Published Quarterly by The Longleaf Alliance …...restoration across the longleaf region. (Continued on page 2) From the President’s (Busy & Cluttered) Desk by Rhett Johnson Volume

Hardly seems possible that it is already time for another edition of The Longleaf Leader. I guess time flies when you’re having fun….or when you’re busy; and we’ve been both busy and having fun! Just a few highlights…in March, we made a presentation at the Southeastern Land Trust Alliance Conference, hosted a celebration of the third anniversary of the Range-wide Strategic Plan and conducted two 2-day workshops for NRCS in North Carolina…all just in March. In fact, I ended up spending only 10 nights at home during the whole month of March.

April and May was just as busy, with a Spring Board of Directors meeting in Charleston, SC early in April, followed by a presentation at Norfolk Southern Railway’s beautiful Brosnan Forest in Dorchester, SC sandwiched between the Southern Company/NFWF annual conference in Columbus, GA and the second meeting of the Regional Longleaf Partnership Council, back in Columbus…all in one week. The next week we hosted a birding workshop in partnership with the Solon Dixon Center and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (facilitated by previous Executive Director EJ Williams), conducted an understory workshop for the NRCS in Alabama and attended a two day session at Nokuse Plantation in Florida with state, federal, and private partners to discuss connecting wild lands along the Gulf Coast to aid in conservation and to ease pressures on military training in the area. In May, Mark and Carol presented papers at the Prairie and Grassland Restoration Symposium in Starkville, MS. Carol also taught a class in bog ecology during this week! The following week I made a presentation to the members of Carolina Quail in Charleston and immediately went on to Tifton, GA where Mark, JJ, Carol and I conducted our 27th Longleaf 101 Academy to a full class of landowners and professionals. Three weeks later we were

back in Tifton for our 28th 101 Academy during the first week in June.

While we were busy with these activities, the day to day activities continued unabated. We made visits to landowners and answered scores of questions on the phone or via e-mail. I followed up my trip to the White House with presentations to the third grade class in Prattville, AL and the Senior Sunday School Class at First Baptist in Andalusia, AL! Go figure?

Vernon is playing a major role in the Regional Partnership Council, by helping review proposals for NFWF Longleaf Legacy funds, interviewing summer interns to work at Eglin AFB and guiding the transfer of the GCPEP Ecosystem Support Team and their equipment from TNC to the Alliance. Anne is wrapping up the Alabama Forestry Commission’s ARRA project – an unqualified success – and putting the finishing touches on the Alabama Department of Conservation project. She continues to administer the Home Depot project, including field supervision of tree planting across Georgia. She also handles the administration of the USF&WS ARRA cost-share funds in Georgia. Since the last edition of The Leader, Anne also acted as our lead in completing our second formal audit, the results of which were favorable, as we have come to expect.

JJ is feverishly scheduling new workshops and academies, planning the new Webinar series, working on the regional conference, and riding hard on the rest of us to produce publications and other products, including this newsletter. Carol and I made a presentation at Osceola Plantation in Thomasville, GA to members of the Williams and Parker families and Carol continues to be a leader in coordinating understory community restoration across the longleaf region.

(Continued on page 2)

From the President’s (Busy & Cluttered) Desk by Rhett Johnson

Summer 2012 Volume V, Issue II

The Longleaf Leader Published Quarterly by The Longleaf Alliance

Rhett Johnson [email protected] 334-427-1029

JJ Bachant-Brown [email protected] 334-427-1029

Charles Bruce [email protected]

Vernon Compton [email protected] 850-623-0987

Carol Denhof [email protected] 678-595-6405

Mark Hainds [email protected] 334-427-1029

Ad Platt [email protected] 850-982-8480

Anne Rilling [email protected] 334-427-1029

Vickie Stallings [email protected] 334-427-1029

Deadline for submission for the Fall 2012 issue is September 7th. Send items to [email protected]

Correction from the Spring 2012 edition of The Longleaf Leader. In Bob Wilken’s article on “Seasonal Challenges” on page 6 it should have read that Jon Bailey burns with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, not the Georgia Forestry Commission.

From the President’s Desk continued...

Page 2 The Longleaf Leader

Mark is in much demand for his expertise, especially in artificial regeneration matters and the use of herbicides in longleaf management. He is working hard to put the final touches on our up-coming new course, Herbicides & Longleaf 201.

Ad and Tamara continue to work with landowners and they are building quite a reputation for sound and honest management advice in Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi. Tamara and Mark represented us well at a longleaf field day in Louisiana, leading to interest in conducting Academies in that state. In the meantime, Ad and Vernon filled in admirably for Mark in Tifton for the June Longleaf 101 Academy while he recovered from pneumonia.

The online self-taught course in the Economics of Longleaf Management should be live as of this writing. It can be accessed on

the Southeastern Forestry Extension website at UGA and through a link on our website. We’re putting the final touches on planning for the 9th Biennial Regional Conference and it looks like one of our best. We plan to unveil our book, Longleaf, Far as the Eye Can See in Nacogdoches and it really looks good!

Looking back, I realize I’m only scratching the surface. Everybody is working hard and working well together, a necessary quality for a small organization and we have it in spades. Our Board is working with me to devise a funding strategy that will make our situation as stable as any nonprofit’s can ever be. The Board is also engaged in the process to fill our two new positions, President and Vice-President for Operations. We’ve received a number of applicants for both and the field is strong.

We are still accepting applications for both positions and will until at least July 15.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the departure of Bob Wilken, who will be a seasonal employee of the Alliance. His fire experience gives us real credibility in that arena and we look forward to his return from out West.

The only time our office is quiet is when we’re all scattered to the four winds doing good stuff. When we’re all there, it gets positively raucous, with the phone ringing, shouting questions and answers back and forth across the halls, and with the busy undercurrent of work being done. It has become apparent that I won’t have the luxury of coasting to the end of retirement and I don’t intend to do so. Way too much to do!

Longleaf, Far as the Eye Can See A New Vision of North America’s Richest Forest By Bill Finch, Beth Maynor Young, Rhett Johnson and John C. Hall Foreword by E. O. Wilson

Longleaf forests once covered 92 million acres from Texas to Maryland to Florida. These grand old-growth pines were the "alpha tree" of the largest forest ecosystem in North America and have come to define the southern forest. But logging, suppression of fire, destruction by landowners, and a complex web of other factors reduced those forests so that long-leaf is now found only on 3 million acres. Fortunately, the stately tree is enjoying a resurgence of interest, and longleaf forests are once again spreading across the South. Blend-ing a compelling narrative by writ-ers Bill Finch, Rhett Johnson, and John C. Hall with Beth Maynor

Young's breathtaking photogra-phy, Longleaf, Far as the Eye Can See invites readers to experience the astounding beauty and signifi-cance of the majestic longleaf eco-system.

The authors explore the interac-tions of longleaf with other species, the development of longleaf forests prior to human contact, and the influence of the longleaf on south-ern culture, as well as ongoing ef-forts to restore these forests. Part natural history, part conservation advocacy, and part cultural explora-tion, this book highlights the special nature of longleaf forests and pro-poses ways to conserve and expand them.

More information on this book, its authors, and reviews can be found at: http://uncpress.unc.edu/browse/book_detail?title_id=3080 This book will be unveiled at our Regional Conference in October!

Longleaf Academy - A Letter of Thanks by Karla Gaskins

Page 3 Volume V, Issue II

Editor’s Note: I was planning an article on our recent Longleaf Academy courses and the up-coming courses, but when I received this letter from a recent Longleaf 101 attendee, I wanted to share it with our readers. Karla’s heart-felt letter so captured the tone and feeling from this last Academy that it deserves to be shared...not so that we can toot our own horn, but so that we as a staff can also say “Thanks” to our fearless leader, Rhett Johnson. See a listing for up-coming Academies at the end of this newsletter and read more about them on our website.

