April Council Meeting and Tour Notes

Tour of young shortleaf stand on Bankhead National Forest.

The Winston County Natural Resources Council met at the U. S. Forest Service Office in Double Springs on April 17, 2014.  Present at the meeting were: Chris Wright, Mike Henshaw, Allison Cochran, John Creed, Carl Godsey, Tony Avery, Matthew Brock, Jeremy McDonald, Wade Hill, Tim Malone, and Dave Casey.

• The council welcomed the newly appointed District Ranger, Dave Casey, to the council.
• Allison gave a short report from the International Feral Hog Meeting that was recently held in Montgomery.  
• The balance in the treasury is $10,603.53.
• Mike Henshaw requested $200 for the Winston County 4-H Shooting Sports shotgun team that is attending the State 4-H Shotgun Championship.  Council approved this amount.
• Jeremy McDonald requested funds for the May 7th Junior Ranger program at the Payne Creek Demo Area.  The council approved up to $125 for portable toilets, and up to $100 for bus transportation for Double Springs Elementary School students.
• Shandy Porter is working on an Outdoor Classroom grant for the technical center.  It was suggested that he contact the Northwest RC & D Council.

The council then carpooled to several sites in the Black Pond and Moreland areas to view young longleaf and shortleaf pine stands.  Photos are available here:

April Council Meeting

Longleaf pine seedlings.  Photo by Ricky
Layson, Layson Photography, Bugwood.org

The April meeting of the Winston County Natural Resources Council will be held at 9:00 a.m., on Thursday, April 17, at the

U. S. Forest Service Office in Double Springs.  We will have a brief meeting (15 minutes or so) and then will head out to visit some longleaf and shortleaf regeneration sites on the Bankhead.  These will be sites where stands have been successfully planted in recent years.  The purpose of these stops will be to see how these species are grown in this area, and how they might perform on private forestland.  We will carpool to the sites in Black Pond and Moreland and will return by lunchtime.

Emerald Ash Borer

Photo by David Cappaert, Michigan State University,
Bugwood.org

All,

I just wanted to send you a few words of information concerning the Emerald Ash Borer.  This rather small insect arrived in Detroit, MI in 2002 from Asia.  Right now it is the fastest moving invasive in the US (See the map).  The quarantine line was re-drawn on 04/03/14 to include ALL of Kentucky.  This insect can fly about ½ mile from its host tree, BUT its #1 method of spread is the movement of infested firewood.  It is already in Gatlinburg, Knoxville, and Nashville.  I expect to find it in our northern State Parks and at the Talladega Super Speedway by 2015.

Check out this link: http://emeraldashborer.info/index.cfm#sthash.Qu5FgWiN.dpbs and the two attachments.  Please become familiar with this pest, so you can help your communities when they encounter it.  While ash does not occupy a large percentage of our forested canopy, it is the most valuable of our hardwoods.  Ash tends to occupy the wetter areas in the forest.  North facing slopes, as well as creek and riverbottoms, and lakeshores are prime ash habitat.  Blessings.

Andy

Andrew J. Baril, RF, CF (AL SAF 2014 Division Chairman)

Regional Extension Agent – Forestry, Wildlife, & NR

Alabama Cooperative Extension System

Walker County Extension Office

1501 North Airport Road

Jasper, AL 35504

205.221.3392 office

205.388.6893 cell

Bankhead National Forest Has a New District Ranger - News Release from the US Forest Service

Dave Casey, Bankhead District Ranger

National Forests in Alabama Bankhead National Forest News Release Contact: Tammy Truett – 334-832-4470 For Immediate Release Bankhead National Forest Has a New District Ranger (Montgomery, AL) April 8, 2014---The Bankhead National Forest has a new district ranger. Steve Lohr, forest supervisor for the National Forests in Alabama, announced that Dave Casey has been appointed to the position of district ranger on the Bankhead National Forest in northwestern Alabama. In his new position, Casey undertakes responsibility for management of a variety of ecological projects and 27 Bankhead District employees who help administer the national forest and serve the public. Consisting of over 181,000 acres, the Bankhead National Forest is home to an abundant wildlife habitat and popular recreation sites. A native of Nashville, Tenn., Casey arrives in Alabama from a previous position as zone timber management assistant and silviculturist on the Cheoah and Tusquitee Ranger Districts of the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina. Casey previously served as an environmental specialist in the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation as well as other forestry positions in national forests in North Carolina. Casey has 10-years of federal government experience working with the USDA Forest Service. He graduated with a master of science degree in forestry from the University of Tennessee. He comes to Alabama with his wife and their three children, ages 6 to 10. “My family and I are excited about the new position and look forward to exploring the Bankhead National Forest and surrounding communities,” Casey said. “I plan to build on the solid foundation of quality management that has been a part of the Bankhead National Forest and to strengthen relationships with stakeholders,” he continued. “I believe we have the potential to do our best work when we collaborate with stakeholders who treasure the lands we manage.”

History of Alabama National Forests Presentation Planned

Here is an opportunity to learn about the history of the National Forests in Alabama. See flier at this link for more information.