sc tree farm newsletter issue two 2019

SC Tree FarmSC Tree FarmISSUE TWO 2019ISSUE TWO 2019

NEWSNEWS

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGETOURS & EVENTS

COMMITTEE

directory 2019

INSPECTOR NOTES:

Training

Requirements

ISSUE TWO 2019/SC Tree Farm News/

CHAIRMAN’Sby Wa l l ace B . Wood

G r e e t i n g s !The South Carolina Tree Farm program

is on the move and is recognized as one of the top in the nation! Since the last news-letter, much has taken place, and I want to share some of our accomplishments and plans. As I pointed out in my last column, we have great committee chairpersons, volunteers and staff . Please let me share some of our activities. Since South Carolina has moved from a recognition only program to one certifying its woodlands as being sustainable, the SC Tree Farm Program has 638 members with 417,896 acres. To be fully certifi ed members have to pay their dues and obtain manage-ment plans that meet the American Tree Farm System Standards. We have approxi-mately 158 of our members not fully certi-fi ed. Most of them are not certifi ed because they do not have a management plan. Our Membership Committee, led by Dr. George Kessler, has agonized over how to get plans done. With the assistance of donations from forest industry, we are now able to off er a stipend of 50 percent of the cost of a management plan up to $500. This is available to Pioneer and decerti-

fi ed members needing plans that have 100 acres or more. By the time you read this, you should have received information and the application for the stipend if you qualify. On another front to help with manage-ment plans, the American Forest Founda-tion is working on a Landscape Manage-ment Plan template that foresters can use to expedite completion of a plan. The South Carolina Forestry Commission is assisting AFF in the development of the template for our state. It should be completed this sum-mer and will be available to foresters. The SCFC will off er training sessions on using the template. Hopefully this will reduce the time and expense involved in doing a plan.Fundraising Committee is chaired by Tom Brant. He is requesting items for the Silent Auction that will be held during the For-estry Association’s Annual Meeting at Wild Dunes Resort at the Isle of Palms Nov. 6 – 8. This is our primary fund raising event, and we need your help. If you have items to donate, please contact Tom at [email protected] or 864-852-2121, ext 115.Tour Committee is led by Anneta Pritchard. A great event took place at the Fairfi eld County farm of Pat Dorn on May 16. Mr. Dorn started investing in timberland many years ago, and he is harvesting the fruits of his wisdom. The annual Tree Farm Field Tour and Awards Ceremony will be at Dr. Knowlton Johnson’s farm in Chesterfi eld County on Oct. 3. Dr. Johnson calls his farm John-son’s Experimental Forest because he likes to try diff erent management practices. Come and see the results of his trials.Publicity Committee is headed up by Bob

Franklin. They conducted a very success-ful Legislative Day in March. Many of our Tree Farmers participated and had an op-portunity to meet with their legislators at the Capitol to make them aware of issues that are of interest to landowners. Priorities at the state level are: support maintaining the current system of taxation of agricul-tural and forest lands based on use value instead of fair market value; addressing the log truck liability insurance crisis and lack of CDL drivers; opposing costly or bur-densome regulations of dams and ponds; opposing private companies having emi-nent domain authority without appropriate state approval; supporting funding for the Conservation Bank; promoting the use of wood in public buildings; increased truck weight limits; support funding for fi refi ght-ing equipment and other programs benefi t-ing the forest industry at the SC Forestry Commission; funding for forestry programs at Clemson University and support for the Commissioner of Agriculture’s agribusiness initiative advancing the forest industry.Publicity Committee is studying ways to reach young landowners. This is a concern of foresters and other natural resource pro-fessionals. Look around a room at a for-estry meeting. The lack of young people is troubling. One possibility being explored is the use of podcasts highlighting interviews with successful Tree Farmers.Awards Committee is chaired by Russell Hubright. They have the privilege of honor-ing members of our group that do outstand-ing work. Instead of recognizing district tree farm winners this year, the focus will be

message

District Chairs. In addition to our commit-tee chairs and members, there are many others that volunteer to make Tree Farm successful. We have twelve district chairs in the state that take care of Tree Farm needs in their districts. You can fi nd them listed is this newsletter.Treasurer Warren Duncan keeps an account of our fi nances. Keeping up with the money is most important!Offi cers and Board. These folks are a dedicated group and meet quarterly to con-duct business and discuss items of interest to Tree Farmers. The advisory committee joins us to assist. Forestry Association Staff . All volun-teer work is accomplished with the help of the staff of the Forestry Association of South Carolina: Guy Sabin is our Tree Farm Administrator; FASC President & CEO Cam Crawford greatly assists with legislative issues, our annual Tree Farm Legislative Day, and much more; Fran-ces Taylor is our publication/newsletter/communications guru; Emily Oakman does education and outreach; and Julie Leary helps with fi nancial records. As you can see there are many people who make Tree Farm work. And we are actively trying to serve our members. If you have suggestions, questions or would like to volunteer to assist, please contact us.

Wallace Wood can be contacted at 864/333-2393 (home/offi ce), 864/993-5012 (C), or [email protected]. Wallace Wood was 2011 SC Tree Farmer of the Year.


SC Tree Farm is pleased to announce a new program to support landowners with forest management planning and certifi ca-tion. This program will provide Pioneer Tree Farmers with a 50% match up to $500 to-wards the cost of a Tree Farm management plan once the property is fully certifi ed. Also, for Inspectors the online refresher training has been extended through March 2020 when a revised Tree Farm Standard is expected. This is a great opportunity to restore your Active Inspector status! Your SC Tree Farm Committee has been hard at work to continually support and strengthen the Tree Farm Program!

Guy R. SabinSC Tree Farm’s State Administrator

[email protected], 803/798-4170

Welcome to this issue of SC Tree Farm NEWS -- a publication of the South Carolina Tree Farm Committee. It pro-vides a vibrant reflection of the myriad aspects of SC Tree Farming. Am so proud of the great work of our Tree Farmers and Committee. Thank you all!

