t alabama’s reasured...4 / alabama’s treasured forests spring 2002 t he year was 1953, and...

REASUREDTTALABAMA’S

FORESTSREASURED

SPRING 2002SPRING 2002

• FIA SURVEY: ONE MILLION NEW ACRES

• THE RIPARIAN FOREST (PART 2 OF 2)

• LOGGING PHOTOS FROM THE PAST

• PREVENTING TIMBER THEFT

• SPRINGTIME WILDLIFE “WEEDS”• MULCHING MACHINES

• 2002 LANDOWNER CONFERENCE

• FIA SURVEY: ONE MILLION NEW ACRES

• THE RIPARIAN FOREST (PART 2 OF 2)

• LOGGING PHOTOS FROM THE PAST

• PREVENTING TIMBER THEFT

• SPRINGTIME WILDLIFE “WEEDS”• MULCHING MACHINES

• 2002 LANDOWNER CONFERENCE

TIMOTHY C. BOYCEState Forester

If you look back in time, rarely has there been a crisis ordisaster around the world in which Alabamians did notanswer the cry for help. Either by the giving ofresources or of themselves, Alabama citizens possess the

true sense of caring. When disasters have hit our own statesuch as Hurricanes Frederick and Opal, the deadly tornadoesin Madison and Jefferson counties, or the disastrous flood atElba, our citizens have always been there to provide aid andsupport to their fellow Alabamians.

Across America, they have been on the front lines fightingfires, stacking sand bags, manning soup kitchens, cleaningup, tearing down, and rebuilding; lending medical aid andgiving their blood as well as their moral support in every cri-sis imaginable. And from South America, to Africa, toEurope, and the Middle East, there will rarely be a disaster inwhich one or more Alabamians do not rise to whatever unfor-tunate occasion and volunteer to give unselfishly to those inneed.

In the military history of our nation, Alabama has joinedher sister southern states in providing more soldiers than anyother area of the nation. Currently hundreds of brave men andwomen from Alabama are overseas protecting the preciousrights that we value so much.

Alabama is blessed with some of the most abundant natu-ral resources in the world, but by far our most valuableresource is not found in the fertile soil, vast forestland, orrushing cool waters. Our most valuable resource is hidden inthe hearts of our people.

The Alabama Forestry Commission and the SouthernResearch Station of the United States Department ofAgriculture Forest Service recently completed aForest Inventory Analysis (FIA) study of our state’s

forest resource. Some of the results were astounding.For instance:

• Alabama has 22.9 million acres of forestland - up one million acres from the 1990 survey.

• 71% of Alabama is forested.

• Over three-quarters (78%) of Alabama’s forestland isowned by private non-industrial landowners.

• There are 4,000 trees for every man, woman, and child in the state.

• 64% of the state’s forests are hardwood or a hardwood/pine mix.

Alabama has the second largest commercial forest in thenation, with Georgia being the leader. This resource supportsour state’s largest manufacturing industry - forest products.Across the state the forest industry directly and indirectlyemploys 170,000 workers with a payroll of $2.2 billion.

Our state’s forest resource also attracts many tourists andvisitors each year through recreational opportunities likehunting and fishing, boating, and camping.

This healthy resource was no accident. It is through thehard work and planning of many natural resource agenciesand groups as well as private forest landowners that makeAlabama’s forest resource a state TREASURE.

2 / Alabama’s TREASURED Forests Spring 2002

DON SIEGELMAN

Governor, State of Alabama

Spring 2002 Alabama’s TREASURED Forests / 3

GovernorDon Siegelman

CommissionersDavid Long, ChairmanGary Fortenberry, Vice ChairmanJohnny DennisTed DeVosCharlie HamiltonDennis HarborJerry Lacey

State ForesterTimothy C. Boyce

Assistant State ForesterRichard H. Cumbie

Alabama Forestry Planning Committee• School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,

Alabama A&M University• Alabama Cooperative Extension System• Alabama Department of Conservation and

Natural Resources• Alabama Department of Education, Vocational

Division, Agribusiness Education• Alabama Farmers Federation• Alabama Forest Resources Center• Alabama Forestry Association• Alabama Forestry Commission• Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee• Alabama TREASURE Forest Association• Alabama Wildlife Federation• Association of Consulting Foresters, Inc.,

Alabama Chapter• Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station,

Auburn University• College of Agriculture, Auburn University• School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences,

Auburn University• Tennessee Valley Authority• College of Agriculture, Environmental and Natural

Sciences, Tuskegee University• USDA-Farm Service Agency• USDA-Rural Development• USDA-Forest Service, National Forests in Alabama• USDA-Forest Service, Southern Region, State and

Private Forestry• USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service

The Alabama Forestry Commission supports theAlabama Forestry Planning Committee’s TREASUREForest program. This magazine is intended to furtherencourage participation in and acceptance of this pro-gram by landowners in the state. Any of the agencieslisted above may be contacted for further informationabout the TREASURE Forest program.

Editorial BoardGary Cole Alabama Forestry CommissionDavid Frederick Alabama Forestry CommissionElishia Johnson Alabama Forestry CommissionDana McReynolds Alabama Forestry CommissionDon Stinson Alabama TREASURE Forest Assoc.Coleen Vansant Alabama Forestry Commission

EditorElishia Johnson

Vol. XXI, No. 2 Spring 2002

CONTENTS4 For the Love of the Land by Elishia Johnson

7 Work Hard, Work Smart, Work Safely by Tilda Mims

8 The Status and Condition of Alabama’s Forests: One Million New Acres by Andrew J. Hartsell

11 Loads of Logging History by Tilda Mims

14 Preventing Timber Theft by Kenneth Elmore

16 Springtime Wildlife Weeds by Dr. M. Keith Causey

20 New TREASURE Forest Certifications

21 Classroom in the Forest: Forest in the Classroom by Jane Hartselle

22 Mulching Machines for Pre-commercial Thinning and Fuel Reduction by Jason D. Thompson

26 The Riparian Forest: A Commitment to Stewardship (Part 2 )by Bob Keefe

30 “Forest Families Growing in Alabama” Orange Beach to Host 19th Annual Landowner Conference

31 Registration Form for 2002 Landowner Conference

DEPARTMENTS2 Message from the Governor and State Forester

10 Hidden TREASURES: A Simple Retreat by Michelle Hayes-Cole

19 Hidden TREASURES: All in the “TREASURE Forest” Familyby Charles Wise

24 Threatened and Endangered Species: Gulf Sturgeon by Kevin Lee McIver

32 Trees of Alabama: Durand Oak by Coleen Vansant

COVER: The lazy flowing current of Hillabee Creek provides an excellent exampleof a riparian forest, Alabama-style, located on the TREASURE Forest of Danny andMillie Baker in Tallapoosa County. Read more about riparian forests on pages 26-29.Photo by Elishia Johnson.

Alabama’s TREASURED Forests (ISSN 0894-9654) is published quarterly by the Alabama ForestryCommission, 513 Madison Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36130. Telephone (334) 240-9355. Bulk rate postagepaid at Montgomery, Alabama. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Alabama’s TREASURED Forests,P.O. Box 302550, Montgomery, AL 36130-2550. Web site: www.forestry.state.al.us

Alabama Forestry Commission policy prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex,age, religion or handicapping condition.


The year was 1953, and RebeccaLangford had hoped for a newcar on her birthday. When shereceived two tires and a piece

of land instead, she wasn’t real happy.Looking back now, she laughs about itand says that was just the beginning.

When Dr. John Langford and hisbride acquired that first parcel of land,they never dreamed just how the acreagewould increase. Today they own propertyin Crenshaw, Covington, and Pike coun-ties in Alabama as well as in Florida.Timber covers 80% of their land withmore than 2000 acres planted in loblollypines, 325 acres in longleaf pines, over1000 acres in naturally-regeneratedpines, and 400-500 acres in hardwood.

It must have seemed the perfectmatch. Both Dr. and Mrs. Langfordappreciated nature, enjoying the woods,wildlife, and wild flowers. She said, “Heloved the land . . . I had always lovedtrees and I loved my husband.”However, Miss Rebecca states that thetime finally arrived several years agowhen she was actually ready for him tostop buying property. Dr. Langfordsheepishly admits, “Every time I had anextra two dollars, I bought land.” Thelast purchase was 52 acres, just twoyears ago.

Upon retiring from his 42-year prac-tice as a successful veterinarian inDaytona Beach and her career fromteaching school, the couple moved backto their native Alabama in 1992. Afteryears of living in the city, they bothknew it would be “nice to live in thecountry.”

Growing up on a 120-acre farm, itwas definitely a love of the land thatprompted Dr. Langford to buy land atevery opportunity. He was also influ-enced by his older brothers who were allinterested in land development. “Theyprovided good role models for me . . .especially my brother Jordan whoadvised me that forestland would be agood investment. He was right!”

Another influence on Dr. Langford’sintensive forest management theory wasa book which he says “profoundly affect-ed” him. When he was 14 years old, Dr.Langford read Our Wasted Land.Explaining that environmentalism was anew concept at the time, “It describedhow we had abused the land, particularlyin the South, with erosion and gullies. Itencouraged ‘maximum production’ whileat the same time stimulating my interestin land conservation. This book taughtme not to waste. It helped formulate myphilosophy that the best environmental-

ists are landowners. We have an invest-ment in the land.”

Miss Rebecca echoed this belief, “Ihate to see land just lie vacant and erode.It’s a great shame not to use what youhave.”

First learning about the TREASUREForest program through a neighbor, Dr.and Mrs. Langford themselves becamecertified as TREASURE Forest landown-ers in 1999. He recalled how honoredthey felt to be accepted into an organiza-tion with such high standards. They setgoals to not only meet, but even surpassthose standards. Then in 2001, theLangfords achieved the supreme prize ofexcellence with the Helene MosleyAward.

The primary objective of the Lang-fords’ land management strategy is togrow timber. Their secondary objectivesinclude wildlife, clean water, and aes-thetics. This plan incorporates practicessuch as harvesting, reforestation, pre-scribed burns, spraying to prevent com-petition among young trees, plowing firelanes, as well as keeping roads mowedand borders trimmed.

