assessing the forest resources of kansas t · spatial analysis data layers were ... to discontinue...

Contents:Comments from the State Forester... 2

Tree Profile ............. 3

Fire Program Benefits ................... 4

Container Nursery News ....................... 5

District Highlight ... 6

Kansas Forestry Association ............. 8

Governor’s Christmas Tree ....... 8

Clyde Arboretum ... 9

A Century of Forestry ................... 9

Community Forestry .................10

Tree Farm Inspector Award .. 11

Calendar of Events ...............12

Winter 2009Issue #33

Thousand cankers disease, woody biomass as an alternative energy source, sedimentation of federal

reservoirs, declining budgets, emerald ash borer, tamarisk, woody encroachment into grasslands, overstocked forestland, agroforestry, biodiversity, overmature urban forests, and wildfire risks to expanding communities are just a few of the threats and opportunities facing foresters.

Determining which fires to put out, metaphorical or real, is a perplexing question. In an attempt to find an answer, the Forestry Title of the 2008 Farm Bill and an amendment to the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978, is requiring the Kansas Forest Service to lead a statewide assessment of forest resource conditions, threats, and opportunities using spatial analysis.

Based on the assessment, a long-term plan and strategy will be created to identify priority landscapes where investment of federal dollars can most effectively leverage multiple partner support.

Kansas State University’s Geographical Information Systems Spatial Analysis Laboratory, located in the Department of Geography has been providing the geographical information services associated with the assessment. The assessment will be similar to the Forest Stewardship Program’s Spatial Analysis Project with the exception that it will include assessments of community forestry, forest health, and fire management programs.

Stakeholders and key partners including the Kansas Technical Committee, Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee, State Fire Marshall, fire department chiefs, city foresters, and Tree

Board members all participated in an October meeting to review and provide input to the first draft of the assessment.

The assessment is guided by three national themes and 11 objectives created by USDA Forest Service’s State and Private Forestry Redesign Implementation Council. Spatial analysis data layers were obtained for each theme and objective. Several objectives have multiple data layers to refine priority landscapes. The themes and objectives include:

Conserve Working Forest Lands: Conserving and managing working forest landscapes for multiple values and uses.

• Identify and conserve high priority forest ecosystems and landscapes.

• Actively and sustainably manage forests.

Protect Forests From Harm: Protect forests from threats, including catastrophic storms, flooding, insect or disease outbreak, and invasive species.

• Restore fire-adapted lands and reduce risk of wildfire impacts.

• Identify, manage and reduce threats to forest and ecosystem health.

Assessing the Forest Resources of Kansas

continued on page 4

Resource Priority Areas

Low

Low/Medium

Medium/High

High N 0 25 50 100Miles

Forest resource priority areas.

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Kansas Canopy: Newsletter of the Kansas Forest Service

Newsletter Publication Information:Kansas Canopy: Newsletter of the Kansas Forest Service

State Forester: Larry Biles

Contact Information: Kansas Forest Service 2610 Claflin Rd. Manhattan, KS 66502-2798 (785) 532-3300 [email protected] www.kansasforests.org

Contributors: Kansas Forest Service Staff

To receive the Adobe Acrobat version of this newsletter instead of a paper copy, please contact the Kansas Forest Service by mail, phone, or e-mail.

To discontinue receiving this newsletter, please contact the Kansas Forest Service by mail, phone, or e-mail.

Comments from the State Forester Wood Waste: Burden Starting to Meet Opportunity

The Kansas Forest Service recently received the final report for a wood waste survey. This survey determined

the volume and location of primary and secondary wood processing waste and tree waste from the state’s community forests. The audiences for the survey were primary and secondary forest product processing firms, city governments — including volunteer tree boards; commercial and utility arborists firms; and city and county landfill and burn site managers, operators, and overseers.

Eight-hundred thirty three businesses, public agencies, and individuals were polled. The results reveal in excess of 280,000 tons of material annually handled and disposed. Approximately one-third is recycled into other uses including fuel, especially at the primary wood processing industry level. The remaining two-thirds are commonly directed to landfills or burn sites.

Simultaneous to the wood waste survey, the Kansas Forest Service worked with the Department of Labor to assess information on boiler systems that could be converted to wood-fired systems. This technology is readily practiced in states west of Kansas under the label of “Fuels to Schools,” which is intended to reduce the cost of operating schools and reduce fuel loads in forested areas. Many primary and secondary schools and college campuses have adopted this technology. Their results are impressive economically, environmentally, and socially.

