georgia forestry today jan/feb 2015

GEORGIA FORESTRY

TODAYVolume 11, Issue 1

January | February 2015

OPERATION SAFE PUMPKIN:PREPPING FOR WAR ON WILDFIRE


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3Georgia Forestry Today

http://www.aggeorgia.com

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4 January | February 2015

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

Opinions expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of the publisher, A4 Inc., nor dothey accept responsibility for errors of content or omission and, as a matter of policy, neither dothey endorse products or advertisements appearing herein. Part of this magazine may be reproducedwith the written consent of the publisher. Correspondence regarding changes of address should bedirected to A4 Inc. at the address indicated above. Advertising material should be sent to A4 Inc.at the e-mail address: [email protected]. Questions on advertising should be directed to the ad-vertising director at the e-mail address provided above. Editorial material should be sent to A4Inc. or to Alva Hopkins.

GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY1154 Lower Birmingham Road, Canton, Georgia 30115

On the Cover: GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAYPrinted in the USA

PUBLISHER:A4 Inc.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFAlva Hopkins

[email protected]

PRODUCTION MANAGERPamela [email protected]

EDITORIAL BOARDWendy BurnettAlva HopkinsStasia KellySandi Martin

Roland Petersen-Frey

When you hear the distinctive

thump-athump-a-thump-a-

thump-a-thump of an ap-

proaching helicopter, and the

sounds of fixed-wing aircraft,

bulldozers, masticators, pickup

trucks, and an army of per-

sonnel, there’s no doubt that

something very big is going on.

Find out more on page 8.

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FORESTRY TODAYGeorgia

Volume 11, Issue 1 January | February 2015

P.08 Operation Safe Pumpkin: Prepping for

War on Wildfire

P.13 Message from the Georgia Forestry

Commission Director

P.14 GFC News

P.15 Managing Forests and Openings for

Wild Turkeys: Part II ~ Putting Your

Plan into Practice

P.18 Georgia Forests and Drinking Water

Forum Emphasizes Partnership and

Collaboration

P.20 Partnerships Key to Restorative Fires

in, around Sprewell Bluff

P.22 The Outdoorsman | Georgia’s Forest

Dangers Part II

P.26 Mike Clutter stepping down as Dean; Dale

Greene named Interim Dean

P.27 Five Warnell Alums make 2015 Bulldog 100

list for their fast-growing businesses

P.28 Georgia Forestry News

January 25-27Southeastern Society of American ForestersAnnual Meeting | King and Prince Beach and GolfResort | St. Simon’s Island, GeorgiaInfo: http://www.sesaf.org/

February 11-12Forestry Day at the CapitolOmni Hotel at CNN Center | Atlanta, Georgia30303 | Contact: Carla Rapp 478-992-8110

March 26Georgia Forestry Foundation Longleaf GolfTournament | Hawkinsville, GeorgiaInfo: Information coming soon.

June 22-26Georgia Teacher Conservation Workshop |Mansfield, GeorgiaInfo: Information coming soon.

July 31 - August 32015 GFA Annual Conference & Forestry ExpoWestin Jekyll IslandJekyll Island, GeorgiaInfo: Information coming soon.

Forestry CalendarIf you have aforestry event

you’d like to seeon our calendar,please contact

Alva Hopkins atahopkins@a4inc.

com with thesubject line

‘Calendar Event.’

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List of advertisers

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

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

Blanton’s ......................................................................................12

Bodenhamer Farms & Nursery...............................................18

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

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

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

F4 Tech ..........................................................................................3

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

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

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

F&W Forestry Service..............................................................25

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

International Forest Company................................................. 6

LandMark Spatial Solutions......................................................4

Lanigan & Associates ...............................................................24

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

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

Outdoor Underwriters.............................................................18

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

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

SuperTree Seedlings.....................................................................7

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

Weyerhaeuser .............................................................................11

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

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here’s something about the distinctive thump-a-thump-a-thump-a-thump-a-thump of an ap-proaching helicopter that quickens the pulse. The

telltale sound embellishes many a war movie, but it’s thereal-life chopper circling above that signals attention-worthy action down below. And when fixed-wing air-craft, bulldozers, masticators, pickup trucks, and an armyof personnel contribute to the cacophony, there’s nodoubt that something very big is going on.

Fortunately, this bustling scene in Ware County thispast October was a professional exercise and not a trueemergency. For two days, the Georgia Forestry Commis-sion (GFC) led an Interagency Air Operations Exercisethat provided hands-on training and practice in proce-dures established for the suppression of wildfire. Morethan 113 people from seven different state and localagencies took part in the GFC Satilla District-based

drills, whose simulated emergencies provided almost asmuch excitement as the real deals for everyone involved.

“I fought the Okefenokee fires in 2007 and 2011,”said Steven Turner, a 17-year pilot for the Departmentof Natural Resources. “This training is good for the co-ordination between air and ground forces. We’re able tosee how it all ties together,” Turner said.

The training exercise grew from an idea hatched

in the GFC’s Air Operations Department.

“Our pilots wanted to develop a live fire training eventwith our cooperators,” said Clay Chatham, Air Opera-tions Manager for the Georgia Forestry Commission.“Helicopter and fixed-wing flying are very precision-ori-ented by nature. Throw in firefighting and that ups therisk factor. Practice makes us better,” Chatham said.

The GFC’s Type 2 Incident Management Team

(IMT) planned every detail of what was named ‘Opera-tion Safe Pumpkin,’ a process that took four months. Ob-jectives of the exercise included exposing pilots andground personnel to real life scenarios in a controlled en-vironment that would strengthen their individual skillsets associated with wildland firefighting and waterbucket drops. The plan included daily agendas, andmorning and afternoon briefings—the same process thatis followed in real IMT events. Expanded Dispatch op-erators also participated, providing communication prac-tice for new and experienced employees. In addition, anIMT member was assigned to each pilot group to answerquestions and facilitate discussions.

“Wildland fire is so fluid,” said Al Hoke, GeorgiaForestry Commission Training and Development Man-ager. “It demands more of a reactive mode. This exercisegives people an opportunity to understand the proce-

dures in a less stressful situation.”Hoke explained that each IMT member is required

to keep a ‘task book’ that documents their individual jobtraining progress. In-team trainers help apprentices un-derstand job assignments and the qualifications requiredfor various positions on a team. The qualifications (stip-ulated by national protocol) must be met before teammembers are eligible for dispatch on Type 2 IMT assign-ments. The Ware County drill afforded trainees the op-portunity to complete a myriad of the required trainingtasks, including maintenance items such as water bucketprocedures and air to ground communications needs toprovide for safety of both ground and air resources.

“We make sure every task book is filled out for eachjob,” said Hoke. “It’s a national (IMT) requirement. Plus,everyone involved gets to understand ‘Business Class260,’ the mountain of paperwork required, and why wecheck in and track everything!”


