Page 1 The Southeastern Forester, Fall 2018 · Page 5 The Southeastern Forester, Fall 2018 This is...
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Page 1 The Southeastern Forester, Fall 2018
Transcript of Page 1 The Southeastern Forester, Fall 2018 · Page 5 The Southeastern Forester, Fall 2018 This is...
Page 1 The Southeastern Forester, Fall 2018
The Southeastern Forester, Fall 2018 Page 2
Editorial Office:Karen JohansenSESAF Business Manager2581 Price Mill Road, Bishop, GA 30621 Phone: (706) 343-1480 [email protected]
Chair: Clint MancilThe Westervelt CompanyP.O. Box 48999Tuscaloosa, AL 35404Phone: (205) [email protected]
Chair-Elect: Pat MinogueThe University of Florida155 Research RoadQuincy, FL 32351 Phone: (850) [email protected]
Secretary: Kendra WiardThe Westervelt Company1415 2nd Court ETuscaloosa, AL 35401Phone: (205) [email protected]
Treasurer: Josh HixonThe Westervelt Company851 Maplewood DriveTuscaloosa, AL 35405Phone: (205) [email protected]
Past-Chair: Michael KellyForest Investment Associates15 Piedmont Center, Suite 1250Atlanta, GA 30305Phone: (404) [email protected]
Alabama Chair: Chris ErwinAmerican Forest Foundation47 Bowen BendWetumpka, AL 36093Phone: (202) [email protected]
Florida Chair: Jib DavidsonColumbia Timber4424 NW 13th Street, Suite C2Gainesville, FL 32609Phone: (352) [email protected]
Georgia Chair: Danielle AtkinsGeorgia Forestry Commission315 Live Oak LaneBrunswick, GA 31523Phone: (706) [email protected]
Ex-Officio Members
District 10 Board Member:Dick BrinkerAuburn University436 Summertrees DriveAuburn, AL 36832Phone: (334) [email protected]
Student Representative: Kari KnutsonUniversity of FloridaPhone: (954) [email protected]
Historian: William ConsolettiConsoletti GIS Consulting Company3650 Ginger DriveColumbus, GA 31909Phone: (706) 561-8735
The Southeastern Forester is a publication of the Southeastern Society of American Foresters.
Clint MancilChair
Publication of any advertisement or article in THE SOUTHEASTERN FORESTER should not be deemed an endorsement by SESAF of the opinions expressed or the products advertised. The editor reserves the right to refuse publication of any article, photograph or advertisement deemed contrary to the objectives of SESAF.
For advertising rates or SESAF membership information, please contact:Karen Johansen, Business Manager, SESAF, 2581 Price Mill Road, Bishop, Georgia 30621, (706) 343-1480, [email protected]
Greetings!
Hurricane Michael as you all know has caused catastrophic losses to life and property across large areas of NW Florida, SE Alabama, and SW Georgia. I know some of our members and their families have been directly impacted by this terrible storm. I know other members are now participating in the cleanup and response to the storm. If you are a volunteer or first responder working in the recovery phase, we are thankful for your service and sacrifice.
I would like to take a brief moment to encourage all of our members to visit https://goo.gl/QHTua7 to participate in a GoFund me campaign to raise support for our SAF members affected by Hurricane Michael. I would like to say a special thanks to Tom Garrison of APSAF who worked to broaden the GoFund me campaign to not only support APSAF membership affected by Hurricane Florence but to now also include SE SAF members affected by Hurricane Michael.
Finally, thank you in advance for your participation in the fundraising campaign. Our prayers and thoughts are with the people in the path of the storm who have suffered great loss.
Message From The Chair
Page 3 The Southeastern Forester, Fall 2018
“APSAF Hurricane
Relief Project Extended
to Support SESAF
Members Due to
Hurricane Michael”
SESAF Members and APSAF Members Impacted by Hurricanes Michael and Florence
APSAF Hurricane Relief Project Extended to Support SESAF Members Due to Hurricane Michael
The project and process that was originated to support SAF Members in the APSAF region due to Hurricane Florence is not only continuing for that region but has been expanded to assist SESAF Members in the impact zone from Hurricane Michael. To make this happen, donations are still being solicited through the original GoFundMe page at https://goo.gl/QHTua7, and Relief Applications can still be made with this form and instructions at https://goo.gl/o1ipUd. APSAF will continue to run the infrastructure as SESAF and others network into the affected area to find members in need. Members meeting the basic criteria will receive $1000 relief checks as soon as possible and as long as there are funds available.
