New MDC foresters ready for duties in southwest Missouri

Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Resource Forester
Cody Bailey will work out of MDC's Cassville Office and will
work with landowners in Barry, Lawrence and a portion of McDonald counties.

Cody Bailey and Guerric Good will work with landowners and on public land.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Helping landowners with conservation needs will be the primary duties of Cody Bailey and Guerric Good, two new Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) resource foresters who will work in the southwest part of the state.

Bailey, who began his job Jan. 16, will work out of MDC’s Cassville Office. He replaces Adam Bale, who is now district forester at MDC’s Neosho Office. Bailey will work with landowners in Barry, Lawrence and a portion of McDonald counties. He will also assist with the management of 13 MDC-owned lands. He can be contacted at 417-847-5949 or atCody.Bailey@mdc.mo.gov

Prior to coming to Cassville, Bailey was a resource forester assistant at MDC’s Sullivan Office. Before that, the Taylorville, Ill. native and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale graduate held forestry jobs in Illinois and Mississippi.

“I am very excited to begin helping landowners and to explore all the new MDC areas that I will be working with,” he said.

Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Resource
Forester Guerric Good will work out of MDC's Bolivar Office
and will work with landowners in Polk, Cedar, Dade and a portion
of Hickory counties.

Good will work out of MDC’s Bolivar Office and will start his job Feb. 1. He will work with landowners in Polk, Cedar, Dade and a portion of Hickory counties. Also included in his duties will be assisting with the management of nine MDC areas in Polk, Dade and northern Greene counties. He replaces Brice Kelso, who transferred as resource forester to MDC’s Northeast Regional Office in Kirksville. Good can be contacted at 417-326-5189 or atGuerric.Good@mdc.mo.gov.

Good, a graduate of Ball State University, is planning to complete his master’s degree program this spring from the University of Missouri. He has performed forestry work previously in Indiana and Montana.

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Make smart decisions before your timber sale and Call Before You Cut

MDC Forester Aaron Holsapple gives advice to landowner about managing woodlands. 

MDC encourages landowners to Call Before You Cut to get expert advice on managing woodlands.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – It's a pretty good bet that many landowners would benefit from expert advice when it comes to managing their woodlands, especially if they are thinking about harvesting timber. That's because caring for forested property is a long-term proposition where decisions landowners make can have long-term impacts on trees, water and wildlife.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages woodland owners to use the Call Before You Cut program to consult with professional foresters and trained loggers before they make decisions about their property.

"If you've got more than 20 acres of forested property, Call Before You Cut can help you determine whether a timber harvest is right for your land," MDC Forestry Field Program Supervisor Steve Westin said. "Whether you're looking at your timber as a source of income or a way to improve habitat for deer, turkey or other wildlife, your woods are a valuable resource."

Landowners can call toll-free (877-564-7483) to request a packet of information that will help them set up a timber sale, contact professional help, and find other management information for their woods.

"Although woodland owners know a lot about their property, they often don't have the critical information they need to determine when to harvest trees and who to hire to do it," said Westin. "It's important for landowners to know how many trees to cut, how much the trees are worth, and what the woods will look like after the harvest is completed."

Forest covers roughly one-third of Missouri, and private landowners own 83 percent of those timberlands. They are key providers of trees to produce some of Missouri's widely sought-after wood products, such as flooring, white oak for wine barrels and black walnut products. Call Before You Cut can help ensure healthy, productive woodlands for landowners and a healthy forest industry for years to come.

"Managing your woodlands can be a rewarding and profitable activity," said Westin. "A timber harvest can start a new chapter in the history of your woods by removing mature trees, allowing younger trees to grow freely, and new trees to start growing."

MDC recently released a series of videos that offers an overview of timber management, showing how foresters and loggers can help landowners make the right decisions for their properties. The series covers how to complete a forest inventory, how to protect the property with accurate site layout, how to select a logger, and how to prevent erosion with the installation of water bars. Find the videos on the MDC YouTube channel or go directly to the video playlist here: http://bit.ly/1QHakIe.

More information about the Call Before You Cut program is available atcallb4ucut.com/Missouri.

MDC offers habitat management field day in Platte County

Weston, Mo. – A field day to help property owners manage for healthy woods and wildlife habitat will be offered by the Missouri Department of Conservation 9 a.m. to Noon on

Saturday, Oct. 18, at Jungk Tree Farm near Weston.

