ALABAMA’S REASURED T FORESTS A Publication of the Alabama Forestry Commission Spring/Summer 2019 Message from the GOVERNOR STATE FORESTER Kay Ivey ALABAMA FORESTRY COMMISSION n my letter for this magazine, I want to take a different Katrenia Kier, Chairman approach than I normally do. A little-known responsibili- Robert N. Turner, Vice Chair ty of the Alabama Forestry Commission is helping the Robert P. Sharp state in times of disaster. Sure, when a tornado, hurricane, Stephen W. May III Ior ice storm hits, we are on the scene with chainsaws and Jane T. Russell equipment to clear the roads, but we offer much more than Dr. Bill Sudduth Joseph Twardy that. Through our training to fight wildfires, we have an inci- dent management team ready at all times to serve the state. I STATE FORESTER want to take this opportunity to brag on the men and women Rick Oates who make up this team and agency. As everyone knows, on March 3rd a series of tornadoes Rick Oates, State Forester ASSISTANT STATE FORESTER devastated parts of Lee County. Twenty-three people were Bruce Springer killed, and the homes of many more were destroyed. It was total devastation in parts of the county. As is often the case, the Alabama Forestry Commission was FOREST MANAGEMENT DIVISION DIRECTOR called in to assist the citizens of Lee County. Through this effort, my eyes were Will Brantley opened to the true capabilities of the Alabama Forestry Commission. PROTECTION DIVISION DIRECTOR Our team, led by James “Moto” Williams, jumped into action and took over John Goff the coordination of volunteers; at first in Smiths Station, and later in Beauregard. In the days immediately following the tornadoes, thousands of people went to REGIONAL FORESTERS both communities to try to help. Local officials were overwhelmed and needed Northwest.............................Terry Ezzell our help coordinating these volunteers. Our job was to make sure they were Northeast.........................Jason Dockery capable of doing the work, getting them where they needed to be, keeping them Southeast................................Andy Guy safe and making sure they were supplied with food, water, and other necessities. Southwest...........................Benji Elmore The men and women who took on this assignment gave of themselves selfless- ly for two weeks to be part of this team. I want to personally and publicly thank EDITOR them for the hard work and dedication to this effort. I also want to thank their Elishia Ballentine families who bore a large part of this burden as well. It’s hard to have your PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS spouse or parent gone for two weeks, especially when it’s unexpected! Cole Sikes Moto Williams, Chambers County Matthew Sorrells, Autauga County Brad Lang, Tuscaloosa County Jason Berry, Walker County Joel Bartlett, Marion County Jeff Bradford, Fayette County Jeremey Lowery, Butler County Chris Cotton, Geneva County Michael King, Crenshaw County Jeff Owens, Butler County Nick Jordan, Clay County Matt Lowe, Chambers County The Alabama Forestry Commission supports James Robinson, Chambers County Elishia Ballentine, State Office the Alabama Natural Resources Council’s Ethan Barrett, Hale County Kelvin Daniels, State Office TREASURE Forest program. Alabama’s TREASURED Forests magazine, published by the Alabama Forestry Commission, is Others assisted from the state office by providing the support this team need- intended to further encourage participation ed. Thanks also goes to all of the men and women of the AFC who stayed behind in and acceptance of this program by land- to fill in for the people who were gone. Our work continued across the state owners in the state, offering valuable insight while the tornado relief efforts occurred. on forest management according to We have a great team. I continue to be impressed with the caliber of the AFC TREASURE Forest principles. TREASURE is employees. The next time one of them is on your property helping you manage an acronym that stands for Timber, your timber, fighting a fire, conducting a prescribed burn, driving a tour trailer, or Recreation, Environment, and Aesthetics anything else, please remember to thank them for what they do, selflessly to help for a Sustained Usable REsource. the people of Alabama! 