Inside the GFC [Fall 2008]

Inside The GFC
Doing the Right Things Right!

Fall 2008

News from The Georgia Forestry Commission

On the Inside:
Type II Team provided assistance during the Hurricane Ike emergency. Page 2
Agreement designed to help Georgia counties integrate the conservation of working forests into their growth planning. Page 4

Letter from the Director
Dear GFC Professionals,
Congratulations to every GFC Professional for continuously doing the "Right Things Right." Your successes continue to be recognized - not only in Georgia by our customers, appropriators, and policy makers - but by leaders at the national level as well. A few nights ago, Susan Reisch was honored with a National Association of State Foresters Award for her leadership and innovations in managing our Urban and Community Forests. The presenter even came up with a new twist on our GFC mantra: Doing the Right Things Reisch! Thank you, Susan. Thank you, GFC Professionals.
Speaking of doing the right things, please help spread the word about the Georgia Forest Land Protection Act. It will be listed as Amendment #1 on the ballot November 4th. Our General Assembly overwhelmingly approved the legislation to create this constitutional amendment recognizing the need to provide fair and equitable taxation of our forest lands. The amendment is an important tool for conserving our working forests and helping us accomplish our GFC vision of ensuring Georgia maintains healthy, sustainable forests providing clean air, clean water, and abundant forest products for generations to come. For more details, visit our website, or go to ForOurForests.com. You may also contact Lauren Newsome Bush for more information.
As we consistently exemplify RTR, it is important, also, to consistently promote the GFC Brand. Building a brand and image takes some time, but it is worth the effort. Our new Georgia Forestry Commission brand and its implementation strategy were created in 2006 to more clearly communicate the overall Mission and Vision of the GFC. This fresh, environmentally-friendly image relates to a wider audience and has already helped raise our profile among our constituencies and set a new standard of communications.
Consistency is at the heart of a strong brand. Consistency breeds recognition and recognition breeds credibility. Credibility is the critical factor that helps ensure GFC is fairly funded, supported by its constituents, and trusted. It is imperative, therefore, that we all stay "on brand" by using a uniform set of guidelines. Basic guidelines for the logo's colors, type fonts, sizes and usage on GFC materials are housed in the GFC Communications Department. A new document, Guidelines for Building the GFC Brand While Recognizing the Support of Its Partners, is now posted on the Intranet under the Communications link. I have approved these Guidelines and presented them to program managers at the September Leadership Team meeting. The document addresses the use of the GFC logo in combination with other logos that may be requested by partner agencies. The Communications Department is responsible for the consistent application of branding guidelines. We all do the little things to uphold our professionalism, from wearing our uniforms correctly to removing our hats at the appropriate times. We must also do the bigger things, such as unfailingly protecting and promoting the consistency needed for a strong brand.
Thank you for contributing to clearer communications from the GFC by supporting these very important guidelines.
Sincerely,

Michael "Lee" Kelley - 1956-2008 Page 11

Robert Farris Director

Published Quarterly for the Employees of The Georgia Forestry Commission by the Communications Department.

Type II Team Takes Know-How to Texas

A Georgia Forestry Commission Type II Team was dispatched to Houston, Texas on September 11, 2008 to provide assistance during the Hurricane Ike emergency. Thirty GFC Professionals from many Georgia counties made up a team of experts that handled duties including Incident Command, Safety, Information, Operations, Logistics, Planning, Liaison functions, and Finance.
A combined team from GFC and the Texas Forest Service set up the Regional Staging Area that consisted of three parking lots at the Reliant Stadium. The lots were used to receive and distribute commodities, and stage commodities that had not yet been ordered. The staging area served eight Texas counties and provided badly needed supplies including water, ice, and MRE's.

Type II Team members Amy Weaver and Sherri Cummings (backs to camera) share information with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff at the Regional Staging Area in Houston following Hurricane Ike.

"Our Georgia team has responded to several hurricanes in Florida and Louisiana," said Jenny Lynn Bruner, GFC District 4 Chief Ranger and Information Officer for the Hurricane Ike operation. "The knowledge and experiences gained from each incident will surely assist Georgia citizens should we be faced with a hurricane or other disaster."