Frances L. Taylor, Forestry Association Communications Director & FASC Tree

Farm Committee representative803/798-4170 or [email protected]

Guy R Sabin

editor’s note

state Tree Farmadministrator’s

comments

on recognizing Tree Farms that have been in the Tree Farm System for 50 or more years. Over the years some of our Tree Farm records have been lost, and we may not have an accurate account of these. If your land has been in the program for 50 or more years, and you have not been notifi ed or recognized, please let us know.Education and Outreach Committee is chaired by Janet Steele. Tree Farm was a co-sponsor of the “Growing Our Future” work-shop held May 8 at T & S Farm in Lexington County with 240 attending. Ryan Bean with Clemson University Extension Service coordi-nated this event. It continues to be one of the top forestry meetings in the state. A tour was held on the property of Mac Rhodes with 34 attending in Hampton County. A Project Learning Tree workshop for land-owners and foresters is scheduled for August 22, and some school groups will visit the McKinney’s Tree Farm in Laurens County. The Sustainable Forestry Teachers’ Tour included Randell Ewing’s property in Dar-lington County on June 18. Randell Ewing was 1998 SC Tree Farmer of the Year. Plans are being made for the Nov. 6 landown-er program which will be held on opening day of the Forestry Association’s Annual Meeting. Long range plans include a tour at Bill Moody’s farm in Lexington County in 2020.Inspections Committee is chaired by Ken Leach. He keeps our volunteer inspec-tors trained and equipped. To date 21 of 38 required inspections for 2019 have been completed. An inspector training is being considered for the fall. More information on inspections is elsewhere in the newsletter.

Photo: FASC’s Frances Taylor

The SC Tree Farm Field Tour was held May 16 at the Richland County Tree Farm of W. Patrick Dorn, Jr. -- 2017 SC Tree Farmer of the Year. Dorn served as 2003 Forestry As-sociation Chairman and was 2000 Chairman of Richland Co. Forestry Association. Special thanks to the Dorn family and SC Tree Farm Committee for hosting such a great tour. Tree Farm Committee Chairman Wallace Wood delivered welcome remarks and also thanked Field Tour Chair Anneta Pritchard and all the other individuals who contributed to the tour’s success. Here are snapshots taken by Frances Taylor, the Forestry Association’s Com-munications Director.

Dorn/SC Tree Farm Tour Held

Pat Dorn

Mike Meetze, 2013 SC Tree Farmer of the Year

Jimmy Sanders, 2014 SC Tree Farmer of the Year Dr. Knowlton Johnson, 2018 SC Tree Farmer of the YearMadison Graham, SC Forestry Commission

Jimmie Campbell, center, and friends

Bob FranklinKen Leach

Pat Dorn with Sam Coker Charles & Betsy McKinney, 2016 SC Tree Farmers of the YearRonald Boozer

Phillip Martin

Left: Gayle Bell converses with a friend


Joe Hamilton and wife Blanche recently host-ed a tour of their Tree Farm property to youths from Saints Center Ministries Church, Walter-boro, SC. They partnered with the Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation and two Certifi ed Foresters to demonstrate fundamentals in de-veloping a tree farm. The tour also included pol-linator habitat. Hamilton is a former District Tree Farmer of the Year, a member of the Forestry Association of SC, and has been a participant in the Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation’s Sustainable Forestry and Land Retention pro-gram for almost a decade. The Hamilton Tree Farm will be highlighted in an upcoming docu-mentary by Chuck Leavell on America’s Forests. [Photo supplied by Joe Hamilton and the Center.]

Hamilton Tree Farm Tour Held

Jane Dorn

Bill MoodyDennis Hiltner

Linda HiltnerAnneta Pritchard Left: Eddie Drayton, 2008 SC Tree Farmer of the Year

Wallace Wood, 2011 SC Tree Farmer of the Year

Left: Walt McPhail, 2012 National Tree Farmer of the Year

Scott Phillips, State Forester, SC Forestry CommissionRight: John Smith and other attendees listen to Pat Dorn

Left: Cam Crawford, Forestry Association President & CEO

Right: Bill Robinson chats with friends

Judy BarefootTom Patton, Forestry CommissionEmily Oakman, Forestry Assoc.

Ed EzekielAn attendee chats with speaker Dr. Andrew A. White

The Nature Conservancy in South Carolina is celebrating its 50th anniver-sary by sponsoring events throughout the state. The Celebration at Cedarleaf Farm held June 1 included a nature walk and historic house tour. Joanna Angle and Dr. W. D. Altman, 2012 SC Tree Farmers of the Year, hosted the 65 attendees. They divided the nature walk into three groups, each led by a Clem-son Master Naturalist or a SC Native Plant Society offi cer. Cedarleaf Farm features a nature trail, pollinator plot, a spring fed pond, native warm season grasses, and unique Tree Farm. Joanna led tours of the historic James Phinney House -- listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016 -- which included discussions of Greek Revival architecture, construction methods used in the 1850's in South Carolina when the house was built, and the four families who lived in the house prior to Joanna's purchase of it in 1982. Historic and prehistoric artifacts found on the farm and a gallery of family art were also included. PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: “Professional pho-tographer and fi lm maker David Ramage has a gallery -- entitled Nature Conservancy 50th Anniversary Cedarleaf Farm -- on his web-site that includes photos that he and his wife, Corrine, took at the event,” says Dr. Altman. Photos on this page are from their work.

