Happy Birthday to the SC Forestry Commission! Created by SC General Assembly on April 26, 1927.

Read all about the history of the Forestry Commission by clicking here and visiting their website. (ht: SCFC)

Share This

15 April 1951-Forest fire burns part of Cheraw State Park, affecting
1500 acres of woodland and destroying a picnic shelter, 2 latrines and
a residence. - (ht: SC State Park Service - Al Hester)

Share This

INVASIVE SPECIES OF SOUTHERN FORESTS is the subject of a meeting at Harbison State Forest (Environmental Education Center) in Columbia on April 12th. Come learn about threats from invasive species on your forest land. Sponsored by the SC Chapter of the Association of Consulting Foresters and SC Exotic Plant Pest Council.

Registration fee of $65 includes lunch, dinner, coffee breaks and all meeting materials. The meeting has been approved for 5.5 hours of Category 1 CFE and 2.5 hours of pesticide recertification credits.

For more information contact Pat Straka, 864/647-4889 or pastraka@earthlink.net

Hat tip to the SC Forestry Association for information on this meeting.

Links of Interest:

• Thorough list of SC invasive plant species
• Laws & Regulations (USDA)
• Association of Consulting Foresters
• SC Exotic Pest Plant Council
• Harbison State Forest

Share This

Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site

Come
celebrate the founding of South Carolina at Charles Towne Landing’s
Founders’ Day Festival. This special day will be highlighted by a
17th-century militia muster. The site’s fascinating colonial history
will be brought to life by 17th-century soldiers recreating an
authentic encampment .
Charles Towne Landing’s living history staff will be joined by the
historic St. Mary’s City Volunteer Militia from Maryland to represent a
17th century encampment in colonial Charles Town. The weekend will
include drill and black powder demonstrations, programs, special
speakers, and archaeological presentations on the fortified area.

Share This

Lexington County Forest Landowners Association Statewide Meeting - April 3 COLUMBIA, SC - The Lexington County Forest Landowners Association Statewide Meeting will be held April 3, 2007, at the SC State Museum, 301 Gervais St. in Columbia, SC.

The meeting is designed for forest landowners by forest landowners. Cost is $20 per person ($10 for spouse) and pre-payment is required. Dinner by Crisp Caterers is included. Checks should be made payable to the Lexington County Forest Landowners Association and mailed to Farroll Gunter, 136 Rose Lake Road, Lexington, SC 29072. Payment must arrive no later than Saturday, March 31st.

Meeting coordinators have applied for Continuing Forestry Education (CFE) and Continuing Logger Education (CLE) credits to be provided.

This statewide meeting has been designed to answer landowners’ questions and to inform them of resources available to help in managing their trees and wildlife habitat.

AGENDA

Registration 8:00 a.m.

Welcome- Beth Richardson, Clemson Extension forester

Deer Management- Joe Hamilton, founder of Quality Deer Management Assoc.

Planting for Wildlife- Marion Barnes, Clemson Extension wildlife biologist

Herbicides- Jonathan Smith, BASF representative

Economics of Hardwoods- Fred White, chief forester for The Forest Land Group, Chapel Hill, NC

Managing Pines- Don Handley, consulting forester, Handley Forestry Services, Florence, SC

Dinner

Door prizes

Pinestraw Management- Rick Hamilton, retired NC State Extension forester

Landowners- Brooks Lawton, Allendale County (pdf) - Pat Dorn, Richland County - Walt McPhail, Anderson County

Surveying- Larry Smith, registered land surveyor, Associated E & S, Inc., West Columbia, SC

Estate Planning- Ken Wingate, Attorney at Law, Sweeny, Wingate & Barrow, PA, Columbia, SC

Property Rights- Mark Nix, former Executive Director of the SC Landowners Association

Adjourn at 4:30 p.m.

Share This

Join the Friends of Harbison State Forest for the “Run, Hike, Peddle and
Paddle” Weekend for April 21-22, 2007. Reserve the dates NOW on your
calendar!!

Mark your April calendars and come to Harbison Forest to join in the FUN!

Saturday, April 21st, at 9:00 a.m. — the Firebreak 6-Miler Off-Road Running Race(pdf)

Sunday, April 22nd, 10:00 a.m. — a Mountain Bike Race To The River (pdf) (hat tip: Friends of Harbison State Forest)

For updates on Harbison State Forest events, visit their website (click here), or join the Friends group and mailing list (click here).

