Fall - Appalachian Society of American Foresters

THE TRAIL BLAZER
The Appalachian Society of American Foresters
APSAF Web site— www.apsaf.org
Fall 2010
National SAF Web site—www.safnet.org
Dog Days of Summer
By Mark Megalos
2010 APSAF Chair
MOISTURE DEFICITS, HIGH DAY/NIGHt
time temperatures and a string
of broken records. Sounds like
another great baseball season
but it's the weather, not America's
favorite pastime, for which we
lament this year. Was a time you
could converse with others about
the weather, complain and take
consolation that this was just a
phase we are going through and
that relief would be just another
tropical storm away. Right now
Mark Megalos
as I type this, the first summer
storm relief is in the Caribbean
and is days away from testing the security of a well cap that
has plugged the nation's three-month -long, greatest ecological disaster. More than ever, we seem to dread even the
little storms because they pack a combined wallop of wind,
water and energy. This morning's news spoke of a 7-inch
deluge that soaked an already wet Wisconsin. What the
South wouldn't give for just a fraction of that moisture
during these, the hottest months of the year and 304th
consecutive months of the hottest temperatures above
20th Century records1. Sure we'd love the rain but not the
straight-line winds, dry lightning and promise of rain that
may not bring relief but simply more grief.
Sure we'd love our kids to get out of doors more but
with temperatures like these and risks associated with sun,
heat indices and tick-borne diseases—they seem wiser
than us in their choice to stay within the climate-controlled
environs. It begs the question: Will the next generation be
willing to work in the climate of the future and its great,
open-spaces? Our efforts to mentor future professionals
are more critical than ever, and your colleagues Carlyle
Franklin and Jim McCarter are working to make those
mentor resources front and center on the APSAF website.
But like any real change the first step begins with each and
every one of us. Be sure to check the website, and register
for the list-serve so that you can keep apprised of their
efforts and the tangible steps you can take to ensure that
the next generation of foresters and natural resource
professionals have a link to the past and hand-up to the
future through their association with SAF and its dedicated
members. If you have a moment to spare just contemplate
the handful or dozen professionals that assisted you,
complemented your progress or had a hand in getting you
to the point you are today. How many of them were SAF
members like you?
We live in truly interesting and challenging times. Pick
your disaster or topic area—with 24 hour news and
endless media streams, our science and facts about nature
are increasingly lost to a public that struggles to put food
on the table, pay the mortgage, healthcare bills and whom
are decreasing in their science literacy and ability to
understand the enormity of the climatic, economic and
global energy changes that we face. Whether it's a lawsuit
challenging the next biomass facility, policy related to
biomass definition or the latest hastily compiled treatise to
warn the public of the "ravages" of unrestricted renewable
energy facilities, we foresters and wood-aligned entities
are definitely on the front lines of the national and international energy and climate policy debates.2
So what can we do about all of this change? WE all
sense the unrelenting pace and chaos of this seemingly
insurmountable change, but others have faced change of
this magnitude in the past and survived or even thrived. As
SAF Society members, we have a network of colleagues
to unify us and make sure the road we take is not a lonely
one. Whether it's Erica Rhodes at the national level or our
past-APSAF chair Ched Kearse, we have friends tracking
the policy horizon and keeping us apprised of what
potholes and other pitfalls lay ahead of us. More than that,
we have an upcoming APSAF annual meeting entitled,
"The Road Before Us, Does it Look Like Anything We
Have Seen Before?" where Brian Clark and others are
lining up the best speakers in the region who'll discuss
Cont'd page 2
recent changes in the industry, the
THE TRAIL BLAZER
The quarterly newsletter of the
Appalachian Society of American
Foresters. ©2010
2010 Executive Committee
Chair
Mark Megalos
Chairman's comments
physical and political landscape. If all goes as planned, the meeting will address the
strategies needed and the potential markets that will help ensure that we as a profession,
industry and geographic region are viable, sustainable and poised to take advantage of
upcoming opportunities that will arise during our profession's second century.
So take advantage of the training, education and networking opportunities that your
society offers you. Be it New Mexico in October or the APSAF meeting in Charleston, SC
January 26-28, I hope to see you on the road before us. —Mark
919-513-1202
fax 919-515-6883
mark.megalos@ncsu.edu
Mark Megalos, NC RF #728, Ph.D
Extension Forestry Specialist & Asst. Extension Professor
NC State University, CB 8008 Raleigh, NC 27695-8008 • (919) 513-1202
Chair-elect
Chip Maley
864-503-1663
chip.maley@milliken.com
Immediate past Chair
Ched Kearse
803-368-8130
fax 803-368-3059
ckearse@kearsemanufacturing.com
1
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/?report=global June 2010 was the fourth consecutive warmest
month on record (March, April, and May 2010 were also the warmest on record). This was the 304th
consecutive month with a global temperature above the 20th century average. The last month with
below-average temperature was February 1985.
2
Consider REDD +, the MANOMET report or the host of U.S. Energy and Climate bills still in play
as I type this note to you.
◆
Secretary/Treasurer
Free Service
phone & fax 843-873-4823
etbourgeois@yahoo.com
Receive a FREE phone call each morning to
your home at your preferred time(8:45-10:00
am) from one of our cheerfull volunteers. Perfect for single
seniors who live alone
TELECARE CENTER
CAll; 358-0451
OR T. METCALF 288-8755
OR K. WHITE 737-3121
Liz Bourgeois
North Carolina Div. Chair
Mike Thompson
5065 Woodrun on Tillery
Mt. Gilead, NC 27306
910-576-6222 ext. 233
thompsonm@montgomery.edu
South Carolina Div. Chair
Pat Layton
261 Lehotsky Hall
864-656-3303
fax 864-656-3304
playton@clemson.edu
Virginia Division Chair
Jennifer L. Gagnon
540-231-6391
fax 540-231-3330
forester@vt.edu
Forest Science and
Technology Chair
Brian Clark
843-546-1437 (fax also)
brian.clark@hgtc.edu
Ex-Officio Members:
SAF Council Member
Joann Meyer Cox
919-676-8285
Joann_cox@earthlink.net
Trail Blazer Editor
Charles F. Finley, CF®
The Trail Blazer is published to
provide information and stimulate
discussion among the members of
the Appalachian Society, SAF.