OPERATION SAFEPUMPKIN: Prepping for

War on Wildfire

t



By Stasia Kelly

Pilots used instruments

and visuals to locate

ground targets during

the training.

Countdown to ‘Disaster’

The Wednesday-Thursday wildfire exer-cise was preceded by some mock commu-nications via e-mail to GFC participantsand leadership on Monday, notifyingthem of “increased wildfire activity” inthe Satilla District. The message indicatedthat the Department of Natural Re-sources, Georgia State Patrol, and the AirNational Guard were also being con-tacted, fire was expected to escalate, andthe IMT would be in place the next dayto begin ordering resources for deploy-ment. A report for the governor was pre-pared and delivered to State ForesterRobert Farris, and a mock press releasewas also dispatched, alerting citizens tothe situation and instructions for garner-ing updates via GFC’s twitter account andits public Web site.

The two main hubs of activity for theexercise were the Incident CommandPost, located at the GFC Satilla DistrictOffice, six miles south of Waycross, andthe helibase, at the Waycross Airport. Pi-lots were provided with latitude/longi-tude specifications and maps, indicatingwhere each of six scenarios would be con-ducted. An ‘Incident Action Plan’ was cre-ated for each day, and was detailed duringthe morning briefing at the ICP. Thebriefing was followed by a safety presen-tation for pilots at the helibase, where pi-lots waited their turns to fly, practicedrigging buckets, and reviewed equipment

and flying conditions“Safety is of the utmost importance,”

said Eric Mosley, Georgia Forestry Com-mission Wildfire Mitigation Specialist.“There are safety concerns specific towildland fire air operations and duties thepilots may be called on to perform. Theimportance of carrying out those assign-ments safely and efficiently can’t be over-emphasized,” Mosley said.

On day one, pilots and ground crewscompleted three different scenarios: a“backing fire in a pine plantation;” a“flanking fire in a pine plantation with aworking tractor plow;” and “active multi-ple fires.” Pilots were required to fill bambibuckets at a nearby pond and coordinatewater drops with ground crews and GFC'sfixed wing, ‘Smokey,’ which acted as com-mand and control aircraft for each sce-nario. The day’s activities were followedby mop-up and a debriefing at ICP.

Doc Watson, pilot for the Depart-ment of Natural Resources, said he waspleased to be polishing his firefightingskills in the cockpit.

“I’ve learned a lot. Mostly how to im-prove our strategies and communications.We can fine tune our altitudes and airspeeds and see real results on the ground.We’re working with changing winds andground crews provide constant input. It’san excellent exercise,” Watson said.

Veteran Georgia State Patrol pilotKevin Thompson agreed, and echoed the

importance of strengthening communica-tions with cooperators from various agen-cies that may be called to work together.

“There’s a lot of lingo that theforestry people use, and we might say it alittle different,” said Thompson. “Thishelps me understand their needs and un-derstand how to attack a fire.”

Review, Revise, Repeat

On day two, the Incident CommandCenter was buzzing long before the sched-uled 0900 morning briefing. It takes a lotof laptops, smart phones, and coffee tosummarize an activity of this magnitudeand to launch a new day of training.

Fire Behavior Analyst Tony Kingkicked off the briefing with an update onhow the previous day’s weather conditionsinfluenced operations and what could beexpected today. Operations Trainee TrentIngram provided scenario status reports,and Clay Chatham reported on air oper-ations.

“We’re getting good feedback,”Chatham said. “Slow down. Space outyour shifts. We like feedback, so keep itcoming.”

Before deploying to their individualposts, the group received changes to theday’s Incident Action Plan, heard aboutthe ongoing importance of equipment in-spections, got radio channel updates, fi-nancial report reminders, and stats on theprevious day’s water drops (90) and acresmasticated (60.)

Ware County Emergency Manage-ment Agency Director, Jonathan Daniell,was one of the attendees listening closely.

“This provides such value to our pri-vate and commercial landowners,” Daniellsaid. “During the fires in ’07 and ’11, a lotof folks in our county saw these opera-tions in action and it made them want tolearn more. We’ve done Firewise programsin our community, and people learnedabout keeping their properties clean.These agencies are great partners to workwith,” said Daniell.

Day two scenarios upped the tensionfactor by adding inoperative equipment,


Ground crews await instructions for tackling fires and working with air operations.


structures in the line of fire and multiplespot fire crossovers to the deployments.Again and again, pilots lifted off from theheli-pad, tracked smoke from 300-feet,filled their bambi buckets and made dropafter drop after drop. Radio communica-

tions crackled continuously as bulldozeroperators churned through thick southGeorgia thatch, crafting firebreaks andproviding updates from ground zero.

When the operation concluded, animpressive 33 flight hours and some 200

water drops had been made. Operatorsreduced fuel loads on about 150 acreswith the GFC’s new fleet of masticators,the first time they’d been employed insuch an exercise. Approximately 30 per-sonnel completed training assignmentsto earn national qualifications for theirjobs, and scores of emergency respondersreturned home with invaluable experi-ence gained in the next best thing to theline of active duty.

Final touches are still being put onthe After Action Review for OperationSafe Pumpkin. It’s certain, however, thatthe exercise’s successes and missteps willbe carefully analyzed and used in prepara-tion for future learning opportunities.

“We’ve never had live air operationstraining on this scale before, and it’s beenvaluable,” said Incident Manager BoChesser. “You train to perform. You wantto be able to do it in your sleep. Becauseit’s not a matter of if a big fire’s gonna hap-pen, it’s a matter of when.” v

Helicopters filled bambi buckets at a nearby pond and made 200 water drops during

the air/ground exercises.

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f you are reading these words rightnow, chances are you give a bighoot about trees. About forests.About the services and productsthey supply to other people. And,of course, about the income they

may bring your family.How much money is produced—and

how many services and products we can cal-culate—are continually changing facts. In2015, we’ll need to be doing more explain-ing to ensure the citizens of Georgia, urbanas well as rural, understand why forestry iscrucial to their lives. A couple of years ago,a University of Georgia study estimated $37billion in economic services is provided an-nually by our state’s forestland. But there’seven more news about these environmentalservices of our forestland that everyone de-serves to hear.