Although the Langfords don’t hunttheir land, they both love animals andenjoy watching wildlife. Severalschemes are employed to ensure an

For the Love of the Landby Elishia Johnson, Editor

For the Love of the Landby Elishia Johnson, Editor

abundant variety. They plant food plotstwice yearly such as wheat, rye, oats,clover, bahiagrass, and lespedeza in thefall; sunflower, corn, and sorghum in thespring. When harvesting timber, theysave big oaks which supply acorns forthe deer and turkey. They are also carefulto leave briars and brush piles whichprovide cover for small animals andallow escape from predators. They arepresently attempting to encourage a quailpopulation.

Following his retirement Dr. Langfordattended a herbicide conference and itreally sparked his interest. He had gradu-ated from Auburn University School ofVeterinary Medicine in 1951. Now, allthese years later he decided to become astudent again! He attended ForestrySchool at Lurleen B. Wallace (LBW)Community College in Andalusia. Thesecourses opened his eyes to all the possi-bilities if he did a better job of planting,harvesting, and making roads. In addi-tion to learning practical skills such asburning every three years, he also gainedinsight into improving the land aestheti-cally and attaining the maximum amountof wildlife on the property.

Dr. Langford’s advice to all potentiallandowners is this: “Before you start, getall the information you can; attain all theknowledge possible because you willneed it! People should also take advan-tage of the assistance available from theAlabama Forestry Commission, the FarmService Agency, and the NaturalResources Conservation Service. Thesefolks are most gracious to help, theyhave all bent over backwards for us.”

According to Dr. Langford, his great-est challenges have been presented bygullies and Kudzu! One of his most grat-ifying achievements has been reclaimingthe century-old gullies. This practice, heassuredly states, “makes the surroundingland more valuable.” Over the years theyhave not only reclaimed 50 acres of gul-lies and eradicated 50 acres of kudzu, butthey have also improved or built 17miles of road. Dr. Langford noted thatafter timber is cut, roads typically needrepair and stabilization.

In addition to personally planting allof the trees and the other tree farmingduties, the couple stays “pretty busy,” asMrs. Langford put it. That appears to bean understatement when you consider allthe organizations they are involved with:

Tree Farmers of America, AlabamaLandowners’ Association, the LongleafAlliance, as well as three different chap-ters of the TREASURE ForestAssociation (Covington, Crenshaw, andPike counties)! He’s also active inGideons International, his veterinaryassociation, and the local volunteer firedepartment. They both teach SundaySchool and he’s also a deacon.

Michael Older of the Alabama ForestryCommission proudly refers to theLangfords as “the poster family” of stew-ardship. When asked why they both con-tinued to work so hard rather than sitting


Dr. John and Rebecca Langford retired to their Alabama home in 1992.

(Continued on page 6)Alabama Forestry Commission Covington County Manager Michael Older andDr. Langford often walk the property and share tree farming information.

What was once a useless gully isnow a fertile valley of pines.


back and enjoying retirement, Dr.Langford stressed that one must “use histime wisely.” Both he and Mrs. Langfordinherited a strong work ethic from theirparents and grandparents. Dr. Langfordsaid that he simply follows the Biblicalexample of working six days and restingon the seventh day. He feels that peoplewho work hard get along better in life. Onthis point, Miss Rebecca chuckled thatshe and her husband didn’t necessarilyshare that same philosophy . . . she would

be quite happy to have a bit moreleisure time than just the one dayeach week! But even with hergood-natured teasing, it’s obvioushow proud Miss Rebecca is of herhusband. “He’s a very dedicatedman: an outstanding veterinarianand an outstanding forester.”

The Langfords hope their twosons and four grandchildren willcarry on the TREASURE Foresttradition. “Our oldest son hunts,

fishes, and loves thewoods. Our youngest sononly shoots with a camera,but they both seem to havethe same philosophy of theland.”

One of their favoriteaspects of owning aTREASURE Forest is shar-ing their land with othersthrough various outreachprograms. They have host-ed several workshops forforestry students fromLBW Community Collegeand tours for the Covingtonand Crenshaw County TREA-SURE Forest Associations. Withher background in education,Miss Rebecca particularly enjoysthe opportunity to share with chil-dren and looks forward to the ele-mentary school field trips eachyear. She says it is so rewardingto see their faces as they personal-ly experience nature, often for thefirst time in their lives.

Dr. Langford’s unofficial motto wouldhave to be: “Always strive for excel-lence.” All one must do is look aroundand see the obvious rewards of theLangfords’ hard work. The trees speakfor themselves, ranging in age anywherefrom nearly 50 years to 3 or 4 monthsold. He has planted trees every year since1953! He admits, his greatest joy iswatching trees grow. When asked if heknew exactly what his success rate was,he stated that he’s had 80% survival withlong leaf pines and 90-95% with loblolly.According to Dr. Langford, “There is suchsatisfaction in planting seedlings in theground; watching them progress for a fewyears; then thinning them.”

The Langfords’ latest project is toenhance the forest with dogwoods, redbuds, and wild azaleas. The major

improvements having been accom-plished, they can now concentrate onaesthetics and beautification of the land.It is important that the property be pretty. . . Miss Rebecca is an artist and Dr.Langford says the land inspires her topaint pretty pictures.

As for the future, Dr. Langford saysthey’ll keep doing what they’ve beendoing. “And there’s always more kudzuto kill!”

Dr. Langford surveys the success of a recent prescribed burn in a stand of loblolly pines.

Mike Older and Dr. Langford inspect a youngplanted pine.

The Langfords and Sheba.


Are you planning to work onyour farm this weekend? Ifso, it doesn’t matter if youtravel across the pasture or

across the state, you should be preparedto stay in touch, stay comfortable andstay safe.

COMMUNICATION Tell family orfriends where you are going and stickwith your plan so that someone willknow where you are and when to expectyou home. Keep a walkie-talkie or cellu-lar phone with you at all times.

HYDRATION Drink plenty of fluid.WATER! If your body is one to twoquarts low – an amount you can easilysweat out in only one hour of exercise –you will reduce your performance asmuch as 25%. Experts recommenddrinking about 1⁄4 quart of water every15-20 minutes, instead of chugging thequart at one sitting.

CLOTHING Choose comfortable,sturdy clothes that will protect you fromthe elements.

•Make sure your socks fit. Baggy socksencourage blisters and tight socksreduce healthy circulation.

•Make sure you wear boots that are ingood shape and provide good support.

•Always wear blaze orange clothingduring fall and winter.

•When riding an ATV, wear boots, hel-met, gloves and eye protection.

•Dress in light-colored clothing to spotticks more easily. Wear long-sleevedshirts and long pants with cuffs formaximum protection. Tuck your shirtinto your pants and your pants intoyour boots.FOOD Frequent munching is more

important than big meals. A snack everytwo hours, especially a high carbohydratesnack, keeps your muscle glycogen high.Glycogen is converted into sugar in orderto fuel muscular work and to liberate heatfor inner body warmth on a cold day.

SUNSCREEN Skin cancer is by farthe most common cancer in the U.S. Toprotect yourself, apply sunscreen to allexposed areas, including your ears and

behind your ears where skin problemsmay develop in later years. Sunscreenswork best if applied on warm, dry skinand allowed to soak in for 15-30 minutesprior to sun exposure. A sunscreen ofSPF 15 will do the job for most skintypes, but many dermatologists recom-mend SPF 30 for safer protection. Abaseball cap will not provide the protec-tion you need. Consider a wide-brimmedhat with a brim at least 4” wide all theway around the hat. A floppy brimbreaks up scattered UV rays better than arigid rim.

SUNGLASSES Make sure your sun-glasses protect against ultraviolet light. Ifthey don’t, you may run the short-termrisk of sunburned eyes and the long-termrisk of cataracts.

FIRST AID KIT Buy a commercial-ly prepared outdoor medical kit andcheck it regularly for expired, damagedor missing items. Keep a small supply ofpain relievers for headaches and otherminor aches. Be certain that your kitincludes directions on how to properlyclean and bandage all wounds, how tosecure fractures with a splint, how totreat sprains, and how to remove splin-ters.

INSECT REPELLENT Use insectrepellent safely and regularly.Mosquitoes and other biting insects aremore than a minor annoyance. Accordingto the Centers for Disease Control,

mosquitoes, ticks, biting flies, fleas,gnats, etc., are growing into major publichealth problems. Use an EPA-registeredinsect repellent that contains DEET.

POISONOUS PLANTS About two-thirds of the U.S. population is sensitiveto poison ivy, poison oak and poisonsumac. The allergic reaction can begin inas little as 10 minutes after exposure andsubsequent blisters and itching can lastup to ten days. The best approach isrecognition and avoidance. There arenon-prescription, pre-exposure lotions onthe market that are applied like sun-screen to all exposed skin. Research hasproven them to guard against allergicreaction for several hours.

HIKING STAFF Using a hiking staff– a “third leg” – will often preventinjuries and maintain balance.

STAY IN SHAPE Be in sufficientphysical shape to take all the punish-ments of a hard day’s work. Be preparedto walk out in case of a vehicle break-down.

TICK REMOVAL Do a tick checktwice daily during tick season especiallyaround the scalp, nape of neck, behindthe ears and knees, and under thearmpits. Immediately remove all ticks.Remove attached ticks with fine tweez-ers by gently, repeatedly, and patientlytugging at the point where their mouth-

Work Hard, Work Smart, Work SafelyBy Tilda Mims

Education Specialist, Alabama Forestry Commission, Northwest Region

(Continued on page 18)

The latest survey of Alabama’sforest resources is complete!!This phrase is being utteredwith excitement by a diverse

group of forestry related organizations.Forest industry, environmental groups,and state agencies all use survey data informulating their long-term strategies.So, what is the “survey” and what are thelatest results. The purpose of this articleis to answer these questions.

History of the SurveyThe Forest Inventory and Analysis

(FIA) unit of the U.S. Department of

Agriculture, Forest Service, SouthernResearch Station (SRS) conducts contin-uing inventories of 13 southern states.The first survey of Alabama was com-pleted in 1936. The initial survey con-sisted of quarter acre sample plots laidout county by county on parallel linesspaced 10 miles apart. The second sur-vey (1953) established a network of per-manent ground plots located on a three-mile grid across the state. All subsequentsurveys used this plot grid. Subsequentsurveys were performed in 1963, 1972,1982, 1990, and finally in 2000.

The latest survey involved 4,443 plotswith forestedcondition andtook three yearsto complete.

Thus, sevensurveys havebeen conductedin Alabama.Along the way,different sampledesigns and tech-niques have beenused. Everychange was madein order toincrease the effi-ciency of the sur-

vey, utilize latest technologies, or answernew questions. However, there are sever-al key items that have remainedunchanged since 1953. The network ofplot locations and the methods of deter-mining forest area have remained con-stant for 50 years.