Send comments to Charlie Finley,
editor:
Verbatim Editing
1011 East Main Street
Richmond, VA 23219
phone & fax 804-648-0357
charfinley@mindspring.com
2
continued from page 1
upFall 2010
u
The Trail Blazer
District 8 Council Report
by Joann Cox
After the February winter storm knocked out the 1st quarter
meeting, Council conducted business via three conference calls.
Our first face-to-face meeting took place on June 12 and 13th in
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The primary focus of the conference calls
and June meeting was SAF finances and membership. At the
June meeting, the 2009 financial audit was completed and
Council approved Paul West's CPA report. Despite the bumpy
economic times, SAF's investments in the Endowment Fund and
Foresters' Fund continue to perform well.
Council approved two revenue-generating ideas: buy-apaver and the forester ring programs and both are underway.
The programs are a wonderful way to celebrate and/or recognize
a forester's career in the profession. See National website for
details. One more application, a beta version of a phone app is
undergoing testing with hopes of a release in late summer.
Since taking over the responsibility for advertising, exhibits
and sponsorship, Scott Oser and Associates have brought in
$45,000 in revenues in their first six weeks. At the June meeting,
it was reported that the convention exhibit hall was 2/3rds sold
and the Convention Planning Committee was considering additional booth space. Scott along with Michael Goergen are making
calls with several valuable partners such as Trimble, LaserTech,
AborGen, Bartlett and many others to strengthen our relationship and learn how SAF can help them meeting their objectives.
Given the 2010 deficit budget situation, a necessary review
of SAF dues structure by Council and Staff led to proposed
changes to ensure the long-term financial stability of SAF. A dues
plan adopted and approved by Council back in 1997 (but never
fully implemented) designated that dues would be structured so
that a planned 15 percent increase would be implemented every
5 years to compensate for inflation. This would allow SAF to keep
up with increasing operational costs, and members would know
what to expect in regards to planned dues increases. The
proposed change would take affect in 2012 (subsequent increases occur in 2017, 2022, etc.) and equates to over a $20
increase or $153 for the base professional rate. Council will make
a recommendation to HSD at the National Convention and
request input on the proposal with the expectation to take action
at the Council's December meeting.
Council also agreed to abolish the graduate loyalty dues
program as it currently exists. As of June, we have less than 50
members in this program despite promotion through direct mail,
email, Facebook, website and face-to-face communications.
Steps are underway to create a Young Professional program
(building off of the track at the 2010 Convention and the new ring
program) to create energy for the transitional members we
frequently lose. Graduating student members would be charged
the student rate for five years or until they are employed in a
forestry-related field. Once they have secured their employment
in the field of forestry, they would move into the new members'
rate for five years, after which they would pay full membership
rate.
Council heard two presentations about fundraising strategies and the "Millennial Generation" (people born from 19822001). John Manz, a member of Montana SAF provided a
thought provoking presentation on generational changes to our
membership. Tom Mentele, University of Washington Director
for fund raising provided an informative presentation on the ins
and outs developing a fundraising strategy. These presentations
led to the Strategic Planning Committee's (SPC) discussion/
presentation of SAF's Strategic Plan. The SPC facilitated a
SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
as Council continues to more fully integrate our strategic plan
into SAF's daily operations.
Council approved new national position statements on
"State Programs to Credential Foresters" and "Public Regulation
of Private Forest Practices." A charter of and fund for a task force
for "Forest Climate Change Offsets and Use of Forest Biomass
for Energy" was also approved. This task force extends the work
of the 2008 SAF Climate Change and Carbon Sequestration
Task Force Report.
The June meeting is the annual selection of Fellows. Council reviewed and elected 26 individuals to the category of SAF
Fellows. Please join me in congratulating the newest APSAF
Fellows, John M. Carroll, Virginia Division and William B.
Synder, North Carolina Division. Be sure to review the Fellow's
article from the Summer Trail Blazer and nominate a deserving
forester in your Chapter/Division. December 31 is the deadline.
SAF staff news includes the hiring of Kelsey Delaney as
Leadership Services Manager replacing Brittany Brumby who
The Trail Blazer upSFall 2010 u
3
resigned from SAF in March. Terry Clark, Director of Science and Education retired and
SAF hired Carol Redelsheimer.
Plans are coming together for the 2010 SAF Convention in Albuquerque. The theme,
Forests & People: A Watershed Event includes keynote speaker Sandra L. Postel,
Director, Global Water Policy Project. Be sure to save October 27-31 on your calendars.
Make Tracks...
Upcoming due dates:
APSAF Executive
Committee Meetings
+• 2010 SAF Fellows - due to APSAF Fellows Committee by December 31
• Next Council meeting dates: Oct. 27 in Albuquerque; and Dec. 3-5 in Bethesda, MD.
Respectfully submitted
Joann Cox, CF/FCA, Council Member, District 8
Joann_cox@earthlink.net, or phone, 919-676-8285
SAF in Force at Boy Scout Jamboree
by Neil Clark, Volunteer Coordinator
By half way through the two week event at A.P. Hill military reservation about 65
miles south of Washington, DC, thousands of scouts and leaders had already passed
through the SAF exhibit, a new addition to the award winning conservation trail, at the Boy
Scout Jamboree—celebrating 100 years of scouting. Over forty dedicated volunteers
Freeand
Service
from 8 states braved the heat, the traffic, the 8 hours of standing
shouting, and more
Receive
a
FREE
phone
call each morning
to
than a little bureaucratic red tape to share forestry's story with the patch-seeking
youth.
your
home
at
your
preferred
time(8:45-10:00
Mark Books of the Virginia Rappahannock Chapter and E. Lynn Burkette of the National
from one
of ourinto
cheerfull
volunteers. PerCapital Division came up with the idea and put am)
countless
hours
implementation
via
fect
for
single
fundraising, volunteer recruitment, and the meetings, paperwork, and logistical details.
seniors
who liveofalone
None of this would have been as effective without the entire
battalion
volunteers.
