Georgia Forestry Today March-April 2014

GEORGIA FORESTRY

TODAYVolume 10, Issue 2

March | April 2014

PINE STRAWAn AlternAtive income Source for foreSt lAndownerS in GeorGiA

March | April 20142

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Georgia Forestry Today 3

http://www.landmarkspatialsolutions.com

http://www.aggeorgia.com

4 March | April 2014

GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY is published bi-monthly by A4 Inc., 1154 Lower BirminghamRoad, Canton, Georgia 30115. Recipients include participants of the Forest Stewardship Pro-gram and the American Tree Farm System.

Opinions expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of the publisher, A4 Inc., nordo they accept responsibility for errors of content or omission and, as a matter of policy, neitherdo they endorse products or advertisements appearing herein. Part of this magazine may be re-produced with the written consent of the publisher. Correspondence regarding changes of ad-dress should be directed to A4 Inc. at the address indicated above. Advertising material shouldbe sent to A4 Inc. at the e-mail address: [email protected]. Questions on advertising should bedirected to the advertising director at the e-mail address provided above. Editorial materialshould be sent to A4 Inc. or to Alva Hopkins.

GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY1154 Lower Birmingham Road, Canton, Georgia 30115

On the Cover: GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAYPrinted in the USA

PUBLISHER:A4 Inc.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFAlva Hopkins

[email protected]

PRODUCTION MANAGERPamela [email protected]

EDITORIAL BOARDWendy BurnettAlva HopkinsJesse JohnsonStasia Kelly

Sandi MartinRoland Petersen-Frey

Brian StoneSteve McWilliams

Pine straw, the uppermost for-est floor layer of undecayedneedles, has become a valu-able forest commodity. As an-nual Georgia timber revenueshave declined the last decade,pine straw income received byforest landowners in Georgiahas increased by almost four-fold. See story on page 8

http://www.interforestry.com

5Georgia Forestry Today

FORESTRY TODAYGeorgia

Volume 10, Issue 2 March | April 2014

P.08 Pine Straw

An Alternative Income Source

for Forest Landowners in Georgia

P.13 Message from the Georgia

Forestry Commission Director

P.14 GFC News

P.15 Legend in the Pines: the Mark of

‘Mr. Jim L’ Gillis

P.18 Prescribed Fire in Georgia

Part II: How do you light the torch?

P.21 How Do Georgia’s Working Forests

Make Life Better?

P.22 Bluebirds & Purple Martins,

Harbingers of Spring

P.26 GFT News

P.28 UGA Study: Southern Wood Pellets

Boosting European Efforts to Cut

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

March 27GFF Longleaf Classic Golf TournamentHawkinsville, Georgia

April 17Georgia Forestry Association Board of DirectorsMeeting | GFA Headquarters | Forsyth, Georgia

May 7-9Forest Resources Association Annual MeetingHilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront | Virginia Beach,Virginia | Info: 202-296-3937

June 3-62014 National Conference of Private ForestLandowners | Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, LouisianaInfo and Registration: www.forestlandowners.com

June 16-20Georgia Teacher Conservation WorkshopCharlie Elliott Wildlife CenterInfo and Registration: www.gfagrow.org

June 21-24Association of Consulting Foresters NationalConference, Savannah, GeorgiaInfo: www.acf-foresters.org

July 19-202014 GFA Annual Conference & Forestry ExpoWestin Hilton Head Island Resort & SpaInfo: www.gfagrow.org

Forestry Calendar

If you have aforestry event

you’d like to seeon our calendar,please contact

Alva Hopkins atahopkins@a4inc.

com with thesubject line

‘Calendar Event.’

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http://www.supertreeseedlings.com

http://www.abac.edu/visit


List of advertisers

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College ..........................6

American Forest Management......................................30

Beach Timber Company Inc. .......................................30

Blanton’s ........................................................................7

Bodenhamer Farms & Nursery ....................................25

Canal Wood LLC.........................................................30

Cantrell Forest Products Inc.........................................30

Davis - Garvin .............................................................24

Farm Credit Associations ...............................................3

Flint Equipment Company ..........................................29

Forest Resource Services Inc. ........................................30

F&W Forestry Service..................................................12

HEI .............................................................................30

International Forest Company .......................................4

LandMark Spatial Solutions ...........................................3

Lanigan & Associates ...................................................27

Meeks’ Farms & Nursery ....................Inside Front Cover

Morbark.......................................................................30

Outdoor Underwriters .................................................25

Plum Creek....................................................................5

Rivers Edge Forest Products .........................................30

SuperTree Seedlings .......................................................6

UPC | Georgia 811 ........................................Back Cover

Weyerhaeuser ...............................................................28

Yancey Brothers ...................................Inside Back Cover


PineStrawAnAlternAtiveincomeSource for foreStlAndownerSin GeorGiA

ine straw, the upper-

most forest floor layer

of undecayed needles,

is raked, baled, and sold

as landscaping mulch in

the southeastern U.S.,

and has become a valu-

able forest commodity (see photo

below). As annual Georgia timber rev-

enues have declined the last decade

(Figure 1), pine straw income received

by forest landowners in Georgia has in-

creased by almost four-fold (Figure 2).

Pine straw revenues have helped many

landowners maintain reasonable cash

flows and achieve attractive rates of

return on their forestland. Timber

stand rates of return can be increased

from six percent to ten percent, with-

out pine straw production, to nine per-

cent to 15 percent with annual pine

straw income.

How Pine Straw is Commonly SoldPine straw can be sold by the bale or

by the acre. Current average per acre

reported prices in the southeastern

U.S. range from $50 to $200 or more

per acre for each raking. Per bale

prices range from $0.30 per bale for

loblolly, $0.65 per bale for slash, and

$0.90 per bale for longleaf paid to the

forest landowner. When selling by the

bale, make sure that bale dimensions

are clearly defined in a contract, as

there is no standard bale size. Com-

mon ‘bales’ in Georgia are mostly rec-

tangular with dimensions of

12x12x24” to 14x14x36”, weighing

from 17 to 25 lbs/bale. Remember that

the larger the bale, the lower the bale

count per acre.

Pine Straw ProductionFactors and RatesA number of factors affect pine straw

production rates. They are: species,

site productivity, stand density and

age, percent rakeable stand, raking in-

tensity (semi-annual, annual, or peri-

odic) and interval between rakes,

competition control and the use of fer-

tilizers.

Intensively managed stands on

former old-field sites on good soils

with a long history of fertilization, and

having no woody competition produce

the most straw. Stands on poor quality

sites, excessively well drained, deep

sands of the Sand Hills or shallow low

fertility soils of the Piedmont that have

no to minimal management produce

the least straw. Competition control

and fertilization are forest manage-

ment tools used to improve (1) stand

access for raking, (2) increase the

acreage of a stand that can be raked,

and (3) increase pine straw production

(on low fertility sites). Table 1 lists pine

straw bale/acre production rates by

species.