Harbison State Forest is an island of woodlands remaining in the overdeveloped northwest Columbia metroplex. Within an easy drive of over a million people, the forest has developed from a very quiet tree and wildlife sanctuary hosting only the State Forestry Commission Headquarters (20 years ago) into an energized, actively managed forest that is providing a diversity of products and benefits to all of us who will use them. Not only is the forest actively producing forest products, it does so while also preserving the aesthetic environment of the surrounding area. It buffers the Broad River habitat from the hectic urban sprawl surrounding the forest. It filters water that eventually runs into the Broad River and down to Columbia. It shelters wildlife that are left with only this oasis in the developed area. And it provides family recreation in the form of over 20 miles of trails, a canoe landing on the river, an arboretum and an excellent educational center that is used daily by the public.

Many, many people have contributed to the evolution of the Harbison State Forest into the gem it is today. I’d like to recognize two of them, who would never claim to have done anything themselves, but they surely have. Ron Ferguson and Russell Hubright are a couple of foresters who’ve been placed in charge of Harbison State Forest over the years. I’ve worked with both of them while at the Forestry Commission years ago, and they are humble, skillful, dedicated public servants, in the finest sense of the words. They do an exemplary job of speaking for the trees. Great examples of what foresters do that’s good for all of us. Thanks, and attaboys all around.

Share This

Eastern hemlock and Carolina hemlock are two of the monarch trees of the mountains of the Carolina Forests. A foreign invader, the hemlock wooly adelgid, is decimating hemlocks across their range. The forestry community is waging a fierce battle against the insect, and preserving the species’ is the goal of CAMCORE, an international tree conservation program based at NC State University.

Camcore (Central America and Mexico Coniferous Resources Cooperative) is a non-profit, international organization that identifies threatened species, collects seeds from trees in their natural range, then establishes plantings of those trees in out-of-range locations. Hemlock seed is gathered, for example, and planted in appropriate sites that could include areas in the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas or Missouri, and sites in Brazil and Chile.

The group works with 38 different forest species, in over 15 countries and 25 institutions, in North America, South America, Africa and Asia. Read more about their current efforts here.

You’re not likely to see the hemlock wooly adelgid around Columbia any time soon. They eat hemlock exclusively, and there are very few Eastern hemlock or Carolina hemlock outside of the mountains and foothills of Oconee, Pickens, Greenville and Anderson counties here in South Carolina. There are, however, occasional individual trees that have been planted elsewhere that have survived. I had a client who had a 40-foot-tall Eastern hemlock in the yard of his Wadmalaw Island home in Charleston County!

However, for your mountain properties or your friends who live in the upstate, here’s what to watch for: Needles will yellow, then fall off. Branches will then die back, with a thinning appearance in the crown of the tree. Infested trees typically survive from 4 to 10 years before dying.

Treatments are possible, especially for individual trees, as in a yard setting. Dormant oils and insecticidal soaps can be effective, and specific pesticides are labelled for soil drench or trunk injection treatments. Seek the advice of a Certified Arborist and a Certified Pesticide Applicator.

There also are two beetles (pdf) that are being used as predators on the hemlock wooly adelgid. These beetles are being mass produced and released in the forest, and so far they show promise. They feed only on the hemlock wooly adelgid, but feed voraciously on it.

Share This

Cities and towns across South Carolina have parks and properties that take advantage of your Carolina Forests, and show off some of the best of them. Walterboro’s Great Swamp Sanctuary is one of the newest developments, and is worth a visit.

Over 800 acres of braided-creek hardwood bottomlands make up this sanctuary, and it will be accessible through trails, boardwalks and even a canoe/kayak trail. More information is available on the city’s website.

One of the unique attributes of this sanctuary is that it contains the headwaters of the Ashepoo River, a significant portion of the ACE Basin. Read this, from the city’s website:

The headwaters of the Ashepoo River (the A in the ACE Basin), originate in the sanctuary. By protecting this resource, a major portion of the pristine ACE Basin will be preserved. Three creeks join inside of the Sanctuary to form one of the major tributaries of the ACE Basin. In a very real sense, the Sanctuary protects the sensitive headwaters of the Basin.

Thanks, forests - for clean water - just one of many products of your Carolina Forests. Sounds like a great place to spend a day - c’mon, let’s go to the woods!

Share This

Once a year, people who care for, support and nurture trees in cities, towns and neighborhoods across the state gather for education and sharing concerns and ideas. It’s called the SC Urban & Community Forestry Conference, and it is coming up November 9th & 10th in Spartanburg.