Take ‘air’ for example. Most kids andgrown-ups alike understand that trees helpclean our air, but do they know that forestrycan affect proposed regulations governingcarbon pollution levels? On December 1,2014, the Georgia Forestry Commissionsubmitted comments on the EnvironmentalProtection Agency’s “Clean Power Pro-posed Rule.” It proposes targets for eachstate in meeting carbon pollution reduc-tions from electric utilities. States will be re-quired to craft plans to achieve targetedcarbon emission reductions. There remainconsiderable issue and concern about therule, however, there is positive news forGeorgia forest owners, forest industry, andall Georgians. That is the acknowledgementby EPA that it will recognize the carbonbenefits of certain forest-derived industrial

byproduct feedstocks and sustainably-de-rived forest feedstocks, which can supportand stimulate growth in the biomass elec-tricity sector. In its comments, the GFC alsorequested the EPA favorably recognize for-est carbon offsets as part of the portfolio toreduce Georgia’s carbon emissions. Underthe current schedule, EPA will finalize therule in June of 2015, and states will haveuntil the following June to craft their ownstate implementation plans. The impactforestry has on the clean air that everyonefeels better about breathing, and the meth-ods that help ensure its availability, is ab-solutely newsworthy!

Perhaps fewer citizens than those whoare aware of the air equation truly under-stand the link between forests and cleanwater. A recent forest and drinking waterforum held in Savannah provided some use-ful information about the correlation,which deserves sharing. Conference partic-ipants heard about the state of Georgia’swater resources and the water planning re-gions that are expected to assist with theprotection of this precious resource. Exam-ples were given about watershed improve-ment gains in nearby states that are beingcredited to the conservation of existing for-est cover. Another presentation cited severalstudies showing the less prevalent forestedacres become in a watershed, and the moreprevalent impervious surfaces become, thegreater the amount of pollutants are foundin the water. Pollutants mentioned includedsediments, nutrients, fecal coliform, and E.coli—words that tend to grab anyone’s at-tention. Georgia Forestry CommissionWater Quality Coordinator, John Colberg,

reported that forestry Best ManagementPractices continue to be implemented atvery high rates across the state. Anotherstudy presented showed that for every dollarspent in forested watershedenhancement/restoration, $27 were savedin water costs.

Clearly, these are all positive pieces ofinformation that all Georgians should careabout—and would, if they knew. But howdo we make the ties needed to spread thiscritical information?

That’s where you come in. This year, wewant to identify new ways to communicatethe value of trees and forests to every singleperson in Georgia—especially those wholive in urban areas. How do we connect thedots, and bring home the tremendous worthof trees as they impact the clean air, cleanwater, wildlife habitat, and recreationhavens people hold dear, no matter wherethey live? How do we link cities, and back-yard trees, to forestry and our innate expec-tations for clean air and water? How can weflip that ‘care’ button?

We know everyone values these gifts ofnature, but may think of them as more of a‘given’ than a gift to be actively protected.This year, let’s resolve to build new connec-tions and devise new ways to share the in-trinsic importance of trees. Let us hear yourideas by e-mailing GFC’s CommunicationsDepartment at [email protected],and let’s spread this news together.

Happy New Year!

Robert FarrisGFC Commissioner e


Georgia Forestry Commission

Message from the DirectorDear GFT Reader,

Robert Farris

I


Forestry professionals and utility managers of mu-

nicipal drinking waters supplies met recently in Sa-

vannah. The ‘Forests and Drinking Water Forum’focused on the value forest landscapes provide to societyand how this can be protected, enhanced, and funded.John Colberg, Georgia Forestry Commission Water Qual-ity Coordinator, discussed BMP implementation and itspositive effect on water quality. It is estimated that $1 spentin watershed management yields $27 in water quality en-hancement or reduced treatment costs. Ecosystem servicesmarketing was endorsed as a possible way to reimburselandowners through water rates, taxation, and bonds. Otherrevenue streams might include carbon credits, water qualitytrading, and real estate transfer fees. e

GFC News

As winter takes hold, Georgia foresters and the communities they

serve are preparing for the possibility of damaging weather. Partic-ipants at the Georgia Urban Forest Council’s annual conference in Athensthis past November focused on lessons learned during last year’s ice stormsand ways to prepare for the season ahead. Instructional topics included mak-ing storm mitigation plans, preparing pre-storm tree assessments, workingwith FEMA, GEMA, and strike teams, working with staging for debris andwood utilization, and understanding the damage and recovery of iced trees.For a wrap up of the conference, visit www.gufc.org e

Joan Scales has been promoted to a new position as staff forester and program manager

for the Sustainable Community Forestry Program (SCFP). Scales is a certified arborist who servedSCFP as a community forester in northeast Georgia for two years and SCFP partnership coordinator foreight years prior to that. She has a master’s degree of Forest Resources from the University of Georgia anda Bachelor of Science in Communication Arts from St. John’s University in Jamaica, New York. Beforecoming to the GFC, Scales worked with the state of Florida, Department of Environmental Protection,Florida Park Service, where she was responsible for the management and training of volunteers in 34 stateparks. She recently received the ‘Community Service Award’ in GFC’s employee recognition program forher dedication to the communities in her project area, specifically for efforts during the ice storm of 2014.e

If you are a landowner or land manager interested in managingfor turkeys, and if you read the first part of this column series,you’re familiar with the basics concerning wild turkey ecology,habitat inventory, and management planning. You may alsoknow that once objectives are established and a plan developed,then comes the fun part, the part that counts, and that’s puttingthose objectives into place on the ground.

As explained in the previous column, the prescribed man-agement, to be successful, must be dictated by the factors thatmost limit the turkey population and will be dependent on site-specific conditions. However, there are some rules of thumb formanaging openings and forest stands that will generally benefitwild turkeys, white-tailed deer, and a host of other species.

Insight on Openings

Ideally, openings for wild turkeys should be one to five acres insize and comprise at least five to 25 percent of the landscape.

Logging decks, widened roadsides, utility rights-of-way, fire-breaks, and edges of crop fields, pastures, and hay fields can allbe managed for wild turkeys. ese areas can be rotationally stripmanaged with combinations of warm-season (spring and earlysummer) and cool-season (late summer and fall) plantings andmanagement of natural vegetation through mowing, winter disk-ing, or burning.

Warm-season plantings include chufa, browntop millet,grain sorghum, and corn. Chufa, a sedge that produces under-ground tubers, is relished by wild turkeys during winter andspring. Chufa plantings can be used to concentrate turkeys and

Managing forests and openings for Wild turkeys:Part ii ~ Putting Your Plan into Practice


Timber thinning coupled with frequent prescribed burning is the most important and cost effective management to en-

hance pine stands for wild turkeys, deer, bobwhite quail, and numerous other game and nongame species.

By Reggie Thackston

(Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part series on

management of forests and openings for the eastern

wild turkey, a highly favored species among Georgia

hunters and landowners. Read Part 1 in the Novem-

ber/December 2014 issue of Georiga Forestry Today)

hold them into the spring hunting season.However, chufa has the disadvantage ofdepleting soil nutrients. Because of this,sites should be rotated every two or threeyears and replaced with a cover crop ofclover or winter grains. Chufa is also sub-ject to damage by crows, raccoons, deer,hogs, and other non-target species.