Chadron State College in Nebraska converted their boiler fuel system to wood in 1991. According to a report by the

Biomass Energy Resource Center (BERC), they burn in excess of 9,000 tons of wood each year to heat and cool one-million square feet of building space. Their reported energy cost savings is 50 percent.

A more impressive report from BERC is the University of Idaho campus, which converted to a wood-fired system in 1986. Their estimated annual energy cost savings, according to BERC, is $5 million for 3 million square feet of space. An interesting paragraph from BERC’s report on the University of Idaho reads as follows: “In 2003 the wood-fired boiler was shut

down for a week to do routine cleaning and maintenance,” Tennery (Idaho’s coordinator for the Fuels for Schools program) reported. “Up to shutdown the university was burning $1,700 per day in cedar chips. While the wood boiler was down, natural gas for the backup boiler cost $7,000 per day.”

Fortunately for Kansas, we are starting to see industrious entrepreneurs intercepting the material from the state’s wood waste streams. Four firms are already using a portion of the identified waste and one additional operation is

under construction. With the Wood Waste Survey Report, and Boiler information we believe we can complement entrepreneurial interest. Moreover, we believe we can assist in converting local burdens to local opportunities, thus, augmenting the practice of using time, energy, and associated cost to bury wastes or to burn other forms of energy.

Larry Biles, State Forester, oversees all operations of the Kansas Forest Service.

Larry Biles, State Forester, Kansas Forest Service.

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Winter 2009 • Issue #33

Bur OakQuercus macrocarpa

Family: Beech family - Fagaceae

Native Range: Indigenous to 64 counties mainly in the eastern two-thirds of Kansas. Smith County south to Comanche County represents the western range. Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas are the western edge of its range while Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio form the eastern boundary with some occurrences in the northeast United States.

Mature Height: 60 to 80 feet.

Spread: 60 to 100 feet.

Form: Globular. Large canopy with wide heavy open branching.

Growth Rate: Slow to medium depending on site.

Foliage: Simple, alternate, deciduous, wider near the outer end, tapered and rounded at the base, five to seven rounded lobes deeply cut, smooth leaf margin, 6 to 10 inches long, 4 to 5 inches wide. Dark green and shinny above pale green below. Turns to a dull yellow-brown color in the fall.

Flowers: Monoecious (male and female flowers on the same tree). Not showy. Male catkins on the base of new growth. Female flowers clustered at the base of leaves.

Fruit: Large acorn ¾ to 2 inches in diameter. Cap encloses half of the acorn with a fringed margin. Can be sweet and edible if roasted. Germinates as soon as it begins dropping in September.

Bark, Twigs, Stems, and Buds: Bark is gray to brown, thick, and deeply furrowed with long flat-topped ridges or short and blocky. Twigs and stems are yellow brown or ashy gray, stiff hairy, corky ridged, and hairy. The flower buds are red-brown and egg-shaped and clustered at twig tips.

Site Description: Grows slowly in uplands, savannahs and sandy plains but has more moderate growth rates in bottomlands and riparian areas. Intolerant to shade and has intermediate flood tolerance. Tolerates a wide variety of soils and has a high drought tolerance. Hardiness zones 2 through 8.

Insect and Disease Problems: No serious problems. Usually pest-free. Aphids, spider mites, lace bug, etc.

Limitations: Not many. Tolerant of adverse conditions encountered in urban environments. Fruit may be a nuisance in urban settings.

Suggested Applications: A good shade, ornamental or street tree if you have the room for the large size. May be best in parks and open areas.

Cultivars: Lippert. A faster growing variety released by NRCS Plant Materials Center in 1994.

Wildlife Benefits: Excellent benefits. Used for cover and food (acorns, twigs, buds, bark) source to numerous wildlife, including deer, turkey, waterfowl, marshbirds, shorebirds, upland game, song birds, and rodents. Deer also eat the foliage.

Comments: A tree that should be planted more often in our Kansas communities. One of the best known oaks in Kansas because of its large size and historic species like the Council Oak and Post Office Oak in Council Grove. Macrocarpa refers to the large fruit. The wood is commercially valuable. An estimated 40,000 acres of the forest type occurs in Kansas. Reduction of natural regeneration of this species due to a variety of factors is a concern. A magnificent, long-lived sentinel of the Plains.