A Thank You to The Longleaf Alliance

It was a privilege to attend the June 5-7 Longleaf Academy: Longleaf 101 course at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center. The class lectures were excellent. The field trips were not only informative, but inspiring. Many thanks also need to go to Mike Brumby for the generous access to his beautiful property where the field trips were held.

At the beginning of the course, an announcement was made; this was to be the last Longleaf 101 class taught by retiring LLA President and Co-Founder, Rhett Johnson. In the days following, reaction set in as those who had known him a long time and those who had just met him reflected on the depth of his knowledge, dedica-tion, and passion and appreciated the enormous contribution he has made to the growing public understand-ing of the longleaf ecosystem in the southeast. In addition to his vision and leadership, Rhett is an inspiring educator. His knowledge is boundless, his presentations clear and precise, embedded with stories and pep-pered with humorous anecdotes. Teachers of his abilities come few and far between. His coming retirement will forever be a loss to future naturalists, foresters, landowners, the Longleaf Alliance organization, and the LLA Staff.

But, The Longleaf Alliance is a healthy organization and the staff are diverse as the longleaf ecosystem itself and ready to fill the gap created by Rhett’s departure much like young longleaf striving to maturity in a natu-ral forest gap opening. Their work assures the continuing education, conservation, and restoration of this im-portant ecosystem that is a central part of our southern heritage. I remain grateful to each and every one of the attending lecturers and staff members: Ad Platt, Vernon Compton, and Carol Dehnof for their excellent presentations and assistance, JJ Bachant-Brown for her tireless organization and coordination of this event, and Rhett Johnson, for sharing so much knowledge and ingraining a desire to learn more, and to live, love, and protect the longleaf.

Mr. Johnson, it was an honor. May you have tremendous satisfaction in seeing the fruits of your dedication – the expanding area of thriving longleaf pine ecosystems and the increasing number of people who care about establishing and maintaining them. On behalf of generations to come, Thank You!

Sincerely,

Karla Gaskins. Private landowner from Alapaha, GA

Photos by Ad Platt and JJ Bachant-Brown Rhett Johnson in Academy action!

Hard to believe that it is already June and we are four short months away from our regional conference, but plans for the conference are progressing nicely and it is shaping up to be yet another great conference (even if we do say so ourselves)! The conference is being held in Nacogdoches, TX, “The Oldest Town in Texas” and home to Stephen F. Austin State University. For more informa-tion on Nacogdoches, visit these websites: www.visitnacogdoches.org or www.nacogdoches.org. The conference will be held at the Hotel Fredonia and Conference Center (www.hotelfredonia.com), which is nestled in the heart of the historic downtown. By the time this newsletter reaches your mailbox, registration should be open and up and running on our website (www.longleafalliance.org). Below is a brief synopsis and layout of the conference. At this time an agenda is firming up and speakers are being secured. Keep checking our website as plans near completion.

This year’s theme will be: Longleaf, Far as the Eye Can See

Tuesday, October 23rd Registration opens, Exhibitors set up, Poster presenters set up, Exhibitor/Poster welcome reception

Wednesday, October 24th Opening Plenary Session followed by Lunch Welcome and Presentation of Colors History and Status of Longleaf in Texas Keynote Address State of The Longleaf Alliance Fieldtrip Logistics Concurrent Sessions: 1:30—3:00 (3 sessions); 3:00—3:30 break; 3:30—5:00 (3 sessions) Welcome Reception and Poster Session after the Concurrent Sessions

Descriptions of Concurrent Sessions:

Longleaf Partnership Council The Longleaf Partnership Council is a group of 33 private and public landowners and organizations working col-laboratively to reach the longleaf recovery goals identified in the Range-wide Conservation Plan for Longleaf Pine. The session will focus on new developments, accomplishments, and opportunities pertaining to longleaf recovery and on range-wide management and restoration efforts. The Council focuses on increasing communi-cations and collaboration and the session will allow presenters to detail the growing momentum of this effort.

Managing the Ecosystem I - The Quest for Quality Understory This session will focus on components that play an important role in the process of understory restoration in longleaf ecosystems. The effort of restoring groundcover across the southeastern region requires working part-nerships as well as an interdisciplinary approach. Speakers will range from private landowners to federal agen-cies to commercial plant producers and presentations will describe a variety of projects that vary by habitat, scale, and methodology.

The Economics of Managing Longleaf: Making Longleaf Pay This economics session will include a projection of trends for traditional markets, speculate on developing mar-ket sectors like mitigation banking and conservation easement value transfer, discuss the future of Farm Bill and other cost share and incentive programs, and unveil the on-line self-taught course on the Economics of Longleaf Management. An array of knowledgeable speakers are on board and the session should be interesting and help-ful for longleaf owners and managers with an interest in growing longleaf for profit as well as other values.

Local Implementation Teams Success with the goals identified in the Range-wide Conservation Plan for Longleaf Pine will require the re-sources, talents, and efforts of a full range of private and public landowners. Local Implementation Teams are one way in which to bring public and private landowners together to further increase communication, collabora-tion, and longleaf conservation efforts. Several new teams have started since the last conference. Successes and lessons learned from several of the teams will be shared during this concurrent session that will focus on the benefits of these partnering efforts occurring across the range of longleaf pine.


The Longleaf Alliance’s 9th Biennial Regional Longleaf Conference Nacogdoches, Texas October 23-26, 2012


Managing the Ecosystem II - Wildlife Longleaf pine is native to the southeastern US and is becoming an attractive option for landowners due to its beneficial timber qualities, cost share opportunities, and its recreational value. Longleaf pine ecosystems support some of the greatest plant and animal diversity in the world. The loss of such an ecosystem has led to the decline in populations of some of our valued wildlife species, such as the pine snake and Northern bobwhite quail. Resto-ration and proper management of longleaf pine forests could benefit these and other plant and animal spe-cies. This session will feature presentations by leading experts on the following topics: desired forest conditions for open pine, beneficial plants for wildlife, and targeted information on pine associated species such as the pine snake, and Northern bobwhite quail.

From What We Know to Where We Want to Go In this panel discussion, recent advances in the world of remote sensing and inventory will be unveiled. A di-verse panel of experts will address how we are mapping where longleaf remains, where it is being reestablished, and the tools being developed to describe the condition classes of longleaf, both across the range of longleaf as well as specifically in Texas. The new growth and yield model for natural stands of longleaf developed by the Au-burn University LLP Stand Dynamics Laboratory will also be presented. This important and long awaited tool is a major advance for landowners seeking reliable information to project development of their natural stands over time. Extrapolations that can be made, and those that should not be made from this model will also be dis-cussed, along with what we need to develop a similar model for planted longleaf in the future.

Thursday, October 25th

Several potential exciting locations for the Thursday field day have been identified with assistance from an en-thusiastic local planning team that is helping Mark Hainds and JJ Bachant-Brown from the LLA staff pull the fieldtrip together. These sites will be firmed up during a LLA staff planning trip to TX in July. The fieldtrip will take place in and around the Nacogdoches area and the Angelina National Forest and will include both govern-ment and private property. Numerous stations and walking trails are being developed and promise to be diverse, informative, educational, and fun!

In true Texas-style, the after fieldtrip shindig will be a hooting-hollering, boot-stomping, grand ole-time!

Friday, October 26th

Before the closing plenary session, there will be two concurrent sessions first thing in the morning.

Descriptions of Friday’s Concurrent Sessions:

Longleaf in the Literature and Arts At the 2010 Longleaf Alliance Regional Conference in Columbia, SC we hosted our first “Longleaf in the Litera-ture and Arts” session. This session could best be described as “magical.” We fully intend to recapture this magic in Nacogdoches at our second “Longleaf in the Literature and Arts” session. We have confirmed atten-dance from some of the South’s best nature: authors, photographers, and illustrators. Anyone who wishes to truly grasp the beauty and amazing diversity of the longleaf ecosystem should plan on attending this session.