Head feeds like browntop, sorghum,and corn are typically used during sum-mer and fall. Browntop is highly preferredby turkeys, especially poults, and is easyand economical to establish, but the seeddoesn’t persist into the winter as well assorghum and corn.

Cool-season plantings include vari-ous combinations of clovers and wintergrains like wheat and oats. Clover typi-cally does best in clay or loam soils wherethe pH is 6.0 to 7.0. However, clover isdifficult to establish and maintain insandy or acidic soils. ere are a numberof varieties available including perennialclovers like Ladino and Durana and re-seeding annuals like Arrowleaf and Crim-son. You don’t have to reseed theperennials, and they provide food forlonger periods of time throughout theyear. However, they oen require more in-

tensive maintenance like periodic mow-ing. e annuals require less maintenance,and Arrowleaf and Crimson are some-what tolerant of lower soil pH. ey canbe encouraged to reseed in the fall withlight soil disturbance.

Clovers can be mixed with wintergrains and strip managed across largeopenings in combination with warm-sea-son plantings and fallow areas to make ex-cellent year-round food plots. A greatreference on the specifics of food plotplantings is “Quality Food Plots: YourGuide to Better Deer and Deer Hunting,”authored by Kent Kammermeyer, Karl V.Miller, and Lindsay omas Jr. and avail-able through the Quality Deer Manage-ment Association.

Mature hardwood forests are criti-cally important to wild turkeys. In addi-tion to acorns and other mast, theyprovide open understories conducive tomovement, feeding, and social interac-tion. Hardwood stands on moist sites—e.g., river and creek bottoms, bays, ham-mocks, and mountain coves—oen havelush herbaceous groundcover, which pro-vides spring greenery and early brood-rearing habitat. Decaying hardwood leaves

support an abundance and diversity of in-sects and can store mast and other seeds.Hardwood corridors along creek and riverdrainages, oen referred to as streamsidemanagement zones, or SMZs, can providevital habitat for wild turkeys while reduc-ing erosion and protecting water quality.

To serve as effective travel corridorsfor turkeys, stream management zonesand other timber corridors should be atleast 300 feet wide to maintain a ‘shadedout’ open understory. A good rule ofthumb is to maintain a minimum of 20percent of the landscape in hardwoodstands and manage with the ultimate goalof having oaks comprise 50 percent ormore of the larger trees.

Pine forests can be enhanced for wildturkeys through thinning and prescribedburning. Stands should be thinned assoon as the majority of the tree crownsbegin to overlap and at an intensity tomaintain at least 30 percent of the groundin direct sunlight at noon. Yet thinningalone will result in a rapid growth ofground vegetation and midstory hard-woods, which if le undisturbed will ulti-mately become too thick for wild turkeys.erefore, periodic prescribed fire shouldbe used to create and maintain desirableunderstory conditions. Generally speak-ing and depending on site characteristics,prescribed fire can be applied to longleafpine stands from age two years and older,and to other southern yellow pine speciesat about age 12 years. Where fire is notfeasible, herbicides and mowing can beused to maintain the open understory.

Burning for Better Habitat

Prescribed burning, however, is one of themost efficient and cost-effective tools formanaging turkey habitat. Prior to Euro-pean settlement, the uplands of Georgiaand the rest of the Southeast burned on afairly frequent basis, primarily as the resultof fires set by lightning and native Ameri-cans. In fact, indications are that the up-lands of Georgia’s Coastal Plain burnedon average every two years!

Wild turkeys, bobwhite quail, and


Wild turkeys often nest in thinned and burned pine stands that provide well

developed groundcover of grasses, forbs, and shrubs.


myriad other wildlife species are depend-ent on, or at least favored, by fire. It in-creases insect abundance and so mast,and helps maintain the desired understorystructure and composition. Additionally,late winter to early spring burns producean abundance of greenery and can be usedto concentrate and hold turkeys on prop-erties during the spring.

In general, prescribed burns shouldbe conducted during January to mid-March under cool moist conditions on atwo- to three-year rotation, where one-half to one-third of the burnable woodsare burned each year. e frequency of thefire is more important than the fire season.e ultimate objective should be to makecertain the area is burned on the properrotation.

Woodlands can be subdivided intoburn units with roads or with wide, per-manent firebreaks that are managed aslong linear openings in the manner previ-ously described. Typically, burning is con-ducted in predominately pine forests andold-field habitats. However, certain up-land hardwood stands, such as scrub oaksgrowing on sandhills, are adapted to fireand should be managed with periodicburning to maintain an ‘oak/pine savanna’habitat conducive to wild turkeys and avariety of other wildlife.

Contact the Georgia Forestry Com-mission for burn permits. For a nominalfee, the commission also may be able toprovide assistance with plowing firebreaksand disking openings.

Monitoring Results, Fine-tuning

Management

Managing wildlife habitats and popula-tions is an art based on science. Because ofsite-specific variability, the identical man-agement practices can produce differentresponses through time. Closely monitor-ing your results and using this informationto fine-tune long-term management pro-vides a better cost/benefit outcome.

In addition to monitoring habitat re-sponse to management, it is also impor-tant to monitor the response of wildlife,

in this case, wild turkeys. Keeping detailedrecords on turkey sightings, especiallyhens and poults, along with gobblers seen,heard, and harvested is key to trackingpopulation trajectories as related to man-agement and hunting efforts. is infor-mation can be used to better informmanagement decisions and optimize out-puts. Also, don’t forget to take note oflandscape changes on properties sur-rounding your lands. ese changes mayaffect your management results.

In summary, lands can be enhancedfor wild turkeys through planned man-agement. While this may require a greatdeal of effort, the rewards of seeing andhearing more birds and perhaps evenharvesting an old limb-hanger thatyou’ve helped produce make it wellworth the costs.

Professional wildlife biologists areavailable through the Georgia Depart-ment of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Re-

sources Division, the National WildTurkey Federation, and other organiza-tions to help landowners with developinga management plan. Landowners also mayqualify for federal and other habitat cost-share programs that can offset manage-ment costs.

If you would like more information,contact the nearest Wildlife ResourcesDivision Game Management Section Of-fice or check out www.gohuntgeorgia.com or www.nwtf.org. v

Across Georgia, wild turkeys are most abundant in landscapes with uplands

comprised of managed forests and openings that are laced with creek and

river drainages. DiLane Wildlife Management Area in Burke County supports

one of Georgia’s highest public-land turkey populations and provides an

outstanding example of integrated management for wild turkeys and

bobwhite quail.

Reggie Thackston manages the PrivateLands Program of Georgia DNR’sWildlife Resources Division. He hasworked for 34 years as a wildlifebiologist integrating bobwhite, wildturkey, and deer management intoforestry and agriculture.