P

Applying a herbicide in an unthinnedslash pine stand to control competition.

By David Dickens | Forest Productivity Professor | David Moorhead | Silviculture Professor | Lawrence Morris | Forest SoilsProfessor | Lee Ogden | Research Professional III

Species Preference, Raking Periods, and StandConditions in Southern PineStandsIn the southeastern U.S., longleaf,

slash, and to a limited extent, loblolly

pine stands are commonly raked. The

order of preference is longleaf, slash,

and then loblolly straw. Pine species

differences in longer needle length,

better color retention, and slower rate

of deterioration are factors for this

order of reference.

Southern pine stands that are (1)

clean of understory vegetation and de-

bris, (2) good road access, and (3)

proximity to local markets are impor-

tant factors in making pine straw har-

vesting attractive to pine straw buyers

or contractors. Mowing (photo at

right), herbicide use to keep the stand

clean of competition (photo on page

8),and fertilization to enhance pine

straw production (photo on page 11),

are the most commonly used manage-

ment tools in producing pine straw in

stands. Longleaf, slash, and loblolly

pine stands are commonly raked start-

ing at canopy closure (ages six to ten

years old) until the first thinning (age

15 to 20 years old). If the stand is at-

tractive to a contractor, the contractor

may negotiate a multi-year written

agreement with the landowner to rake

the stand.

Site factors that may preclude in-

tensive annual raking include: slopes

greater than eight percent (excessive

erosion) and marginal soils. Excessively

well-drained, deep sands may be best

to be raked on a three year cycle to

conserve soil moisture, organic matter,

nutrients, and to minimize soil erosion.

In general, thinned stands are less at-

tractive due to new understory growth

and reduced needle production.

Thinned longleaf stands are often

raked in South Carolina and North Car-

olina once crowns rebuild and under-

story vegetation is controlled.

Generally fertilization has not been

beneficial, based on a number of stud-

ies, in dramatically increasing pine

straw yields on fertile old-field sites.

Fertilization can be beneficial on low

fertility, cut-over sites. Typical fertiliza-

tion is with urea, di-ammonium or

mono-ammonium phosphate, and

muriate of potash to provide from 75 to

175 lbs/acre nitrogen (N) with a lower

N amount for longleaf, 25 to 40 lbs/acre

elemental-phosphorus (P), and 50

lbs/acre elemental-potassium (K). A

number of studies have shown that an-

nual pine straw removals have a greater

adverse effect on pine diameter growth

due to changes in soil moisture rela-

tions (increased evaporative losses)

than nutrient removals in the near-


Table 1. Common annual pine straw production rates based on fourteen stud-

ies and operational raking in the Southeastern U.S.

Species low *bales/acre High *bales/acre10-yr average*bales/acre

Loblolly 100 to 120 275 to 450 175 to 275

Longleaf 60 to 80 150 to 350 100 to 250

Slash 80 to 100 250 to 400 125 to 250

*Assumes a common rectangular bale of 12x12” or 13x13” ends and 28 to 32”

long or approximately 16 to 20 lbs per bale dry weight. There is currently no

standard bale size in Georgia.

Fertilization in an unthinned pine standto enhance wood growth and pine

straw production.


Fertilization in an unthinned pinestand to enhance wood growth andpine straw production.

term. These diameter losses were gen-

erally small, a 1/5 to 1/2 inch per tree

loss occurring in the first three years

with annual raking. Annual, long-term

(greater than eight to ten years), inten-

sive raking may reduce stand vigor,

growth, and pine straw yields on mar-

ginal soils without N, P, K fertilization.

Pros and Cons of PineStraw Raking in SouthernPine StandsThe pros of pine straw raking include:

11 annual income for a period of five

to ten or more years,

22 initial income five to ten or more

years prior to the first income

from a thinning,

33 earlier return on one’s invest-

ment in site preparation and

planting,

44 higher net revenue ($300 to

$1200 per acre or more) and rate

of return, and

55 pine stand is easier to walk

through and may be more aes-

thetically pleasing to some.

The cons of pine straw raking include:

11 reduced soil moisture due to in-

creased evaporation rates,

22 increased soil erosion under in-

tensive raking regimes,

33 nutrient removals with annual

pine straw raking may reduce site

productivity if performed for a

prolonged period of time,

44 reduced near-term diameter

growth due to intensive raking in

some cases without ameliorative

treatments, and

55 minimal cover and food for

wildlife species.

Marketing Pine StrawDemand for pine straw raking will vary

by location. Get a list of pine straw

vendors from your local County Exten-

sion office, State Forestry Commission,

or ask neighbors who have pine straw

raked for their contractor name and

contact information. If a landowner’s

pine stand is producing a lot of straw,

has a clean understory for easy raking,

a good road system, and is in an area

of contractor demand, his/her pine

acreage should be easy to sell. Make

sure the contract clearly states type of

payment (by the bale or by the acre),

frequency/time of payment (100 per-

cent at completion of each rake, 50

percent every 1/2 year, etc), contract

length with start and end time, who is

responsible for herbicide and fertilizer

application (where needed), mowing,

and that road, fence, and other prop-

erty items are found in the same con-

dition after the last rake as prior to the

first rake. If a landowner is selling by

the bale, make sure a ‘bale’ is clearly

defined in the contract, and agree on

how the bale count will be verified v


Figure 1

Figure 2

http://www.fwforestry.com

he Georgia ForestryCommission and agroup of terrific partnersbroke some new groundrecently and I’m excitedabout all the seeds we

planted—literally and figuratively! To celebrate Georgia’s Arbor Day inFebruary, the GFC teamed up with thestate’s schools and staged a first-of-its-kindwebcast that engaged kids in forestry for amagical hour and a half. I was proud torepresent our industry to students and ed-ucators at more than 100 Georgia schoolsthat participated in the event. GovernorDeal joined the webcast too, and togetherwe introduced the kids to concepts theymight never have heard before: Georgia’ssustainable forests bring them clean air,clean water, beauty, home for wildlife, lotsof essential products, and many, many jobsfor Georgians. We were just the openingact, however, because ‘that Tree Guy,’ TimWomick, took it from there. He staged hisinimitable presentation about benefits ofthe amazing forest to a live audience andto hundreds of eager web viewers acrossGeorgia. With a wittiness that only a kidat heart can display, Tim brought homethe message that it’s great to hug trees aswell as utilize them. The audience got a

