January 2015 ISSUE 02 FLForestryOFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE FLORIDA FOREST SERVICE News This Issue Tree Farmer of the Year P.02 Forest Legacy P.03 Wildlife Best Management Practices P.04 The Florida Forest Service Timber Sales on State Forests P.05 is a division of the Florida New State Forest in Alachua County P.06 Department of Agriculture and Trailwarrior Program P.07 Consumer Services and consists Arbor Day and Reforestation P.08 of more than 1,250 dedicated Firewise Communities in Florida employees who manage more P.09 than 1 million acres of public for- Federal Excess Program P.10 Tate’s Hell State Forest estland while protecting 26 million acres of homes, forestland and Message from the Director natural resources from the devas- Another year has come to a • Certified 59 Firewise Communities and completed tating effects of wildfire close and I truly hope that 38 county-wide Community Wildfire Protection all of our readers have had Plans. In addition to managing more the opportunity to enjoy some than 1 million acres of State quality time with family and • Hosted 62 Operation Outdoor Freedom Events, Forests for multiple public uses loved ones. This past year, which provided outdoor recreational opportunities including timber, recreation and the Florida Forest Service has for 400 of Florida’s wounded veterans. wildlife habitat, the Florida Forest Jim Karels, State Forester achieved many accomplish- Service also provides services to ments for Florida’s citizens. I remain as proud as • Assisted more than 470 landowners, providing landowners throughout the state, ever to be the director of this first-class forestry and more than $1.7 million in federal funding to help including technical information maintain healthy, productive forests on more than and grant program administration. firefighting agency. 100,000 acres. The Florida Forest Service’s for- Some of our accomplishments in 2014 included: • Certified 166 Florida Communities under the “Tree estry programs are implemented • Added two new Florida State Forests, projected to City USA” Designation, the fifth highest of any by its field operations staff within open to the public in 2015 in Alachua and DeSoto 15 field units across the state. Counties. state in the nation. Field personnel and equipment provide a more responsive and • Administered the most active prescribed fire pro- While the above list details some of our major comprehensive approach to land gram in the nation. accomplishments, it only scratches the surface of management and wildfire control the vast array of what we do here at the Florida statewide. • Saved 491 structures from being destroyed by Forest Service. From wildland firefighting to land wildfire. management and beyond, we are committed to serv- ing Florida and its citizens. 2014 Florida Tree Farm Inspector of the Year Cathy Hardin, Escambia County forester, has been selected as the Bob & Pat Woodward, Woodward Family Farm 2014 Florida Tree Farm Inspector 2014 Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year: of the Year as well as the Southern Woodward Family Farm Region Tree Farm Inspector of the Year for her exemplary effort edu- By Roy Lima, Florida Tree Farm Committee Chair/BMP Forester cating and working with private and Each year, the American Tree sional forester and President of of invasive species has proven public forest landowners in Florida. Farm System recognizes indi- Southern Forestry Consultants effective throughout the forest viduals who go above and Inc., provides natural resource property. Their commitment to Hardin, who previously served as beyond in their commitment to management services for the long range planning is remark- the county forester in Gadsden responsible forest management. Woodward family partnership. able and is evident in the exe- County, completed 12 tree farm On November 14, the Florida cution and accomplishment of inspections and certified three new Forest Service and the Florida The Woodward Family Farm management activities that take properties as Tree Farms under Forestry Association honored consists of 1,425 acres of into account the future for their the American Tree Farm System the 2014 Florida Outstanding pine and hardwood areas with children and grandchildren. standards in 2014. One of the Tree Farmer of the Year, the a multiple-use objective. Well tree farmers she assisted while in Woodward Family Farm. managed natural stands of old The Woodward Family Farm is Gadsden County – the Woodward growth longleaf pine, planted not only enjoyed by the family, Family Farm in Quincy – was also The Woodward family was for- longleaf and loblolly pine cover but by many others. For years, chosen as the Florida Tree Farmer tunate to grow up in the coun- the majority of the property. the Woodwards have hosted of the Year. try and on the farm. As Julia Picturesque hardwood drains field tours and invited scout Woodward Gregory explains, bisect the pines, adding diversi- troops to use the property for Hardin will receive her Southern “Our parents taught us the ty to the landscape. Wildlife and camping and natural resource Region award in