Demonstration sites will be from 9:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. except from 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. for lunch. Each site will make one presentation every 40 minutes.
The number next to the demonstration title corresponds to the map location.
Topic
#
Topic
Current Description
Speaker
Conservation
1
Conservation Easements
2
Native Grass
Establishment and
Maintenance
Selection and Purchase of
Land
3
4
5
Financial Assistance
Biological Control of
Invasive Vegetation
utilizing Grazing Livestock
Conservation easements are a valuable tool that landowners and producers can use to
protect farms and forests. Whether you’re motivated by tax/economic considerations,
estate planning, or just a land stewardship commitment for future generations, easements
are an effective tool to help you achieve your long-term goals. Whether it is through
purchased conservation easements via programs offered by the Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) or through donation of easement rights to a state
government or non-governmental organization, come learn how easements can help you
plan for the future of your land and the future generations that will depend on that land.
The establishment and maintenance of native plants in targeted areas allows for a more
sustainable approach to management, reducing the quantity of invasive and exotic species
and reducing maintenance costs.
Key aspects to look for in the process of acquiring recreational timberland including
geography, timber stand information, wood baskets, market conditions, wildlife habitat
and infrastructure. This presentation will describe how to evaluate these considerations
and select your ideal recreational tract.
For those managing your property's natural resources, including wildlife, timber, crops,
livestock, soil, water, recreation and aesthetics, you will be interested to learn about the
conservation opportunities that offer technical and financial assistance to help manage for
sustainable agriculture and natural ecosystems.
In an effort to offer a non-chemical, non-mechanical control to invasive vegetation –
consider the utilization of a biological control such as grazing livestock. Find out how to
determine the effectiveness of this system – especially in contrast to the cost of
mechanical control or chemical control. In addition, biological control may create an
additional income in the sale of grazing animals.
Sharon Holbrooks,
NRCS
Buford Sanders, GFC
Jennifer AndersonCruz, NRCS
Matt Haun, Mossy
Oak Properties/
Quality Timber and
Wildlife, Inc.
Eric Darracq, DNR
WRD
Keith Sanders, GFC
Bryan Barrett, NRCS
Tammy Cheely,
UGA CAES
Forestry
6
Selling and Marketing
Timber
7
Tree Health Care: Shade
Tree Troubleshooting
8
Pinestraw Production
9
Forestry Best Management
Practices
10 Economics of Longleaf
Pine Management
11 Invasive Insects, Diseases
and Plants
12 The Whys, Whens and
Hows of Thinning
The sale of timber is often a transaction that may only happen once-in-a-lifetime and as a
private non-industrial landowner, you deserve the best possible price for the trees you have
managed and protected for 25 or more years. While it is highly recommend to obtain the
services of a professional consulting forester registered to practice in Georgia, you also can
sell the timber yourself. Find out what you need to know when using a consultant or if selling
on your own.
"The Tree Doctor is IN! (5 cents required)." This is a walk up discussion of individual tree
problems and concerns stressing (pun intended) abiotic tree problems. Preventative and post
problem strategies to deal with these problems will be addressed.
Ben Hammond, GFC
Forest landowners in the southeastern United States have the opportunity to manage their
loblolly, longleaf and slash pine stands for pine straw (fresh undecomposed needles; the litter
layer) for additional revenues. Pine straw is used primarily as mulch in landscaping and has
grown in annual revenues paid to landowners from $15 million to $70 million in Georgia. Pine
straw is typically sold by the acre or by the bale. Longleaf pine straw commands the highest
price per bale, followed by slash pine, and lastly loblolly pine. Per rake yields from loblolly
stands tend to be 15 to 30 percent greater than slash and longleaf pine. Pine straw raking
typically starts at canopy closure continuing to the first thinning, generating from $50 to
$200/acre per year for 5 to 10 years. This field day site will discuss the various aspects of pine
stand management for straw.
Find out best management practices when preparing for forest road construction (issues
include erosion, sediment control and road placement) and forestry operations along stream
(issues include proper procedures, and alternatives for stream crossings).
There has been a longstanding belief that managing longleaf pines is economically
unattractive, especially when compared to other southern pine species. Advances in seedling
quality, planting techniques, and silvicultural techniques have addressed and largely
overcome these problems. This site will demonstrate how, when managed correctly, longleaf
is equivalent to that of other pines once it breaks out of the grass stage.
