Missouri's Tree Farmer of the Year is John Heckmann
Brian Schweiss, Missouri State Tree Farm Committee

The value of Tree Farm runs deep for John Heckmann. On his 800-acre farm just
north of Hermann, the four cornerstones of the American Tree Farm System (wood,
water, wildlife, and recreation) exemplify his reasons for owning and managing
their family farm. According to John, It is important that we can have forests
for wildlife, wood products and recreation." At first, he did not realize all of
these uses are compatible on the same property. "This combination of recreation
and investment really drew me to the Tree Farm Program," he said.

John and his wife, Stacy, acquired their first tract in 1993 and from there it
grew to its current size. In 2008, John requested assistance from the Missouri
Department of Conservation (MDC). This opened up many management opportunities
for him.

He worked with MDC Resource Forester, Josh Stevens, and together they developed
a forest and wildlife management plan for his place. This plan called for forest
thinning to improve growth and quality of trees, and glade restoration that
called for the removal of cedars and maples that invaded this unique habitat
type. He also developed burn plans to run fire through these glades to keep them
open and encourage native grasses and forbs. Knowing that all of this work can
be costly, John pursued funding from federal programs. Programs such as the USDA
NRCS’ Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program (WHIP) and the Environmental Quality
Incentive Program (EQIP) provided re-imbursement for a portion of the costs to
implement the practices.

This management was needed to reach the long-term wildlife and income goals from
the timber. Given the hilly terrain and limited food plot potential, John wanted
to create as much browse, cover and acorn production that he could to benefit
wildlife. Forest stand improvement, where undesirable and/or weak trees were
removed, allowed sunlight to reach the forest floor stimulating the understory
growth John wanted for browse. The thinning also allowed the remaining tree
canopies to grow and produce more acorns (hard mast) for the deer, turkey, and
wood ducks who call his Bear Valley Tree Farm their home. And the prescribed
burns he conducted in his glade areas gave wildlife prime cover of native
warm-season grasses.

Bear Valley is also enrolled in a conservation easement held by the National
Wild Turkey Federation. Conservation easements like this are entered into
voluntarily by the landowner and helps ensure that the values held by the
current landowner will continue forever. The conservation easement put in place
by John and Stacy prohibits Bear Valley from being subdivided and restricts
certain uses. The easement provides a perpetual plan for the farm and will help
guide his children, Grant, Megan and Trevor, when it comes time for them to
inherit the Tree Farm.

John wants his fellow woodland owners to know that they do not have to do
everything at once; they just have to get started! In addition to the federal
and state agencies that assisted him in his management, John received help and
advice from the Quality Deer Management Association, National Wild Turkey
Federation, Quail Forever, and the Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation. These
non-profit organizations provide technical advice for habitat work and
restoration that John and his family value on their family farm. Sometimes
people think they have to be ‘older than dirt’ and a Tree Farmer for years
before even being considered for this top honor. Well, as you can see, that is
definitely not the case. John and Stacy are relative ‘newcomers’, having joined
Tree Farm a scant four years ago.

So, if they can do it, you can, too! Want to see for yourself? The Heckmann’s
would love to show you around Bear Valley at the upcoming annual Missouri Tree
Farm Conference, June 2. The Tree Farm is located just seven minutes north of
Hermann in the scenic Missouri River Hills. Attendees will have the opportunity
to:

-See the effects of several forest and wildlife management practices

-Go on a self-guided tree identification trail

-Learn about Missouri’s wood products industry

-Interact with other woodland owners

For registration information, contact Bob Ball, Executive Director of the Forest
and Woodland Association of Missouri, by phone (855) 843-3926 or email at
fwam.trees@gmail.com. Or check out the ‘Upcoming Events’ section on the
Association’s website www.forestandwoodland.org.




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Cost Share Funds Available for Loggers and Landowners
Jason Jensen, Missouri Department of Conservation

Loggers and landowners can both benefit from a new Missouri Department of
Conservation (MDC) pilot cost share incentive program called the Best Management
Practices Conservation Innovation Grant. The grants are focused on encouraging
timber harvesters to use good practices that protect soil and water on private
land timber sales in 57 counties across the state.

Best Management Practices (BMPs) were developed as a guide for loggers and
landowners to combine safe logging practices with steps that will avoid damage
to water quality and soil erosion associated with timber harvesting. By taking
steps to learn the BMPs and implement them, MDC hopes the Conservation
Innovation Grant will encourage loggers and landowners to work together in
maintaining the best possible forest health and productivity.

