TREASURED - Alabama Forestry Commissionforestry.alabama.gov/Pages/Informational/Treasured...Spring 2005 Alabama’s TREASURED Forests / 3 Governor Bob Riley Alabama Forestry Commission

• Multi-Shift (Night) Logging in Alabama

• Firewise Communities

• Reforestation of Alabama’s Abandoned Mines

• Trees and Wildlife: A Good Combination

• GIS Technology at the AFC

• Deer “Proofing” Your Property

TTALABAMA’S

FORESTSREASUREDREASURED

A Publication of the Alabama Forestry CommissionA Publication of the Alabama Forestry Commission

SPRING 2005SPRING 2005

• Multi-Shift (Night) Logging in Alabama

• Firewise Communities

• Reforestation of Alabama’s Abandoned Mines

• Trees and Wildlife: A Good Combination

• GIS Technology at the AFC

• Deer “Proofing” Your Property

This year the USDA Forest Service is celebrating its 100th anniversary. In this100-year journey they have gone from an agency primarily responsible for pro-tecting and conserving national forests and grasslands to one of the most valu-able assets to state and private forestry in the nation.

Aside from being the caretakers of 192 million acres that include 155 nationalforests, 20 national grasslands, and 222 research and experimental forests, the ForestService in the last century has become a vital and crucial part of the forest community atthe grass roots level. They provide leadership across the nation in wildland fire manage-ment, operations, research, and technology. Much of Alabama’s wildland firefightingprogram is dependent on the support of the Forest Service. It is only through their finan-cial assistance that we are able to provide the fire protection that we do: through the pur-chase of equipment and gear, training of our firefighters, aerial detection, communica-tions, fuel reduction, fire prevention, and education. Not only do they assist the AlabamaForestry Commission as an agency but they also have a large impact on rural volunteerfire departments. Through the National Fire Plan and the Rural Community FireProtection Program, grant monies are administered by our agency for rural volunteer

departments. These funds provide for the organization, training, and equipping of fire departments in our state’s rural communities.The Forest Service is behind many of our forest management programs such as southern pine beetle and stewardship forests.

They provide research and technology in the area of forest health for such things as non-native invasive species as well as insectsand diseases. They support programs for water quality and clean air. Through us they help provide technical assistance and educa-tion to landowners and communities about how to care for their land. In addition, they are the leader in conservation educationefforts not only through their national forests programs, but because they have become important assets in their local schools andcommunities.

In September Hurricane Ivan damaged and destroyed forestland and communities in much of south Alabama. It is through sup-plement emergency funds that the AFC has been able to reach out and provide assistance to landowners, communities, and firedepartments in the initial response and recovery efforts. This assistance will continue for several years because of the USDA ForestService.

In the early 1900’s, Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the Forest Service, made a remark that has proved simple but true for 100years. He summed up the mission of the agency as, “to provide the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people in thelong run.” The USDA Forest Service has met and exceeded their mission. On behalf of the Alabama Forestry Commission I want tosay congratulations to the 37,000 employees of the Forest Service and I hope that you have many more years of service to ournation, state, and local communities.

2 / Alabama’s TREASURED Forests Spring 2005

A MESSAGE FROM . . .

Alabama is one of the most blessed states in our country with its natural beautyand abundant resources. Much of this beauty is located in one of our state’sfour national forests. The USDA Forest Service manages over 666,000 acresof land in Alabama that includes the Bankhead, Talladega, Conecuh, and

Tuskegee National Forests. These treasures are working forests that are managed formultiple uses like recreation, wildlife, timber, fish, water, soil, and wilderness.

There is something for everyone in Alabama’s national forests. Hundreds of miles ofhiking, biking, horseback, and ATV trails run through this diverse land. Clean lakes andbeautiful streams provide opportunities for swimming, boating, canoeing, and fishing.Hunting is allowed in the wildlife-rich management areas and the forests give generousopportunities for bird watching, photography, picnicking, and camping. Mile after mileof rural roads provide sightseeing or just that quiet spot away from everything. Around41,000 acres of the national forests are kept as wilderness land where you can go andenjoy nature undisturbed.

The stewards of this valuable resource are the men and women of the USDA ForestService. This year the agency is celebrating its centennial - 100 years of service to the land

and the people that enjoy it. Alabama is most fortunate to have our national forests and the wonderful people who carefully manage itfor all of us to enjoy. The job they do is invaluable to our state and every citizen living here. Congratulations to the USDA ForestService on their 100th anniversary and keep up the good work of providing special places for each one of us.

TIMOTHY C. BOYCE

State Forester

BOB RILEY

Governor, State of Alabama

Spring 2005 Alabama’s TREASURED Forests / 3

GovernorBob Riley

Alabama Forestry CommissionGary Fortenberry, ChairmanJerry Lacey, Vice ChairmanJohnny DennisTed DeVosJett FreemanDon HeathDavid Long

State ForesterTimothy C. Boyce

Assistant State ForesterRichard H. Cumbie

Administrative Division DirectorJerry M. Dwyer

Fire Division DirectorDavid Frederick

Management Division DirectorBruce Springer

Northwest RegionRegional Forester Wayne StrawbridgeAsst Regional Forester, Administration Bart Williams

Northeast RegionRegional Forester Phearthur MooreAsst Regional Forester, Administration Charles Hall

Southeast RegionRegional ForesterAsst Regional Forester, Administration Dave Duckett

Southwest RegionRegional Forester Gary ColeAsst Regional Forester, Administration Otis French

Editorial BoardBruce Springer Alabama Forestry CommissionDavid Frederick Alabama Forestry CommissionElishia Ballentine Johnson Alabama Forestry CommissionGus Townes Alabama Forestry CommissionDon Stinson Alabama TREASURE Forest Assoc.Coleen Vansant Alabama Forestry Commission

EditorElishia BallentineJohnson

Managing EditorColeen Vansant

Vol. XXIV, No. 1 Spring 2005

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

The publication of a story or article in this magazine does not constitute the Alabama Forestry Commission'sendorsement of that particular practice, but is an effort to provide the landowners of Alabama with informa-tion and technical assistance to make informed decisions about the management practices they apply to theirland. The Alabama Forestry Commission is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

4 Full Circle by Elishia Johnson

7 Logging Under the Night Sky: Multi-Shifting Comes to Alabama by Tilda Mims

11 Firewise in the Wildland/Urban Interface andFirewise Communities/USA by Stanley Anderson

14 Alabama’s Reforestation of Abandoned Mine Landsby Walter E. Cartwright

19 Trees and Wildlife - It’s a Good Combination by Julie A. Best

21 The Great Blue Heron - The Original Fishfinder by Rick Claybrook

22 On the Cutting Edge of Technological Advancement by Dana McReynolds

27 Keeping Your Yard and Garden Off the Menu: Ways to “Deer-Proof” Your Property by Coleen Vansant

31 Alabama Forestry Camp 2005 by James Jennings

DEPARTMENTS2 Message from the Governor and the State Forester

13 HIDDEN TREASURE: Promoting Native Foods: An Economic and Effective Tool for Wildlife Management by Tilda Mims

18 HIDDEN TREASURE: Touch of Country in the City by Tilda Mims

26 LEGISLATION AND POLICY

Legislative Profile: Jack Biddle, III by Coleen Vansant

32 PLANTS OF ALABAMA: Wisteria by Coleen Vansant

CONTENTS

Cover: Although a sign of Spring across the deep south and a familiar sight in the forests ofAlabama, did you know that the lovely wisteria is a non-native invasive species? Read aboutthis creeping beauty on the back cover. Photo by Coleen Vansant

Background this page: Another springtime bloomer, the understated prettiness of floweringquince is fortunately not a favorite food of deer. Learn how to protect your lawn with otherplants that are deer-resistant on page 27. Photo by Coleen Vansant

Retirement. The word is noteven in Raymond Newman’svocabulary. However, manag-ing the land, making improve-

ments, planting and enjoying watchingpine trees grow . . . those are phrasesyou’ll hear often if you talk to Mr.Newman for very long.

Born and raised “just down the road,”he first bought the property in LeeCounty in the late 40s – 1,046 acresoriginally. It was not very well managed,mostly crop and pasture land. Now, somesixty-odd years later, the land is muchimproved and there are quite a few moreacres. It’s covered in pines and hard-woods, and wildlife thrives here.

Mr. Newman began converting CircleN Farm to timber back in the late 70’s.He had originally farmed the land: cot-ton, corn, and vegetables. Next he had

tried his hand at the cattle business, alsohaving horses and raising Shetlandponies for a while. He laughingly sayshe was “kicked, hooked, thrown, evenchased by a Brahma bull.” Then, whenthe cattle market started declining, hesold every one of them – more than 400head. Growing pines just seemed to bethe obvious choice. He remarked that ina way, it was as if he were coming backfull circle to something he had alwaysloved. He started planting timber, andhasn’t regretted it one bit.

There are a few slash and long leafpines, but the plantations are predomi-nantly loblolly. The age of the pine treesat Circle N range from 1-year-oldseedlings to 40 to 50-year-old maturestands. Having been in the timber busi-ness for over 50 years, it’s not surprisingthat one of Mr. Newman’s management


Full CirFull CirclecleBy Elishia Johnson, Editor

theories is thinning. He states, “Itimproves the quality as well as thegrowth of the trees.” He prefers plantingto natural regeneration, adding that it’ssmarter and more economical in the longrun. He is also a firm believer in pre-scribed burning, another practice that hecompletes on an annual basis. He saysthey burn 700-800 acres nearly everyFebruary. It seems that he actuallyworked his land under the principals ofthe TREASURE Forest program prior tohearing about it, long before becoming aTREASURE Forest in 1980 (Certificate#115). Then in 2003, all the hard workand sound management paid off when hewas honored as a Helene MosleyMemorial Award Winner for theSoutheast Region.

Although it is obvious that Mr.Newman himself is the “overseer,” hesays his son, Mike, also helps at thefarm. That is, when he’s not busy run-ning the family timber business –Raymond turned that enterprise over tohis son a few years ago, so that he coulddevote all of his energies to the farm.

Over the years, they’ve received assis-tance and guidance from the AlabamaForestry Commission, as well as the Soiland Water Conservation folks.

With all of the effort he puts into tim-ber, which is his secondary TREASUREForest objective, you can just imaginethe love and time Mr. Newman devotesto his primary objective: Wildlife! He isan avid quail hunter, and each year raisesseveral hundred. With over 100 acresplanted in food plots, there is also anabundance of turkey, deer, and doves.There are over 50 acres of grain sorghumand bicolor lespedeza for the quail, and

more than 40 acres of winter grazingplots of wheat, clover, and brown topmillet. But planting of these grains is justthe beginning . . . he has the equipmentto do the whole process: a combine cutsthe seed, then it is cleaned, bagged, andstored. Last year he harvested 70,000pounds of wheat.

And don’t forget the fish. There arethree ponds at Circle N: a 17-acre, an 8-acre, and a 4-acre. They harvest blue gill,shell cracker, copper nose bream, andlargemouth bass. In addition to fertiliz-


(Continued on page 6)

Right: This road leading through astand of 30-year-old loblollies

represents just a portion of the 135miles of road that take Raymond

Newman anywhere he wishes to go on his farm.

Below: Hardwoods and maturepines enhance the view from thehunting lodge.

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ing, liming, and setting turtle traps, Mr.Newman states they keep the bass happyby feeding the bream. He says that hemanages the ponds to promote good,quality fishing.

