Texas Forest Service September 2009

F OREST STEWARDSHIP B RIEFINGS

Timber ◊ Wildlife ◊ Water ◊ Soil ◊ Best Management Practices ◊ Forest Health ◊ Recreation ◊ Aesthetics

DEFINING WOODY BIOMASS

The American Clean Energy and Security When brought before the House floor for Act of 2009 (H.R. 2454) passed the U.S. full consideration by the House of Repre- information from Soci- House of Representatives on June 26, sentatives, more debate resulted in a more ety of American Forest- 2009. It has now moved on to the Senate. open and inclusive definition of biomass ers, Bethesda, MD; plus from private land and a less restrictive other websites Parts of this bill promote commercial de- definition on public land. Specifically on public lands, the word ‘mature’ was re- For more information: ployment of clean, local energy alterna- tives to fossil fuels, and require utilities to moved and ‘late successional’ added in its • http:// supply an increasing percentage of their place - prohibiting removal of biomass www.eforester.org/ demand from renewable sources. from late-successional stands unless the fp/positionstate trees are “dead, badly infested or severely ments.cfm#bioener In the past, both legislative bodies have damaged.” gy passed renewable energy bills that became law. These efforts have included woody The Senate Energy and Natural Resources • http:// biomass as a renewable energy feedstock. Committee has already passed an energy www.govtrack.us/ bill which includes a renewable energy congress/bill.xpd? However, due to concerns about the bill=h111-2454 ‘sustainability’ of biomass, there have been standard and yet another definition of bio- many efforts to limit the type of woody mass. The Senate is currently considering • http:// biomass that would count as ‘renewable.’ the different definitions and will likely re- thomas.loc.gov/cgi- write the definition over the coming bin/bdquery/z? Members of Congress with forests in their months. d111:h2454: districts were concerned with the restric- tive definition included in the Waxman- In a joint letter to U.S. senators from Markey version of H.R. 2454. The draft many interested parties, it is stated that: bill excluded federal lands and most pri- “America’s private and public forests are vate lands from producing biomass for uniquely suited to help meet our nation’s energy counting towards a national renew- renewable energy and climate needs. Re- INSIDE THIS ISSUE: able energy standard (RES). newable forest biomass from these lands could provide as much as one-third New Wildlife Tax Many members of the House Energy and of the energy needed to meet an RES Valuation Bill Commerce Committee expressed concern and could make significant contributions during the Committee’s consideration of to the production of next generation Ben Milam Cypress the Waxman-Markey bill and as a result transportation fuels. Sound management the definition was expanded to include of our forests to provide biomass energy most private land and some public land. will also improve the overall carbon foot- New Farm Bill Program “Old growth” forests on both private and print of domestic energy supplies while public land were excluded from this defi- contributing to the long-term forest health Legacy Instead of nition and new plantations on private land and vitality – improving wildlife habitat, Landfill were prohibited. For public lands, the protecting water quality and reducing definition excluded biomass from ‘mature’ catastrophic wildfires that emit millions of forest stands. tons of carbon dioxide and other green- Conference on Invasives house gases each year.” Page 2 Texas Forest Service

N EW WILDLIFE TAX VALUATION BILL

SB 801, extension of wildlife management grating, or wintering population of from Texas Parks & Wild- tax valuation to timberland, by Sen. Glenn indigenous wild animals for human life Dept. Hegar, was passed by the 81st Texas Legis- use, including food, medicine, or rec- lature and recently signed by the governor. reation.” For more information: The bill will go into effect on January 1, a. habitat control; 2010. b. erosion control; • http:// c. predator control; www.capitol.state.t The bill extends wildlife management x.us/tlodocs/81R/ valuation to qualified timberland. Prior to d. providing supplemental billtext/pdf/ the Act, only qualified open-space agricul- supplies of water; SB00801I.pdf tural land could be converted to wildlife e. providing supplemental management. Timberland owners inter- supplies of food; ested in converting from timberland to f. providing shelters; and wildlife management had to convert to g. making of census counts to qualified 1-d-1 open-space agricultural determine population. land first. Once the land received the 1-d- 1 open space agricultural land appraisal, To file for the wildlife management valua- the land could be changed to wildlife man- tion, landowners must: agement use. 1. Complete Form 1-d-1 Open-Space Under the new Act, however, qualified Agricultural Appraisal and select the timberland can now be converted to wild- wildlife management option. The life management use directly. The land application form is available will be appraised at the same category as if at: http://www.window.state.tx.us/ the land was still in timberland. taxinfo/taxforms/50-129.pdf. For wildlife management valuation, the 2. Attach a wildlife management plan on timberland must meet the following: a form developed by Texas Parks and Wildlife. The management plan is 1. The timberland was appraised at tim- available at: http:// ber use valuation before the conver- www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/ sion; pwdforms/media/ 2. The landowner must choose and im- pwd_885_w7000_open_space_agric_ plement at least three of seven follow- valuation_wildlife_mgmt_plan.pdf. ing management practices to 3. Submit all the information to the chief “propagate a sustaining breeding, mi- appraiser.