The grant is designed to be a partnership between loggers and landowners as they
do business together. If approved, the cost share directly pays loggers $10 to
$20 per acre to use the BMPs and landowners receive $5 per acre.

The concept behind splitting the incentive is that the logger has the equipment
to implement the BMPs and the responsibility for establishing erosion prevention
measures, and the landowner owns the property and is responsible for maintenance
of the BMPs for a reasonable period of time. To participate, loggers should sign
up for the cost share program at their local MDC office. The program requires
that the logger has been through the Professional Timber Harvester course,
offered by the Missouri Forest Products Association, or attend a BMP training
class with the Department of Conservation.

To find a Department of Conservation office, go online to http://www.mdc.mo.gov.
To find scheduled Professional Timber Harvester training classes go online to
http://www.moforest.org. See map below of counties eligible for forestry best
management practices cost share (highlighted in green).




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Summersville Men are Loggers of the Year for 2011
Jason Jensen, Missouri Department of Conservation

Loggers throughout the state play important roles in keeping Missouri forests
healthy and sustainable. In recognition of outstanding performance by Missouri
loggers, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) presents annual regional
and state Logger of the Year awards.

The 2011 Missouri Logger of the Year state award is being shared by Jay
Duncan, Gene Fiske Sr. and Gene Fiske Jr. of J&G Logging in Summersville. The
three men received multiple nominations and were named Loggers of the Year for
MDC’s Ozark Region earlier in 2011.

"MDC recognizes and appreciates loggers who use best practices to harvest
timber in ways that are economically, ecologically and socially sustainable,"
said Missouri State Forester and MDC Forestry Division Chief Lisa Allen. "The
statewide Logger of the Year award is the highest honor loggers can achieve in
Missouri. It takes special conviction to being the best to achieve this honor,
and we congratulate these outstanding loggers. "

The awards are given to loggers who demonstrate good working relationships
with landowners and foresters, cause minimal damage to remaining trees and
resources on harvest sites, use best management practices to conserve soil and
water, address wildlife management concerns, practice sustainable forest
management and use wood products wisely.

"For Jay, Gene Sr. and Gene Jr., these traits are a way of life," said
Missouri Forest Products Association (MFPA) President Tony Parks, who nominated
the men. "J&G’s desire is to make harvesting a pleasurable experience for the
landowner and logger. They are receptive to concerns and instructions from the
landowner."

One of the projects that J&G Logging recently worked on was a sensitive and
high-profile thinning operation in a virgin pine area of Pioneer Forest near the
Current River and close to Highway 19. The site included trees more than 250
years old that were being left in the stand.

Pioneer Forest is the largest private landowner in the state. Brandon Kuhn, a
Pioneer professional forester, also nominated the loggers based on how impressed
he was with their work.

"J&G is the best I have worked with at shutting themselves down when it is
too wet to work," Kuhn said. "As a forester, it is very difficult to tell
loggers to go home because of wet conditions knowing they only get paid when
they work. It is truly a blessing when loggers make this decision on their
own."

The Nature Conservancy Ozarks Preserve Manager Neal Humke, who also nominated
the men, inspected the logging operation and noted, "It was good to see that J&G
was putting in the effort and time that it took to do it right, leaving a stand
of timber that Pioneer Forest can continue to be proud of."

J&G Logging has also completed several timber sales on Sunklands and Angeline
conservation areas in Shannon County. MDC Forester Michael Bill, who also
nominated the men, said, "They are very concerned about the forest
resource."

Missouri Logger of the Year recipients receive framed certificates from MDC
and a Stihl chainsaw donated by Crader Distributing in Marble Hill. J&G Logging
received the award at an MFPA meeting in Branson.

MDC recognizes Loggers of the Year in each of its eight regions. Those
selected are then eligible for the statewide award. Loggers must be nominated by
a professional forester. For more information on the MDC Logger of the Year
Award criteria and process, visit http://www.mdc.mo.gov.

Editor’s Note: This one slipped past us in preparing the last issue of Green
Horizons. But, loggers are an important link in the chain of good forest
management and we need to recognize those in the logging community that make
sound forest management part of their business model.




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New Social Network for Missouri Forest Landowners

MU Forestry Extension welcomes everyone to check out Missouri Woodland Stewards,
a new social network specifically for forest landowners. This online network is
your natural resource knowledge network to help you become more competent in
managing your woodlands and connected to resource professionals and other
woodland owners. The network is all about sharing knowledge. You will find no
distracting ads!

