Longleaf-Leader-WINTER-2019.qxp_Layout 1 12/13/18 7:55 PM Page 2 The State of The Alliance Accomplishments, Opportunities & Challenges VOLUME XI - ISSUE 4 WINTER 2019 Longleaf-Leader-WINTER-2019.qxp_Layout 1 12/13/18 7:55 PM Page 3 Longleaf-Leader-WINTER-2019.qxp_Layout 1 12/13/18 7:55 PM Page 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 26 29 16 64 8 President’s Message....................................................2 LANDOWNER CORNER .......................................26 Upcoming Events ......................................................4 TECHNOLOGY CORNER .....................................29 Letters from the Inbox ...............................................5 REGIONAL UPDATES .........................................31 Understory Plant Spotlight........................................6 2018 Was a Great Year! Accomplishments of NEXT GENERATION ............................................40 The Longleaf Alliance................................................8 ARTS & LITERATURE ........................................42 12th Biennial Longleaf Conference...........................14 Longleaf Destinations ..............................................46 Partnerships in Action Responding to the PEOPLE .................................................................50 “Wheel of Misfortune”.............................................16 SUPPORT THE ALLIANCE ................................56 RESEARCH NOTES .............................................20 Heartpine ................................................................64 PUBLISHER The Longleaf Alliance, E D I T O R Carol Denhof, ASSISTANT EDITOR Margaret Platt, DESIGN Bellhouse Publishing ADVERTISING Carol Denhof 678.595.6405 – [email protected] COVER Longleaf Academy attendees exploring Reese Thompson's longleaf woods during the Understory Diversity 201 Academy in September 2018. Photo by Carol Denhof. The Longleaf Leader (USPS#) is an official publication of The Longleaf Alliance, 12130 Dixon Center Road, Andalusia, Alabama 36420 and is published 4 times a year. The Longleaf Alliance reserves the exclusive right to accept or reject advertising or editorial material submitted for publication. Advertising rates quoted upon request.Postmaster: Send address changes to Longleaf Alliance, Address12130 Dixon Center Road, Andalusia, Alabama 36420. Periodicals Postage Paid at Montgomery, Alabama. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, or disability. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs.) To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. [ 1 ] Longleaf-Leader-WINTER-2019.qxp_Layout 1 12/13/18 7:55 PM Page 5 BY ROBERT ABERNETHY, THE LONGLEAF ALLIANCE PRESIDENT ’S M E S S A G E January in the longleaf woods is a quiet will be able to hear what was discussed. time. The summer birds have been in The knowledge gained, and the food South America and the Caribbean for a and fellowship shared were unmatched, couple of months. The hardwoods have and this issue contains photos that many dropped their leaves so their rustling has of us snapped during the week. been replaced by the moaning of the wind We also pulled together photos and in the pines. But January is also a very descriptions of the projects the LLA staff busy time for the landowner. Tree completed in 2018. We taught classes planting and prescribed burning are in and Longleaf Academies across the full swing and this winter, unfortunately, range and talked and met with there are the salvage operations for those landowners in every state. We impacted by Hurricane Michael in translocated red-cockaded woodpeckers Florida and Georgia and road and culvert and worked with the University of repair for those flooded by Florence in the Georgia to head-start hatchling gopher Carolinas. The burning and planting are tortoises. Our staff members worked regular winter pastimes most of us enjoy, with the US Forest Service, NRCS, State but the catastrophe of a powerful Forestry Commissions, non-profits, and hurricane is hard to imagine. Our hearts also private landowners to help them go out to our friends in the impact areas establish and manage their longleaf as they work to rebuild their lives, homes, Lindsey Carpenter with an old turpentine forests. I would like to thank all the and forests. longleaf stump she discovered on her aunt’s donors, sponsors, and friends of The Even with the pounding that some North Carolina farm over a Thanksgiving Longleaf Alliance that helped fund these areas took in