Working on Longleaf Planting (Stage 1)

Well needless to say, firebreaks to be swept out started slowly.  No one was hurt and the dozier was fine just a slow rollover.  Three days later we got started.  The fire breaks will make it easier for the helicopter spraying the herbicide. 

American Tree Farm National Leadership Conference

 Felicia and I attended the National Leadership Workshop last week in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It is always interesting talking to people from all over the United States and listening to them tell about their forestland and their state committee.  It makes me proud of the Alabama Tree Farm program and the great work we do.  

Pictured is Angela Wells, National Director of the American Tree Farm Program.  It is always good talking with Angela and sharing with her ideas about the program.  Angela and her husband's Tree Farm is in Montana.

Cross Laminated Timber (CLT)

 Felicia and I was asked to speak to a group of students studying Architecture at Sanford University.  They were visiting Cheaha state park where the new facility is being built using CLT.  We spoke as landowners and how we produce sustainable wood.  We also had a logger and a company representative speak to using a renewable rescource.  Meeting was sponsored by the Alabama Forestry Association

Happenings Over the Past Twelve Months

Our grandson was recognized for his work in Forestry and Wildlife by the Local FFA Chapter.

Felicia spoke again representing landowners at the Teachers Conservation Workshop at Auburn University.

Our grandson was selected as the Governor's Youth Conservationist of The Year for 2024 an recognized by the Governor in Montgomery.

Exactly 25 years earlier his dad received the same award.

We are managing more for bobwhite quail on our property and now we are seeing more.

We had  some precommercial thinning done on about 30 acres where the young loblolly pines were too thick.  This opened up the stand for more sunlight and reduced competition for the trees.  This work was done with a mulching machine.

We held a landowner event on our property demonstrating how to release white oak trees for more seedlings and reduce competition for mature trees.  The study is still on going.

 

One of our granddaughters and one of our grandsons competed in the District FFA Competition.

Our granddaughter was the 6th high scorer in the contest. This was her first contest as a freshman.

Her cousin was the Top Scorer as a senior and this was the last contest he will be able to compete in. He achieved his goal.

In December, we donated Christmas Trees to families that had no tree thru the Church of Highlands, Oxford campus. Two of our granddaughters helped harvest these trees.

Snow in January 

We helped apply for a grant to get a burn trailer in our county to be used to conduct prescribed burns by landowners.  We had a burn demonstration to show how the trailer could be used.

 

We burned 55 acres in February and have 30 more to do a prescribed burn on soon.  Firebreaks are being installed to complete the burn.

This past year we have had a very bad outbreak of pine beetles. Here is a picture of 55 year old trees with the bark falling off and the crown of the trees still green.  We have lost over 15 acres to beetles and they are dispersed throught our 30+ year old pine stands so we are about to harvest 160 acres where this damage has occured.  Management plan changed due to insect danage. 

A new Native American site found after a burn.  We protect these sites on our property and keep records on their location.

We are having new visitors to our property.  This was the second sighting on game camers of two different bears.  The population in our area is growing.

We helped with a Learn and Burn sponsored by Alabama Tree Farm in Calhoun County at a camp for the public.  We burned a stand of longleaf pines helping other landowners gain skills using fire.

On March 23rd, we had a flood that washed out a walking bridge and did lots of damage to the roads on our property.  It washed away tables and benches at our family campsite. This was the worst flooding on our property since we have owned it.      

This Spring we held a small group from church on our property based on the book Reforesting Faith by Matthew Sleeth.  We had several to attend where we discussed trees in the scripture and modern forest manaagement.

 

Spring of 2024

2024 has been a busy time.  We have used prescribed fire on 153 acres, started a precommercial thin, had 41 acres released, and are working with Quail Unlimited on a quail program on our property.  We have also enjoyed a little fishing in our fish ponds.  We attended the kickoff for the 100th anniversery of the Alabama Forestry Commission at the Governor's Mansion.  This spring we assisted in planting white oak seedlings at Auburn University Reasearch Station for a project selecting the best trees for acorn production and quality.

Longleaf Management

Some random pictures from our longleaf management: removing loblolly from stand and prescribed fire to control competition. 

 

Great Honor for My Wife

 Back in the fall at the Alabama Natural Resource and Forestry Awards Banquet my wife Felicia received the top award one can receive from the State Tree Farm Committee.  The award is named for a great Tree Farm Person, Doug Link.  When we first got started on the State Committee Mr. Link was a great encourager and visited our property more than once. 

To receive this award was a great honor for her and me too!

She definitely was well deserving of this award.  She has spoken at the National Leadership Conference about encouraging more women to get involved in forestry through "Women's Walk in the Forest".  She always helps with "Classroom in The Forest" for fifth graders on our property.  Planting trees, cutting wood, prescribed burning and other management practices are some of her forestry experiences.

So glad I get to share live with her!