Joanna Angle

Dr. Bill Altman

Touring Ceda r l e a f Farm


Tour Conducted On Flowing Well Tree Farm

A May 11 tour of Flowing Well Tree Farm in Hampton Co. was attended by 33 landowners. The property is being converted back to long-leaf pine after decades of management for agri-cultural production and loblolly pine timber. Tour topics included: site prep and longleaf planting, prescribed burning, pine straw production, removal of natural loblolly pine regeneration, and wildlife management. W. McLeod “Mac” Rhodes, 2017 Forestry Association of SC, and foresters Alex Chewning and John William Cordray were tour hosts and speakers, as was Bob Franklin, Joe Gallagher, and Dan Peeples. -- Photos supplied by Janet Steele.

Pam and Jim PorterJim and Pam Porter are devoted Timber-land owners in the Coastal South Carolina Low Country. They own two American Tree Farm Certifi ed parcels totaling 3,200 acres in southern Jasper County, Bailey Mill Plan-tation and Loblolly Farm. They chose the land for its high site quality for southern pine with the best soils and climate for growing pine in the United States. Practicing inten-sive silviculture, sustainable forestry and quality wildlife habitat development fi ts their conservation orientation and low country plantation lifestyle. Their whole family, three kids and seven grandchildren all take an ac-tive interest in the land. Family forest owners are key to protect-ing our air, water and wildlife. Most of the United States forests are privately owned. Approximately 282 million acres of timber forests are owned by 22 million private owners. Therefore, private forest owners, are key to protecting and managing Ameri-can forests. The Porter family is highly committed to these values. Son Seth is the full-time Land Manager and Wildlife Conservationist on staff work-ing on property every day. He is skilled at all the land and equipment maintenance, bush hogging, prescribed burning, su-pervising wildlife feeding, and monitoring herds of deer, wild turkey fl ocks, and other wildlife. Reporting is done to SCDNR to as-sist the state in recording wildlife activity. He is also certifi ed in prescribed burning

and works alongside local foresters with Wise Batten and Associates who help im-prove and execute the management plan. The owners -- a husband and wife team -- are committed to sustainable multi-use forest management. Jim, the CEO and Chief Forester is a 40-year veteran in the forest products industry and received the Society of American Foresters Certifi ed Forester credentials. He is also on the Board of Directors of the American Forest Foundation, The Forest History Society and active in the Low Country Land Trust. He began his career in forestry in the Pa-cifi c Northwest in 1974. Working in the pa-per and packaging business through today growing with one of the largest forest prod-ucts companies in the world, WestRock. He has the background and knowledge to be an eff ective private land management professional along with other experts that

they hire to help implement the best forest management practices possible. “Our family is all very excited to be in-volved in the recreational activities,” he says. “We let each of our seven grandchil-dren name a road in the plantation. They all look forward to spending more time on the property.” The wife partner, Pam, is new to forestry but is all in! She serves on the Board of the Port Royal Sound Foundation, Board of the Forestry Association of South Carolina, and Tree Farm Certifi cation Committee of the American Forest Foundation. The primary objective on Bailey Mill plan-tation is to apply the most advanced sci-ence based silvicultural practices to create an educational, recreational, and profi table forest environment. White-tailed deer, east-ern wild turkey, dove, and bob-white quail hunting would be a close secondary ob-jective. Care will be taken during a timber harvest to ensure that wildlife habitat is en-hanced and not harmed while carrying out these objectives. This will be accomplished by following the South Carolina Best Man-agement Practices to perform all forest ac-tivities. Agricultural fi elds will be left for tract diversity, aesthetics and wildlife habitat. The Porter family is devoted to being a model private forest landowner and both learning and helping others to learn about conserving the beautiful habitat and low country out-of-doors lifestyle.


Profi le: Pam & Jim Porter And Their Tree Farm

Name/TreeFarm County Year Certified

Dennis Bauknight Pickens 1967

C.H. Belser Fairfi eld 1965

Wallace W. Boyd Laurens 1955

Sabritt D. Cathcart Fairfi eld 1968

Colonial Properties Williamsburg 1961

Colvin Family Partnership Berkeley 1969

Crescent Land & Timber Chester 1950

CTS LLC; Ned Carlisle Inc. Newberry 1960

B. F. Edmonds McCormick 1962

C.W. Hall Fairfi eld 1965

A. Highground Pickens 1969

Jones Trust Orangeburg 1964

Chester M. Kearse Bamberg 1961

James L. Littlejohn Union 1960

John W. Little Oconee 1962

George M. Oxner Newberry 1966

RBMW, Inc. Orangeburg 1960

Sarah C. Rice Marlboro 1954

Watson Family Limited Partnership Orangeburg 1948

Watson Family Limited Partnership Bamberg 1967

Frank Wideman Greenwood ND

Saluting Golden Tree Farms – 50 Years of Tree Farming

-- 2010 South Carolina Tree Farmer of the Year

-- 2012 District 4 Tree Farmer of the Year

The following Tree Farms were initially certifi ed more than 50 years ago and are still certifi ed today. Congratulations and thanks to these Tree Farmers. “Over the decades some data on legacy Tree Farms has been lost, es-pecially when a Tree Farm passed from one generation to another and may have been assigned a new Tree Farm number,” says Guy Sabin, SC Tree Farm Administrator. “Please let me know if you own or know of any Tree Farms that were enrolled more than 50 years ago that are not on this list so you can be appropriately recognized.”


The Upper Savannah Land Trust has hon-ored Wallace Wood with the Peggy Adams Conservation Award. He has served as the Land Trust’s Executive Direc-tor since 2010 and made out-standing contributions to the Trust’s mission of conserving natural and scenic lands and unique areas of South Caro-lina’s western Piedmont. Wallace Wood was also the 2011 SC Tree Farmer of the Year.