One of the most notable features ofthis TREASURE Forest is the road

building.According to Mr.Newman, thereare 135 miles ofroad, all of whichthey build andmaintain them-selves. He saysthat there isnowhere on theproperty that hecan’t go and see

what he wants to see! They quarrybronze rock out of three rockpits on the property, haul itwith a 25-ton dump truck,use a D6 Caterpillar to crushit, then shape it with a 130Gmotor grader.

In all of his “spare” time,Mr. Newman attends to hishobby: the fruit orchards. Heraises plums, pears, scupper-nong grapes, as well as eightor ten varieties of peachesincluding Georgia Belle, RedHaven, and Lohring. Heexplains that it gives himgreat satisfaction to share the

fruits of his labor with neighbors andfriends. He also occasionally enjoysshooting at his regulation skeet range,and he’s been known to host friends atthe hunting lodge that he built about 30years ago.

Meanwhile, Raymond Newman doesn’thave any plans to retire. He hasn’t gottime . . . he’s much too busy carrying outhis timber farming philosophy which hasproven quite successful: cut, spray, burn,then plant more!

Wildlife is the primary TREASUREForest objective of Circle N Farm.Over 100 acres planted in foodplots, such as this greenfield, attractan abundance of turkey, deer, anddoves.

Below: An avid quail hunter, everyyear Mr. Newman raises severalhundred birds from chicks. He lovesto shoot birds and work with his fivebird dogs.

Left: Raymond Newman,pictured with the skid steerthat he says makes a snapof clearing the forest floorof sweet gum saplings andother undergrowth.

Right: The three ponds onthe property are not only

aesthetically pleasing, butalso provide good fishing

for bass and bream.

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Timber harvesting in Alabama,like logging in any other area ofthe country, is about more thanjust harvesting the forest these

days. It is also about new harvestingmethods, continuing education, soundenvironmental practices, and perhapsmost important, sustainable forestresource management.

Add these concerns to cost controls,timely deliveries, and employee safetyand it’s easy to see some of the constantchallenges facing logging contractors.

Responses to Timber Harvesting mag-azine’s nationwide 2004 LoggingBusiness Survey reported a “downsizedand leaner logging force reeling fromhigher operating costs and poor prof-itability.” More than 200 loggers fromAlabama and 38 other states responded

to the study; one in four indicated theirbusinesses lost money in 2003.

On the positive side, respondents wereupbeat about their future in logging. Asignificant number indicated they plan tostay in business and pass it on to a son ordaughter. While many reported diversifi-cation and cost-cutting strategies as cop-ing measures, others are looking to awhole new way of logging to not justsurvive, but succeed.

Optimized logging, multi-shifting,double shifting, and night logging areterms to describe the practice of runninga logging crew around the clock. Thoughtypical in extremely cold climates wheredays are short and inclement weather isthe norm, logging under bright lights isvery new to Alabama.

Johnny and Michelle Kynard ofGreensboro are good representatives of

the new type of logging contractors whoare building their future on optimizedlogging. The Kynards are among the corecontractors for Gulf States PaperCorporation. In 2003, Gulf States beganexploring this new strategy in order tomaintain a consistent wood flow for theMoundville Sawmill. They expanded thedouble-shift concept by using the term“optimized logging” to include maxi-mized equipment utilization.

Rolfe Singleton, a harvest coordinatorfor Gulf States, was involved in the pro-cess from the start. “We offered theoption of trying optimized logging to allof our core contractors and Johnny wasimmediately interested.” They visitedseveral sites to get a first-hand view.


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Truck drivers firmly attacha blinking yellow light tothe longest log of eachload as they continuetheir steady delivery tothe sawmill.

Logging Under the Night Sky:

Multi-ShiftingComes to Alabama

By Tilda Mims, AFC Retired

Most new multi-shift operations in theSouth are running a 24/7 business withhighly specialized cut-to-length equip-ment. Johnny says that when they cameback to Alabama, he knew they could doit with his current equipment.

In late 2003, the Kynards started asecond shift for a trial period using twotrucks, one loader, and one skidder.According to Johnny, they tried cutting atnight but it wasn’t profitable or safeenough. So, they added a cutter to theday shift and concentrated on skidding,sorting, and loading during the secondshift. “When we first started the trialperiod, it affected everyone’s family lifebecause we were learning as we went,but we never gave up,” he says. “From afinancial point of view, I had to do some-thing. We worked only 221 days in 2002due to weather and markets. I knew wehad to try something new in order tokeep the business going.”

Optimized logging for the Kynardsofficially started January 1, 2004. FromJanuary 1 through July 2004, the crewsmissed only seven workdays.

The full crewworks days,Monday throughFriday. Nine expe-rienced employees– two skidderdrivers, two loader

operators, and five truck drivers – worksecond shift Monday through Thursday.Johnny is there from “can to can’t”working with Gulf States and motivatingthe crew to maintain high production,quality, and safety.

The goal is to work nine shifts a weekand be off on the weekend. If weather isa factor during the week, they may workweekends to make up lost time.

Operating two shifts increasesdemands for maintenance and safetymeasures, and attention to detail becomesmore critical. Johnny contends mainte-nance is even better than before becausethere are three sets of eyes checking outequipment, two times a day. Both opera-tors and the mechanic look over all

equipment before each shift. Betweenshifts, crews discuss work progress andlayout, machine problems, and othershoptalk. This attention to preventivemaintenance keeps all equipment inexcellent condition.

The harvesting operation centers onan on-site service truck. It is a well-equipped workshop and parts storagefacility with hoses, fuels, hydraulic hosemachine, welder, bolts bins, and manyspecialized tools. There are threemechanics in the crew and at least onemechanic available on each shift.

When computerized equipment needsrepair however, they have to rely on spe-cially-trained technicians. “We have agreat working relationship with WarriorTractor Company in Northport,” Johnnypoints out. “ I talked to them early in thisprocess to make sure we would have thebacking we needed to operate nights.We’ve had a mechanic down here at 2:30in the morning to work on the computerin a piece of equipment.” Reliable

Skidders are equipped with specially-designed lighting packages to increase illumination on all sides.


Operating two shifts increasesdemands for maintenance. Bothoperators and the mechanic look

over all equipment before each shift. This attention to preventive

maintenance keeps all equipment inexcellent condition.

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mechanic support is critical to their suc-cess. “They help us get back to work,” hesaid.

The equipment shows only normalwear and tear for the number of hours theequipment is operating. It will wear outfaster, of course, but that isn’t a problembecause they are just as productive atnight as in the day.

Safety is a concern on every loggingsite, but when visibility is limited, risksrequire more attention. Careful tractselection is the key. Rolfe says that notall tracts are suitable for optimized log-ging. “Steep terrain and old-growth tim-ber requires people on the ground andthat is not safe at night.”

Once the site is approved for opti-mized logging, a Gulf States crew marksproperty lines and streamside manage-ment zones, and determines needed BestManagement Practices. The day shiftcuts and skids timber around edges of thetract to clearly mark lines for the nightcrew. Boundary lines cut during the daylet the night crew know exactly where to

begin and end. Extra set-up work per-formed by the day shift allows the 4:00p.m. crew to continue the pace.

As the sun begins to set, the rhythm ofthe machines halts briefly while the crewprepares for a night’s work under a starrysky. Poles of high-powered halogenbulbs are raised high, casting 8,000 wattsof additional light over the entire worksite. All personnel slide on reflective

vests and lighted hardhats, and skiddersflip on specially designed lighting pack-ages. Lighted roadway signs begin toglow in warning to passing drivers.Truck drivers firmly attach a blinkingyellow light to the longest log of eachload as they continue their steady deliv-ery to the sawmill. One substantialadvantage is quicker turn-around time atthe sawmill. Night deliveries virtuallyeliminate waiting time, which is often30-40 minutes during the day shift.

Casual observers in pick-up trucksoften pull onto the side of the red dirtroad, watching in fascination as the crewquickly resumes a steady pace of skid-ding, sorting, and loading.

Merchandising is the separation ofspecies and products for loading ontrucks. Lighting allows the experienced


Lighting allows the experienced night loader/operator to be as accurate as the day operator.


(L to R) Rolf Singleton and JohnnyKinard work together almost daily toensure the productivity of the opti-mized logging operation.

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night loader-operator to be as accurate asthe day operator.

An unexpected benefit is the ability ofthe skidder operator to pick out thesmallest logs in his path. When workingat night, skidder operators have very fewdistractions, with less interference fromoutside factors. This allows them tobecome more focused on wood nearestthe skidder, bringing along every usablepiece.

Safety Rule #1 is: No worker on theground when equipment is running.Time spent in machines minimizes expo-sure to on-ground hazards. So, when anempty truck pulls up, the loader operatorshuts down until he is certain of the driv-er’s location and they have a chance totalk. When a skidder operator has toleave his equipment, others halt until heis back on the machine. Good coordina-tion and full communication between allemployees keeps everyone on their toes.

Experienced, capable employees arecritical for the success of this newmethod of logging. Kynard says he hashad no trouble attracting and retaininggood employees. All crewmembers aretrained in Best Management Practicesand have attended Professional LoggingManager training. Experienced peoplecame on board knowing it was for thenight shift, he said. One big reason for itssuccess is that it gives crews quality timeat home with their families. They have asteady paycheck and their weekends arefree.

Rolfe says the new process is provid-ing a steady source of wood for the mill.Just a few years ago, he was juggling 17-18 different contractors. Today, he works

with only two, and both are optimizing.“It takes a lot of commitment and dedica-tion to be successful in this,” he said. “Ithas been a win-win situation for us.”

Customer service is important in anybusiness. For the private landowner,Johnny sees several reasons why a timberseller might like the idea of an optimizedlogging operation on his or her property,and all result from reduced time spent onthe tract. A harvesting that might takethree weeks in the standard systemshould take no more than one-half thetime under normal conditions. This flexi-bility may offer landowners more free-dom to plan timber harvests around nest-ing season, hunting parties, rainy season,and other special conditions to receivetop dollar for their timber investment.

In addition, the seller can take fulladvantage of timber markets. If the mar-ket is good, the number of loads deliv-ered at the better price could easily dou-ble.

Johnny and Michelle are confidentthis is a positive change for employee

morale and the bottom line as well. “Wewill never go back,” Johnny says. “Forus to survive as contractors, we had to beflexible and try something new.Optimized logging has been a good fitfor us.”

The double-shift approach to logginghas attracted a lot of attention in its brieflife in the South. It has been touted as away to cut costs, become more efficientand productive, and help the U.S. com-pete in a tough global market. Whilesome veteran loggers are reluctant tochange, several Alabama loggers arewatching the Kynards and others withoptimism.

Left: Three cutters work the day shift toensure sufficient logs for the night crew.

Below: The day shift cuts and skids timberaround edges of the tract to clearly marklines for the night crew.

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Resources:Southern Loggin’ Times,

June 2004

Logging and Sawmilling Journal,December 2003 and January 2004

Timber Harvesting, May/June 2004

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Healthwise, travelwise, money-wise…and Firewise? Simplystated, Firewise is fire preven-tion. To a homeowner it means

preventing fire by making the inside andoutside of the home safe from fire haz-ards or identifying and minimizing haz-ardous situations which may cause struc-tural fire. To a forest landowner/home-owner, Firewise means all of this, plusoutside and beyond. To a homeowner inthe wildland/urban interface (WUI),Firewise means making the home safefrom wildland fire. In any case, Firewiselooks at ways to prevent fires where pos-sible and mitigate or lessen the hazardsassociated with fire spread and intensity,should a fire occur. The goal of Firewiseis to prepare homes to withstand a wild-land fire without the intervention of fire-fighters.