Invasive insects, diseases and plants affect our forests through direct mortality of trees, lost
growth and in some cases out-competing native species and eliminating them from the site.
Find out which insects, diseases and plants are the “most UNwanted” and what practices can
be put into place to help your land withstand an invasion.
Thinning is a forest management practice generally performed during the course of the growth
and development of both natural and planted pine stands. Thinning (as a forest management
practice) can be defined as the calculated removal of certain trees from an existing stand that
is usually conducted with a specific objective in mind. When should you thin? What are the
benefits to the landowner, the health of the stand and to wildlife? Find out at this session.
David Dickens, UGA
WSFNR
Kim Coder, UGA WSFNR
Ritcher Mullen, GFC
Joseph Moore, GFC
Ben Jackson, UGA WSFNR
Randy Tate, Longleaf
Alliance
Chris Barnes, GFC
Paul McDaniel, GFC
13 Prescribed Burning
14 Forest Certification
15 Removing Understory by
Mechanical Equipment
Prescribed burning is the use of fire applied in a specific manner under specific conditions to
accomplish specific objectives. Prescribed burning is often the cheapest and least
environmentally damaging method of carrying out forest management practices. Prescribed
fire can be used for hardwood control, wildlife habitat improvement, natural regeneration, site
preparation, and hazard reduction. However, when used improperly, it can do great damage.
At this session, find out how to use prescribed fire safely and effectively, how to identify the
objectives of the burn and how to put together a prescribed burning plan.
This presentation and discussion will cover the basics of the three major forest certification
systems, with an emphasis on Non-industrial Private Forest (NIPF) landowners. We will also
discuss the increasing importance of certified forest products in our global economy.
There are many different methods to manage wildlife habitat such as harvesting timber,
prescribed fire, seasonal disking and herbicide application. Recently, a new tool has gained
popularity in improving areas for wildlife: the tree mulcher. Tree mulcher is a generic name
describing a variety of different skidsteer or skidder attachments for cutting and mulching
brush and small trees. Other names you may hear are forestry cutter, tree mower and brush
mower. Tree mulchers are effective and economical tools for clearing undesirable vegetation
to improve wildlife habitat and aesthetics.
Jeffrey Mansour, GFC
Chase Cook, UGA WSFNR
Dru Preston, GFC
Forrest Buckner, DNR WRD
Calvin Keith, GFC
Wildlife
16 Wildland Urban Interface
and Wildfire
17 Promoting Bats on Private
Lands
18 Managing Nuisance
Wildlife Problems
19 Wetland Management for
Waterfowl
20 Pond Management
Basics of defensible space in the "Home ignition Zone" and firewise principles to reduce risk
from a wildfire. Firewise landscaping and construction techniques. How to become certified as
a Firewise Community and Fire Adapted Community. Forest management practices to reduce
risk from wildfire.
Come learn about the common urban and suburban bats in the Southeast and the benefits that
they can provide. Find out how to properly use bat houses to attract these beneficial insecteaters to your backyard.
Georgia’s population is estimated to grow by more than 100,000 people annually. With this
growth comes the increased opportunity for interaction with wildlife. During this session,
attendees will find out what types of technical guidance and education are available to the
public relative to wildlife that commonly thrives in urban areas (raccoons, foxes, coyotes, deer
to name a few). Issues related to wildlife damage including agriculture, property and human
safety also will be discussed.
There are three different types of management schemes for waterfowl in Georgia: providing
wintering habitat for ducks, providing wintering habitat for Canada geese, or providing
breeding and brood-rearing habitat for wood ducks. Find out which option might be right for
you, depending on your personal interests and the potential of your property, at this session.
Wildlife Viewing Ponds - A wildlife-viewing pond is either managed or unmanaged. Learn
about the advantages and disadvantages of wildlife viewing ponds, including the use of plants,
Beryl Budd, GFC
Jason Scott, ABAC
Mike Mengak, UGA
WSFNR
Greg Balkcom, DNR WRD
Gary Burtle, UGA CAES
21 Bringing Birds to Your
Backdoor
22 Managing for Wild
Turkeys in Georgia
23 Doves-Field Preparation
and Management
24 Wildlife Openings
25 Bobwhite Quail Habitat
Mgmt and Restoration
26 Quality Deer Management
27 Feral Hog Issues
the addition of native fish species and the type of wildlife a landowner might attract.