Wood Honored For Service

do you have Problems With Litter Or Illegal Dumping?By: Wallace Wood Several of our Tree Farmers have ex-pressed concern about litter and illegal dumping on or near their property. In re-sponse to interest shown, we asked Sarah Lyles with PalmettoPride and Steve Ward, a law enforcement offi cer with the SCFC at Manchester State Forest, to give us an update on the litter situation from a state level perspective. Steve is also president of the SC Litter Control Association. They presented at our last Board and full com-mittee meeting June 5. Mr. Ward gave an update on changes in litter laws in the state which will make them more enforceable and problems he faces with illegal dumping on Manchester Forest. According to Steve, litter control begins at the local level. If you have a problem, report

it to local law enforcement agencies. Ms. Lyles is executive director of Pal-mettoPride which has responsibility for the Adopt-A-Highway program, litter edu-cation, grants and other litter control pro-grams in the state. Ms. Lyles asked that our Tree Farmers please report illegal dump sites. Tracking these sites will help with research and development of litter re-duction and future program needs. They need to know location, whether it is on pri-vate property or public property, and esti-mated size of dump site (small: a pickup truck full), medium: 10 Yard Dumpster, or large: 40-yard Dumpster. To report an illegal dumpsite, email Scott Morgan at [email protected]. For all questions or concerns, please

contact Sarah Lyles at PalmettoPride, 803-758-6034 or [email protected]. Is litter an issue that you would like for Tree Farm to work on? Contact: Wallace Wood at [email protected]

THE LITTER LAB PROJECT: SC Tree Farm Committee member Ken Leach, recent-ly teamed up with Emily C. Oakman, FASC’s Director of Landowner Outreach, Forestry Ed-ucation and Programs, and Lander University students to clean up a few major roads, and collect data on litter accumulation. “This eff ort will hopefully provide the Lander students with more knowledge of both the SC Tree Farm and Forestry Foundation, and give us quan-tifi able information that we can potentially use to infl uence changes,” Oakman says.

The SC Sustainable Forestry Teachers’ Tour program on June 18 included a tour of Randell C. Ewing’s Indi-an Summer Tree Farm. He’s a former Forestry Associa-tion Board member and 1998 SC Tree Farmer of the Year.

Ewing Tree Farm visited during Teachers’ Tour

A SC Project Learning Tree workshop for natural resource professionals/informal educators will be held Aug. 22, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., at Harbison State Forest, Columbia, SC. If you’re a forester, work at a nature center or any other capacity where you interact with children in grades PreK-8, this workshop is for you. Contact: Matt Schnabel at 803/896-8892 or [email protected].


story of trees and shrubs and a lush, diverse understory of grasses and succulent broadleaved plants and le-gumes. When Europeans arrived, they quickly adopted the Native American practice of burning the woods, primar-ily to clear land and improve forage for their livestock. Years later, as the profession of forestry took root, fi res were thought to be harmful to the re-establishment of forests, so all burn-ing was discouraged. Today we know better, but not before years of fi re suppression helped reduce the long-leaf pine ecosystem to less than three million acres. Many landowners are using fi re in pine forests in an attempt to mimic that pine-grassland habitat that was once so common. In using fi re, they have learned that it is one of the most cost-eff ective methods of controlling the invasion of hardwood brush into pine forests. Regular use of prescribed fi re is also one of the least expensive methods of managing wildlife habitat. In fact, regular use of prescribed fi re for both of the above-mentioned ob-jectives can also have the benefi t of reducing fuels that can feed a wildfi re, improves aesthetics and perpetuates fi re-dependent species ranging from bobwhite quail to pitcher plants. In spite of all the benefi ts of pre-scribed fi re in forestry and wildlife management, care has to be taken

in its application. It’s not so much the fi re as it is the smoke. Prescribed fi re set under the wrong climatic condi-tions can produce smoke in the wrong places – on a busy highway, airport or near a hospital. All of which can have tragic consequences if the smoke triggers an accident or adverse medi-cal reaction. All landowners and managers who use prescribed fi re should take seri-ously the responsibility of being a careful steward of the practice. Follow smoke management guidelines and stay on top of the latest developments in the fi eld of prescribed fi re. If you are a user of prescribed fi re, make plans to become a Certifi ed Prescribed Fire Manager by taking the course off ered annually by the South Carolina For-estry Commission. In addition, join the South Carolina Prescribed Fire Council, a group organized to pro-mote the wise use of prescribed fi re in the state. If you’d like to learn more about pre-scribed burning, contact your local offi ce of the South Carolina Forestry Commission, Clemson Extension Service or contact the South Caro-lina Prescribed Fire Council at: http://scpfc.weebly.com

Prepared by: Bob Franklin, SoLoACE Longleaf Partnership, The Longleaf Alli-ance, [email protected] 843/893-7775.

This photo of a prescribed fi re in Bamberg County was taken by Bob Franklin.

By: Bob Franklin, SoLoACE Longleaf Partnership, The Longleaf Alliance

Prescribed fi re has been described as the art and science of using fi re under specifi c conditions on a given area to meet desired management objectives. Prescribed fi re is commonly used for: (1) reducing buildups of hazardous fuels; (2) controlling competing vege-tation; (3) getting rid of leftover logging debris; (4) improving wildlife habitat; (5) improving forage for grazing live-stock; (6) enhancing the appearance of woodlands; (7) improving access; (8) maintaining and enhancing habi-tat for fi re-dependent species and (9) controlling insects and diseases. Periodic, naturally occurring fi res were once common throughout the South. For tens of thousands of years, these fi res were set by lightning. Lat-er, when Native Americans arrived in the region, they began burning off the woods to drive game, clear land for agriculture and to open up the woods around their villages. These natural and human-caused fi res resulted in the dominance of the longleaf pine ecosystem over 70-92 million acres of land in the region. Under the infl uence of fi re, longleaf pine forests developed an open, park-like expanse that featured pines scat-tered in the overstory, little or no mid-


SC Tree Farm SC Tree Farm

FIELD TOURFIELD TOUR

& Awards Ceremony& Awards Ceremony

1 0 . 3 . 2 0 1 92 0 1 9at Johnson Experimental Forestwith Dr. Knowlton W. Johnson