Sixty-five leaders from the forestry anddrinking water sectors gathered in Savan-nah on November 17 and 18 for the firstGeorgia Forests and Drinking WaterForum to explore the connections be-tween forests and drinking water and howthe two sectors could work together to sus-tain Georgia’s forest and water resources.

Forum participants included familyfarm landowners, timber managementcompanies, drinking water utility profes-sionals, and forestry and drinking waterorganization leaders. The Forum wasspearheaded by the U. S. Endowment forForestry and Communities and the U.S.Forest Service. Event sponsors includedthe city of Augusta, city of Savannah,Georgia Association of Water Profession-als, Georgia Forestry Association, GeorgiaMunicipal Association, Georgia RuralWater Association, Georgia Soil & WaterConservation Commission, Georgia Sus-tainable Forestry Initiative Implementa-tion Committee, and the University ofGeorgia Warnell School of Forestry &Natural Resources.

The goals of the Forum were to:

• Share information about the strongconnection between forests anddrinking water

• Discuss the challenges and day-to-dayoperations of the forestry and drink-ing water sectors

• Provide local examples of collabora-tion between forestry and drinkingwater

• Have fruitful discussions about thenature of the forestry and drinkingwater connection in Georgia

• Develop a brief list of short-term ac-tions to continue the momentumfrom the Forum

The Forum was organized into three

themes, each followed by a group facili-

tated discussion:

• The Forest and Water Connection

• Drinking Water and ForestryOverview

• Watershed Protection Incentives andFunding

The Forest and Water Connection themecentered around brief presentations onthe connections between forests anddrinking water by Peter Stangel of the U.S.Endowment for Forestry and Communi-ties; exploring the connection betweenforests and water and human health byProfessor Graeme Lockaby of AuburnUniversity; and the dependence of com-munities on forest lands by Peter Caldwellof the U.S. Forest Service.

The Drinking Water and ForestryOverview theme shared a brief summaryof Georgia basin planning from Russ Pen-nington of the Georgia EnvironmentalProtection Division; an overview of theregulatory requirements, operations, andchallenges facing drinking water utilitiesby Allen Saxon of city of Augusta Utili-ties; and an overview of the forestry sec-tor’s regulatory framework andoperational challenges by Todd Ras-mussen of University of Georgia’s Warnell

Georgia forests and drinking Water forum

emphasizes Partnership and CollaborationBy Matt Hestad | Georgia Forestry Association

http://www.outdoorund.com/index.html

http://www.bodenhamerfarms.com/


Participants included family farm landowners, timber management companies, drinking water utility staff, forestry and

drinking water organization leaders. (photo credit: David Kubala)

School of Forestry and Natural Resourcesand John Colberg of the Georgia ForestryCommission.

The Watershed Protection Incen-tives and Funding theme provided anoverview of Georgia’s Forest Land Pro-tection Tax Incentive Program by SteveMcWilliams of the Georgia Forestry As-sociation; information about a forestryand drinking water collaborative pilotproject by John Pennington of theBeaver Lake Watershed Alliance inArkansas; and two watershed fundingpresentations provided by Sheryl Parsonsof the U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency and Kitty Weisman, a consultantwith U.S. Endowment for Forestry andCommunities.

Through productive discussion, par-ticipants agreed to the following future ac-tions to continue the momentum of theForum:• Consider hosting a similar forum in

Southwest Georgia, in the Flint wa-tershed which is shared betweenGeorgia and Alabama

• Continue to share information by hav-ing some kind of regular communica-tion between the forestry anddrinking water sectors (such as anewsletter, e-mail, or regular meeting)

• Conduct additional scientific re-search into the connection betweenforestry and groundwater

• Seek better data about the relativecontributions of naturally occurringcontaminants versus human-causedcontaminants in drinking water

• Explore ways to increase green spacesfor source water protection in urbanwatersheds

• Research and share informationabout forestry-drinking water collab-orative pilot projects and case studies(such as the city of Columbus drink-ing water utility relationship withGeorgia Power)

• Strengthen existing education andoutreach programs and materials andcreate new ones to highlight the con-nection between forestry and drink-ing water (including speaking atrelevant meetings and conferences,sharing information with the public,publishing articles in key newslettersand magazines, etc.)

• Conduct additional research on theeffectiveness of forestry Best Manage-

ment Practices specifically as they re-late to drinking water resources

• Seek voluntary cooperation of forestlandowners to strengthen drinkingwater source protection (rather thanimposing additional regulations orforcing cooperation)

• Conduct geographic information sys-tems (GIS) mapping data analysis todetermine priority watersheds for col-laborative forestry-drinking waterprojects

“These actions will take time to im-plement, possibly several years,” GFAPresident Steve McWilliams said. “How-ever, the discussions and outcomes fromthis forum will undoubtedly benefitGeorgia’s forests and the communitiesthat depend on them.”

The U.S. Endowment for Forestryand Communities and the U.S. ForestService each provided funding to organizeForestry and Drinking Water Forums infive southeastern states: Arkansas, Geor-gia, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Texas.To learn more about the partnership, visitusendowment.org. v


Landowners are working hard in the hillsand mountains of Talbot, Upson, andMeriwether counties to restore somethingrare—montane longleaf pine ecosystems.

At the heart of the effort is SprewellBluff Wildlife Management Area, one ofthe last strongholds of old-growth mon-tane longleaf. Some longleaf on this mid-dle Georgia WMA are more than 400years old, and surveys have documentedfive natural communities rated globallyrare, two of them new to science.

Working cooperatively, some arealandowners are reintroducing fire andbringing back longleaf to these ruggedmountains. Regular fire is somethingthese trees need.

Found nowhere else in the world,montane, or mountain, longleaf is part ofthe endangered longleaf forest and ahigh-priority habitat in Georgia’s StateWildlife Action Plan, a comprehensivestrategy for conserving wildlife and nat-ural habitats statewide. The montanestands at Sprewell Bluff, just west ofThomaston on Pine Mountain, includeoak woodland and glade habitats, aunique mix rich in rare plants and ani-mals such as turkeybeard, a rare lily thatblooms with four- to five-foot-tall flowersafter a fire; Carolina larkspur, a beautifulblue spring wildflower; eastern coralsnake, the only population north of theFall Line; and, northern bobwhites andother declining species.

The Sprewell Bluff area is known forits rare natural communities. Accordingto the Georgia Department of NaturalResources, surveys in 2012 documentednew communities considered globallyrare, including hog plum glades, which areunusual grasslands found along rockyridgetops that often harbor rare plants,and longleaf pine heath bluffs, open-canopied forests found on steep cliffsidesthat have a rich understory of mountainlaurel, rhododendron, blueberries, andother heath species.