ReferencesManual of Woody Landscape Plants, Michael Dirr; Know It and Grow It, Carl Whitcomb; Silvics of North America, Volume 2, Hardwoods, Agricultural Handbook 654.

Bob Atchison, Rural Forestry Coordinator, coordinates rural forestry activities for the Kansas Forest Service.

The large acorn with the furry cap is an identifying characteristic of bur oak.

The five- to seven-lobed leaf shinny green on the top and light green on the bottom is typical of bur oak.

There are many large majestic bur oak in the Kansas landscape whose thick bark has withstood years of prairie fires.

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Enhance Public Benefits from Trees and Forests: Including air and water quality, soil conservation, biological diversity, carbon storage, forest products, forestry-related jobs, production of renewable energy, and wildlife.

• Protect and enhance water quality and quantity.

• Improve air quality and conserve energy.

• Assist communities in planning for and reducing wildfire risks.

• Maintain and enhance the economic benefits and values of trees and forests.

• Protect, conserve, and enhance wildlife and fish habitat.

• Connect people to trees and forests, and engage them in environmental stewardship activities.

• Manage and restore trees and forests to mitigate and adapt to global climate change.

Each theme and data layer has been ranked in priority to help focus and target locations and issues to address. Finally, layers were placed on top of each other to create a composite map. Based on colors, the composite map geospatially identifies high priority landscapes in Kansas to focus resources.

There are several additional data layers currently missing that would further refine the assessment especially in community forestry, fire management, and forest health programs. However, creating additional data layers takes time and funding. As it is, the initial assessment is a good start toward creating baselines and focusing efforts on priority landscapes.

The next step is to create a strategic long-term plan to articulate how the Kansas Forest Service and stakeholders implement assessment strategies. The assessment and planning strategy must be submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, for approval, no later than June 18, 2010.

The Statewide Forest Resource Assessment and Strategy will guide where the Kansas Forest Service focuses the services it provides, issues to tackle, partners to engage, and revenue sources to pursue as we move into a new decade.

A copy of the draft assessment may be found on the Web at www.kansasforests.org/ or by requesting a copy from our state office. We welcome comments and input from all people as we attempt to carry out the protection and management of forest and related natural resources as assigned to us by state statutes.


Forest Resources, continued from page 1

This is a good opportunity to share what the Kansas Forest Service Fire Program does for your community. The Kansas

Forest Service has a close relationship with many of the fire departments in the state. This relationship began with the Rural Community Fire Protection program and was endorsed by the state in 1965 to provide assistance for the prevention and suppression of forest, brush, or grassland fires in nonfederal areas of the state outside of incorporated cities. The USDA Forest Service then expanded its service area to include those communities that have fewer than 10,000 people.

In Kansas, there are about 580 rural fire departments. There are more than 900 stations across the state, staffed by more than 15,000 firefighters, of which, 13,000 are volunteers and receive no pay. There are about 2,000 career firefighter in the state, most in large metropolitan areas.

The Kansas Forest Service Fire Program aids these departments by providing equipment, training, grants, scholarships to pay for firefighters to attend fire academies, fire prevention material, and written long-range plans for fire departments. You may see a used military vehicle respond to a wildland fire or otherwise supporting fire suppression operations and never be aware of the support given directly to fire personnel. We provide training for prescribed fires, wildfire, incident command, small pump operations, and chain saw operations. Through fire departments, civic organizations, and schools we provide more than 17,000 pieces of fire prevention material annually to children. Smokey Bear remains the most recognized character worldwide.

Here are some things to think about if you question the value of your rural fire

Fire Program Benefits

continued on page 5

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department. Because the community has a department, the savings in fire insurance premiums in these rural communities is more than $5 million annually. Volunteer firefighters are not paid. If we paid them, it would come with a $178 million annual price tag. As for the used military trucks that respond to your emergency, if your taxes had to buy comparable trucks, purchased from fire service vendors, the cost could be more than $40 million.

The Fire Program tries to maintain a good relationship with fire departments. If they are in need of goods or services, we encourage them to check what we can provide them.