TELECARE
Foremost amongst this group was Bill Klrinhans from Florida who CENTER
persisted in serving
CAll; 358-0451
throughout the entire 11 days, providing some consistency, leadership,
and guidance to
OR
T.
METCALFgrateful
288-8755to Bill and
each new team of volunteers who arrived daily. We are tremendously
OR K. WHITE 737-3121
all of the volunteers.
Many scouts were amazed to learn
that wood and wood derivatives are
used in everything from houses to toothpaste, that opposite leaf arrangement is
an easy and sure method of distinguishing ash from hickory, and that it is
important to distinguish among wood
species, especially if you happen to be
a cooper. Additionally, special presentations on forestry applications of geographic information systems, redcockaded woodpecker habitat restoration, and careers in forestry were made
by Chris Driskill, Jim Gray, Susan
Moore, and Dr. David Wm. Smith.
SAF volunteer Ralph Willard (left) shares
Thanks also go out to Virginia Tech's
knowledge of wood properties and tree
College
of Natural Resources and Envigrowth to curious scouts.
ronment for the loan of many display
materials and equipment. With this
scouts were able to use an interactive dendrology key, print customized cards with their
state trees and view/print their progress level toward achieving a forestry merit badge, and
to view portions of "The Greatest Good" as they listened to the many other presentations.
Kudos also to Jason Fisher and Bill Kleinhans for devising the multi-presentation structure
requirement for scouts to receive the SAF patch.
The words of one volunteer summed it up best after a frustrating attempt to navigate
security, park, hike to SAF's tent, to endure sore feet, and postponed bathroom breaks ...
"I am tired, but it was very rewarding and well worth it to have been able to reach so many
youngsters and see the light turn on, and to see their gain of appreciation about forestry."
This was a grand slam for SAF and the forestry profession! All because of volunteers! M
4 upSFall 2010 u The Trail Blazer
to these upcoming
SAF Meetings
Sept. 28, Charleston, SC
2011 Appalachian
SAF Winter Meeting
January 26-28, Charleston, SC
National SAF Meetings
Oct. 27-31, 2010, Albuquerque, NM
Nov. 2-6, 2011, Honolulu, HI
Oct. 24-27, 2012, Spokane, WA
Updated APSAF Fellows Nomination Process
Be aware there are some changes to the nominating process for SAF Fellow. These
were carried in the Summer 2010 Trail Blazer. You can review them on our web site,
www.apsaf.org, or in the folder you keep for past Trail Blazers! Deadline is Dec. 31.
Your Leaders in
the State Divisions
North Carolina
Chair
Mike Thompson
5065 Woodrun on Tillery
Mt. Gilead, NC 27306
910-576-6222 ext. 233
thompsonm@montgomery.edu
Chair-elect
Jim Gray
ng to
10:00
. Per-
128 Chicora Club Dr.
Dunn, NC 28334
910-891-7376
jimgray1@earthlink.net
South Carolina
Chair
Pat Layton
Free Service
261 Lehotsky Hall
Clemson University
Clemson, SC 29634-0317
864-656-3303
fax 864-656-3304
Receive a FREE phone call each morning to
your home at your preferred time(8:45-10:00
am) from one of our cheerfull volunteers. Perfect for single
seniors who live alone
TELECARE CENTER
CAll; 358-0451
OR T. METCALF 288-8755
OR K. WHITE 737-3121
playton@clemson.edu
Chair-elect
Mary Morrison
Free Service
Receive a FREE phone call each morning to
your home at your preferred time(8:45-10:00
am) from one of our cheerfull volunteers. Perfect for single
seniors who live alone
TELECARE CENTER
CAll; 358-0451
OR T. METCALF 288-8755
OR K. WHITE 737-3121
4931 Broad River Rd.
Columbia, SC 29212
803-561-4058
fax 803-561-4004
mwmorrison@fs.fed.us
Virginia
Chair
Jennifer L. Gagnon
2155 Hammes Street
Christiansburg, VA 24073
540-231-6391
fax 540-231-3330
forester@vt.edu
Chair-elect
Bill Worrell
P.O. Box 697
Lebanon, VA 24266
276-889-8056
bworrell@vt.edu
The Trail Blazer u Fall 2010 u 5
All the news—Virginia (Sho' nuff)
Jennifer Gagnon, VA Division Chair . . . with a flair! Submitted by Adam K. Downing, Communications Chair
Getting Educated about
Continuing Education
by Jennifer Gagnon, Chair
First, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who attended
the Virginia Division Summer meeting in South Hill in June. Our
hosts, the Robert E. Lee Chapter, the Army Corps of Engineers,
and Fort Pickett, did a wonderful job sharing their management
philosophies, techniques and challenges with us. I appreciate
everyone's support of this meeting and
all the hard work that went into it! I'd
also like to thank Bill Worrell, Southwest Chapter, for volunteering to serve
as the Virginia Division Chair-elect for
the remainder of 2010.
Now on to the title of this article continuing education. I receive numerous calls each month from our
members, looking for category 1 CFE
opportunities. Additionally, the requirements for Certified Forester recertificaJennifer Gagnon
tion are set to change in February 2011.
So, I thought this would be a good time
to take a look at the new requirements and talk about some of
the opportunities available for earning CFE's.
First, a few definitions: In order for a program to qualify for
Category 1 Core Education credits, it must, among other things,
be taught by speakers who are considered experts in their fields,
and the program content must be of a technical level and nature
such that it supplements and builds upon the knowledge necessary to ensure professional competency. Training sessions
targeted specifically for landowners do NOT meet this criterion.
Programs not meeting all of the criteria for Category 1 are
assigned Category 2 Related Education credits. Category 3
Professional Development and Volunteer Activities credits are
provided for professional activities undertaken outside of normal
job duties. Complete definitions of the categories can be found
in the Certified Forester Program Handbook: http://
www.safnet.org/certifiedforester/become/CFhandbook.pdf.