   Taking Care of Your Land Field Day is free. Participants are requested to RSVP to MDC Resource Forester Paul Whitsell at 816-655-6263, ext. 1345. The property is reached about a half miles south of Weston on Route JJ.

   Topics covered will include thinning timber for healthier trees and better wildlife habitat, timber harvest, erosion prevention on trails, growing shitake mushrooms, flood plots for deer, invasive species control and pond construction.

   The event will include a hike to observe the results of healthy forest management practices. For information on forestry in Missouri, http://www.mdc.mo.gov.

MDC recognizes Wayne County man as Southeast Region Logger of the Year

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) announces Jeff Skaggs, owner of Skaggs Logging in Wayne County, as the 2014 Southeast Region Logger of the Year.

Skaggs is certified as a Professional Timber Harvester and a Missouri Master Logger. According to Regional Forestry Supervisor Joe Garvey, Skaggs' nomination is due to his professionalism and high quality results in the logging woods.

"The quality of Jeff’s logging jobs that I have observed have always reflected positively on Missouri’s Master Logger program," said Garvey.

Skaggs' work on a timber harvest at Flatwoods Conservation Area (CA) in Wayne County was exceptional, according to Garvey. Residual damage levels were low and the water bars that were built for erosion mitigation were well constructed. Skaggs maintained a clean logging site free of litter.

"His work presented a good image of the logging industry and the Conservation Department’s forest management practices," said Garvey.

Skaggs recognizes that it takes teamwork to get the job done. Skaggs’ crew includes Randy Carter, Josh Mullins and Jeff’s father, Curt Skaggs. Skaggs and his crew work with private landowners to recommend trees that can be harvested and trees that should be left. They work to ensure residual damage levels are low and to reduce skid trails on the harvest site.

"We are fortunate to work in an area with a healthy forest products industry and numerous loggers and wood processing mills. The timber harvests conducted by Skaggs represent some of the best quality jobs in this area," Garvey said.

According to Jason Jensen, MDC’s forestry field programs supervisor, regional logger awards are given to the logger that demonstrates the ability to carry out a timber harvest in a manner that causes the least amount of damage to the remaining resources on-site. The purpose is to recognize the abilities of loggers who practice low impact logging and take extra time to harvest forest resources responsibly. Jensen said MDC desires to recognize loggers throughout the state that do an outstanding job in timber harvesting operations and there’s extensive criteria for the award.

Additionally, Jensen said loggers must have completed the Professional Timber Harvester’s Training Program sponsored by the Missouri Forest Products Association and the MDC.

Crader Distributing Company, headquartered in Marble Hill, Mo., the exclusive distributor of STIHL Outdoor Power Equipment in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Southern Illinois, sponsors the Logger Award program. STIHL has given Skaggs’ crew members a protective kit valued at $160 to commemorate the award.

For more information on forests in Missouri and forestry Best Management Practices, go online tomdc.mo.gov.

Celebrate Missouri trees during Arbor Days in April

Trees Work in so many ways for our health, wealth, environment, and happiness.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – In the country, suburbs, cities, and all across Missouri, trees and

forests are valuable to our health, wealth, environment, and happiness. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages all Missourians to celebrate the value of Missouri trees and forests on Arbor Days in April by planting native trees and practicing proper tree care.

National Arbor Day is recognized on the last Friday of April, which is April 25 for 2014. Each state determines its Arbor Day based on its unique climate and weather patterns. Missouri has been observing Arbor Day since 1886 when the General Assembly declared that the first Friday in April should be set aside for the appreciation and planting of trees.

This year’s Arbor Day in Missouri has been recognized through a proclamation by Governor Jeremiah “Jay” Nixon as April 4. According to the proclamation: forests cover approximately one-third of the state; provide outdoor recreation, wildlife habitat, natural beauty, and watersheds for stream and rivers; provide employment for 33,000 people who convert trees into essential products; contribute beauty and shade to urban, suburban, and rural areas while creating a more pleasant and healthful environment; and Missouri will continue to benefit from its forests for succeeding generations through tree planting and conservation.