We are continually trying to improve our training, not only in quantity, but in quality. Statewide, 240 men and women have completed coursework and could participate in a Federal All-Risk deployments to assist in wildfire or other disasters. Firefighters are encouraged to take the NWCG S-130/190 course, even if they don’t want to participate in federal deployments, as this course is the “gold standard” for entire-level wildland fire fighting. Our program has a full-time training specialist who can provide this and other courses at no cost.

Nine of these people are Kansas Forest Service employees whose qualifications vary from Firefighter II to Division Supervisor as well as a S.E.A.T. Manager and Facility Unit Leader. While these federal deployments take us out of state each year, we return with additional knowledge and expertise. These deployments generate a cost savings to the citizens of Kansas. While they are out-of-state, the federal land management organization responsible for the incident pays our salary.

Grants are one activity we take great pride in. In the latest cycle, we distributed more than $290,000 federal dollars to rural departments for the purchase of equipment and training materials. This is all federal pass-through money, of which 100 percent is given to your local department. If your local fire department is eligible and did not apply last year, you should be asking why.

Service-oriented employees are what makes Kansas Forest Service the organization it is today. Let us continue that tradition.

Ross Hauck Fire Management Coordinator, directs fire management activities for the Kansas Forest Service.

The Conservation Tree Planting Program fall container sales continue to grow. This season was the best since starting

fall container sales in 2005. Sales have grown from 5,425 containerized seedlings sold in 2005 to more than 20,000 sold this fall. The first two fall seasons the Conservation Tree Planting Program offered only evergreens, which included eastern redcedar, Austrian pine, ponderosa pine and southwestern white pine. The third season some deciduous species were offered and the fourth season a shrub was added. The deciduous trees offered include black walnut, bur oak, English oak, lacebark elm, pecan, redbud, sawtooth oak, and swamp white oak. The shrub offered was fragrant sumac. The growth of fall sales could be due to more species being offered and a more awareness of a fall seedling sales season being offered. The continued growth of fall sales is good news for the container nursery.

Other good news for the containerized nursery is the construction of a new shade house. The current lathhouse being used was constructed in 1994 and is in a state of disrepair. It is now time to tear the lathhouse down and construct a new one; however there is no budget money to pay for a new

lathhouse structure. So here is the good news. Through consultation and visits by Westar’s Green Team, they have offered to build the Kansas Forest Service a new shade house structure. They will provide materials and labor to get the work done. Some of the material will be recycled lumber from old utility poles. They will mill the old posts with their portable saw mill which they will bring to the Kansas Forest Service site. Additional materials will be provided by the Green Team’s other resources. The Kansas Forest Service staff will be responsible for the demolition of the current lathhouse. Construction of the new shade house should be underway as you read this article.

On another note, the Conservation Tree Planting Program will start taking orders for the spring 2010 tree sales season starting December 7, 2009 through May 3, 2010. Orders can be placed by phone at (888) 740-8733, by mail or on the internet at www.kansasforests.org.

Mark Haller, Conservation Forester, manages the Conservation Tree Planting Program and related activities for the Kansas Forest Service.

Container Nursery News

Fire Program Benefits, continued from page 4

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WRAPS (Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies)If you were to hear the term WRAPS this time of year, likely the first vision to pop into your head would be a present wrapped in bright, colorful Christmas paper. However, in this case, WRAPS refers to Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies.

With increased focus on the importance of water quality and the realization that many of the reservoirs used throughout the state for public water supplies are silting in, WRAPS groups are being called to action. Each group is comprised of local people, known as a Stakeholder Leadership Team (SLT), interested in maintaining good water quality and quantity for their region. The groups are organized on a watershed basis and are focused on addressing local issues. Most of northeast Kansas, as well many

District Highlight: Dave Bruton

continued on page 7

As I sat down to write this article, many things came to mind, and I realized I couldn’t focus on just one highlight.

I picked the following three highlights: For the Love of Trees, a tribute to Doyle Derrick; Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS); and Utilization of Eastern Redcedar.

For the Love of Trees ... A tribute to Doyle DerrickOn June 4, 2009 we lost a special person and long-time cooperator/friend of the Kansas Forest Service, Doyle Derrick. Over the years, many of you likely had the chance to meet Doyle at one of several field events held on his properties in Brown and Doniphan Counties.

Doyle was 99 years old at the time of his passing, and one of the things that stands out when I think of him is that he didn’t start planting trees in earnest until 1986, when he was 76 years old. Doyle planted more than 100,000 walnut trees and always said caring for them is what kept him going.