GFC personnel receive updates on the day's plans at a morning briefing.

Trucks loaded with commodities await dispatch on one of three parking lots. 2

SCFP Foresters
Learn Post-Disaster
Skills
Two community foresters with SCFP, Daniel Westcot and Gary White, attended Urban Forest Strike Team (UFST) training in Virginia in July. Certified arborists from several southern forestry agencies were on hand for the three-day training event, designed to better enable southern states to respond to and recover from disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes and ice storms. The training equips GFC professionals to help communities estimate tree debris immediately after a disaster to determine costs of removal during the response period. Risk assessments of trees remaining after the initial clean-up will allow communities to determine which trees need to be pruned or replaced and allow for the restoration of the urban forest.
The training involved the use of GPS-based data recorders and GIS programs that allowed trainees to generate maps of storm damaged areas, much like an urban tree inventory would do. The area around Colonial Williamsburg was used for field exercises, as actual field data was collected and returned to the Virginia Department of Forestry Training Center in New Kent, where storm-damage

maps were generated. While the concept of estimating debris and evaluating individual trees is not entirely new, the process of making the strike team part of a pre-planned disaster response is just emerging. Ultimately the UFST could become part of the ICS and ROSS system. A draft Task Book for UFST members was reviewed during the training.

Westcot

To put the training

into practice, Westcot

and White headed to

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

on September 23, as

White

members of an Urban

Forestry Strike Team deployed to evaluate damage done

by Hurricane Gustav. After power is restored to Texas

following Hurricane Ike, UFST members may also head

to storm-damaged areas there. As he was preparing to

depart for Louisiana, White said, "While it is important

to help our neighbors when they experience disasters,

we are preparing the GFC to be able to better respond

to disasters as they occur in our own state."

Disaster Averted in Dooly County

A close call in District 7 has a happy ending, thanks to GFC Ranger 1, Marty Fore.
On Friday, September 19, Fore was plowing behind a Dooly County landowner when the landowner stopped his tractor to jump down and speak with Fore. In an instant, the landowner's tractor began rolling downhill. The landowner jumped back on his tractor, but slipped

and was falling under its wheel when Fore sprung into action. Fore leaped toward the tire and heaved it back off the landowner, stopping the vehicle and the mower's PTO shaft from crushing the man's leg, and possibly saving his life.
No injuries were sustained by either the landowner or our GFC hero.

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Agreement Strengthens Forestry Conservation

The GFC has entered into an agreement designed to help Georgia counties integrate the conservation of working forests into their growth planning.

The partnership between the Georgia Forestry Commission and the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) is expected to strengthen relationships between local decision makers and forestry professionals along the Georgia coast and in other areas facing critical conversion issues.

Focus will be placed on analyzing current land-use policies

and practices, prioritizing and mapping key landscapes,

identifying and mapping greenspace and transportation

Front row from left: Jerry Griffin, ACCG Executive Director and Robert Farris, GFC Director. Back row from left: Larry Morris, GFC

corridors, and developing wildfire protection plans and Firewise practices at the community level.

Associate Chief, SCFP; Ross King, ACCG Deputy Director; and Buford For more information, contact Gary White at 706.356.4479

Sanders, GFC Staff Forester, Stewardship and Legacy Programs.

or gwhite@gfc.state.ga.us.

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Giant Danielsville Oak is Felled
One of Georgia's largest oak trees has fallen victim to damage and disease. The Willow Oak, which grew in Danielsville in Madison County, was considered an unofficial co-state champion tree. Its crown diameter was 140 ft. with a 21 ft. circumference, and it was estimated to be about 100 years old. It was felled by its owner, Otis Graham, after a tree limb that was eight foot in circumference crashed onto his home, causing roof damage. The tree was suffering from heart rot and storm damage.

Oglethorpe Co. Chief Ranger Sr. Tracy Graham stands beside the fallen state champion oak tree.