Wildland/Urban Interface (WUI)The term wildland/urban interface

describes the “meeting” of different landuses. For instance, natural or managedforestland or rangeland may join devel-oped urban or suburban areas. This inter-face might be a wildland area meeting acommunity or subdivision, or an industri-al area joining wildlands.

Wildfire has always been a natural partof many of the areas where we live. Infact, long before Europeans settled here,many forests were burned as a result oflightning and indigenous wildfires. Asareas populate in modern times, acciden-tal fire from escaped control burns anddebris fires becomes more prevalent. Anddon’t forget arson, our single biggest

cause of wildfire. As more and more peo-ple choose to live in the wildland/urbaninterface, it is important to make surethey understand the nature of their sur-roundings, including the dangers and pat-terns of wildfire.

There are many homes and communi-ties being built without regard to thewildfire history or fuel conditions in andaround the forest. Dense population inthese areas increases the chance of wild-fire. Therefore, great potential exists forloss of life, property, and ecological val-ues due to fuel conditions located in thewildland/urban interface.

Forest FragmentationDuring the past ten years, forest own-

ership has experienced the biggest changesince the late 1940s to early 1950s whenthe pulp and paper companies began buy-ing large tracts of land to support theirmills. There have been drastic changes inthe corporate climate of the pulp andpaper industry. Many large mills haveclosed; acquisitions, mergers, and lever-aged buy-outs were almost daily newsduring the turn of the new century.Expensive mill modernization in order tomeet environmental and production goalshave influenced mill closure in somecompanies. Many companies have movedtheir resource and production assets toforeign countries with cheaper labor andenvironmental costs. As a result, severallarge companies sold their mill’s landbase.

Enter fragmentation – subdivision –development. Suddenly, the wildland/-urban interface broadens. Large tracts of

timberland that were once managed (un-developed but periodically thinned, har-vested, prescribe burned, and protectedfrom the spread of insects and disease)are now being divided and developed. Forexample, a 640-acre section of land thatonce had a single landowner with onemanagement philosophy might now havetwenty or more owners. Forest firefight-ers and firemen are now finding newchallenges in dealing with 20 acres and ahouse, 10 acres and a house, 1 acre and ahouse, as well as associated roads, drive-ways, low weight limit bridges, cul-de-sacs, structures, utility lines, and fences.Enter Firewise.

Auburn University’s Center for ForestSustainability, in cooperation with theUSDA Forest Service and the NationalScience Foundation, led a conference inAtlanta to explore the challenges andopportunities created by wildland/urbaninterfaces. Various sorts of issues of inter-est were presented to a wide spectrum ofindividuals, especially those charged withurban planning and others dealing withaspects of urban sprawl.

Firewise Communities/USAThe Firewise Communities/USA

Recognition Program enables communi-ties in all parts of the U.S. to achieve ahigh level of protection against wild-land/urban interface fire as well as sus-tainable ecosystem balance. It is spon-sored by the National WUI Fire Program.Firewise Communities/USA encouragesand acknowledges action that minimizeshome loss to wildfire in fire-prone com-



Firewise in theWildland/Urban Interface

and Firewise

Communities/USABy Stanley R. Anderson, Fire Division,

Alabama Forestry Commission

“Will Divide” – large tract of land in Baldwin County once owned by a major paper company.


munities. The recognition programinvolves a coordinated effort by the com-munity members.

Communities in fire-prone areas canearn Firewise Communities/USA status byworking with local fire professionals andby observing the following standards:

•Enlist a WUI specialist to complete anassessment and create a plan that iden-tifies locally agreed-upon solutions thatthe community can implement.

•Sponsor a local Firewise board whichmaintains the Firewise Communityprogram and tracks its progress.

•Observe a Firewise Communities/USADay each spring that is dedicated to alocal Firewise project.

•Invest a minimum of $2.00 annuallyper capita in local FirewiseCommunities/USA efforts (in-kind government employees orvolunteers’ time and equipment,as well as state/federal grantsdedicated to that purpose can beused toward meeting this mini-mum).

•Submit an annual report toFirewise Communities/USA,documenting continuing compli-ance with the program.In some areas, grant money is

available for communities to dofire planning and mitigation.

Partners in Firewise Communities/USAFirewise is a national initiative

designed to reach beyond the fire serviceby involving homeowners, communityleaders, planners, developers, and othersto protect people and property from theravages of wildfire – before a fire starts.

Thirty people from Alabama partici-pated in a Firewise Community/USA con-ference last summer in Birmingham, tolearn how to conduct fire hazard assess-ments.

Both paid and volunteer fire depart-ments (VFDs) are major participantswhen fighting any fire in their jurisdic-tion. Saving lives is their highest priority,not only the safety of citizens but also ofthe firefighters. While volunteer firefight-ers take great pride in doing their jobsand are trained to respond to a variety ofemergency situations, they are not full-

time paid firefighters. VFDs and munici-pal fire departments are constantly revis-ing their emergency plans to deal withfire protection in the interface. Residentsshould take a more responsible role inprotecting their own property and sharingthe effort in making the community safer.

The Alabama Forestry Commission(AFC) began efforts to address fire pre-vention in the WUI in 1988 by encourag-ing formation of WUI councils andrequesting the larger municipal andregional planners to consider fire protec-tion in their land use planning and devel-opment ordinances.

The Jefferson-Shelby County WUICouncil, formed in 1993, was Alabama’sfirst coordinated WUI effort. Since then,this council has developed several

brochures and other literature to informthe public about fire prevention and homeprotection in the interface. The councilhas also trained hundreds of firefightersand land management professionals inNational Wildfire Coordinating Group(NWCG) courses through the WildlandFire Academy. Alabama’s first FirewiseCommunity/USA, English Trace in thetown of Clay in Jefferson County, wasinitiated through the efforts of theJefferson-Shelby WUI Council. Thecouncil’s latest undertaking is a grassrootseducational and outreach program in theCahaba River study area.

The Southwest Alabama WUIAdvisory Council organized in 2001,serving Baldwin and Mobile Counties.This council purchased a portable table-top education display and Smokey Bearcostume to help educate school childrenand inform the public about Firewise.

Elected officials in Mobile and Baldwincounties were informed about the wildfiresituation in their area and briefed on WUIand Firewise opportunities. The councilalso presented WUI information toregional planners. A draft model of plan-ning and development ordinances will bepresented to regional planners at the nextstrategic planning conference.

The Gulf Coast Resource andDevelopment Council is in the process ofestablishing a Firewise community inMobile, Baldwin, or Escambia County.The Council has proposed to identify acommunity at risk, prepare a wildland fireassessment, develop a mitigation plan,and pay for the cost of carrying out themitigation work. The goal is to establish abase of support to propel the community

toward achieving FirewiseCommunity/USA recognition in thenear future.

The Alabama TREASUREForest Association (ATFA) hasaccomplished WUI familiarizationin almost every ATFA county chap-ter. To assist in accomplishing this,AFC personnel presented a fire pre-vention training session to AFTAcounty chapter members raisingawareness of ways to lessen theeffects of wildfire on their propertyand homes.

Another great partner, SmokeyBear came along sixty years ago with thefire prevention message, “Only You…”Smokey’s message is as valuable in wild-fire prevention today as ever.

What the AFC is DoingThe Alabama Forestry Commission

takes a proactive role in informing thepublic about the responsibilities of fireprevention in the wildland/urban interfaceto reduce wildland fires and structurallosses. The AFC has two employees dedi-cated to fire prevention and wildland/-urban interface programs: one is based innorth Alabama at Florence, and the otherin south Alabama at Bay Minette.

Targeted fire prevention plans havebeen prepared for the ten Alabama coun-ties with the highest fire occurrence.General fire prevention plans were pre-pared for the moderate fire occurrence

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Firewise(Continued from page 11)



There is a legitimate debate onnative vs. non-native specieswhen it comes to selecting plantspecies for wildlife manage-

ment. In some well-documented cases,non-native plants once eagerly planted aspreferred wildlife foods have becamevery invasive, choking out acres of pro-ductive land and competing with naturalfood sources.

James and Wanda Altiere of ButlerCounty are among many wildlife enthusi-asts making native plant species theirfirst consideration for wildlife foods.They find this strategy notonly a cost-effective toolbut one that promotesnutritional sources popu-lar with Alabama’s nativewildlife.

The types of nativevegetation important forwildlife are often catego-rized as “early succession-al” species. This meansthey are usually found inthe few years followingsome type of disturbance,such as prescribed burn-ing, thinning, or disking.Herbaceous plants estab-lished in the first fewyears following the dis-turbance attract dove,quail, songbirds, and her-bivores such as deer.

In their young pineplantations, James andWanda continually capture early stagesof succession through regular disking.Disking in the fall every few yearsallows them to set back the clock, pro-moting quail and songbird foods like rag-weed and partridge pea on the site.Blackberries, large-seeded grasses, beg-garweed, and many other soft-mast

species produce fruit most abundantlywhen disturbed on a three-year cycle.James also prunes the young pines andbushhogs around them regularly.

To maximize site productivity, theAltieres seek out fundamental practicesfor increasing understory weeds, grasses,forbes, and legumes in their wildlifemanagement plan. Fencerows allowed togrow up in blackberry and greenbriar,and a buffer strip around the pasturesfoster a highly productive forest edge.Forty-one acres of hardwood bottomalong a creek offer exceptional wildlife

habitat for gray squirrels and forest inte-rior birds while encouraging manyspecies that require more than one habitatto make their homes.

Another excellent natural food sourcecomes from snags that offer a buffet ofinsects for birds and mammals. Whilesome people find snags unacceptable in

the landscape of their home, Wandaenjoys watching woodpeckers, flickers,and black-capped chickadees in the fewlarge dead trees in their side yard. Snagsalso provide many of the benefits of cav-ity trees, such as shelter, areas for roost-ing, hiding, and nesting.

Many introduced plant species,including agricultural crops, are wel-comed additions to any landscape andpose no threat. The Altieres have addedannual and perennial cover for targetedspecies, fertilizing and liming to encour-age productivity. Cherrybark and saw-

tooth oaks as well asdogwood seedlings wereplanted to add soft andhard mast.

When they boughttheir 116-acre tract in1992, they began work-ing with AFC CountyManager Paul Hudginsto develop a timber man-agement plan thatmatched the needs of thespecies they hoped toattract. They examinedopportunities to increasethe wildlife value of pinestands while managingfor a future timber sale.They also wanted todevelop opportunitiesfor horseback riding,target shooting, andhunting for family andfriends.

By combining today’s technologywith the historic tradition of manipulat-ing natural succession, they have pro-duced habitat for a variety of wildlifespecies while producing recreationalopportunities and timber stands, all onthe same parcel of land.

Promoting Native Foods: An Economic and Effective Tool for Wildlife Management

By Tilda Mims, AFC Retired

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James, a wildlife biologist for the Alabama Department of Conservationand Natural Resources, is Hunters’ Education Coordinator for SouthAlabama. He and Wanda have two daughters, Riley, a senior at AuburnUniversity, and Fuller, an 8th grade student at Fort Dale Academy.