fresh look at the importance of trees andenvironmental stewardship, and many ofthem followed up the experience withsomething truly wonderful—digging inthe dirt! Georgia Forestry Commissionforesters and other volunteers helped planttrees on the grounds of many of the par-ticipating schools, and everyone got an up-close lesson in the proper way to dig a holefor a seedling today and a healthy tree oftomorrow. Connecting with tomorrow’s leadersis a joy I hope you take time to experienceevery once in a while. There simply is nobetter way to appreciate one’s line of work(or community, faith or hobby for thatmatter) than to share it with someoneeager to understand. To that end, theGeorgia Forestry Foundation unveiled aunique opportunity at the close of the Webcast. The GFF is sponsoring a statewidecontest in which students will express thevalue of our sustainable working foreststhrough submission of artwork with a slo-gan. Schools that participate in the“Forestry: A Foundation for our Future”contest will have a chance to win a prizevalued up to $35,000. Details of the com-petition can be found on the GFC Website at GaTrees.org or on the GFF site atwww.Forestry4Rfuture.org. What’s espe-

cially great is that there are two levels ofcompetition (fifth through eighth gradesand ninth through 12th grades), and thatup to 20 teachers will receive ProjectLearning Tree professional development,with two attending a PLT ConservationWorkshop. The deadline for the contest isApril 30, 2014, so I hope you will reachout to the children and educators aroundyou to spread the word! It took a lot of people to make theGeorgia Arbor Day webcast such a success.From the video pros at Event Streams, toschool superintendents across Georgia andour top notch team of GFC professionalswho organized the event, and of course,helped plant the seedlings, each deservessincere thanks. With these folks’ eyes onthe growth ahead, forestry’s future is insome very capable hands.

Sincerely,

Robert FarrisGFC Commissioner v


Georgia Forestry Commission

Message from the Director

Dear GFT Reader,

Robert Farris

T


The Georgia Forestry Commission submitted an updated Forest Sustainability Re-

port to the 2014 Georgia legislature. The report shows that Georgia’s forests continue tobe sustainably managed to meet the needs of our state today. Georgia’s 24 million acres offorestland have remained stable for the past 50 years, and forest growth exceeds removals by41 percent annually, quantifying a timber supply that is plentiful for global and local markets.Challenges named in the report that may affect future forest sustainability include urbansprawl and fragmentation, which can impact wildfire response and the environmental servicesafforded by contiguous forestland. For a copy of the report, visit www.GaTrees.org. e

GFC News

Risher Willard has been promoted to chief of Marketing & Utilization of the Georgia

Forestry Commission. Prior to joining the GFC in 1992, Willard worked in the privatesector in sales, marketing, and logistics. At the GFC, Willard has held a variety of positionsas a forester, working in urban and rural forest management and wildland firefighting. Mostrecently he worked as a staff forester in the Utilization Department, which provides marketingand technical services to existing and prospective forest products industries including bioen-ergy and carbon offset projects, ecosystem services evaluations, forest certification training,and more. Willard is a city councilor for the City of Claxton and served as a volunteer memberof the Claxton-Evans County Industrial Development Authority. He earned Bachelor of Sci-ence degrees in Forestry and Business Administration from the University of Kentucky andis a Georgia registered forester. Originally from Kentucky, Risher and his wife, Tally, live inClaxton. e

Georgia schools were linked by a first-of-its-

kind webcast on Georgia’s Arbor Day in late

February. Presented by the Georgia ForestryCommission, the presentation highlighted theenvironmental, economic, and aesthetic value oftrees in an entertaining and educational format.Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and GFC Direc-tor Robert Farris provided special messages, and‘edu-tainer’ Tim Wommick presented a versionof his popular ‘Tale of Trees’ performance. Manyschools across the state followed up the webcastwith tree planting ceremonies. e

e most comprehensive examination of Georgia’s forestry historycan be found in a handsome book authored by University of Geor-gia Center for Forestry Business Director, Bob Izlar. e CentennialHistory of Forestry in Georgia wraps a reader in images and textthat evoke wonder and pride for anyone who has ever marveled atthe gis of a forest. e personalities that have shaped Georgia’sforestry industry are chronicled alongside vivid descriptions of thechallenges they faced. It is clear that when it comes to the businessof trees, perseverance has never been in short supply in Georgia.

e forestry community is fortunate to be able to reminiscewith one of the most influential forces ever to share our woods, JimL. Gillis, Jr., who celebrated his 97th birthday in October of lastyear. From a time when every logging chore was done by hand to atime when hands are more likely to guide a throttle or run numberson a hand-held unit, Gillis has lived it all.

“Back when I was a boy, we didn’t have any nurseries,” Gillissaid. “ere were pine seedlings around all our fields, including nextto my three acre FFA cotton plot. So we’d grab some shovels, digup some seedlings, then mash ‘em into a bucket filled with mud.

Eventually we would plant the seedlings with a hickory stick.” It was, perhaps, the beginning of his commitment to reforesta-

tion, as his cotton plot yielded less than a nickel a pound, and thoseseedlings grew to a more valuable maturity.

“I learned at an early age that farming didn’t pay,” said Gillis.He also learned that “managing forests is not a static thing.” Gillissaid he believes in “making the best of what we’re given,” and added,“You’ve always got to come up with new ways of doing things.”

In December, the forestry community saluted “Mr. Jim L” andthe many ways he’s done things that have had a positive impact onGeorgia.

“While it would take from now until nightfall to cover all theorganizations you have served,” said Georgia Forestry CommissionDirector Robert Farris to Gillis and the celebrants, “I want to high-light just a few of the many.”

ose few include: continuous service to the GFC board since1977, 26 years as chairman; service to six Georgia governors andseven GFC directors; 1937 graduate of the University of Georgia;principal in Soperton Naval Stores from 1937 to date; state senator;

Legend in the Pines: the Mark of ‘Mr. Jim L’ Gillis


Jim L Gillis Jr., front and center, is surrounded by fellow GFC Board members.

(L to R): H.G. Yeomans, Wesley Langdale, Fred Warnell, Earl Smith, Jimmy Allen, Chuck Williams, and Robert Farris.

By stasia Kelly

long-time Treutlen County commissionerand president of Association of CountyCommissioners; original district supervisorin the Soil Conservation Service; presidentof the Georgia Forestry Association; presi-dent and director of the American Turpen-tine Farmers Association (ATFA); memberof the Georgia Foresters Hall of Fame. Andthose are just a few of the few.

As colleagues and friends visited withGillis and each other, story upon story wastold about how this native Georgian earnedtheir respect and affection. Not surprisingly,several characteristics distinguish the ‘Jim L’way to become a forestry legend.

Committed to continuousimprovement“Research and reforestation have alwaysbeen very important to the forestry industryand especially to Mr. Jim L,” said formerGFC District Forester Grady Williams,who helped administer the Naval StoresConservation Program in the 1970s. e

pair frequently worked and traveled to-gether in support of the industry Gillisserves as director and president of, theATFA.