Make Plans to join us. Invitation & details will be released soon

FORESTRY AssociationSTANDS UP FOR

RURAL LANDOWNERS

on theDAM ISSUE

“The Forestry Association of SC [FASC] is standing up for its landowner members against environmental extremists who are aggressively pushing the state to regulate every dam in South Carolina -- including the 1,600 low hazard dams which pose no threat to public safety,” says FASC President & CEO Cam Crawford. FASC worked with Reps. Davey Hiott and Mike Burns in requesting an Attorney Gen-eral’s opinion regarding the DHEC Dam Safety Program to insure the Joint Resolution passed last year is the governing authority. On May 15, the Attorney General’s offi ce released an opinion stating that Joint Reso-lution, 2018 of Act 272 “continues to be binding and controlling authority for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Dam Safety and Reservoirs Program”. Actual language of the Joint Resolution: “The General Assembly hereby directs the Department of Health and Environmental Control to focus the resources of the depart-ment’s Dams and Reservoirs Safety Program on regulating the state’s high and signifi -cant hazard dams only and reclassifying dams when the failure or improper operation of a dam will likely result in loss of human life.” According to the Attorney General’s offi ce this is the binding and controlling authority for the DHEC Dam Safety Program. “We hope this opinion will provide the proper guidance to DHEC going forward while also providing stability and protection for rural dam owners from unnecessary reclas-sifi cations especially those owning low hazard dams, some of which are used for fi re protection,” Crawford added.

Southern pine beetle (SPB) is one of the most destructive insects to southern yellow pine. The SC Forestry Commis-sion has conducted annual spring phero-mone trapping since 1986 to monitor SPB populations and predict damage they may cause in the upcoming season. Traps were deployed in 32 counties in 2019. Based on data from these traps we pre-dict moderate SPB activity in Edgefi eld and McCormick Counties, with potential for SPB activity in Anderson, Oconee and Pickens Counties. The remainder of the state is predicted to have little noteworthy SPB activity, but we expect activity to in-crease in coming years.

Although current SPB populations are comparatively low, we encourage forest-ers and forest landowners to manage for regulated forests by evenly distributing their pine acreage among age classes, thin on a timely basis, and consider har-vesting at-risk stands sooner. When re-generating pine stands, it’s important to plant the correct species and density for the site, control natural pine regeneration or have a plan in place to address it; and consider available wood markets or lack thereof. The SPB Cost Share Program has funds available for regenerating pine stands at lower densities and pre-com-mercial thinning young, over-dense pine stands. This program is more suitable for areas outside of healthy pulpwood mar-kets which is where we’ve suff ered the most loss to SPB. To apply, contact your county’s SCFC Project Forester. -- David Jenkins, SCFC Entomologist/Forest Health Specialist

Southern Pine Beetle: Pheromone Trapping 2019

Items are needed for the SC Tree Farm Committee’s Silent Auction which will be held during the For-estry Association’s Annual Meet-ing at Wild Dunes Resort at the Isle of Palms on Nov. 6-7. Con-tact Tom Brant at [email protected] or 864/852-2121, ext 115..

visit our website for more information about our Tree Farm

Program -- https://www.sctreefarm.org

Silent Auction Items Needed

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooouthern P

By: Guy Sabin, SC Tree Farm’s State Administrator

Since becoming a certifi cation program, Tree Farm has grown more rigorous and greater attention is needed to show how the Standards are being met when completing an inspec-tion. Doing a good Inspection is more than just meeting the certifi cation requirements, it also provides guidance and affi r-mation for your Tree Farmer that they really are leaving the land better than they found it. This column provides tips and sug-gestions for Tree Farm Inspectors. Being a Tree Farm Inspector carries a signifi cant responsi-bility to ensure Tree Farmers meet the Standards for certifi ca-tion. The Inspector’s determination on the 004 Form provides the decision that a landowner is certifi ed and can receive the Tree Farm sign. Becoming an Inspector requires special train-ing and maintaining active status requires ongoing involvement or continuing education. All Inspectors must meet the national eligibility requirements and complete a four-hour training course. To be eligible, you should have a four-year or two-year forestry degree or higher, or meet a comparable level of minimum educational require-ments. The Inspector Training class covers application of the Tree Farm Standards, how to complete an inspection, and pro-gram administration. It is not required to be a SC Registered Forester to be an Inspector, though in most cases you must be a Registered Forester in order to provide professional forestry services to private landowners. Completing these requirements will qualify an Inspector for two years, and there are a couple of options to extend that ex-piration date. First, conducting a Tree Farm Inspection will ex-tend the expiration by an additional two years from the date of the inspection. Completing online refresher training is the sec-ond option, which will also extend your expiration by two years. However, once Inspector qualifi cation is allowed to lapse it can normally only be regained by repeating the four-hour training

class. Currently an exception is in place because we are near the release date of a revised Tree Farm Standard. Inspector qualifi cation will never extend beyond the current Tree Farm Standard which is updated every fi ve years. We are currently operating under the 2015-2020 Tree Farm Standard with revisions expected as soon as March, 2020. All current Tree Farm Inspectors are due to expire no later than March 15, 2020. Depending on the degree of changes in the upcoming 2020-2025 Tree Farm Standard the American Tree Farm Sys-tem will determine the level of additional training needed, if any. This change may also result in the need for new 004 Inspec-tion forms, changes in the national database, and possibly even new addenda to existing Tree Farm management plans. Once the new Standard is released we will also learn whether new classroom training, additional online training, or other options will be needed to maintain Inspector qualifi cation. Meanwhile, since we are approaching a transition period for the Standards, ATFS has extended availability of the online refresher training for any Inspector who has been previously trained to the 2015-2020 Standard. Any Inspectors who have expired in the last few years are encouraged to complete the online training to reinstate their qualifi cation. Completing the online training now will make for an easier transition to the new Standard. The online refresher training is available at www.atfsdata-base.org. Please contact Guy Sabin if you have forgotten your username or password or are having trouble accessing the training. New Inspectors should also contact Sabin if you are interested in an upcoming classroom training. We appreciate our SC Tree Farm Inspectors and their es-sential role in maintaining the quality and credibility of the Tree Farm program!

