FORESTRY CDE – JUNIOR DIVISION GUIDE Revised 2013 Junior Forestry CDE Study Guide July 2013 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Introduction 3 Rules can be found on the Rules link. Individual Activities 4 Tree Identification 4 Timber Stand Improvement and/or Thinning 6 Timber Cruising for Cord Volume 9 Land Measurement 11 Hand Compass Practicum 13 Tree/Forest Disorders 15 Timber Cruising for Bd. Ft. Volume 17 Product Classification 18 Reforestation 20 Forest Management 21 Appendixes 22 A Jr. Forestry CDE Score Sheets 23 Tree Identification 23 TSI and/or Thinning 24 Timber Cruising/Cd Volume 25 Land Measurement 26 Hand Compass Practicum 27 Tree/Forest Disorders 28 Timber Cruising for Bd. Ft. Volume 29 Product Classification 30 Reforestation 31 Forest Management 32 B Equipment List 33 Junior Forestry CDE Study Guide July 2013 2 INTRODUCTION Georgia’s forestry industry creates a multi billion-dollar economic impact in the state annually. There are thousands of jobs created as a result of the abundant forestry resources across the state of Georgia. The Jr. Forestry Career Development Event promotes conservation of and is an asset to the forestry resources in Georgia. This guide is intended to be a supplement to the Agricultural Education Curriculums in Forestry, Natural Resources and the Environment. It should also serve as an aid in preparing students for the forestry-related CDE’s throughout the state. It is not intended to be a teaching unit or textbook. The objectives for this publication and the various FFA forestry-related career development events are to aid the teacher in: 1. Teaching students the practical application of natural resources management practices. 2. Motivating students to learn natural resource management through competition and hands-on application. 3. Teaching teamwork through local, area, region, state and national competitions. 4. Teaching decision-making skills through the analysis and synthesis of natural resources characteristics and the application of management techniques. 5. Teaching students about the environmental impact of management decisions and the importance of conservation and sustained yield in our forest industry. Comments and constructive criticism are welcome. Please contact one of the following Area Forestry Teachers: Central Region: Barry Norris 101 North Main Street Swainsboro, GA 30401 478/290-5821 North Region: Jerry Taylor 201 Four Towers University of Georgia Athens, GA 30602 706/552-4465 South Region: Danny Bartlett ABAC 34, 2802 Moore Highway Tifton, GA 31794 229/386-3198 Junior Forestry CDE Study Guide July 2013 3 1. TREE IDENTIFICATION A. Definition and purpose (1) Definition – The scientific study of trees is known as dendrology. Tree identification is but a small part of dendrology, and is the recognition and naming of trees from standing trees, freshly cut foliage, herbarium sheets with pressed foliage, photographs, limbs, fruit, nuts, cones, bark, products or any other tree parts. (2) Purpose – The purpose of this activity is to stimulate student interest and to promote conservation of our natural resources by increasing knowledge and expertise in identifying trees. B. Factors to consider (1) An area should be selected so that the specimens will not be disturbed by the participants before the competition begins. Protection from full sunlight will help preserve the specimens for the contest. Samples often have to be stapled or taped to prevent their disturbance from the wind. (2) Standing trees may be used in the competition, if available. (3) Specimens should be collected that are typical of the species. (4) Limbs with sprays instead of leaves only should be used. (5) Cones and fruits should be used with the specimens, if available. (6) Specimens may be duplicated, if necessary. (7) As stated in the definition, specimens may be standing trees, freshly cut foliage, herbarium sheets with pressed foliage, photographs, limbs, fruits, nuts, cones, bark, products or any other tree part. C. Scoring (1) A list containing the species will be provided for each participant. The Participant will have to write the letter that corresponds with correct name of the tree. (1) Each specimen will be weighted equally, and the total converted to a 100- point basis. A convenient way to convert to a 100-point basis is to divide the number identified correctly by the total number of specimens. This will give the percentage of 100 percent that are correct. (2) Tiebreakers – Tiebreakers will be additional specimens from the official list. Oral questions may be used, if necessary. Tiebreakers should be designated before the activity begins. Junior Forestry CDE Study Guide July 2013 4 D. Common mistakes (1) Incorrect species (2) Identification using only one characteristic (3) Not counting needle fascicles on pines (4) Confusion of different oak species Junior Forestry CDE Study Guide July 2013 5 2. TIMBER STAND IMPROVEMENT AND/OR THINNING A. Definition and purpose (1) Definition - Timber stand