22nd Biennial Southern Silvicultural Research Conference

March 21-23, 2023

 
 


March 23, 2023 Field Tour Information

A full-day field trip is planned for the final day of the conference, Friday, March 24, 2023.  The field tour will explore the effects of a range of silvicultural systems to meet differing objectives. Below are the current details for the tour:

  1. Advanced registration and a $50 registration fee are required to attend the field tour. Choose the field tour when completing the conference registration form.

  2. The trip is expected to have an approximate minimum of 30 and maximum of 50 enrollments. If minimum enrollment is not met by January 31, 2023, the trip will be cancelled and registrants notified.

  3. The field trips will depart and return to The Fredonia Hotel. Trip times are expected to be from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, however, tour return time is approximate and may vary based on traffic and weather conditions.

  4. Field trip registration fee covers breakfast, transportation, snacks, drinks (soft drinks & Water), and lunch.

  5. Participation in field trips may involve exposure to wet, muddy, or cold conditions, please plan accordingly.

  6. This information is subject to change.


Boggy Slough Conservation Area

The Boggy Slough Conservation Area (BSCA), (https://www.boggysloughconservation.org),  owned by the T.L.L. Temple Foundation, is a 19,000-acre property with a mix of forest types and management. The property is managed for conservation objectives and conducts research and outreach that promotes stewardship and conservation of natural resources. The tour will highlight current management examples in the upland pine and pine-hardwood forests, highlighting the role of harvests and prescribed fire in developing open canopy, diverse forest structure and composition.


Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture’s ST-Microelectronics Management Sites

In 2001, SFA entered into a partnership with STMicroelectronics, Inc., to implement a carbon sequestration afforestation project.  Over several years, 3449 acres of marginal pastureland was acquired and reforested.  SFA now owns and manages the timberland, with STMicro maintaining the carbon credits.  The properties were reforested with improve “drought-hardy” loblolly pine, which resulted in the “perfect storm” of genetics X old field interaction.  Resulting stands have exhibited impressive volume growth, yet with a plethora of poor form characteristics which have presented management challenges.  Approximately 1/3 of the original acreage has been regenerated due to poor form.  Now in the second rotation, efforts are being made to insure higher-quality stands.  Properties will continue to be intensively managed for timber revenue, research sites, wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration and other ecosystem services, which benefit scholarships, graduate assistantships, research and teaching at SFA.


Depending on road and weather conditions, there will be two options:

Option 1 – Arbor Grove Site

Arborgen genetic deployment trial, SFA Ponderosa Pine Study, SFA Exotic pines seedling Study, SFA Southern Yellow Pine Comparison Study – Replicated plots of 4-year-old loblolly, shortleaf, slash and longleaf pine. Discussion of tree improvement in Western Gulf Region.

Option 2 – Atoy Sites

Thinning study – 3 thinning treatments and unthinned check; 8 years post-thinning. Regeneration on area influenced by dairy run-off; second-rotation attempt of area with poor survival and form during initial reforestation. Original 2001 plantation; thinned twice. Discussion of:  1) thinning study results and comparison of unthinned stand(s), Regeneration of old field; genetic interactions, tree improvement, etc. Further discussion of poor form, etc. as a result of genetics x old field interaction


I.E. Fairchild State Forest

Stop 1 – 10 ½ year old shortleaf pine plantation with prescription burn treatments at ages 6 and 9.  Discussion on challenges/successes associated with seedling establishment and implementation of the burns.


Stop 2 – Understory control practices in a forage area utilized by red-cockaded woodpecker

Program > Field Tour