Sportfish Management in Private Ponds - There are over 100,000 acres of private ponds in
Georgia being managed for sportfish production. Properly managed ponds can provide an
abundant supply of fish for food and recreation, attract wildlife, add aesthetics and increase
value of both urban and rural lands.
Discover how you can greatly improve the value of your backyard for a variety of songbird
species. Learn how to provide a diverse array of food, water, cover and nesting resources to
attract more songbirds to your yard.
Habitat is the key to wild turkey abundance. A turkey’s home range may be in excess of 1,000
acres as it seeks for all its seasonal habitat needs. Quality habitat consists of mature woodlands
with open understories and well-developed midstories interspersed with grassy or weedy
openings. Discover how the proper management of woodlands and open lands is important in
optimizing turkey populations.
With regards to total hunter harvest, the mourning dove is the number one game bird in
Georgia and the nation. Find out how to maximize the benefits of your dove field at this
session.
The quality and amount of open land managed for natural, early-successional vegetation
(grasses and weeds) or agricultural crops often limits many wildlife species on forested tracts
in Georgia. Food plots are often what landowners focus on to provide this type of habitat.
Attend this session to learn ways to increase the quality and quantity of wildlife openings on
your property and protect them from premature use.
Northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) have declined dramatically in recent decades
primarily due to large scale changes in land use. However, increased emphasis is being placed
on bobwhite restoration and landowners can receive technical assistance in improving habitat
for quail and other wildlife species. Find out more about the Northern Bobwhite Conservation
Initiative (NBCI), habitat programs and practices, supplemental feeding, predator control, pen
reared birds and other considerations in managing bobwhite habitat and populations.
QDM is a management philosophy/practice that unites landowners, hunters, and managers in a
common goal of producing biologically and socially balanced deer herds within existing
environmental, social, and legal constraints. Find out more about this program at this session.
Hunters want to add them to the freezer, but landowners just want them off their property.
During this discussion, attendees will hear about the basic biology and habits of this
troublesome species as well as see a hog trapping demonstration, using different trap designs
and doors and discuss pros/cons of each. Additionally, the presentation will cover some basic
disease issues relative to hogs, and some of the precautions that need to be taken when
handling these animals.
Jay Shelton, UGA WSFNR
Vanessa Lane, ABAC
Kevin Lowrey, DNR WRD
Kevin Von Seggern, DNR
WRD
Theron Menken, DNR WRD
Emily Rushton, DNR WRD
Lindsay Thomas, Jr.
QDMA
Steve Smith, USDA-APHIS
Wildlife Services
28 Coyotes and Deer
Management
29 Beekeeping as a Business
or Sideline
The rise of coyotes in the Southeast and their potential impacts on deer have caused a great
deal of concern for hunters and landowners. This presentation will cover the most current
research on coyote/deer interactions, how to monitor coyote impacts on deer, and how to
mitigate or reduce those impacts.
Beekeeping is a tradition that many people have considered a hobby, and some have made into
a profitable business. At this session, general beekeeping topics will be discussed with focus
on different aspects of the industry such as honey production, pollination, queen rearing and
packaging bees.
Charlie Killmaster
DNR WRD
Jim Quick, UGA CAES
Small Equipment
30 Chainsaw Safety and
Maintenance
31 Chipper Use and Safety
32 Selection and Maintenance
of Small Equipment to
Manage Land
This session will provide attendees with information on how to get the most from their
equipment and reduce the risk of injury from accidents. Topics covered in this
workshop include: chain saw equipment maintenance, personal protective equipment,
choosing the proper tool for the job, starting, storage, accessories, and risks associated
with kickbacks and felling / bucking reactive forces.
Before operating any brush chipper, a detailed understanding and awareness of all
features of the equipment is imperative. This session will cover proper start up, safety
and operating procedures along with personal protective equipment for operating
wood chippers and shredders. Nobody should be allowed to operate or work around a
chipper or shredder until they fully understand how to properly operate the equipment.
Peter Jenkins,
TreeInspection.com, Inc.
This presentation will cover the basic selection and maintenance of small equipment to assist
the land owner in caring for their property. Whether building food plots, planting a garden or
managing wildlife habitat, the proper equipment can make the job much easier and more
successful. Equipment will cover items such as hand tools, tillers, chainsaws, planters and
small tractors. There will also be some discussion on how to properly care for and trouble
shoot equipment problems.
Bob Westerfield, UGA
CAES
Coleman Tatum, Tatum Tree
Care and Removal