In celebration of Arbor Days and in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Transportation’s (MoDOT) “Trees for Tomorrow” program, MDC distributes nearly 100,000 native tree seedlings from its George O. White State Nursery to fourth-grade classes from more than 1,300 schools throughout the state each spring. MoDOT supports the production and distribution of the trees to offset the natural resources it may disturb during construction activities. The seedling distribution supports MDC’s Discover Nature Schools program, which provides grade-appropriate curriculum and outdoor, hand-on activities to help students learn about the importance of conservation.

Get more information from MDC on backyard tree care, including proper tree selection and planting tips, online at mdc.mo.gov/node/3321.

TREES WORK

During Arbor Days and every day, MDC’s “Trees Work” public-awareness campaign reminds people how trees work for our wallets, health, families, communities, environment, and economy.

Trees Work for Our Wallets

• Shade from two large trees on the west side of a house and one on the east side can save up to 30 percent of a typical residence's annual air conditioning costs.
• Trees placed as windbreaks around buildings can save up to 25 percent on heating costs.
• Street trees in neighborhoods increase sale prices of houses by an average of $8,870.

Trees Work for Our Health

• Views of nature assist at the workplace. Employees with views of nature report 15 percent fewer illnesses and feel more enthusiastic and less frustrated than those without.
• Those who commute along tree-lined roads remain calmer and drive less aggressively than those who drive along less treed roads.
• Tree-lined streets are more walkable, encouraging more active lifestyles, which decreases obesity and improves heart health.
• 100-foot plantings of tall trees can reduce noise by 50 percent.

Trees Work for Our Families

• Symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder in children are relieved after spending time in treed areas. Kids can better concentrate, complete tasks, and follow directions after playing in natural settings. Contact with nature helps children develop imagination, creativity, and social relationships.
• Trees along streets promote physical activity in children and increase longevity of the elderly.
• One of the most effective means of protecting children from sun damage is to plant shade trees where they play.

Trees Work for Our Communities

• A 10-percent increase in trees in a neighborhood reduces crime by 12 percent.
• Trees improve downtowns. People are willing to spend 12 percent more for goods and services in downtowns with trees, and spend more time shopping and come back more frequently.
• People tend to be more familiar and socialize more with neighbors in neighborhoods with trees.

Trees Work for Our Environment

• Covering more than one-third of the state, Missouri trees and forests protect soil from erosion and filter water, provide oxygen needed to breathe, and clean the air by trapping and storing pollution.
• Missouri forests and trees provide habitat for an incredible diversity of plants and animals that could not exist without them, along with a wealth of outdoor recreational opportunities and breathtaking scenic beauty.100 mature trees intercept about 100,000 gallons of rainfall per year, reducing runoff and providing cleaner water.
• The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to 10 room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day.
• Missouri’s forests store more than 5 million tons of carbon. Each year, an acre of forest captures between one and four tons of additional carbon.
• For each pound of new wood that grows, the tree removes about 1.8 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air and produces 1.3 pounds of oxygen.

Trees Work for Our Economy

• Missouri trees and forests provide lumber and other wood products used around the state and around the world.
• Missouri’s forest products industry contributes approximately $7.3 billion to the state economy annually, supports 41,200 jobs, and generates $610 million in taxes.
• Trees along streets in Missouri communities provide $148 million annually in benefits, including energy savings, increases in property values, and storm-water retention.

For more information on how Trees Work, go online to mdc.mo.gov/node/19333.

WITHOUT TREES…

MDC’s Trees Work public-education campaign is holding a contest encouraging people to finish the phrase “Without Trees...” The winning slogan will be listed on the next poster in the Trees Work series. Simply email “Without Trees...” slogans to treeswork@mdc.mo.gov by April 30. The winner will also receive a complete set of the “Without Trees...” handcrafted letterpress posters plus 10 extra posters with their slogan to give to family and friends. For more information and to see current posters, visit mdc.mo.gov/node/19333.

Thinking about a timber sale? MDC advises "Call Before You Cut!"

Get professional advice to maximize benefits to wallets, families, and land.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) recommends

The Missouri Department of Conservation recommends that landowners considering
 a timber sale “Call Before You Cut” to get professional advic
e from an MDC forester (as shown here) or private consulting foresters
 to help landowners maximize benefits to their wallets, families
 and land. Call (877) 564-7483, or go online tocallb4ucut.com.

that landowners considering a timber sale “Call Before You Cut” to get professional advice that can help them maximize benefits to their wallets, families and land.

