GFC eUpdate [Jan. 30, 2015]

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GFC eUpdate

Contents
Forest Management Acorns
Forest Protection Update
Forest Utilization Updates
Reforestation Matters
Upcoming Events
Arborist Certification Review Course 02/10 - 02/11/15 Dry Branch, GA
Georgia Forestry Association Forestry Day at the Capitol &
Advocacy Summit 02/11 - 02/12/15 Atlanta, GA
Statewide Arbor Day Celebration & Georgia Urban Forest Council
Program 02/18/15 Macon, GA
UGA Timberland Investment Conference
02/18 - 02/20/15 Amelia Island, FL


Forest Management Acorns
Georgia Arbor Day festivities will be held in February and you're invited to take part. The state observes Arbor Day on the third Friday of every February, which this year falls on Friday the 20th. Leading up to the day, the Georgia Forestry Commission will sponsor Trail of Trees performances by Tim Womick, the modern day Johnny Appleseed. Womick is a trained performer who has turned his passion for trees and life into an entertaining and informative performance about the benefits of trees for audiences ages eight and over. The Georgia Urban Forest Council's state Arbor Day event will be held on Wednesday, February 18 at Wesleyan College in Macon. In addition to ceremonies marking Arbor Day and new and renewing Tree City USA communities, the event will feature a presentation by Dr. Ed Gilman, Professor of Environmental Horticulture at the University of Florida. Gilman is a leading researcher and educator in tree selection, urban design, nursery production and urban tree management. He will present practical guidance and demonstrations on planting and pruning of younger trees, as well as on innovative root management techniques. Dan Lambe, the President of the National Arbor Day Foundation will attend, and Carolyn Crayton, founder of the Macon Cherry Blossom Festival, will also be honored at the event. The program will run from 9am to 3pm in Oval Hall at Wesleyan, 4760 Forsyth Road, Macon. To register, visit gufc.org.
Forest Protection Update
The holidays are behind us and cold temperatures have settled in, which can only mean one thing: it's time to burn! Every year more than a million acres of forestland are prescribed burned in Georgia, which provides numerous forest management benefits. The GFC helps landowners with all aspects of burning - from firebreak plowing to prescribed burn assistance. Notify your local GFC office before beginning a prescribed burn, whose safe execution depends on weather. Wind speed, wind direction, relative humidity, ground and fuel moisture, smoke dispersion levels and other weather and atmospheric parameters are factors that determine burning safety. Fire weather forecasts and fire danger observations are available on the GFC website at GaTrees.org. Click on the "Burn Permits Online" section. Prescribed burning training and certification are offered by the GFC and the 2015 schedule is available at GaTrees.org under the "Forest Fire" tab for "Prescribed Fire." And remember, before burning any outdoor debris pile, get a burn permit online at GaTrees.org or by phone at 1-888-OK-2-BURN.

Governor Nathan Deal is helping raise awareness about the importance of fire to healthy forests by proclaiming February 2-8, 2015, "Prescribed Fire Awareness Week." Prescribed Fire Awareness Week was established in 2005 through the efforts of GFC and the Georgia Prescribed Fire Council. It is observed annually during the first full week in February as a time to recognize this safe way to apply a natural process, ensure ecosystem health and reduce wildfire risk. To learn more about the Georgia Prescribed Fire Council and how prescribed fire is being used in Georgia, visit www.garxfire.com.

Forest Utilization Updates
A free app that can be a valuable resource to foresters and natural resource professionals in the field is now available for download on Apple IOS and Android platforms. The Service Forester's Toolkit App from University of Georgia Extension is based on the US Forest Service's Forester's Handbook. It provides quick reference for basic forest and land measurements, tree measurements, volume tables, site index charts and more.
Green Power Solutions of Georgia, LLC has completed financing for its 34 MW power cogeneration facility in Dublin, GA at the SP Fiber Technologies paper mill, according to Wood Bioenergy Magazine. Governor Nathan Deal said in December that the project is expected to create 35 permanent jobs, support up to 200 additional jobs in the forest industry, and utilize one million tons of woody biomass from the local area annually. The biomass electricity plant will provide steam for the mill and generate electricity that will be sold to Georgia Power Company.
Wood and wood pellets are now the fastest growing residential heating fuel in America, according to a report from the US Energy Information Agency. The EIA predicts wood and pellet heating will grow this winter by 4.7%, after registering a 38% leap between 2004 and 2013, and now accounting for 2.5% of all home primary heating. While solar and georthermal sources grab headlines, the EIA says in 2014 residential wood and pellet heat will produce 67% of the nation's total BTU's; solar will produce 29%, followed by georthermal at 4%. The EIA Winter Outlook Report can be found at www.eia.gov/forecasts/steo/special/winter/2014_winter_fuels.pdf.

Reforestation Matters
Did you know that the GFC's Reforestation Department grows and sells 10 different varieties of genetically improved pine species? These seedlings are available through the Georgia Forestry Commissions website, www.gatrees.org, or you can call the Flint River Nursery at 229-268-7308 to place a direct order by phone. These seedlings are perfect for large scale reforestation projects or small plantings around your property, and are available in packages of 50 to units of 1,000 or more. As a member of two tree improvement cooperatives, the GFC insures that you are getting the best genetics that money can buy.The GFC's Reforestation Department also grows and sells 22 different species of hardwoods. These seedlings, which are perfect for wildlife, timber production, and aesthetics, are available to the general public at a very reasonable cost, and can be delivered to your local county forestry unit free of charge. Discounts are available based on the number of seedlings purchased, and for picking them up directly from our nursery. It's the perfect time to plant bare root seedlings, so contact your local GFC office, visit our website, or call the nursery. These seedlings are selling briskly and are expected to be sold out in another month, so act fast!
Copyright 2005 Georgia Forestry Commission, all rights reserved 1- 800- GA- TREES
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