The network is yours. Don’t be shy. Join and use it...you cannot break it!
Check out our various groups for discussions on some of the more common forest
management topics. Post questions or comments in the blog posts. Post photos or
videos of your woodland management activities. And don’t forget to check out the
events box for upcoming webinars, workshops, and field days. Access Missouri
Woodland Stewards at http://missouriwoodlandstewards.ning.com

Welcome aboard!




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Forestry 101: Just Say "No!" to High-Grading
Hank Stelzer, MU Forestry Extension

Many forest and woodlot owners oftentimes learn too late that some forestry
techniques can limit options for future benefits and enjoyment -- both in the
long run and short term. While well-planned timber harvesting can increase your
benefits, "high-grading" and related practices should be avoided. 
Cutting the best trees (those of highest value) and leaving the rest (those
of low-value, often diseased or malformed trees) is a common practice. This type
of forestry is called "high-grading". By cutting only the largest and most
valuable trees, you remove those best suited to that site. The trees that are
less well adapted remain as the next forest and the seed source for future
forests. The financial gain of high-grading exists only briefly, yet ownership
objectives can be sacrificed for decades. A similar analogy from livestock is
the farmer who shoots the blue ribbon bull and uses the losers for breeding
stock. The quality of the herd, just as the quality of the forest and woodlot,
declines rapidly! 

The many faces of high-grading...

In addition to high-grading, similar practices exist with different names.
High-grading is often disguised under the name of "diameter-limit cutting." This
is a practice that removes all trees above a certain minimum diameter. In some
rare situations diameter-limit cutting is appropriate. For example, if old
pasture trees are shading the growth of young hardwood saplings. Often however,
diameter-limit cutting removes trees of commercial value (say above 12 or 14
inches in diameter) before these trees can attain a more valuable size and add
seed and seedlings to the forest.

Selective cutting is another technique where high-grading can occur.
Selective cutting differs from the selection system of silviculture (a
legitimate technique). Selective cutting, as commonly practiced, involves
selecting the highest quality trees and cutting them. The selection system
involves a professionally trained forester to select trees from all age and size
classes, both high and low quality to produce an uneven-aged forest.
Diameter-limit cutting and selective cutting are often rationalized by
arguing to remove the bigger trees so the smaller trees can grow. However, the
smaller trees may be undesirable species, poor form, or poor heath. By any name,
high-grading degrades the value of the forest regardless of the "logic" used by
those trying to make a quick buck.

Why does high-grading happen?

A common cause for high-grading is greed to maximize immediate profits.
Demand for high-value timber produces strong markets for high-value species
compared to markets for lower value species. Further, it costs about the same
amount of money to cut and haul a $10 tree as it does to cut and haul a $300
tree of the same size. These factors might help explain high-grading, but they
do not excuse it.

What are the consequences of high-grading?

Is it really that bad? One result is that the trees left behind won’t grow as
quickly as better quality trees and the time until the next harvest is
lengthened. In addition, the next harvest will remove the low-quality trees
previously left so the value at the next harvest will be reduced. If you magnify
the practice of high-grading across a region, assuming the demand for wood
products remains steady, then more acres must be harvested to meet the same
demand. While timber harvesting is not bad, accelerated harvesting is not in the
best interest of our natural resources and conflicts with a growing demand by
the public for accountability of natural resource management. As the value of
the land to produce timber crops decreases, the incentive to subdivide and
develop increases.
Although high-grading usually leaves a forest of tall trees behind, there are
other hidden ecological costs. Because the healthiest trees with the fewest
defects are harvested, the overall health of the forest is reduced. The
remaining trees may be more susceptible to the effects of insects, pathogens,
strong winds or ice-storms and less able to recover after these disturbances
occur.
Often high-grading emphasizes cutting of a few species and leaves behind
other species. This reduction in tree species diversity can have negative
consequences for wildlife that depended on the harvested species for food or
shelter. Species such as red oak and white oak are economically valuable and
produce seeds that are valued by wildlife. In any particular year, only one or a
few species may produce an abundant crop of seeds. If those species were removed
by high-grading, wildlife that used those seeds will need to find alternative
food sources and that seed source may be permanently gone from the woodlot.

So what can you do to avoid high-grading?