“This is especially true if they have never had a timber sale before, or are concerned about the long-term health, wildlife habitat, and looks of their forested land,” said MDC Forestry Field Program Supervisor Brian Schweiss. “Through our Call Before You Cut service, landowners can get professional help from MDC foresters and private consulting foresters. It only takes a phone call to (877) 564-7483, or by going online tocallb4ucut.com.”

Schweiss added that 83 percent of Missouri forests are privately owned and all forests provide important benefits to both those who own them and society in general.

“Forested lands play a vital role in providing clean air, recreational opportunities, wildlife habitat, forest products and clean water,” Schweiss said. “We work with and for many Missouri landowners to sustain healthy forests. From decades of research, we’ve learned that active forest management enhances the value of privately held woodlands.”

Schweiss offers landowners five reasons to Call Before You Cut:

1. Maximize timber income and save on taxes.

• The difference between a low bid and high bid on a timber sale is typically substantial. Unaware landowners may take the first offer. A professional forester can assist with marking trees and estimating their value so the landowner knows what is being sold and the potential value. Equally important, professional foresters know what trees should not be cut for future forest benefits.
• Tax savings may be another benefit. A professional forester can set a value for timber, known as the “basis,” for the year the landowner purchased the property. When selling trees, this basis can be deducted from the volume sold. In addition, sale revenue under the right conditions can be treated as capital gains income rather than ordinary income. Depending on how reported, landowners may be able to save a bit on taxes.

2. Harvest to increase quality, health and value of land.

• Leaving the right trees is just as important as harvesting the right trees. Proper harvesting should leave trees with future potential. Depending on landowner objectives, these trees have wildlife value, future harvest value, and aesthetic value. Harvesting all good trees and leaving bad ones is referred to as “hi-grading.” When this occurs, a sale may be a “once in a lifetime” event. If the right trees are left, timber sales could occur on the same acres every 10–15 years.
• Some larger landowners break their properties into different cutting units, have sales semi-annually, and rotate around the property on a set cycle. This provides regular income, encourages faster growth of desired trees, and maintains a healthy forest. Leaving the right trees will also maximize hunting and recreation opportunities.

3. Protect land for future generations.

• Leaving property to their children is an important objective for many landowners. This legacy could be damaged through one poorly planned timber sale. Hi-grading and other harvests that take all sellable trees do not leave much potential for the next generation.
• Practices such as forest thinning can help improve growing conditions for preferred species. This forest-stand improvement removes or harvests the worst trees, and provides needed growing space for remaining trees so they remain healthy and grow for a future sale, or wildlife needs.

4. Find the best logger for the job.

• What sets apart a good logger from a bad logger? How do you ensure that the person harvesting trees on your property will not leave ruts and damaged trees? This concern is shared by many landowners. In Missouri, many loggers have completed the Missouri Forest Products Association’s Professionally Trained Harvester program. This teaches felling and skidding techniques that minimize damage to the forest. Some harvesters go one step further and become “Master Loggers.” These individuals have both completed extensive training, and have demonstrated excellent performance.
• It is also vital that landowners have a detailed contract that specifies what will be done and not be done with a timber sale. A professional forester can help landowners develop contracts that protect the land and remaining trees from damage, and that specify payment methods for harvested trees.

5. Learn if harvesting is right for the situation.

• Professional foresters can help landowners determine if the time is right for a timber harvest. Small trees may be harvestable, but may not have reached their full potential value. A nice white oak that is only 16 inches in diameter has value, but may only bring a lower lumber value. This same tree will increase in size and volume over time, and may sell at a higher veneer value at a later date. That is a double benefit for the landowner since they could receive a higher board-foot value, and the tree will have more board feet of volume.

MDC coordinates the “Call Before You Cut” program for Missouri in partnership with the Missouri Chapter of the Society of American Foresters, the U.S. Forest Service Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry, and the Missouri Tree Farm Program. The program encourages woodland owners to consult with a professional forester, in conjunction with a professional timber harvester or a master logger, before they make decisions about their forestland.

For more information and to receive a free Call Before You Cut packet, call (877) 564-7483, or go online to callb4ucut.com.