“We worked closely on developing im-proved species, especially those that werehigh gum-yielding species,” said Williams.“ere were lots of field studies,” which werecarefully recorded and analyzed. Williamssaid those efforts led to continued researchinto breeding fusiform rust-resistant speciesand species with uniform growth profiles.

“We always had some studies going,”said Williams, “on new methods and prac-tices, and on developing chemicals and ma-terials. By thinking progressively, heestablished a base for change, and thenmoved forward to make things better withwhatever changes resulted,” Williams said.

Retired GFC District Forester and for-mer Program Manager for the ResourceConservation Development Program,William Barrett has been a colleague andfriend of Gillis’ since the 1960s. He credits

Gillis for being an early champion of forestsustainability.

“He’s been a conservationist all his life,”Barrett said. “He won’t waste an acre of landanywhere and believes in putting trees rightback into the ground as soon as he can.” Bar-rett said Gillis knows the value of improvingthe trees and has always pushed thatthrough his leadership on the (GFC) boardand in other forestry roles.

Added Williams, “He’s one of the mostcomplex thinking individuals, always con-sidering so many different aspects of caringfor the natural resources. He always consid-ers what the time and the economy de-mands.”

Having experienced the infamousOkefenokee swamp fires of 1954-55, Gillispushed hard for increased fire protectionfor landowners in south Georgia, accord-ing to Barrett. Equipment and communi-cation improvements are part of his legacy,Barrett said.

“e introduction of dispatch was a lit-tle tough, though,” he said. “When there


This is the house Gillis’ great grandfather built in 1850. John Gillis’ family home was built of heart pine wood that was

notched and held together by wood pegs; there are no nails in the structure. It is located near the site of the original

Soperton Naval Stores’ turpentine processing still and commissary.


was a fire, Mr. Jim L liked his district rangerlive on the phone, fast. I think he finally de-cided radios were a good thing and he gotone in his car, where he always had the GFCfrequency on. His handle was ‘Gillis One,’”said Barrett.

Gillis One was known, too, for gettingin the trenches with rangers and helpingprotect property from wildfire. Backpacks,pumps, and rakes were as likely to begrabbed out of the barn by Gillis as theywere by his ‘turpentine hands.’

“He supported us,” Barrett said, “andwe all thought well of him for it.”

Jim L. Gillis’ charismatic nature is asmuch a part of his reputation as is his quietstrength.

“He doesn’t seek publicity,” said Bar-rett, but he can get things changed, getthings done when he wants to.

“Jim L and his brother, Hugh, alongwith State Representative Pete Phillips, whowas a forester, got a lot of good forestry lawsand budgets passed. at helped grow theforestry agency,” said Barrett. “He kneweverybody. He could get anything donethrough the state and federal contacts he

had. He called Herman Talmadge by hisfirst name!”

Assessing a century of changeese days, ‘Mr. Jim L’ isn’t likely to befound fighting fires or personally lobbyingthe governor in Atlanta. He does, however,enjoy sharing his insights with a visitor, forwhom he has prepared neatly hand-writtennotes about the topic of ‘changes in Georgiaforestry’ over the past 97 years. His noteschronicle the transitions from one- andtwo-man cross cut saws to wheeled saws, thefirst gas powered chain saw, and three-wheeled feller-bunchers to the big cut-downmachines used today. He rememberssawmills in the woods during early loggingoperations, and pulling logs to mills withhorses and mules, before tractors and skid-ders came on the scene. He was in thewoods when pulpwood was cut by handwith saws and axes before being hauled totown and loaded by hand onto box cars.

Gillis doesn’t get lost in the past, how-ever. He’s known for being well-read and for

entertaining very little idle time. He enthu-siastically offers up news and statistics, suchas the 28 percent increase in seed orchardproduction. He lauds current forestry prac-tices that ensure ‘nothing is wasted.’ It’s clearhis head is still in the game, and he knowsthe part he plays.

“I’m strictly a pine producer,” Gillissaid, “and the naval store business is respon-sible for all my timber. When naval storesplayed out, I was le with trees. I cut. I re-plant. I keep it on a rotating basis and amglad for new species growing faster, withbetter ways to fight disease and insects. It’sa challenge, and I enjoy doing it.”

It’s no secret that Mr. Jim L’s heart re-mains in the game as well. While he nolonger pilots the Crown Victorias he was fa-mous for navigating at a swi clip aroundthe county, he is still regularly drawn to thepeace, the pleasure of the trees.

“I get somebody to drive me out to thewoods and that’s my therapy. I just look atthe pretty trees, just enjoy nature. It’s some-thing the good Lord gives us.” v

‘Mr. Jim L’ is thanked by friends and colleagues at the Swainsboro farm of H.G. Yeomans in December.

Prescribed Fire in Georgia


Assistance with prescribed firecomes basically in two types:technical—the most widelyavailable—and financial. TheGeorgia Forestry Commission andGeorgia DNR Wildlife ResourcesDivision are starting points forinformation on both. (Georgia DNR)

art 1 of this series (see

“Burning’s Many Bene-

fits” in the January

|February issue) pro-

vided a great introduc-

tion to prescribed fire,

why it’s important to

burn, where you need to start to prop-

erly conduct a prescribed burn, and

who else in Georgia is returning fire to

the landscape in a safe way to restore

this natural process, ensure ecosystem

health, and reduce wildfire risk. In this

second half of the series, we want to

make you aware of the assistance that

is available to private forest landown-

ers in Georgia, so you’ll know where to

turn if you decide to begin or expand

a prescribed burn program on your

property.

The Georgia Forestry Commission

is the state agency responsible for pro-

viding leadership, service, and educa-

tion in the protection and conservation

of Georgia's forest resources. The

Wildlife Resources Division in Georgia’s

Department of Natural Resources is

charged with conserving, enhancing,

and promoting our state’s wildlife re-

sources, including game and nongame

animals, fish, and protected plants.

These agencies recognize the impor-

tance of prescribed burning as an ex-

cellent tool in managing and protecting

forestland, and the critical role fire

plays in conserving and enhancing

wildlife habitat, particularly in restoring

rare and declining species that depend

on fire-maintained habitats.

So, knowing that prescribed fire is

important, why and where to start,

maybe your next question is: As a

Georgia forest landowner, is help with

prescribed burning available to me? If

so, what kind of help, and where can I

find it?

Is Help Available?The answer to the first question is,

yes! A variety of services are offered

to forest landowners across Georgia to

help meet management objectives for

your forestland. Whether those objec-

tives are growing quality timber, en-

hancing wildlife habitat, increasing

recreational opportunities, improving

aesthetics, and soil and water conser-

vation, or maybe a combination of

these that translates into overall for-

est health, government and private

natural resource professionals are

ready to assist you.