improvement cuttings and thinnings are types of intermediate cuttings. Intermediate cuttings are the various cuttings made during development from the reproduction stage to maturity. They have as their object the improvement of the existing stand, regulation of growth, and provision for early financial returns, without any effort directed at regeneration. Timber stand improvement cuttings are usually made in stands past the sapling stage for the purpose of improving composition and quality by removing trees of undesirable species, form or condition. It should be noted that improvement cuttings may be simultaneously combined with thinnings and reproduction cuttings. The trees designated for elimination in improvement cuttings may either be harvested or killed and left standing. Thinnings are cuttings made in immature stands in order to stimulate the growth of the trees that remain and to increase the total yield of useful material from the stand. The direct objective of thinning is the regulation of the distribution of growing space for the advantage of the existing crop, and its objective is not the creation of vacancies for the establishment of a new crop. For explanation purposes, a reproduction method is a procedure by which a stand is established or renewed by artificial or natural reproduction. Reproduction or harvest cuttings are covered in the Forest Management Activity. (2) Purpose - The purpose of this activity is to stimulate student interest and to promote conservation for our natural resources by increasing knowledge and expertise in the stewardship of our forests. B. Factors to consider (1) Select a stand for this activity that needs thinning or timber stand improvement. The stand selected may be all of one or a mixture of species. Stands that have been recently thinned or improved should not be used. (2) The stand should contain at least 20 trees which can be marked with a number from 1-20. (3) All marked trees in the selected area will be considered a forest management site, and the participants will decide the disposition of each marked tree. (4) The participants will be given a “situation” concerning the forest management objectives of the stand selected. The information that will be needed to help participants in their decisions will include: a. Markets available (including hardwood) b. Wildlife and/or aesthetics considerations c. Present condition of the stand d. Final goal of the management plan Junior Forestry CDE Study Guide July 2013 6 (5) Participants will decide whether to (Harvest, Leave or Deaden) each marked tree by writing the appropriate action in the blanks. Participants will also give a reason why each tree was harvested, left or deadened from the following list: a. Future crop tree – These trees should be (Leave) trees to be harvested at some time in the future. b. Non-merchantable – These trees have no value for forest products and should be (Deadened). c. Wildlife/aesthetics – These are trees that should be (Leave) trees for wildlife and aesthetics purposes if this is a part of the management objective. d. Insect infestation – These trees should be (Harvested) if they are merchantable and only if the insects are active. e. Disease – These trees should be (Harvested) if the disease may kill the tree before another cutting is scheduled. It also should be (Harvested) if it will prevent the further spread of the disease. Every tree exhibiting disease symptoms may not have to be removed. This is generally determined by the percent infection in the stand, where the disease is located on the tree, species of trees in the stand, age of the stand and management objective. A general rule of thumb concerning cankers is that the tree should be (Harvested) if the canker covers more than 50% of the circumference of the tree. f. Lack of vigor and/or growth, suppressed and/or restricted crown or spacing – Lack of vigor and/or growth is indicated by poor crown color, shorter than normal needles or generally poor tree condition and form. Suppressed and/or restricted crown indicates that the tree is overtopped and/or the crown is severely restricted from lateral growth resulting in restricted crown development. Spacing simply means that the trees are located too close together to allow for proper growth resulting in direct competition for light and nutrients. Look at the crowns to determine if the trees are spaced too close. All of these trees should be (Harvested). g. Crooked, forked, malformed or leaning – These reasons are often misused by participants being too critical of forest stands. A tree should be severely crooked before it is (Harvested) solely for that reason. All forked trees should not be (Harvested). Forks located high in the crown usually do not interfere with a tree’s merchantability or survivability. If the fork is located on the main stem or bole, it probably should be (Harvested). If the fork, crook or malformation is located in the top 1/3 of a tree it should not be harvested for a fork, crook or malformation.