Incentive Program for Portable Bridges Announced
In an effort to improve statewide compliance with forestry stream crossing Best Management Practices (BMPs), a new incentive program is making portable bridges available to loggers and wood dealers. The Georgia Forestry Commission and the Pine Country RC&D are co-sponsoring the program, which offers special incentives for the purchase of wood and steel bridges.
"These bridges are ideal for temporary stream crossings," said Thomas Barrett, who is coordinating the program for GFC. "The bridges are a preferred BMP because they minimize land disturbance and stream sedimentation."
According to Barrett, applicants can purchase these bridges from approved distributors or build them themselves. The maximum incentive payment a participant will receive is 60% of the cost up to $2,000 for wood bridges and $10,000 for steel bridges. Payments will be made to participants

after receiving a dated bill of sale receipt from an approved vendor and after bridge use has been verified by GFC personnel. For applications and detailed guidelines, contact Thomas Barrett at 912.529.6652 or via the GFC Intranet.
Portable bridges are now made available to loggers and wood dealers.

Learning How to T-Cruise

Statesboro District Foresters have received valuable training on the use of the T-Cruise program, thanks to a comprehensive demonstration given by Staff Forester Steve Chapman. T-Cruise is a rugged, hand-held PDA device that collects timber cruising data and syncs with Windows desktop software to provide detailed tract information. GFC has had the program available for more than a year, but because our Professionals aren't called upon often to cruise timber, many are not familiar with it.

Chapman gave the hands-on session the day before Statesboro foresters were scheduled to begin a cruising project on a tract of timber owned by the Georgia Ports Authority in Savannah. Chapman said T-Cruise is a challenging program to master, but the Statesboro team was comprised of "quick learners who had a terrific willingness to learn."

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Many Contribute to Talbot Field Day Success

GFC's Prescribed Burn Coordinator, Neal Edmondson, shares information about the benefits of prescribed fire for declining species' habitats at a Talbot County Field Day.

On Saturday, September 20th, nearly 80 landowners who collectively hold over 20,000 acres of forestland, toured the Buckner family's Patsiliga Plantation. The group learned about longleaf pine habitat restoration and conservation and the forest management strategies being utilized to ensure long-term economic and ecological benefits. The 1,500 acre property, managed primarily for quail, gopher tortoise, and other wildlife, is located in Talbot County on central Georgia's fall line, where the Piedmont meets the Coastal Plain. The property has been family-owned since 1830. Pine trees were planted there in the 1950's, replacing cotton, corn, and peanut fields.
Resource professionals presented information about conservation forestry management for declining species dependent upon fire-maintained southern pine communities in Georgia, with a focus on the gopher tortoise. During the field tour, speakers covered topics including growing season prescribed fire, herbicides that control the hardwood midstory, gopher tortoise biology and ecology, and available cost-share assistance for habitat management, including new Farm Bill funding opportunities.

The Center for Conservation Solutions (CCS) of the American Forest Foundation hosted the field day. CCS works in partnership with resource agencies, nonprofit organizations, and research partners to provide family forest owners with the necessary tools to manage their lands for both ecological and economic gains. The American Forest Foundation (AFF) is a non-profit organization working to ensure the sustainability of America's family forests for present and future generations. GFC assisted CCS with the field day and several Professionals and departments helped make the day a success, including Lisa Duncan, Teresa Kregl-Barber, Neal Edmondson, the Taylor County Unit, the Macon County Unit, and the Flint River Nursery. GFC personnel assisted with locating a landowner/property, registration, transportation, and speaking.
Other organizations key to the success of the field day include the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Forest Service.

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Community Events Keep District 4 Busy

GFC Professionals in District 4 have been sharing information about forestry's many benefits with community members at a variety of recent events. On Saturday, September 20, District 4 & the Coweta County Unit started the day by co-hosting, along with the Quality Deer Management Association, a landowner/ hunter Field Day on the Old Arnold Dairy property on Corinth Rd. The program featured presentations on forestry practices, GFC Services, and deer herd and habitat management with emphasis on food plot planting techniques.