Since the inception of this project shortly after Hurricane Florence made landfall last month, APSAF has processed nearly $10,000 in donations and distributed $1000 relief checks to each of five SAF members in the Carolinas. A number of members reached have declined the support, wishing others to receive it first, yet we know that there are more to locate and more in need. But we don’t know who, how many, or how long this will take. With your help, we start the search now for our colleagues who could use some relief in SESAF as well. The full situation will be unclear in both zones for some time, so the relief project will be ongoing at least through the end of the 2018 as we do our best to facilitate your donations and find colleagues who need and will accept our help.
Please donate and communicate this to others in our national and local forestry and natural resources communities.
Thank you for your support and urgent action. Tom Davidson2018 APSAF Chair804-339-4653
Photo submitted by Forest Investment Associates.
The Southeastern Forester, Fall 2018 Page 4
Dick BrinkerDistrict 10 Board Member
“The EPRC determined that it was
necessary to take a “deep dive” into the needs
beyond our committee
discussions.”
AccreditationOne of the hallmarks of every professional program is academic accreditation. Insuring that universities provide not only a broad and general education, but also provides the coursework that is essential for a graduate to have the depth required in their professional education. To this end, the Society of American Foresters has been accrediting academic programs in forestry since 1935. The SAF Committee on Accreditation (COA) reviews every accredited program every ten years. The guidelines that the COA uses are developed and maintained by the Education Policy Review Committee (EPRC). Members of both committees are SAF members and include a SAF Staff member.
As your District 10 Board Representative, I have been assigned to the EPRC and have appreciated the opportunity to engage in discussion with the Committee members as we strive to maintain current academic needs for employers, graduates, and the academic community. The EPRC determined that it was necessary to take a “deep dive” into the needs beyond our committee discussions. The initial step was taken at the recent SAF Annual Convention in Portland. Two, half-day listening sessions were held during the first day of the Convention. EPRC members developed an invitation list of SAF members to invite and the sessions were also advertised and open to any SAF member who desired an opportunity to be involved in the discussion. There were twenty members engaged during the morning session and twenty-six for the afternoon session.
The session facilitator, Dave Walters had a list of questions that the EPRC developed to guide the discussion and provide focus to our discussion. These questions were:
1. How do you think the profession of forestry will change in the next ten years?2. What should forestry education be for the 3rd decade of the 21st century?3. In what ways do you think the current curriculum offered by universities will not
meet the future professional needs of forestry?4. How do we assess the balance of our programs between graduating people with
technical skills vs. social skills (people skills, writing and speaking, public policy, negotiation, problem solving)?
5. What does it mean to you that someone has graduated from an SAF accredited program?
6. What should SAF consider in reviewing accreditation processes & standards? 7. How would the profession change if accreditation were to disappear? 8. What would accreditation look like if it was more effective?9. How might we require/encourage the creation of welcoming cultures for students
from all backgrounds and of all genders within our accredited programs?10. How might we measure/assess commitment (and/or compliance) with such a
requirement (creation of welcoming cultures)?11. To meet the needs of the profession, what different accreditation standards does
SAF need to have?12. What is working, what is not working?13. In what direction would you like to see SAF accreditation go?
Participants were divided into 5-6 person discussion tables, allowed 15-minutes for small group discussion and then reported their main points to the entire group. A long list of comments was retrieved in both written and graphic forms for the EPRC to begin our “deep dive.”
SAF Board Report
Page 5 The Southeastern Forester, Fall 2018
This is just the start of probably a year-long process. So, if you have any thoughts on any or all the questions, please send them to me. We want to get involvement of our members to ensure that we are going in the right direction for the Society and the profession.
You can always feel free to contact me at [email protected], or my home phone: 334-887-6463.
SAF Board Report Cont’d
SAF National Convention Attendees examining brainstorming results of the EPRC meeting. Photo submitted by Dick Brinker.
The Southeastern Forester, Fall 2018 Page 6
Southeastern Forester Registration Boards Meet The 25th annual meeting of ASBORF (Association of Southeastern Boards of Registration for Foresters) was held in South Carolina this past August. This might be a new group to some of you, but its primary functions are to share information and collaborate where possible. Laws and rules for professional forester registration vary by state but at the core are the goals to maintain a high educational requirement, hold foresters accountable for their work offered to the public, and to maintain high ethical stands for the profession.