The requirements for recertification after February 1, 2011:
Cat 1-CF - 40 CFE credit hours, minimum; Cat 1-FCA - Not to
exceed 20 CFE credit hours; Category 2 - Not to exceed 20 CFE
credit hours; Category 3 - Not to exceed 20 CFE credit hours
Although CF's will still need a total of 60 credits every three years
for recertification, now 40 of those will need to be Category 1.
Please note, not all your credits need to be Category 1. The
remaining 20 credits can be any combination of Category 1, 2
or 3.
So, what if you've been having trouble getting even 30
Category 1 credits....how will you ever get 10 more??? Where
will you get them??? Fortunately, there are many opportunities
for obtaining your Category 1 CFE's:
• Local chapter meetings -1 per meeting
6 u Fall 2010
u
The Trail Blazer
• Virginia Division summer meeting (Joint meeting with VFA &
ACF Williamsburg April 7-10, 2011) - 4-8 per meeting
• APSAF Winter meeting (Charleston, January 26-28, 2011) 6-12 per meeting
• SAF National Convention (Albuquerque October 27-31,
2010) - many per meeting
• Journal of Forestry quiz (8 issues/year) - 2.5 per issue
In theory, you are able to acquire all the needed credits simply
by participating in SAF activities.
Now, I recognize some of these may exceed your monetary
and/or time budgets. So here are some additional (and in most
cases inexpensive) options for obtaining CFE credits:
• www.VALEAF.org - This website, sponsored by Virginia
Cooperative Extension and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative
SIC, serves as a clearing house for on-line trainings which qualify
for Category 1 CFE's as well as SHARP Logger credits. Currently, five modules are available which cover a variety of topics,
from water quality laws to forestry ethics. New modules will be
added regularly. Some are free; others are fee-based. We would
like this site to become a one-stop shop for continuing education
in Virginia.
• Southern Regional Extension Forestry has developed a webinar
portal at www.forestrywebinars.net. Webinars cover a wide
variety of interesting topics which you can watch from home or
your office and they are FREE.
• Cornell offers continuing education webinars and workshops
through their ForestConnect program: http://www2.dnr.
cornell.edu/ext/forestconnect/index.htm. Some are free.
• Alabama Forestry Association has a number of on-line programs for $35.
Visit http://store.alaforestry.org/
cart.php?target=category&category_id=3 to view topics.
• North Carolina State's Forestry & Environmental Outreach
Program and Extension Forestry host a teleconference series,
called Forestry Issues Forums. Advanced registration is only
$35. In Virginia, you can attend these programs at Southside
Virginia Community College in South Hill.
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/forestry/educational_opportunities/
• For a bit more money and time, the University of Georgia's
Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources offers a
number of in-person trainings for foresters. Visit http://
conted.warnell.uga.edu for more information.
• Certified foresters can also search for local programs from
either the APSAF or National SAF websites.
Hopefully this information will make the transition to the new
40 hour Category 1 requirement easier. If you know of other
opportunities or want to suggest topics for the VALEAF on-line
training, please send them to me.
CHAPTER REPORTS
Robert E. Lee Chapter, by Will Harlon, Chair
The Robert E. Lee Chapter was proud to be the host for the
2010 Virginia Division Summer Meeting. The meeting was held
at the Marriott in South Hill, Virginia from June 9-11 and
volved with the monitoring of EAB traps
that members placed
in random areas of
the chapters' territory
in mid May. This is
being done through a
volunteer program
with VDACS and was
organized by chapter
member Jean Lorber.
These traps required
a mid season inspection in June and a fiThose attending the summer meeting, beside Kerr Lake.
nal inspection toward
the end of August.
primarily consisted of a series of presenta- Thanks to Jean for organizing this and to
tions at John H. Kerr Dam & Reservoir, all members who participated.
Fort Pickett, and Arbortech, Inc. The
Our Summer meeting was held on
Chapter members did an excellent job August 12 at the Woodfuels VA, LLC
assisting in the planning and execution of plant in Bumpass, VA. This was a joint
the event, which resulted in a great deal of meeting with the Rappahannock and SE
positive comments from several of the fifty chapter. We visited this plant last summer
plus attendees. Registered guests also ex- to learn about its procurement program,
perienced a grand time socializing, enjoy- production process and potential markets.
ing superb food, and recognizing Division They were not producing pellets at that
member awards at the Glass House's Ban- time, so we returned a year later to see
quet Room.
how the facility has taken shape now that
A round of thanks go out to the pre- production is in full swing. Steve Jones,
senters and to our Chapter members for VP of Procurement for Woodfuels Intertheir volunteer efforts in planning and ex- national, was on hand to give us an update
ecuting such a fine summer meeting!
and overview of the plant's status.
Special thanks also go to the meeting's
Our two "Walk in the Woods" proprimary sponsors, Huber Engineered grams are still in planning and will cover
Woods and Morgan Lumber Company.
both the eastern and western areas of the
The Robert E. Lee Chapter also unani- chapter in order to educate as many indimously voted to financially support For- viduals as possible. One is planned for the
estry Outreach efforts at this year's Boy western area on October 2 at the Cyrus
Scout Jamboree at Fort AP Hill.
McCormick Farm for their annual Farm
The Chapter plan's to wrap up an ex- Mill Day and another is planned for the
cellent year with a service project at the eastern area on November 14 at the AnAppomattox Surrender Grounds and a fall nual Open House at Ash Lawn-Highland.
chapter dinner meeting. Both will likely be
A winter meeting is planned for Oct. 21
held in late September; specific details are at the USFS/CCC facility in Edinburg.
forthcoming in the Chapter's newsletter,
"The Traveler." As always, first time guests Southwest Chapter by David Richert, Chair
to Chapter meetings receive a free dinner
The Southwest Chapter recently comso bring as many guests as you can fit into pleted their 5th annual "Trees to Products"
the pick-up truck!