The GFC Coweta County Unit also recently co-hosted the 4th annual Lumberjack Event with the local Kiwanis Club. The event has grown to be a major attraction for the fairgrounds, drawing big crowds and more than 20 participants to the local fair. Events included the one-man and two-man saw, a pole toss, and a pole climb. Winners were awarded cash prizes. GFC Professionals also staffed a booth for the ten-day fair, whose attendance numbers topped 11,000 people. A great deal of information and material regarding GFC services, forestry practices, and forest management was distributed.

District 4 Forester Lee Milby discusses the benefits of proper GFC's Dusty Griglen and Terry Quigley time the one-man saw

thinning techniques and prescribed burning.

event.

Hopefully, the Arbor Day Poster Packets have now been distributed to your local fifth grade teachers. The theme this year is Trees are Terrific...in Cities and Towns! When talking to teachers about the contest, please emphasize to them to pay close attention to the rules on page 22 of the booklet. Regretfully, it is not unusual to disqualify a few posters each year because one or more of the rules were overlooked. Common mistakes resulting in disqualification include folding the poster entry, using the wrong size paper, and misspelled words. If you are a judge for a school, please point out the posters that should be disqualified so they will not be chosen as the winner and sent to Athens to compete in the state contest...only to be disqualified here. Posters must be received (not postmarked) in the Athens Office by Friday, January 30, 2009. The state winner will be invited to participate in the State Arbor Day Ceremony, and their poster will be sent to the National Arbor Day Foundation to compete nationally. If you have any questions or need more packets, please call Sherrie Gabriel at 706.542.6880.
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Now is the time to submit your 2008 Tree City USA applications in order to get your Tree City materials before Georgia Arbor Day on February 20, 2009. Encourage your cities to start gathering the needed information for initial certifications and re-certifications and submit by December 1 to: Sherrie Gabriel, Georgia Forestry Commission, 1055 East Whitehall Road, Athens, GA 30605. To qualify as a Tree City, the city needs a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita, and an Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation. Georgia had another record-breaking year in 2007 with 119 certified Tree Cities!

Exciting Activities Draw Thousands
Thousands of outdoor enthusiasts, hunters and landowners enjoyed two weekends of exciting activities recently in Macon and Perry. The Georgia Outdoor News "Outdoor Blast" was held at Macon's Centreplex Friday-Sunday, August 8-10, and the Buck-a-Rama was held at the Perry Fairgrounds FridaySunday, August 15-17.
GFC's Milledgeville District hosted a booth at both events, promoting the GFC and answering questions from the public about forestry, prescribed burning, wildlife, tree seedlings, and a variety of other topics. It's estimated that over 4,500 people attended the Buck-a-Rama this year, and a record number of people stopped by booths hosted by GFC's Newnan and Milledgeville Districts. Fiftysix specific requests for help were submitted to GFC. More than 400 pieces of literature were distributed, along with 5,000 pieces of promotional items. Our volunteers made lasting personal contact and their help at both events is greatly appreciated.

GROWS Upcoming Events
Wildlife/Forestry Conservation Field Day
When: 10-23-2008 - 8:30 -1:30 Where: David Henry Hardigree
Wildlife Sanctuary Contact Name: Jacquelyn Mack Contact Phone: 706.769.7922
Greene-Morgan Landowner Meeting
When: 10-28-2008 - 6:30 - 8:30 Where: Bonner's, Buckhead Contact Name: Chuck Williams,
President Contact Email: chuck.williams@
northgabank.com

Newnan personnel hand out promotional items at the Atlanta Buck-a-Rama.