Results of the 2000 SurveyThere are currently 22.9 million acres

of forests in Alabama. This representsa one million acre increase overthe 1990 estimate. This increase


The Status and Condition of Alabama’s Forests:

ONE MILLION New Acres

by Andrew J. HartsellResearch Forester, U.S.D.A. Forest Service

The Status and Condition of Alabama’s Forests:

ONE MILLION New Acres

by Andrew J. HartsellResearch Forester, U.S.D.A. Forest Service


resulted from 1.7 million acres of previ-ously non-forest land being converted toforests, and 703,000 acres of timberlandbeing diverted to other land uses. Themajor cause of defor-estation in Alabama isderived from urban-related issues.Urbanization is responsi-ble for 68% of theforestland clearing in thestate. The establishmentof plantations was a pri-mary factor for theincrease in forestland.The ConservationReserve Program (CRP)alone was responsiblefor planting around200,000 acres a yearduring the 1990’s. Manyof these plantings wereon lands that were previ-ously in crops or pas-ture. Today, 71% of thestate is in forests (see Figure 2).

Private landowners (non-industrial)own 78% of Alabama’s forests (see Figure 1). Forest industry owns 16%.The remaining 6% is shared betweenNational Forests and other public lands.The majority of the state’s forests, 46%,are classified as hardwood stands (see Figure 3). Softwood stands account for 35% of the forest area. The remaining forests are classified as mixed. Many individuals will find this information sur-prising. It is often stated that softwoods,

pine plantations in particular, are thedominant forest-types in the state. Thelatest survey proves this to be an incorrect assumption.

Total forest area has gradually

The impact of plantation forestry is seenin these statistics as well. The area ofplanted stands has increased 225% since1972, when planted stands accounted for1.7 million acres. Today, planted standsoccupy 5.6 million acres, almost one-fourth of the total forest area of the state.It is important to note that while planta-tions occupy nearly one-quarter of thestate’s forestlands, they contain 35% ofthe states standing softwood inventory.Plantations also are responsible for halfof all softwood growing-stock growthand 30% of all softwood removals.

The standing inventory of both soft-woods and hardwoods has increased aswell (Figure 4). All live softwood vol-ume has risen 21% over the four-survey

period, while live hardwood volume hasgone up 69% over the same time frame.In 1972, the volume of softwoodsexceeded that of hardwoods. Since then,the inventory volume of hardwoods hasalways exceeded the softwood inventory.

Average annual growth and averageannual removals refer to the amount ofwood that is grown or cut each year.Between 1990 and 2000, 923.4 millioncubic feet of live softwood volume greweach year. This is a 20% increase over the 1982 value.

Since 1982, average annual growth of softwoods has risen. A decline in softwood growth occurred between 1972 and 1982. Removals of live softwoods haveincreased as well, increasing 107% since1972. Softwood removals exceededgrowth during both the 1982 and 1990surveys, a fact that caused some concernin the past. This trend is reversed for thelatest survey, as once again, growthexceeds removals.

Average annual growth of live hard-woods has always exceeded removals.Removals of live hardwoods haveincreased 83% since 1972.Currently, 390.6 million cubic feet ofhardwoods are removed each year inAlabama. This is offset by the fact that560.8 million cubic feet are grown eachyear, a 75% increase over the 1972 esti-mates.

The Future of the SurveyHistorically, surveys were performed

on an 8-12 year cycle. Any event orquestions thatarose betweensurveys could notbe addressed untilthe next survey.To help provide acontinuous datasource, FIA andthe AFC haveteamed togetherto perform anannual inventorysystem. With thissystem, statecrews will gatherdata on 20% ofthe FIA plotseach year. In fiveyears, a completesurvey will havebeen performed.At this time, the

state will continue gathering data on20% of the plots, creating a “rollingaverage.” This will enable decision mak-ers, both public and private, to have cur-rent information on the state’s forestresources, ensuring that Alabama willalways have forests for future genera-tions.

For more information on the annualinventory system, or the latest survey ofAlabama, visit the national FIA websiteat: http://fia.fs.fed.us.


A Simple RetreatBy Michelle Hayes-Cole

Outreach Forester, Alabama Forestry Commission, Southeast Region

Many things may be envi-sioned when you sayTREASURE Forest, but forthe Haygood family of

Macon County, a simple retreat comes tomind. When they purchased the 175-acretract in 1977, the place was an old cattlefarm about to be developedinto a subdivision. There wereopen fields, plenty of plantedpines, and an abundance ofbottomland hardwoods. TheHaygoods didn’t know exactlywhat to do with the land whenthey became the new owners,but within the next two yearsthey took what God hadblessed them with putting alltheir time and effort into theproperty to make it their spe-cial place.

During the first years, TonyHaygood and his family triedto farm the land by sellingpeas and watermelons to indi-viduals and stores. He hadbegun to realize that truckfarming wasn’t working when he wasinvited to a Forestry Planning Committeemeeting. As Tony recalls, this is where itall began. He started asking questionsabout the different aspects of forestry; thenext thing he knew he had a lot of agencypeople on his place wanting to help himget started.

A New BeginningWith the help of the Alabama Forestry

Commission, the Haygoods began theprocess of transforming the farm into aprized possession. They began to plant theopen fields with pines, but soon southernpine beetle got into the established plant-ed pine. The infestation was out of controland it would have been too expensive totake out the infested trees only, so the

Haygoods decided to clear-cut the wholearea and start over. Starting over was aconcept of which they were all too famil-iar.

Becoming impatient with waiting tohear back from the cost share programs,the Haygoods decided to take matters intotheir own hands. They took the money

that they received from the harvest, siteprepared it, and replanted it with loblollypine. They also used the money to installa creek crossing. Things finally began tolook up for the Haygoods.

Family TiesFamily time and good stewardship are

both important to the Haygoods. It is theirintent to pass these values on to their chil-dren and extended family. The whole fam-ily is involved in the property manage-ment and as a result, family ties arestronger than ever. Although they don’tlease the property for hunting, theHaygoods allow family and friends tohunt. Tony often has to compromise withhis mom and his uncle to work out hunt-ing schedules! These family members

have taken on the responsibilities of plant-ing and maintaining food plots as well asbuilding and putting up tree stands. Thetree stands are not only used for hunting,but the kids also use them for tree houses.

Fishing is also a big deal for Tony andhis son, who he said always catches morefish than anyone else. In fact, what was

once a small water hole isnow being expanded formore fishing. Many of thecommunity kids are ofteninvited to the property forfun-filled events such ascamping and fishing.

According to Tony, hisfavorite aspect of owning aTREASURE Forest is therecreation. However, he alsostated that when maintaininga TREASURE Forest, yourwork is never done; youalways want more. Hisfuture plans include a pavil-ion, nature and bike trails,and more communityinvolvement.

DiversityTony believes that diversity is what

makes his property a TREASURE.Comprised of a mixture of 60% pines and40% hardwoods, ponds, food plots, and avariety of wildlife, the Indian mounds andoverall history of the place also lend to itsdiversity.

In February the Haygoods showcasedtheir management practices to fellow for-est landowners and potential tree farmersat the 110th Annual Farmers’ Conferencein Tuskegee, Alabama. Another tour oftheir TREASURE Forest was conductedby the Alabama Forestry Commissionalong with the Federation of SouthernCooperatives and Tuskegee University.

Tony Haygood inspecting his young longleaf pines.



L o a d s o f L o g g i n g H i s t o r y

By Tilda MimsEducation Specialist, Alabama Forestry Commission, Northwest Region

Vast stands of old-growthforests in North Americawere an unprecedentedresource to the first settlers

from Europe, Africa and Asia, wheremany of the forests had been cut for cen-turies. American pioneers cleared forestsfor crop land, pastures and settlements.As early as 1607, settlers began export-ing lumber to England, and lumberexports exceeded domestic demand formuch of the Colonial Period.

However, the heaviness of timber anddependence on brute strength and ani-mals for harvesting prevented large-scale

lumbering until the mechanical advancesof the Industrial Revolution. In the early1800s, logging was still a laborious, slowand dangerous profession. Crosscut sawsand axes felled trees while oxen, mulesand donkeys dragged them out of thewoods. Logs were floated or drivendownriver to sawmills or loaded onto awagon or rail car.

Steam powered equipment replacedanimal power as man searched for waysto make logging a little easier. Steam“donkeys” pulled logs off mountains andsteam locomotives hauled them to mills.Meanwhile, steam engines freed

sawmills from their dependence on flow-ing water, and allowed them to operateyear-round.

Lumber demand soared in the UnitedStates in the 19th century as railroadsexpanded into the Northeast and theWest. During this time, loggers lived incamps throughout the year. They laboredall day, endured extreme weather andworked under life-threatening conditions.The harshness of the occupation and thehardiness of the men were captured inAmerican folklore with legendary char-acters such as Paul Bunion and his giantblue ox, Babe. (Continued on page 12)

Milford Curtis and crew logging on the Winston/Walker county line in the 1930s.

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The economic boom following WorldWar II fueled lumber demand, especiallyfor suburban homes. In the mid-1950’s,the big push in harvesting was findingnew and easier ways to load wood. Therewere all sorts of ideas, most of whichinvolved booms, cables, clamps, winches,overhead hoists and tractors or trucks -anything to help the logger load wood orhelp the mill unload wood.

The big breakthrough in loading wasthe introduction of hydraulics, and ulti-mately the knuckleboom loader. LeoHeikkinen of Wisconsin produced the trueforerunner to the modern knuckleboom in

1956. It gave loggers speed and sortingpossibilities never dreamed of before andpaved the way for more landing advance-ments, particularly delimbers. Designedprimarily for handling pulpwood, itturned out to be the finest log loader inthe country and had a price tag in theneighborhood of $3,000.

Although logging equipment and log-ging practices have changed significantlyin the past 100 years, our fascination withthe hardiness of the men and women whomade their living in the logging woodsprevails.

The accompanying period photos cap-ture moments in Alabama’s rich foresthistory.

Sources:• Timber Harvesting Magazine,

May 1995

• Encarta Online Deluxe, 2001

• Roots of Motive Power Museum

• Sierra Logging Museum

Editor’s Note: More historical photos willfollow in upcoming issues of Alabama’sTREASURED Forests.