Related articles

• MDC offers TRIM grants and workshops for community forest improvements (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• MDC testing results show no new cases of chronic wasting disease (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Share your fishing skills by volunteering with MDC to teach others (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• Missouri landowners invited to Tree Farm Conference in Kirksville (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)

MDC seeks comments on forest-management guidelines

Guidelines to help landowners achieve forest management goals while also benefiting wildlife.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – If you own or manage forest land, you might want to take a look at the newly created, voluntaryforest-management guidelines being developed in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).

MDC is asking for comments about the guidelines from anyone with an interest in Missouri’s public and private forests. These guidelines are strictly voluntary but are designed to assist private land owners in managing their forest resources.

“We want these guidelines to be understandable and practical for anyone to use,” says MDC Resource Forester Mike Bill. “To achieve that, we want everyone with an interest in management of Missouri’s forest to be able to read the guidelines and tell us what they think about them.”

A draft version of the Missouri Forest Management Guidelines is online for public comment at mdc.mo.gov/node/23881from Sept. 15 through Nov. 15.

Bill helped coordinate development of the guidelines, a process that took approximately 18 months. Contributors included public and private foresters, fish and wildlife biologists, botanists, landowners and representatives of Missouri’s forest products industry. This group was made-up of 30 representatives from 16 organizations.

The guidelines provide advice on how to carefully manage forest resources to protect and enhance soil and water quality, visual quality, wildlife habitat, rare plants and animals, historical and cultural resources, and forest health.  The document also outlines why a well-managed forest is important to all these resource elements.

“It’s our job to do everything we can to ensure that future generations of Missourians have the same or better forests than we have today,” says Bill. “You can’t do that without science-based management, and you can’t do it without active citizen support and landowner participation.  More than 80 percent of Missouri’s forest acreage is privately owned. It is absolutely critical that we engage landowners and the people who work and play on private forest land.”

More information about Missouri forests and forest management is available at mdc.mo.gov/your-property.

A Short History of Missouri Forests

Second Article in Managing Missouri's Public Land for All
If you are like me you are predisposed to the assumption that things were better “back then.”  In the case of the forests of Missouri, it depends on which “back then” you mean.  The forests of Missouri are indeed quite different today than what one would have encountered in 1850, 1870, 1910, or 1930.  These four years are very approximate dividing lines regarding the history of Missouri forests.  Stepping across these lines one way or the other would have taken the observer into forests, or at times almost no forests, that were radically different.  

I want to be clear that I am not a historian, and one would almost certainly take some minor issues to

Shortleaf Pines near Rocky Creek in
the Ozark National Scenic Riverways.
Theses trees once dominated the Ozark
Plateau landscape.  Oak and hickory now
have taken over their dominant role after
the excessive logging between
 1870 and the 1920's.

time frames and events that I will share from my research.  Part of the problem with that is in the fact that some of the issues are not 100% agreed upon in the research that I did.

Prior to 1850, the forests of Missouri, both the sprawling forests of the Ozark highlands in southern Missouri and those of northern Missouri had not seen radical change from their natural state.  In the 1850’s, some immigration began to occur into the Ozarks, but by-and-large, the impact on the landscape was minimal.  Some trees were cleared for very small farms and the buildings for the immigrants, but the impact up to now were minimal.  The primary species of trees in the Ozark Highlands during these years and those preceding them was shortleaf pine.  

This status quo, in other words some minor impact from new settlers to the Ozarks, continued to carry the day, with some increase in logging as St. Louis and other cities utilized the forest resources up until the Civil War.  The Civil War had an immense impact on everything throughout Missouri in general, and perhaps most greatly in the Ozarks.  The Ozarks became a den of thugs throughout the war and for sometime after.  The population was decimated in the region, and there was no possibility for commercial endeavors such as logging to occur.

That all changed in a slow and steady manner beginning in about 1870.  Gradually, as rule of law began to take hold through the region, logging interests began to buy up vast tracts of the Ozarks.  Land was dirt cheap, and the resources, as is so often the case, seemed inexhaustible.  It truly was amazing how quickly this premise was proven wrong.  Timber for railroads and the construction of postwar America was in high demand.  The Ozarks essentially were an enormous logging camp until the resource was in fact exhausted.

Logging hit its peak right around 1910.  By the 1920s, there was nothing left whatsoever to log.  The shortleaf pine was essentially extirpated from the Missouri Ozarks.

