From the NC Division Chair...

WILL YOU BE COUNTED …

In my earlier article I ask you to “Stand Up and Be Counted”…  Now I ask “Will YOU Be Counted”…
Mark your calendar June 9-10 are the dates for the NC Division summer meeting to be held in Laurel Springs, NC, at the Laurel Ridge Conference Center.  Glad we will be there in June and not April.  It is snowing on the mountain as I write this article. 

What do you know about the Appalachian hardwoods?  Maybe hardwoods in general?  “Other than herbicide or chain em’ down and plant to pine.”  Yeah, that is chain em’, with 2 D-9 and navy anchor chain.  In the 60’s that was the policy of one fairly progressive pulp and paper firm in the south. They applied this treatment to several thousand acres per year.  By the way they finally saw the light and started harvesting the hardwoods. While we were clear-cutting our way through the eastern pine forest what was happening in the mountains?  You might be surprised.  The magnificent trees of Joyce Kilmer give us a hint.  My classmate from Virginia Tech, Dave Van Lear, now professor emeritus from Clemson will be addressing this issue during our luncheon.
Join us in June as we look at hardwoods in a different light.  In today’s markets hardwood saw timber unit prices are ahead of pine significantly!! Hum, that’s a new deal!!  What does the future hold?  Joe Denig, NCSU will be trying to shed more light on this issue.  What is the future for NC hardwoods? 

We will be finding out that every site is not a hardwood or pine site.  There are some well-defined ways to determine what to grow on which sites.  Wayne Clatterback, Univ. of Tennessee will help us understand what criteria to use in making these decisions.  What factors are important in the field when making these decisions?  Which tree is important to us $ wise?  As the US Forest Service has demonstrated and Wayne will explain all sites will not grow red oak.

One of the pioneers in using fire as a management tool in hardwood is right next door to us when we get to Laurel Ridge.  Dean Simons, Forester for the NC Wildlife Resources Commission has been there and done that.   Made a few mistakes, but he has some real success stories to share with us.  Burning in the hills is a little different than burning in the flat-woods to say the least. Which way does the wind blow at night up the mountain or down, I bet he knows.  Do you know?

Hardwood regeneration?? They told me it “all came from sprouts”.  Don’t worry it will come back in something.  Most of the time I find sweet gum and red maple make up a large part of the something.  The US Forest Service, Bent Creek Experimental Forest has been working on and perfecting hardwood regeneration for years.  Tara Keyser will be sharing the latest information with us on how to regenerate hardwoods.  All hardwoods are not created equal when it comes to regeneration.

Remember “We Are Looking For A Few Good Trees”!! Our earlier speakers have told how to find the right site, and the right tree.  Now that we have a stand how do you move forward.  I think you start by remembering you are not dealing with a 25 to 35 year rotation.  Gary Miller from USDA Northern Research Station, Morgantown, WV will introduce us to intermediate stand management.  What works?  What to and not to do.  When to do it?  What is time line to thin?  Remember, “We Are Looking For A Few Good Trees”

Now what? 

Well, that is up to you.  You can read this and throw it in the trash or you can get involved and be part of the premier hardwood management program in the Southeast.  This meeting will put you on the leading edge of the future of hardwood management.  The Piedmont Chapter has worked very hard to provide us a meeting site and program that are “Top Notch”.  We are meeting where the Forester and the trees meet in the woods, not a downtown hotel complex.

WILL YOU BE COUNTED…. Remember “We Are Looking For A Few Good Trees” and this meeting will show the SAF NC Division Foresters, (you) a way to establish, identify, and grow those few good trees. 

Go to: www.apsaf.org/nc/meetings/2011 and register today.