Adjacent to the WMA, severallandowners are also working to restoremontane longleaf forests. Included arePlum Creek, Campbell Global, and

Partnerships Key to restorative fires in,

around sprewell Bluff

Fire over the Flint River – Nichols Tract.

By Rick Lavender | Communications and Outreach Specialist | Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Georgia Forestry Today 21

CatchMark Timber Trust, three timbercompanies that value conserving rare nat-ural communities and have policies pro-tecting rare and endangered forests.

Plum Creek senior wildlife biologistKyla Cheynet said the company’s work-ing forestlands are certified under theSustainable Forestry Initiative, or SFI,“which recognizes and protects uniquecommunity types in the framework of aworking forest.”

“Plum Creek takes the SFI commit-ment seriously,” Cheynet said. “Our own-ership on Pine Mountain, adjacent toold-growth montane longleaf stands,provides a unique opportunity for us toactively restore a historic plant commu-nity while still producing valuable woodproducts.”

Nathan Klaus, a senior wildlife biol-ogist who helps manage Sprewell Bluffwith DNR’s Nongame ConservationSection, considers the WMA a great ex-ample of the agency engaging neighbor-ing property owners for conservation.

“It’s usually a lot easier to get our jobdone on our side of the property lineand leave it at that,” Klaus said. “Thearea around Sprewell Bluff is different,however.

“Steep bluffs, heavy fuel loads androcky terrain make controlling a pre-scribed fire particularly challenging in thisremote country. As a result, it’s often eas-ier to talk to your neighbor and see ifthey’d like to burn as well, rather than tryto put in a firebreak down the side of amountain.”

Some neighbors at Sprewell Bluff are

going beyond just letting the DNR usetheir roads for firebreaks. Plum Creek re-planted longleaf instead of loblolly pineon about 175 acres of loblolly harvestedrecently on Pine Mountain, a big step to-ward restoring the native longleaf ecosys-tem. The company collaborated with theDNR on prepping the planting site inways to conserve wildlife habitat and rareplants.

Campbell Global is also taking stepstoward conserving Pine Mountain, iden-tifying several rare communities on its

holdings and making plans to protect thesites when nearby timber is harvested.Likewise, CatchMark is working with theDNR to replant strategically importantareas in longleaf.

Gov. Nathan Deal recognized PlumCreek and CatchMark Timber Trust,along with Georgia Power, in February as2013 partners in DNR’s Forestry forWildlife Partnership. This voluntary pro-gram promotes sustainable forest andwildlife conservation in corporate forestrypractices.

Klaus believes “there is every possibil-ity” that montane longleaf pine ecosys-tems can be conserved while managingtimber.

“It requires some extra effort,” he said.“These systems need regular fire, herbi-cide use needs to be dialed back, and theold trees need to be protected, but theselandowners are doing these things andmore. It’s a win all around, especially forthese rare forests and the wildlife that callsthem home.” v

Meeting of the minds, Camp Thunder.

Measuring duff on the Nichols Tract.


Georgia’s ForestDangers

By John Trussell

The OUTDOORSMAN

Part II


lligators in middle and south Georgia pose

little danger to humans, but I’ll be the first

to admit I would not swim across a slough

with several gators sunning themselves on

the nearby bank. I don't believe in tempting

any wild animal that's large enough to chew

on me, and there may be a nearsighted

gator out there that might confuse me with a swimming

raccoon.

Most gator injuries that I'm familiar with occurred while

people were trying to handle gators for various reasons. But

they too, can be unpredictable. A couple of years ago, a

young man was attacked by a gator at the Okefenokee State

Park, dragged underwater, and drowned. Occasionally, the

Savannah area will have a gator attack, also resulting in in-

juries. These happen primarily in suburban areas where

gators lost their fear of humans or were routinely fed by

residents. Department of Natural Resources alligator trap-

per/agent Jack Douglas of Savannah says that he has lost

numerous dogs to alligators over the years, and he knows

they pose danger to any small animal in the water. Despite

this, alligators pose almost no danger to the average out-

doorsman and are protected by law, so just admire them

from a distance.

Injuries by deer to hunters are extremely rare. Usually

they involve a ‘tame’ deer held in captivity going through

the rut and attacking the caretaker. Even more rare are buck

attacks during the rut on hunters. However, once in a blue

moon, hunters are injured by deer that were supposedly

dead but revived when approached by the hunter. A gentle

touch on the eyeball with a stick quickly tells the tale when

the question is in doubt. Still, strange things happen.

Mark Canfield, the owner of the Whitetail Hideaway

Lodge in Wigham, told me several years ago that during the

archery season he was attempting to call in a deer using a

fawn bleat from his hidden position in some fallen pine

limbs when he was attacked by a doe. Apparently, the

alarmed doe decided to go to the fawn’s aid and jumped

right in the middle of the pine limbs, where it kicked Can-

field a couple of times. Realizing it had been fooled, the

deer quickly departed. Canfield was not seriously hurt by

the kicks, but he had a good story to tell.

Enough about the dangers of wild animals, how about

the dangers of hunting itself. Is hunting safe? How many

times have you heard someone say they would not hunt on

a public wildlife management area because of all the people

who hunt there? Despite this line of thinking, according to

the Department of Natural Resources, there’s never been

a fatal shooting accident on a state WMA. According to

available statistics, most hunting accidents have occurred

on private lands, and the most common injury was falling

out of a tree stand.

How safe is hunting? Very safe, according to the Na-

tional Safety Council. They report that hunting injuries

occur at a rate of eight per 100,000 participants. For the

same number of participants, football generates 2,171 in-

juries; baseball, 2,089; bicycling, 904; tennis, 119; and golf,

104. Only accidents that required emergency room treat-

ment were considered. The study also reports that less than

one person per 100,000 dies from firearm-related hunting

accidents.

As you can see, overall, hunting is much safer than the

average recreational activity and probably a lot safer than

driving in Atlanta.

Now let me tell you what I really worry about. In a few

words—chiggers and ticks! They drive me nuts, but I’m

about to get them under control with boots that have the

tongues attached to the boot from bottom to top and with

good doses of permanone. Check your body after a day in

the woods to insure that all ticks are gone. If you start to

get flu like symptoms a few days after a tick bite, see the

doctor and get checked out, as lyme disease is a serious

threat.

Another thing I worry about is sun exposure. Skin can-

cer is ‘epidemic,’ dermatologists say, with 700,000 new

cases per year in the U.S., and 90 percent of those cases are

linked to overexposure to the sun. Sunscreens with a sun

protection factor (SPF) of 15 block out 93 percent of the

sun's harmful rays, and while we're seeing a SPF inflation

factor with numbers in the 50s now, the average sportsman

is well-served with a SPF of between 15 and 30. An SPF of

30 blocks out 97 percent of the sun's rays, so shelling out

more money for anything above 30 is questionable.