As the logging companies no longer needed their land, much was put on the market.  Some of it was subsequently mined.  Other parcels were sold off at bargain prices.  With the source of income for the locals gone, they turned to farming.  Without going into great detail, the assumption by landowners was the best way to increase the quality of the soil was to burn off whatever trees and other vegetation had managed to survive the logging era.  This was not done just once, but would be done on a regular basis.  One source asserted that in some years, 50% of the landscape was put to the torch.  The truth was that the burned vegetation would provide a short term flury of growth, but made no meaningful difference in soil quality.  

That is unless you mean that it had the impact of creating enormous erosion nightmares.  The clean running Ozark streams would run as dirty as the Mississippi or Missouri Rivers.  What’s more, what little decent soil there really was across the Ozark Plateau was being quickly transported to the Gulf of Mexico.  

By the 1930’s, there began to develop a sense that the Ozarks and Missouri in general were in trouble.  At this time, two things started to turn the tide.  First, the Missouri Conservation Commission was created.  This non-political organization is an example to this day of the way common sense conservation can be executed at the state level.  Many states have tried to emulate the success of this organization, but few have matched its effectiveness. (Author’s Editorial Comment: Missouri state legislators have recently tried to politicize the operations of the MIssouri Conservation Commission as well as the Missouri Department of Conservation.  This would be tragic for hunters, fishermen, hikers, water sport enthusiasts, campers, and so on.)

The other thing that dramatically affected the forestlands of Missouri at this time was the depression era Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC).  These men planted millions of trees to replenish the depleted forests and built parks, trails, and other facilities to enhance the opportunities for visitors to enjoy this potentially beautiful region.

Also, it would be leaving out a lot to not mention that the first purchases of Federal land began to be purchased during this era.  What’s more, recognizing the poor land management practices of the local population, efforts were made by the Federal government to educate residents on the matter.  Since few areas had electricity, trucks with mobile movie projection equipment would go from settlement to settlement showing movies for people who might never have seen a motion picture on how they could better manage their land.

At this juncture, Missouri’s wildest region had few of its native trees remaining, as well as almost no wild game.  Turkey and deer numbers were wiped out across the entire state.  But a foundation was in place for a gradual improvement in all of these areas and that process had begun.

There are shortleaf pine to be found now in the Ozarks, but the forests more closely resemble those of northern Missouri in that they are predominantly oak and hickory.  The forests of the Ozarks and the state as a whole are in infinitely better shape than they were then.  Game populations are in relatively healthy shape.  But could they be better and what are the practices being employed by the United States Forest Service and the MDC?

These will be topics for our subsequent explorations.

"Forests | Missouri Department of Conservation." 2010. 31 May. 2013 <http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/habitats/forests>

"CCC Strong: Historic 1930s structures in our state parks | Missouri ..." 2011. 31 May. 2013 <http://mostateparks.com/blog/state-parks-stories/58988/ccc-strong-historic-1930s-structures-our-state-parks>

Cape Girardeau Nature Center Program

Image by epSos.de via FlickrThe forest looks different at night—it even sounds different at night!  Have you ever wondered what it’s like walking through the forest at night?  Venture out with us on our paved trail as we talk about wildlife that prowl our forest nocturnally.  Come to the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center on Thursday, August 11 between 5-8 p.m. and join us for a forest hike at night.  All ages are welcome—including youth and adult groups.  No registration.  Call 573-290-5218 for more information.

Missouri Tree Farm Day, May 21, will highlight untapped potential of state’s forests

Image via WikipediaCOLUMBIA, Mo. – On May 21, named National Walk in the Woods Day by the American Forest Foundation, people will be walking in the woods of Dave and Gunilla Murphy, hosts of the 2011 Missouri Tree Farm Day.

“The Murphys’ farm is a great example of the value of actively managing private forestland, whether the goal is profit, conservation, outdoor recreation or scenic enjoyment,” said Hank Stelzer, University of Missouri Extension state forester.

At the event, the Missouri Tree Farm Committee will honor Dave Murphy as its 2010 Tree Farmer of the Year for his practice and advocacy of good woodland stewardship.

After just a few years of woodland management, the Murphys significantly increased the value of their 376-acre farm in southern Clark County, boosting the productivity of its timber stands by about $100 per acre per year and increasing the amount and variety of wildlife, including deer and turkey.