September and early holiday tromp with Cousin Robert. Photo by projects. Without your support, we Robert Abernethy. October, 330 participants traveled to could not carry on the work to restore Alexandria, Louisiana for the 12th Biennial Longleaf Conference. and manage the longleaf ecosystem. Over 48 scientific papers were presented, and the field trips to So, get out and enjoy the quiet and busy time of the year that Kisatchie National Forest and Mr. Daigle’s longleaf woods were is upon us. You never know what old relic you might stumble a special treat. We will have all the presentations up on our across while out “tromping in the woods.” Have a wonderful website so those that missed a talk, or the Conference altogether, winter. [ 2 ] Longleaf-Leader-WINTER-2019.qxp_Layout 1 12/13/18 7:55 PM Page 6 Longleaf Alliance Staff Board of Directors Robert Abernethy Emma Browning Edward O’Daniel President Biological Technician Wetland Ecosystem Support Marc Walley – [email protected] [email protected] Senior Team Member Chairman [email protected] Barclay McFadden – Ad Platt Vernon Compton Vice President of Operations Past Chairman GCPEP Director Jessica Sandoval [email protected] [email protected] Biological Technician Angus Lafaye [email protected] Anne Rilling Carol Denhof Lynda Guerry Beam Vice President of Business Understory & Media Coordinator Brian Schumann Rufus Duncan [email protected] [email protected] Ecosystem Support Senior Team Member [email protected] Robbie Fischer Charlie Abeles Bobby Franklin Wildlife Biologist SoLoACE Partnership Coordinator Kaiden Spurlock Amanda Haralson [email protected] [email protected] Ecosystem Support Team Supervisor Ken Nichols [email protected] Emily Bagby Lucas Furman Mickey Parker Wetland Ecosystem Support Team GIS Support Specialist Randy Tate Member [email protected] Ft. Stewart/Altamaha Longleaf Mac Rhodes [email protected] Restoration Partnership Coordinator Salem Saloom Lisa Lord [email protected] Nicholas Barys South Carolina Field Project Latimore Smith Wetland Ecosystem Support Team Coordinator and Savannah River Ben Tuttle Member Reese Thompson Watershed Project Director Ecosystem Support Team Member [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] George Tyson Lynnsey Basala Emma McKee Donna Vassallo Phillip Woods Development Director Wetland Ecosystem Support Team Ecosystem Support Senior Team Member [email protected] Member [email protected] [email protected] Ryan Bollinger Casey White Local Implementation Team Consul Ryan Mitchell Administrative Assistant [email protected] Outreach & Technical Assistance [email protected] Coordinator Karen Zilliox Brown [email protected] Bob Wilken Technical Assistance & Training Fire Specialist Specialist [email protected] [email protected] [ 3 ] Longleaf-Leader-WINTER-2019.qxp_Layout 1 12/13/18 7:55 PM Page 7 UPCOMING EVENTS 2019 | Calendar January 15-17 March 19-21 June 11-13 Longleaf Academy: Longleaf Academy: Longleaf Academy: Fire & Longleaf 201 Fire & Longleaf 201 Herbicides & Longleaf 201 Guyton, Georgia Woodworth, Louisiana Jones Lake State Park, North Carolina January 26 April 16-18 July 16-18 Flatwoods Fire & Nature Festival Longleaf Academy: Longleaf Academy: Longleaf 101 Austin Cary Memorial Forest Herbicides & Longleaf 201 Florida – Location TBD Gainesville, Florida Florida – Location TBD For more information about events please visit The Longleaf Alliance February 12-14 May 14-16 website (www.longleafalliance.org). Longleaf Academy: Longleaf Academy: Longleaf 101 Herbicides & Longleaf 201 Florida - Location TBD Columbia, South Carolina Give The Longleaf Alliance a call with any questions you may have pertaining to WINTER 2019 MANAGEMENT CHECKLIST establishing or managing longleaf stands. Site Prep Burns: Sometimes it is important to conduct a site Evaluate Young Stands: Evaluate young stands to determine prep burn prior to planting longleaf. Site prep burns can remove one-year survival and insure adequate stocking using 1/100 or logging slash, lead to better planting jobs, stimulate early 1/50 ac plots. Wait until after the first frost when the grass growth by increasing available nutrients, and decrease hot stage longleaf is more easily seen. spots that may kill young seedlings in subsequent burns. On deep sands or sites with little logging slash, site-prep burns Prune Longleaf: In some stands that lack fuels or have a low may not be needed; better delayed to save fuels to manage stocking rate, mechanical pruning may be an option to avoid wildling