One step is to work with competent and professional forester and loggers.
When you select a new refrigerator or car you likely consider several features,
including price, reputation, service after the sale, and other long-term
benefits. You’ll certainly go see what the refrigerator looks like. You should
use at least these same criteria when you select your forester and logger. Ask
for references, find out if the forester participates in continuing education
programs and whether the logger has completed the Missouri Forest Products
Association’s "Professional Timber Harvester" program. Better yet, ask if they
are a certified as a "Missouri Master Logger" (see the last issue of GH for an
explanation of this valuable program). Make a visit to forests or woodlots where
they have worked.

Know this: the best price may not provide the best treatment for your land.
The logger who out bids his competitors for a timber sale by a few percent may
not devote enough effort to ensure your property is left in good condition.
Similarly the forester or logger who promises you maximum short-term profit
likely doesn’t have in mind the best interests for you and your land. The
consequences of selecting an incompetent forester or logger will exist longer
than a bad choice on a refrigerator.

Another step to avoid high-grading is to have a written management plan. Your
management plan will state your objectives and help keep you on track. The
harvesting schedule in your management plan will help you decide when harvesting
is appropriate. Just because a forester or logger offers to cut your timber
doesn’t mean it’s the best time for your interests. The value of trees increases
greatly as trees get bigger, and it’s probably a safe assumption that good
markets will continue to exist for high-quality trees (although markets
fluctuate). You may be advised that the trees are "over-mature" or "need to be
cut". Know that these labels are subjective and they are only accurate in the
context of your ownership objectives.
Third, look for creative solutions to remove the low-value trees at the same
time the high-value trees are harvested. A harvest that removes high-value and
low-value trees provides financial benefits from the high- and low-value trees
and improves the quality of the residual forest. One way is to have the forester
mark and the logger skid the low value trees to the log landing. Then you can
cut them yourself for firewood, or sell them to a firewood processor. This will
require extra effort on the part of the logger and forester, which means you
might not make as much money, but the benefits, including even greater profits,
will exist a few years down the road.

Finally, get assistance from people focused on your interests to help you
develop long-term objectives and management plans. Missouri Department of
Conservation resource foresters are available for free consultation and can
provide technical expertise and guidance on forest management. Consulting
foresters are private individuals who, although charge a fee for their services,
work for you and can usually respond faster than a resource forester.Another
source of assistance can come from fellow landowners who have been down the same
road you are traveling. The Forest and Woodland Association of Missouri is a new
landowner group dedicated to helping landowners enjoy their forest land.

What can you do if your woodlot was previously highgraded?

In simple terms, you need to have a vision for what you want your forest to
look like and then a planned set of actions to move you towards that goal. Of
course, how you reach that goal will depend on what you have to work with in
your forest. A lightly high-graded forest may need only some thinning around the
best trees and steps to ensure the forest can be effectively regenerated when
the time comes. A heavily high-graded forest may no longer have the tree species
you desire which will require you to create openings that you then plant to your
desired species. The size of the openings and the species to plant will depend
on the specifics of the site. A competent forester and your willingness to
invest time and probably money are necessary to move a high-graded forest back
to a sustainable forest.




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Summer Forestry Workshops for Agriculture Teachers
Hank Stelzer, MU Forestry Extension

Last year, MU Forestry Extension conducted two forestry workshops for high
school agriculture teachers. This coming summer the program expands statewide
and participants will learn basic forestry concepts as they are guided through
each section of the FFA Forestry Career Development Event (aka FFA Forestry
Contest). Information will also be provided on the Forest Management Proficiency
Award. This award recognizes individual excellence in what FFA calls a
supervised agricultural experience. Not many field foresters are aware of this
award because in the past the Missouri Forest Products Association has handled
judging these individually-submitted projects. But, now that the Missouri State
Tree Farm Committee is more involved (through the Forest and Woodland
Association of Missouri), MU Forestry Extension looks to better support students
wanting to learn more about forestry through this program.

We have sent out workshop invitations to every agriculture teacher in the state
and registrations are beginning to come in. If you know of agriculture teachers
in your area, please encourage them to attend. The cost is $40 per person and
covers lunch, breaks, and educational materials including reference materials, a
USGS topographic map, and Biltmore sticks (to take back to their team). Here are
the workshop dates and locations:

July 10 (Tuesday) Jefferson City MDC Runge Nature Center
July 12 (Thursday) Blue Springs MDC Burr Oaks Nature Center
July 17 (Tuesday) Springfield MDC Springfield Nature Center
July 18 (Wednesday) Winona MDC Twin Pines Education Center
July 19 (Thursday) Cape Girardeau MDC Cape Girardeau Nature Center
July 31 (Tuesday) Spickard MU Thomson Research Center
August 2 (Thursday) Eolia Malinmor Hunt Club

The doors will open at 8:00 AM for each workshop will and teachers will be on
their way home by 3:00 PM (unless they stick around for questions). We will
cover Tree ID, TSI (The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly), Map Reading, Timber
Cruising (Just what IS merchantable height?), and General Forestry Knowledge
(Jeopardy-style!). For more information, contact Hank Stelzer,
stelzerh@missouri.edu.