Reforestation of abandoned minelands not only heals scars cre-ated by past surface coal min-ing to fuel the nation’s wars

and the Industrial Revolution, but alsoestablishes young forests for many uses.As trees grow, carbon dioxide is removedand oxygen is added to the atmosphere;carbon is stored in wood tissue and rawmaterial is grown for forest products; soilis stabilized and enhanced; water qualityis improved; and widely varied wildlifehabitat shelters many terrestrial andaquatic communities.

Alabama leads the way in reforestingabandoned mine lands. Since 1977, thestate’s Abandoned Mine Land (AML)Reclamation Program in the Departmentof Industrial Relations has been commit-ted to reclaiming and re-vegetating previ-ously mined lands, with 87% being refor-ested. Loblolly pines account for 85%,with the remaining plants and trees con-sisting of autumn olive, sawtooth oak,bicolor lespedeza, cherrybark oak,sycamore, yellow poplar, and otherwildlife shrubs.

Over the past 100 years, largedraglines ripped through the earth androck to create huge spoil piles of “over-burden,” left to erode and be inhabitedwith grass, weeds, non-commercialshrubs, and a few pines and hardwoods.

Most sites consist of rough, ungradedspoils, water impoundments, dangeroushighwalls, coal refuse “gob” piles, as wellas industrial and residential waste piles.Spoil piles are compacted by heavyequipment, heavy noxious weeds invadethe site, and large rocks are scatteredthroughout the piles.

Naturally, all unwanted vegetationmust be cleared, impoundments drained,and waste buried or removed to a solidwaste landfill. Compaction must bereduced, especially in rows where treeswill be planted.

Through the years, Alabama has devel-oped a recipe for reforestation success:

• Proper site preparation

• Adding needed soil amendments

• Proper soil composition and moisture

• Rip and spray to reduce compaction tocontrol competing vegetation

• Purchase quality seedlings from supe-rior nurseries and take proper care ofseedlings

• Use proper planting techniques andpractice quality controls

• Plant seedlings at proper soil moistureand temperatureThese ingredients must be discussed in

some detail to explain how critical eachand every one is to the reclamation pro-cess and final tree survival/growth.

Site PreparationAll impoundments are drained using

ADEM-approved (Alabama Departmentof Environmental Management) de-water-ing procedures; unwanted vegetation iscleared and burned; trash and waste isburied on-site or transported to anapproved landfill; then grading of spoilsbegins. All highwalls are backfilled withon-site spoil material, including impound-ments, then sloped to a 3:1 or flatterslope. Slopes are stabilized by adding ter-races at necessary intervals, which areprotected by erosion control fabric orlimestone riprap.

Soil AmendmentsA comprehensive soil analysis is per-

formed by certified soils laboratories todetermine the type of amendments neededand quantities necessary for proper plantgrowth. In Alabama, large amounts oflime and high nitrogen fertilizer arerequired on most sites. These chemicalsare spread, disked into the graded soils,and a mixture of native grasses andlegumes is spread to germinate and stabi-lize the site until trees can be planted dur-ing the following winter. Heavy layers ofhay mulch are spread and crimped to cre-ate a prime seed-bed while some areas arehydro-seeded with a mixture of woodpulp fiber, fertilizer, and grass seed.

By Walter E. Cartwright, Assistant DirectorForest Management Division, Alabama Forestry Commission


Soil Composition and MoistureCareful attention is devoted to the

upper layer of soil in which roots ofgrasses, legumes, and seedlings mustdevelop and survive, adding to the organ-ic material and re-establishing topsoil.Hay mulch is added not only to hold seedand soil in place, but also to provide theinitial head start on organic buildup in thesoil. Proper amounts of mulch hold mois-ture in the soil, reduce sun and winddehydration, and lessen erosion.

A mixture of Pensacola bahia grass,hulled common bermuda, hulled sericealespedeza, browntop millet, and crimsonclover are planted in spring and summer.A heavier mixture is planted in fall andwinter, consisting of the same seed plusunhulled common Bermuda grass,unhulled sericea lespedeza, Kentucky 31fescue, common annual ryegrass, andinoculated crimson and ladino clover. Themix of grasses works together to establisha thick root mass in the upper six inchesof soil, while the legumes fix nitrogen inthe soil, further promoting root growthand aiding soil micro-organisms in colo-nizing and building up organic matterover time. Site conditions vary acrossAlabama, so the mixture of grasses,legumes, and soil amendments is also tailored to each site, based on the com-prehensive soil analysis.

Rip and SprayAs noted earlier, soil compaction,

competing vegetation, and rocky soils arethree limiting factors to successful re-veg-etation and reforestation of graded minespoils. A sub-soiler with a spray attach-ment was developed to spray a 4-footswath along the ripped row where treeswould be planted during the winter. Eachrow is ripped to a 14-inch depth and a 55-gallon herbicide mixture of 2.5 gallons ofRoundup Pro, 10 ounces of Oust, andwater is sprayed two feet on each side ofthe row. Ripping is done in October eachyear, opening a channel for planting bareroot seedlings, moving rocks out of therow. Herbicides control competing vege-tation to an acceptable level, allowingseedlings room to grow and develop agood root system during that critical firstyear. Rows are ripped on 10-foot spacingswhere possible, even in areas that requirehand-planting, allowing trees to be plant-ed on a 6-foot x 10-foot spacing toachieve 726 trees per acre. In Alabama,

this step is critical to control weeds andgrasses for good seedling survival. Thesoil amendments and mulch almostalways produce a lush carpet of grasses,stabilizing each site until trees can beplanted and grown producing a forest topermanently hold the site in place.

Seedling Quality and CareOnce the site is prepared, stabilized

with grasses, ripped and sprayed, the nextstep is to procure quality tree seedlingsthat have an excellent chance of survival.On jobs of this magnitude, trees must beordered six months to one year inadvance of actual planting which allowstree nurseries to grow what their cus-tomers need.

Almost all tree nurseries in theSoutheast are members of a pine planta-tion cooperative which continually pro-duces superior seedlings from genetically-improved seed orchards across the region.Seedlings are grown in soil mediums con-sisting of sand clay loam, decomposedsawdust, and pisolithus tinctorius fungus.The fungus attaches to the feeder roots ofseedlings in a symbiotic relationship,greatly increasing the plant’s ability touptake moisture and nutrients. Geneticimprovement results in trees that areresistant to both fusiform rust and rootrot. They have increased growth rates,resulting in good form and right-angledlimbs that prune with the least amount ofbole exposure.

Seedlings at superior tree nurseries areundercut in August of each year to forceroot systems to branch out. This producesa really fibrous root system to supportseedlings during that critical first year ofgrowth. Most nurseries also gradeseedlings to discard trees with Cronartiumcankers (fusiform rust), forked trees, andweak seedlings.

Seedlings are planted in Januarythrough March of each year, being pickedup at the nurseries and transported in cov-ered trucks, vans, or trailers to preventdehydration from wind and sun exposure.The trees are stored on racks in a humidcold storage building (at temperatures 40-45 degrees), designed to keep them dor-mant and moist until planting. Whentransported to the site, the seedlings arecovered and kept in shade to protect fromsun and wind exposure, preserving mois-ture.

The reclamation process on the aban-doned sites includes drainingimpoundments and clearing debris.Highwalls are backfilled, sloped, and stabilized (top photo). After grading, amendments are added andall sites are planted in permanentgrasses and legumes to stabilize thesoil (center photo). During the following fall, rows are ripped with asub-soiler on 10-foot intervals, and theherbaceous vegetation sprayed simul-taneously to reduce competition. Allareas are machine-planted where pos-sible (bottom photo); steep slopes andwet areas are hand-planted.(Continued on page 16)

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All this care is necessary to nurtureseedlings until they are planted becauseeach tree should be green, dormant, andhealthy. They are, after all, “baby trees”and must be pampered somewhat. As weoften say around planting sites, the bestway to boost survival rates of trees plant-ed is to “plant live trees.” This may soundridiculous; however, seedlings may begreen and look fine, but be completelydead.

All trees planted are bare root, andinclude hardwoods and wildlife shrubs.Most pine trees are loblolly, but somesites are planted with longleaf pines at theowner’s request.

Planting TechniquesIn the beginning, contractors were

hired to plant trees on reclaimed AMLsites, which afforded little control overseedling quality, care, and planting tech-niques. Therefore, in 1987 the AlabamaDepartment of Industrial Relations(ADIR) decided to take control of thereforestation program – planting goodseedlings, properly, on all reclaimed sites.The Walker County Soil and WaterConservation District Board began plant-

ing seedlings under a long-standing coop-erative agreement with ADIR’s Miningand Reclamation Division. Survival ratesimproved dramatically, then, in 1991, aReynolds F-050 split-axle tree planterwas purchased. The planter foot andcolter were modified and strengthened forharsh soil and rock conditions. Frequentcare and maintenance have kept theplanter functioning properly, and manyyears of operation on mine spoils is antic-ipated.

A dual-wheeled farm tractor is used topull the planter along previously rippedrows. Workers riding in the planter placetrees on 6-foot spacings, and anotherworker follows to straighten trees andplant skips in rows. Steep slopes arehand-planted with dibble bars, usingproper planting techniques. A professionalregistered forester oversees the process,performing quality-control checks toguarantee proper planting, packing, spac-ing, and seedling care.

Soil Moisture and WeatherCold weather and good soil moisture

are critical to seedling survival andgrowth. Sites are monitored for proper

planting conditions, and trees are plantedduring optimum conditions. Tree plantingseason is the number one priority whenconditions are right, but planting will besuspended if soils become dry or theweather becomes too hot or cold. Surplusseedlings are returned to cold storagewhere they remain until adequate mois-ture and cold weather conditions return.Conditions vary widely across Alabamaso crews can usually move to anotherlocation to continue planting, then returnto a previous site as necessary. If soilamendments, mulch, and grasses havebeen added to graded mine spoils, organicmatter will accumulate to hold soil mois-ture and provide much-needed nutrientsfor bare root seedlings. Moisture, organicmaterial, and nutrients are concentrated inripped trenches that have closed duringthe months prior to planting.

Seedling survival surveys are per-formed during the fall after planting todetermine survival rates, health, growth,and any need for replanting. Such surveysare essential in monitoring any reforesta-

Alabama's Reforestation of Abandoned Mine Lands(Continued from page 15)

Reforestation and routine maintenance of reclaimed abandoned mine landsnot only stabilizes the soil and ensures successful tree growth, but also pro-vides cover and habitat for many wildlife species. While increasing land pro-ductivity, it also enhances the taxable value of property.

One year

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Eight years

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tion program and help identify problemssuch as poor planting techniques, weakseedlings, poor soil conditions, acid soils,and too much competing vegetation.

If all of the above ingredients areadded to your reforestation recipe, youshould have a successful program withgood-to-excellent survival rates. Evenduring drought conditions, seedlings willsurvive and establish deep root systems tocatapult them upward during the nextspring growth season.

The Mining and Reclamation Divisionalso surveyed older pine plantations forsurvival rates, growth, and stand density.Site index is good-to-excellent after refor-estation and shows all indication that thenew site index will be as good, or better,than the pre-mined site index. For exam-ple, many 11-year-old trees are 30-40 feethigh and 6-8 inches in diameter at breastheight. Projections to age 50 would not bereliable at this point, but all indicationsare excellent to show improvements overthe original site index.