Prescribed fire is one of the most

effective tools in your toolbox. It can

help you meet multiple management

objectives, but it must be used in a

safe and responsible manner. That is

where these professionals are ready

to help:

• Georgia Forestry Commission em-

ploys foresters and county rangers

who are available to answer ques-

tions, help develop a burn plan,

and assist with prescribed burning.

• The Wildlife Resources Division has

wildlife biologists who can meet

with you to discuss prescribed

burning and develop a burn plan

with emphasis on meeting your

management objectives.

• Private consulting foresters pro-

vide an array of prescribed burning

services for landowners looking for

everything from a ‘turnkey’ job all

the way to the do-it-yourself

group. It’s important to note that

most consulting foresters carry in-

surance and take on the liability of

issues related to the burn.

• Assistance is also available through

the federal Natural Resource Con-

servation Service. And if your prop-

erty is adjacent to national forests

in Georgia, the U.S. Forest Service

may partner with you in efforts to

accomplish burning objectives.

PPart II How do you light the torch?

While the DNR Wildlife ResourcesDivision teams with partners to burn onstate lands—such as at Reed BinghamState Park in south Georgia—resourcesare also offered through this agencyand the Georgia Forestry Commission tohelp private landowners conductprescribed fires on their property. (Georgia DNR)

By James Tomberlin | Senior Wildlife Biologist | Georgia Wildlife Resources Division | Private Lands Program


What Kind of Assistance?Technical: The most widely available

assistance offered is technical. This

involves meeting with a qualified pre-

scribed burn professional, whether

government or private, on your prop-

erty to discuss burn objectives and

how to achieve them.

• The Forestry Commission provides

services including the installation

of firebreaks, standby assistance

while you burn, and assistance

with the burn itself. There is an

hourly charge for these services,

and an agreement is required be-

forehand.

• Wildlife Resources biologists will

help you develop a burning pro-

gram with your wildlife objectives

in mind. Optimal burn unit size,

how often you should burn, and

season of the year are some of the

important factors to consider in

developing this program. The divi-

sion is currently prioritizing burn-

ing efforts toward early succession

and pine savanna restoration ef-

forts (see “Pine Savanna Restora-

tion and the Northern Bobwhite”

in the March-April 2013 issue).

• Private consulting foresters offer

full service prescribed burning, in-

cluding developing a burn plan, in-

stalling firebreaks, and carrying

out the burn. This service could be

especially useful to absentee

landowners or those on a more

rigid schedule.

• The Georgia Prescribed Fire Man-

ager Course administered by the

Forestry Commission is a two-day

course that teaches the essentials

needed to be a successful pre-

scribed burner. Participants learn

how to produce a written burn

plan, important aspects of

weather that must be considered

and their effects on fire, how to

manage smoke, Georgia laws and

regulations pertaining to pre-

scribed fire, and other topics

needed to become certified. For

full certification, participants must

complete the course, pass the

exam, and submit an affidavit ver-

ifying their experience.

Financial: In certain situations,

landowners may be eligible for assis-

tance through federal and state pro-

grams to share the costs of

implementing a prescribed burn.

Often, funds are limited, and funding

varies depending on what part of the

state your property is in.

• The Natural Resources Conserva-

tion Service administers programs

such as the Environmental Quality

Incentives Program to help share

costs of installing firebreaks and

implementing burns.

• The Forestry Commission adminis-

ters the Southern Pine Beetle Pro-

gram, which offers financial

assistance for burning properly

managed loblolly and shortleaf

pine stands, as well as young lon-

gleaf stands up to ten years old.

One of the main goals of this pro-

gram is to improve the health of

pine forests, preventing attacks

from the southern pine beetle.

The funds, provided by the U.S.

Forest Service, are available on a

limited basis.

Ready to Take the Next Step?Please contact your local Georgia

Forestry Commission office, Georgia

Wildlife Resources Division wildlife bi-

ologist or a private consultant to put

fire back in your forests. Also, always

remember to call the Forestry Com-

mission and request a burn permit be-

fore burning.

Where Can I Find Assistance?• For more information on enhanc-

ing wildlife habitat in your forest-

land, contact your local wildlife

biologist or visit www.georgiaw-

ildlife.com.

• Contact your local Georgia

Forestry Commission forester or

county ranger. Not sure who that

is? Go to www.gatrees.org and se-

lect Contact at the top of the

homepage.

• Go to www.gfc.state.ga.us/forest-

management/prescribed-fire/pre-

scribed-fire-certification for more

information on certification

courses for 2014.

• For a list of consulting foresters, go

to www.gatrees.org and check in

the Directories section under the

Resources tab.

James Tomberlin is a senior wildlife bi-

ologist in the Georgia Wildlife Re-

sources Division’s Private Lands

Program. Scott Griffin is a forester with

the Georgia Forestry Commission in

charge of cost share programs. v

March | April 201420

Assistance with prescribed fire comesbasically in two types: technical – themost widely available—and financial.The Georgia Forestry Commission and

Georgia DNR Wildlife ResourcesDivision are starting points for

information on both. (Georgia DNR)


One question…How do Georgia’s work-ing forests make life better? If you are heav-ily ingrained in the forestry community,you know the value of Georgia’s forests.But do your co-workers, friends, children,teachers or elected officials in your com-munity?

The Georgia Forestry Foundation(GFF) recently launched a new contest andeducation initiative, “Forestry: A Founda-tion for Our Future,” to educate studentsand the public about the value of Georgia’sworking forests. Schools and students whoparticipate in the statewide contest willhave an opportunity to win a prize valuedup to $35,000. The initiative aims to creategreater awareness of the economic, environ-mental, and social benefits of Georgia’s24.8 million acres of forest land.

The forestry community has for manyyears educated students about forestry viaProject Learning Tree, an award-winningenvironmental education program, andthe Georgia Teacher Conservation Work-shop, a week-long forestry workshop forteachers. This contest is the beginning ofa campaign to build on those efforts, aim-ing to educate all Georgians.

“As more and more people live in andaround our state’s cities, fewer and fewer un-derstand the importance of forestry as aneconomic engine—including the jobs theyprovide. Fewer and fewer know about thecritical role forests play in cleaning our airand water—providing a lot of natural re-sources that we depend upon to survive,”GFF Chair Jody Strickland, Timberland Ac-quisitions Manager for Weyerhaeuser, said.

As a part of this initiative, the Foun-dation is inviting fifth through 12th gradestudents across Georgia to participate in acontest to express the value of Georgia’ssustainable working forests through sub-mission of a creative artwork and slogan.

