area.
There are also several site specific reports that can be produced to provide valuable information for forest and wildlife management considerations . One report , titled "Wo odland Management and Productivity," provides several categories of information related to the soils on a site. It lists soil limitations such as rockiness, water, clay, etc. Also, management concerns for erosion, equipment limitations, and seedling mortality are rated as slight, moderate, or severe for each soil. Potential productivity for adaptable tree species, in terms of the volume of wood production for each soil type, is rated in a site index. Site index is the average height in feet that

dominant and codominant trees of a given species attain in a specified number of years (usually 50 years).
Another report, titled "Wildlife Habitat Suitability," offers soil ratings of good, fair, poor, or very poor for habitat elements such as grain and seed crops, grasses and legumes, hardwood trees, conifers, wetland plants, and shallow water area development. The report also rates potential habitat for open land wildlife, and

woodland and wetland wildlife. These reports are computer
generated from the soils database available in local USDANatural Resources Conservation Service offices. Besides soil data, resource information and on-site assistance for your forestry management needs are available through professionals from private consultant services, timber companies, the Georgia Forestry Commission, DNR-Wildlife Resources
Division, and NRCS.

The Georgia Forest Stewardship Award Program is designed to recognize landowners who adopt forest stewardship plans and do an outstanding job of managing their forest resources. A set of guidelines was developed against which the landowner's accomplishments are measured to determine which ones will be designated Outstanding Forest Stewards. These landowners are recognized locally for their accomplishments and given a property sign signifying their achievements. Recent recipients are: Mrs. Camile Lane, Jenkins County; Mr. And Mrs . Dave Beecher, Emanuel County; and Mr. and Mrs. Jim Overstreet, Emanuel County.
The following agencies are required to approve specific portions of the Forest Stewardship Plan: Georgia Forestry Commission - timber Department of Natural Resources - wildlife Natural Resources Conservation Service - soil and water conservation Extension Service - recreation and aesthetics
Any landowner interested in becoming a Forest Steward shou,ld contact their local Georgia Forestry Commission Unit.
(See list on inside front coverfor further information.)

Georgia Forestry/ Summer, 1998 / 11

HOWARD BENNETT REMEMBERED

Howard E. Bennett, Editor of Georgia Forestry Magazine from 1983 until his retirement in 1997, died at home on July 17, 1998 following an extended illness. He was well known throughout the state by GFC personnel and the forestry community for his incisive journalistic reporting and feature stories.
Born in Arkansas, he moved to Georgia after serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II. In 1953, he joined the staff of the Macon Telegraph as a reporter after graduating from Mercer University with a bachelor's degree in Journalism and a minor in English . Bennett also served as chief of the Telegraph's Warner Robins Bureau in the 1950s, and worked as a stringer for the Atlanta Constitution.
In the late l 960's he established one of Macon's first advertising firms, Bennett Advertising Agency. He also started his own magazine , Macon Guide, in the 70s; an experience which proved valuable when he later assu med leadership of Georgia Forestry Magazine.
When Bennett began working for the Georgia Forestry Commission in 1978, his writing skills were meticulously honed and his creative tendencies ready to move in any direction. Traveling the state for forestry stories, even in those early years, he was developing numerous new concepts. One such concept was development of a forestry museum for the C o m m i s s io n .
During his travels, he saw a vital history in forestry, especially relating to Georgia's economic advancement and emergence as a national leader in the science . So , slowly but su rely, he began collecting forestry artifacts for a future museum.

In 1990, the Georgia Forestry Museum became a reality, a log cabin filled with artifacts and
Howard E. Bennett
displays on the GFC headquarters' grounds in Macon. At a for mal ceremony in 1997, shortly after Bennett's retirement, the mu seum was officially named for its founder - The Howard E. Bennett Forestry Museum.
Bennett's other activities included members hip in the Gaveliers Toastmaster Club , Georgia Press Association , Magazine Association of Georgia, Middle Georgia Historical Society, Macon Arts Alliance, Georgia Music Hall of Fame, and Mercer University Alumni Association.
Although Bennett's activities and interests were varied, he was best known for his writing talents . In 1994 and '95, he won "Best Feature S t ory" awards from the Magazine As sociation of Georgia. The first winner, titled "The Pencil," focused on Atlanta's National Pencil Company manufacturing activity in the early 1900s; a sidebar to the story included views on the famous murder case of Mary Phagan, a 13-yearold girl who worked in the pencil factory at the time of her