He was a forward-thinking person and understood he would not see these trees through to harvest, but realized the multiple benefits trees provide and wanted to leave this legacy.

Doyle’s most recent plantings were riparian buffers designed to help stabilize stream banks and to act as natural water filters. He planted miles of these buffers, with several

located in Doniphan County adjacent to Highway 7, directly north of the small town of Sparks. As these trees mature and start bearing nuts, I like to think about the day when squirrels will be scurrying around and helping perpetuate Doyle’s tree planting dreams … no doubt they will. “Stewardship” was the theme of Doyle’s funeral with his many forestry awards, honors, and articles prominently displayed. He was fittingly laid to rest in a walnut casket.

Doyle Derrick proudly stands among one of many walnut plantings that he established. His legacy and gift to future generations lives on.

Locally grown Osage orange (Hedge) posts were used to erect this Delaware Watershed sign to create a greater awareness of the importance of water quality and the impact our actions have in the watersheds where we live, work, and play.

A view of just a few of the walnut trees Doyle Derrick planted as part of his Riparian Buffer located north of Sparks, Kansas.

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have been removed to allow for increased cropping. In such areas, it is not uncommon for landowners to lose multiple rows of crops throughout the growing season due to stream bank erosion. Currently several stream bank stabilization projects, including riparian buffer plantings, are proposed along the main stem of the Delaware River. It is hoped that these projects will be successful in reducing sediment loads reaching Perry Reservoir and serve as demonstration sites to educate and create greater awareness of the importance of riparian areas and our water resource.

Utilization of Eastern Redcedar — Leading by Example I have said for years that as our eastern redcedar grows, both in area and diameter, markets will eventually develop. While currently markets are still limited, I ran across a few eastern redcedar projects recently that I thought would be of interest and might generate some thought and discussion.

Steve Floersch, Belvue, recently built a new eastern redcedar log home. While the cedar logs used came from Missouri, this is an example of a market that could be developed as our cedar resource matures.

Jeff Neel, Manhattan, recently purchased a good selection of Kansas-grown eastern redcedar lumber from Queal Enterprises in Pratt. He then worked with Homestead Cabinets, a Wamego cabinet shop, to design and build custom cabinets for his home. Jeff is happy with the results. In a note to me he wrote, “I know I am gushing, but the experience and the art created from the eastern redcedar really are that beautiful and functional too. There is just so much character in the wood … the wood still seems alive … at least in spirit!”

The third project is of Don Queal’s home. Don used some of his large cedar beams for the construction of an outdoor deck and porch.

David Bruton, District Forester, provides direct technical assistance to Kansans in 13 northeast Kansas counties for the Kansas Forest Service.

other areas in state, is currently covered by WRAPS working groups. A detailed listing of all WRAPS groups as well as contact information for each can be found at: www.kswraps.org/projects. Items such as stream bank stabilization, riparian buffer plantings, fencing to restrict livestock access, grade stabilization structures, alternative livestock watering systems, and any other practices deemed to have a positive water impact are being promoted. In most cases, cost share money is available through various funding sources to assist landowners in implementing such practices.

As our reservoirs, which are responsible for a large percentage of our state’s water supply, become more silted and lose water carrying capacity, the importance of water quality and quantity is moving up on the priority list. Areas adjacent to creeks, rivers, and streams typically are where the most productive soils exist. As a result, deeply rooted trees and other vegetation, responsible for helping stabilize these banks,

District Highlights continued from page 6

One of several sites along the Delaware River where severe soil erosion is taking place and stream bank stabilization efforts are being considered. Project funds are being made available through Delaware WRAPS and involve shaping of the bank, placement of rock, and tree and shrub plantings.

Steve Floersch’s recently constructed cedar log home.

Jeff Neel’s eastern redcedar cabinets.

Don Queal’s outdoor deck.

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A New Kansas Forestry Association

The National Woodland Owner’s Survey estimates that there are 103,000 forest landowners in Kansas. Kansas

numbers are lower compared to states like Missouri with 359,000 forest landowners, Michigan with 498,000 and Indiana with 225,000. Perhaps this is why many of the same people in Kansas are serving on the board of directors for the Walnut Council, Tree Farm, and the Kansas Forest Products

Association. Planning for forestry field days, review of forest landowner award nominations, and other business is being conducted by many of the same people regardless of the organization they represent.