Shown here in the early 1940s: Elijah Lee (seated center with saw blade), grandfather of retired AFC Limestone CountyManager Larry Lee; Henry Hubert Lee (bottom left corner) Larry’s father; Ersie Lee (standing in the rear) and Elbert Lee(seated behind Elijah), Larry’s uncles.

L o a d s o f L o g g i n g H i s t o r y(continued from page 11)


Clyde King (secondfrom left) and hisbrother Claude(second from right)of King BrothersLogging pose with acypress in theButtahatchee Riverbottom nearSulligent in the early1940s. They had toweld two 61/2-footcrosscut sawstogether to fell thetree.

Redden Thompson’s sawmill locatedbehind Oak Hill Church in LamarCounty, early 1900s.

Jack Woolbright of Lamar Countyin 1924. At age 18, he hadalready been logging six yearswith his mule team and wagon.The log on the wagon is over fivefeet in diameter and 12 feet long.

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Aworking class North Alabamacouple owned a home with amortgage, and twenty acres ofland. Their handicapped child

suffered from many health problems, andmedical bills for treatment and specialequipment were staggering. Physicaltherapy sessions for the child were need-ed, but wouldn’t be covered by theirinsurance.

An acquaintance dropped by one dayand offered what appeared to be a quickanswer to their financial worries – a tim-ber sale. Their 20-acres of land includedabout 5-acres of nice yellow poplar, redoak and white oak surrounding a smallpond. The wife’s father had refused tocut the trees more than 30 years earlierand they had not been cut since sheinherited the land. The buyer said thetrees would make quality grade veneerlogs and saw logs, and he’d get a verygood price for them. He offered themone-half of what each load brought at themill.

They quickly agreed to the deal. Hecut the five acres, loaded up his equip-ment and left. He only paid a littlemoney for the first two loads and did notrespond to repeated attempts to contacthim. The couple had no written contract.

They had no record of how many loadsleft the property or where the loads weretaken, nor were they provided with millscale tickets.

The couple was devastated. Heseemed like a nice man and they trustedhim to treat them fairly. The simple tim-ber sale they counted on to help themfinancially became a source of frustra-tion and bewilderment. It took onlyabout a week to harvest trees the familyhad protected for many years. Now thetrees were gone and the young familyhad nothing to show for it.

The case appeared to be a matter forcivil court, but first the couple turned tothe Alabama Forestry Commission(AFC) for help. The Commission’sinvestigators knew this man’s history ofsimilar behavior. When contacted, thebuyer’s wife said the money had beenspent on bills and they couldn’t presentlypay the landowner. The AFC was unableto locate the wood at nearby mills andwood yards, so a stump cruise was per-formed to determine what wood wastaken and how much it was worth.

The grand jury indicted the manbased on his history of similar com-plaints. The case was settled beforegoing to court with the man pleading

guilty and paying full restitution to thelandowners based on the stump cruisedata.

Unfortunately, this type story is notunusual. Timber theft occurs in a varietyof ways and no one is immune. It hap-pens to large forest industry companiesas well as private landowners. It happenswith well-written and supervised con-tracts as well as verbal agreements. It hasbeen my experience, however, that farmore complaints result from verbalagreements and small non-industrial pri-vate landowners get hurt most often.

PRECAUTIONSYou can minimize your risk of timber

theft by taking the following precautions.

•Know timber’s worth. Think of yourstanding timber as a bank account.Anyone taking money from youraccount through outright theft, theftthrough deception, or fraudulent busi-ness practices is stealing money. Atimber sale contract is a business deal.Keep it business. The old adageapplies: “Trust, but verify.”

•Know your property. There is nofoolproof plan to prevent timber theft.However, prevention starts with know-

Preventing Timber Theft By Kenneth Elmore

Forest Investigator, Alabama Forestry Commission, Northwest Region

Clearly marking streamside management zones helps logging crews avoidsensitive areas. Fayette County TREASURE Forest landowner Joe Smith (left)and professional logging manager Ray Clark (right) watch as Mark Milligan ofthe Alabama Forestry Commission (center) designates an area.

Installing a culvert allows access tothe property while preserving waterquality.


ing the location of your property, hav-ing clearly-defined property lines, lim-iting access to the property, havinggood neighbors, and being a goodneighbor. If you are an absenteelandowner, having good neighbors orfriends to check your property andreport any suspicious activity is criti-cal.

•Hire a reputable professional con-sultant forester to protect your inter-ests when dealing with timber buyers,procurement foresters, and producers.They charge a fee for their work butearn it by getting you top dollar andby giving you peace of mind.

•Check references of your consultantforester. Ask previous clients if theywere satisfied with the work or ifthere were problems with the sale.Ask if there were any contract viola-tions and, if so, how they wereresolved.

•Understand conditions of sale. Youwill make the final decision on howyour timber is sold, so be certain youknow the advantages and disadvan-tages of two basic types of timbersales: Lump Sum and Pay-As-Cut.

In a lump sum sale, the landownerreceives one large payment before thetimber is harvested. Since competitivebidding usually ensures fair stumpagevalue, this method is often in thelandowner’s best interest. It’s importantto get as many bids as possible. With agood timber sale contract to protect yourproperty and other interests, any theftproblems become the buyer’s.

In a pay-as-cut sale, the landownerreceives a set sum of money for eachunit of pulpwood and/or sawtimber asthe timber is harvested and delivered.This option may bring a better price ifloggers merchandise different productsand take advantage of spot markets.However, it is also the method wherelaw enforcement receives the most com-plaints from landowners unhappy withthe final compensation, believing theydid not get paid for everything.

If you select the pay-as-cut method,be careful. There is a lot of potential forabuse. Some examples include but arenot limited to:

* Poor utilization - The tract is high-graded (taking only the best), costing

the landowner money and making itdifficult to get another contractor tocome in and finish the job. This canmake reforestation more costly.

* Poor merchandising – You are paidpulpwood prices for sawtimber.

* Diverted wood – The wood produc-er sells it as his own. Unless you arethere every day, how do you know whattimber was removed from your propertyand where it was taken? Wood is a com-modity: once it leaves your land, it looksthe same as any other load of wood.

* Co-mingling of wood - The produc-er or buyer cuts more than one tract oftimber, paying you for the lower gradewood from another tract and pocketingthe difference.

• Establish a paper trail. Make cer-tain that each load of wood removedfrom your property is accounted for.Alabama laws are minimal thatrequire the recording of information atthe first place of weight and off-load-ing. Mill records require the date ofdelivery, weight or volume, product,seller/producer name, landownername, and the county from which theforest products were severed.

•Demand copies of mill scale tickets.Check tickets for accuracy of basicinformation. Be absolutely certain thatyour name as landowner (first and lastname) is on all scale tickets.

•Record dates of activities. Recorddates of when the producer movedonto your property, when the first load

was severed and removed, and whenthe last load was removed. If the pro-ducer moves off your property beforefinishing the job and then moves backto finish the job later, record thesedates.

•Identify and record any truckingcompanies. Know the identity of alltrucking companies the producer mayuse, getting the drivers’ names when-ever possible.

•Be alert to suspicious behavior.There are unscrupulous individuals inall professions. The following “redflags” will alert you to possible prob-lems.

- Loggers operating where theyshould not be.

- Truckers hauling when they shouldnot be.

- Loggers or trucking contractorsdelivering to unauthorized markets.

- Multiple trucking contractors on asite.

- Loggers segregating products notmentioned in the contract.

- Logs hidden in the woods.- Logs mixed with pulpwood.- Boundary trees cut or boundary

lines moved.- Harvesting in streamside manage-

ment zones in violation of contract.- Logger working an adjacent timber

tract.- Trucking contractor hauling from

adjacent tracts.

The timber contract for this large harvest was designed with reforestation inmind. Getting your forestland back into production is easier and more afford-able when the timber sale contract spells out important details for cleanup. Thiscontract required this loading deck to be seeded and hayed to control erosion.



Generally speaking, a “weed” isa plant growing somewherewe humans do not want themto be. In natural or undevel-

oped environments, many “weeds” areimportant to wildlife. My work focuses onwhite-tailed deer and forbs, which is theproper term for most weeds and are veryimportant in a deer’s annual diet. Forbsare very important to many other wildlifespecies as well; not only as food, but asattractants for large numbers of insectswhich are so critical to the early survivalof bobwhite chicks and turkey poults.

Forbs are non-woody or herbaceousflowering plants, excluding grasses,sedges and rushes. Forbs include someof our most beautiful and delicate wild-flowers and some of our most noxious,allergenic weeds, both annual and peren-nial. But for many wild animals, they arejust food and cover.

As wildlife food for herbivores suchas white-tailed deer, forbs are excellent.Many forbs break dormancy or germi-nate in late winter or early spring, pro-viding nourishment when needed most.The young and tender shoots, stems, and

leaves of many forbs are among the mostnutritious and digestible foods available.These “weeds” often contain up to 40%crude protein and greater than 70% totaldigestible energy. Many of these high-quality plants have short lives, and theirexcellent nutrient content and digestibili-ty period may only be a few days orweeks in length. However, they arereplaced or followed often by otherspecies that are just as beneficial fromlate winter to late spring and beyond.

There are literally hundreds of forbspecies, and only a small number are not

Springtime Wildlife “Weeds”

By Dr. M. Keith CauseyIreland Professor of Wildlife Science, Auburn University

Reprinted with permission of the Alabama Wildlife Federation

used in some way. In a study we conduct-ed years ago in the Piedmont physio-graphic region of Alabama relating towhite-tailed deer food use and preference,there were 36 forb species that occurredin 10% or more of the deer stomachs ana-lyzed during the spring season of thatyear. They included such “weeds” as cornsalad, curly dock, dandelion, Carolinacranesbill, hop clover, daisy fleabane,vetch, wild garlic, primrose, ragweed, andgoldenrod. Of course, there were manymore. While deer are referred to often asbrowsers of woody buds, leaves, andstems, forbs are critical components oftheir year-round diet. In the south Texasbrush country that is so famous for high-quality white-tailed deer, spring forbabundance, which is influenced by springrainfall, often determines the degree ofantler growth for any given year.

In Alabama and throughout theSoutheast, many forbs grow in open areasassociated with disturbed soil such as fal-low or unplanted fields, pastures, roadsides, ditch banks, new clear-cuts, andspoil area. Of course, other forb speciesgrow in moist forests with closedcanopies and other undisturbed habitats.