Guy Sabin can be reached at 803/798-4170 (O) or by emailing [email protected].


INSPECTOR NOTES:

Inspector Training Requirements

Name _________________________________________Contact Person_______________________________________________

Address ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

City _________________________________________________________________ State___________ Zip__________________

Home Phone____________________________ Work Phone_________________________ Cell Phone ______________________

County that Tree Farm is located in________________________________________________________________________ (Print) Email Address____________________________________________________________

Membership Categories: Individual Family Unit - Husband/Wife/Children Business or Organization

I would like to join the South Carolina Tree Farm Grassroots Advocacy Group on forestry issues Yes No

Do you have a Tree Farm management plan? Yes No Date plan was prepared and/or updated_____________________

Number of forested acres______________________

Do you have a Tree Farm number? Yes No If yes, please provide your Tree Farm number_________________________

Do you have a forester you consult? Yes No

Forester’s Name and Company___________________________________________________________________________________

Payment Total amount submitted_______________________________________Check (payable to SC Tree Farm Program)Credit Card: Visa MasterCard Other_____________________________________Card #____________________________________________________ Exp._______________Security Code_____________________Name (as it appears on card)_______________________________________________Billing Zip Code________________________

Ask your fellow woodland owners to join! Additional forms are avail-able from [email protected] or call Guy Sabin at 803/798-4170.

FT--InDesign 6-13-2019

JOINthe South Carolina

TREE FARMPROGRAM

A P P L I C A T I O N

Acres Dues Amount

10-100 $60 101-200 $70 201-400 $80 401-600 $100 601-800 $120 801-1000 $140 1001-1200 $160 1201-1400 $180 1401-1600 $200 1601-2000 $220 2001-3000 $260 3001 + $350

New TREE FARM DUES

1110-0-0 101010000 $6$6$6000111010101-2-22000000 $$$707070

444010101-6-6-6000000 $$$101010000222010101-4-44000000 $$$808080

666010101-888000000 $$$121212000888010101-1-11000000000 $1$1$14040401110000001-1-1-121212000000 $$$1616160001112020201-1-1 141414000000 $$$1818180001114040401-1-1 161616000000 $$$2020200001116060601-1-1-202020000000 $$$2222220002220000001-1-1 303030000000 $$$262626000333000000111 ++ $3$3$3505050

Send completed form and payment to: South Carolina Tree Farm ATTN: Guy Sabin/State Administrator4901 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29212


BOARD Chairman Wallace B. Wood, Jr. [2019-2020]

2011 SC Tree Farmer Of The YearPineview Farm, 452 Price’s Mill Rd.

Plum Branch, SC 29845864/333-2393 (O), 864/993-5012 (C)

[email protected]

Past Chairman Scott Phillips [2019-2021]Sec./Treas. [2015-16], Member [2015-12/31/19]

SC State Forester/Forestry Commission Rep.P O Box 21707, Columbia, SC 29221803/896-8801 (O), 803/667-1067 (C)

[email protected]

Vice Chairman Mike Meetze [2019-2021]2013 SC Tree Farmer Of The Year

Tree Farmer [2017-2020] Member [2015-12/31/19]458 Piester Rd., Newberry, SC 29108

803/276-2696 or [email protected]

Secretary/Treasurer & District 10 ChairWarren Duncan [2017-2019]

Sec./Treas. [2017-2020] Member [2015-12/31/19]Milliken Forestry, 245 Stoneridge Dr.

Columbia SC, 29210803/788-0590, 803/[email protected]

Tree Farmer Jimmy C. Sanders [2019]2014 SC Tree Farmer Of The Year

Tree Farmer [2015-2020]; Member [2015-12/31/19]101 Quail Run Court, Greenwood, SC 29646

864/993-4421 (C), [email protected]

Tree Farm Inspector Ken LeachTree Farm Inspector [2017-’20] Member [2015-12/31/19]Inspections Chair

Paradise Land Co., LLC507 Pembroke Road, Greenwood, SC 29646

864/993-4978, [email protected]

At Large Gary HermannMember [2017-2021]District 12 Chair

Bobcat Forestry442 Dandridge Rd., Walterboro, SC 29488

843/893-7426 (C)[email protected]

______________________________________State Program Administrator Guy Sabin

SC Tree Farm, 4901 Broad River Road Columbia, SC 29212

803/798-4170 (O), [email protected] Services Julie Leary803/798-4170 (O), [email protected]______________________________________

ADVISORY COMMITTEEDistrict 1 Chair J. Kirk Weyman

Chairman [2016-17], Member [2015-12/31/19] 404 Loblolly Drive, Anderson, SC 29625

864/226-8476 (H), 864/934-1393 (C)[email protected]

Outreach & Education ChairJanet Steele

Member [2017-12/31/22]Clemson Extension, 1550 Henley Street, Suite 200

Orangeburg, SC 29212803/534-6280 (O)

Publicity Chair Bob Franklin Chairman [2015-’16], Member [2015-12/31/19] 401 Ravenwood Road, Walterboro, SC 29488843/893-7775, [email protected]

Recognition Chair Russell Hubright Member [2015-12/31/19]

SC Forestry Commission RepresentativeP O Box 21707, Columbia, SC 29221803/896-8823, [email protected]

Tour Chair Anneta Pritchard Member [2018-12/31/22]SC Forestry Commission

353 Fire Tower Road, Orangeburg, SC 29118803/664-2029, [email protected]

ACF Rep. Kirk Bell Member [2015-12/31/19]