A study was completed in 1999 on 27sites chosen at random by Dr. E. SamLyle, Jr., retired soil scientist, and Jim L.Kitson, Supervisor of the Walker CountySoil and Water Conservation DistrictBoard in Boldo,Alabama. The resultsshowed survival rangesfrom 77.0 to 99.7%,with an overall averageof 86.1%. The study alsoshowed decreased sur-vival rates with age;however, stands natural-ly lose unhealthy andundesirable trees, allow-ing the survivors oppor-tunity to grow betterwithout the added com-petition. Forest industryin Alabama establishesan average 726 trees peracre during planting, anddesires an average 500trees per acre at agefive. Studies have shownthat the maximum basalarea of tree volume canbe achieved at thatstocking rate. Dr. Lyle’sstudy revealed thatreclaimed sites had morethan 500 trees per acresurviving at age five.

The owners of the reclaimed minelands have the option to thin plantationsat ages 10-12 years, 20-25 years, andfinal harvest at age 30. ADIR has no con-trol over the landowners’ timber standmanagement, but provides them withhealthy, quality forests to manage forwood production, recreation, and wildlifemanagement. Many landowners are nowhaving their forests certified through theTree Farm Program and TREASUREForest Program which require frequentand professional management.

This past year another successful treeplanting season was completed by theADIR on the state’s abandoned minelands. During the 2003-2004 tree plantingseason, 73,000 seedlings were planted(including loblolly pine, sawtooth oak,and various wildlife-food shrubs) on 134reclaimed acres across 6 counties. Theseedlings were planted by the WalkerCounty Soil and Water ConservationDistrict Board through a cooperativeagreement with ADIR. The table belowshows that since ADIR began reclaimingabandoned mines in 1976, over 7 milliontrees have been planted on 9,634 acres ofreclaimed lands in 14 north Alabamacounties.

A recent survey by the InterstateMining Compact Commission of states’reforestation efforts indicated thatAlabama leads the nation in both numberof trees planted on abandoned mine lands,as well as highest survival rate afterplanting. This achievement is due to theavailability of top-quality, genetically-improved seedlings, proper care and han-dling, supervision by qualified reclama-tion inspectors and registered foresters,and superior tree planting methodsemployed by the Board.

Although the Mining and ReclamationDivision has reclaimed nearly 10,000acres of abandoned mines, much workremains to be done. An estimated $450million is needed to reclaim all remainingsites in Alabama to eliminate these scars,safety hazards, and environmental prob-lems.

Editor’s Note: For more information onAlabama’s Abandoned Mine LandReclamation Program, contact Michael R. Skates, Director, Mining and Reclamation Division,Alabama Dept of Industrial Relations,649 Monroe Street, Montgomery, AL36131-5200; telephone: (334) 242-8265;or email: [email protected].

TREE PLANTING SUMMARYTVA Orphan Mine Land Reclamation Program (1976 - 1980)

and Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program (1983 - 2004)

Acreage Wildlife TotalCounty Treated Pines Shrubs Other* Seedlings

Bibb 209 116,130 15,100 12,630 143,860Blount 1,244 505,529 214,300 13,850 733,679Cullman 389 96,300 167,300 4,300 267,900DeKalb 40 25,450 0 200 25,650Fayette 58 43,125 400 1,200 44,725Franklin 27 19,650 1,450 1,600 22,700Jackson 283 53,000 67,000 0 120,000Jefferson 741 502,513 51,600 35,600 589,713Lamar 29 11,800 1,500 1,800 15,100Marion 1,414 578,600 221,700 2,800 803,100St. Clair 152 82,000 6,200 9,810 98,010Tuscaloosa 884 530,600 71,500 54,700 656,800Walker 2,602 1,705,849 656,800 28,160 2,390,809Winston 1,562 927,684 421,100 6,350 1,355,134TOTALS 9,634 5,198,230 1,895,950 173,000 7,267,180

*Sawtooth oak, cherry bark oak, white oak, sycamore, yellow poplar, etc.


Although patches of farmlandstill dot metropolitan areas ofAlabama, it frequently fallsprey to housing areas and

commercial development. Sometimesagricultural practices aren’t compatiblewith city life. Other times, farmers strug-gling to make ends meet find selling orleasing land to developers a painful butsound economic decision.

Maple Grove, a TREASUREForest within the city limits ofMuscle Shoals, is proof thatwith careful planning alandowner can successfullyblend productive agriculturalland into urban landscapes.

Through inheritance and pur-chases, Pat and Martha Staleyacquired 189 acres of the oldPond Creek Plantation inColbert County, which theyleased for cotton farming. In1993, they learned the area hadbeen designated as highly erodi-ble, and farming row crops wasno longer an acceptable practicefor the land. Determined tokeep the tract in their family,the Staleys began exploringways to make it productivewhile minimizing soil erosion.Wayne Winstead, a forestry spe-cialist for the Alabama ForestryCommission, introduced themto the Conservation Reserve Program(CRP), a cost-share program for convert-ing cropland into forestland.

The site index on the property – ameasure of the potential of a forest site togrow timber – ranked yellow-poplar andloblolly pine as equally productive, sothey decided to go with yellow-poplar.The old cotton land had to be disked andsubsoiled before planting, and they useda pre-emerge herbicide.

“We just wanted something different,”said Pat. “We planted 89 acres of yellow-

poplar on 10x10 spacing back in 1993under the CRP program and have beentickled with the result.” Eleven yearslater, the typical yellow-poplar measures7.5 inches in diameter and 40 feet tall.Also thriving are about 60 nuttall oaksand a stand of maples planted by theirson, Patrick, which earned the land itsnickname of Maple Grove.

Today, the once fallow land is a high-ly productive TREASURE Forest man-aged for timber and wildlife. It is also acertified Tree Farm. Wildflowers aboundamid the diversity of Maple Grove.Wetlands, shade, and sun promote apalette of color: jewelweed, oakleafhydrangea, and spider lilies, among oth-ers. Regular bushhogging on the farmyields multiple advantages for theStaleys. Mowing between the rows ofyellow-poplar reduces competing vegeta-tion to promote tree growth. Disturbing

the soil also promotes fresh vegetationattractive to many animals, includingwoodcocks and three species of quail.Bushhogging also encourages reseedingof many native wildflowers.

Two ponds stocked with bass, bream,and crappie are fun recreational sites andoffer a continuous watering source forwildlife. Permanent firelanes and well-

designed walking trails presentcomfortable access for manage-ment and recreation. The Staleyslike to get together whenever theycan for a day of motorcycle rid-ing and picnicking – just spend-ing some family time together onthe family farm, according to Pat.

The doors are always open toguests, particularly children withno experience in the forest. Pat isthe driving force behind theClassroom in the Forest (CIF)program in Colbert County. Hisfamily hosted the Colbert CountyATFA Chapter’s first CIF atMaple Grove. Unwelcome guestsare a rarity these days. Once theyhad a significant problem withtrespassers, especially ones onfour-wheelers, but Pat said,“Thanks to Mike Lanier, we arerid of them.” Mike is a forestryspecialist in Colbert County withlaw enforcement responsibilitiesin the area.

Tucked away among residential andcommercial property along a major road-way in Muscle Shoals, Maple Grove is awelcome neighbor easily identified by aprominent TREASURE Forest sign.Vivid fall foliage and brilliant wildflow-ers in an excellent hardwood stand allowadjoining landowners and passers-by tosee that carefully designed forest man-agement provides multiple-benefits inany vicinity.

TTouch of Country in the Cityouch of Country in the CityBy Tilda Mims, AFC Retired

(L to R) Johnnie Everitt, AFC Colbert County Manager,Martha Staley, Pat Staley, John-Patrick McCrary, TerryMcCrary, and Patrick Staley. Not pictured are theStaley’s daughter, Karen Collins and her son Michael,who also enjoy visits to the farm.

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If you ask Jim Hughes of LauderdaleCounty what type of farming hedoes, his response is “trees andwildlife.” That has not always been

the case, however. “I was raised on afarm, but I did not want to farm,” saysHughes.

Hughes was in the cattle business for20 years. The transition from cattle totrees and wildlife was gradual. “I did notwant to go out and spend a lot of moneyon equipment to farm a small acreage. Istarted looking at practices that wouldbenefit trees and wildlife,” he states.Installation of field borders was his firstexperience with a practice that enhancedwildlife habitat. “When I was raising cat-tle, I was growing hay and sometimescorn. I noticed that about 15 to 20 feetfrom the tree line, the hay or corn just didnot grow. So, I got into field borders tokeep from spending money trying togrow something in the shade where thetrees sucked all the moisture out of theground. For some reason, sericea and par-tridge peas do fine up against thosetrees.” The sericea and partridge peaswere an enhancement for wildlife habitat,and thus began Hughes’ experience withthe benefits of buffers.

Before his retirement, Hughes wasmanager of the Water and SewageDepartment for the City of Florence. In

that position, he spent his career address-ing water quality issues. In his retirement,he is still focusing on water quality. Hesays, “I had some erosion on my farm. Ithad been a cotton farm, and the fieldswere planted so that the rows were aslong as they could be.” To help with theerosion problem, he installed terraces,and then he learned of grassed contours.“I have about 26 acres in grass contoursand field buffers. On that entire 26 acres,I planted clover, lespedezas, and par-tridge peas – forages that would attractwildlife,” says Hughes.

According to Tim Albritton, StateStaff Forester with USDA-NaturalResources Conservation Service (NRCS),“Mr. Hughes is using grassed contours toserve a dual purpose. Not only do thecontours improve the water quality bytrapping the turbidity, but they also pro-vide green fields that enhance wildlifehabitat.”

The Conservation Reserve Program(CRP) was one that meshed very wellwith Hughes’ goals. CRP is a voluntaryprogram for agricultural landowners.Through CRP, landowners receive annualrental payments and cost-share assistanceto establish long-term, resource-conserv-ing covers on eligible farmland. Withassistance from CRP, he has takennumerous acres out of marginal cropland

or pastureland and planted trees. “In myopinion, site preparation is critical to thesuccess of the program,” says Hughes.“When I plant trees, I want to get rid ofthe fescue. I do that for two reasons: 1) toensure that the trees don’t have to com-pete with the fescue for moisture andnutrients, and 2) according to the wildlifeliterature I have read, fescue does notattract wildlife. Fescue is too dense andwildlife does not like it.”

In order to ensure that the fescue iskilled, Hughes sprays herbicide in thespring and again in the fall before thetrees are planted. Russell Harper,Lauderdale County District Conserva-tionist with NRCS, says, “In the fall, wemay be in a dry spell and the plant is notactively growing, so you don’t get a goodkill. Jim has experienced a phenomenalkill in the spring when he sprays the fes-cue while it is lush and really growing.”The first time Hughes broadcast a springand fall spray was 2001. According tohim, “It has worked great.”

Hughes has also installed several acresof riparian buffers along creeks adjoininghis property to enhance and protectaquatic resources from adverse impacts.“In addition to improving water quality,my ultimate goal on the riparian buffersis timber production,” he says. “I select


Field borders help trap water runoff and provide cover and forage for wildlife.

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Trees and Wildlife – It’s a Good Combination

By Julie A. Best, Public Affairs Specialist, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service



the species that will be the most prof-itable for the commercial value of thetrees. I stay with cherrybark oak and thewhite oak.” Hughes plants bare rootseedlings. Installation of riparian buffersis another practice that plays right intohis goal of timber and wildlife. “Anytime you are growing trees, you areincreasing the potential for wildlife habi-tat,” says Hughes.