It includes two levels of competition: fifththrough eighth and ninth through 12thgrades, with one winner from each level.Each winning entry will be awarded a prizevalued up to $35,000, which includes: • a $15,000 cash award to the school, • a $2,500 cash award and forestry

camp scholarship to the student, • Project Learning Tree environmental

professional development for up to 20teachers,

• an invitation for two teachers fromthe winning schools to attend theGeorgia Teacher Conservation Work-shop,

• a field trip for students in the gradelevel of each winning student, and

• materials featuring the winning art-work and slogan.

The winning students, their parents orguardians, and two school staff membersfrom each of the winning schools will alsobe invited (expenses paid) to attend anaward ceremony on Sunday, July 20, at theGeorgia Forestry Association’s AnnualConference in Hilton Head Island, SouthCarolina.

“Georgia has much to be proud of inits working forests,” Strickland said. “We’re

delighted to expand upon our long-stand-ing education efforts to further the under-standing of what these natural resourcesbring to our state. We look forward to see-ing the creative submissions developedover the coming months.”

As students consider how to expressthe importance of Georgia’s forests, theywill learn that almost 25 million of Geor-gia’s 37 million acres of land are forestland.They will learn that our working forestsprovide almost $29 billion to the state’seconomy annually and offer more than135,000 jobs to Georgians. And they willlearn that research has estimated morethan $37 billion of annual value to ourstate of the benefits of clean air, cleanwater, carbon storage, wildlife habitat, andaesthetics provided by working forests.Above all, they will learn that workingforests are renewable and sustainable.

The foundation will use the artworkand slogan from the contest’s two winningschools to create banners for containertrucks, interstate billboards, yard signs,and other marketing materials that will beused in a campaign to further educate thegeneral public across the state.

The artwork/slogan and the entryform must be submitted by April 30, 2014to be considered in the statewide compe-tition. Only one submission/entry will beaccepted per school. The winners will benotified by the Georgia Forestry Founda-tion by May 16.

For more information on the contestincluding submission guidelines, entryform, terms and conditions, and other re-sources for schools visitforestry4Rfuture.org or call (478) 992-8110. If you would like to sponsor or dis-tribute information to your communitiesabout this initiative and the contest, pleasevisit forestry4rfuture.org/partners. v

HOW DO GEORGIA’S WORKING FORESTSMAKE LIFE BETTER?GEORGIA FORESTRY FOUNDATION LAUNCHES EDUCATION INITIATIVE TO PROMOTEFORESTRY THROUGHOUT THE STATE


BlueBirds& PurpleMartins, Harbingersof Spring

Although the femalebluebird lacks themale’s bright colors,she picks the nest site,builds the nest, andincubates the eggs allby herself.

By John Trussell


here is something reassuring about see-

ing the cycle of life flourishing around us,

and nothing lifts the spirits better than

seeing bluebirds and purple martins fly-

ing around in the springtime. After a

long, cold winter, these birds flutter

around while nest building and collecting

insects for their young and seem to be saying, ‘Better days

are ahead!’ Many Georgians are of Irish descent. The Irish

always had some mighty fine blessings, and here’s a good

one for spring time.

Even though bluebird populations were down in the

past, their numbers are increasing, and the future is looking

good for them. Eastern bluebird populations increased by

almost two percent per year between 1966 and 2010, ac-

cording to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. The

most important step we can take to help bring back the

bluebird is to provide nesting sites by setting out a bluebird

nest box or starting a bluebird trail, according to the North

American Bluebird Society. A bluebird trail is a series of

bluebird boxes placed along a prescribed route. Bluebirding

is a great hands-on environmental project that people of

all ages can enjoy and is a great activity for 4H clubs, Boy

and Girl Scout troops, and church youth groups. By placing

blue bird nesting boxes around public parks, local groups

can provide a great public service, and if you place them

around your land you can increase your enjoyment of the

outdoors. Here are some tips on blue bird nesting boxes.

Place the boxes in open areas, attached to metal or

wood posts so that the box is about five feet off the ground.

A predator shield made of an inverted piece of tin or alu-

minum will help protect the box from predators. To keep

down competition among the bluebirds, place the boxes no

closer than 50 yards apart. To keep the house sparrows

from moving into your boxes, monitor the type of nests in

your boxes and remove sparrow nests. A sparrow nest is a

large gathering of grass, trash and feathers and they have

brown speckled eggs. A bluebird nest is neat and com-

pacted, composed of clean grass thatch or pine straw and

their eggs are medium blue. A good bluebird box should be

well ventilated, watertight, and have about four small

drainage holes. It should be easy to open, monitor, and easy

to clean. A top lid that is held down by a small screw or

swivel hinge works well. To keep out squirrels, make sure

the top won’t flip up, unless the screw is removed. Then

place a small piece of quarter inch welded wire around the

entrance hole to keep squirrels from enlarging the hole. It

only takes about five minutes for them to ruin a box. Solid,

untreated wood is an ideal material, although exterior

grade plywood or cedar boards can be used. The outside

of boxes can be painted or stained if a light color is used. A

bluebird box should not have a perch. Predatory house

sparrows and house wrens are attracted to perches. Nest

boxes for eastern bluebirds should have a round entrance

hole measuring 1½" in diameter, or a 1⅜" x 2¼" vertical oval

hole. For complete box plans go to nabluebirdsociety.org.

A great book on bluebirds is “Bluebirds Forever” by Connie

Toops, available through your local library.

Another bird that is a welcome addition to our state is the

purple martin.

A bluebird nest is comprised of tightly compacted grass thatch. These two baby

bluebirds are about one week old.

TMay the flowers always line your path, and

sunshine light your day.

May bluebirds serenade you, every step along

the way.

May a rainbow run beside you, in a sky that’s

always blue

And may happiness fill your heart each day,

your whole life through!

Purple martin ‘scouts’ are some of the

earliest harbingers of spring. The first

purple martins to show up in Georgia

usually come in from South America

about the second week of February,

says Alfred Kennon of Butler, a lifelong

martin enthusiast. The notion that

purple martin ‘scouts’ are on a recon-

naissance mission to find suitable

nesting territory - then report back to

the flock - is a stretch of the facts. The

scouts are actually older birds return-

ing to their nesting site. Martins have

strong nest-site fidelity, and older

birds return first. It may take four to

six weeks before sub adults return to

the site—perhaps giving the impres-

sion that these birds were led to the

site by ‘scouts.’ Purple martins are

large swallows reaching nearly nine

inches in length. The male is a dark,

deep, rich blue above and below. He

appears black at a distance. Females

and juveniles are dark above with a

whitish belly and grayish brown on the

breast and throat. Martins have very

specific space requirements. One of

the main reasons people fail to attract

martins is that they place their martin

housing incorrectly.