In old, southern agricultural systems,some row-crop fields were “rested” eachyear. These “rested” or fallow fieldsflourished with forbs in the spring. These“weed” fields were critical habitat forbobwhite chicks that fed heavily on the

hordes of insects associated with thesefields. Today, deer, rabbits, turkey poults,bobwhite chicks, and other wildlife usesimilar areas in spring and summer.

Forb fields can be created by diskingthe soil in late summer or fall and allowingnature to take its course over the nextgrowing season. The biggest problem insome situations will be unwanted grassesthat can choke out the more desirableforbs. Fertilization and liming may beneeded to create a good forb patch, butavoid heavy application of nitrogen.Applying fertilizer low in nitrogen or with-out nitrogen that contains phosphorus andpotassium is recommended. This sametype of fertilizer (0-13-13) can be appliedto road sides, small openings, etc., for thesame effect. Fall wildlife openings plantedin small grains for deer and turkeys(wheat, rye, oats, etc.) often will containmany forb species the following springand summer if the sowing rate of the smallgrains is reduced at planting time (say 1.5bushels per acre rather than 3).

These naturally occurring, high-qualityplants that are critical to many wildlifespecies in the spring are replaced or fol-lowed by others in the summer and fall.Additionally, many of these forbs have agrowth form that provides nutrients dur-ing critical winter periods. In managingforbs, remember not to apply too muchnitrogen because it can lead to domina-tion by unwanted grass species.


Forb fields provide critical habitat forturkey, especially young poults.

Thinning and prescribed burning in pine stands are excellent management practices for promoting increased forb production.

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Tour stops included pine and hardwoodmanagement, a southern pine beetledemonstration, and recreation opportuni-ties.

Tony is an active member of theMacon County Forestry PlanningCommittee. He received his Tree FarmCertification in 1985 and became certi-fied as a TREASURE Forest landowner

in 1999. He is also a member of thenewly established Outreach AdvisoryCouncil for minority landowners createdby State Forester Timothy C. Boyce.

Whether they go to there to camp,hunt, fish, walk in the hardwood bottoms,or just to relax, this TREASURE Forestremains what it has always been for Tonyand his family. . . a simple retreat.

A Simple Retreat (Continued from page 10)

- Logs removed from the site that arenot delivered promptly.

- Complaints or tips from landowners,neighbors, other loggers, foresters, con-sultants.

•Use a written timber sale contract.Entering a timber sale without a writ-ten contract to protect your interests isasking for trouble. A good timber salecontract that demonstrates good woodflow accountability measures and out-lines termination date, prices, volumes,products, markets, sales area, cleanup,and penalties for contract violationswill reduce temptation, thus eliminat-ing most potential theft opportunities.

Harvesting and marketing timber prod-ucts can be very complex. If you don’tknow the timber business, you betterknow the people with whom you aredealing. Most producers are hard work-ing, honest business people. Treat the saleas a business deal; they will understand

and not be offended. Keeping the sale ona business level will act as a deterrent andaid in resolving any disputes. Good back-ground checks and the bidding processare two key elements to protect thelandowner.

An article in Forest Landowner maga-zine, written by Tom Kazee of WoodlandSecurity, Inc., quotes three numbers that,based on my experience, all landownersshould remember. The three importantnumbers are: 80-19-1.

Eighty percent of us are honest andwould not cheat another person even ifgiven a golden opportunity. Nineteen per-cent are opportunistic and if an unhin-dered opportunity presents itself will suc-cumb to temptation and take full advan-tage. Less than one percent are deter-mined crooks that look for every opportu-nity to steal or cheat. Keeping the timbersale on a business level will deter mostopportunities for theft.

parts enter your skin. Do not twist whentugging and avoid squeezing the tick’sabdomen. Wash the site with soap andwater. Save the tick in a sealed jar ofalcohol for future reference.

ANIMAL BITES or SCRATCHESImmediately wash a wound or scratchcaused by an animal with soap andwater, and visit a physician as quicklyas possible. If the bite is from a wildanimal, try to capture the animal so itmay be tested for rabies. The animal’sbrain must be intact to conduct rabiestesting, so avoid injury to the animal’shead and neck area.

BE WEATHER SMART Know theproper responses to weather emergencies.

•Tornadoes – A tornado may spring upquickly any time of year. Seek thelowest level by lying flat in the near-est ditch with your hands shieldingyour head.

•Lightning – Avoid a lightning strikeby taking precautions before thestorm reaches you. Most lightningstrikes hit people from one to sevenmiles in front of clouds and rain.Remember, five seconds between theflash and the thunder means the stormis only one mile away. 1) Seek shelterin a low area under a thick growth ofsmall trees, never under a single tree.In an open area, seek a low spot, suchas a ravine or a ditch. 2) Stay awayfrom tractors, wire fences or rails. 3)Drop to your knees and bend forwardputting your hands on your knees.DO NOT place hands on the groundor lie flat on the ground - wet groundcan carry electricity. 4) If you are in agroup of people in an open area,spread out, keeping people severalyards apart.Experts in wilderness travel, camping

and out door safety agree that “commonsense” is always your best companionwhen you work outdoors, but it does nothurt to be prepared. You can work hardand be able to work another day if youwill attend to the basic essentials.

Resourceswww.destinationoutdoors.comwww.enviroderm.comwww.georgiamagazine.com

Work Hard, Work Smart . . .(Continued from page 7)

Preventing Timber Theft (Continued from page 15)


All In the “TREASURE Forest” Family

By Charles WiseCounty Manager, Alabama Forestry Commission, Randolph County

The term TREASURE Forestmeans many things to manypeople. To Roy and MaryReeves’ family of Roanoke,

Alabama, it means family involvement.Mr. and Mrs. Reeves purchased theirfirst tract of forestland in 1968 andimmediately began actively managingthe 226 acres. Timber stand improve-ment cuts were made and43 acres were planted inpines on cleared land thatthe local Boy Scout troopwas allowed to use forcamping. This tract hasbeen called the “BoyScout Land” since thenand in fact, the BoyScouts still use the prop-erty for gatherings andcamping.

The Reeves purchasedmore land on two otheroccasions bringing thetotal area to 336 acres.Hurricane Opal took itstoll on 90 acres in 1995,but the area was harvestedand re-planted. Now family and friendsenjoy hunting abundant deer, turkey, squir-rel, and rabbit on the property.

Aesthetics is important to the Reevesfamily as well. One of the most striking-ly beautiful places on the property is anarea along a stream with large bouldersjutting out of the ground as if guardingthe stream and hardwoods. A firebreakalong the ridge between the natural pinesand the hardwoods provides easy accessto this area.

It is evident that the Reeves practicedmultiple-use forestry before it becamepopular to do so. Mr. Reeves first becameaware of the TREASURE Forest programin 1996 through Alabama Forestry

Commission personnel servicing a cost-share referral. His interest in the programwas sparked and he was invited to sit onthe County Forestry Planning Committee.The property was certified as a TREA-SURE Forest in 1997. The Reeves’ prop-erty has hosted two forestry tours and 6thgrade classes from Handley MiddleSchool have also visited for the last three

years. The county FFA forestry judgingcompetition was held here in 2000. Mr.Reeves served two terms as Chairman ofthe planning committee and soon after-ward was instrumental in starting aTREASURE Forest county chapter, ofwhich he is the Chapter President. Butthe story does not end there.

Mr. and Mrs. Reeves’ two daughters,Sabra and Katina, each have families andTREASURE Forests of their own. Sabraand Steve Burns own 145 acres of forest-land that they acquired in 1990. Katinaand Kem Walker have 80 acres.

The Burns property, a mix of plantedpines, bottomland hardwoods, and natu-ral pines, was certified as a TREASURE

Forest in 1999. Recreation in the form ofhunting and camping for friends andfamily is the secondary objective andone of the old farm buildings now servesas a bunkhouse for hunters and campers.An extensive system of fire lanes andaccess roads doubles as linear wildlifeopenings in many areas. Little WehadkeeCreek and Wehadkee Creek form the

east and south propertyboundaries respective-ly. The most notablenatural feature is alarge outcrop of rock.This nearly flat area ofrock is one of the rec-ognized habitats forLittle Amphianthus or“pool sprite,” anendangered species ofsmall flowering herb.

The Walker proper-ty has undergone sev-eral changes in the lastten years. A three-acrelake was built andstocked with breamand bass. The Walkers

then built a house overlooking the lake.Pine trees replaced cattle on about 25acres. The south 40 acres is mainlyupland hardwoods through whichMeachum Creek flows. Overlooking thecreek, the lake, and the home place fromthe south is a hill with a marvelous standof northern red oak and scarlet oak thatvirtually glows red in the fall. A one-day“Becoming an Outdoor Woman” pro-gram was hosted at the Walker’s placelast spring. Their property was certifiedas a TREASURE Forest in 2001.

As the Reeves family continues togrow, they are definitely making theTREASURE Forest program a “familytradition.”

Carrying on the Reeves TREASURE Forest family tradition (l to r): BenjiWhaley, Tia W. Whaley, Seth Walker, Casey Prince, Katina R. Walker,Kem Walker, Roy Reeves, Mary Reeves, Sabra R. Burns, Steve Burns,Leigh Burns, and Luke Burns.