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Promoting Healthy Forests Today and Tomorrow
Bob Ball, Forest and Woodland Association of Missouri

Does the future of our trees, woods and forests concern you? Several major
issues that will affect Missouri’s woods are looming on the horizon. Do you want
a voice in these discussions? Consider the following questions and statements
surrounding the issues facing your forests and woodlands:

Clean Water - Are you concerned about how to manage your woods and still
maintain water quality? Woodedlands produce clean, quality drinking water.
Incentives are available to help you manage your woods to protect water
quality.

Bioenergy - Can woody biomass be sustainably harvested from my woodlands?
FWAM members will learn more about bioenergy and receive updates on new
developments.

Carbon Credits - What are carbon credits? How can I get them? Is it worth my
time and effort to pursue this source of income? Do these credits limit the
management options for my property? These are just a few of the questions FWAM
is monitoring to keep its members informed.

Tree Health - Are you aware of Thousand Canker Disease attacking black walnut
and the threat the Emerald Ash Borer poses to ash trees in our communities?
While our native trees have adapted to native pests, unfortunately these and
other exotic, non-native pests are on the rise. FWAM will help keep you abreast
of any late-breaking news through the bi-weekly Canopy newsletter.

Forest Management - Do you find it alarming that 90 percent of our privately
owned woodlands receive no management advice from a professional forester? Are
you aware of financial assistance programs available from USDA, Missouri
Department of Natural Resources and the Missouri Department of Conservation?
FWAM can be your link to the latest opportunity.

Invasive Species - Have you noticed bush honeysuckle, Callery ‘Bradford’
Pear, autumn-olive, and ailanthus (treeof-heaven) encroaching in even
well-managed woodlands? FWAM members receive updates on how to manage invasive
plants.

Timber Harvests - Are you thinking of selling timber? Are you looking for
information on conducting a timber sale that will preserve what is important to
you? Do you know that a number of loggers have invested in classes to improve
their professionalism and stewardship in the woods? FWAM members are informed of
how to contact Master Loggers and professionally trained loggers.

Education - Do you need information about your trees? Would you like to know
what others have done on their properties to care for their trees? Do you need
information for students? Are you interested in seeing more interaction between
children and trees and appreciating the value of trees to our environment? FWAM
supports the efforts of state and federal agencies and MU Extension in their
outreach and education efforts.

With your support the Forest and Woodland Association of Missouri will
provide timely information to our members on forestry related issues and
opportunities in person, via email, newsletters, and on our website. In
addition, we will sponsor in-the-woods field days and workshops, support the
American Tree Farm System and the American Forest Foundation.

The Association will also become an advocate and a voice for our forests and
woodlands to organizations, agencies and legislative bodies as well as providing
members with news about federal and state legislation that could impact our
woodlands and ultimately your personal, family, or business income. We will
inform and educate adults and children in both rural and urban areas.

A portion of our time will focus on helping woodland landowners with
marketing timber today and in the future. Timber has an economic VALUE.
Following proper management and marketing advice from professional foresters can
grow that value at a faster rate. Ultimately our larger objective is to promote
healthy, productive and sustainable forests and trees for future
generations.

Becoming a part of this decision making process is easy. Visit our website
at: www.forestandwoodland.org and click on the "Join Us" feature in the left
margin. Either complete the membership application online or request one via
email, phone or regular mail using my address at the bottom of our home
page.

Take a walk in the woods at the John Heckmann Tree Farm Saturday, June 2nd
north of Hermann in Warren County. John is the Missouri Tree Farmer of the Year!
He is also a commercial member of FWAM. Come to John’s tree farm prepared with
questions. Like most Tree Farmers, John is anxious to tell you about their
operations and their experiences. Look elsewhere in this issue for details about
this event. You will not want to miss it!