February at the value of working, helping out recreation have been the prima- education toward fulfillment of national Tree Farm Leadership and taking care of the land. ry objectives in the Woodwards’ merit badge requirements. Conference in St. Louis. Daddy wanted to see us work forest management plan for over together to keep this farm spe- 30 years. Susan Woodward Walker sums For more information on the cial and in the family, so he gave up the Woodward Family Tree American Tree Farm program or it to his six children in 1978.” Thinning has been conduct- Farm so eloquently, “I am so other assistance with forest man- The Woodward Family Farm, ed periodically to improve tree thankful that we continue to own agement in your area, visit http:// better known as the Family growth and quality, and wildlife the farm and that we can man- www.FreshFromFlorida.com/ Farm Partnership, celebrated habitat. Prescribed burning on age it for timber and recreation, Divisions-Offices/Florida-Forest- 100 years of ownership in 2014 a three-year rotation has also so that our children and grand- Service/For-Landowners/County- and is currently managed by been important for controlling children have the opportunity to Foresters Bob Woodward and his brother hazardous fuels and improving enjoy it, too.” Pat, a retired pediatric physi- wildlife habitat. Herbicide appli- cian. Michael Dooner, a profes- cation to control encroachment Follow us on Facebook and Twitter (FLForestService) 2 Woodward Family Farm Florida’s Forest Legacy Program By Chelsea Ealum, Communications & Public Relations Coordinator Florida’s forestlands don’t merely serve forests may offer important geological or MRMP. The Florida Forest Service to supply timber products. They also features, mineral resources, wildlife will provide technical assistance to the provide wildlife habitat, watershed habitats, cultural resources, recreational individual landowners whose land is protection, recreational opportunities and resources, timber management, aesthetic accepted into the Forest Legacy Program. aesthetic values. The rapid development values or scenic values. of Florida’s forest areas to non- In addition to conserving forests, forest uses poses an ever-increasing The main tool used for protecting landowners receive several benefits threat to maintaining the state’s these important forests is conservation from participation in the Forest Legacy valuable forestlands. Fragmentation easements. A conservation easement Program. and parcelization across the state is is a voluntary legal agreement that a contributing to the loss of these valuable property owner makes, typically with a For the landowner: ecosystems and the biological, economic • Receive payment for easement and social values they provide. development rights without being required to give up ownership of the Florida is one of 49 states that has property. implement the Forest Legacy Program, which aims to help protect and conserve • Protect the forest from being converted important private forests that are to some other use. threatened by conversion to non-forest uses, such as development. Led by the • Continue use of the forest and gain Florida Forest Service, Forest Legacy is income from the property. an important tool for preserving Florida’s private forests. Forest Legacy is distinct • Assure a permanent green space from other conservation programs in that within the community. it will focus specifically on important forest lands and will require a Stewardship Plan For more information about the Forest or a Multi-Resource Management Plan Legacy Program, visit http://www. (MRMP) for each tract accepted into the freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/ program. Florida-Forest-Service/Our-Forests/ Land-Planning-and-Administration- A Forest Legacy Area is a geographically Section/Florida-Forest-Legacy-Program/ defined part of the state where tracts of land will be eligible for protection under Forest Legacy. Florida establishes governmental agency, to restrict the type Forest Legacy Areas by identifying areas and amount of development that may that contain environmentally important take place on their land. Conservation forests, and where those forests are easements allow designated lands to be most threatened by conversion to non- managed by individual landowners as forest uses. Environmentally important outlined in a Forest Stewardship Plan Follow us on Facebook and Twitter (FLForestService) 3 New Voluntary Florida Forestry Wildlife Best Management Practices New Wildlife Best Management Practices were created to provide a practical approach for avoiding and minimizing loss of certain endangered species. Gopher Tortoise By Chelsea Ealum, Communications & Public Relations Coordinator Recently, the state of Florida the University of Florida and gov- It was important for all parties Adopted Rule 5I-8, Florida ernment agencies. The WBMPs involved to ensure that the new Forestry Wildlife Best were developed as a means to WBMPs are easy for practitioners Management Practices for State take advantage of the good stew- to understand and use. State stat- Imperiled Species (WBMPs).