Environmental Science

Agriscience Applications

Forestry

• Competency– Analyze the conservation practices for

utilizing forest, wildlife, fisheries and environmental resources

Forest Management

• 1/3 of the United States is covered by forest land

Trees

• Trees– Woody perennial plants– Single stem

• Shrubs– Bushy– Multiple stems

Trees

• Softwood– Needle type– Evergreens

• Coniferous

• Hardwoods– Broad-leaf– Looses leaves every year

• Deciduous

Coniferous

Deciduous

Trees

• Softwoods– Southern Pine– Douglas fir– Frazier fir

Douglas fir

Trees

• Southern Pine• Loblolly pine• Longleaf pine• Shortleaf pine• Slash pine

– Most common for pulpwood or plywood

Plywood

Loblolly pine

Trees

• Douglas fir– Most important species of tree in the

US– Used for construction lumber and

plywood– 20% of the timber harvested each year

in the US

Trees

• Frazier fir– Used for

commercial Christmas tree production

– Grown in the mountain of North Carolina

Hardwoods

• Hardwoods– Ash– Birch– Oak (white and red)

Trees

• Ash– Handles and baseball bats– High resistance to shock

• Birch– Furniture, plywood and paneling– Verneer

• thin sheet of wood glued to a cheaper species of wood

White Ash

River Birch

Trees

• Oak– White and Red– Very strong

• Flooring• Furniture• Fencing

Forest Management

• Replacing Trees that have been harvested– “Natural seeding” lease expensive way

to replace forest– Planting trees is a surer method

Forest Management

• Managing growing timber– Prescribed burn

• Reduce the risk of wildfires• Reduce litter

– Prescribed thinning• remove competing trees

Forest Management

• Harvesting Timber– Selection cutting

• Recommended in a mixed forest consisting of trees of different ages and size

• Reduces erosion

– Clear Cutting• All trees are removed• Can cause erosion problems

Forestry Equipment

• Increment borer– Age of trees

• Planting Bar

• Tree scale stick– Estimate tree volume

• Tree tape– Most accurate in determining

circumference

Estimating Saw Timber Volume

• DBH– diameter breast height– measure at 4.5 feet– 25 inches from the dominant eye

• Tree Height– measured at 66 feet

• one chain

– determine the number of 16’ logs

Diameter Breast Height (DBH)

Diameter Breast Height (DBH)

Tree Height

Calculating Board Feet

• Measurement of volume

• Formula

# pieces X t (inches) X w (inches) X l (feet)

12 bf=

5 X 2” X 4” X 8’

12 bf=

Calculating Board Feet

• Problem:– calculate board feet if you have 5

pieces of lumber that are 2 inches thick, 4 inches wide, and all are 8 feet long

Calculating Board Feet

• Answer:

5 X 2” X 4” X 8’

12 bf=

bf= 26.6

Forestry Careers

• Foresters– Assistance in managing forest

• Recommend harvesting methods• Recommend seeding methods• Monitor disease and insects

– Average yearly salary in North Carolina• $41,184

Source: Bridges Career Explorer

Forestry Careers

• Timber cruiser– Estimate timber volume

• Outdoor work requiring physical stamina• High School diploma• Training in estimating tree volume

Wildlife Management

Wildlife Management

• Objective– Interpret wildlife management practices

as related to good environmental management

Wildlife Management

• Usually a by-product of the family operation

• Sustainable habitat and food are essential in increasing the number of wildlife on a farm– Leaving brush piles when harvesting– Leave crop residue standing

Crop Residue

Wildlife Management

• Hunting and fishing as proper management– Remove excess wildlife – Prevents:

• Overpopulation• Malnutrition• Disease• Overall decreases in population

Wildlife Management

• Carrying Capacity– Number of wildlife that can be

supported throughout the year• Hunting and fishing help maintain carrying

capacity

– Results of overpopulation• Water quality of a stream with a carrying

capacity of 20 fish will decrease if 50 fish are in the stream

Deer Overpopulation

Browse Line in Texas

Assignment

• View the protection of Wildlife DVD

• Prepare for a quiz

Quiz

1. What are the four essential elements of a Habitat?

2. What is the main purpose of predators

3. What Act of congress is designed to protect animal populations

Careers in Wildlife

Ecologist

Game Warden

Wildlife Biologist

Careers in Wildlife

• Ecologist– Studies the effect of the environment

on animal life

• Wildlife Biologist– Advises the establishment of fish/game

laws– Explores habitat improvement

programs

Careers in Wildlife

• Game Warden– Enforces hunting and fishing

regulations– Government employee under the

Wildlife Commission• Controls the harvesting of wildlife

– Should enjoy working outdoors

Aquatics

• The management of aquatic environments to increase the harvest of usable plants and animal products

Aquatics

• Cage Cultures– Production system– Aquatic animals and plants are

contained in a small area• Easier to monitor• Better growth rates• Limited movement which could cause

stress

Aquatics

• Recirculating Tanks– Production method– Processes water through a biological

filter

Recirculating Tanks

Aquatics

• Roll Over– A ponds water quality suddenly

changes– Less oxygenated water is brought to

the surface and low levels of dissolved oxygen cause fish to die

• Difficulty in managing an aquaculture system is related to the amount of fish in the system

Aquatics

• Fish adapted to aquaculture systems:– Trout (cold running water)– Catfish– Bass– Tilapia

Trout

Catfish

Largemouth Bass

Tilapia

Soil and Water

Soil & Water

• Objective– Investigate water and its properties as

it relates to the production of food and fiber

Water Properties

• Universal Solvent– It dissolves or changes more other

materials than anything else-

• Water Cycle (Hydrologic Cycle)

– The cycling of water between water sources, atmosphere, and surface water

Assignment

• Using a clean sheet of paper and colored markers, draw the water cycle.

• Use all the components necessary to complete the cycle.

Types of Water

• Capillary– Water that can be adsorbed by plant

roots

• Free Water– Gravitational– Water that drains out of soil after it has

been wetted

Water

• Permeability– The rate of movement of air and water

through the soil

• Saturation– Water is added until all the pores are

filled• Two or three inches of rain in a few hours

Soils

Soil

• Objective– Evaluate soil as related to the

production of food and fiber

Soil

• Soil profile– A Horizon Topsoil – B Horizon Subsoil– C Horizon Parent material

Soil Profile

Soil Texture

Refers to the size of soil particles

Sand – largest soil particle in soil– Sandy soils have problems holding

enough water for good plant growth.– Individual particles can be seen with

naked eye

Soil Texture

• Silt – Intermediate size soil particles but can’t be seen with naked eye.

• Clay – smallest soil particle – clayey soils hold lots of water but may be airtight, infertile for root growth, and associated with wet soils.

Soil Structure

• The way soil particles cling together to form soil units or aggregates, while leaving pore space to store air, water, nutrients, and allow root penetration

Soil Structure

• Single– grain is associated with sandy soils

• Granular– particles cling together to form rounded

aggregates – very desirable for all soil uses

• Blocky– particles cling together in angular

aggregates – typical of soils with high clay content

Blocky Structure

Granular

Structure

Soil Classification

• Land capability class– Based on physical, chemical and

topographical

• Class I & II- Intensive cultivation• Class VII- Steeply sloping (trees)• Class VIII- Wildlife and recreation

Soil Conservation

• Erosion– Sheet– Gully

Sheet Erosion

Gully Erosion

Gully Erosion

Soil Conservation

• Conventional– Disturbs soil by plowing

• Conservation– Intermediate (Conventional and no-till)

Soil Enhancement

• Use fertilizer to add nutrients

• Use lime to raise pH– Increases the availability of nutrients

Soil Enhancement

Careers in Soil & Water Management

• Four Year Degree– Soil scientist– Soil conservationist

• Implements best use practices

– Wildlife biologist

Careers in Soil & Water Management

• Two year degree or less– Soil technician

• Obtains soil samples

– Wildlife technician• Tags wildlife and gathers information