For this reason and several others, the Kansas Tree Farm Committee and the Kansas Chapter of the Walnut Council Board of

Directors has been working the last two years on a plan to consolidate the efforts of the two organizations into a single voice for Kansas forestry. A “one-stop shop” that would allow members from both groups access to information, assistance, and services available to support tree farming in Kansas. Bylaws have been designed that combine the Kansas Tree Farm Committee and Kansas Chapter of the Walnut Council into an umbrella entity named the Kansas Forestry Association (KFA). In addition to consolidating these two groups, the bylaws allow for other forestry-related groups to become part of the Kansas Forestry Association. The two organizations remain

autonomous, but by combining resources, the Kansas Forestry Association is now able to retain and improve services and advocate for its members in a more efficient manner.

Final votes for accepting the new bylaws were tallied at the 2009 Fall Forestry Field Day. Out of 180 combined memberships, 63 people voted in favor, with one opposed to adopting the new bylaws, paving the way for the creation of the Kansas Forestry Association. This represents about a 35 percent membership response. The Association will be organized as a nonprofit L.L.C. 501(c)3. For Walnut Council members, annual chapter dues will be used to cover KFA membership. Likewise Tree Farmer’s membership dues will be paid for by the Kansas Tree Farm Committee. Members of the Kansas Chapter of the Walnut Council and Tree Farmers will automatically have membership dues covered annually. Individual membership dues outside of these two organization is $10 annually or $50 for organizations.

The creation of the Kansas Forestry Association is exciting news for forest enthusiasts. KFA will improve efficiency, leverage resources and create a non-profit that can aggressively pursue funding opportunities that are out of the reach of the Kansas Forest Service. Stay tuned as KFA comes together. Remember, we are always looking for new energetic leaders to guide forestry into the new decade, so please contact me at (785) 532-3310 or at [email protected] if you are interested in becoming a part of the Kansas Forestry Association.


Kansas forest landowners will make up the majority of membership in the Kansas Forestry Association.

The Kansas Forest Service and Kansas Christmas Tree Growers Association teamed up to deliver the Governor’s Christmas tree and wreath on Nov. 20th. The tree was donated by Glen and Celia Goering of Derby and the wreath by Mike Kasl of Belleville. Both were delivered using a mule and buggy by Jeff and Howard Brun. Pictured from left to right: Lynn Davignon (KCTGA President), Larry Biles (State Forester), Mike Kasl, Governor Mark Parkinson, First Lady Stacy Parkinson, and KCTGA Board Members: Mitch Walther, Harry Peckham, Kathy Heeb, Glen Goering, and Susan Grelinger.

Governor’s Christmas Tree Delivery

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Governor Walter R. Stubbs, known as a progressive governor in Kansas history, passed into law a forestry

bill (Senate Bill 231) in March 1909 that created a forestry division at Kansas State Agricultural College (K.S.A.C.) in Manhattan. Professional forestry as we know it today was launched, and we now celebrate its first 100 years! By 1909 the state had already gained recognition as one of the leading states in tree planting and forestry culture. With the establishment of the “Commissioner of Forestry” office in 1887, Kansas became the fifth state in the nation to be recognized as having a state agency to promote this profession; only the states of New York, Ohio, Colorado, and California preceded Kansas.

It was only fitting that professional forestry was introduced at this time. Kansas had been the leading state in filing claims under the Timber Culture Act (1873-1891); it also had a regionally recognized State Horticultural Society that aggressively promoted tree planting. Additionally, Kansas was a leader at the state level in initiatives (bounties provided) for early landowners and farmers in tree planting, and many Kansas farm papers regularly printed articles on forestry subjects. Nearly every weekly paper had a column of “Tree Topics” or “Timber Tales.” One of the first state foresters writing an article in a book titled Trees In Kansas in 1926 stated, “tree planting was a fetish in the early years of settlement.” Clearly, Kansas has had an abiding interest in trees and forests throughout its history. That tradition continues today.

Forestry programs and services were exclusively tied to K.S.A.C. (Kansas

A Century of Professional Forestry in KansasState University) in 1909 through the Commissioner of Forestry office in the early years. It was then changed to the Office of Extension Forestry in 1965, followed by State and Extension Forestry until 1997. Today it is known as the Kansas Forest Service.