Richardson, Bell, McLeod, & Wetzel1073 Brookhaven Dr., Aiken, SC 29803803/648-4142 (O), 803/646-6468 (C)

[email protected]

Forestry Association of SC Rep. Frances L. Taylor

Member [2015-12/31/20]4901 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29212

803/798-4170 (O), [email protected]

SIC Rep. Michael WalkerMember [2016-12/31/19]

International Paper,4001 McCords Ferry Rd., Eastover, SC 29044

803/353-7678 (O), 843/359-4504 (C)[email protected]

David BourgeoisMember [2015-12/31/19]

Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation1535 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., Suite D

Charleston, SC 29407843/745-7055, [email protected]

William P. Cate2015 SC Tree Farmer Of The Year

Member [2016-12/31/20]2 Cooks Mountain Road, Eastover, SC 29044

803/261-9052 (C), 803/[email protected]

Pat Dorn2017 SC Tree Farmer Of The Year

Member [2018-12/31/23]1201 Bookman Loop, Winnsboro, SC 29180

803/767-1310 [email protected]

Edward R. Drayton2008 SC Tree Farmer Of The Year

Member [2015-12/31/19]Cattails Tree Farm, LLC

200 Westover Drive, Hartsville, SC 29550843/332-6123, [email protected]

District 2 Chair McCullough ArdreyMember [2017--12/31/21]

3315 S. Potter Road, Heath Springs, SC 29058803/804-1838

[email protected]

District 3 Chair Jeff RigginMember [2018--12/31/22]SC Forestry Commission

39 General Henderson Rd., Newberry, SC 29108803/276-0205, 803/230-0143 (C)

[email protected]

District 4 Chair Jim BrownMember [2017--12/31/2022]

Evergreen Packaging, 28026 US Hwy 76Kinards, SC 29355

864/[email protected]

District 5 Chair Steve McMillanMember [2015-12/31/19]

Southeastern Forestry, Inc.1303 Kathwood Drive, Columbia, SC 29206

803/413-2944 (C), 803/743-9695 (O)[email protected]

District 6 Chair Michael J. GrantMember [2015-12/31/19]

Forestry Consultant825 Mt. Valley Road, Blythewood, SC 29016


District 7 Chair David NagelMember [2015-12/31/19]

American Forest ManagementP O Box 240, Bennettsville, SC 29512843/454-0015 (O), 843/921-3607 (C)

[email protected]

District 8 Chair T. J. LyellMember [2018-12/31/22]

WestRock, 2202 Paper Mill Rd., Florence, SC 29506

843/667-6252 (W), 843/250-9777 (C) [email protected]

District 9 Chair Doug CostinMember [2015-12/31/19]

International Paper1515 Bourne St., Georgetown, SC 29440

843/520-5634 (O) 843/240-4504 (C)[email protected]

District 11 Chair Eric W. SmithMember [2015-12/31/19]

WestRock5600 Virginia Ave., Charleston, SC 29406


Fundraising Chair Tom BrantMember [2015-12/31/19]

Clemson University Cooperative Extension ServiceP O Box 1150, McCormick, SC 29835

864/852-2112, Ext. 115 [email protected]

SC Tree Farm CommitteeDIRECTORYS


Randell C. Ewing, Sr.1998 SC Tree Farmer Of The Year

Past Chairman [2015-’16], Member [2015-12/31/19] 1108 Hill Crest Road, Hartsville, SC 29550


Randell Ewing, Jr. Member [2015-12/31/19]

2547 Millbrook Court, Hartsville, SC 29550843/858-1515, 843/857-9114, [email protected]

T. Dave HeglerMember [2015-12/31/19]

Milliken Forestry Company245 Stoneridge Dr., Columbia SC, 29210

803/788-0590 (O), 803/920-5819, [email protected]

Dr. George D. KesslerAt Large [2015-18]; Member [2015-12/31/19]

Membership CoordinatorNatural Connections, Inc.

4008 Six Mile Highway, Central, SC 29630864/868-9487, 864/608-4040 (C), [email protected]

Charles W. McKinney, Sr.2016 SC Tree Farmer Of The Year

Member [2017-12/31/22]1063 Old Milton Road, Clinton, SC 29325864/833-4457, [email protected]

Cliff McKinneyMember [2017-12/31/22]

134 CainhoySt., Orangeburg, SC 29118803/747-9679, [email protected]

Dr. Walt A. McPhail2012 National Tree Farmer of the Year

2001 SC Tree Farmer Of The YearMember [2015-12/31/19]

2 Jenkins Ct., Mauldin, SC 29662864/288-7618 (O), [email protected]

Tom W. Patton, Jr.Member [2015-12/31/19]SC Forestry Commission

P O Box 21707, Columbia, SC 29221803/667-1149(C), [email protected]

Ben MaysMember [2019-12/31/24]

International Paper4001 McCords Ferry Road, Eastover, SC 29044


John E. Spearman, Jr.1999 SC Tree Farmer Of The Year

Member [2015-12/31/19]Deer Hill, P O Box 37, Lane, SC 29564843/387-5906 (H), 843/676-5500 (C)

[email protected]

Dr. Knowlton Johnson2018 SC Tree Farmer Of The Year

Member [2019-12/31/24] 26 Wesley Drive, Apt. L, Asheville, NC 28803


Emily OakmanMember [2019-12/21/24]

Forestry Association of SC4901 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29212803/798-4170 (O), [email protected]

South Carolina Tree

Farm DISTRICTS

County District Abbeville 4Aiken 5Allendale 10 Anderson 1 Bamberg 10Barnwell 10Beaufort 12Berkeley 11Calhoun 10Charleston 11Cherokee 3Chester 2Chesterfi eld 7 Clarendon 9Colleton 12Darlington 7Dillon 8Dorchester 11Edgefi eld 5Fairfi eld 6Florence 8Georgetown 9Greenville 1

Greenwood 4Hampton 12Horry 8Jasper 12Kershaw 2Lancaster 2Laurens 1Lee 6Lexington 5Marion 8Marlboro 7McCormick 4Newberry 4Oconee 1Orangeburg 10Pickens 1Richland 6Saluda 5Spartanburg 3Sumter 6Union 3Williamsburg 9 York 3

Phillips Sanders

Ewing

Duncan

Kessler

Leary

Smith

Sabin

Grant Nagel Costin

Hermann

Bell

Brant

Patton

Hubright Taylor Walker Bourgeois

Drayton Ewing, Jr. MaysHegler McPhail

Johnson

Cate

Wood Meetze Leach

McMillan

Oakman

Ardrey

Franklin

McKinneyMcKinney, Sr.