“Wildlife habitat is probably an over-looked benefit of riparian buffers,” saysAlbritton. “A lot of the publicationsabout buffers focus on the water qualityissues and sediment filtering, and nowthey are even mentioning carbon seques-tration. In Alabama, wildlife habitatenhancement is one of the primary bene-fits of riparian buffers.”

Jim Hughes appreciates the cost-shareassistance provided by federal programs,but he also goes beyond those practices.“In some areas, I have broadcast wheatafter the trees have been planted. Ilearned that the wheat does a good job ofsuppressing weeds. I plant the wheat fortwo reasons: In the winter it providesgreen grazing for the deer, and then inthe spring the grain is available for thebirds.” Harper says, “We can’t prove it,but if deer have something else to graze,they probably won’t browse the treeseedlings.”

Leasing a portion of his land for hunt-ing, he is convinced that the conservationpractices he is using make his land more

profitable as hunting land. “On the 175-acre farm that I lease, I have about 17acres in riparian zone and 15 acres ingrassed contours. Then I’m putting 22acres in pine/hardwood combination. It’sa real plus to have 175 acres of huntingland with 15 acres of green fields – ‘theedge effect.’ If you use your contourswith the right plantings, you can makegreen fields out of grassed contours,”states Hughes.

Tim Albritton says, “There can besubstantial return on just leasing land forhunting. It’s something that the landown-er should not ignore when consideringmanagement practices.” Hughes believesthat his land has several pluses when itcomes to hunting. “Frequently, huntingland is timber land. That landowner is inthe business to cut timber and make afinished product, and hunting rights arejust a little side line. In that situation,there is no guarantee of the condition ofthe land at hunting time. I have maturehardwoods, select-cut land, and sometwo-year-old trees coming on. On myfarm, a hunter is leasing a farm that haseverything for wildlife.”

Hughes wants to ensure that he, hisfamily, and friends also have adequaterecreational facilities. “When I was in thecattle business, I used one farm for hayproduction. Since I sold the cattle, I justwork the entire farm for wildlifeenhancement. There I plant sun flowers,milo, browntop millet, and wheat. I mayhave 30 to 40 acres of wheat and justleave it there for the wildlife,” he says.

Not only has Hughes enhanced theland for recreational wildlife, he has also

built a hunting lodge. When he sold hiscattle, he made a deal with a friend wholikes to barter. “I traded him my cattletrailer and a ton truck for sawing lumberto build a cabin,” he says. The poplarlogs were cut from Hughes’ property and,with help on the massive fireplace, hebuilt the cabin himself. Rock for thefieldstone fireplace came from ColbertCounty. The cabin is a beautiful get-awayfor family and friends.

When it comes to water quality,Hughes believes that buffers will defi-nitely help improve the quality of thewater. “I notice on the farm that therunoff is a lot clearer now than when itwas just terraced and everything wasplowed. The biggest problem with theCypress Creek Watershed, the source ofdrinking water for the City of Florenceand most of Lauderdale County, is therapid change in the turbidity of the water.With the buffers installed, they trap a lotof that turbidity,” says Hughes. CypressCreek has a high hydraulic rating.Because of the terrain of the surroundingarea, water arrives very quickly. “Youcan almost see the change from clear todingy,” says Russell Harper.

Jim Hughes is a real ambassador forthe benefits of buffers. According toHarper, “Jim has experienced the valueof buffers, and he encourages others totake a look at the program.” Hughessays, “I’ve taken advantage of aboutevery federal program that will help meaccomplish my goal of timber andwildlife. I have grass contours, riparianzones, and regular CRP land. I will notrealize the value of the timber grown onthe riparian buffers that I have installed,but hopefully my grandchildren will. Thefolks at the Service Center have beenvery cooperative in helping me accom-plish my goals.”

Albritton says, “The federal govern-ment likes to push these programs forenvironmental benefits. It’s great to heara first-hand account of the benefits to thelandowner. Mr. Hughes has installedmany acres of buffers. According to him,these conservation practices not only pro-tect the environment but also providefinancial benefits to the landowner.”

Trees and wildlife – it’s been a goodcombination for Jim Hughes. When hefinds something that works, he likes tostay with it.

Riparian conservation buffer of grasses and trees offers wildlife habitat.

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Trees and Wildlife(Continued from page 19)

As a young boy growingup in Tallapoosa Countyin the 1950s, a wadingbird like the great blue

heron would have been a sight tosee. The widespread use of persis-tent agricultural pesticides andindiscriminate killing had reducedthese birds to low numbers in someareas. Thankfully, wildlife conserva-tion efforts have restored wadingbirds to stable populations acrosstheir ranges. Today, the sight ofthese beautiful birds is quite com-mon on rivers, lakes, and other wet-land habitats.

The great blue heron is the mostwidespread heron in North Americatoday and also the largest, standingat almost four feet tall with awingspan of nearly six feet. Despiteits size, the adult bird weighs in at amere five pounds, due to its thin,hollow bones. This weight-reducingfeature greatly aids the bird in get-ting airborne. The great blue heron’scoloration, as its name implies, isslate blue with white on the crownand throat. The breast is streakedblack and white complemented byplume feathers protruding from itschest and back. Jet-black patches adornthe flanks, and adults have long blackplumes above their eyes. The male andfemale are similar in appearance.

When in search of prey, the heron qui-etly stalks shallow waters with the aid ofits long legs and large feet. Although fishmake up the mainstay of its diet, theheron also dines on a variety of prey con-sisting of, but not limited to frogs, sala-manders, crayfish, small mammals, andinsects.

It is entertaining to watch a great bluepatiently hunting for fish along thewater’s edge. The heron’s stealthyphysique gives it the edge and it will notbe long before a catch is made. Whenfish are spied, the heron remains com-pletely still, peering at the water withabsolute concentration before deliveringits lightning strike to unsuspecting prey.The heron actually uses its long yellow-ish spear-like bill as tongs to clamp downon, rather than stabbing its prey. Herons

are very territorial of their fishinggrounds and quick to chase otherherons away.

A unique physical feature of theheron is a specialized neck verte-bra. This vertebra allows the heronto curl its neck up into an “S”shape, which aids it in delivering astrong accurate strike at prey. Thisfeature also aids the bird when inflight by allowing the heron to foldits long neck back.

The great blue heron is mostly aloner until March when matingseason begins. At this time heronsbecome social, forming coloniesand constructing a number of largestick nests high up in the branchesof trees near good feeding grounds.The female lays a clutch of three toseven bluish-green eggs and incu-bation takes approximately fourweeks.

The young are fed by regurgita-tion and fledge at approximatelytwo months of age. Provided thathabitat conditions do not degrade,herons will return to the same nest-ing area year after year. Activeheron nesting colonies can begreatly impacted by human distur-

bance and should be avoided.Thanks to conservation efforts, today

the sight of the wading birds is commonthroughout the wetlands of North,Central, and South America. Moreimportantly, good numbers of these beau-tiful birds are indicative of a healthyenvironment.

For more information, contact RickClaybrook, Wildlife Biologist, at 1820Glynwood Drive, Prattville, AL, 36066,or 334-358-0035.


The Original Fish FinderBy Rick Claybrook, Wildlife Biologist, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division,

Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

AD

CN

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In a world of never-ending change,all realms of technology continue tomake momentous leaps and boundstowards progress. This definitely

holds true for the advancements inGeographic Information Systems (GIS)technology. GIS is a relatively new sci-ence that has made tremendous progresssince its development in the 1960’s. Thisfield of study is the combination of mapmaking and computer software. It entailsthe entire science of manipulating, ana-

lyzing, and illustrating spatial data fromlayers of information.

Even though GIS has come a longway, it would not have had much successwithout the continuous progress in com-puter technology. Because of theseimprovements, GIS continues to evolvethe process of map making into the effi-cient procedure used today. With severalGIS programs available, selecting a highquality and effective program for map

production and spatial analysis is muchsimpler.

The Alabama Forestry Commission(AFC) is also following the path ofprogress. Last year, the agency acquired along-awaited and much-needed GIS pro-gram, but the process for obtaining it wasdeliberate and meticulous. A subcommitteat the Commission reviewed the mappingability, cost effectiveness, and user com-plexity of several GIS programs to deter-mine the best one for the agency.

By Dana McReynolds, GIS Coordinator, Alabama Forestry Commission

Figure 1 - Topographic map showing SPB spots.


After many discussions, the committeeselected Maptitude as the GIS programfor the AFC. Maptitude is a fully func-tional GIS program equipped with roads,streams, railroads, US census data, andother map features. This program canproduce maps, charts, graphs, data views,and layouts by using a range of variousfile types. The geographic file type,unique to Maptitude, is the one generallyused; however, this program can also readworksheets, shapefiles, images, and text.To make this mapping system completefor the agency’s objectives, aerial pho-

tographs and topographic maps were pur-chased from an independent contractor.

The main purpose for purchasingMaptitude is to enable the Commission toproduce professional looking maps fortheir valuable clients. All types of mapswill be created, but the main ones need-ing a “makeover” were for the TREA-SURE Forest Plan of which several mapsare required. A systematic routine wasdeveloped for producing maps depictingForest Land Cover, the Southern PineBeetle Hazard Rating, and the AnnosusRoot Rot Hazard Rating. A General

Location map is also needed with thisplan. Now, every county office hasMaptitude and can produce these special-ized and professional TREASURE ForestPlan maps for landowners (Figure 2).

Another reason for purchasing a GISprogram was to enable the ForestryCommission to produce Southern PineBeetle (SPB) Infestation maps internally.Before Maptitude, the agency contractedwith Alabama Power to print these maps,but the distinct capabilities of this pro-gram permit printing of SPB infestations

Figure 2 - Maptitude software assists AFC county offices in printing the required maps when preparing TREASURE

Forest Plans for landowners.



as determined by aerial flight detection.First, Global Positioning System (GPS)coordinates are collected from flightrecorders by the AFC pilots. TheMapping Forester then uses this informa-tion to print topographical and aerialphotographic maps showing individualSPB spots. An overall county map is alsoprinted to illustrate the location of theSPB infestation in that county (Figures 1and 3). All maps are mailed to the countyoffice. Finally, the individual SPB mapsare mailed to the landowners havingthese infestations on their property.

For special projects and reports,Maptitude provides better analysis andillustration of information. Using tabulat-ed data, this program creates maps,charts, and graphs. For example, theextreme damage caused by HurricaneIvan in September 2004 required imme-diate emergency response from the AFC.Every division of this agency activelyparticipated in the relief efforts. TheManagement Division completed a sur-vey and assessment of all timber dam-aged by the storm and summarized theconclusions in the Hurricane Ivan TimberDamage Report. Both the graphs for theanalysis and the maps locating damagedareas were created using Maptitude. Theoperation began with Commission pilotsand selected employees flying over theconcentrated areas immediately impactedby the hurricane. Moderate and severely

damaged areaswere drawn on ahighway map withthe timber productclass indicated foreach drawn area.Next, each areawas digitized intothe GIS program and saved as amap. County maps illustratingthese impacted areas wereprinted and used in locallandowner meetings as well asin the final timber damagereport. (See Figure 4)

The capabilities ofMaptitude are countless, andthe Commission has onlytapped in on just a few of itspossibilities. As the agencybecomes more proficient withthe mapping program, unlimit-ed projects, analyses, and mapswill be developed and used forspecial reports and presenta-tions. As GIS technology con-tinues to progress, so will theAFC continue to challenge andexpand its technical knowl-edge. Implementing Maptitudeinto the work plan is proof ofthat. The Alabama ForestryCommission is definitely onthe “cutting edge of technologi-cal advancement.”