GFA Sandersville Regional Meeting
When: 12-04-2008 - 6:00 - 8:00 Where: Twin City Country Club,
Tennille Contact Name: Alva Hopkins Contact Email: alva@gfagrow.org Contact Phone: 478.992.8110

Troy Helms, Nick Tresco, and James Bledsoe from the Milledgeville District promote forestry at the Perry Buck-a-Rama.
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24th Annual Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference
When: 01-11-2009 - 3:00 01-15-2009 - 4:00
Where: Ramada Inn Conference Center, Tallahassee, FL
Contact Name: Kaye Gainey Contact Email: kaye@ttrs.org Contact Phone: 850.893.4153

Director Robert Farris is congratulated by GFA President Earl Wesley Langdale III, Chairman of the GFC Board of Directors, receives

Barrs for receiving the GFA President's Award.

a plaque naming him a recipient of the GFA President's Award.

GFA President's Awards

GFC received special recognition at the Georgia Forestry Association annual meeting held recently in Amelia Island, Florida. Georgia Forestry Commission Director Robert Farris received the President's Award from GFA President Earl Barrs. Barrs said he chose Farris for the honor because of his leadership of GFC and other state agencies responding to the devastating wildfires that scorched south Georgia in

the spring of 2007. Farris said he was proud to accept the award "on behalf of the dedicated GFC Professionals from throughout the state."
Wesley Langdale III, Chairman of the Georgia Forestry Commission Board of Directors, received the second President's Award for his personal and financial support of the GFA.

GFC Recognized As Outstanding Workplace

The Georgia Forestry Commission has received two prestigious awards recognizing workplace excellence.
GFC earned the state Work Away Program's "Governor's Award" for having more than the target 25 per cent of its employees enrolled in the Work Away Program. GFC currently has 172 employees on the Work Away roster, an 11% increase over last year. The breakdown includes 35 individuals who tele-work, 18 who are on alternate work schedules, 93 who are on compressed work schedules, and 26 who are on flexible schedules.

The Georgia Forestry Commission has also been designated

one of the "best workplaces for commuters" by the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S.

Department of Transportation (DOT). "Best Workplaces

for Commuters," a voluntary partnership program designed

to reduce traffic congestion and traffic-related air pollution,

recognizes employers that provide environmentally friendly

commuter benefits to employees. A certificate from the

National Center for Transit Research will be placed in the Macon

The Work Away Program's "Governor's Award" and the EPA/ Headquarters and a decal encouraging Best Workplace for

DOT "Best Workplace for Commuters" award are on display at Commuters practices is posted in the Macon headquarters' front

GFC's Macon headquarters.

window. For more information please visit www.bwc.gov.

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GFC's Reisch Recognized for Protecting American Forest

The Georgia Forestry

Commission's Urban &

Community Forestry Program

Coordinator, Susan Reisch,

has been recognized with a

prestigious award from the

National Association of State

Foresters. Reisch was awarded

the Burnell Fischer Current

Achievement for Urban Forestry

Reisch

honor for her national and state efforts to protect and sustainably

manage America's forests. She will be formally recognized at

the NASF Awards Banquet in Hyannis, Mass. in October.

Susan Reisch has served in her current position as U&CF Program Coordinator since 1999. In 2005, she initiated the annual publication of SHADE Magazine, which highlights critical issues affecting community forests for decision makers. She led a major marketing study of consumers in the wildland-urban interface about insights into tree benefits and published an article about the study for City Trees magazine. Reisch developed two important guides for professional foresters, the SGSF Urban Forestry Communications Plan and the Georgia Model Urban Forest planning book. In 2005, Reisch was named one of "Ten Women Saving the Planet," by Atlanta Woman magazine.

Waycross District Landowner Earns Stewardship Award

Georgia's list of Certified Forest Stewards has just grown longer. Randall Gressett of Ware County has become the 275th landowner in the state to be awarded the prestigious designation for implementing recommended practices provided in a Forest Stewardship plan. A ceremony marking the occasion was held September 12 at Gopher Ranch.

their stewardship plans. The program's management methods support forest health, so they can continue to supply the products, clean air, clean water and recreation venues needed for future generations.