death in 191 3. The secon d winner was titled "This Old Store ," a nostalgic piece concerning an old Lincoln County country store that continues to exist as if preserved in a time warp.
Those who worked closely with Howard - in the elusive pursuit of writing good copy knew his talents well. The bottom line was capturing reader interest. His approach to writing was t o "hypnotize the reader and make the writer disappear. " He had honed this precept to an art through a lifetime of writing experience and literary acumen.
Howard Bennett and his stories will be missed .
Funeral services were held at Mulberry Street United Methodist Church in Macon, with burial in Snow Hill Cemetery, Wilkinson County. Survivors include his wife, Betsy Bennett; children , Ke ith and Craig Bennett, both of Atlanta; brothers and sisters, Gerald Bennett of Augus ta, Lowell Bennett of Wa rner Robins , Patrick Bennett of St. Louis, Missouri, and Jewell Huggins ofHernando, Mississippi; and two grandchildren.
Howard E. Bennett Forestry Museum The museum, located on the grounds of the Georgia Forestry Commission, 5645 Riggins Mill Rd., Macon, GA (Exits, I-16), displays a wide variety ofinteresting products made from wood. Vintage equipment and tools tell the history ofGeorgia's emergence as the nation's leading forestry state. A scenic trail of native trees is a part ofthe museum complex. The museum is open Monday through Fri.day, 8:30a.m -4 p.m. Freeadmission.

Georgia Forestry/ Summer, 1998/ 15

Three GFC units received Outstanding Unit of the Year Awards at the Georgia Forestry Association's annual convention held at Callaway Gardens.
The award-winning Commission units include: Bibb/Monroe County (Outstanding Unit for North Georgia Award) , Candler /Evans County Unit (Outstanding Unit for South Georgia), and the Newnan District Office (Outstanding District of Georgia Award ). All u nits are selected for the prestigious GFA awards on the b asis of overall excellence in p erfor mance of forestry du ties and related activities.
BIBB/MONROE
Accomplishments of the Bibb/Monroe Unit were numerous, as well as ou tstanding. The unit produced 13 forestrypromoting news articles; this total exceeded the district objective. Unit personnel als o presented 33 school programs in Monroe County and a ssisted with 20 others in Bibb County. A tree id entificati on p r ogram served more than 200 stu dents.
Establishment of an Outdoor Classroom facility in Monroe County proved to be a model for the district. The classroom is currently being used for demonstrations by the GFC Fire Academy.
The unit a lso increased plowing and harrowing assists. Plowing was done fo r 62 land owners, while 10 land owners received prescribed burning assistance for 1,336 acre s . Ranger I Wayne Smith 's effor ts on the prescribed burn team was cited as a vital aspect related to increased burning assistance within the district.
Other project involvements included: Boy Scou ts, Christmas Parade, Tree Board, and Pre-K Giveaway Program. The
16/Georgia Forestry/Summer, 1998

unit's proximity to the interstate has attracted many visitors to the unit site, where personnel explained the GFC mission and unit operations.
CANDLER/EVANS
The Candler/Evans Unit is a prime example of going the extra mile in all-around performance. The unit succeeded in having 29 news articles published and 233 radio spots aired. Unit personnel also worked closely with a Claxton school in creating an educational forest. During this time, more than 2,500 people were reached through school programs on fire p revention, environmental issues, and career day presentations.
Th e unit plowed 389 miles of fire breaks and provided landowners with prescribed burning assistance on 670 acres . Personnel also sold more than 626,000 seedlings to promote reforestation in this multiplecou nty area
Unit assistance was to the Metter Tree Board in transplanting live oaks away from a u tility right-of-way. In addition to maintaining a standard of excellence in general, the unit also managed to furnish floats for the well-known Rattlesnake Roundup.
NEWNAN
The Newnan District Office, winner of Outstanding District for the entire state, coordinates forestry related duties and programs for 14 west Georgia counties. The area included 1,800,000 commercial acres of fo r est.
During the past year, the Newnan district served as a leader in promotion of forestry; efforts were focused on landowners and school children.