Location ofLandowner Property RegionJames & Wanda Altiere Butler SEB A Farms St. Clair NEJames Barron Crenshaw SEJames Blackmon Jackson NEBoggy Branch, LLC Baldwin SWRob & Casey Brannon Mobile SWCarl Bullion Limestone NWOscar Burdette Chambers NEM. Darren & Cynthia M. Cannon Dale SEWilliam Clark Clay NEJohn & Edna Courson Covington SEBrant & Susie Craig Dekalb NENorma C. Davis Mobile SWSue Fincher Randolph NEDon Fussell Randolph NEJack & Al Goolsby Covington SEKirk Hall Cherokee NEDavid L. & Mark E. Harrison Sumter SWJohn & Jane Henderson Marengo SWNancy Henry Dallas SWMark Hitt Etowah NEJohn & Gene Crane Hixon, Jr. Lowndes SEJerry & Joanne Holdsambeck Bibb NWJames Warren Holloway Geneva SEDr. Tommy R. Horne Barbour SEEmory Hubbard & family Bibb NWBruce & Michelle Johnson Coosa NEClarice & Mike Kendrick Shelby NWHazel Kendrick Shelby NWJohn R. Lewis, Jr. Limestone NWLost Arrowhead Farm Coosa NEHerb & Kathy McCrimmon Calhoun NEJohn & Sheila McDaniel Houston SEMark & Peggy McElreath Covington SEPatricia Mize St. Clair NERobert Molette III Dallas, Barbour SW

Location ofLandowner Property RegionTim & Maressa Moore Randolph NEEstate of Mary Morris Mobile, Clarke SWOx Level Timberlands LLC Bullock SEDale Patterson St. Clair NERandy Pearson Bibb NWHal C. Peek Cherokee NERob Perry Randolph NERichard & Peggy Phelps Montgomery SETerry & Tammy Pickard Conecuh, Covington SWPine Ridge Barbour SEEd & Beth Price Houston SETommy Rainwater Autauga SWRichard, Stacie, & Ralph Reddish Lee SESarah Weekly Reed Sumter, Choctaw SWMargaret Clayton Russell Barbour SEDr. J. Thomas Sanders Crenshaw SEWilliam T. Slagle Chambers NEMicky & Lolita Smith Sumter SWRobert & Ellen Smith Coosa NETommy & Bettye Stephens Sumter SWYoung Stevenson Bullock SEDr. Larry Stutts Colbert NWEdmund Thompson Crenshaw SEDan Thrower Cleburne NECharlie & Barbara Tickle Shelby NWTiger Hollow Farms LLC Montgomery SEJim & Doris Tucker Bibb NWTukabatchee Area Boy Scouts Autauga SWDr. P. H. Waddy Lee SEErnest & Martha Wallace Bibb NWCody & Shelia Ward Covington SEFoster & Jeanette Weed Covington SEOzell & Billie Weeks Marion NWBuddy & Beth Wilkes Covington SEJoe Max & Kathryn Worthy Coosa NEBartley & Kim Wyers Walker NW


Congratulations to the 72 landowners who were awarded TREASURE Forest certificationat the first two meetings for the year 2002 of the TREASURE Forest sub-committee. Withthese landowners, 26,526 acres were added to the TREASURE Forest program in Alabama.At these same meetings, 106 landowners received re-certification.

Currently, Alabama has 1,742 TREASURE Forests with 1,799,981 acres of forestlandbeing managed under the guidelines of the TREASURE Forest program.

New TREASURE ForestCertifications


Classroom in the Forest: Forest

in the Classroom is “budding”all across Alabama. This pro-gram enables school children

in Mobile, Montgomery, Tallapoosa, andWashington Counties to get a close-uplook at private forestland and private for-est landowners, as well as the manyTREASURES that the forest holds.

The Alabama TREASURE ForestAssociation and Jane Hartselle, MobileCounty Extension Agent with theAlabama Cooperative Extension Systemhave teamed up with other agencies andcommunity leaders to bring Classroomin the Forest: Forest in the Classroom tofifth grade school children across thestate.

Classroom in the Forest: Forest in theClassroom was created to communicatethe role private lands and privatelandowners play in environmentally andeconomically benefiting all of the peoplein Alabama.

The emphasis of the Alabama TREA-SURE Forest Association is to promotewise management of all of our forestresources and to educate the generalpublic on the importance of private landownership and private landowners.Classroom in the Forest: Forest in theClassroom serves as a vehicle to exposeschool age children to the TREASUREForest philosophy of managing ourforests for a variety of resources in away that sustains productivity for futuregenerations.

Classroom in the Forest: Forest in theClassroom has two goals. The first goal

is to educate fifth grade students andtheir teachers about multiple-use man-agement of our forest resources and howimportant private landowners are in themanagement of these valuable resources.The second goal is to involve privatelandowners and stakeholders in the edu-cation of our youth, other landowners,and the general public about the impor-tance of our natural resources.

Volunteer Resource DevelopmentTeam members are recruited and theninvited to participate in three two-hourdevelopment sessions. Each team mem-ber receives a Teaching Resource Kitcomplete with lesson plans, activitysheets, and most importantly, an oppor-tunity to share their knowledge andenthusiasm with fifth-grade students inthe county.

The Volunteer Resource DevelopmentTeams are comprised of three people: 1)Resource Provider, 2) Stakeholder, and3) Private Land Owner. Each team mem-ber brings the message of the TREA-SURE Forest program along with theirown perspective, to encourage a feelingof pride and respect for the forestland inAlabama and a true sense of appreciationfor the private landowner. The dynamicsof this group fills a much-needed role inthe education of our youth, as well as forthe adults participating in this project.Often we take for granted the many ben-efits we receive each day from the forest.

Since November of 1999, theClassroom in the Forest: Forest in theClassroom program has continued togrow. In Mobile County alone, volunteers

have taken the Forest in the Classroom to49 different elementary schools. Thismeans that over 4,000 children in MobileCounty were introduced to the many life-long lessons of the forest.

These same Volunteer ResourceDevelopment Teams took 32 differentschools to the Classroom in the Forest.To ensure the success of each of the for-est field trips, twelve private landownersopened their TREASURE Forests toover 900 children in Mobile County.With these tours, the idea of “NeighborsHelping Neighbors” was never moreclearly demonstrated. School childrenwere treated to hayrides, nature walks,and learning activities, as well as an “oldfashion” lunch on the grounds. Not onlythe children, but also the adults had agreat time.

Thanks to the many volunteers and“Team TREASURE Forest” of theAlabama TREASURE Forest Asso-ciation, the success of Classroom in theForest: Forest in the Classroom isspreading across the state. MontgomeryCounty is in its second year of the pro-gram where it has already had impact onmany school children. Also in Tallapoosaand Washington Counties, the first yearof the project is off and running. Staytuned for an update of the progress inthese counties.

We would love to bring this importantmessage to your county. For more infor-mation and an opportunity to get involved,please contact one of the following:

• Jane Hartselle, Alabama Cooperative Extension,Tele: (251) 574-8445

• Alabama TREASURE ForestAssociation, Tele: (251) 442-2425

• Private Forest Management Team, School of Forestry and WildlifeSciences, Auburn UniversityTele: (334) 844-1043

Or your county’s:

• Alabama Forestry Commission office,

• Cooperative Extension office,

• Soil Conservation District office

or

• Alabama Department of Conservationand Natural Resources.

Classroom in the Forest:Forest in the Classroom

By Jane HartselleCounty Extension Agent, Alabama Cooperative Extension System

Classroom in the Forest:Forest in the Classroom

By Jane HartselleCounty Extension Agent, Alabama Cooperative Extension System


Wildfires in the westernUnited States and Floridaover the last several yearshave highlighted the vul-

nerability of dense overstocked stands tofire. As a result, landowners, land man-agers, and researchers alike are interest-ed in methods to reduce hazardous fuelsin forest stands. Mechanical reduction ofunder-story and mid-story fuels bymulching or chipping is an option forreducing stand density to allow the rein-troduction of prescribed fire into foreststands.

Mulching machines have long beenused to maintain utility right-of-ways.You have probably seen mulchingmachines working along the interstatehighways in Alabama in recent years.These machines, which employ a hori-zontal-shaft head with teeth or knives[see Photo 1], differ from traditionalright-of-way machines that employ avertical-shaft head with blades (similar

to a “bush hog”)[see Photo 2]. Mulchingheads can be fitted to a variety of carri-ers including rubber-tired, tracked, and

skid-steer machines. The head can bedirectly or boom mounted to the carrier.Horizontal-shaft mulching heads can

Mulching Machines for Pre-commercial Thinning and Fuel Reduction

By Jason D. ThompsonSouthern Research Station, USDA Forest Service

Photo 2: Vertical shaft machine.

Photo 1: Horizontal shaft machine.


fully chip or mulch the entire bole,limbs, and vegetation to a uniform sizeand can incorporate the chips into thesoil if desired [see Photo 3 and Photo 4].

As the technology incorporated intothese machines has evolved, so havetheir potential applications. Most ofthese applications are common forestmanagement prescriptions. Reducingunderstory and midstory fuels bymulching is one application that hasalready been mentioned. Other manage-ment objectives can also be met bymulching machines. For example, pre-commercial thinning of overstocked nat-urally regenerated stands. A demon-stration held in Auburn last Octoberinvolved a third row removal (thinning-to-waste) in an eleven-year-old pineplantation. This is not the first option aland owner or manager wants to considerwith a stand of this age and size (9-inchaverage dbh), but it may be a viableoption in closely planted plantations intimes of low market demand for pulp-wood. This demonstration also showedthe potential of these machines in largermaterial. With mulching machines nowon the market rated at 500 horsepower,even 9+ inch hardwoods offer little resis-tance. In the wildland-urban interfacefire and smoke are not feasible.Mulching machines can establish andmaintain firebreaks in these areas. Otherapplications include modifying stands tomeet wildlife management objectives,

controlling southern pine beetle out-breaks, site preparation, and clearingovergrown agricultural land.

The Forest Operations Research Unitof the USDA Forest Service, located inAuburn, Alabama has evaluated variousdifferent makes and models of mulchingmachines over the last several years.Productivity and cost studies were per-formed while the machines worked inseveral of the applications listed above.Machine productivity is affected by

spacing of residuals, operating pattern,prescription, terrain, operator experienceand motivation, and machine type.Productivity ranged from 0.2 acre perhour up to 1.6 acre per hour. Machinecost was calculated using the machinerate method. A cost per acre was calcu-lated using the operating and owningcost calculated (including 30% for over-head and profit) and the measured pro-ductivity. A cost per acre for a typicalmidsize machine (200 horsepower) withproductivity of 1.0 acre per hour was cal-culated to be $180 per acre. This costassumes the machine is performing anunderstory/midstory fuel reduction. Afifth row removal could conceivably bedone for $36 per acre.

In conclusion, mulching machinesoffer a variety of options to forestlandowners and managers in meetingtheir management objectives. Potentialapplications include pre-commercialthinning, establishing firebreaks andwildlife plots, and controlling southernpine beetle outbreaks. Prescription costsfor these machines are relatively highand a quote might easily double the fig-ures presented in the previous paragraph.The short duration of most jobs, lack ofexperience with these kinds of treat-ments, and opportunity costs are all fac-tors that affect prescription costs. Asdemand for these services increases, soshould the number of contractors avail-able to perform the work.Photo 4: Mulched strip.

Photo 3: Horizontal shaft machine in operation.


