GFC eUpdate, 2019 March 5

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GFC eUpdate

Contents
Director's Corner
Forest Management Acorns
Time to Rx Burn!
2017 GA Timber Products Output Survey Completed
Reforestation Update
Website Refresh
Upcoming Events
Ladies for Their Land Workshop 3/15/19
Bleckley, GA
Arborist Certification Review Class
3/19 - 3/20/19 Macon, GA
Forestry and Wildlife Management Field Day
3/29/19 Gray, GA
Prescribed Fire Certification Workshop
4/17 - 4/18/19 Moultrie, GA
Identification/Mapping/Control of Invasive Pests 4/24 - 4/25/19 Tifton, GA
City of Winder Arbor Day Celebration 4/26/19 Winder, GA

Director's Corner
Georgia's 40-day legislative session has crossed the halfway point. The FY20 budget is now being considered by the Senate after getting House approval. The process for our agency began well before the legislature convened in January. We work closely with the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget (OPB) to lay the foundation for our budget needs, both operating funds and capital (equipment and facilities) funds. Currently our role is to answer legislators' questions and provide input regarding impacts on landowners and their forests. We are monitoring legislation that tweaks the hurricane relief approved in November 2018 and other matters that affect our stakeholders and our agency. If all goes as scheduled, the legislature will finish its work on April 2.
On March 1 the GA Department of Revenue rolled out the timber tax credit for landowners who suffered damages from Hurricane Michael. Eligible timber properties must be located in the declared disaster area. More information on the timber tax credit can be found on DOR's website at: https://dor.georgia.gov/.
We had an overwhelming response to the Forest Debris Management Program during the recent sign-up period. When the application window closed, we had received 1,654 applications, requesting more than $113 million to clean up about 340,000 acres. GFC's Forest Management Department is working now to issue award letters to those who are eligible for the program.
Employees in GFC's 2018 North and South Units of the Year were recognized by the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate in February. Legislators passed resolutions honoring the Oglethorpe County Forestry Unit in the North Zone, and co-Units Worth County and Decatur/Seminole in the South Zone. The resolutions acknowledged personnel's outstanding accomplishments in the areas of forest management, wildfire prevention and suppression, reforestation, and community outreach and education. Please join me in congratulating these deserving GFC employees!
Forest

Lilburn Arbor Day Celebration and Greenway Trail Walk 4/27/29 Lilburn, GA

Management
Acorns
Springtime is in sight and that means insects and invasive plants are top of mind with our Forest Health professionals. Southern pine beetle (SPB) population prediction trapping has already begun in the southern part of the state and will progress northward as the redbuds bloom. These traps will give us a good idea of the ratio of SPB numbers compared to their natural predator, the clerid beetle. Pine beetle detection flights will begin in March and some detections of SPB have already been confirmed in Glynn County. Please report any significant pine tree mortality to your local GFC office. GFC county foresters can help with the identification of forest insects, diseases and invasive plants. Japanese climbing fern incidence is on the increase across Georgia and cogongrass will soon be blooming. GFC will continue to spray all cogongrass detections in 2019 at no cost to the landowner. Landowners in the hurricane damaged area of southwest Georgia should be especially vigilant for signs of infestations, where associated activities are creating greater risks. Funding is available to help landowners control cogongrass, Japanese climbing fern, Callery pear, privet, tallowtree, and chinaberry.
Time to Rx Burn!
As winter eases toward spring, it's time to plan for prescribed burning. Yes, soils are saturated throughout Georgia, however most upland sites that have good drainage will lend themselves to successful prescribed burns. Much of the fuel, such as leaves, pine needles, limbs, and even some of the live vegetation, will be available to burn where conditions are favorable. It's important to not become complacent with prescribed fires as they are capable of burning rapidly and with increased intensity. Continue to plan ahead, have sufficient firebreaks and/or barriers to prevent fire escape, and never leave fires unattended. Call your localGFC county unit office for advice and assistance.
2017 GA Timber Product Output
Survey
Completed
GFC's Utilization staff recently completed the 2017 Georgia Timber Product Output (TPO) survey, which is conducted biannually in conjunction with the USDA

Forest Service Southern Research Station. Results detail information about Georgia's primary wood using industries - mills that convert roundwood products (saw logs, veneer logs, pulpwood, etc.) into primary wood products such as lumber, veneer, oriented strand board, poles, wood pulp, and wood pellets.
Highlights of the survey show:
188 primary wood-using mills operating in the state. 207 product types. 67 mills export. Of Georgia's 159 counties, 92, or nearly 60%, have at
least one primary mill. Canfor has announced a $28 million expansion of its
Moultrie sawmill (softwood) in Colquitt Co. Georgia-Pacific will spend $128 million on its sawmill
(softwood) expansion at G-P's Warrenton facility in Warren Co. Production capacity will be 350 mmbf, with operations scheduled to begin in spring, 2019.
The survey will be published in the 2019 Wood-Using Industry Directory, which will be available soon in hard copy and online formats.
Reforestation Update
There's still time to order genetically improved pine seedlings from the GFC. We have a limited variety available until March 15; contact the nursery directly if you're interested. In June, we'll begin accepting orders for the 2019-2020 planting season, and we urge you to order early. The seedling supply is expected to be tight next year, due to reforestation efforts in southwest Georgia following Hurricane Michael and the wet season we've had this year, which forced some to postpone planting. Order online at www.gaseedlings.org or call the nursery at 478-508-0056. Did you know the GFC Reforestation Department is set to house all of the orchards where the majority of the 5th Cycle breeding work will be conducted? As a member of two tree improvement cooperatives, we're continually advancing the growth, form and disease-resistance of loblolly and slash pine, and longleaf to a smaller degree. It's rewarding to see our small staff enhancing conventional tree breeding and testing techniques with the cooperatives. Advanced cycle seedlings are being deployed into the landscape by GFC and many other private and industry nurseries - a great example of state government working with private industry for the betterment of our forest resources!

Website Refresh
The Georgia Forestry Commission's public website is getting a facelift! Our goal is to give you an easy, pleasant online experience that quickly connects you to all the resources our agency provides. Please visitGaTrees.org and review what's there. We welcome your input as our design team works to create a fresh and functional tool for all things GFC. Just email your comments to wburnett@gfc.state.ga.us, or log on to complete a quick online survey.
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