Prescribed Fire - Today and Tomorrow

This session will combine some of the cutting edge technology used in planning fires and assessing the results with some new approaches to actually getting fire on the ground. From high end modeling to old-fashioned col-laborative partnering, the approaches discussed should result in better understanding of the impacts of fire as well as the costs of not burning in fire appropriate ecosystems.

Closing Plenary Session Keynote Speaker Unveiling of Longleaf, Far As the Eye Can See with selected readings and slide show Closing remarks

Post-conference Workshop Friday Afternoon

Nuts & Bolts of Artificial Regeneration

Planting longleaf is not necessarily difficult or expensive. As of the 2011/2012 planting season, over 80 million longleaf pine seedlings are planted annually, and average success rates on some cutover sites are approaching or possibly even surpassing those of the other southern pines. This post-conference workshop will dispel some of the myths associated with longleaf establishment and growth. We will also examine factors that have proven critical to success or failure: site preparation, planting methods, seedling quality, and herbaceous release.

Conference Plans continued...


Sponsorships. As we all know, these events can’t happen by themselves. All levels of support are needed and greatly appreciated. Sponsorship levels are as follows:

Old growth* - $10,000: complimentary exhibit space and 4 conference registrations Pole stage* - $5,000: complimentary exhibit space and 2 conference registrations Grass stage* - $2,500: complimentary exhibit space and 1 conference registration Seedlings - $500 - $2,000: recognition in the conference program

* You can sponsor a specific conference session and be recognized both in the program and at the session.

If you would like to sponsor, please contact: Rhett Johnson: [email protected] (334-427-1029)

Exhibitors. These conferences draw a wide range of people with varying backgrounds and interests. It is an excellent opportunity for vendors and exhibitors to showcase their products and merchandise. Exhibit space is $400 for profit organizations and $200 for non-profit organizations.

For more information, please contact: Mark Hainds: [email protected] (334-427-1029)

Poster Sessions. The poster sessions will be a very important component of the conference. Two peri-ods of time will be devoted solely to posters. Posters will involve invited and volunteer papers emphasizing specific management and research topics. Organizations involved in longleaf activities are encouraged to present posters describing their overall programs. Abstracts (250 words) for posters are due September 17, 2012. Abstracts will be reviewed regarding content and appropriateness to the conference. Authors will be notified of the decision by September 24, 2012.

Please address inquiries and send abstracts via email to: Anne Rilling: [email protected] (334-427-1029)

Silent Auction. Last conference’s silent auction was good, but we expect the Texas silent auction to be even bigger! In order to do that, we’ll need your help in contributing items. Be creative...longleaf products, trips, merchandise, field equipment, photographs, jewelry, books, etc.

To contribute something, please contact: Carol Denhof: [email protected] (678-595-6405)

Conference Contests. Have you located the biggest longleaf pine cone or the longest longleaf pine needles? If so, bring them to the conference. There will be three categories: 1.) the widest longleaf pine cone; 2.) the longest longleaf pine cone; and 3.) the longest longleaf pine needles. Entries to the contest will be taken during the two poster sessions/socials. Judging will occur and the winners will be announced at the after field trip party Thursday evening. Prizes, along with bragging rights, will be awarded. Must be present to win! Remember, if you won in a particular category at the 8th Regional conference, you aren’t eligible to enter in that category for the 9th. You have 4 more months, so start looking! Also at the conference we will have a bag of wiregrass seed and we’ll give you the opportunity to guess the number of seeds that it contains. Closest number without going over will win. Start practicing now!

So, Besides Registering, what can YOU do now to Prepare for the Conference?


Come to Texas and see longleaf on the western edge of its range. These guys have their act together and want to

show off! We’ll catch you up on what’s new in the longleaf world, what’s going on with our partners, and new leader-

ship for the Alliance. As always, we’ll all have a chance to renew acquaintances

and enjoy old and new friends.

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The Longleaf Partnership Council consists of 33 members that represent public and private landowners and organizations that work together to achieve the restoration and management goals identified in the Range-wide Conservation Plan for Longleaf Pine completed in 2009. The purpose of the Council is “to promote effective communication and collaboration between the large numbers of partners working to conserve longleaf ecosystems across the South. The Council provides a forum for federal agencies, state agencies, non-government organizations, local collaborative efforts, industries, and private landowners who bring different objectives, missions, responsibilities, and contributions required to make the conservation implementation effort successful and demonstrate collective progress.” Patrick Glass, Assistant State Forester with the Alabama Forestry Commission, serves as the Chair of the Longleaf Partnership Council and provides the “Chair Chatter” as one way to communicate with partners and others interested in recovery of the longleaf pine.

Whew! Busier than a …, use any analogy you want here and you’ll be understating the efforts that have transpired since the last Chatter. At our April meeting we had 48 people in attendance with 26 Council members present. The amount of information exchanged regarding efforts underway; and, toward developing future direction was phenomenal as evidenced by the notes from the meeting. We will be providing additional meeting information, to including PowerPoint presentations, on the America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative website.

I want to extend the thanks of the Council to Ms. Nancy Walters for facilitating the meeting and her extraordinary effort in assisting with the development of a packed agenda. I want to welcome Ms. Luda Palei from Booz Allen Hamilton and thank her for the logistical support of the Council.

Next Meeting Our next Council meeting will be in October the week of the 22nd. The Council meeting will be held in conjunction with The Longleaf Alliance’s Biennial Regional Conference in Nacogdoches, Texas. We will pass along details as the agenda develops. Vernon Compton, Glen Gaines, and I will begin work on the agenda in early August and welcome any suggestions and ideas from Council members on topics.

Longleaf Stewardship Fund The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has started evaluations for the second round of proposals for the Longleaf Stewardship Fund. The Council, through Vernon and me, continues to participate in the technical review of proposals. Announcement of final awards are expected the week of July 2nd.

Council Additions Three new seats were added to the Council: Mr. Don Morrow from the Trust for Public Land; Ms. Michelle Elmore from the Nature Conservancy representing the Local Implementation Teams from Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina; and, Mr. Luke Lewis from the National Wild Turkey Federation representing the Local Implementation Teams from Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Virginia.

Mr. Kent Evans has been contracted by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to interface with the “Boots on the Ground” effort of the Implementation Teams. Although not occupying a seat on the Council his focus on ground efforts will definitely advance the communication/coordination between the teams.

Local Implementation Teams The local implementation team concept is gaining traction throughout the range. There are several teams that are in the initial formation stages and developing their support infrastructure. Two strong needs (aside from funding support) that have been identified are education and outreach materials that target consulting foresters/contracting agencies; and, prescribed fire teams (modeled after GCPEP) that are distributed across the range to support longleaf management.

America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative (ALRI) Website The updated ALRI website (www.americaslongleaf.org) includes a variety of features, including the potential for sharing files and email functions for the Longleaf Partnership Council. Basecamp capability has been added to the website for Council members to allow sharing of drafts and other Council documents in development without clogging inboxes. Plans are in process to launch the website again with higher visibility.

Tracking Longleaf Restoration Success/Accomplishments Because Assessment and Reporting is a critical component for establishing and maintaining momentum, the Longleaf Partnership Council adopted it as a key regional function it will help facilitate. Obviously, the first effort necessary to report accomplishments is to establish a baseline of the current status to measure progress against. State Forestry Agencies either independently or through their respective State Coordination Teams are currently in the process of validating baseline


Longleaf Partnership Council Introduction by Vernon Compton, The Longleaf Alliance

Chair Chatter by Patrick Glass, Alabama Forestry Commission


determinations from USFS FIA data. At the April meeting, The Council spent time focusing on developing definitions for longleaf condition classes, longleaf ecosystem associated wildlife, and a decision support tool for managers. The planning of a workshop of technical experts is underway for July 2012 by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, to be hosted by the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center.