Visit the “new and improved”AFC Web Site:

www.forestry.state.al.us

During the late 19th and early20th Centuries, many speciesof fish and wildlife were driv-en into extinction or near

extinction by mankind’s affect on naturalhabitats and exploitation of the world’snatural resources.

The Gulf sturgeon is just one of themany species that has stood on the brinkof extinction.

“The major decline in the Gulf stur-geon population can be attributed to overfishing,” said Frank Parauka, USFWSFishery Biologist with the Panama CityEcological Services Field Office. “Thehigh value of caviar, and to a lesser

extent the flesh, made the Gulf sturgeonvery desirable.”

According to the MississippiDepartment of Wildlife, Fisheries &Parks, 24,000 pounds of Gulf sturgeonwere taken from the Pascagoula River in1902. A predecessor of the modern-dayU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S.Commission of Fish and Fisheriesrecords indicate that 100,000 pounds ofsturgeon were harvested from Alabamawaters in 1903.

Perhaps the greatest recorded lossfrom over fishing of the Gulf sturgeonoccurred in Florida. From 1886-1901 theharvest steadily increased annually from

1,500 to 84,000 pounds. In 1902 harvestsof over 259,000 pounds were recorded.This record year perhaps also signaledthe start of the decline in Gulf sturgeonpopulation as harvest records steadilydeclined thereafter down to 3,500pounds by 1945.

A subspecies of the Atlantic sturgeon,the ancestry of the Gulf sturgeon datesback 200 million years. Even though theGulf sturgeon can obtain lengths of overnine feet and are capable of living up to40 years, these fish do not reach sexualmaturity until they are 7-21 years old andweigh from 50-150 pounds. These fishare long lived and very slow in growing.

G U L F S T U RG EO N

By Kevin Lee McIver

Public Affairs Specialist, Daphne Ecological Services Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

An anadromous fish, the Gulf stur-geon migrates from marine environmentsto freshwater to breed. It is estimatedthat a female sturgeon produces 400,000eggs per spawning season; yet spawningmay only occur every other year.

Young sturgeon remain in freshwaterfor up to six years before they migrate tosaltwater. Many reports indicate thatadult and sub-adult Gulf sturgeon fastand lose weight, some up to 30 percentof their total body weight, while in freshwater, and then compensate the loss dur-ing winter feeding in the estuarine andmarine habitat.

The inability to reach their historicalspawning grounds is just one of the cur-rent threats to the species. AlthoughFederal law banned commercial harvest-ing of the sturgeon in 1991, major threatsto the Gulf sturgeon still exist includinghabitat loss, barriers to spawninggrounds, and poor water quality.

Even though the Gulf sturgeon havefew natural enemies, human activities canthreaten the species.These include newdam construction, poorly planned naviga-tion projects including dredging activi-ties, alteration of habitat, dredged materi-al disposal on habitats essential for stur-geon (feeding areas, spawning and rest-ing areas, etc.), as well as groundwater

withdrawal which reduces or eliminatesimportant cool water habitat needed dur-ing the summer, contaminant introduc-tions, and water quality degradation.

Another major threat to Gulf sturgeonsurvival is urbanization. Shoreline devel-opment on estuaries, bays and streamscontribute to loss of habitat. Runoff fromdirt roads and poor agriculture practiceshave contributed to heavy sediment loadsin the river systems which inhibitsspawning.

Aquaculture, the rearing of non-nativesturgeon for meat and caviar is yetanother threat to survival. The potentialof captive fish to escape from a facilityand hybridize with native fish increasesthe habitat competition and the possibili-ty of disease transfer.

All species of fish and wildlife needto be preserved for a multitude of rea-sons. The fossil ancestry of the Gulf stur-geon dates back more than 200 millionyears but this lineage is not the onlycharacteristic of the fish that makes itworth recovering.

The fish is unique in that it is occu-pies the most southern range of all the 27sub-species of sturgeon. The fish is anexcellent indicator of the health of theaquatic system. It is found in a widediversity of habitats and has persisted in

less than optimal conditions. However, ifthe decline continues, we have to be veryconcerned that the habitat has experi-enced additional degradation.

There is also another reason to pre-serve the species that may one day helpmany people world-wide.

According to Fishery experts, oncerecovered, the species has a lot of eco-nomic potential if managed prudently.The sturgeon, like sharks, have no histo-ry of cancers and may provide someimportant medical information to combatthis disease.

Although historical accounts vary asto the size and weight of fish that havebeen taken, the largest documented Gulfsturgeon was caught at the mouth of theMississippi River in 1936 and weighed503 pounds.

Federally listed as a threatenedspecies in 1991 under the EndangeredSpecies Act, it is hoped that the Gulfsturgeon can one day recover. To aide inthis recovery, many public and privateorganizations are cooperatively workingto achieve this goal.

“We are looking at a living dinosaur,a 250-million-year old animal that proba-bly has not changed much throughout itsexistence,” Parauka said. “Once this fishis extirpated it is gone forever.”


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Representatives of the Alabama Department of Conservation and NaturalResources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hold a Gulf sturgeon.

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The Gulf sturgeon is one of 27species of sturgeon.


By Bob Keefe, Retired Forester, Cullman(Editor’s Note: Part Two of a Two-Part Story)

Alabama is a state that isblessed with a wealth of bio-logical diversity. Our beauti-ful state ranks fourth in the

nation in species biodiversity, eventhough we rank only 29th in size. Evenmore significantly, we rank second in thenation behind Florida in the total numberof species per acre. It is probably no sur-prise that most of this richness in biodi-versity is found along the 47,000 linearmiles of perennial and intermittentstreams that make up most of our state’svast network of waterways.

Part One of this article presented theriparian forest concept as an importantway to help sustain our biological inheri-tance by providing a commitment tostewardship that goes well beyond thelimited objectives of the present BestManagement Practices (BMPs)Streamside Management Zones (SMZs).It demonstrated that managing stream-side areas as riparian forests providemany benefits to the landowner and hisneighbors. These benefits include cleanerwater through the increased soil and veg-etative filtration of runoff water for sedi-ment and other pollutants, a greaterdiversity of terrestrial and aquaticwildlife habitat, and better stream bankand water channel stabilization, especial-ly on intermittent streams where timbercover is not required by BMPs. Riparianforests also provide many aesthetic orvisual quality benefits, and very impor-tantly, create manageable units for highvalue timber production.

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In managing riparian forests, under-standing “plant structure” can be a veryhelpful tool. It is no surprise that in the

natural world, plants provide the physi-cal structure within which most otherorganisms live. In general, species rich-ness or biodiversity, is correlated withthe structure of the plant community: thegreater the diversity of plant structure,the greater the diversity of other life.Thus a major key to establishing andmaintaining a healthy and species richriparian forest is through providing adiversity of plant “structure.” Small,well-structured riparian forests strategi-cally located throughout the landscapecan really do a lot to help the forest com-munity promote its forest sustainabilitygoals by being the repository for awealth of biological diversity. It is thisbiological richness — the summation ofall the varied of species of plants, ani-mals, microbes, etc. that co-exist in agiven location — that ultimately willmeasure how successful we have been inpassing this great resource along tofuture generations of Alabamians.

Plant structure can be described inseveral different ways, but the most com-mon way to assess plant structure is byits vertical and horizontal components.Simply put, vertical structure focuses onthe complexity of the forest from groundlevel up to the top of the tallest trees andis often described by the canopy layerspresent. The more complex the verticalstructure, the more canopy layers can beseen. A positive correlation existsbetween foliage vertical diversity andbird species richness in many plant com-munities on all continents. Horizontaldiversity on the other hand, focuses onthe diversity of plant life and conditionsthat promote a diversity of life as onemoves across the forest floor such as thenumber and distribution of variousspecies, size classes, age classes, numberof snags, fallen timber, litter, etc.

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Managing for a well-structured ripari-an forest may be the single most impor-tant thing a landowner can do to promotebiological diversity and sustainability onhis land. The primary silvicultural systemthat can be used to accomplish this isuneven-aged forest management, particu-larly using single tree or group selectionmethods. This is a complex process thatrequires a good understanding of plantsuccession and the effect of light andshade in creating and maintaining thedesired forest structure. This method canalso yield high quality forest products,both pine and hardwood, if not allowed todegenerate into a high grading operation.

An uneven-aged forest is defined as aforest in which at least three distinct ageclasses, or generations, of trees coexist.This usually involves mature trees in theupper canopy, large saplings in the mid-story, and seedlings or small saplingsnear the forest floor. If managed correct-ly, this can create the desired vertical andhorizontal structure. This method of for-est management basically involves thecreation of small openings in the forestcanopy through the harvesting of maturetrees. This enables other under-storytrees to respond to the increased sunlightin order to grow into the upper canopy.Light and shade must be delicately bal-anced to keep a viable under-story layerin reserve, to protect stand structure, andto prevent log quality degrades throughepicormic branching, thus maintainingthe biological and economic potential ofthe stand. There is a significant body ofresearch available today on how toaccomplish this for both hardwood andpine management. Professional forestryassistance is desirable when attempting


to manage the complexities of uneven-aged management.

IINNVVAASSIIVVEE EEXXOOTTIICC SSPPEECCIIEESS

One of the greatest threats to theriparian forest in Alabama is the invasionof exotic species. Probably the worstproblem species today in riparian areasare Chinese and Japanese Privet. Someauthorities call privet the second mostinvasive species in the Southeast afterkudzu; others claim it will be worse. Acursory examination of stream zonesacross Alabama will show that privet hasbecome so well established that it isreplacing many native species through itsintense competition. It grows so thickand lush, it prevents the regeneration ofmany native forest species and makes theriparian area almost inaccessible. Overtime many riparian areas may be con-verted to pure privet thickets. Although itdoes have some wildlife value in itsnumerous edible berries and thick cover,its damaging effect on biodiversity andthe economic potential of the standmakes it extremely undesirable. It is cer-tainly not as pleasing aesthetically tomost people as the naturally diverseriparian forest.

The only sure control for privet so faris chemical herbicides. Herbicides areeffective when used properly and canrestore the natural balance of the riparianforest. However care must be takenwhen using them in riparian areas not tospray directly into water even if the her-bicides are labeled for wetlands use.Herbicides that are effective against priv-et include foliar sprays of Accord,Roundup, and Arsenal AC and barkapplications of Garlon 4. Prescribedburning may be effective as a temporaryabove-ground control of privet whenrepeated regularly, but will not usuallyeradicate it.