There are fifteen states that have some form of licensure for foresters. Of these fifteen, six in the southeast saw advantages to forming an association with other boards and ASBORF was formed in 1993. The charter members include: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina. Since there is no other association of states’ forester boards, West Virginia requested inclusion into ASBORF at this meeting, and they were accepted. Although the Society of American Foresters (SAF) aren’t “members” per se, they participate at each meeting due to the close relationship most states’ rules and regulations have with them. SAF accredited curriculums at our Universities are typically the required majors for most states’ registration rules and this ensures a baseline education. Most states also require continuing education for registered foresters and the SAF’s Continuing Forester Education rules and process are used to ensure consistency.
States typically require forester candidates seeking state licensure to take an exam to show proficiency. Most of the southern states with registration mandates have a state-specific exam but two states utilize the SAF certified forester exam (coupled with a short state-specific exam).
The SAF presented information about some options they are exploring to track CFE credits at the national level, and collaborating with ASBORF might make this a useful tool for some state boards to utilized with their respective state registered forester programs.
ASBORF will have a booth at the 2019 SAF National convention in Louisville, Kentucky. Plan to stop in and further this discussion.
Forester Registration News
“ASBORF core goals are to... maintain
a high educational
requirement, hold foresters accountable
for their work offered to the public,
and maintain high ethical
stands for the profession.”
Participants at the 2018 meeting of the Association of Southeastern State Boards of Registration for Foresters, at the Jim Timmerman Wilderness Area in South Carolina. Photo submitted by James Johnson.
Page 7 The Southeastern Forester, Fall 2018
Chris Erwin Alabama Division Chair
The Alabama Division is proud to report it recently recognized three well-deserving members at its annual meeting in Auburn, Alabama. David Wilkinson, Silviculture Program Manager for Hancock Forest Management has received the Outstanding Young Foresters award for his professional and community service including his leadership promoting the profession at the annual Teachers Conservation Workshop. Brian Bradley, retired from the Alabama Forestry Commission, was inducted into the Alabama Foresters Hall of Fame for his significant contributions to forest management, protection, and restoration. Brian’s efforts in landowner outreach and education is equally impressive both over the course of his career with the State of Alabama and since retirement as a consulting forester. Finally, Jim Jeter, also retired from the Alabama Forestry Commission, has earned the Presidential Field Forester award for his direct impact on the land through management positions with both industry and the State of Alabama and through supervising and mentoring foresters, developing lasting personal relationships with landowners, and leading professional development for every logger in the state for many years. Jim was also recognized for his accomplishments at the national SAF meeting in Portland, Oregon.
I’d like to personally thank those that took the time to nominate and shepherd these much-deserved recipients through the award process, including Dick Brinker and Joe Roberson along with their respective committees, Callie Schweitzer and the Mountain Lakes Chapter, and Rick Oates and all involved at the Alabama Forestry Commission. Recognition takes time and effort but pays dividends to our profession.
The Division is fortunate that each of its officers are volunteers committed to the profession, and would like to thank those volunteers for sacrificing a bit of their personal time. We’d also like to thank their employers for supporting the profession.
Division News Alabama
The Southeastern Forester, Fall 2018 Page 8
Under normal circumstances, I would like to report that all is well in Florida. Unfortunately, the devastation that occurred from Hurricane Michael on October 10 was immense. The hurricane was reported as the fourth most powerful storm to ever hit the North American continent. Time said it was the third most powerful storm to ever hit the continental US (under Camille and the 1935 Labor Day hurricane which occurred before we started naming them). Regardless, its impact on the people was beyond description. As I write this article, there are still large numbers of homes without electricity. Basic supplies like gasoline and food are still in short supply.
On the forestry side, West Rock’s Panama City mill took a big hit. The mill will be down through the end of November, and its market pulp production will be limited to 50% production for maybe six months. Smaller mills, especially the mills without good access to capital, may be down for a long time.