Strategies & Tactics: Implementing the Range-wide Conservation Plan’s (RWCP) 3 year horizon A review of the draft Strategies and Tactics document occurred during the meeting with adoption of Strategic Priorities and Actions as the new title. The 10 priorities that were enumerated in the draft were accepted with the caveat that they would be combined into 5 or 6 statements. The drafting team has redrafted the document to incorporate suggestions and is developing a draft Executive Summary that can be used independently of the full document. Again, the objective is for the Longleaf Partnership Council to develop and own this effort. I want to reiterate that this is not a “top-down” effort aimed at providing directives.

Longleaf Partnership Council continued...


Technical Teams A video series is being developed that expresses the message for longleaf from the perspective of various partners. These videos are intended to extol the benefits of longleaf and are presented as interviews. Growth & Yield models go hand in glove with economic models and are used as a tool to demonstrate the economics of longleaf. A new online Longleaf Economics course is available to landowners (www.longleafalliance.org).

A new Technical Team was established with the purpose of monitoring policy for the sole purpose of reporting back to the Council current status and developments. This is to insure that members are aware of policy that pertains to the initiative. There will be no discussion allowed about how policy should/could be affected/effected.

LPC Technical Teams and Efforts Education and Training: Roel Lopez, Texas A&M Rhett Johnson The Longleaf Alliance (LLA) Communication: Lark Hayes, NC Roel Lopez, Texas A&M Longleaf Seedling Supply: Mark Hainds, LLA Native Understory Plant Supply: Vic Vankus, USFS Carol Denhof, LLA Prescribed Fire/Smoke Management: Tom Darden, SERPPAS Work Group Research and Development: Rhett Johnson, LLA USFS - Southern Research Station Economics: Rhett Johnson, LLA Assessment and Reporting: Glen Gaines, USFS Mapping/Inventory: Rhett Johnson, LLA

State Coordination Teams North Carolina Longleaf Coalition Mississippi Longleaf Coordination Team Texas-Louisiana Longleaf Taskforce Alabama State Technical Committee

Local Implementation Teams SC Implementation Team for Longleaf Restoration (forming - Francis Marion SGA) Gulf Coastal Plain Ecosystem Partnership (GCPEP) Sandhills Longleaf Pine Conservation Partnership (SC) Chattahoochee Fall Line Conservation Partnership (Ft. Benning) Apalachicola Regional Stewardship Alliance (to include Georgia Red Hills Region) West Central Louisiana Ecosystem Conservation Project Onslow Bight Conservation Forum (NC) North Carolina Sandhills Conservation Partnership Osceola NF Cooperative Forest Landscape Restoration Project Longleaf Ridge Place Based Project (forming - TX) DeSoto-Camp Shelby Longleaf Implementation Team (forming) Ft. Stewart/Altamaha Longleaf Pine Restoration Partnership (forming)

Fish & Wildlife Service Hires Regional Longleaf Pine Coordinator

The Longleaf Alliance would like to welcome Clay Ware as the FWS’s Regional Longleaf Pine Coordinator. We are excited to have him involved with longleaf pine restoration and look forward to working with him in many endeavors. A full press release can be found on the FWS’s Southeast’s main webpage at http://www.fws.gov/southeast and a full piece can be found at http://www.fws.gov/southeast/news/2012/019.html. Clay can be reached at [email protected] or 404-679-4016.

For questions or comments regarding the Longleaf Partnership Council, please contact one of the following: Patrick Glass [email protected] Vernon Compton [email protected]

Some landowners and natural resource professionals may remember frustration in trying to restore longleaf pine. Some landowners have abandoned longleaf after several failed attempts which may be attributed to: poor planting jobs, poor quality seedlings, or other factors. They began to heed the coffee shop warnings against planting this seemingly impossible species in favor of the easier pine species, such as loblolly and slash. Even after establishing a viable longleaf seedling, frustrations continued when the seedling remained in the grass stage year after year, as other vegetation and trees began to overtake longleaf trees. Landowners finally decided restoration of longleaf wasn't worth their time and resources.

Thankfully, many recent advances in longleaf pine research and management practices have improved success rates for restoration and regeneration. Research on seedling quality and planting techniques have helped improve survival and growth rates of longleaf pine. In addition, advances in fire ecology have led to a greater understanding of the use and timing of fire to reduce pathogens and competition associated with longleaf. Studies on natural regeneration have helped landowners determine proper preparation for future growth and yield of their longleaf pine stand. Several academic institutions and research stations across the Southeast have engaged in research and supplied information that has contributed to our knowledge of proper establishment and management techniques of this native pine. This article describes general restoration and management techniques that have been tested across the Southeast to improve survival and growth of longleaf

pine.

Several misconceptions about longleaf pine restoration exist among landowners and natural resource professionals. Among these misconceptions are poor survival and slow growth rate of longleaf. However, successful establishment of longleaf is different than other southern pines. Establishment and management techniques of pine should be tailored to the species. In the case of longleaf, high quality seedlings, proper site preparation and planting techniques, and prescribed fire are critical management considerations for restoration.

Prior to advances in research, failed attempts were often the result of improper planting techniques. Early longleaf plantings consisted primarily of bareroot seedlings, which easily incurred root damage when lifted from nurseries. Further stress was incurred during handling and planting. Today, many land

managers prefer to plant containerized longleaf seedlings. Advances in containerized seedlings have added to the successful establishment and resilient native qualities of longleaf. Research has shown copper coated containers may reduce lateral root deformity, which improves architectural stability, and optimal container length may allow emergence from the grass stage at an earlier age

(Sword Sayer et al. 2011).

Previous attempts at planting longleaf also may have failed due to the lack of understanding of longleaf ecology. Longleaf exhibits lower tolerance to high levels of competition from vegetation and other tree species. This is why proper site preparation, which includes a combination of herbicides and prescribed fire, and sometimes mechanical means, tailored to site conditions is so critical. Proper site preparation can reduce competition and prepare the site for planting. Once established, longleaf enter the "grass stage" the early life stage when the seedling resembles a clump of grass. During this stage, longleaf are developing a complex, deep root system, which contributes to its resilient qualities, such as its ability to withstand strong winds, and ability to tolerate sites with low soil fertility.

Longleaf pine is fire dependant, and unlike other southern pines, longleaf can be burned at a young age. As early as the year following planting, prescribed fire should play an important role in controlling potential brown spot infection and competing herbaceous and woody vegetation. Prescribed fire is needed for natural regeneration and should be conducted on 2-3 year rotations. Timing of fire is also important. Although winter burns may be easy to apply, a variation of winter burns and more intense growing season burns, such as March-May, may be favorable, depending on stand conditions and objectives. Several factors may determine whether a growing season burn is favorable, and landowners should consult certified burn professionals when considering a growing season


Advancing Knowledge of Longleaf Pine in Mississippi by Tamara Campbell


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burn. Prescribed fire contributes to the open canopy conditions characteristic of longleaf forests. Other characteristics of fire maintained longleaf forests include diverse, abundant herbaceous vegetation in the understory that serves as high quality forage for a number wildlife species, such as pollinating insects, eastern wild turkey, and northern bobwhite quail.

Longleaf pine is native to the southeastern US and is becoming an attractive option for landowners due to its beneficial timber qualities, cost share opportunities, and its recreational value. Restoration efforts have increased to the level that longleaf may soon be the second most planted tree in North America (Hainds, The Longleaf Alliance, personal communication). So, the next time your coffee shop conversations turn to rants against the longleaf pine movement, consider your new found knowledge of the advances in forestry research. You have the knowledge to overcome once limiting factors in longleaf restoration and management.