District Forester John Merrill sustained a standard of excellence in working with the local chapter of the Society of American Foresters to publish a 16-page color insert in the local newspaper. The popular forestry insert promotes National Products Week (October) and contains numerous howto articles on forest management.
Carroll County's Buffalo Creek Outdoor Education Center (built and maintained by the Carroll County GFC Unit) has hosted over 3,000 children to provide education concerning the forest environment.
These edu cational activities - combined with a distinguished record in fire suppression, forest management, reforestation, and other vital forestry duties - established the Newnan District as Outstanding GFC District of the Year.
Test Your Knowledge
Which country has the most productive forestlands in the world?
a) Canada b) Russia c) United States d) China
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OCONEE COUNTY
TEAM WINS STATE
ENVIROTHON
A team of high school students from Oconee County captured the Northern Regional Envirothon title at Gainesville's Elatchee Nature Center in March, and the following month went on to win the state Envirothon at the FFA camp in Covington.
Under the guidance of their FFA director, Sydney Bell, the five-member Athens area team beat out 22 other teams to win the Northern Region Envirothon, which encompasses all areas of the state north of Macon. The group also won three out of the five environmental stations . A very strong first place score at the forestry station helped them win for the first time at the state level.
They now -move on to compete at the national level in Michigan at the end of July.
The Envfrothon is a competitive outdoor team event for high school students that is designed to stimulate and enhance interest in the environment and natural resources .
It is divided into five test stations, which include soils, forestry ecosystems, aquatic ecology, wildlife, and current environmental issues. The separate stations are staffed with specialists from different state and fed eral agencies. Each team is comprised of four to six students who answer all questions as a group - this encou rages cooperative decision making and teamwork skills.

People in the News

BOB IZLAR was named the 1998 Forest Conservationist of the Year by the Georgia Wildlife Federation. He was recognized for successfully working with others to encourage landowners and corporations to use Best Management Practices and management tools to protect the environment, while economically managing forestlands a nd sustaining greenspace. Recognizing .the problems related to the urbanization of Georgia, Izlar promoted programs and policies to protect the rural landbase and disappearing woodlands. He served as Executive Director of the Georgia Forestry Association since 1987 and joined the facu lty of the University of Georgia's School of Forest Resources this year.

ST E VE SAND FORT
is the recipient of The National Arbor Day Foundation's Lawrence Enersen Award for his leadership in the urban and community forestry movement. Sandfort began his career as an urban forester working with the Georgia Forestry Commission (1970-1978) in Columbus , Atlanta, and Macon. More recently, he has left a lasting mark on Cincinnati, Ohio as its city forester. Under Sandfort's guidance, today eight trees are planted for every one removed in Cincinnati. All 60,000 of the city's street trees are on a six-year maintenance schedule. Sandfort is also a well known speaker and writer on forestry issues.

Georgia Farm Bureau President Wayne Dollar (right) recently presented John W. Mixon with the 1998 Georgia Farm Bureau Federation 's annual commodity award. Mixon was honored for his many contributions to Georgia's agriculture and forest industry .
Georgia Forestry/ Summer, 1998 / 17

The Once and Future Forest
. ~ ~... .... __::~=-::-

THE ONCE AND FUTURE FOREST/A GUIDE TO FOREST RESTORATION STRATEGIES by Leslie Jones Sauer and Andropogon Associates , 350 pages : illustra tions, photos, species list, and index. Island Press , Washington, D.C./Covelo, CA. Cloth $50, Paper $30. Ph one: (202) 232-7933 .

Author Leslie Jones Sauer and the Andropogon Associates have provided a timely (copyright 1998) guidebook for restoring and managing natural landscapes. Sauer is a principal and landscape architect with Andropogon, an organization well-known for restoration work on sites ranging from national parks to former landfills to corporate headquarters.
Although the most prevalent public conception of forests is tree-dense areas inhabited by wolves and such, it is not exact and often disregards fragmented forests that permeate suburbs, fringe schools, and shade local parks - the very character of urban forestry.
This insightful guide explains current conditions of these fragmented forests and offers procedures for restoring and sustaining them. The format consists of three major sections: 'The Forest Today'' is an observation of disturbance and the larger issues influencing the health of forest fragments. "The Restoration Process" describes comprehensive strategies of restoration that provide communities and agencies a contest for decision making. "Management Guide" offers basic approaches for implementing a restoration program. The examples focus primarily on the Eastern United States, although the perspective is applicable to all regions. The Once And Future Forest emphasizes that these fragmentary forests are not always casualties of clearcuts and replacement by buildings, but are often victims of slow death - an accu mulation of daily assaults composed of public use of the land use compounded by lack of professional guidance and care.
With urban forestry initiatives increasing rapidly in Georgia, as well as other parts of the nation, this book deserves a large audience and careful reading. This text will probably be around a long time, and the urgency to read it should only increase. Sooner or later, consequences of past actions will create many questions , but - as the book points out - "restoration is the best preparation for the unknown that lies ahead."