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What Would the Latest Green Building Rating System Mean for Tree Farm Wood?
Melissa Harden, American Tree Farm System

These days, who doesn’t want to build green? And since wood, especially wood
from American Tree Farm System certified forests, is one of the greenest
building materials out there-this should be a boon for timber markets for Tree
Farmers right?

Well, not if the US Green Building Council (USGBC) has anything to say about
it. And unfortunately, they do. USGBC is home to the Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design green building rating system (LEED), one of the most widely
used green building rating systems-a tool that builders use to show their
buildings are "green." 

As your voice in Washington, the American Tree Farm System has been fighting
to get your wood products recognized by LEED, and we’ll continue the fight! We
know that healthy markets mean healthy forests and Tree Farmers need all the
tools and resources they can get to keep their forests healthy and keep them
intact for future generations.

USGBC recently released a new rating system, LEED 2012, which would take
effect in 2012. The changes proposed are significant-unfortunately, it doesn’t
change the story for wood or increase recognition of American Tree Farm System
wood. 

LEED is widely recognized and frequently used in construction of government
buildings and commercial buildings. In fact, 30% of LEED certified buildings are
government buildings. While wood is an energy efficient, renewable, carbon
sequestering material, LEED has historically done very little to promote the
environmental benefits of wood or to encourage builders to choose wood
products-essentially blocking wood from the growing green building market. 

Builders and architects can collect few credits under LEED for using wood,
and the credits that are related to wood products are restrictive. For example,
the forest certification credit does not recognize the two largest forest
certification standards in North America, the American Tree Farm System® and the
Sustainable Forestry Initiative. 

The LEED 2012 proposed changes continue to discriminate against wood products
compared to other materials. While manufacturers of materials that are
mined/quarried, extracted, or biobased have to meet basic responsible sourcing
requirements, additional standards are placed on wood products. In the proposed
LEED 2012 changes, the old "Certified Wood" credit is gone, replaced with a
credit for "Responsible Sourcing of Raw Materials." Wood can only earn this
credit by qualifying as "FSC Pure" (meaning 100% FSC), which excludes the
majority of certified products on the market today and continues to ignore three
quarters of North America’s certified forests. While other materials get credit
for responsible sourcing, the majority of forest products cannot, including wood
products from ATFS® certified forests.

While LEED 2012 does offer some new changes with potential for increased
recognition of wood products, these new changes come with additional questions.
For example, LEED 2012 would allow materials, like wood, to achieve recognition
through performance-based Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Environmental Product
Declarations (EPDs). LCA and EPDs are tools that scientifically measure and
describe the environmental impacts of materials. However, there are more
questions than answers for these new tools in LEED, so it is not possible to
determine how wood will be treated. 

LEED 2012 also proposes to recognize materials for their "biobased" content,
and what building material is more biobased than wood? Unfortunately, LEED 2012
relies on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Biopreferred database. Very few
forest products and no wood products for building are recognized in this
database because of USDA’s rules for the database. 
The American Tree Farm System continues to fight for Tree Farmers in this
debate. We know that Tree Farmers need strong markets to grow healthy forests.
LEED is a barrier to strong healthy wood markets.

Because the government is one of the largest users of the LEED system, we’ve
turned our efforts to asking Congress to provide some stronger direction to the
federal agencies, agencies like the General Service Administration and the
Department of Defense, who build a lot of buildings and have a big impact on
building markets. So far, we’ve had over 100 elected officials helping us out
with this! In fact, because of our efforts to fight for wood products, the US
Department of Agriculture announced a new effort to build green and build with
wood earlier this year. 

Green building should offer a wealth of opportunities for wood products from
ATFS certified forests, providing Tree Farmers with resources to continue to
invest in good management on their woodlands. The American Tree Farm System is
your voice in Washington, D.C., urging the U.S. Green Building Council to give
wood more recognition in its LEED system and working with government agencies
and champions in Congress to recognize multiple green building rating systems in
policies. To help us get your wood recognized in Green Building markets sign up
for our Grassroots Action Network at www.familyforestaction.org

Melissa Harden is Public Affairs Manager with the American Tree Farm System.
She can be reached at mharden@forestfoundation.org or (202) 463-2456.




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NRCS Develops Online Tool to Help You Make Wise Land Management Decisions
Lauren Cartwright, NRCS

Every landowner faces a finite amount of land with an infinite amount of
choices and opportunities to manage that land. Land management decisions are
made based on each landowner’s goals, which can also vary widely. Some
landowners only want to maximize profits from their land. Some landowners are
only interested in the aesthetic attributes that their land offers. Many
landowners fall somewhere in between and are interested in both profit and
aesthetics in some balance.