For more information on longleaf restoration and management in Mississippi, contact me at:

[email protected] 601-757-0798.

References

Hainds, Mark. Research Coordinator. The Longleaf Alliance. Andalusia, Alabama, USA.

Sword Sayer, M.A., S.S. Sung, J.D. Haywood. 2011. Longleaf pine root system development and seedling quality in response to copper root pruning and cavity size. Southern Journal of Applied Forestry 35:5-11.

Advancing Mississippi Longleaf continued...

Longleaf stand in MS burned on 2-year rotation for timber and wildlife habitat.

Questions from the Inbox by Mark Hainds The Longleaf Alliance receives numerous inquires about restoration and management of longleaf forests. Sharing some of these questions and our responses should enlighten our readers to common issues faced by our supporters across the Southeast. If you have questions for the LLA, email them to: [email protected] Not all the emails are always questions. We also receive emails with some very good suggestions and ideas that we’d also like to share...that whole concept of not reinventing the wheel! Case in point…

Curt from Jay, FL writes: I wanted to run an idea by you and solicit your thoughts. If you think the idea is worthy of further consideration please feel free to bounce it off other folks, especially at the LLA and your contacts at Auburn's forestry school. I have been contacting most people I know in forestry to solicit input.

Typically for basal bark or cut stump herbicide treatments on

unwanted hardwoods the carrier is a basal bark oil, kerosene or diesel. However I think B100 (100%) biodiesel would be both the least expensive and environmentally friendlier way to go. B100 may have some technical issues that the others don't have but not sure those would preclude its use. Dow Chemical advised me that biodiesel is “OK” with their Element4 herbicide. I assume the same would be true for Garlon4.

I hope to locate a source of B100 and try this in the coming few months on my timberland to kill unwanted laurel oaks. I'll mix with Element4 (triclopyr).

Finding B100 close by has been the toughest part so far. I understand a couple producers will be starting up this fall in Alabama.

Dear Curt:

We think this is an excellent idea. If anyone else has experience using biodiesel as a carrier for triclopyr, please let us know how it worked for you. Also, we’ll be happy to relay information on sources of biodiesel to other interested parties.

It appears that there are several websites that map out and list providers of biodiesel. One such website that lists biodiesel stations and the blended ratios they provide is www.nearbio.com. A station that sells B20 would provide a ratio that is 80% petroleum-based diesel. There are fewer stations that sell B100, which has no petroleum-based fuel included. B100 is made entirely from vegetable oil or animal fat based diesel fuel.

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Seasonal Questions: What’s Killing my Trees? Could it be the Pine Tip Beetle? by Mark Hainds

Once established, longleaf seedlings are likely the hardiest of the southern pines. Longleaf covered most of the southern coastal plain because it is best adapted to most of the pathogens and environmental factors that kill the other southern pine species. However, when 80 million longleaf pine seedlings are planted on an annual basis, there are bound to be seedlings dying from a plethora of causes.

Two people, a Georgia landowner/contributor to the Alliance, and Chip Bates with the Georgia Forestry Commission, have brought a new pest to our attention, and you better have at least 20X20 vision if you want to see it.

Charles Chandler called our office and reported that some of his longleaf seedlings planted in December 2009 were dying suddenly. He sent us a digital album of photos which showed several seedlings that started height growth before they suddenly turned brown and expired.

About the same time that we heard from Mr. Chandler, Chip Bates contacted the Alliance with information about a very small beetle that was killing young longleaf seedlings. He sent us an email with images saying “These are just a few pictures that I took of the damage to some young longleaf pine in central Georgia. Attached you will find the letter that Rick Hoebeke sent confirming the initial

ID that I received from him last week. This beetle is tiny and this is the first time it has caused a problem in longleaf seedling that I can find. Do not know what to make of this right now and I am not throwing up flags, but I wanted to let ya’ll know what we are seeing.”

Dr. Hoebeke is the Associate Curator for the Collection of Arthropods at the Georgia Museum of Natural History. He identified the beetle and wrote to Chip: “I am confident I have a name for you for that small bark beetle boring in the pith of longleaf pine shoots. It is Pityophthorus pulicarius (Zimmermann). According to Wood (1982), this twig beetle uses the following pine hosts: Pinus caribea, P. echinata, P. palustris, P. resinosa, P. rigida, P. strobus, P. sylvestris, P. taeda, and P. virginiana.”

I conducted a quick Google search which led to a USDA Forest Service page that lists the common name as “Bark Beetle”. This may be somewhat confusing as many problematic beetles of North America are commonly known as “bark beetles”.

It is a very tiny beetle measuring less than 2 mm in total length. According to Chip, the beetle is boring into new candles of longleaf pine. If the candle is dissected and examined closely it is possible to see the galleries from the bark beetle.

I called and talked to Dr. Hoebeke who forwarded me an article (J.

Georgia Entomol. Soc. 7(2), April 1972 pp140-151) by E. W. Clark of the SE. Forest Experiment Station, USDA. Forest Service, F. S. Lab. Triangle Park, NC 27709 titled “The Role of Pityophthorus pulicarius (Zimmermann) in Tip Dieback of Young Loblolly Pine”. The article described infestations in young loblolly stands along the South Carolina Coast, near Georgetown, SC. The abstract stated: “It is suspected that these twig borers attacked terminals weakened by freezing” and the article further mentions “The species is quite widespread in the United States and Canada from Quebec through Florida. It evidently breeds in all species of pines and deodor cedars within its range…”

Dr. Hoebeke found another citation from 1933 in the Journal of Economic Entomology that assigned a common name to this beetle – the “Pine Tip Beetle”. He is not aware of this genus or species carrying any pathogenic fungi and he explained that many beetles are attracted to trees that are under stress and twig beetles generally are not responsible for the death of seedlings.

Given the severe drought that has gripped much of Georgia, this could have predisposed seedlings to attack by Pityophthorus pulicarius. The combination of drought stress and beetle damage may have pushed some of these seedlings over the edge.

If you suspect a bark/twig beetle is killing your trees, please get in touch with The Longleaf Alliance or contact Chip Bates. Collect the dead or dying terminal buds in a Ziploc bag and we’ll get them to Dr. Hoebeke for further examination.

Chip may be reached at: 18899 Highway 301 North Statesboro, Georgia 30461 912-681-0490 (office) 912-536-7544 (cell).

Editors Note: Carol, LLA’s Understory Coordinator, will spotlight one understory plant per edition. To nominate a plant for consideration, email Carol at: [email protected]

Deerberry Vaccinium stamineum L.

Plants that are members of the Heath family, or Ericaceae, provide significant wildlife benefit and greatly contribute to the overall diversity of the longleaf system. This family is sometimes referred to as the Blueberry family and is represented by the Blueberries, Huckleberries, and Azaleas among others. There are several species of Vaccinium, or blueberry, which occur in the understory of the longleaf forest. One that is fruiting now across the range is deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum). Unlike many of the other blueberries, this species does not have fruit that is palatable for humans. However, wildlife of all sorts utilizes the fruit as well as the vegetative portions of the plant.

Plant Description:

Deerberry is a low-growing woody shrub, often with multiple trunks, that usually does not exceed 6’ in height. It generally forms colonies through growth of underground runners. The deciduous leaves are egg-shaped, 1-3 inches (2.5-7.6 cm) long, and usually exhibit a distinctive white coloration beneath. The flowers appear with the emergence of the leaves in early in the spring and are bell-shaped. The berries are pale bluish to purple, ¼ - ½ inch in diameter, and appear from late spring into summer. They are rather typical looking blueberries, about a

0.25-5 in (0.6-1.3 cm) in diameter with numerous small seeds. Berries appear in late spring or summer.