The Florida SAF is starting a Hurricane Michael Foresters Fund that will be dedicated to any SAF member who is in need. Our first level is to take care of our fellow foresters. We really don’t care if the need is in Georgia or Florida as we are all one big family. I will be setting up a special fund that will be monitored by our State treasurer, Brian Condon. There will a full accounting and anyone in our organization will have access to the accounting. If you don’t want your name on the contribution list, no problem. Anonymous giving works just as well, and we will respect your wishes.
The next thing is to establish a clearing house for State and consulting foresters who have landowners in need of salvage cuts or clearing equipment. So far, all inquiries made by any landowners to State and local agencies have been told to reference the Florida Forestry Association’s Master Logger website. More importantly, they don’t have anyone to speak with who knows what to ask. We can help. Our office will stand by to receive any inquiries and send a master list to all appropriate loggers. Hopefully we will be able to work with the FFA and the FFS. If we know the capabilities of each timber company and their respective crews, we can send this information to State foresters, consultants and land managers as the need arises. This will be a work in progress, and it will be extended to our Georgia counterparts. It will be open to all.
We are now trying to get a handle on the SAF members who are in need. If you know of anyone who fits this category, now would be a really good time to let me know. I’ll send out an email blast by October 26. With your help, we can assist those who are in need. Please contact me at [email protected] with your needs.
Jib DavidsonFlorida Division Chair
Division News Florida
Page 9 The Southeastern Forester, Fall 2018
The end of the year is rounding down now, and it has been an amazing and challenging experience to lead the SAF Georgia Division. Having been on maternity leave my first 3 months of leadership, my newest addition certainly has kept me on my toes more than expected while also changing a lot of my plans I always had “if I was in leadership…” All that being the case, I cannot thank the support staff from past chairman Ryan Reddish to chair-elect Jay Chupp and the often unspoken support from treasurer Dick Rightmyer and secretary Gail Westcot, who without both I would always be at a loss as to our current standing.
Last year was the first year the state division helped support students attend the SAF National Convention. This year we again were asked to help several UGA students attend SAF Nationals in Portland and I am honored to say we are in a place that we can continue to support the next generation of foresters explore new opportunities and network with professionals! The experience Nationals had on me while I was a student was priceless, and I’m pleased to be able to continue supporting students in these opportunities. Although the quiz bowl team did not place this year, we did have reports of how sharp those students who competed looked. Thank you for representing Georgia so well!
Finally, with the latest impact of Hurricane Michael in the Florida panhandle and southwest Georgia, we want to send our thoughts and prayers to all those who have been impacted and devastated by this storm. A Hurricane Relief project that was originally created by APSAF for Hurricane Florence has been extended to help those hit by Michael. If you wish to support these efforts you can go to the GoFundMe page here: https://goo.gl/QHTua7 . If you know someone that has been impacted and would benefit from the relief funds you can see the relief application here: https://goo.gl/o1ipUd . I want to thank Tom Davidson for his efforts in setting this up and further extending it to our SESAF membership.
Harold Wheeler, Michael Buchanon, Anthony McCall, Clay Whitehead. UGA Students beat Miss. State in match 1 30-5, but were eliminated by NCSU in match 2. Photo submitted by Danielle Atkins.
Division News Georgia
Danielle AtkinsGeorgia Division Chair
The Southeastern Forester, Fall 2018 Page 10
Mountain Lakes ChapterBy Callie Schweitzer, Chair
The Mountain Lakes chapter members continue to assist the North Alabama Land Trust with various activities. The Land Trust managers over 6,000 acres across north Alabama and they appreciate the assistance of local SAF members. Brian Bradley took the lead on a recently funded Foresters Fund project proposal titled ‘The Big Trees of Chapman Mountain’, an educational project highlighting the large trees existing on the Land Trust’s Chapman Mountain property and providing to visitors information about individual trees - sizes, species names, uses and any unique characteristics or attributes.
Partners in the project include the USDA Forest Service and Alabama A&M University’s student SAF chapter (see photograph, Brian Bradley surveys for big trees). Members have begun to assess the trails and potential trees that will be highlighted for this project. Callie Schweitzer held a field short course on the Land Trust’s Monte Sano Preserve property, in which natural resource professionals from across north Alabama learned about some challenges to regenerating upland hardwood forests. The group toured a research/demonstration site that showed how various treatments influenced the targeted invasive species and affected the hardwood seedlings in the understory (see photograph, treating invasive species discussion with managers). Members have also agreed to help the Land Trust with restoration work related to a pine beetle outbreak, including additional educational field tours such as the one done by Callie on the Land Trust’s Blevin Gap Preserve property in October (see photograph, Callie Schweitzer leads a tour for the NALT).