Other invasive exotic species existingin Alabama and creating serious prob-lems are cogongrass, popcorn tree,Japanese honeysuckle, kudzu and others.As with privet, the main problem is thatthey compete with native species for soilnutrients, water, and sunlight and eventu-ally take over a site and eliminate orseverely reduce populations of the nativespecies and thus reduce biodiversity.This is extremely critical when theyinvade riparian forests, the foundation of

biodiversity in Alabama. For controlmeasures against invasive exotic speciesto be most effective, early detection isrequired so that controls can be imple-mented before exotics become too wellestablished. Otherwise eradication can beextremely difficult and expensive.

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Most of our stream corridors inAlabama have been disturbed by past orpresent land use patterns such as agricul-ture, forestry, grazing, strip mining, floodcontrol measures, urbanization, anddevelopment. In some of these areasriparian forests can be reestablished orimproved with cost share programspresently available to landowners. Forexample, programs exist that provideincentives for livestock owners to fencelivestock away from streams. This allowsriparian areas to develop by protectingthem from overgrazing. It also protectsthe integrity of the stream banks, a majorsource of sedimentation, while reducinganimal fecal bacteria and other pollutantsfrom entering our streams. Cost shareprograms available through the NaturalResource Conservation Service (NRCS)and local county Soil and WaterConservation Districts can help with thecost of fencing off creeks and providingalternate water sources for livestock suchas spring development, ponds andtroughs as well as providing streamcrossings.

The Continuous ConservationReserve Program (Continuous CRP) is aUSDA program that assists landownersin establishing riparian forests alongcreeks adjacent to pastures and cropland. Cost sharing through ContinuousCRP covers tree planting for selectedspecies of hardwoods and pines to estab-lish a diverse riparian forest buffer, limit-ed herbicide work for site preparation,and fencing out livestock along an aver-age buffer width of 180 feet either sideof the creek. In some cases, cost shareprograms will help establish up to a 300-foot riparian forest buffer on larger floodplains. This land is retired from agricul-tural production for a contracted periodof time, usually 10 or 15 years, andannual payments are made to thelandowner on land that is established intrees. This program is managed by the

Farm Service agency (FSA) with techni-cal assistance from NRCS.

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Maintaining our precious legacy ofbiodiversity and ensuring that it is notlost to our children and grandchildren byshortsightedness should be a stewardshipgoal of all Alabama landowners. Onemajor way that this can be accomplishedis through proper management and pro-tection of the riparian areas of our state,where much of this biodiversity exists.These areas can be managed to protectthese valuable assets without compro-mising the economic goals of the forestlandowner and can even enhance them ifdone properly.

Riparian forest management is a com-plex issue, but there is technical exper-tise available to help the interestedlandowner through forestry consultantsas well as agencies such as the NRCS,Soil and Water Conservation Districts,the Alabama Forestry Commission, andCounty Extension Service offices.

Bob Keefe is a retired registered foresterfrom International Paper Corporationwho is presently working for the Soil andWater Conservation District on theUpper Black Warrior River Basin 319Project.

RREEFFEERREENNCCEESSMiller, James H. Controlling Exotic

Plants In Your Forest. SouthernResearch Station, USDA ForestService, Auburn University.

“Helping Nature Mend Itself.” NativeHabitat Restoration. MonsantoCompany, 1995.

Meffe, Carroll, and Contributors.Principles of Conservation Biology.2nd ed. Sinauer Associates, Inc. 1997.

Realizing the Promise of ConservationBuffer Technology. Soil and WaterConservation Society. 2001.

Stream Corridor Restoration Principles,Processes and Practices. The FederalInteragency Stream RestorationWorking Group. 1998.


Reprinted with permission by Forest Landowner magazine and the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension Service.

“FOREST FAMILIESGROWING IN ALABAMA”

19th AnnualAlabama Landowner

and TREASURE Forest ConferenceOCTOBER 17-18, 2002

PERDIDO BEACH RESORT, ORANGE BEACH, ALABAMA

Registration fee of $65 includestour, banquet, indoor sessions, and luncheon.

Thursday, October 17, 200212 noon - TREASURE Forest Tour

Hosted by the Tim String family, 2001 Helene Mosley Winners,Southwest RegionBuses will load and depart from the Perdido Beach Resort

6:45 p.m. - Awards Banquet followed by a dessert socialFriday, October 18, 2002

8:00-11:15 a.m- Indoor Sessions - Participants will be able to choose from the following sessions:

- Habitat Stewardship Training Program Lynn Garris, DCNR- Integrated Resource Wildlife Management Claude Jenkins, Wildlife Biologist

- Wildflower Identification and Management Dr. Darryl Searcy- TREASURE Forest Certification Process Panel Discussion

- Exotic Invasive Plant Species Fred Nations11:45 a.m. - Alabama TREASURE Forest Association Luncheon

Forest Master Credits may be earned by attending the tour and indoor sessions.


SILENT AUCTIONDon’t miss the 6th Annual Silent Auction sponsored by the Alabama TREASURED Forest Association. Bids will

be received on items until lunch on Friday and items awarded to the highest bidders that afternoon.


19th Annual Alabama Landowner

and TREASURE Forest Conference

October 17-18, 2002 Perdido Beach ResortOrange Beach, AlabamaREGISTRATION FORM

Name(s) of Attendee(s): Will attend Tour on Thurs.:#1 ________________________________________________________________ � Yes � No#2 ________________________________________________________________ � Yes � No#3 ________________________________________________________________ � Yes � No#4 ________________________________________________________________ � Yes � NoCompany: __________________________________________________________Address: ____________________________________________________________City: _______________________________ State: ________ Zip: ______________

CATEGORY(IES) OF ATTENDEES (Check one category only) Total # attending tour _____#1 #2 #3 #4___ ___ ___ ___ TREASURE Forest Landowner___ ___ ___ ___ Government Agency/TREASURE Forest Landowner___ ___ ___ ___ Landowner___ ___ ___ ___ Government Agency/Landowner___ ___ ___ ___ Government Agency___ ___ ___ ___ Private Forest Industry/Consultant___ ___ ___ ___ Other

I am attending the conference and enclosing: $65 pre-registration x ________ attendee(s) = $________________

NOTE: Registration includes tour and banquet on Thursday; indoor sessions and luncheon on Friday.

CONFERENCE INFORMATION• Thursday, Oct. 17: Registration will begin at 10 a.m. in the lobby of the Perdido Beach Resort.

• Thursday, Oct. 17: Buses will depart for the tour at 12 noon from the parking lot of the Perdido Beach Resort.Lunch is on your own, or you may bring a sack lunch to eat on the bus. Please dress appropriately and wearcomfortable shoes. Buses will return to the hotel in time to change clothes for the banquet that evening.

• Thursday, Oct. 17: Banquet begins at 6:45 p.m, followed by a dessert social to honor award winners.

• Friday, Oct. 18: Indoor sessions begin at 8 a.m.; a separate agenda will list meeting rooms and session topics.

• Friday, Oct. 18: Luncheon begins at 11:45 a.m.

• Exhibit space is available. Contact Ruth Ball at 251.432.6888 or Danny Dunwell at 251.610.8808.

• Pre-registration fee for the conference per person if postmarked by October 4 is $65.

• Registration fee for the conference after October 4 is $75.

• No refunds will be made after October 11.

• Mail upper portion of form and fee payable to Alabama Forestry Conference to:

Fran Whitaker, Alabama Forestry Association, 555 Alabama St., Montgomery, AL 36104Phone: 334.265.8733 Fax: 334.262.1258

HOTEL INFORMATION• The Perdido Beach Resort is offering a special room rate of $99.• Please specify that you are attending the TREASURE Forest Conference when you make reservations.• Blocks of rooms will be held until the cutoff date of September 16.

Perdido Beach Resort

27200 Perdido Beach Blvd, Orange Beach, AL 36561

1-800-634-8001

Bus transportation will beprovided for the tour.No personal vehicles canbe driven.

Alabama’s TREASURED Forests513 Madison AvenueP.O. Box 302550Montgomery, Alabama 36130-2550

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

PRESORTED STANDARD

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

MONTGOMERY ALPERMIT NO 109

Durand oak, also called Bluffoak, Durand white oak, Whiteoak and Basket oak, is awhite oak that superficially

resembles certain of the water oaks. Thetree was named for Philadelphia pharma-cist and botanist Elias Magloire Durand(1794-1873.)

The trees, which are often 60 to 90feet in height and 2 to 3 feet in diameter,have comparatively small brancheswhich are, lower horizontal, upperascending, forming a dense round-toppedhead. The wood is very heavy, hard,strong and brittle.

The bark and wood resemble whiteand post oak, and the acorns water oak.The bark is thin, light gray with thinscales loosely appressed.

Leaves are obovate or elliptic, thin,margin entire or slightly 3-lobed. Threeirregular forms may occur on differentbranches of the same tree at the sametime. Some may resemble water oak,while others are dark green lustrousabove, and light and smooth beneath;still others may be 6 to 7 inches long, 3

to 3-1/2 inches wide, light green aboveand white and very hairy below.

The tree flowers in the spring withred, male catkins 1 to 2 inches long. Theacorns mature in a single season and are

round, pale chestnut brown, 1/2 to 2/3inches long, barely enclosed in the thinshallow saucer-like cup with appressedscales that are slightly thickened on theback.

This tree grows on rich limestoneprairie soils and other soils rich in lime.It is restricted to the Deep South and isnowhere abundant. In Alabama, it iscomparatively rare across the state. It hasbeen reported to grow in Morgan,Blount, Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Bibb,Sumter, Greene, Hale, Perry, Dallas,Wilcox, Choctaw, and Clarke Counties.

Because it is so rare it has contributedlittle to the supply of white oak lumber.Historical uses include pins in cottongins, spools, baskets, and wagon hubs.Today it is used for pulp.

The Alabama Champion Durand oakis located in Dallas County. It is 76 feettall, has a circumference of 150 inches,and a crown spread of 75 feet. Its totalpoint value is 244.75. The NationalChampion is located in Omaha, Georgia.It is 95 feet tall with a circumference of189 inches and a crown spread of 106feet, earning 311 total points.

Durand OakQuercus durandii Buckl.

By Coleen VansantInformation Manager, Alabama Forestry Commission, Cullman

OF • ALABAMAOF • ALABAMA

t alabama’s reasured...4 / alabama’s treasured forests spring 2002 t he year was 1953, and...

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