For a list of tree planting & site preparation consultants,
timber buyers, and christmas tree vendors,
visit our webpage at
http://www.gfc.state.ga.us/manage.htm.
18/Georgia Forestry/Summer, 1998

OCONEE WINS FFA STATE FINALS
Skilled Teams Create Closest Competition Years

The

First place winners in the vari-

ous events were: Clint Williams

of

to win the

team had a

of the events.

ne1.tn~;r of

an indi-

vidual win in an

" Meeks

"but this was one of

closest

The cmnnen1:10r was so uu"u''"'

that H"''"-'F'. first in an indi-

event didn't make that

much difference.

FFA

Goodman of Irwin County, dendrol-
and us t y Clements of Wheeler Coun , ocular es-
Other winners included: Pat land meaof

r

~

1998 Forestry Youth

Camp Winner

THE GIFT OF LIFE
Program promotes Trees and Mothers

Students from Dawsonville, Cordele, Waycross, and Thomasville achieved the highest test scores in competition at the tenth annual Forestry Youth Camp sponsored by the Georgia Division of the Society of American Foresters.
The Camp, held each year at the State FFA/FHA Camp located south of Covington, provides seventh and eighth grade students the opportunity to gain knowledge and appreciation of Georgia's forests and their importance to Georgia. Some of the aspects of forestry taught during the three-day camp include wildlife, ecology, tree identification, forest products, urban forestry, and fire protection.
Sixty students took the final examination at the conclusion of the camp. Emory Dooley of Dawsonville, a student at North Forsyth Middle School, rated top place in the exam and will be presented a plaque at the Division meeting and at his School Honors Day Program.
Other winners include Starr Lance of 'crisp County Middle School in Cordele, second place; Joshua McCarthy of Ware County Middle School in Waycross and Nick Groden of Thomas County Central Middle School, Thomasville, who tied for third place. They each received a cash award and ~ certificate .
Students are nominated for scholarships by school counselors and attend free of charge with expenses paid by forest companies and individuals.

Chief Ranger Sammy Sweat has developed an ingenious way to promote the planting of trees in Pearson, as well as help local kids give their mom a very special Mother's Day gift.
On Arbor Day in February, kindergarteners make a trip to their local Georgia Forestry Commission office to spend a day learning about forestry through Smokey Bear programs, and other fun activities. One of those projects involves planting one-year-old crepe myrtle trees into galvanized cans that were collected in the previous weeks from their school cafeteria.
Over the next couple of months , Sweat and his crew care for the trees until May when they take them to the school. The children's mothers are sent a cute card saying that their li ttle one has a special Mother's Day gift for them waiting to be picked up.
Sweat wonders "What mother wouldn't go get that tree, plant it, and cherish it for years to come?"
One of the problems Sweat has encountered with past seedling give-away programs _is that many trees are discard ed shortly after distribution.
Sweat says his goal now isn't necessarily to give away trees, but rather, to get trees planted. Based on the success of this kindergarten project and others Sweat has initiated, he's definitely achieved that goal. ..
An old can ofgreen beans makes a nice potfor a budding crepe myrtle that will surely warm this kindergartener's mother's heart on her special day.
Through donations, "Mr. Sammy" as the kids call him, is able to prese nt this program to about 175 for roughly $45.

20/Georgia Forestry/Summer, 1998

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butcher blocks house fra mes mu ica l instruments floor ing pencils ro o f clothespins plywood toothpicks utensils (wooden spoons) moldings caskets furniture boat docks baseball bats tool h a ndles toys ship timbers fence posts railroad ties

FOLIAGE pine oil cedar oil decorations

FRUITS & NUTS

a pples

oranges

cherries

peac hes

pears

lemons

I..,

aprico ts

bananas

other fruit other nuts

walnuts

SAPS. GUMS.