Despite the low number of hunting accidents, there is

much we can do to reduce them even further. Here are sev-

eral tips that can help you avoid becoming another hunting

accident statistic:

• Always wear the required 500 square inches of hunter

orange when deer hunting during gun season. Even if

not deer hunting, it’s a great idea to wear orange when

in the woods during deer season.

• Avoid hunting alone. If you must go out by yourself, let

someone know where you will be and when you expect

to return.

• Have some knowledge of the area that will be hunted,

along with a topo map.

A

(Editor's Note: This is the second of a two-part series on

managing forest dangers. Read Part 1 in the

November/December 2014 issue of Georiga Forestry Today.)

• If hunting from a tree stand, make

sure that the stand is secured to

the tree and safe prior to using it.

Always wear a safety harness, like

the Hunter safety system harness,

and not just a belt.

• Know the target. That means mak-

ing sure it is in plain sight. NEVER

shoot at movements or sounds.

• Know where companions are hunt-

ing and never shoot in their direc-

tion.

• If you are approached by, or if you

approach another hunter you are

not certain knows you are there,

announce your presence in a loud

voice and do not move until you

are certain the other person has

heard and seen you.

• Treat every gun you pick up as if it

were loaded. Always make certain

the muzzle of your gun is not

pointed at yourself or anyone else.

• When carrying a loaded gun, be

sure the safety is on and fingers

are outside the trigger guard.

• It can be a good idea to have a pis-

tol or rifle close by, should you run

across a rabid animal, etc. In Sep-

tember 2014, a Jones County

Deputy was attacked by a rabid

coyote while riding his atv. But

never carry loaded guns in your ve-

hicle.

• Always check your firearm after

loading, firing, or reloading to be

sure the safety is on.

• Double check when returning to

vehicle, camp, or home that your

gun is unloaded.

• Always travel with your cell phone

and have it programmed with one

of the many GPS apps. Google

maps is a good one and free, but a

terrain based app is better for

woods use. If you get in a serious

jam in the woods, don’t be too

proud to call for help or 911.

• Make sure you have the proper

ammunition for the gun, and carry

only that type with you when

hunting.

• Never consume alcoholic bever-

ages before or while hunting or

handling firearms, and refuse to be

around anyone who does.


http://www.lanigancpa.com/

http://www.davisgarvin.com

Georgia Forestry Today 25

• When walking through thick areas,

don't hesitate to announce your

presence by talking or whistling.

• In the dim light of dawn or dusk,

carry a flashlight and be sure to

use it since this is the time of pri-

mary game movement, and you

sure want to identify yourself to

others who may be hunting.

• Be alert and think through your ac-

tions when hunting and handling

firearms. Being careful and using

common sense will prevent most

accidents.

• Always take a compass with you

while hunting, and know how to

use it, should you lose cell phone

coverage. If you have never been

lost, you may be one day; it hap-

pens to most hunters, even the

legendary Daniel Boone. Once, a

man asked Daniel if he had ever

been lost in the woods, and he

thought about a second then said,

“No sir, I don’t think I’ve ever been

totally lost, but once I was bewil-

dered for three days!” v

http://www.fwforestry.com


Mike Clutter stepping down as Dean; Dale Greene

named Interim DeanBy Sandi Martin | Public Relations Coordinator | Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources

Dr. Mike Clutter has announced that

effective Jan. 2, 2015, he will be

stepping down as dean of the War-

nell School of Forestry and Natural

Resources. Clutter, who has been

dean since 2007, has decided to re-

turn to the private sector, he said.

“I want to thank retired Provost ArnettMace and President Jere Morehead forproviding me with the opportunity toserve the Warnell School and the Univer-sity of Georgia,” Clutter said. “Havinggrown up around Warnell, it has had aprimary influence on my life and my ca-reer. I wish the faculty, staff, students, andalumni of the school every success in thefuture. I particularly want to thank the 47graduate students that I have workedwith over my 15 years at Warnell for themany great experiences and memories. Iam looking forward to returning to theprivate sector and working with myfriends and colleagues at Forest Invest-ment Associates.”

University of Georgia Provost PamelaWhitten announced on Friday that Dr.Dale Greene will take over as interim deanon January 2. She thanked Clutter forserving as dean for eight years. “I wish himwell in this new role, and I appreciate hisyears of service to the University of Geor-gia,” she said. Greene will be an excellentinterim dean, Whitten added. “I am con-fident that he will provide outstandingleadership during this transition period.”

Greene, who has been a professorwith the Warnell School since 1986, hasbeen serving as interim associate dean ofacademic affairs for the past severalmonths. Greene said that a new interimassociate dean for academic affairs will beannounced before the spring semester be-gins. “I look forward to leading our school

through this transition time, and I lookforward to the help and support from theWarnell community until we have a per-manent dean,” Greene said.

In addition to announcing thatGreene will take over leading the WarnellSchool, Whitten said that over the nextfew weeks, her office will work with War-nell faculty and staff to begin the searchfor a permanent dean.

Greene has distinguished himselfamong Warnell’s faculty over the past 28years for his support of and research fo-cusing on the forest industry. He has beenrecognized numerous times over the pastthree decades for his work, including in-ternational service awards, three nationalwriting awards from the Forest ResourcesAssociation, several UGA teachingawards, and honors by the GeorgiaForestry Association for his support offorestry in the state.

Greene joins other distinguished col-leagues in leading efforts to improve War-nell’s programs. In addition to Greene,Warnell’s leadership includes Associate

Dean of Research Scott Merkle, AssociateDean of Outreach Mike Mengak, and As-sistant Dean Steven Castleberry.

Clutter was named the tenth dean ofthe Warnell School in 2007 aer DeanDick Porterfield retired. Aer earning hisbachelor’s degree from Mississippi StateUniversity, Clutter came to Warnell forhis master’s (1983) and Ph.D. (1993). Buthis history with the school dates back tochildhood—his father, Jerome Clutter,was a noted faculty member.

Clutter has had a long career in theprivate forestry industry, becoming theHargreaves Distinguished Professor ofForest Finance at Warnell in 2001 and hasserved on the boards of directors for sev-eral forestry corporations around thestate. He was inducted into the GeorgiaForesters Hall of Fame by the Georgia Di-vision of the Southeastern Society ofAmerican Foresters in 2009. He le theprivate industry in 2004 to take a teachingposition with Warnell, and even aer be-coming dean continued to teach classes onforest business. v

Dr. Mike Clutter

Dr. Dale Greene


Congratulations to Warnell alums DrewTaylor, Brooks Mendell, Amanda Lang,Andy Barrs, and David D. Johns for mak-ing the 2015 Bulldog 100! e annualBulldog 100 program recognizes thefastest-growing businesses owned or oper-ated by UGA alumni. e rankings ofeach business—including the fastest grow-ing Bulldog-owned business—will be an-nounced at a ceremony in February.

e 2015 Bulldog 100 includes busi-nesses of all sizes and from industries suchas landscape design, marketing, and or-thodontics. Several areas of the countryare represented, including companiesfrom as far north as Chicago and as farwest as Texas. Of the 100 businesses, 88are located within the state of Georgia.e Atlanta office of Warren AverettCPAs and Advisors verified the informa-tion submitted by each company andranked the businesses based on a com-pounded annual growth rate during athree-year period.