Martin housing should be in the

center of the largest open spot avail-

able, about 40-120 feet from human

housing. Place the housing where you

can see it so you can enjoy watching

and hearing the martins. Martins

enjoy human activities, so a pole loca-

tion visible from the house is a good

idea, but avoid areas where trees are

close. For an extra bonus, set your

martin housing close to water where

the birds can swoop and catch plenty

of insects. Although martins get some

credit for keeping down the mosquito

population, recent research has

shown that they eat very few. Martins,

like all swallows, are aerial insecti-

vores. They eat only flying insects

which they catch in flight. Their diet is

diverse, including dragonflies, dam-

selflies, flies, midges, mayflies,

stinkbugs, leafhoppers, grasshoppers,

wasps, and more.

In rural Georgia, Martins perform

another valuable service, and that is

keeping flying predators away from

free ranging yard chickens and other

poultry. My grandmother, Leila Mc-

Duffie Smith of Wilcox County, often

kept a large collection of martin gourds

up to attract the birds. In dive bombing

the hawks to protect their young, they

also protected her chickens.

To help keep the rain out of the

gourds, an east facing position for the

entrance hole is good idea, says Ken-

non, since most wind and rain ap-

proaches from the west. He likes

natural, medium sized gourds for his

martins and normally puts up about 50

gourds, strung on a metal wire which

is about 12 to 15 feet off the ground.

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martins is about eight, but the more

the merrier, says Kennon, as martins

are colony type birds. He has tried plas-

tic gourds, but says the martins greatly

prefer the natural kind and he grows

his own and gives away many each

year to friends. You can have some suc-

cess with plastic gourds if you mix

them in with natural gourds. The en-

trance hole should be two and one

eighth inches in size and be located

about one to two inches up from the

bottom of the gourd. Although Kennon

has his gourds on a wire, many have

good success with metal poles with a

swivel or pulley device installed near

the ground to allow for easy mainte-

nance. Paint the gourds white to keep

them cool in the summer and take

them down in the fall after the martins

depart for cleaning and a longer life.

For lots of good information, go to pur-

plemartin.org. The martins usually de-

part for South America about the end

of July and the cycle of life continues

and that is a great blessing! v

Alfred Kennon of Butler, Georgia,has tended to purple martins on his

land for many years and alwayslooks forward to them returning

each spring.

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Georgia Forestry Commission assessmentof damage to trees resulting from Febru-ary’s ice storm shows more than 70,000acres impacted, valued in excess of $65million. Most of the permanently affectedtrees are pine species. Hardwood damageconsisted mainly of limb and top break-age, with long-term survival likely. e re-port details specific damage in hardest hitareas and provides recommendations forassessment, salvage and safety.

“A team of GFC foresters surveyedthe zone that appeared to have enduredthe greatest impacts to our forests fromthe ice,” said James Johnson, Forest Man-agement Chief for the Georgia ForestryCommission. “About half of Georgia,over 90 counties, experienced some formof winter precipitation during this storm.rough field observations and geospatialanalysis, 20 east-central counties wereidentified as hardest hit, with many nowrequiring salvage operations and manage-ment decisions that will determine treesurvival,” Johnson said.

According to the assessment, tremen-dous variation in damage amounts wasobserved, with three categories of inten-

sity recorded: light to moderate,with treerecovery expected; moderate to severe,with more than 25 percent broken limbsand stems that may necessitate salvage op-erations or be at risk of loss; and severe,with more than 30 percent broken stemsand tops and bending of more than 45 de-grees, dictating consideration of full sal-vage operations.

Monetary damage estimates focus onthe area of greatest impact and are basedon timber harvest expectations at 30+years. e majority of the damage wasnoted on acres that were recently ‘thinned’for the first time, a process that allows foroptimal growth on forestland.

“Rural timber landowners and urbanhomeowners alike are dealing with theaer-effects of this storm,” said Johnson.“It’s crucial to keep safety top of mindwhen dealing with any damaged tree, es-pecially in urban environments wherethey can impact property and people.Pruning and tree removal can be danger-ous, so it’simportant to contact a profes-sional to assess the situation beforeattempting a ‘do-it-yourself ’ fix.” Johnsonadded that ice-damaged tree hazards in-

clude broken, hanging limbs that may fallunexpectedly.

Governor Nathan Deal declared astate of emergency as the storm ap-proached on February 10, and a presiden-tial declaration of emergency was issuedas the storm hit Georgia. Ice in amountsranging from one-tenth of an inch to aninch triggered extensive power outagesacross the state from February 11-13.During and following the event, 40-per-cent (215 of 530) of the Georgia ForestryCommission’s workforce provided emer-gency response assistance to teamsthroughout the state, serving on chainsawcrews, helping motorists, delivering emer-gency supplies, conducting law enforce-ment patrols, and supporting otherneeded missions.

e Georgia Forestry Commission’s‘Timber Impact Assessment’ of the Feb-ruary 2014 Georgia ice storm, as well aslists of consulting foresters and certifiedarborists can be viewed at GaTrees.org. vFrom: Wendy Burnett, GeorgiaForestry Commission

NEWSNew Report Shows Impact of Ice Storm on Georgia Trees

e Georgia Forestry Association (GFA)is now accepting applications for the 2014Logger of the Year and the 2014 WiseOwl Award. Applications for both awardsare due by April 1st.

Every year, GFA honors certain indi-

viduals in the forestry community whomake substantial contributions to betterforestry in Georgia and the South. Bothawards will be presented at the 2014 An-nual Conference & Forestry Expo inHilton Head, South Carolina, taking place

July 19-21.e deadline to submit applications

is April 1st. To download nominationforms, go to gfagrow.org. For more infor-mation, contact GFA at [email protected] or (478) 992-8110. v

GFA is now accepting applications for annual awards


e Farm Bill awaiting President Obama’ssignature this aernoon is good news forthe forestry community across America.Among other things, the bill improvesbio-based and green building markets forwood, increases forest owner access toconservation programs, and providesbadly needed authorities to combat inva-sive pests and pathogens on federal lands.e bill also preserves the U.S. Environ-mental Protection Agency’s (EPA) nearlyfour-decade-old approach to treating for-est roads and other forest management ac-tivities as nonpoint sources under theClean Water Act.

As remarkable as the outcome of theFarm Bill for forestry is the bipartisanleadership that carried it across the finishline. Members of both parties steppedforward together to do the right thing.

Take the forest roads provision, forexample. In this case, Republicans andDemocrats stood together to defend theEPA policy under litigation attack—anunusual response to the outside observerin a sharply divided Congress.