B EN MILAM CYPRESS

According to legend, a Mexican sniper coming disillusioned and were deserting at from the Texas Forest under the command of General Martin an alarming rate, Milam rose to the occa- Service website—Famous Prefecto de Cos shot Benjamin Milam sion and called for volunteers to follow Trees of Texas from this towering baldcypress tree on the him and take the town. About 300 re- River on December 7, 1835. sponded and an advance began which six For more information: days later ended in victory. • http:// Colonel Milam had escaped from impris- famoustree- onment in early in October 1835 During the difficult house-to-house fight- softexas.tamu.edu/ and joined General 's ing, Milam entered the backyard between TreeHistory.aspx? volunteers as a private in their fight to the Veramendi Palace and the river. As he TreeName=Ben oust General Cos from San Antonio. The crossed the high-walled courtyard, he was Milam Cypress Texans tried unsuccessfully to dislodge the hit in the head by a rifleball and killed in- Mexicans. Seeing that the men were be- stantly. Forest Stewardship Briefings Page 3 NEW FARM BILL PROGRAM Natural Resources Conservation Service 2002 Farm Bill, the Conservation Security (NRCS) state conservationist for Texas, Program, which was only offered on a Don Gohmert, announced a sign-up be- watershed-specific basis. The new CSP is from NRCS website, news release dated 8-10-09 ginning on August 10, 2009, for the new now available to landowners statewide. Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) For more information: to assist agricultural and forestry produc- Gohmert noted only top stewards will be ers. CSP is a new program authorized in awarded contracts for CSP and receive • http:// the 2008 Farm Bill. funding. www.tx.nrcs.usda.g ov/news/releases/ new_csp.html “Farmers and ranchers actively engaged in “CSP is for the best of the best stewards,” conservation land stewardship have the Gohmert said. “We have many land stew- • http:// opportunity to earn conservation rewards ards in Texas that are worthy of this rec- www.nrcs.usda.gov through CSP,” Gohmert said. “This pro- ognition, and I encourage them to apply.” /new_csp/ gram gives conservation-minded produc- ers the ability to apply and build on their Lands eligible for CSP include cropland, current stewardship efforts.” grassland, pastureland, and private nonin- dustrial forestland, a new land use for CSP is a five-year program which offers the program. Agricultural land under the continuous sign-up, but all eligible appli- jurisdiction of an Indian tribe is expressly cants who sign up between Aug. 10 and eligible as well. Sept. 30, 2009, will be ranked as a group in October and November. A second The CSP application process begins with a ranking of subsequent applications will self-screening checklist. Interested pro- likely take place again in January or Febru- ducers can obtain additional information ary of 2010. from the NRCS website at www.nrcs.usda.gov/new_csp or contact CSP replaced a program authorized in the their local USDA-NRCS field office.

L EGACY INSTEAD OF LANDFILL

For a hundred years, mighty live oaks have into the fabric of this ship is a way of hon- lined the streets of Galveston, Texas - oring the community.” from TFS website signs of hope and new life repeatedly re- emerging after devastation. Submerged in The bottom framing and planking on the For more information: a salty storm surge brought ashore last fall Morgan, now a floating museum, are be- • http://texasforest by Hurricane Ike, many of the once- ing replaced as part of a three-year restora- service.tamu.edu/ majestic trees now are bare. But Quentin tion effort. And the Galveston live oaks - main/popup.aspx? Snediker is hoping the lost hardwoods will about 100-years-old, with trunks up to 24- id=8768 breathe new life into a 167-year-old whal- inches around and 14-feet tall and ing ship. branches that form gentle, sweeping • http:// curves - are ideal replacements. www.chron.com/ “We recognize this is a tremendous loss disp/story.mpl/ front/6510492.html for the community,” said Snediker, preser- “I think for me it’s the old pass it for- vation shipyard director at Mystic Seaport ward; keep it going. Don’t just landfill it; • http:// in Connecticut, where the Charles W. keep it doing something useful some- www.mysticseaport Morgan - the last surviving wooden whal- where. . . . I truly can’t think of a better .org/index.cfm? ing ship - is being restored. “Our intent is use for some of our wood,” said island fuseaction= to honor these trees. They had a cultural resident Donna Leibbert, a member of the home.viewPage&pa impact on the region. Incorporating them Galveston Island Tree Conservancy. ge_id=1 Distribution of this newsletter is provided free of C ONFERENCE ON INVASIVES charge to professional foresters, state and federal agency professionals, county judges and 2009 TEXAS INVASIVE PLANT AND PEST CONFERENCE commissioners, state senators and representatives, various forestry-related associations, and others. November 13-15, 2009

PLEASE ADVISE US IF YOU WISH YOUR Trinity University in San Antonio NAME REMOVED FROM OUR MAILING LIST. This newsletter is also available on the web at http:// texasforestservice.tamu.edu/main/article.aspx? The Texas Invasive Plant and Pest Council will host the third id=1183. If you would rather receive this newsletter statewide conference on invasive species. It will be a professional electronically (by e-mail) or if you would like e-mail level meeting designed to serve scientists, land managers, state and notification when a new issue is available at our web federal agencies, local governments, and other professionals inter- site, contact us at the address, phone number or e- ested or involved in invasive species issues in Texas. Environ- mail address above. mental organizations, university researchers, landscape architects, and companies servicing restoration and weed removal projects could also benefit from attending this conference. The Texas Forest Service is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer The conference will feature: committed to Excellence through Diversity. • Plenary sessions featuring nationally recognized speakers • Concurrent sessions addressing prevention, early detection, management, information sharing and research

• Trade exhibits and poster sessions Editorial Board • • Rusty Wood, TPWD, Nacogdoches, Texas An extra 1/2 day for field trips and workshops • Joe Pase, TFS, Lufkin, Texas Go to http://texasinvasives.org/ for more information.

P. O. Box 310 Lufkin, TX 75902-0310

Phone: 936-639-8180 TDD Line: 1-866-419-4872 Email: [email protected]