The initial state forester was charged with numerous responsibilities. In part, those included the “promotion of practical forestry in every possible way, compile and disseminate information relative to forestry, and publish the results of such work through bulletins, press notices, and in such other ways as may be most practicable to reach the public, and by lecturing before farmers’ institute associations.”

Unfortunately, it would take many years to fully accomplish some of those goals since, not unlike today; the new forestry division was understaffed and underfunded. In retrospect, however, professional forestry in the state has received many accolades over the years and achieved innumerable goals. Thousands of Kansas citizens have been the recipients of the Kansas Forest Service’s multifaceted services since its inception.

“Care of Natural Resources and Service to People Through Forestry” is the current motto of the Kansas Forest Service. This “care” and “service” is manifested in the dedication and commitment of employees in an agency that displays an exemplary work ethic and a “can do” attitude, which bodes well for the next century.

Larry Rutter, Forestland owner, member of the Kansas Tree Farm Committee, and Kansas Chapter of the Walnut Council.

The 2009 annual meeting for the Great Plains Society of American Foresters was held in Lawrence in October. The Great Plains group is made up of professional foresters from Nebraska and Kansas. This photo was taken at the annual tree planting ceremony.

Great Plains Society of American Foresters

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Sometimes the little things we do make the difference. We can improve many practices for long-term plant growth

and overhaul better tree health. A successful planting project is the best advertising for your program. Everyone notices a failure. Often we pat ourselves on the back for the number of trees we plant when we should be counting the survivors. We need to continue to improve the planning, creating, sitting, selecting, and maintenance of our tree planting projects. The items below give you some practices to think about:

Create Better Spaces for Trees• Give trees room to grow.• Room for the canopies and for the roots.• Engineer larger planting beds/areas.• Design landscapes with both green and

grey infrastructure in mind. • Design to enhance the longevity of the

green infrastructure• Plants prefer to be in a community, mock

nature’s massing ability.• We receive the most benefits from

mature established trees.

Planting for Better Diversity• Have we not learned from the past:

Dutch elm disease, pine wilt, or emerald ash borer?

• Limit planting to no more than 10 to 15 percent of a single species.

• Maintain age diversity also. • Think natives, but do not rule out exotics

as that is what may give you further diversity.

Plant Trees for the Long Haul• Start with proper selection.• Select tree according to site.• Right tree, right place, right way.• Look up! Any power lines?

Selecting our Trees• Purchase good trees to begin with.• Buy locally, buy often. Create a

relationship with a nursery/nurserymen/garden center.

• Tag your trees in the field or at the nursery.

Give the Tree a Fighting Chance during Re-establishment• Is the site conducive to plant health/

growth?• It all starts at planting.• Water, but do not over water. Roots need

oxygen too.• Leave as much leaf space on the tree

at planting as possible, unless you are pruning for structure.

• Mulch, mulch, mulch; our mulch rings need to be bigger. Think 6-foot diameter, not 3-foot.

Prune, Prune, Prune• Start early, finish late.• Prune for structure and form.• Proper structural pruning can mitigate

storm damage.• Pruning is an art and a science.

Evaluating our Current Canopy• Promote the maintenance of what you

already have.• Mitigate defects.• Realize trees become mature, over-

mature, and go into decline.• Removals are as important as replanting.• You cannot have removals without

planting; they go hand in hand.

Build Bioswales, Rain Gardens, and Zero Runoff• We are the ‘Green Industry’; be even

more green.• Think green infrastructure principals and

best management practices.• Design a landscape that is

environmentally friendly; one that positively affects the environment.

• The outputs from your landscape are directly correlated with your minimal inputs.

• Don’t try to change a wet spot. If it is a wet spot — work with it, not against it.

Attend a Training• You might learn something useful.• Go outside your comfort zone.• If you can’t go, send someone else.• If you don’t want to go, send someone else.

What Should We be Doing in Community Forestry?

continued on page 11

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Promote Community Forestry• Have a plan.• Sell the program on the economic,

ecological, and psychological benefits.• Become a ‘tree-hugger’ and/or advocate.• Volunteer.• Give back to your community, get involved.• Join the tree board.• Attitude is everything.• Teach youth.

Plant mores trees, but also care for them through establishment and provide a healthy start from the planting stage. I would prefer you plant a few trees and take care of them instead of planting too many trees to care for. Trees are the answer, and they will pay dividends if allowed to reach maturity. Trees are the original multi-taskers.