Distribution & Habitat:

Deerberry is widely distributed and can be found in dry upland communities throughout eastern North

America. Like many blueberry species, this plant thrives in sites with more acid soils. It is a common species that occurs throughout the longleaf range. With such a wide distribution, the appearance of Deerberry can be highly

variable and as a result has been divided into several subspecies and varieties.

Wildlife Benefit:

The berries are much larger, on average, than those of other species of wild Vaccinium and are too large for most small birds to eat whole as they do most of the other blueberries. Instead, the fruits may be broken open and eaten, or they are eaten whole by larger animals, whereupon they scatter the seeds through feces. Also unlike the other blueberries, the fruits fall (abscise) when ripe, making them more accessible to ground-dwelling animals. The fruits are an important wildlife food in eastern North America. According to some sources, many kinds of songbirds eat the berries and white-tailed deer, in particular, eat the leaves, twigs and berries. The berries are also relished by ruffed grouse, bobwhite quail, wild turkeys, foxes, raccoons, black bears, chipmunks and squirrels (Christman 2000).

References:

Christman, Steve (2000, August 8). Vaccinium stamineum. Floridata. Retrieved June 7, 2012 from http://www.floridata.com/ref/v/vacc_sta.cfm.

Radford, A.E., H.E. Ahles, and C.R. Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. The University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, NC. 1183 pp.

Understory Plant Spotlight by Carol Denhof


Photo Credit: Jack Scheper; Floridata.com. Deerberry fruit. Distribution Map below from the USDA / NRCS Plants database.

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Southern Habitats, based out of Greenville, FL, will have locally sourced wildflower tubelings as well as bareroot Switchgrass and Indiangrass available for fall 2012 plantings. The plants being offered could be used in a variety of settings including longleaf flatwoods, sandhills, and/or wildlife openings. Prices will range from $.25/each to $1.00/each depending on species and ecotype. Prices for bare root switchgrass and Indiangrass are $1.00/each for 1 gal. equivalent. All plants are guaranteed if planted by Southern Habitats specs.

Southern Habitats was founded in 2006 by Joe and Kathy Reams and has 300 acres of native seed in production and many more native plants in the increase "pipeline". In addition, they have successfully completed numerous technical wildlife habitat restoration and native groundcover restoration projects for state wildlife and water conservation agencies as well as private firms. Their expertise is wildlife habitat restoration of the fire-adapted sandhill and flatwoods systems of the Southeast and they are passionate about the reaction of wildlife to

native landscapes they have established.

For more information about species availability and pricing as well as services offered by Southern Habitats, please contact Joe Reams at [email protected].

Native Wildflower & Grass Material Available by Carol Denhof


North Carolina NRCS Workshops and NC’s Champion Longleaf by JJ Bachant-Brown Early this year the LLA staff worked with Don Riley, who is with the NC NRCS, to bring two 2-day workshops to North Carolina for NRCS employees and invited natural resource professionals. The workshops were held during the last week of March and were located in Southern Pines, NC at the Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve and Elizabethtown, NC at the Jones Lake State Park. There were just under 50 attendees at the two workshops. While at Weymouth Woods, the LLA staff was honored to visit the oldest known living longleaf pine! It is located on the Boyd tract there in Southern Pines. According to Susan Ladd Miller with the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Weymouth Woods staff had the tree cored in 2007 and was estimated at that time to be 459 years-old, making it roughly 464 years t0 date. If you know of, or have proof of, an older living longleaf, please let us know!

Top left: Mark Hainds proudly standing next to the 464-year-old longleaf. Top right: Workshop participants and instructors posing with the old longleaf. Bottom left: Showing the flat-topped crown. Photos by JJ Bachant-Brown

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The LLA is glad to welcome new staff for summer work to be con-ducted at Eglin Air Force Base (Eglin) and across the Gulf Coastal Plain Ecosystem Partnership (GCPEP) landscape. The major fo-cus for the three Summer Interns will be ecological monitoring across Eglin, but they will also support other priority natural resource man-agement projects such as providing prescribed fire support, invasive species monitoring, timber stand improvement, equipment mainte-nance, and data collection and in-put.

Work will mainly be conducted at Eglin Air Force Base, one of the largest and most diverse bases in the United States. The base is over 463,000 acres in size with some of the best remnant longleaf pine eco-system communities in the world, including over half of the remaining old growth longleaf pine.

The Summer Interns are Charles Jared Barton from Wing, Alabama; Jordan Boykin from Niceville, Flor-ida; and Evan Ohr from Pensacola, Florida.

Charles Jared Barton Jared graduated from Lurleen B. Wallace Community College with an Applied Associate of Science Degree in Forest Technology in 2005. He has worked previously with Charles Dixon & Company, the Florida For-estry Service, Auburn University, and most recently as a Resource Specialist with Fairways Explora-tion and Production. Through his work endeavors Jared has experi-ence with prescribed burning, rare species surveying, invasive plant monitoring, and timber cruising and marking.

Jordan Boykin Jordan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Texas A&M University in 2005. Her natu-ral resources experience includes serving as a Wildlife Observer and

Environmental Specialist during the recent Gulf Coast oil cleanup opera-tions and also served as a volunteer for four years with threatened and endangered species conservation and monitoring programs at Eglin Air Force Base.

Evan Ohr Evan graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Con-servation from the University of Florida in 2012. He served as a Re-search Assistant with the University of Florida prior to graduation em-phasizing longleaf regeneration, groundcover composition, and ef-fects of herbicides on invasive spe-cies encroachment.

Ecological monitoring plays a very important role in helping land man-agers learn about successes and challenges associated with current management practices. By monitor-ing natural communities, they are able to continually improve man-agement by adapting to actions that allow them to best manage the natu-ral resources under their care. Les-sons learned from the monitoring conducted at Eglin Air Force Base will be shared with GCPEP partners and other natural resource manag-ers, thus helping to advance longleaf conservation across the range.

LLA Welcomes Summer Interns by Vernon Compton


Pictured left to right: Evan Ohr, Jared Barton, and Jordan Boykin.

Alabama ARRA...It’s Finished! by Anne Rilling

It’s hard to believe, 33 months and $1,395,592 later, we have completed our Alabama ARRA project with the Alabama Forestry Commission. As I was compiling numbers for the final accomplishment report and consolidating all the files I came across this article from the blog site that we maintained during this project:

The America’s Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) included nearly $8.5 million in funds to be divided among the 5 states participating in the Southeastern Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability (SERPPAS) for longleaf pine ecosystem restoration. The states involved include North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. Each submitted a shopping list of projects to be funded and each received approximately $1.75 million with the multiple goals of creating jobs, restoring longleaf pine ecosystems, and stimulating the economy. The Alabama projects included: (1) longleaf establishment on 1,497 acres of cutover sites; (2) midstory and understory control to restore longleaf ecosystems and facilitate longleaf cone collection on 1,800 acres; (3) invasive species control, fuel reduction, and creation of a demonstration forest; (4) provision of longleaf seedlings sufficient to reforest 1,000 acres in support of the LIP and EQIP programs on private lands; (5) tuition for 50 private natural resources professionals to attend Longleaf Academies, and (6) development of a brochure to make the economic case for longleaf.


Several factors contributed to the complexity of this lengthy project. First, forestry work is a slow process. It takes almost a full year from planning to first season weed control when establishing new forests. Never-the-less, we accomplished most of the original goals within the first 19 months and still had a substantial amount of money remaining.

Geneva State Forest had the lion’s share of the work and total expenditures. Geneva has significant acres of mature longleaf forests, but burning was limited and thus the midstory had grown. Mulching and mowing the midstory followed by a release spraying (skidder application) advanced their burning program by 10 years. After the treatment the sites are now available for cone collection. By extending the time frame, we were able to exceed the target acre totals at an average cost of $344 per acre.

