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 "O!SSn~ U! +aaJ =>!qn:> v2 ~nf puo opouo,? U! +C1C1J =>!qn:> L2 4+!M pCIJOOlUO:> +CICIJ :>!qn:> 9g S! SCl+o+s pC1+!un C14+ U! 4+MoJ6 1onuuo +CIU 'S!SDq CIJ:>D JCld 0 uo pJopuo+s JC146!4 D PI JOM Cl4+ 6U!M04S CIJD SC1!uodwo:> JC1dod puo +SCIJOJ sn uo,pnpoJd C1SOC1J:>UJ ..(11onu1+uo:> +04+ SCl:>!POJd +uC1WC16ouow +SCI -JO} punos AllD=>!J!+UC1ps '+Jo-C14+ -Jo-C1+o+s .'-01dwC1 SC11uodwo:> JCld -od puo +SCIJOJ C1sno:>C1q PIJOM C14+ U! Clh!pnpoJd +sow a4+ aJo spuo1 -+SCIJOJ sn 'CIJ:>O JO} CIJ:>V (::> :v 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 --- ----- - _,, .. I ... __.' .... ,,--......... ,,--.. II TREES* WHATS THE USE? ', # I',\I. - ' . I # I',\I. - '.. I LOGS & POLES telephone poles fu el 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. ' &RESINS . . varnish ~ maple syrup medicines a dhesives (glue) ' printing ink 1 glass ce men t ' p ai nt s chewing gum s tains I s hoe poli h fireworks rubber turpentine - , 1'1 ', I # ' I -\. '.. I PULPWOOD newsprint wrapping paper book paper wallpaper photographic film imitation leather imitation s ponges shatterproof glass paper towels cardboard crepe paper wallboard rayon pla tics artific ial hair '# 11.. ------ - .I , BARK ta nnins dyes adhesives drugs fl a voring oils STUMPS veneer charcoal pitch wood tar SAWDUST artificia l wood bedding for livestoc k composition board pl a s t ic s filler for linoleum fuel briquets ice storage soil cond itioner I'I ', .... __ .,,,.~ ,,--...9 ....... -11--- I.., , ---.e Georgia Forestry/Summer, 1998/21 knj az1k zvzw e z pcecb xs 0 s cm f g j q wh t j d e a e a t p q z z h b f s b s l b wwu r asa i g0 c zs kd ql k n r g u y p r ws r b u j p t k mm0 p 0 g y me g s g w agpcpl s t e f spt q0 b s k x j a g mk wi s x s 0 0 j qvvzf yuunnht d c k v j e mr z z g s s f u z x b u d wg u c p n e wP n g hh uup0 i kaa cqca z d d zd e s ega i 0 f s 0 y mu k i s v m h u i r u n Searchfor the words below in this puzzle and circle them. They may be spelled forwards or backloords, and placed vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. 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"' 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.