Teachers' Tour. Thanks to our many
sponsors and organizers (a special thanks
Skyline Chapter, by Michael Harold, Chair to Chapter Chair-Elect Bill Worrell), 10 of
I would first like to thank and congratu- Virginia's teachers were able to visit a
late the Robert E. Lee Chapter for an number of sites, and follow the forest
outstanding VA Division Summer meet- products chain from seedling to sawlog to
ing. It was truly a great opportunity for finished flooring, cabinets, and paper. The
education and insight into aspects of our Trees to Products tour gives teachers a
profession that many of us do not normally chance to learn in the field, and gives the
get to see. As always, the fellowship and local SAF chapter members a chance to
entertainment was enjoying as well.
share the profession with non-foresters.
The Skyline chapter is currently inThough all of this year's tour stops
generated good discussion, questions, and
comments, the elk management presentation may have generated the most interest.
Johnny Wills, a game biologist with the
Virginia Department of Game and Inland
Fisheries presented information about
Virginia's Draft Elk Management Plan. The
Virginia Department of Game and Inland
Fisheries may soon begin developing an
elk population of elk (with possible elk
reintroduction) in the Southwest Virginia
counties of Lee, Wise, Dickenson,
Buchanan, Scott, Russell, and Tazewell.
This is currently in the public review and
comment period; biologists and administrators are weighing the costs and benefits
associated with managing an elk herd.
All of the participants (teachers and
foresters) benefited from this "hands-on"
presentation, complete with many comparisons between deer and elk. The differences between the two are especially great
when you compare the hooves. Although
nearly everyone had an opinion, it will be
interesting to see how this decision plays
out, and what impact this will have on the
forestry community.
Rappahannock Chap., by Allan Mills, Chair
The Rappahannock Chapter has had
three meetings as of August 2010 and
plans a fourth meeting for November.
The first meeting was held February 24,
at which guest speaker Dennis Gaston of
Virginia Dept. of Forestry spoke about the
new State Forests in the eastern part of
Virginia. The second meeting was held on
May 18, at which the guest speaker was
Tom Davidson, Leadership Consultant and
Executive Coach. His exciting presentation was entitled, " Regenerating your Generational Communication Skills, Cultivating Boomers, Geeks and Geezers at Work."
The third meeting was hosted jointly with
the Skyline Chapter of SAF on August 12
at the Woodfuels pellet plant in Bumpass,
Virginia, to tour their operating plant.
One highlight of the year was receipt by
the Rappahannock Chapter of a Best
Chapter Award for membership recruitment and retention. Another highlight of
the year was chapter participation in the
forestry component of the Boy Scout Jamboree at Ft. AP Hill, which began on July
27th. Our RAPSAF Secretary/Treasurer,
Mark Books, initiated this effort for the
Chapter and became a co-Organizer with
the National Capital Chapter's E. Lynn
Burkett and the Southeast Chapter's President, Neil Clark.
v
The Trail Blazer
upSFall 2010 u
7
North Carolina—we're smokin' (tall tales & half truths)
Forest Management must be Done
—Or pay the consequences—
by Michael C. Thompson, 2010 NC Chair
I
n the late 1970s and early 1980s, I
worked as an industrial forester in the
Rocky Mountains of northern Colo
rado. We purchased live pine, spruce,
aand
nd fir timber from the surrounding national forests and hauled it to one of three
sawmills that made dimensional lumber
for the Denver housing market. Life was
good. Each mill supported about 100
employees in the mill or woods. The
wages they made supported their families
and paid taxes. The federal treasury reMike Thompson
ceived money for the stumpage we bought.
The county schools and roads were supported by the 25% funds generated by the timber sales. Heavy
fuels, composed of down, dead logs, were removed from the
forest by a process we called "YUM" (Yarding Unmerchantable
Material). Industry and government foresters, trained at the
same universities, but pursuing separate career paths after
graduation, worked together toward a common goal—creating
a well-managed, regulated forest of various age classes from
wild, essentially even-aged, natural stands.
Always lurking in the background, however, was the
threat of invasion by bark beetles that hit the lodgepole pine and
Engelmann spruce especially hard. When we detected the
occasional outbreak, industry and government jumped right on
it, working cooperatively to control the insects by pre-salvage
logging before they flared out of control. Fortunately, we had the
mills to take the infested logs to, where they could still be
converted into useful products before the spoilage began.
There weren't many graduate industrial foresters in northern Colorado in those years, but we did what we could to educate
the public and our elected representatives about the importance
of the USFS timber sale program and its role in creating new,
more beetle-resistant stands. As the years went by and the oldgrowth stands continued to age, we knew we were in a race for
time. Sooner or later, if we didn't harvest the trees, nature would.
We continued to preach the pro-management message to anyone who would listen. Unfortunately, not enough people did
and the loggers, always tolerated at best and derided at worst,
were gradually eased out of the woods by political pressure.
Finally, the 1990s arrived and with it came the virtual
collapse of the timber sale program on the national forests. The
mill I worked for closed its doors for lack of timber supply after
operating on the same site for 70+ years. All of the employees
who worked there moved away, gone with the wind. No longer
would there be a local processing facility where beetle-infested
logs could be taken. The trees, and the beetles that killed them,
remained standing in the woods where the insects built up to
epidemic proportions.
Our worst nightmare finally came to fruition in the mid
8 uWFall 2010 u The Trail Blazer
2000s. In the space of a few short years, the remaining stands of
old growth trees succumbed to the inevitable insect scourge. Oldgrowth stands, well over rotation age, carrying 150-200 square
feet of basal area per acre, and composed of 5" - 9" dbh trees
having 40 annual rings in the outer inch of wood, didn't stand a
chance. I now read reports that up to 90% of the lodgepole pines
in my old operating area are dead and being salvaged as raw
material for a fuel pellet plant. There is such a glut of dead trees
on the market that stumpage has dropped to zero. In other
words, the pellet mill is taking dead timber off of private land and
paying nothing for it. The landowner benefits by having a cleared
site and potential fuel hazard removed. I've even heard reports
of contractors offering bids to landowners of $4,000 per acre to
remove the trees, just to be rid of them before the inevitable fires
come.
The point of all this is that forests, both public and private,
must be managed if they are to provide a steady, reliable flow of
goods and services to a modern industrial nation of 300+ million
people. By managed, I mean that stands should be optimally
stocked with a mix of species matched to the site to meet the
landowners' objectives. Forests must be protected from fire,
insects, and disease to reduce natural mortality to a minimum.