Geneva also had several sites converted to longleaf. Originally, 197 acres were designated to be planted in the winter of 2009/2010 and eventually 230 acres were planted. The sites were chemically site prepared in October, and then burned and planted in December of 2009. Shortly after planting we experienced a typical cold snap and the trees exhibited freeze damage. The following spring we did apply herbaceous weed control, but had to delay the application until the trees exhibited good root growth. Today, the trees are beginning to rocket with the leaders at 3 feet. The extension of the project allowed us to chemically site prep, burn and plant an additional 98 acres during the winter of 2010/2011. The mild winter and spring rains have contributed to excellent survival. All together the 328 acres were established at a cost of $304/acre.

Little River State Forest, like Geneva, has mature longleaf forests that needed some stand improvements. After mowing or mulching the shrubs, the site was

also chemically released with skidders for an average of $212.32/ acre. In addition to stand improvements, we also improved the major roads, allowing cone collection access.

Choccolocco State Forest was the only montane site where we worked to reestablish longleaf pine. This site was particularly challenging (size configuration and resprouting) due to several years of salvaging timber from pine beetle infestations. Several stands had to be mowed, fuelwooded or chopped prior to chemical site preparation. The size or shape of the stands dictated whether the herbicide could be aerially or hand applied. Site prep burning in the valleys of Choccolocco Mountain was difficult. Initially, the state had a burn ban in the fall of 2010. When it began to rain the ground and fuel layer retained the moisture. Secondly, the fuel layer was not consistent across the sites resulting in marginal burns at best. The 654 acres were planted in January 2011, after a week delay due to snow. The following year 229 acres were again chemically site prepared, burned and planted in January 2012. The average establishment cost was $267.16/acre.

The goal at Baldwin State Forest was to reestablish a fully productive longleaf forest that could be used as a demonstration area. The site had 30-year-old longleaf pine on approximately 180 acres, poor access, and several invasive plants, the worst being cogongrass. The first priority was to establish a permanent all-weather access. Next, we reintroduced fire to the site. Stand height and stand density and a heavy cogongrass component created quite a challenge. A total of 174 acres was burned over two seasons. The cogongrass was treated four times over three years. A pavilion, kiosk, and boardwalk was constructed to assist in providing a demonstration site for AFC to use in educating

landowners. Near the pavilion, a small area was also mulched and released to demonstrate the difference between mulching and fire and fire alone. In addition, four acres were site prepared and 13 different understory species were seeded in a demonstration planting.

The Hauss Nursery site provided an excellent opportunity to expand the education and outreach efforts. We have established 2 acres of the understory plants ironweed (Vernonia angustafolia) and slender Indian grass (Sorghastrum elliottii) for seed production. Even though the ARRA project has reached its conclusion, we have partnered with Creek Indian Enterprises and AFC to continue managing the production plots for 3 years.

In addition to the on-the-ground work described above, through this project we were also able to produce the economics booklet and provide 55 full-ride scholarships for Alabama private landowners and consultants to attend one of the Longleaf 101 Academy courses.

We would be remiss if we did not at least mention creating jobs for contractors, the whole purpose of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Program. We contracted with 28 different vendors to provide labor. The original estimate was that the project would create or maintain approximately 9 FTE (full time equivalents) and we concluded the project with 33.86 FTEs.

The Longleaf Alliance has accumulated a great amount of knowledge and experience in longleaf pine restoration. The ARRA project was another way for us to practice what we were preaching, demonstrate the validity of what we recommend to others, and learn new lessons along the way.

ARRA continued...


According to the bumper sticker, For a Forester, Every Day is Earth Day. On April 22, I was invited by Anne Rilling, our Business VP, to join other area foresters in an Earth Day presentation to 100 7th grade students at Brewton, AL Middle School. We each selected a topic for our station, gathered our props and met at the school for a planned 2-hour event that turned into a highly rewarding half-day.

Brewton, Alabama remains a town with a strong forest products industry and a rich forest history. The morning was great fun and the students were engaging and perhaps more knowledgeable than average 7th graders about trees, forests, and wildlife. However, it was soon apparent that their busy lives left little time for outdoor play, unless in organized team sports.

The activity I chose for my station was based on a module from the Project Learning Tree workbook titled Every Tree for Itself. I chose this exercise to explore themes of competition, interdependence and diversity within a longleaf forest. It was

fun, engaging and seemed to be successful.

About a month after our event, the students took the time to write thank you letters and a thick envelope of handwritten letters arrived last week. This type of genuine and unexpected feedback is the type we cannot receive often enough in our work. It was gratifying and energizing to read the letters from the students, to see what was most meaningful to them, and perhaps a little startling to read over and over the most common comment…“Being outside is fun”.

Although all of the notes were descriptive, thoughtful and well written, one particularly stood out. I would like to share it with you along with a challenge.

Dear Ad Platt,

Thank you for speaking to our class on Earth Day. I loved how you made learning fun. I learned so much about trees that I never knew before, and I will treasure that

information forever. You have provided me with a great learning experience on the importance of our trees and forests and ways to help and preserve our forest and wildlife. By being a tree I learned what they need to prosper, what will hurt them, and what won’t hurt them. Thank you so much for spending your time to come and teach us and I want you to know your time was not wasted. If you are reading this newsletter, you already have a lot of knowledge about our forests and especially longleaf forests. And, you may already be doing this kind of thing and probably better than I am. My challenge to you is to share your knowledge and experience with many others, to develop the next generation of longleaf fans. As I was reminded by a thank-you from a middle school-aged child, your time will not be wasted.

A Non-wasted Earth Day by Ad Platt


Sea, Sand and Stars by Mark Hainds On July 19, 2012 Roger Reid and I will be speaking at the Sea, Sand, and Stars Museum at Orange Beach Ele-mentary in Alabama. This is the first time the museum has opened its doors to the public. Orange Beach Ele-mentary has set up a four-day program of speakers for an event titled “Sea, Sand, and Stars Gulf Coast Adven-ture.” This was made possible through a $25,000 grant from the Coastal Baldwin Educational Enrichment Foundation. Both Roger and I will be speaking twice on Thursday the 19th from 9-10 AM, and from 12:00 -1:00 PM. We will describe the longleaf pine ecosystem and our work with Discovering Alabama and The Long-leaf Alliance.

Please visit this websites for additional information on this program: http://www.gulfcoastnewstoday.com http://www.orangebeachelementary.com

Later this fall, Roger and I are planning a week of school events following The Longleaf Alliance Regional Conference in Nacogdoches, Texas. Previously, gener-ous contributors (Brian Beter and LLA Board member Beryl Trawick) sponsored a week of school presenta-tions in which Roger and I visited every public middle-school in St. Tammany and Tangipahoa Parishes, Lou-isiana. More recently, Bennett Whitfield of Whitfield Nursery in Georgia sponsored us for a school program in Emmanuel County, Georgia. If possible, we are hop-ing to arrange longleaf presentations in east Texas and potentially a return visit to the Florida Parishes of Lou-isiana.

Please let me know if you or someone you know would like to sponsor school events and the distribution of longleaf materials to schools and students in the natural range of longleaf pine. You can reach me at [email protected]

“Grass Stage” is a section just for kids and/or kids-at-heart. Longleaf forest management is a long-term endeavor and in order to keep the longleaf pine ecosystem in longleaf, the next generation must get engaged or else all of the hard work, restoration, and protection currently going on will be for naught. We hope you share “Grass Stage” with your “next generation” longleaf enthusiast.

Lesson Four: A Covey of Bobwhite Quail Scratching Around for Food. The name of the bobwhite quail comes from the lovesick call of the male bobwhite. Listen closely next time you’re in the longleaf pine forest for the whistle which says “bob-white”. Use Lesson Four found on our website (www.longleafalliance.org/nextgeneration) to complete these sentences. Answer can be found on the bottom of this page.