Tim McDonnell, Community Forestry Coordinator/District Community Forester, coordinates commu-nity forestry activities and provides educational and technical services for communities and green indus-tries in southeast and south central Kansas

Community Forestry, continued from page 10

It’s no secret that Kansas foresters are devoted to the people they serve. They may not make everybody happy as they

attempt to provide one-on-one service in multi-county districts (John Klempa, District Forester in Garden City covers 26 counties), but it’s no fault of their own. In addition to responding to individual requests, they juggle forest inventory, and multiple programs and initiatives.

All that considered, I am humbled by their work ethic and genuine desire to assist people with tree plantings and forest management. While I may not be the most objective person to critique the performance of Kansas Forest Service staff, recent recognition from the American Tree Farm System seems to support my observations.

This year Connie Robinson-Clemons, District Forester, Iola, was recognized for her devotion to the forest landowners of Kansas by receiving the 2009 Tree Farm Inspector of the Year award for the North Central Region. Tree Farm is a volunteer program of the American Tree Farm System that recognizes and provides green certification to forestland owners who sustainably manage their forestlands. There are about 133 Tree Farmers in Kansas. The regional award recognizes Tree Farm inspectors who have done an outstanding job interacting with landowners through inspections, certifications, and public outreach. Since Connie began working as a Tree Farm inspector in Kansas in December of 2003, she has enrolled 44 Tree Farmers into the American Tree Farm System. For a Kansas forester to receive this regional award is

truly remarkable when you consider the competition with hundreds of foresters in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin where forests and Tree Farms are much more abundant. Connie has served on the Kansas Tree Farm Committee and currently serves on the national board for the Walnut Council.

Carolyn Turney, chair of the Kansas Tree Farm Committee, nominated Connie for the award and has been an outstanding leader of the Kansas Tree Farm Program during some challenging transitions including the birth of the Kansas Forestry Association.

Connie received the award at the 2009 National Tree Farm Convention in Washington, D.C., making history as the first Kansas forester to be recognized as the regional inspector of the year since the program’s inception in 1963. Although the award is impressive and deserved, what is most significant to me is the unsolicited accolades the Kansas Forest Service receives from the people we serve. But don’t take my word for it, ask one of our foresters for assistance and find out for yourself.


Devotion to Forest Landowners

Bob Simpson, Director of the American Tree Farm System, presents Connie Robinson-Clemons with the 2009 North Central Tree Farm Inspector of the Year Award at the National Tree Farmer Convention in Washington D.C.

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December 7 — Conservation Tree Seedling Sales begin. For more information see www.kansasforests.org/conservation/downloads.shtml or call (888)740-8733.

January 3 – 4 — WESTERN Nursery & Landscape Association Trade Show, Overland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, KS. Contact: Tim McDonnell at (316) 788-0492.

January 13 – 15 — Kansas Arborist Association Shade Tree Conference, Ramada Inn, Downtown Topeka. Contact: Tim McDonnell at (316) 788-0492.

February 4 – 5 — Kansas Natural Resources Conference- Wichita, KS – Airport Hilton. Contact: Jill Pfannenstiel (785) 625-2588 or [email protected].

March 25 — Tree City USA Recognition Day, El Dorado, KS.

Calendar of EventsNotice of nondiscriminationK-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, as amended. Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts, and United States Department of Agriculture Cooperating, Fred A. Cholick Director.

For a current listing of events, check our Web site: www.kansasforests.org/calendar

We Need Your HelpIn an effort to reduce printing and mailing costs, the Kansas Forest Service would like subscribers who are willing to receive the newsletter electronically to send their e-mail address to [email protected] or call us at (785) 532-3300.

Your e-mail address will not be given to any other organizations.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to let us know.

Links of Interest:Kansas Forest Service www.kansasforests.org

K-State Research and Extension www.oznet.ksu.edu

State of Kansas www.accesskansas.org

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks www.kdwp.state.ks.us/

Natural Resources Conservation Service– Kansas www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/

Farm Service Agency–Kansas www.fsa.usda.gov/ks/

Kansas Canopy Kansas Forest Service2610 Claflin Road Manhattan, KS 66502–2798

assessing the forest resources of kansas t · spatial analysis data layers were ... to discontinue...

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