Missouri is graced with vast forestland and a climate suitable for growing
trees as well as grass and cropland. As a result, Missouri landowners have many
options available for managing land to meet their goals. The challenge arises
however when trying to assess the economic impact of land use decisions when the
time horizon of land use decisions are so different. Specifically, the benefit
of the decision to plant trees or maintain and manage an existing stand of trees
versus managing that land as pasture or cropland is challenging to assess
economically because the trees grow over a much longer time period and provide
returns to producers in lump sums versus pasture or cropland that provide
returns annually.

Missouri NRCS has a user friendly planning tool available that provides a
quick economic analysis of forestland management decisions. The tool, entitled
"The Economics of Converting Cropland or Grassland to Forestland" is run in MS
Excel, and is available to download from
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/technical/econ/stat
eresources/?&cid=stelprdb1044088.

For producers considering converting cropland or pasture to forestland, the
tool captures the costs of tree establishment and management and compares those
costs to the benefits the forestland will return in future years through saw
timber, veneer and pulpwood harvest. Users will benefit from the input of a
forester to help assess the estimated yields from a stand based on stand
composition and location. The model returns an Investment Evaluation for the
landowner to use to compare with other possible land use options, such as
maintaining the land in its current land use as cropland or pasture.

For producers who have an existing stand of timber, the tool can also be used
to assess the potential value of that existing stand. In this scenario, the only
cost the landowner may have is associated with managing the stand through timber
stand improvement to maximize the future yield potential. Again, the tool will
compare any management costs to the expected returns from the stand and return
an Investment Evaluation. This aspect of the tool may be helpful for landowners
considering converting an existing stand of timber to another land use, such as
pasture. The investment evaluation will provide the producer with information on
what potential income can be expected from the existing timber.

Missouri landowners are faced with decisions every day on the best management
of their land resources to meet specific goals. With all the choices possible,
decision making can be challenging and overwhelming. Ultimately, the final
decision on how to manage the land and its resources lies solely with the
landowner. However, there are many resources available to provide information to
landowners that may assist decision making. The tool described above is one
example of a resource available to help landowners.

For more information or questions, please contact Lauren at (573) 876-9415,
lauren.cartwright@mo.usda.gov.




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Timber Management Boosts Wildlife and Crop Trees
Bill Graham, Missouri Department of Conservation

John Anderson enjoys hunting in woodlands. But he also wants a healthier
white-tail deer herd and perhaps a return of bobwhite quail at his DeKalb County
farm. So he gave his property the chainsaw treatment to boost bucks and
birds.

Down came honeylocust and small, shingle oak trees in carefully selected
areas. Still standing amid those cuts are white oaks and the healthiest black
oaks. But by thinning timber he’s made room for the most desirable trees to grow
bigger and stronger, such as oaks that produce acorns. Native grasses and
wildflowers also get enough sunlight to grow. Deer and wild turkeys eat acorns
and greens, and birds like quail feed on bugs on flowers.

"Instead of just a tree canopy overhead and leaf litter on the ground, you’ll
get plants that grow after they get enough light," said Audrey Beres, a resource
forester for the Missouri Department of Conservation. "It’s not just food for
deer. You get plants that help songbirds and gamebirds. There are a lot of
wildlife benefits from thinning and opening the woods."

But Anderson, of Kansas City, didn’t start cutting trees at random.

Beres helped him develop a long-range forest stewardship plan for his
property. First they walked the farm and did an inventory of trees. They found "
soft" hardwoods such as elm and locust along with "hard" hardwoods such as
hickory and oaks. In some places, thick stands of ironwood trees crowded out
valuable hardwoods. Then they selected areas where openings could be created or
where small and less desirable trees could be removed near a mast producing
trees such as oaks. 

"To have somebody walk the property with me who has expertise was a big
help," Anderson said.

Besides guidance, Beres also helped Anderson obtain a cost-sharing grant from
a program for wildlife habitat improvements on private lands. That money helped
pay for costs such as fuel or the herbicide sprayed on locust tree stumps to
keep them from re-sprouting.

Woodlands and forests change continually, Beres said. Forest management
directs change to benefit wildlife and trees.