Fallen Phrases Instructions A fallen phrase is a puzzle in which a sentence is listed, and all of the letters that go into a particular column are listed below that column. The challenge of the puzzle is to 'unscramble' the sentence to reveal the original sentence. For example the first letter in the sentence is C. Hint: there are two sentences!

For Those in the Grass Stage by Anne Rilling

Page 17 Volume V, Issue II Answer: Commensalism is the relationship between two entities where one organism benefits and the other is neither benefited or harmed. Quail and longleaf pine share this type of relationship.

C


The Longleaf Alliance 2012 Summer Webinar Series

July 13, 2012 Webinar: Native Alternatives for Food Plots in the Longleaf Ecosystem Time: 11:00 A.M. – Noon Central Presenter: Mark Hainds, The Longleaf Alliance Description: Most of the Southeast’s primary game species (deer, turkey, quail) at one time thrived in natural longleaf pine ecosystems characterized by frequent fire and a diverse native herbaceous and shrub layer. As fire was excluded and longleaf forests were converted to lob or slash plantations, native herbs and shrubs declined. Many landowners became accustomed to planting food plots with species that were promoted by nurseries and biologists. Many of these food plot species were exotic Asian plants that are now identified as highly invasive weeds. This webinar will identify native alternatives that are commercially available and preferred by game species. Furthermore, many native herbs and shrubs are rarely invasive, more attractive on the landscape, and potential food sources for human foragers!

July 20, 2012 Webinar: Online Mapping and Spatial Resources for the Private Forest Landowner Time: 11:00 A.M. – Noon Central Presenter: John Gilbert, Longleaf Pine Stand Dynamics Laboratory Description: There is growing interest among private landowners to diversify the benefits from their property through multiple use management. However, small-scale private landowners often have limited information regarding how to plan for management of these benefits. A map is one of the most important tools a rural or urban forest landowner needs for planning and management especially when planning for multiple uses. A project was started in 2011 to compile outreach information and examples of online mapping and spatial resources that can be used by landowners and forest land managers. The information is organized in a booklet tutorial with examples of online spatial resources to help landowners and conservation professionals make maps and utilize aerial photography, topographic layers, soils information, data collected with GPS units, and even visual simulations for an area of interest (timber stand, agriculture field, pasture, etc.). This webinar will focus on the booklet and provide an overview of the programs and example products.

July 27, 2012 Webinar: The Basics of Longleaf Understory Establishment & Enhancement Time: 11:00 A.M. – Noon Central Presenter: Carol Denhof, The Longleaf Alliance Description: There are many questions about the process of establishing or enhancing the understory component of the longleaf pine ecosystem. Some of these questions include, but are not limited to: what plant species should be used, should seed or plugs be used, what site prep techniques should be used, and what restoration strategies should be used? This webinar will address these questions as well as other pertinent understory restoration issues.

August 3, 2012 Webinar: Site Prep / Artificial Regeneration of Longleaf Pine Time: 11:00 A.M. – Noon Central Presenter: Mark Hainds, The Longleaf Alliance Description: Tremendous strides have been taken in the success and consistency of longleaf establishment strategies. This webinar will examine: site preparation techniques and tradeoffs the landowner or manager should consider, in terms of intensity and early survival and growth of longleaf seedlings. Some scenarios require intensive site preparation for any hope of success. Other situations call for minimalist techniques to preserve native groundcover or to reduce carrying cost over the length of the rotation.

August 10, 2012 Webinar: Ecologically Responsible Longleaf Pinestraw Production Time: 11:00 A.M. – Noon Central Presenter: Mark Hainds, The Longleaf Alliance Description: The harvesting and marketing of pinestraw has become extremely lucrative across much of the southeast. Longleaf is regarding as the king of all North American pines in regards to the quality of its pinestraw. Some longleaf plantations are commercially viable as early as seven years post planting. Tragically, most landowners are under the impression that they must remove all native ground cover to harvest pinestraw. This webinar will examine the ecological costs and the economic benefits of raking pinestraw with various techniques. Learn how some landowners and land managers have been able to keep their native groundcover while raking in excess of $100.00 an acre annually.

August 17, 2012 Webinar: Native Alternatives for Food Plots in the Longleaf Ecosystem Part 2 Time: 11:00 A.M. – Noon Central Presenter: Mark Hainds, The Longleaf Alliance Description: This will be an expansion of the previous webinar on this topic held on July 13th.

Please Note: Check our website on how to Log-on for each of these webinars (www.longleafalliance.org)


Upcoming Events Our Supporters!

Welcome to our Newest Supporters since the last newsletter:

Carl Wernicke Don Cumbie Frank Lipp

Roland Hester John Neighbors

Billy & Joy Wilkinson Magnolia Branch Wildlife Reserve

Tamara Paul George Watkins

Julia O’Neal George & Anne Tyson M. Frank Thompson Jr.

Reese Thompson Randall Shaffer Alec Chaplin

Alton McCullough Rowe Britt

Carson Charles Charles Smith Charles Lane

Charles McCallum Chip Hall

David Douglas Henry Swink

Joe Pope Kirkman Finlay Mac Stidham

Mike McShane Weston Nelson

Scott Barnes Tim George Toddy Smith William Cain

William Clyburn Joan Campbell

July What: Longleaf Webinar Series When: July 13, 20, 27 Time: 11:00 am Central Duration: 1 hour Details: See LLA website on how to log-on

What: AL Certified Rx Burn Manager Certification Course When: July 17-20 Where: Auburn University, AL Details: Contact Kent Hanby at: [email protected]

What: Herbicides & Longleaf 201 course—FULL When: July 31 – August 2 Where: Tifton, GA

August What: Longleaf Webinar Series When: August 3, 10, 17 Time: 11:00 am Central Duration: 1 hour Details: See LLA website on how to log-on

What: Forestry Field Day When: August 9 Where: Dale County, AL Details: Call 334-774-4749

What: Herbicides & Longleaf 201 course—Space Available! When: August 14-16 Where: Solon Dixon Center; Andalusia, AL Cost: $300; includes registration fee, materials, food & lodging Details: See LLA website. To register, please email JJ at: [email protected]

What: AL Certified Rx Burn Manager Certification Course When: August 27-30 Where: Solon Dixon Center, AL Details: Contact Kent Hanby at: [email protected]

What: Herbicides & Longleaf 201 course—FULL When: August 28-30 Where: Tifton, GA

September What: Understory Restoration 201 course—FULL When: September 18-20 Where: Tifton, GA

October What: Understory Restoration 201 course—Space Available When: October 2-4 Where: Solon Dixon Center; Andalusia, AL Cost: $300; includes registration fee, materials, food & lodging Details: See LLA website. To register, please email JJ at: [email protected]

What: LLA’s 9th Biennial Regional Longleaf Conference When: October 23-26 Where: Nacogdoches, TX Details: Please see pages 5-6 of this newsletter and visit our web-site.

Scott and Purdom Pennington’s 19-month old son Lawton on their land in Allendale County, SC which has been in the family since 1835. This tract was planted in longleaf in Feb-ruary 2012 and the photo was taken May 1, 2012. They plan on measur-ing the growth of the longleaf yearly using Lawton! If you have a longleaf photo that you would like to share, email JJ at: [email protected]

The Longleaf Alliance 12130 Dixon Center Road Andalusia, AL 36420

If you are already a supporter of The Longleaf Alliance, THANK YOU; please consider passing this form on to a friend or colleague. If you are not a supporter, please join us and help The Longleaf Alliance keep this forest type as part of the southern landscape.

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The Longleaf Alliance is a non-profit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All contributions are tax deductible when made payable to The Longleaf Alliance, 12130 Dixon Center Rd,

Andalusia, AL 36420

Documents

Published Quarterly by The Longleaf Alliance …...restoration across the longleaf region. (Continued on page 2) From the President’s (Busy & Cluttered) Desk by Rhett Johnson Volume