Soil, the basis of all life, must be used but at the same time
conserved for future generations. Regular logging must take
place to keep stocking at desired levels and to final harvest the
crop trees when they are mature. Harvested stands must be
promptly regenerated so long-term sustainability is assured. A
variety of species and age classes must be created by regular
harvesting to reduce the risk of total loss from a single destructive
agent and to create inviting wildlife habitat. A network of roads
must be maintained so that all areas of a property can be accessed
for necessary silvicultural activities. And finally, forest products
must be skillfully marketed so the landowner receives an encouraging financial return from years of custodial effort.
Where do SAF members fit into this picture? We are the
forest management professionals, trained in ecology, measurement, harvesting, silviculture, protection and a myriad of other
topics that allow us to make sound, science-based decisions
regarding the future of the forests we manage. We must be the
ones to take the pro-forestry message to the public and to our
elected representatives, always keeping in mind the lessons
revealed to us by the non-managed forests of the West. We must
keep a vigilant eye out for well-meaning but misguided policies
that restrict our ability to make independent, professional judgment calls on our clients' behalf. We must always keep in mind
that, should proactive forest management lapse here, what
happened to the forests of the interior mountain West could
happen to us as well.
In other news, I'm pleased to report that the North
Carolina Division had a very successful summer meeting at Little
River Golf & Resort near Carthage in early June. Close to 130
participants listened as a variety of guest speakers discussed
topics relating to the growing urbanization in our state and the
accompanying forest management challenges and opportunities.
If you missed their presentations, no problem; you can still view
them on our APSAF-NC Division web site. The meeting was
financially successful as well, although at this writing we still had
a few outstanding transactions that prevent the preparation of a
final report. The generated funds will be used to support worthy
forestry activities that promote the mission of our Society.
Speaking of meetings, please mark your calendars for
January 26-28, for the 2011 APSAF annual meeting, to be held
at the Francis Marion Hotel in Charleston, SC.
If you see our own William Snyder, give him hearty
congratulations for being elected an SAF Fellow. Fellowship
status recognizes a lifetime of dedicated service to the profession.
As a final message, I hope you will remember that
membership is the lifeblood of SAF. If you have a friend or
colleague who might benefit from membership, why not invite
him or her to your next chapter meeting? Let's each do our best
to reverse the recent declining trend in membership by signing up
just one new member this year. Our motto for the year should
be, "Member, get a member." Information about membership
can be found at the SAF web site. Please take a few moments to
review it. It will be worth your time to do so. — Mike
NC Division Chapter News
The Catawba Chapter held its summer meeting in June at
UNCC. Doug Shoemaker of the school's Center for Applied GIS
spoke about forests and urbanization in the Charlotte metro
region. Our fall meeting will be a joint meeting with the Old
Hickory Chapter on September 30, where Tim Adams will be
speaking on emerging Bio-Energy developments. The meeting
will be held at Bowater Park on Lake Wylie. In addition to
meetings, the Catawba Chapter has been pleased to support the
National Office's involvement with the Boy Scout Jamboree.
Croatan Chapter The meeting on June 17 was attended by 24
members and 6 guests. Kevin O'Kane presented a talk about the
Weyerhaeuser Nursery business. Chair Ward updated us on
business issues from the NC Division meeting earlier this month.
A request from National for a $50 donation to support a Forestry
Badge at the National Boy Scout Jamboree was discussed and
agreed to. An opportunity to purchase a "Forestry Ring" through
national to support the "mentoring" program was discussed.
The Chapter's financial condition was presented and discussed. A motion was made to appoint Dwight Gerding as
committee chair to come up with possible scholarship opportunities and criteria was passed. Additional committee members
were Laura Hendrick, Amanda Newman, Lee Jackson, Paul
Porterfield, and Mae Howell.
Mae Howell addressed the Chapter requesting approximately
$300 financial support for the Wayne CC Summer program. No
scholarships are available for this session. After lengthy discussion a motion was made to support this from the Chapter funds.
That motion failed but was replaced by a motion to match from
Chapter funds up to the $300 limit after chapter members had an
opportunity to contribute individually. That motion passed and
after members had an opportunity to contribute, $328 was
collected, therefore, no Chapter funds were required. A check
was written for the $300 and the contributions were deposited
into the chapter bank account.
Cathy Gilkeson was recognized for receiving the NC Division
Young Leadership award which will place her as the nominee for
the APSAF award to be given next January in Charleston.Our
next meeting will be Sept. 16 in Kinston.
The Triangle Chapter has engaged a busy schedule over the
past few months. March saw the chapter sponsoring an Arbor
Day celebration on NCSU Campus with the NCSU College of
Natural Resources. Under a rented 40' tent we set up a SAF
booth and met with the public and discuss what professional
foresters do. Also, SAF presentations were scheduled inside on
"What Can Foresters Do For You?" Some 2000 native oak
seedlings were donated by Weyerhaeuser and a big thanks goes
out to them and Mr. Joe Cox for arranging the donation and
enlisting the help of NC State Encore, Program for Lifelong
Education, in re-packaging the seedlings prior to the event. A
warm thanks as well to Dr. James McCarter for developing and
printing easy-to-read descriptions and planting instructions for
the cherrybark, Nuttall, and overcup species donated. These
accompanied each seedling given away. Also, a huge thanks to
Dr. Dennis Hazel who diligently jumped all permitting, etc.,
hoops necessary allowing Gregory Poole Equipment Company
to park a Cat 535-C skidder on campus. Everyone had a great
time climbing on, and it opened discussion with the public on
good forest management techniques.
In April, the Chapter enjoyed second year attendance of a
meeting hosted by the NCSU Student Chapter. We picked up the
tab for the catered dinner and tried a trial dinner event called the
"Mentors Dinner." Essentially, each student listed a special
interest in forestry where they seek mentoring. Professionals in
the Chapter were matched up with the students during dinner to
describe what it's like to work in that area, how they got there, and
also to offer advice to students as they plan their career paths.
