Page 25 - Georgia Forestry - Issue2 - Spring 2019

of trouble. Levels of southern pine beetles in Georgia have been low recently — however, swaths of fragrant, stressed trees could be a loud dinner bell for the invasive pests and other less aggressive pine bark beetles. Landowners are urged to be vigilant for tree needles that change color from dark green to pale green, to yellow and then red. GFC foresters can help with a diagnosis.
Equipment repairs have also been underway. As one would expect, pushing multi-ton trees and plowing through jagged debris can do damage to bulldozer parts, and this storm did a lot of that. Because demand has not lessened for the equipment, mechanics are keeping a brisk pace in a lot of GFC machine sheds.
Many landowners are planning to reforest their acreage and that will create a need for more seeds and seedlings. GFC’s Reforestation Chief Jeff Fields is on it.
“Our plan this year is to increase seedling production somewhat,” Fields said. “So many questions still remain about time frames. For the next two to three years, we expect to gradually increase production and work with private industry to meet demand.”
And So It Goes...
Perhaps it is the nature of people who take to forestry to be realistic — and grateful. After all, no one ever said agriculture would be easy.
“The natural world calls the shots, we don’t,” said GFC Forester Stephen Martin, standing by his customer and friend, Mark Coffman. “As bad as it is here, it’s worse in Florida.”
Hurricane Michael left a lot of people hurting. Said one landowner whose retirement was in sight, “I waited 30 years for this, and it was over in 30 seconds.” The sight of endless acres of trees, twisted and scattered as if a giant had dropped a handful of pixie sticks, still elicits pain. Yet these grounded Georgians are moving on.
“My job is to get my landowners in shape to where they need to be,” said Chief Ranger Heard.
“I still feel blessed, and I’ll do what’s best for the land,” Coffman said. “This place won’t ever be the same, but this place is going to heal.”
STASIA KELLY IS A MEDIA RELATIONS SPECIALIST WITH GEORGIA FORESTRY COMMISSION. STASIA IS FOCUSED ON TELLING THE STORY OF FORESTRY AND THE IMMENSE IMPACT OF THE INDUSTRY ON GEORGIA’S ENVIRONMENT, ECONOMY AND HERITAGE.
ServiinggtTheSouthheeaassttFofroOrve3r030yYears.
BEACH TIMBER COMPANY, Inc.
We are pole, piling, and mulch manufacturers, focusing on procuring wood and buying timber.
Gary Strickland, Owner
(912) 632-2800
www.beachtimber.com
P.O. Box 763 • Alma, GA 31510
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