2 / Alabama’s TREASURED Forests www.forestry.alabama.gov Spring/Summer 2019 ALABAMA’S table of CONTENTS REASURED Vol. XXXVIII, No. 1 Spring/Summer 2019 T FORESTS A Publication of the Alabama Forestry Commission t 4 A Blank Canvas 2 Message from the State Forester by Cole Sikes 7 2019 Alabama Landowners Conference 8 Thinning: Keep Your Options Open by Robert Clement t 11 13 Regional Forestry Field Days Endangered Species Act: 14 Smokey Bear's 75th Birthday A Look Back and a Look Ahead by Ray Metzler 22 Carpenter Bees: Vandals in Disguise by Robert Maddox 25 New TREASURE Forest Certifications t 16 28 The Grand Old Lady by J. A. Heitmueller Smokey Bear: The Artists Who 29 MEMORIALS: Created an American Icon DAVID BALL By Robert G. Pasquill, Jr. BOB PITTMAN DR. RICHARD F. HILL C.W. MOODY (tribute) t 20 32 PLANTS OF ALABAMA: Parsley Hawthorne by Fred Nation A Priceless Historical Resource . Alabama Forest News by Dan Chappell On the Cover: Iconic Pulpit Rock on Mount Cheaha. The highest point of elevation in t 26 Alabama, Cheaha, rises more than 2,413 ft. above sea level. Alabama PALS: Photo by Cole Sikes People Against a Littered State by Johnny Everitt This publication is provided at no charge to the forest landowners of Alabama, with a circulation of approximately Alabama’s TREASURED Forests (ISSN 0894-9654) is published by the 14,000. Published three times each year, the magazine is filled Alabama Forestry Commission, 513 Madison Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama. with forestry information and technical assistance designed Telephone (334) 315-8019. to assist landowners in making informed decisions about the For address changes/new subscriptions, email: [email protected] management practices they apply to their land. Articles and photographs are contributed by AFC employees and other Bulk rate postage paid at Montgomery, Alabama. forestry or natural resources professionals. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Alabama’s TREASURED Forests, P.O. Box 302550, Montgomery, AL 36130-2550. Alabama’s TREASURED Forests magazine is also available on-line! www.forestry.alabama.gov The publication of a story or article in this magazine does not constitute the Alabama Forestry Commission’s endorsement of that particular practice, product, or company, but is an effort to provide forest landowners of Alabama with information and technical assistance to make informed decisions about the management practices they apply to their land. The Alabama Forestry Commission is an equal opportunity employer and provider. www.goodfires.org/ www.visitmyforest.org/ © 2019 Alabama Forestry Commission Spring/Summer 2019 www.forestry.alabama.gov Alabama’s TREASURED Forests / 3 Creating a Forest Masterpiece By Cole Sikes, Alabama Forestry Commission n 1997, Robert Amason Jr. began campaigning among his a simple pole barn with an 800-square foot living area. Now peers for any information about available land near his having a piece of Alabama to call their own, the tasks of for- hometown of Tuscaloosa. One day, he finally received a esting open areas, reforesting areas with desirable trees, and phone call from an attorney inquiring about property avail- controlling invasive species such as kudzu began Iable for purchase close to Aliceville in neighboring Pickens immediately. County. Always wanting a piece of land for his family, he “I don’t have any forestry background at all,” said Amason. “jumped all over” the opportunity. He sat through an auction He soon reached out to the Alabama Forestry Commission over the phone for 480 acres of unseen forest. Not knowing what (AFC) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) the land contained, a large gamble was made for Amason. Before for help. He quickly became friends with his local profession- his purchase, he asked two foresters to survey the property and als who were instrumental in signing Amason up for various they reassured him, “If you don’t buy it, I will.” Needless to say, programs such as cost-share. He then designated his main Amason put forward all of his poker chips. TREASURE Forest management objective as timber produc- The initial 480 acres consisted of idle agriculture fields, tion, with wildlife management and recreation not far behind. undesirable regenerated trees, an old catfish pond, and essen- The hand-me-down catfish pond was second on the agenda. tially nothing that would assist in his plans for the property. All 18 acres were drained and altered to meet their objectives. Lack of any forested area allowed Amason to start from Operating a construction business out of Tuscaloosa, Amason scratch. “It was very appealing to me to start with ‘a blank accumulates excess resources from his sites. He began adding canvas’ as opposed to buying a property where the ‘painting’ structure to the lake in the form of concrete, piping, trees, and was complete,” said Amason. even farm implements, forming somewhat of a man-made He shared this dream with his late father, Dr. Robert reef. The pond was then limed, fertilized, and stocked with Amason Sr., a military veteran and retired orthodontist. He bream and bass, promoting a young and healthy aquatic gave his son the love of the outdoors at a young age by taking habitat. him hunting and fishing.‘Doc’ continued to assist his son with To provide for their wildlife, a variety of resources are the day-to-day activities well into his 90s. planted each year. The family dedicates between 40 to 50 The first stroke of their paintbrush on his masterpiece was acres for row crops, and plants an additional 30 to 40 acres of to establish a central hub on the land.