After dinner the NC State Student Chapter and the NCSU
Forestry Club described events they had recently participated
in—conclave, forestry club, capstone projects, and biomass
research. Overall the whole evening was a huge success, with
some 40 attending. The "old guard" were able to share with the
newly emerging professionals and students were able to share
their recent academic experiences. A big thanks to Dr. Joe Roise,
Adam Marlowe, and Andrew McDowell (and the whole NCSU
Student Chapter SAF) for their hard work lining up good vittles
and excellent student speakers.
In May, the Chapter met in Creedmoor with Sam Brake,
Director, Farming, Biofuels Center of North Carolina (BCNC).
Mr. Brake provided an extremely interesting discussion on
"Biofuels--Past, Present, and Future" and BCNC's role in North
Carolina's changing energy landscape. BCNC is a new state
agency devoted to research, information dissemination, promotion, and support of liquid biofuels industry development in NC.
They have been charged to be instrumental in the attempt to have
10% of NC's liquid biofuels originate in-state by 2017. Wood is
expected to make up a large portion of that amount, and Mr.
Brake discussed ongoing research and recent developments, and
challenges to surmount while achieving this goal. In June, many
in the Chapter attended the NC Division Summer Meeting in
Carthage, NC. The meeting had a superb program and the
Chapter would like to thank Mike Thompson and all who were
involved in planning and delivering an excellent opportunity for
professional fellowship once again and to hear the latest the WUI
arena.
Special notice must be made to two extremely hard-working
and wonderful Chapter members for the NC Division recognition
they received at the Summer Meeting. Dr. James McCarter
received the Distinguished Service to Forestry award and Kelley
Duffield McCarter received the Special Volunteer Service award.
Our husband and wife team has tirelessly volunteered much of
their time and talents to the Chapter, NC Division, and APSAF
level and truly deserve our thanks and gratitude. WAY TO GO!!
h h h
—James Jeuck, Triangle Chapter Chair
The Trail Blazer upSFall 2010 u
9
All the news—South
Carolina
(no half-truths)
Favorite quote—"The mighty oak was once a little nut that stood its ground." SC Division Chair, Pat Layton
The SC Report
By Dr. Pat Layton, SC Division Chair
The SC Division had its annual meeting June 10, in Columbia at Saluda Shoals Park. The meeting was a joint meeting with
the SC Chapter of The Wildlife Society. Over 190 people
attended the meeting. The theme of the meeting was "NonNative Invasives of South Carolina." The speakers covered
terrestrial and aquatic plants, animals, and "disease" organisms,
covering everything from coyotes and hogs to cogon grass and
climbing fern. There were 10 sponsors and 10 exhibitors. We
think the success of our sponsorship and exhibitors is due to a
new state position that was named in January to provide focus.
The following SC Division awards were presented during the
annual meeting:
Josh Crouch received the Horry Georgetown
Technical College Outstanding Student Professionalism Award. Josh graduated in May
with his Associate in Applied Science in Forestry Management Technology. Josh, who is
from Saluda, SC completed his internship
with White Oak Forest Management of
Georgetown, SC and continues to work locally with them.
Joel A. Feltman received the Clemson University Student
Professionalism Award, which recognizes a Clemson University
SAF student member majoring in forestry
whose conduct, aims and qualities characterize the specialized knowledge and long academic preparation required to become a Professional Forester. Mr. Feltman was the Chair
of the Clemson University SAF Student Chapter and participated in the student programs at
the National meeting in Orlando and the
APSAF meeting in Greenville, NC. Mr. Feltman
plans to graduate in December.
Dr. Tamera L. Cushing received the Young Forester
Leadership Award, which recognizes young foresters under 40,
who have shown professional leadership and
service within SAF and have promoted the
forestry profession through time and actions.
Dr. Cushing earned her BS in Forest Resources
at the University of Florida followed by a Master of Taxation and Master of Forestry from
Mississippi State. She worked as an economist
for F & W Forestry Services prior to earning
her PhD from the University of Georgia. She
was an Assistant Professor at the University of
Kentucky prior to coming to Clemson University. She has served
as chapter chair in Florida and Georgia, member of the National
SAF accreditation team, Kentucky Society Chair, Clemson
Student SAF advisor and she is currently the Chair of the House
10 u. Fall 2010 u The Trail Blazer
Over 190 attended the summer South Carolina SAF meeting.
of Society Delegates. She received the Outstanding Service
Award under 35 from the Kentucky SAF in 2007.
Charles Sibley,
past chair of the SC
Division was presented a plaque by
Pat Layton in recognition of his service to the Division.
John Martin received the Division
Merit Award, which
is the highest award presented by the Division and recognizes
continuous and meritorious service through wide involvement
with SAF leadership roles, volunteer service and general promotion of the forestry profession over a long period of time by
specific actions and activities. John has served many roles with
Westvaco from Research Forester to Forest Scientist and Project
Leader. He has also been a workhorse for the Edisto Chapter and
the SC Division for 45 years. He has served as Edisto Chapter
Chair, Science
and Technology
Chair and Natural Areas Chair.
He's an organizer
and participant
the Southern
Wildlife Expo
and has many
supporting roles
for the Edisto
Chapter and the
SC Division over
the years. (No
photo as Mr. Martin was not in
attendence.) §
The Trail Blazer upSFall 2010 u
11
12 uWFall 2010
u The Trail Blazer
Liz's Corner
by Elizabeth Bourgeois,
APSAF Secretary/Treasurer
etbourgeois@yahoo.com
From the minutes of the June 11, 2010 Executive Committee
(edited to fit the space! Write Liz for the full account)
Mark Megalos called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. at the
SC Forestry Commission Headquarters in Columbia, SC. Megalos
discussed the anti-trust statement and reviewed the meeting
agenda. Members present were
Mark Megalos, Appalachian SAF Chair, 2010
Chris Handley, Clemson University, Student Representative
Elizabeth Bourgeois, Appalachian SAF Secretary/Treasurer
Ched Kearse, Appalachian SAF Immediate Past Chair, 2010
Pat Layton, SC Division Chair
Chip Maley, Appalachian SAF Chair-Elect
Mike Thompson, NC Division Chair 2010
Joann Cox, Council Representative
Members absent were Brian Clark, Science and Technology
Chair; and Jennifer Gagnon, VA Div. Chair. Also present was
Mary Morrison, SC Div. Chair-Elect. Layton moved to approve
the March minutes; Maley seconded and the motion carried.