Anderson’s long-range plan also calls for some native prairie grass
restoration. Only a portion of Anderson’s 108-acre farm is wooded, and much of
the timber is on hillsides near a creek. The rolling-hills countryside was
originally prairie with trees and woodlands on slopes and near streams. He plans
to switch some pastures on his farm with non-native fescue to crops for a few
seasons. Eventually he will put some acreage into native grasses that are
friendly to wildlife.

Anderson may see some immediate wildlife benefits from selective tree cutting
and management changes on his land.

"People are sometimes afraid to cut trees because they’re afraid they’ll lose
the deer," Beres said. "But sometimes these openings are the best place to
hunt."

However, trees grow slowly. The most benefits from forest management will be
reaped in decades to come.




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Deadlines for Newsletter Submissions
*Spring Issue: March 15
*Summer Issue: June 15
*Fall Issue: September 15
*Winter Issue: December 15

E-mail or Snail Mail?
Would you rather receive Green Horizons electronically? E-mail us at
elliotttl@missouri.edu or stelzerh@ missouri.edu and we will add you to our
listserv. Be sure and send your full name and address so we can take you off the
snail mail list.

Look ‘Ma, No Staples!
In an effort to curb costs (and keep Green Horizons a free newsletter), we have
made a few changes. First, we have eliminated the staples and gone to what is
known in the trade as ‘flat sheet’ production. By doing so, we get around a few
USPS requirements (like the number of tabs required to secure each mail piece)
and added charges (seems as though they do not like staples in their automated
systems). We have also switched to outside vendors; General Printing of Columbia
and AAA Mail Services of Jefferson City. All these changes result in a savings
of over $750 an issue.




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Calendar of Events

May 5: Missouri Nut Growers’ Association Spring Grafting Meeting, near Collins,
MO. This year’s outing will be at Sara Jean Peters’ First Fruits Farm. Sara Jean
has several plantings of black walnuts which KSU Extension Nut Specialist Bill
Reid will use to demonstrate various grafts. Following lunch and the annual
exchange of scion wood, MU Extension horticulturist Patrick Byers will lead a
tour of several alternative crop plantings, including elderberries, pawpaws, and
Aronia. Coffee is served at 9:00 AM and the program begins at 9:30. Contact Sara
Jean Peters, 417-275-4422 for details after April 1st or visit the MNGA web site
atwww.missourinutgrowers.org.

May 8: Missouri Nut Growers’ Association Spring Grafting EAST, near Washington,
MO. MNGA is pleased to offer a second opportunity for individuals to learn
grafting techniques. Vern and Bee Spaunhorst will host this session at their
Heritage Valley Tree Farm. Vern and Bee are revamping their 10-acre pecan
planting, replacing cultivars that are most subject to scab by grafting onto the
stumps of cut trees. The outing will be held from 1:00 to 4:00 PM and KSU
Extension Specialist Bill Reid will be demonstrating grafts. Contact Vern
Spaunhorst for details at 646-239-7479 or visit the MNGA web site at
www.missourinutgrowers.org.

May 11-12: Spring Missouri Walnut Council Meeting, Edina. The meeting will begin
at 2:00 PM on Friday and 8:00 AM on Saturday; both will start at the Edina
Community Center, 207 North 4th Street. Topics covered during the two-day event
will be what to do with a mature stand of mixed mature hardwoods; how to manage
young and newly-planted black walnut stands; what assistance is available
through MDC and consulting foresters; and marketing and harvesting timber. For
more information, contact Dennis Evans at 417-451-7862.

June 2: Missouri Tree Farm Conference, Hermann. The Heckman family will be
hosting the 2012 Tree Farm Conference. Their farm is located 7 minutes north of
Hermann in the scenic Missouri River Hills. Attendees will have the opportunity
to meet Missouri Tree Farmers and other landowners interested in learning how to
manage their woods. It will be an excellent chance for MOSAF members to promote
the forestry profession. Walking tours will highlight forest ecology (one stop
dramatically illustrates the difference between north-east vs south-west
aspects), forest stand improvement, glade/savannah management, and pond
management. For more information, contact Bob Ball at 855-843-3926,
fwam.trees@gmail.com.

June 7-8: Comprehensive Elderberry Workshop and Farm Tour, Hartsburg, MO. Terry
Durham invites you out to tour his elderberry farm in Hartsburg and attend a
number of workshops focusing on the cultivation of elderberry crops. Guest
speakers will cover topics ranging from the different varieties of elderberry
cultivars to how to market the finished product. For more information, contact
Contact Terry Durham at 573-999-3034, info@elderberrylife.com.




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