Figure 4 - Following Hurricane Ivan, specialmaps such as this one were created usingMaptitude to locate damaged areas.

Figure 3 - Using Maptitude, aerial photographic mapsshowing individual SPB spots (below), as well as overallcounty maps (right) are created to illustrate the location ofSPB infestations.


counties. These plans outline specificactions and timelines to accomplish ahigher level of forest fire prevention.Regional fire prevention specialists andcounty managers will develop and imple-ment these plans with guidance from theFire Division and regional foresters.

The Commission has upgraded threehelicopter water buckets and enhancedcoordination with the Alabama ArmyNational Guard flight facilities to providewater “drops” on wildfires in inaccessi-ble areas and high intensity fires in inter-face situations.

Hurricane Ivan created even morechallenges and opportunities for forestfire prevention. Every county was affect-ed to some extent, but eight counties inparticular were specifically identified toreceive extraordinary mitigation attention.

The AFC brought in an out-of-state,NWCG-recognized, three-man team ofCertified Fire Behavior Analysts to lookat fuel types and timber damage causedby Ivan. Their task was to assess signifi-cant alterations to fuel types, look atpotential fire behavior, and recommendways to deal with the changes caused byIvan. The Commission will use this anal-ysis to enhance prevention efforts, readi-ness, and operations.

One post-Ivan mitigation tool is theprogram to rehabilitate firebreaks andforest access roads. The AFC has imple-mented a pre-suppression access programto provide this service to landownerswho qualify. Ten additional Commission

firefighters received training on the oper-ation of the AFC’s three John Deere 750dozers. These rangers will supplementthe mitigation, rehabilitation, and fire-fighting efforts in the counties mostaffected by the hurricane by serving onfire mitigation and suppression teams.

Commission fire prevention teams arealso being used to accomplish door-to-door contact, leaving literature developedspecifically to publicize the HurricaneIvan fire prevention message, whileIvan’s destruction is still evident.

A media blitz is currently underway tocapture the attention of citizens and com-munities most affected by the hurricane.Radio, television, and newspapers willpublicize the AFC’s message, presentingtips and stories about fire prevention.

Also, the informative and colorful‘Living with Fire’ newspaper inserts thatcirculated statewide in 2004 were re-runin four counties.

What Can You Do?Maintain your property to high stan-

dards and continue to mitigate hazards onyour own property and in your neighbor-hood. Service your fire breaks and con-duct prescribed burns in a safe andresponsible manner.

The averageperson has noconcept of howdangerous wild-fire can be –share the fol-

lowing fire prevention and mitigation tipswith others. Continue to be aware ofcommunity growth, subdivision develop-ment, and fragmentation issues affectingproperty boundaries. Encourage yourATFA county chapter and other organiza-tions to support the establishment ofFirewise Communities/USA in your area.Everyone benefits when you use opportu-nities to educate your community onbecoming more Firewise.

ConclusionHomeowners and landowners must

accept personal responsibility for learn-ing to live compatibly with natural ele-ments found in the wildland/urban inter-face – including fire. Your role as a fireprevention advocate will be a tremendoushelp.

Firewise(Continued from page 12)

Firewise Tips for Homeowners• Create a buffer zone (defensible space)between forest vegetation and the home.• Use fire-resistant building materialsand roofing.• Safely store firewood, propane tanks,and other fuels.• Keep lawns mowed and leaves raked.• Clean roof and gutters of leaves, needles, and dead limbs.

Gary and Shirley Fortenberry ofChoctaw County were recentlyhonored with the AlabamaTREASURE Forest

Association’s Bill Moody Award. It isgiven to honor individuals and/or groupswho have made significant contributionsto the advancement of the TREASUREForest Program and the Alabama TREA-SURE Forest Association (ATFA). Theaward was presented in October at the2004 Alabama Landowners and TREA-SURE Forest Conference in Tuscaloosa.

The Bill Moody Award is given inhonor of former State Forester BillMoody who is considered by many to bethe “father” of the TREASURE ForestProgram. He was also the founder of theState Forester’s Advisory Board that laterbecame the Alabama TREASURE ForestAssociation. The award has been giveneach year by the ATFA since 1996.

Mr. Fortenberry is currently serving asChairman of the Alabama ForestryCommission’s Board of Commissioners.

Fortenberrys Honoredwith Moody Award

References and Suggested Readings:www.sfws.auburn.edu/urbanruralinterfaceswww.firewise.orgwww.forestry.state.al.usWUI on-line course: www.usfa.fema.gov/applications/nfacsd/display

Shirley and Gary Fortenberry

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At the end of his current term,Senator Jack Biddle, III, ofBirmingham will have com-pleted 32 years of service in

the Alabama Legislature. He served fiveterms in the House of Representatives,and is currently in his third term as StateSenator. He is the only legislative mem-ber to be elected and serve as a democrat,independent, and republican.

This veteran statesman represents the17th District that includes Blount,Jefferson, and St. Clair Counties. AnAlabama native, he was raised in theBirmingham area and received hisBachelor of Science degree fromSamford University. Senator Biddle is areal estate broker and developer and isAssistant to the CEO of DrummondCompany. He also manages The OaksPlantation, a quail farm in Albany,Georgia.

The Senator says that he has alwaysbeen concerned with things that affectour farms and forests. He initiated legis-lation to donate funds for AuburnUniversity to do a study on fire ant eradi-cation, and he is also concerned with thesouthern pine beetle. He is currentlyserving as vice chairperson of the SenateAgriculture, Conservation, and ForestryCommittee, as well as serving on thecommittees for Education, Energy andNatural Resources, Finance and TaxationEducation, Tourism and Marketing,Rules, and Local Legislation #2.

Senator Biddle and his wife, Nena,live in Gardendale. They have two chil-

dren and two grandchildren, and aremembers of the Gardendale MethodistChurch. He and his wife own 500 acresin Wilcox County, and they have about90 acres on the lake in Chilton County.He notes that he stays “in the woodsmost of the time.” Although he is not a

TREASURE Forest owner, he says thathe would like to be, and looks forward toreceiving his Alabama’s TREASUREDForests magazine.

Growing up, the Senator said he was afrequent visitor at his grandparents’ farmin Mentone in north Alabama, one of thecoldest places in the state. He laughswhen he recalled that it was so cold thereat times when he was a boy that he andhis sister would fight to see who wouldget to sleep with the dog on the bed withthem.

Senator Biddle is a veteran, havingserved as a Special Agent with CounterIntelligence Corps, Department of theArmy, during the time of the KoreanConflict. He is a member of the AlabamaHistorical Society and the AlabamaArchaeological Association. He lovesIndian relics and historic places, and isinterested in their restoration. Over theyears, he has introduced legislation con-cerning these issues.

The Senator is also a member of theAlabama Wildlife Federation, the UABDepartment of Psychiatry AdvisoryBoard, and the Jefferson CountyCoroner’s Medical Examiners Board. Heis a former member of the Conservationand Natural Resources Advisory Boardand formerly held a seat on the Board ofTrustees for the Department of MentalHealth and Mental Retardation.

Senator Biddle, a nine-time statechampion in trap shooting, also enjoyshunting, fishing, and playing golf.

Visit the AFC website

at www.

forestry.state.al.us

Legislative ProfileBy Coleen Vansant, Information Manager, Alabama Forestry Commission

SenatorJack Biddle, III

Republican – 17th District

(Blount, Jefferson, and St. Clair Counties)

Mr. James Bernard Dollar, age 84 of Northport, died February 16,2005. Mr. Dollar’s Tuscaloosa County TREASURE Forest was honoredas the state winner of the 1992 Helene Mosley Memorial Award, andwas featured in the Fall 1993 issue of Alabama’s TREASURED Forestsmagazine.

J.B. was a veteran of WWII where he served in Europe as a B-17bomber pilot with the U.S. Air Force. Following the war, he attendedthe University of Alabama where he graduated with a degree inaccounting and law. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Betty R. Dollar,children, and grandchildren.


Most landowners who liveout in the county or out-skirts of town have at leastone story to tell about deer.

They saw a deer do this or that as itmade its way across their property, orthey tell of the big buck standing at theedge of the field, or the doe as shebrought her fawns to the creek to drink.Most of the stories are good ones – treasured memories that make you smileto yourself when you think of them.

Then there are the other landownerswho have the stories that are not sopleasant. The stories about the deer thatate all of the blooms off of the heirloomrose bush, the pair that pulled all of theclothes off the line, or the pea patch thatwas destroyed in a single night. Theseare the ones you want to forget andhopefully never experience again.

If you have trouble with deer comingto the dinner table in your flowerbeds orgarden, there are a few inexpensivethings that you can do to deter or evenrepel them from the places you don’twant them. If they have already madethemselves at home at your place, youwill have a harder time getting rid ofthem.

To succeed in discouraging deer fromvisiting your house, you have to know alittle about deer. The first thing is thatdeer need a habitat with three basic ele-ments to survive: water, food, and shel-ter. Deer prefer areas along “the edge” –the space along the edge of the forest,fence row, or roadside where they caneat or browse in the open but have thesafety of the cover close by. They requireabout 7 pounds of food and 2-4 quarts ofwater a day. Deer will eat about 500 dif-ferent kinds of plants, although they aresimilar to us – they have certain foodsthat are their favorites, and when food isabundant they will search for the thingsthat tickle their taste buds. Also as withhumans, they will leave the things alonethat they dislike, the things that smell ortaste bad. When food is scarce they willeat anything.

Deer are most active during the hoursof early morning and evening. They areruminants (they chew their cud to digesttheir food) and bed down in shelteredareas most of the day to do this. Deertend to find shelter in old-growth forests,low overhanging trees, dense shrubs, tallgrass fields, fencerows, and young pineplantations.

They like lush green gardens withtender new shoots of grasses and plants.Deer particularly have a taste for agricul-tural crops such as wheat, alfalfa, clover,beans, corn, and peas. Fruit trees are topson their list, both the fruit and the youngtender leaves. They will stand on theirhind legs and strip a tree of its fruit ashigh as they can reach. During the wintermonths their diets usually consist ofacorns and other things such as lichen,dead leaves, twigs, bark, and evergreenlimbs.

Some of their favorite things that maybe in your yard or garden are peas,beans, and other legumes (nitrogen-fixedplants), apples, peaches, strawberries,tulips, and pansies. They usually won’teat things that smell or taste bad, plantswith a milky bitter sap, prickly or spinythings, tough plants, or plants with stiffneedles. Deer are less likely to eatdaisies, wisteria, yarrow, daffodils, gera-niums and most of the aromatic herbssuch as oregano, lavender, and thyme. Ifthe food supply is good in a particulararea they will usually revisit it again andagain.

By Coleen Vansant, Public Information Manager, Alabama Forestry Commission


There are many simple and inexpen-sive ways to keep the local deer fromturning your yard into the best restaurantin town. All of these home remediesattack their senses of smell, taste, sound,and sight, or target their natural instinctto flee.


Zinnia

Columbine

Wild Phlox

Crepe Myrtle

Eastern Hemlock

Clematis

Lantana Daffodil

If your yard is already established or ifyou are doing new landscaping, keep inmind there are different tricks you can dowith plants. The number one thing toremember when selecting plants for yourflower beds or vegetable garden is thatdeer are less likely to eat what is offen-sive to their noses or taste buds.