The Council Report was given by Joann Cox. See page 3.
Her report provides highlights from three Council conference
calls (February 6, March 23 and May 3) held in lieu of the
cancelled February 6-7 meeting in Bethesda, MD.
Last fall SAF hired an independent accounting firm and after
an intensive effort by the firm, Council now receives 2010
financial statements. The operating expenses for March YTD
2010 were ($68,852) loss versus March YTD 2010 budgeted
($155,108) loss. Council approved two fund raising ideas, Buya-Brick Campaign (at the national office) and the Forester Ring.
Bourgeois reported that APSAF has had $38,801.44 in
income, and $23,144.13 in expenses plus $850 in grant expenses, for a total of $23,994.13 in expenditures. At the same
time last year, we had income of $29,922.22 and total disbursements of $23,620.92. Most of the revenue we have received,
in addition to the 2010 Annual Meeting profit, has been from
dues. We have exceeded our budgeted receipts by $1750 and
are below budgeted operating disbursements by $17,850 (56.5%).
APSAF's total assets are $102,772.70 versus $94,915.92, an
approximate 8% increase from the same time last year. APSAF
made a $150 donation to the Red Cross in memory of Vern
Robinson, per his wishes.
The 2010 Annual Meeting generated over $5300, of which
10% was allocated to the K.P. Funderburke Educational Endowment, which has received only $125 in contributions this year.
Division Chairs should have received the summer meeting
brochure printing allocation. Virginia owes $295, NC owes $389
and SC owes $302. Please make sure that this portion is paid.
Please give Bourgeois any changes for the Leadership Directory. New auditing procedures were put in place. The SC
Division will have the 2009 audit by the December meeting, and
the 2010 audit by the beginning of January to report at the annual
meeting. Nominations for all offices are due by August 31. We
will need to nominate a Council member as well.
Student Chapter Report - Chris Handley. Need to get more
students involved and stay connected to graduating seniors.
➠
Trail Blazer Publication Calendar
Issue
Winter 2010-11
Spring 2011
Summer 2011
Fall 2011
Submission
Deadline
Trail Blazer to
be received by
November 1
February 1
April 1
August 1
December 15
March 15
May 15
September 15
The Trail Blazer u Fall 2010 u 13
Friends of Foresters
Alphins Loggiing
Anderson Well Drilling
Ashley Corporation
Bryant Brothers Logging
C & L MarineLLC
Chesterfield Berry Farm
Chesterfield Trading Company
Clayton Homes
Covenant Woods
Crittertown Bath House
W.R. Deacon & Sons Timber
Eubank Trucks, Inc.
Fini Estate Sales
Flippen & Sons Sheet Metal
Hayden Recreational Vehicles
Hopewell Iron & Metal
JMJ Companies
K.E. Mays & Sons
Ramada Plaza
Sweat Brothers Tree Service
Tappahannock Pharmacy
Whelans Marina llc
14 u.FFall 2010 u The Trail Blazer
DIVISION REPORTS were given by Jennifer Gagnon for
Virginia; Mike Thompson for North Carolina; and Pat Layton for
South Carolina. See full reports on pages 6-10.
PROFESSIONAL AFFAIRS - Ched Kearse
Professional Recognition: Young Forester Leadership Award,
Volunteer Service, Distinguished Service Award for APSAF need
to be submitted to Ched by September 30.
Policy - Ched Kearse, no formal report.
Membership Committee - Carlyle Franklin. APSAF membership as of Dec. 31, 2009 was 1476. Membership as of May 31,
2010 was 1519, for a net increase of 43 members. These
numbers are encouraging, but, the challenge of renewals remains. Of the 1476 members at the end of 2009, 599 had not
renewed as of 12/31/09. As of May 31, 200 have not renewed.
This potential purge number is 23 less than the 223 purged last
July. So the hard work that has gone into breaking this five-year
trend of ever increasing numbers of purged members may be
paying off. But there are still 200 out there, some of whom may
be willing to renew at the last minute. By state divisions, the
numbers breakdown is as follows: NC - 87; SC - 50; VA - 63. By
tenure class, the numbers break down as follows: 1-10 yrs. - 142;
11-25 yrs. - 38; 26+ yrs. - 20. This clearly indicates that we are
losing students soon after they graduate.
Mentor - Protege Program. The goal is to get a member to act
as a coordinator for each of the student chapters. That person to
work closely with the student chapter advisor to encourage
students to seek a mentor, and then to find volunteer mentors.
APSAF WEB SITE REPORT - Jim McCarter, through Jun 2010:
•Coordinate announcements and reminders for summer meetings with email (direct and to email lists).
•Develop web sites in support of Division Summer meetings
(NC, SC, and VA). NC Division has a complete web site (5
pages) with online registration and payment (via paypal.com).
SC Division has a simple site (3 pages) with mail-in registration.
VA Division has a complete web site hosted at vt.edu for the
meeting (apsaf.org provides links to that site).
•Update leadership and chapter information as available.
•Update NC Division Summer Meeting web site with online
PDF's of presentations and photos from meeting.
•Develop prototype web site for 2011 Winter Meeting.
•Coordinate APSAF Winter meeting with online registration.
EDUCATION-Chip Maley, Discussed
Webmaster
•Communications - no report
•Registration and Licensing - no report
•CFEs No formal report on CFEs.
•Nomination Committee - No report
•Policy - No report
honorarium for
New Business:
Leadership - one hour web-based learning segment will be part
of larger project, what it takes to make good leaders. Then a
discussion about where in APSAF we could hold the National
Convention in 2013. Next meeting, Sept. 28, 2010 - noon to 4.
The meeting adjourned at 10:43 a.m. —Liz Bourgeois
The Trail Blazer upFall 2010 u 15