Reports From The States

[Ron Scott]

Minnesota

The last big log dry in the state occured in April 1937 on the Little Fork River, when International Paper Co. workers floated about 16 million board feet of white pine down from upstream lumber camps.

[Ron Scott]

North Dakota

The state has 63 national wildlife refuges, more than any other state. They cover about 290,00 acres.

[Ron Scott]

South Dakota

The Black Hills are the highest mountains east of the Rockies.

[Ron Scott]

Wisconsin

Wisconsin's forests are 100 years old this year.

Governor Doyle declared 2004 as the "Year of Wisconsin Forestry".

[Ron Scott]

Mississippi

Survey Says Southern Forest Landowners "Underserved".

A survey by researchers at Mississippi State University (MSU) has revealed that nearly 75 percent of forest landowners in four states --Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee--do not consult with professional foresters, use forestry-related educational programs, or belong to any forestry-related organizations.

[Frank_Pender]

In some respects it is a bit sad sabout your last post.  Management could well be helter-skelter? :-/

[Stephen_Wiley]

Unfortunately, I think many folks have the misconception that state foresters are another form of  government intervention to limit their freedoms. Rather than a source of information to help them in decision making.

Partly, this is due to the vast difference of knowldege between state and federal foresters. Most folks do not discern the difference. Unfortunately here in Oregon 'the State' (by far more knowledgeable) lacks the needed personnel to be available for all concerns.

Other misconceptions are:  not recognizing trees as 'living organisms', valuing or knowing the benefits that trees are beneficial in producing oxygen and removing pollutants which are life sustaining for them.

It is sad none the less that many are dulled by today's standards and fears.

[Ron Scott]

Florida

Study Shows Relationship Between Forest Fragmentation and Disease.

New research from the University of Florida suggests that forest fragmentation may increase the risk of parasitic infection to animals living in fragmented habitats as a result of increased environmental stress.

[Ron Scott]

Hawaii

The 50th state celebrates 100 years of forestry this year. Located in the heart of the Pacific Ocean, the islands are home to more htan 10,000 plants and animals that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

[rpg52]

California:  The two state forest tree nurseries in California are being closed to safe money for the State.  One nursery in Davis, near University of Calif, Davis, grew containerized trees and (mostly) native shrubs, has already closed.  The second, located in Magalia, Butte County in the Northern Sierra Nevadas, grew a variety of bare root trees for reforestation.  The Magalia nursery is having a "going out of business" sale, liquidating all bare root stock.
Penny wise and pound foolish to privatize reforestation stock, in my humble opinion.  There are some things that we as a society should subsidize or at least make as easy as possible.  Preventing soil erosion is one of those things, reforestation is another.
Ray

[Frank_Pender]

You know Ron, there is some of that same sort of talk beginning to take place here in Oregon concerning their Nursery at Elkton, Oregon.  

[Tillaway]

Regarding the state nurseries, Magalia nursery produced poor quality seedlings.  Most foresters avoided using thier stock.  Closing Magalia down was a good thing.

The Elkton nursery is hurting because industry and the state lands themselves have all moved to planting container stock.  Elkton does not produce these, its a marketing thing.  The container stock performs much better.  The state would have to make a major investment to retool the nursery.  Private sources currently produce very good product at prices the state could not touch.  Elkton will stay around a while filling the spec. market for small landowners.  Custom orders have declined so the spec market is all they have left.

[Frank_Pender]

You are correct, John.  That is were most of the concern is coming from, the dollars coming in verses the dollars going out.  It just might be that the state will have to invest in the container procedures to keep competative.   There is also the issues of privates complaining tha the state should not be in competition with private industry.  That may be where the biggest rub is coming from as well as the market place dictating a different type of tree to be grown.

[Ron Scott]

Many of the National Forest system nurseries have been already closed over past years. There is only one still open here in the Lake States, Toumey at Watersmeet in the UP and it has downsized to minimum use.