If you have existing plants that happento be favored by deer, you can cut downon the likelihood of their finding them ifyou surround them with plants that theydon’t like. For instance, plant baby’sbreath with roses (roses are deer candy).Not only will it make a beautiful visualcombination and be good for cutting a

bouquet, but the baby’sbreath is not a deer favorite– they will be less likely tobrowse the rose buds if theyhave to go through thebaby’s breath to get to them.

Plant things deer prefer inthe back of your flowerbeds,and plant fragrant floweringherbs such as sage, lavender,and rosemary along the outeredges. The strong smell ofthe herbs may keep the deerfrom stepping further intothe flowerbed to eat yourazaleas. Disguise a springtulip bed by dotting it withplants such as thyme orcreeping phlox.

In your vegetable gardenyou might save your corn



TreesAshBlack gumBlack locustBox elderDogwoodEastern red cedarMagnoliaMaples (most species)MimosaOak (most species)PersimmonPine (ornamentals)SassafrasSpruceSweet gum

Shrubs & ClimbersBoxwoodButterfly bushClematisCrepe myrtleEnglish ivyForsythiaHollyHydrangeaJasmine (most species)JuniperLantanaLilacMountain laurel

QuinceRhodendronRose of Sharon Sweet shrubTrumpet vineWisteria

Plants & BulbsAsterBaby’s breathBachelor’s buttonBee balmBlack-eyed SusanBlanket flowerBleeding heartCactusCalendulaCalla lilyCannasChives*ColombineDaffodilDalaiDelphiniumDianthus – PinkDill*Dusty MillerEchinaceaFernForget-me-notFoxglove

Garlic*GeraniumGrape HyacinthHolly hocksIrisLambs earLavender*MarigoldMint (most species)*Morning gloryOnion*Oregano*PeonyPetuniaPhloxRed-hot pokerRosemarySage (most species)*SalviaShasta daisySnapdragonTarragonThriftThyme*VerbenaVincaYarrow*Wild gingerZinnia

* considered the best deerrepellents

(Rarely or occasionally browsed)

Hydrangea

(Continued from page 29)

and peas if you plant a row of zinnias,asters, bachelor’s button, or cosmos (or amixture of all) on either side. Or you maywant to consider planting aromatic herbs,onions, garlic, or marigolds along theouter edges of the garden, while plantingbeans, peas, and other deer-delectableitems on the interior. It will not hurt tomix a deterrent plant or grouping of themsporadically throughout the garden.

If you have a bird bath, garden pond,or fountain in your yard that would serveas a source of water for thirsty deer, youmay wish to consider placing it in a set-ting of various blooming bulbs and plantsthat deer don’t find appetizing. Placeamong daffodils, cannas, iris, and otherplants that will provide blooms fromearly spring to late fall. A variety ofplants may keep deer from drinking fromyour birdbath or fountain.

Most home remedies work for a time,but eventually deer will become accus-tomed to unusual sights, smells, orsounds if they are exposed to them longenough. They will walk over it or throughit to get to a favorite food. It is best torotate your tactics and devices periodical-ly so they won’t become accustomed tothe deterrent.

Sprinklers and floodlights – Hooksprinklers and floodlights to a motionsensor. Deer will flee when the brightlight magically shines or when they aresuddenly sprayed with water.

Fishing line – String a strand of deep-sea fishing line around what you don’twant eaten at a height of about three feet.It is said that deer bump into the invisibleline and instantly retreat to safety. Besure to mark the line with flagging orcloth so that you won’t get caught in yourown trap.

Fabric softener/mothballs/human hair –Hang fabric softenerstrips or cheeseclothbags filled with moth-balls or human hairaround the yard at vary-ing heights. The unpleas-ant smells will deter deerfrom the area.

Soap – Drill holes inbars of scented soap, tiea piece of fishing linethrough them, then tieonto fences, bushes, andtree limbs. Soaps with atallow base work best.

Garlic – Fill cheese-cloth bags or sections ofnylon panty hose withcrushed garlic. Hang atvarying heights aroundwhat you want to save.

White Flags – Araised tail on a white-tailed deer is a sig-nal to other deer to run like heck. Youcan mimic this alarm system by tyingwhite flags round your garden and yard.Tear old t-shirts, cloths, etc. into stripsabout one foot long and tie them at dif-ferent places around your yard. Youmight even want to tie several clothes-line-style on fishing line around the edgeof your harden. This works best with alittle wind that will make the “tails”move.

Noise – A string of tin cans, pie pansfluttering and shining in the breeze, oreven the tinkling of wind chimes or bellscan help deter deer from your flowerbedsand garden. Play a radio in the yard peri-odically, or connect it to a timer that willgo on and off at dusk and dawn.

Remember, in order for these “scaretactics” to work, you have to changethem up from time to time.

A Dog - If you live in the country andare not restricted by leash laws, the bestdeterrent you can have is a dog runningloose in your yard. Besides humans, dogsare the number one predator of deer.Having Rover or Spot on guard may bethe best answer to your problem.

Another way that deer can damage ordestroy trees is rubbing on them. Duringthe fall, bucks will rub their antlersaggressively to remove the velvet cover-ing. The constant vigorous rubbing willremove the bark from the tree. This canbe remedied by installing a protectivewrap or fence around the tree or by usingseveral of the home remedies mentionedabove.

Author’s note: If you have any remediesthat have deterred deer on your propertyplease share them. You can send them tome at [email protected].

Trees(both fruiting & ornamental)AppleCherryCypressCrab AppleEastern Red BudPeachPearPlum

ShrubsJuniperRhododendronAzaleaYewBurning Bush

Flowers & plantsBeansBlackberryBroccoliCantaloupeCauliflowerChrysanthemumDayliliesHostaLettucePansiesPeasRosesSpring BulbsStrawberriesSweet CornTrilliumTulipsWatermelon

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_wildlife_other/article/

Henning, E., J. Kelly, K. Kyles, N. Allen. Reduce Deer Damage in Your Yard. EC1577, Oregon State University Extension Service, 2002.

http://www.deerxlandscape.com

http://www.gardengatemagazine.com/basics/g21_deer2.html

http://gardening.about.com/library/hotto/htdeer.htm

http://www.cayugalandscape.com/gardencenter/deerresistant.html

Hart, Rhonda Massingham. Deer Proofing Your Yard and Garden. North Adams, Massachusetts: Storey Publishing, 1997.



The 2005 session of AlabamaForestry Camp, in its eighthyear, is coming up soon. Heldat the Federation of Southern

Cooperatives facility near Epes,Alabama, in Sumter County, the campwill run from Sunday, June 5 throughThursday, June 9.

This five-day camp for high schoolstudents interested in forestry, conserva-tion, and/or natural resources is designedto introduce basic forestry conceptsthrough classroom instruction and out-door activities. However, the week is not“all work and no play.” There are alsofun evening activities and recreation. Thepurpose of Alabama Forestry Camp is toprovide a positive learning experience.

At this year’s camp, students will par-ticipate in sessions covering tree identifi-cation, forest management, forest prod-ucts, wildlife, water quality, urbanforestry, and forest history. There are alsooff-campus visits to recreational parks, aprivate landowner’s property, and forestindustry facilities. During Career Night,students will have the opportunity to talkto college recruiters about careers inforestry and natural resources. The finalday of the camp includes a graduationceremony and luncheon for students,instructors, counselors, and family mem-bers. All students will receive a certifi-cate of completion of the camp.

Alabama Forestry Camp is free toanyone who qualifies to attend. Open toboth boys and girls, the student must be15-18 years old and have completed the

9th grade, but not graduated from highschool. Camp participants will be housedin dormitories with 24-hour adult super-vision. Each attendee is responsible forproviding his or her own transportationto and from camp. All other transporta-tion, meals, and snacks will be provided.The application should be completed andsigned by both student and parent. Allapplications must be postmarked byApril 15, 2005. Space is limited.

If you know of someone interested inattending Alabama Forestry Camp, havethem call any county office of theAlabama Forestry Commission for anapplication or for more information.Applications are also available on theAlabama Forestry Commission websiteat www.forestry.state.al.us.

By James Jennings, Outreach Forester, Alabama Forestry Commission

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For current information

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Beetle situation

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MONTGOMERY ALPERMIT NO 109

Wisteria is a deciduous highclimbing, twining, orweeping woody vine thatcan grow up to 70 feet in

length. It was first introduced into theSouth from Asia in the early 1800’s as aporch vine. Before the days of air condi-tioners, the thick leafy vine not only pro-vided much needed shade but the blue-lavender blooms also gave a most deli-cious fragrance on spring nights.

It is a very hardy and adaptable plant,and because of its aggressive proliferationit is now considered a non-native invasivespecies in all of the southern states exceptOklahoma. The two most common non-native species of wisteria are the Chineseand Japanese varieties. Over the yearsthey have become difficult to tell apartdue to possible hybridization. These twohave become a problem in many areas ofAlabama where they have escaped fromold home sites and quickly invadedforested areas. In warmer climates it willclimb high into the tree canopy.

The woody vines can grow to 10 inch-es in diameter and have frequent alternatebranching. The older bark of the Chinesevariety is dark gray with light dots. TheJapanese vine has a white bark. Olderestablished plants may have a twisted pic-turesque trunk several inches in diameter.

Leaves of the plant are odd pinnatelycompound, 4 to 16 inches long. TheChinese variety has 7 to 13 leaflets while

the Japanese has 13 to 19. The stalkshave swollen bases. Leaflets are oval toelliptic with tapering pointed tips 1.5 to 3inches long and 1 to 1.5 inches wide.When young, the leaves are silky andhairy but turn hairless when mature.

Wisteria’s pea-like flowers are veryfragrant and can show colors of purplefrom lavender to blue-violet, as well aspink and white. The white Chinese vari-ety is said to be the most fragrant. TheAsian species bloom from March to Mayin grapelike clusters appearing when theleaves emerge. They are from 4 to 20inches long and 3 to 3.5 inches wide. The

Chinese blossoms open all at once whilethose on the Japanese type open in suc-cession.

The fruit and seeds appear as flattenedlegumes from July to November. Theycan be 2.5 to 6 inches long and about 1/2to 1 inch wide. They are velvety andgreenish brown to golden, and split ontwo sides to release one to eight flatround brown seed.

Wisteria grows on wet to dry sites andcan reproduce from seed or runners. Itprefers sun to partial shade. All parts ofthe plant are poisonous if ingested.

Once wisteria is established, particu-larly the non-native species, it is hard tocontrol. If you want to grow wisteriathere are two native species that are notas aggressive as the Asian species:American wisteria, W. frutescens (L.)Poir., has blooms 4-5 inches long and 9-13 leaflets; and Kentucky wisteria W.macrostachya that has blooms 6-12 inch-es long and 9-15 leaflets. Both prefer wetbottomlands and stream banks and bloomin the summer months. They are bushierthan the exotic species and can be pur-chased from many nurseries.

With constant pruning, wisteria can betrained to a small tree. It is a very popularbonsai plant and all varieties adapt well tothis. You can enjoy the wonderful fra-grance of wisteria year round in soaps,candles, and perfumes.

Chinese wisteria, Wisteria sinensis (SIMS) DC.Japanese wisteria, Wisteria floribunda (Willd.) DC.

By Coleen Vansant, Information Manager, Alabama Forestry Commission

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Documents

TREASURED - Alabama Forestry Commissionforestry.alabama.gov/Pages/Informational/Treasured...Spring 2005 Alabama’s TREASURED Forests / 3 Governor Bob Riley Alabama Forestry Commission