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&RESINS . .

varnish

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maple syrup

medicines

a dhesives (glue) '

printing ink

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glass ce men t '

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artific ial hair

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ta nnins dyes
adhesives drugs fl a voring oils

STUMPS veneer charcoal pitch wood tar

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bark gum

foliage

saps

sawdust

22/Georgia Forestry/Summer, 1998

Dana new '98 Miss
scheduled to the next vear
GFC and ,....,.,.-.rrH,rin
The

ATTITUDE

MOTIVATION

HOWARD BENNETT AWARD

UNIT VIEWS

RUNNERS-UP

DESCRIPTION: Leaves or

needles 10 to 18 inches

in crowded clusters of 3 to the

dark green in color,

Fruit or cone

at the

end of the second season, 6 to

lOinches

dull

in

leaves a

few ofthe basal scales attached

to the

papery tree, often 100 feet or more in
with a trunk about 2 to 3 feet
in diameter. feature in the
white terminal

KEY CHARACTERISTICS:

Leaves or needles 0 to 18

inches

in crowded

clusters of 3 to the

6 to 10 inches

buds

white.

:st1:onge~st of the South-

Used in con-

railroad

railroad cars,

boats,

etc. This tree is

one of the two

which

..,.,,.,,..,_.,_,., gt.lrn naval stores.

DISTRIBUTION: Confined

to the coastal

but

inland on the west-

ern border of the state to the

of

J. Frederick Allen Director

9eoryr/ a
FORESTRY
USPS No. 217120 Summer, 1998 No. 1

Vol. 51

STAFF Lynn A. Walton, Editor William S. Edwards, Assoc. Editor Jackie N. Mitchell, Graphic Artist Julia Baker, Editorial Asst.
Zell Miller, Governor J . Frederick Allen, Director Bob Lazenby, Technical Advisor
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Jim L. Gillis, Jr., Chairman, Soperton
C. M. Eun ice, Jr. , Blacks hea r J. G. Fend ig, Savannah
La rry S. Walker, Ogle thorp e P. W. Bryan , Jr. , Th om asville

DISTRICT OFFICES
District One 3086 Ma rtha Berry Hwy./ Rome, GA 30165
706-295-6021
District Two 3005 Atlanta Hwy./Gainesville, GA 30507
770-531 -6043
District Three 1055 E. Whi te ha ll Rd. / Ath ens, GA 30605
706-5 42 -6880
District Four 187 Corin th Rd. / Newnan, GA 30263
770-254-721 8
District Five 119 Hwy . 49 West/Milledgeville, GA 31061
912-445-5 164
District Six 1465 Tignall Rd. /Washi ngton, GA 30673
706-678-20 l 5
District Seven 243 U.S. Hwy. 19 N./Amcricus, GA 3 1709
912 -93 1-2 4 36
District Eight 2395 U.S. Hwy. 4 l N./Tifton, GA 31794
912-386-36 l 7
Dis trict Nine 3561 Hwy. 11 2/Camilla, GA 3 l 730
912 -336-534 l
District Ten 18899 U.S. Hwy. 301 N./S ta tesboro, GA 30458
912-681 -0490
District Eleven Route 1, Box 67/ Helena, GA 3 l037
912-868-5649
District 1\velvc 5003 Jacksonville Hwy:/ Waycross, GA 3 1503
9 12-287-4915
Georgia Forestry is pu blished quarterly by the Georgia Forestry Commission, 5645 Riggins Mill Road , Dry Branch , Georgia 31020-9699. S econd Class Posta ge p a id a t Macon , GA . POSTMASTER: Send address change to Georgia Forestry Commission, 5645 R;ggins Mill Road , Dry Bra nch , Georgia 3 1020-9699.

2/ Georgia Forestry/Summer , 199 8

From the Director of the Georgia Forestry Commission, J. Frederick Allen

Georgia Forestry Commission J . Frederick Allen

P. O. Box 819, Macon, Georgia 31202-0819

Director

(912) 751-3500, Fax (912) 751-3465

Dear Fellow Georgians:
The recent forest fires in Georgia a nd Florida brought back the realization of how quickly an extreme fire s ituation can develop and how catastrophic losses a re associated wi t h forest fires .
There is no doubt in anyo ne's mind that Florida experienced its worst fire season ever. Under the Southeastern States Forest Fire Compact Commission, the Georgia Forestry Commission sent fir efighters to assist Florida in June.
Whi le assisting our neighbor to t h e s outh , we co ntende d with forest fire
problems of our own , primarily in the southern region of the state. Drought conditions in parts of Georgia accentua ted extreme fire conditions. While some areas received ra in , others experienced lightning strikes resulting in new fires and an endless effort to control them.
On June 15, 1998, a wildfire broke out in Charlton County, near the town of St. George. By the time the fire was controlled , mo re than 16,000 acres of valua ble timberlan d was burned a nd nu merou s structures threatened. This was the largest forest fire Georgia has experienced since th e mid-'50s. A fire of this ma gnitude requires a combined effor t to bring it under control.
1 wou ld like to express my appreciation to th e various state agenc ies, forest industry, a nd local government entities in Charlton County for th eir inva lu a ble assistance in suppressing the fire a n d p rotectin g property. The support from the local community was overwhelming.
The performance of coun ty personnel, other state employees, a nd Forestry Commission personnel under these extreme a nd hazardous working conditions exemplifies th ei r commitment and dedication to serving a ll Georgia ns.
S incerely,
~~
J. Frederick Allen Direc tor