According to Jamey Kent, GFC Forest Stewardship Forester, more than 6,000 landowners have committed to following multiple resource management recommendations in

From left: Randall Gressett Jr. (landowner), James Kent (Waycross Stewardship Forester), and Randall
Gressett Sr. (landowner).
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Michael "Lee" Kelley 1956-2008

We've Lost a Friend...
By Troy E. Floyd, Jr. District Ranger District 1

As you know, GFC's Rome District Forester, Lee Kelley, was killed in a tragic motorcycle accident on Thursday, September 4. Lee was riding his Harley home from the D.O. when a pickup truck pulled out in front of him, giving him no time to react.
Michael Lee Kelley started work with the Georgia Forestry Commission on December 16, 1982 as a Forest Patrolman in Haralson County. He was a graduate of the University of Georgia and a second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. He was married to his wife, Cynthia, for 29 years and had two daughters, Sarah Lee and Laura Francis.

Throughout his career, Lee was able to balance working for the Georgia Forestry Commission and serving his country. Lee served in both Gulf wars. When he retired from the Marine Corps he had achieved the rank of full Colonel.
In 2006, Lee became District Forester of the Rome District, where he led with distinction and made lasting impressions on everyone he worked with and met. I had the privilege of working with Lee since 1999 when I was Chief Ranger in Walker County where he kept his office. We are saddened by the loss of this very special man, and will remember him always.

Rome District Forester Lee Kelley was laid to rest on Sunday, September 7 at a small church cemetery in the Mountain Cove area of Chicamauga, Ga. In honor of Kelley's service in the U.S. Marine Corps, a full military ceremony was presented at the funeral, which was attended by legions of Kelley's family, friends, and colleagues.
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Sharon Dolliver Retires

GFC Communications Chief Sharon Dolliver retired September 30, following a career that spanned more than three decades.

"I feel so fortunate to have worked for this wonderful organization," said Dolliver. "These are the greatest people in the world to work with, and they're doing such good work for Georgia's environment and the economy."

Dolliver joined GFC as an Atlanta

based forester in December of

1976, after graduating from the

University of Georgia with a BS in

Forest Resources. Following a brief

Dolliver

hiatus during which she married, got a Masters degree, and taught

high school biology and physics,

Dolliver rejoined GFC in 1984. Since then she has served as Staff

Forester, Urban Forestry Coordinator, Chief of Information,

Education & Urban Forestry and Chief of Communications.

During her career with GFC, Dolliver has held countless leadership positions at the local, state and national level. Recently she was named a Fellow with the Society of American Foresters.

Dolliver said she expects it may be a little difficult at first to adjust to her new schedule. She'd like to work as a freelancer, perhaps doing some copy editing or proof reading. But she also plans to make some time for travel.
"I want to feed the mules at the Grand Canyon," she said, "and I want to volunteer at the Iditarod Sled Dog Race in Alaska next March!"
In the meantime, she and husband, Sam, who retired from the kaolin mining industry last summer, will have the freedom to do as they please, even if it doesn't include slowing down much or "sleeping in" late.
"Oh, no," said Sharon. "I always like to watch the sun come up. I'd feel like I've missed something if I didn't!"

PERSONNEL ANNOUNCEMENTS

New Hires
Felix Jr., Larry Hargrove, Robert Edward Hulett, Jeffery W. Lovvorn, William Andrew Ridley, Jeremy Smith, Eric J. Wilkinson, Dameon

Ranger 1 Ranger 1 Ranger 1 Ranger 1 Ranger 1 Ranger 1 Ranger 1

Columbia-Richmond Co. Butts-Henry Co. Camden Co. Carroll-Haralson Co. Catoosa-Whitfield Co. Ware Co. Lincoln-Taliaferro-Wilkes Co.

Promotions Lanier Jr., Jerry Reginald Russ, James D. Oliveras, Cathy
Retirements Dolliver, Sharon Owens, Joel Wayne Scarborough, Gerald V.
Deaths Kelley, Lee

Conservation Forester Ranger 2 Administrative Assistant

Central Office Management Echols Co. Central Office Protection

Chief Chief Ranger, Sr. Forest Nursery Worker

Communications Dept. Wilcox Co. Flint River Nursery

District Forester

Rome D. O.

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