Chapter News Alabama
Brian Bradley surveys for big trees. Photo submitted by Callie Schweitzer.
Callie Schweitzer leads a tour for the NALT. Photo submitted
by Lynn Weninger.
Invasive species treatment discussion with managers. Photo submitted by Callie Schweitzer.
Page 11 The Southeastern Forester, Fall 2018
Blackwater ChapterBy Danielle Atkins, Chair
2018 is winding down and we have only one more chapter meeting left in the year: November 29th in Brunswick, Georgia with a tour and dinner program with Pinova. We welcome all those to join us for this experience. As mentioned in the last newsletter we are proud to have supported ABAC student Roger Harrison Brooker to attend the SAF National Convention in Portland, Oregon this year with a full-ride. Roger expressed his gratitude to the Blackwater chapter for the opportunity to go.
Chapter News Georgia
Joint Meeting between Blackwater Chapter and Savannah Chapter with Representative Buddy Carter in Jesup, GA. Photo submitted by Gail Westcot.
The Southeastern Forester, Fall 2018 Page 12
Savannah ChapterBy Gail Westcot, Secretary
The Savannah Chapter held a joint meeting with the Blackwater Chapter on August 29 in Jesup, GA with Representative Buddy Carter who gave a legislative update to the chapters. The next Savannah Chapter meeting will be October 25 in Statesboro, GA where Mr. Chip Bates with the Georgia Forestry Commission will give a Southern Pine Beetle update to the chapter. The Savannah Chapter Annual Oyster Roast will be held December 13 at Mr. Fred Warnell’s Homeplace in Groveland, GA. All are welcome to attend.
Chapter News Georgia
Representative Buddy Carter speaking with Blackwater and Savannah Chapters. Photo submitted by Gail Westcot.
Page 13 The Southeastern Forester, Fall 2018
Oconee Chapter By Dick Rightmyer, Treasurer
Oconee chapter member Frank Riley was featured in an article by Robin Webb on October 12, 2018 in the web publication Fetch Your News. Portions of the article are reprinted here by permission of Towns County Fetch Your News.
HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Sole Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw officially proclaimed Oct. 7-13 National Fire Prevention Week in Towns County, while honoring Resource Conservation and Development (RC & D) Council Executive Director Frank Riley during a surprise ceremony. Numerous county and city officials were invited, as well as rangers from the U.S. Forest Service and Georgia Forestry Commission. Commissioner Bradshaw expressed sincere appreciation for Riley’s service while presenting an award. “That’s how much you mean to me, and how much you mean to the community,” Bradshaw said.
Frank Riley was presented an award of recognition by Commissioner Bradshaw following the signing of the fire prevention week proclamation, acknowledging Riley’s service and dedication to Towns County.
Among achievements, Riley established Towns County as the first Fire Adaptive Community to receive statewide and national attention, humbly served as a Towns County volunteer firefighter since 1999, and as a highly-respected FireWise and Fire Corps leader.
“Frank’s expertise and drive, along with being able to identify and connect the right groups together, has been the spark that has enabled FireWise to take hold in Georgia, and help start it to adjoining Appalachian states,” Tony Harkins, Chief Ranger-Safety Officer with the Georgia Forestry Commission, explained in part, “With his involvements in Chattahoochee RC&D, (as a) volunteer firefighter, farming, and with the farmers’ markets, I personally can’t see where he finds the time to do all of these endeavors. He wears more hats than anyone I know, and is successful in all jobs.”
U.S. Forest Fire Management Officer Mike Davis echoed the sentiment, “Frank has always supported the greater good. In 2015, when we were conducting a presentation about our efforts in Towns County to our regional forester out of Atlanta, we were asked could we duplicate these efforts up the Appalachian chain to other wildland urban interface communities. We knew it would be a challenge, and one that Frank would have to take the lead on, but he rolled up his sleeves and said, ‘let’s do it.’ Since that time, he has traveled and met with various government officials from Atlanta to Washington D.C. to promote the success in Towns County and beyond. Frank does all of this not looking to promote himself or for accolades, but to seek support for what we do here in this region.”
Chapter News Georgia
Frank Riley. Photo submitted by Fetch Your News