JimL.Gill is. Jr. Ch..1irman. Sope rton

C. M. Eunice. Jr. Bl:ickshcM

J. G. Fcndig Siwnnnah

A11 Equfl l Opporrunily Employer

Larry . W:ll kcr Oglethorpe

P. \V, Bryan Thomasville

ON THE COVER -
A live oak is silhouetted at sunrise on Jekyll Island. Photography by William Godfrey.

1998

4 Hottest 5 5 6 7
8 0
11 1 4 15

In Town

16

kind the state

Units Receive Award excellence

17 Oconee
22 teams

State Envlrothon

Water Protection 18

The Once and Future

19
in

Winner student ranks #1

21
Resources

trees miss

trees

tree

COVER

HOTTEST

TICKET IN

TOWN

Fire Equipment Show is the Only Show of Its Kind in the State

This year'~ Georgia Forestry
Commission (GFC) sponsored 12th Biennial Fire Equipment Show, held at the National Fairgrounds in Perry, attracted the largest crowd in the event's history with more than 1,000 people statewide attending the all-day show.
Coordinated by the Commission's Rural Fire Defense Program, the purpose of the event is to brief city and county firemen, as well as county commissioners and the general public, on the Latest technology in firefighting. The show included demonstrations of advanced equipment, accessories, and static displays.
Other state agencies attending included: Georgia State Firefighters Association; Georgia Fire Academy; and Georgia Firefighter's Burn Foundation, Inc.
Commission officials emphasize that this is the only show of

in
state.
Vendors f r o m
through-
out the
state at-
tending included:
Advanced
Fire Ap- !:===
paratus ,
Inc.; Ak-
ron Brass --~:::;;;..:::~==----------=~-'--:__:.::;;;.;;,;~.:..;.;~ Company; American S a fet y & First Responder Fire & Safety, Fire House, Inc. ; Bennett Fire Inc. ; Folkston Fire Protection, Products Co., Inc.; Deep South Inc .; Fireman's Friend EngiTruck & Equipment Sales, Inc.; neering, Inc .; Municipal EquipDixie Marketing Associates , ment Co .; NAFECO; Safety Inc.; East Alabama Fire Equip- Equipment Co .; Sawjammer ment; Elkhart Brass Manufac- Co., LLC; Secom Systems, Inc .; turing Co ., Inc.; Emergency Southern Company/ Southern Equipment Service, Inc. ; Communications; VFIS of GeorEnvirofoam Technologies , Inc .; gia; Viteo Safety Products , Inc. ; Firefighting Supplies , Inc.; W.S. Darley & Co .; Waterous
FireLine , Inc .; Fire-Trol East/ Co .; and Wildfire Pacific Co . 4'11
Chemonics Fire-Trol , Inc .;

4/ Georgia Forestry/Summer, 1998

might encounter in theirjobs or when the
GFC
pates in cooperative fire
..,.,""'"' efforts. Courses
during the

1998 BMP REVISIONS EMPHASIZE WATER PROTECTION

The 1998 revised edition of

of the BMP revi-

down to 50 square feet

the Commission's Best Man- sion ,,,,,_,,,,_.,..,..,.

Acre or 50

agement Practices (BMP) More emphasis on tct1::nt1rv1.n

if a

manual concentrates on protec- bodies of water for

tion and enhancements of tection.

waters and

Streamside



Zone (SMZ) will depend on

slope

of

ographic

SMZ widths will

to



were



lar to the

the

198 .

The task force involved in the



current revision



laws.

BMP manuals are available

canopy cover on

at Commission offices state-

streams;

down to 25 wide.

feet

or 25

percent canopy cover on in-

term1ltt~mt streams.