To end the legal uncertainty, Repre-sentatives Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA)and Kurt Schrader (D-OR) and SenatorsRon Wyden (D-OR) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) agreed up front on the right policyoutcome and introduced companion leg-islation in their respective chambers.More than one hundred of their col-

leagues from both chambers representing31 states followed their lead in support.

rough a strong bipartisan coalitionand with the help of the House Trans-portation & Infrastructure Committee,House Appropriations Committee, andHouse Leadership, the House AgricultureCommittee welcomed consideration ofthe forest roads bill as an amendment tothe Farm Bill on the House floor. In astrong affirmation of bipartisan support,the full House approved the provision bya voice vote—an unusual occurrence tothose familiar with House process.

e House-Senate conference pre-sented a more difficult path for the forestroads provision as both chambers ap-proached the narrow end of the legislativefunnel where sentences, phrases, andpunctuation receive increased scrutiny.is time, a strong bipartisan coalition inthe Senate stood behind the Wyden-Crapo legislation to include a modified—but still very strong—provision in thefinal Farm Bill. is was a rare outcome.

Since passage of the Farm Bill, manyhave asked how the forest roads provisionsurvived the process. e answer is sim-ple—bipartisan leadership. at is whatproduced up-front agreement on the rightpolicy outcome, and that is what carriedthe provision through the legislativeprocess. In fact, that is what secured all ofthe forestry provisions in the Farm Bill.

Regardless of what lies ahead in thishighly political year, we in the forestrycommunity can be grateful that, when itreally mattered, forestry champions in theHouse and Senate rose to the occasionand showed true bipartisan leadership onbehalf of our forests throughout the U.S.In the weeks and months ahead, our re-sponse to all who stepped forward shouldresonate loud and clear—thank you,thank you, thank you.v From: DaveTenny, President and CEO, NationalAlliance of Forest Owners

Bipartisan leadership carries pro-forestry provisions across the Farm Bill finish line

On Jan. 17, Governor Deal appointedJewell Johnson, senior counsel and chiefemployment counsel for Graphic Packag-ing International Inc. (GPI), to the StatePersonnel Board.

GPI is a GFA member company andone of the world’s largest producers offolding cartons and coated, recycled

boxboard and specialty bag packaging.Johnson is responsible for handling do-mestic and international labor, employ-ment, and benefits matters impacting thecompany’s 13,000 employees world-wide.In addition, Jewell serves as primary coun-sel for the company’s mills division.

e State Personnel Board is respon-

sible for determining the appropriatestatewide human resource managementgoals, ensuring that policies and rules arein place to complete such goals, and re-viewing adverse personnel actions as theBoard deems appropriate. Members of theState Personnel Board are appointed bythe Governor for five-year terms. v

Jewell Johnson appointed to State Personnel Board

http://www.lanigancpa.com/


European power plants that burn woodpellets imported from the southernUnited States to generate electricity areemitting less than half the greenhousegases than when they use traditional fos-sil fuels, a new University of Georgiastudy has found.

European power utilities are usingimported wood pellets to generate elec-tricity and reduce greenhouse gases inorder to meet a legal mandate that by2020 at least 20 percent of all energyconsumed in the European Union comesfrom renewable sources. A new study bya researcher with UGA’s Warnell Schoolof Forestry and Natural Resources hasfound that the wood pellets are living upto their promise of releasing fewer green-house gases—producing less than halfthe greenhouse gas emissions than whenpower plants use fossil fuels such as coaland natural gas. This is good news forthe southern United States, which is aleading exporter of wood pellets to Eu-rope, said Puneet Dwivedi, an assistantprofessor of sustainability sciences in theWarnell School.

Environmental Research Letters re-cently published these findings. Dwivedi

studied the greenhouse gas emissions inthe United Kingdom, which has a targetof increasing to 15 percent the amountof energy consumed from renewablesources by 2020. These renewablesources include energy products derivedfrom woody feedstock such as wood pel-lets, which are typically made from wastematerial left over after a tree is harvestedor processed for wood manufacturers.Manufacturers in the southern UnitedStates make these pellets by using aprocess that dries and compresses thisleftover material, forming them intosmall vitamin-shaped capsules.

As the United Kingdom and otherEuropean countries implement the man-dates, exports of wood pellets from thesouthern United States are predicted toincrease from 1.5 to 5.2 million metrictons between 2012 and 2015. Dwivedifocused on greenhouse gases emitted ata power plant in Selby, home of thelargest coal-fired power plant in theUnited Kingdom. This power plant re-cently announced plans to generateabout 1,000 megawatts of electricityusing imported wood pellets from thesouthern United States.

Dwivedi found that the intensityof greenhouse gases emitted for everyunit of electricity generated from im-ported wood pellets is at least 50 per-cent lower than when using traditionalfossil fuels. Even more, Dwivedi said,his study found that as the powerplant’s capacity rose, so did the green-house gas savings, which means thehigher capacity plants would greatlybenefit from using wood pellets. Al-though many European countries usewood pellets to generate power, it is notused in the U.S. because of the cost.

However, the European demand forwood pellets will give a boost to the for-est industry in the southern UnitedStates, he said. “Emerging export mar-kets of wood pellets provide an economicopportunity for forestland owners in thesouthern United States who have facedsignificant challenges due to the housingmarket collapse and the decline of thepaper industry,” Dwivedi said.

This study can be found atht tp : / / iopsc ience . iop.org/1748-9326/9/2/024007/article. v

UGA STUDY: SOUTHERN WOOD PELLETS BOOSTING EUROPEAN EFFORTSTO CUT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

By Sandi Martin | Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources

http://www.weyerhaeuser.com/


GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY DIRECTORY OF PRODUCTS & SERVICES

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BOBBY D. BROWNRegistered Forester GA Number: 2164Licensed Realtor GA Number: 165520

20364 GA Hwy #3 Thomasville, GA 31792(229) 221-3016 [email protected]

FOREST RESOURCE SERVICES INC.Specializing in Land and Timber Management & SalesBuyers of Land and Timber

in Georgia and the South

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601 North Belair Square, Suite 21

Evans, Georgia 30809

Phone: (800) 833-8178

E-mail: [email protected]

BEACH TIMBER COMPANY INC.128 Beach Timber Road

Alma, Ga 31510Office: (912) 632-2800

Gary Strickland OwnerForesters Available

We Buy [email protected]

Todd Hipp (803) 924-0978 [email protected] Hipp (803) 924-4131 [email protected] Hipp (803) 924-5940 [email protected]

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C A N T R E L L F O R E S T

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[email protected]

1433 Galilee Church RoadJefferson, GA 30549

Office: (706) 367-4813 Mobile: (706) 498-6243Home: (706) 367-1521

LAMARCANTRELL


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Documents

Georgia Forestry Today March-April 2014