[rpg52]

Tillaway - "Magalia nursery produced poor quality seedlings"  Enlighten me please, were they poorly grown, poorly selected seed, or ??  What private alternatives are there available for small landowners of forested lands?  I'm not defending anyone, but sincerely would like to know.  Thanks,
Ray

[Tillaway]

Ray,
Magalia used poor cultural practice and grew in poor soils.  They just did a poor quality job overall.  The bed knives used for root pruning were so dull they "J" rooted the tree.  It just bent them and did not cut them.  The seedling root sytems were very poorly developed, sometimes just a bent tap root.  They kind of looked like a bent carrot.  Poor root crown ratio.  The heavy soils prevented good root growth.  Overall a poor growing site for a nursery managed by folks that obviously did not care.

There is a private nursery up in Etna that produces good quality container stock, I can't remeber thier name.  Also PRT (Pacific Reforestation Technology) is a very large company base out of BC.  They have operations throughout the western US.  Ironically they were going to put in a big nursery in Nevada, don't know if they have or not.

Go with container stock, you will have much better success.

[SwampDonkey]

Our Provincial Seedling nursery would't sell to private since 1993 and they provided some of the best seedlings. Their red pine bare root where top notch and we had the best success with those on abandoned fields. The red pine container stock we get now are about 3 to 4 inches tall and not big enough to plant in field situations. It's a slow tree to get started apparently in the nursery. The provincial nursery got flack from private nurseries who complained they were in competiton. Now they provide stock for crown land only. We used to purchase seedlings from a private nursery owned by a forest company and all we'de receive was the culls. The black spruce seedlings where always too tall and spindly and the white spruce where always short with very poor root development (all conatiner stock). The local marketing board no longer buys from them. The North Shore Marketing Board purchased a provincial nursery 3 years ago to provide private container stock for private woodlots. They've had some issues too and have been ironing them out. Their problem is the lack of experienced staff. In recent years our board has been getting seedlings from Quebec and some from the provincial nursery at Staflorne in , NS. and they have issues with handling and shipping. The way they are shipped the trays are usually all up-ended in a big heap'n mess on the floor of the van after they bounce out of their shelving.

[rpg52]

Interesting discussion, it seems that both public and private forestry nurseries have their foibles.  In my particular case, I've had fairly good luck with the stock from the public nurseries.  I know that at least they paid attention to ecotypes when selecting seed sources, e.g. elevation and latitude, which may be more relevant here in the Sierra Nevada than in a more continental climate.  My problem(s) are that I have a very challenging site due to past "management" which consisted of clear cuts and goldmining in the 1850's, which swept away much of the topsoil from a medium timber site, which was then invaded by Scotch Broom (a very invasive and highly flammable wildland weed) and again cut and high graded in the '50's.  My challenge is to find a reasonably priced source of seedlings of mixed species to replant, funded from out of my pocket, since there is little merchantable volume left from previous operations.  I know there are thousands of other small landowners that should be encouraged to replant and control the rampant brushfields remaining from 150 years of timber liquidation in low elevation forests here in the Sierra.  Personally, I believe it is in the best interests of society to encourage this, and possibly even subsidize it to a moderate degree.  I am confident that it is in the long term interests of all to reduce potential wildfires and invest in forests that may not be available for harvest for another 60 - 100 years.  Just my $0.02.  Thanks,
Ray

[Tillaway]

Good attitude Ray

The problem is California, as a whole, does not value the timber industry or the small woodland owner.  Very few landowners, private and industrial, manage for the long term there.  This is due IMHO that California's Forest Practices Act is not condusive to good forest stewardship.

Soper-Wheeler issued a statement something like this " We do not think it is prudent to put any further investment in California timber lands".  They have managed timber lands for about 100 years in the Sierras.  Thats pretty much what most people think.  Invest in timber production only to find you can't benefit from it in the future due to a rule change or some proposition spawned from the concrete jungle.

There used to be funds available from CDF for the projects you have in mind.  Environmentalists sued the state regarding their compliance in regards to operating plans on the Jackson state forest.  Proceeds from this forest was the sole source of  funding for programs and grants supporting exactly what you want to do.

Check with an RPF, there may still be funds available for your project but the well was basically dry when I left.

[Ron Scott]

Michigan

Buck Stop Lure Company founder Don Garbow, Stanton, Michigan is being inducted into the Bowhunters Hall of Fame.

Garbo started bottling scents for hunting and trapping in 1953, primarily for his own convenience. But they caught on and sold. Buck Stop is now the industry's giant.

With more thatn 120 scents, more than two million small vials are reported sold annually.