SM Zs

trout streams allowed

Increase in

interface has established

can

buffers as one of the slow

runoff and cause

in

some sediment to be retained

management consid-

from

the

erations.

situation is

A jJ<AJ.4<C<U

to have a tree-

buffer

to

trees

the water with a

on the banks

of water such as a

stream, pond or

lake. Although impor-

tant in any locale,

more attention has

been attracted to the

urban riparian buffer

due to population in-

crease and interface

expansion.

An indication of in- Riparian buffer: An area of creased emphasis on trees and vegetation on the

riparian buffers is banksofabodyofwater.

the 1998 revised edi-

tion of the GFC Best

ment Practices (BMP) Manual

which places new

on pro-

tection of water and

communities. A

task

force made revisions based on

wetland documents and

concerns

sues. (See 1998 BMP k'DTtiC-Yr>"'

Water Protection.)

BUFFER FUNCTIONS

Riparian buffers have numerous functions that vary in
to locale. can filter runoffs from lots, and other Shade provides water and

of trees and shrubs assimilate

the nutrients. Studies reveal

that forested buffers can reduce

up to 68 .... ,trr.<w:w

- and

as much as 90

can be

an

grass

buffer is included.

TEMPERATURE MODERATION

One of the most vital benefits buffers

can lower

stream environments to

insects and maintain

Avuapn content in

these

~~,..~.,,.~....~ contribute to ..~.~-~

and a

WILDLIFE HABITAT

buffers also ~~'~"''n~

and

areas for

numerous bird and animal spe-

cies. The fertile

diverse

ve:ge1:at10r1, and

water all

a

attraction

raccoons, and mice

are also found.

on

the size of the

may even

mammals as

deer. The

the

the more differ-

nPf'1'"'"' it can sup-

1998

information consult the
Practice a.v:tu<:tuJ,co at Com-

LITTLE GIRL, BIG WINNER
This poster made JO-year-old As hley Tucker of Hartwell, Georgia (pictured, left) the 1998 National winner of the 4th grade di vision in the annual Woodsy Owl Poster Contest.
Georgia Student Wins National Woodsy Owl Poster Contest
Ashley Tucker is just ten-years-old, but this fourth grader from Georgia has managed to capture a national award with just the wave of her crayon. She designed a poster that was selected as the winner of the 1998 Woodsy Owl Poster Contest. Ashley attends Nancy Hart Elementary School and is the daughter of Wanda Tucker of Hartwell and Bill Tucker of Iva, South Carolina.
The annual competition is a cooperative effort between the State Garden Clubs, the USDA Forest Service, and the State Forestry Commissions. Woodsy's message is: "Give a Hoot--Don't Pollute. " This year's poster theme was "Lend a Hand--Care for the Land. " Ashley successfully incorporated the message into her artwork with the preceeding statement, ''The world's too big for Woodsy alone , so..." She said the idea came to her while browsing through her social studies school book.
Ashley's poster was first selected as the 1998 state winner by The Garden Club of Georgia in the fourth grade division. She received a $25 cash award and a plaque from the Georgia Forestry Commission at The Garden Club of Georgia State Convention in April in Columbus, Georgia. Her outstanding entry was then chosen as the winner from the Deep South Region. It then went all the way to the top and was chosen as the national winner in the fourth grade division by The National Council of State Garden Clubs, Inc. In June, she and her mother traveled to the NCSGC convention in Denver to receive her award. Ashley was presented with a $100 U.S. Savings Bond and spent three days in Denver where she enjoyed a Youth Awards Breakfast, participated in a youth pizza party, and rode in the Smokey Bear hot air balloon. When asked how it felt to be the best in the United States, she replied, "I'm really glad I won, it 's exciting."
Georgia Forestry/Summer, 1998/7

PINE STRAW PLENTIFUL, POPULAR

MULCH IN GEORGIA
By Jennifer Cannon Georgia Extension Service

Picking out a

mulch

is mostly a matter of

ence, said a University

gia scientist.

"As long as it acts like a

mulch, what it is doesn't mat-

" said Mel

a horti-

culturist

with the

UGA College

of Agricul-

tural and

Environ-

mental Sci-

ences.

G o o d

mulches, he

said, can do

four things:

keep water

near the

plants'

roots, pre

vent runoff,

keep down

weeds and

eventually

improve the

soil.

"Whether the

use is pine

shredded news

composted yard

pends on what you

what you can buy at a

to pay," he said.

And in

South,

straw often wins on

counts.