Congrats to our alums for

making the list:

Taylor (BSFR ’98) for IT Managed Serv-ices, Mendell (PhD ’04) and Lang (BSFR’05, MS ’08) for Forisk Consulting, Barrs(MFR ’02) for PharmD on Demand, andJohns (BSFR ’78) for Professional Land& Timber Services.

e public, including UGA alumni andfriends, is invited to celebrate the Bulldog100 honorees at the Atlanta MarriottMarquis on February 7. e evening willbegin with a reception, followed by dinnerand the awards ceremony.

e awards ceremony will feature akeynote address by Hala Moddelmog, thefirst female president and CEO of the At-lanta Metro Chamber. Moddelmog grad-

uated from UGA in 1981 with a Masterof Arts from the Grady College of Jour-nalism and Mass Communication. Priorto joining the Atlanta Metro Chamber,Moddelmog was president of Arby’sRestaurant Group, Susan G. Komen forthe Cure, and Church’s Chicken.

Following her remarks, members ofthe Student Alumni Council will lead thehighlight of the evening-the release of thefinal rankings and countdown of the 2015Bulldog 100.

“Each year, the caliber of the Bulldog100 businesses illustrates the importantrole that UGA graduates play in theircommunities’ economic growth,” saidMeredith Gurley Johnson, UGA’s execu-tive director of alumni relations. “On

campus, important work is being done toprepare students to become leading entre-preneurs. During the annual Bulldog 100Celebration, I am proud to see the resultsof that rigorous academic environment.”

Mendell and Barrs are previous Bull-dog 100 honorees. ey were part of agroup of three Warnell alums who madethe 2014 Bulldog 100 list: Greg Hitson(BSFR ’94) of Hitson Land and TimberManagement Inc., Barrs for PharmD onDemand Inc., and Mendell for ForiskConsulting.

To review the alphabetical list of hon-orees and to learn more about the Bulldog100, including sponsorship opportunities,see www.alumni.uga. edu/b100. v

Five Warnell Alums make 2015 Bulldog 100 list

for their fast-growing businessesBy Sandi Martin | Public Relations Coordinator | Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources


e Society of American Foresters (SAF)recently selected Tim Lowrimore, senioraccount executive, Davis-Garvin Agency,as a 2014 Fellow for his outstanding con-tributions and service to SAF and theforestry profession.

e SAF Fellow recognition is thehighest honor for members of the Society.e honor recognizes a member who hasexemplified extraordinary service and sus-tained leadership for the advancement ofthe forestry profession.

Earlier in his career, Tim was Re-source Development Manager at Ray-onier and was Director of Forest Policy atthe Georgia Forestry Association. In2008, the Georgia Forestry Associationpresented him an award in recognition foroutstanding service, unwavering dedica-

tion, and exemplary leadership in the de-velopment of the Association’s Young Pro-fessionals group.

He also worked with the GeorgiaForestry Commission and was an exem-plary advocate for forestry and the sus-tainable management of the resource. eGeorgia Forestry Commission recognizedhim in 2001 and 2003 with an Outstand-ing Service Award for the forest manage-ment expertise that he provided to forestlandowners.

Lowrimore’s SAF leadership accom-plishments during his 17 years of mem-bership include involvement at thenational, regional, state, and chapter lev-els. He is currently the Southeastern SAFChair and is actively managing and partic-ipating in the planning for the 2015 An-

nual Meeting.In 2013, he served as SESAF Chair-

elect and Awards Committee Chair. Heserved as Georgia Division Chair in 2009and implemented a joint annual meetingwith the Association of ConsultingForesters Georgia Chapter. is jointmeeting and partnership still exists today.He also assisted with fundraising efforts forthe Billy Lancaster Forestry Youth Camphosted by the Georgia Division SAF.

Lowrimore also served as a memberof the Georgia Division Annual MeetingPlanning Committee in 2010, the SESAFAnnual Meeting Planning Committee in2006, and was Ocmulgee Chapter Chairin 2005. v

NEWSTimothy M. Lowrimore selected 2014 SAF Fellow

At the annual Georgia Division of theSociety of American Foresters meeting,Sharon Dolliver was inducted into theGeorgia Forester’s Hall of Fame (HOF).The HOF recognizes Georgia foresterswho have had exemplary careers, faithfulservice to the Society of AmericanForesters, and made major impacts onthe forestry profession. It is awardedthrough the Georgia Division of the So-ciety of American Foresters. The HOFwas created in the 1960s. During the firstdecade or so, most of the inductees wereforesters from the early part of the 20thcentury. Many of those awards weregiven posthumously.

is is the highest honor one can at-tain for a Georgia SAF forester. Since theinception of the award, only 70 forestershave been inducted into the Hall of Fame.Dolliver’s plaque will hang with other in-ductees in the Hall of Fame at the WarnellSchool of Forestry and Natural Resourcesin Athens. e hallway travels betweenBuilding One and the reception area justoutside the Dean’s Office. It is one of themost heavily trafficked areas at Warnell.

e release from the Society of Amer-ican Foresters reads as follows: “Recog-nized for leadership in helping to foundthe Billy Lancaster Forestry Youth Camp,Georgia Urban Forest Council, and Geor-

gia Project Learning Tree Program.Served as member and chair of the Geor-gia State Board of Registration and mem-ber of the Warnell Alumni Association.Society of American Foresters membersince 1976 serving in leadership positionsat National, Southeastern, Division, andChapter levels. Elected SAF Fellow in2007. Recipient of American Forests’ Na-tional Urban Forestry Medal, NationalPLT Gold Star Award, Georgia WildlifeFederation’s Educator of the Year Award,and the Southeastern SAF Public Educa-tion and Technology Award.”v

Sharon Dolliver inducted into Georgia Forester’s Hall of Fame


GEORGIA FORESTRY TODAY DIRECTORY OF PRODUCTS & SERVICES

http://www.flintequipco.com/


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

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

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

in Georgia and the South

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601 North Belair Square, Suite 21

Evans, Georgia 30809

Phone: (800) 833-8178

E-mail: [email protected]

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128 Beach Timber RoadAlma, Ga 31510

Office: (912) 632-2800

Gary Strickland Owner

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We Buy [email protected]

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

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georgia forestry today jan/feb 2015

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