Brown

Steele

Lyell

DornPritchard

Weyman

Riggin

KiserSpearman

SCTF Committee Meeting SupportDebbie Kiser

SC Forestry CommissionForest Management Section

PO Box 21707, Columbia, SC 29221803/896-8824 (O), [email protected]

Non-Profi t Org.U.S. POSTAGE

PAID Columbia, S.C.

PERMIT No.1005


ForestryAssociationOF SOUTH CAROLINA

Representing South Carolina’s $21 Billion Forest Industry4901 Broad River Rd., Columbia, SC 29212

803/798-4170

NationalTree Farmers of the Year

2000 Dr. A. G. “Skeet” and Gail Burris, Cummings, SC2012 Dr. Walter A. McPhail, Mauldin, SC

REGIONAL Tree

Farmers of the Year From SC

1996 Dr. A. G. “Skeet” and Gail Burris, Cummings, SC2000 Dr. A. G. “Skeet” and Gail Burris, Cummings, SC2003 Dr. Walter A. McPhail, Mauldin, SC2004 John & Mary Rebecca Spearman, Lane, SC2005 Dyches Family, Savannah, GA2007 Johney L. Haralson, Denmark, SC2012 Dr. Walter A. McPhail, Mauldin, SC

SC Tree Farmer

of the Year Winners

‘80-’81 S. Guerry Stukes, Summerton, SC‘81-’82 Ben S. Williamson, Darlington, SC1982 Mary Julia Royall, Mt. Pleasant, SC‘83-’84 Rufus B. Lawrimore, Hemingway, SC‘84-’85 Brookes Lawton, Allendale, SC‘85-’86 John W. Kemp, Jr., Edgefi eld, SC‘86-’87 Charles W. Redfearn, Beaufort, SC‘87-’88 Carroll & Jane Brown, Colleton Co.‘88-’89 John Carter, Sharon, SC‘89-’90 James W. Hunt, Jr. Eastover, SC‘90-’91 Robert Cecil Gentry, Salem, SC‘91-’92 Tom Turner, Rock Hill, SC‘92-’93 Francis A. Snelgrove, Lexington, SC‘93-’94 W. R. “Roy” Watkins, Cassatt, SC 1995 Dr. A. G. “Skeet” Burris, Beaufort, SC1996 Gordon E. Gale, Hardeeville, SC1997 William E. Eutsler, Cheraw, SC1998 Randell C. Ewing, Hartsville, SC1999 John Spearman (Deer Hill), Lane, SC2000 Fred Gantt, Columbia, SC2001 Dr. Walter A. McPhail, Mauldin, SC2002 Dyches Family, Savannah, GA2003 John M. McPhail, Abbeville, SC2004 Johney L. Haralson, Denmark, SC

2006 Bookman Station, LLC, Columbia, SC2007 Ben Herlong, Saluda, SC2008 Edward R. Drayton, Hartsville, SC2009 Mark T. Jones, Piedmont, SC2010 Dennis L. Bauknight, Easley, SC2011 Wallace B. Wood, Jr., Parksville, SC2012 Joanna Angle, Chester, SC2013 Mike Meetze, Newberry, SC2014 Jimmy C. Sanders, Greenwood, SC2015 William P. Cate, Eastover, SC2016 The McKinney Family, Clinton, SC2017 W. Patrick “Pat” Dorn, Jr.2018 Knowlton W. Johnson

National Tree Farm

Inspector of the Year

2010 J. Kirk Weyman, Anderson, SC

southern regional

tree Farm Inspector

of the Year Recipient

2010 J. Kirk Weyman, Anderson, SC2002 Tom W. Patton, Jr., Columbia, SC

George D. Kessler

SC Tree Farm Inspector of

the Year Recipients

2000 Tom W. Patton, Jr., Columbia, SC2003 Jeff rey G. Brown, Elgin, SC2009 J. Kirk Weyman, Anderson, SC2012 Robert “Bob” G. Miller, Kinards, SC2013 McCullough Ardrey, Lancaster, SCNote: Dr. A. G. “Skeet” Burris, Cummings, SC, was instrumental in establishing the award. Burris named the award after Dr. George D. Kessler in honor of his service to the SC Tree Farm program.

National Field Leadership

Award Recipient

2005 Jeff Brown, Elgin, SC

National Leadership

Award Recipient

2018 Dr. George D. Kessler

Upcoming EventsThe Annual Tree Farm Forest Own-ers Program is slated for Nov. 6, 2019 on opening day of the Forestry Association’s 51st Annual Meeting at Wild Dunes Isle of Palms, SC. The convention will run Nov. 6-8. FASC Chairman Jimmy C. Sanders is 2014 SC Tree Farmer of the Year and a for-mer Chairman of the SC Tree Farm Com-mittee. State Forester Scott Phillips will provide the State Forester’s Annual Update during the Nov. 7 Afternoon Session.

R e c o g n i t i o n C o r n e r

Email: [email protected]: South Carolina Tree Farm 4901 Broad River Road Columbia, SC 29212

S C T r e e Fa r m C o n ta c t I n f o r m at i o n

sc tree farm newsletter issue two 2019

Documents