"We see

all the time

who just

up and use it

mulch," said Dave

Moorhead, a UGA Extension

Service forester with the D.B.

Warnell School of Forest Re-

sources. "But it's also

in bales."

Commission.

a

estimate

not ""''~~ business in
No matter if you rake your

bales, Moorhead

said it's

to use fresh,

straw. "Baled

straw should be

dish brown and

said.

Garber said if it doesn't

bend without

don't

it.

ex-

tension

horticu -

turist.

"It will

last about

a year be-

fore

it

starts look-

"

as it

deco m

poses, it's

adding or-

ma-

terial to the

soil

t

t h er e

around the

flowers,

shrubs,

trees

whatever it's around."

As the straw

it's

to

straw varies across

But

to pay more for

straw, which has

STEWARDSHIP OF OUR CULTURAL RESOURCES
By Dr. Lonnie E. Varnedoe, Jr., Extension Forest Recreation Specialist

Landowners care for and protect their forests for a number of reasons. Some favor wildlife or timber production, others enjoy the recreational or aesthetic values of their land, or a combination of these benefits. A hidden value of forestland, however, may lie under the ground, buried by centuries of soil and forest succession. These archaeological artifacts and associated remains are physical pieces of history that provide a glimpse of the lifestyles, technology, and the environment of early humans. Archaeological sites contain artifacts and other things (like wood charcoal and pollen) that provide present day stewards and scientists with an understanding and appreciation of long-term impacts of human activities and the resilience of forests.
Knowledge and use of forest resources among prehistoric people were undoubtedly quite high. Mere survival demanded that they have an intimate knowledge of.plant resources and related game animal habitats. Throughout prehistory, people have exploited natural plants for food sources (nuts, shoots, root crops, etc.), for tools and shelters (woods and barks), and to cure their ills (medicinal plants). Since they had limited metal-working technology (in Georgia, during the Mississippi period, native copper was used primarily to make ornaments) early humans were very dependent on forest resources for many tool components (arrow or spear shafts, nets, baskets, and so forth), especially when combined with other raw materials such as stones, marine shells, animal bones, and other animal parts such as tendons and muscles.

How Long Ago?
The prehistoric era is divided into four major periods. The Paleo-Indian period (12,00010,000 B.C.) was marked by hunting and food gathering for survival. Intensive plant food collecting, hunting a variety of game animals, fishing (including shellfishing), and the beginnings of plant domestication characterized the Archaic period (90002000 B .C .). Increased reliance on domesticated plant foods (sunflowers, squashes, corn) during the latter stages of the Woodland period (2000 B.C. A.D. 1000), plus the introduction of pottery making technology, set that period off from the earlier Archaic stage. Through time, it is believed that early humans increasingly settled in permanent villages and defined territories. That is particularly true of the latest prehistoric native inhabitants of what became Georgia - what archaeologists call Mississippian cultures (A.D. 900-1400) who occupied permanent villages along major river flood plains, where their fields of corn, beans, squash, and tobacco were located.
Where to Look?
Few events can compare to the excitement of finding a perfect arrowhead, scraper, or spear point on one's own land. Cultural resources collected on their forest property are a great source of pride to many landowners, some of which have extensive collections . While it is possible to stumble upon artifacts anywhere, most concentrations of artifacts, however, are found near areas of early campsites

and settlements. Settlements and encampments were often located near surface waters, particular land forms and soil types, or useful mineral deposits. Living near surface water was essential for the survival of early humans. They settled near lakes, streams, and springs for drinking water, food , sanitation, transportation, and defense.
Land forms like caves, rock overhangs, protected coves, knolls , high bluffs, and stream terraces provided shelter, vantage points, and level land for farming, respectively. Farming occurred where soil fertility and productivity were high, and where loose soils could be tilled with simple farming tools (hoes with stone or shell blades and wooden digging sticks), typically on the broad flood plains of large streams and rivers.
What to Look for?
Flint flakes or chips: Flaked or chipped stone tools found in some fields that have been cultivated or sites prepared for tree planting are often flatsided, or sharp-edged. These man-made tools can be distinguished from natural stones by evidences of the removal of stone chips in regular patterns (through what is called flint knapping) . These chipped stone tools were made by striking the edge of the tool with a hard rock or antler tine. The pieces of stone that were chipped off are called flakes. Flakes are usually the most abundant artifacts found on archaeological sites and are a good indication that more artifacts may be in the area.

Georgia Forestry/Summer, 1998/9