There is still time for YOU to take part and benefit from the wealth of academic, commercial, public and private individuals and companies who will be there, all of whom are anxious to share what they are seeing and doing in their local areas.

Read on in this message from Dr. Christina Wells, this year’s Conference Chair and Council Vice-president…

As the leaves turn and the temperatures drop, it’s time to attend the SC Urban and Community Forestry Council annual conference. You will enjoy opportunities for education, CEUs, and networking at the luxurious new Spartanburg Marriott at Renaissance Park. We’ve got top-drawer speakers lined up for you, including world-renowned plantsman Dr. Michael Dirr and plant healthcare expert Dr. Roger Funk!

This year’s theme is TREE SOLUTIONS — solutions for your tree care business, your planning practice and your community. We want everyone to leave the conference with new information they can put to work on the job. See the attached conference program for details of our information-packed arboriculture and community/planning presentation tracks.

Special highlights of this year’s conference include a walking tour with Dr. Dirr, an evening banquet, and a fun-filled live auction to benefit the Council.

We are also offering a review session for the ISA certified arborist exam, with the exam administered immediately afterward (a fee for the exam must be paid to ISA).

So how do you register? It’s easy!

1)Return the registration form [click here for MS Word document version] with your check (you may also fax the form to Opal Rousey at 864-348-6293 and bring the check to the conference)

2)Call the Marriott at 1-864-596-1211 to reserve your room at the SCUCFC conference rate of $89/night

3)If you would like to take the certified arborist exam, contact ISA at 217-355-9411( www.isa-arbor.com). ISA must receive exam applications and registration fees by Friday 10/27.

Questions? Visit us on the web at www.scurbanforestry.org or contact Executive Coordinator Opal Rousey at ovrousey@wctel.net.

We look forward to seeing you in Spartanburg!

Sincerely,
Christina Wells, Conference Chair

PS � There are a limited number of vendor spaces and break sponsorships still available. Contact Bob Vecchio at bvecchio@cityofclemson.org for details.

Like Christina says, I’ll see you in Spartanburg.

Share This

Are you interested in the critters that use your own personal corner of
the Carolina Forests? If so, read on about a workshop to be held by
the SC Wildlife Federation on November 11th.

This just in from the South Carolina Wildife Federation email list. While I’d like you to keep coming back here to see what’s up in Carolina Forests, you can get updates directly from SCWF as well. Join the FREE E-MAIL LIST by visiting their website at www.scwf.org, scroll down the right column of the page until you find the block, “Keep Informed of SCWF News and Events!”, enter your email address and click on “join”.

Habitat Ambassadors Workshop - November 11

Want to help wildlife in South Carolina? Look no further than your own
backyard. Habitat destruction is one of the leading causes of species
decline today. The Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program is one way that
you can help enhance wildlife habitat right in your own backyard! It is
easy to provide a natural habitat for a variety of birds, butterflies,
mammals, and other animals on your land.

This workshop will introduce you to the Backyard Wildlife Habitat
program, with information on sustainable gardening practices, native
plants, and attracting native wildlife to your own backyard, schoolyard,
or place of business. Workshop is presented by the SC Wildlife
Federation. Guest speakers will include Marion Davenport of Chirp N’
Chatter and Dottie Metzler of Anne Springs Close Greenway.

Time: 9:30am until 3:30 pm
Location: Fort Mill Library
Cost: $10 and will include all materials and snacks. Please bring your
own lunch.

To Register:
Please send check for $10 per person, along with your name, address,
email, and phone number to:

SC Wildlife Federation
2711 Middleburg Drive, Suite 101
Columbia, SC 29204

Questions?
Send an email to sara@scwf.org
OR
Call - (803) 256-0670

Jay Clingman here again - We recommend the Backyard Wildlife Habitat program - Sarah got our yard certified a few years ago. Food, water, shelter - most yards have some already, and if not, it takes very little to make your home inviting. We don’t live out in “the forest” by any means - just a stone’s throw off of I-77, actually. But we thoroughly enjoy all of our visitors. A short list includes the usual, squirrels, songbirds, butterflies… but we also have had at one time or another, cotton-tail rabbits, raccoons, opossums, a sharp-shinned hawk (astounding how statue-like other birds can become when he comes in), skinks, anoles, box turtles, tree frogs, toads, snakes, deer and bats.

And dachshunds. Well, we sort of have a “release program” for dachshunds in our habitat you might say. And Harvey & Bob ask that I let you know that thanks to their patrolling efforts, we DO NOT have any badgers in our habitat.

Share This