Attendees will be able to go on mule-drawn wagon tours to see the Murphys’ forest management practices at work.

Dave Murphy said the key to their success was careful planning with the help
of professional foresters.

When Dave and Gunilla became sole owners of the Murphy family farm, they hired consulting foresters to inventory and map their woodland, then worked with the foresters and the Missouri Department of Conservation to develop a sound management plan. They fenced off the farm’s pastures to keep livestock from grazing on saplings and seedlings, and thinned overcrowded timber stands to promote robust growth and get rid of unwanted species.

Murphy says the long-term payoff is well worth the short-term costs for consulting, labor and herbicides.
There are millions of acres of woodland in Missouri with similar potential, he said. "The estimates of the positive benefits of bringing more of Missouri’s forest under management are staggering. Billions in revenue every year. Thousands of additional jobs statewide.”

Stelzer hopes the event will help other woodland owners realize more of that potential.
“Only about 5 percent of Missouri’s 14 million acres of privately owned woodland is under planned management,” Stelzer said.

In 21st-century Missouri, unmanaged woodlands are under threat from invasive tree and plant species; disease and pest problems; overgrazing by livestock from nearby pastures; “logging the best and leaving the rest” timber harvests; damaging wildfires; and problems with erosion and water quality, he said.

In addition to showcasing forest management practices, presenters will discuss selling timber and developing habitats for quail and turkey. Live demonstrations will show the use of a portable sawmill and provide an opportunity to learn about beekeeping and air-drying lumber.

A number of organizations will have informational booths, including the MU Center for Agroforestry, Missouri Consulting Foresters, the National Turkey Federation, the Missouri Walnut Council, beekeepers Dadant & Sons, and the Missouri Forest and Woodland Association.


The event begins at 8:30 a.m. with coffee and donuts, followed by opening remarks. Two concurrent wagon tours begin at 10 a.m. and will be repeated at 2 p.m. The event concludes at 4 p.m.
Registration is $20 per person. Online registration and directions are available at http://www.moforest.org/education/treefarmconference.html.

Conference sponsors include the National Tree Farm System, Missouri Tree Farm Committee, Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri Forest Products Association and MU Forestry Extension.
For more information about National Walk in the Woods Day, see the American Forest Foundation website at http://www.affoundation.org/.

Emergency closure of hunting season not the end of Missouri’s ruffed grouse story

Image via Wikipedia

Emergency closure of hunting season

not the end of Missouri’s ruffed grouse story 

The Conservation Department and the Ruffed Grouse Society are still

working to establish sustainable numbers of grouse and habitat to support them.

JEFFERSON CITY–Missouri will not have a ruffed grouse hunting season this year for the first time in more than 25 years. However, the Missouri Department of Conservation says that does not necessarily mean ruffed-grouse hunting is gone from the Show-Me State forever.

Acting on a recommendation from its staff, the Conservation Commission voted earlier this year for an emergency closure of the grouse season, which was to run from Oct. 15 through Jan. 15. Low grouse population numbers were cited as the reason for the emergency closure. The action supersedes information printed in the 2010 Summary of Hunting and Trapping Regulations, which were printed before the decision to close grouse season.

Ruffed grouse are native to Missouri, although the Show-Me State is near the southwestern edge of the species’ historic range. Habitat destruction and unregulated market hunting largely eliminated them from Missouri forests by the 1930s.

The Conservation Department launched a successful ruffed-grouse restoration program in 1959, and Missouri had its first modern hunting season in 1983. Earlier this year, the agency’s Regulations Committee recommended closing the season. This was partly because grouse numbers remain low in spite of repeated attempts to reintroduce grouse in areas with suitable habitat as late as 1994. Closing the season also made sense because the Conservation Department and the Ruffed Grouse Society are seeking a source of grouse to resume reintroduction work.

“It didn’t make sense to have people hunting grouse if we were going to be bringing them in from other states to try to build the population,” said Wildlife Division Chief DeeCee Darrow. “Our grouse numbers are so low right now that very few hunters pursue them, and very few are taken each year. This is probably a good time to pause and regroup.”

 Ruffed grouse are ground-nesting birds closely related to quail. They are much larger, however, with adults averaging more than a pound compared to five or six ounces for adult bobwhite quail. Bobwhites favor habitat with large amounts of pasture, row crops and other open land interspersed with shrubby cover. In contrast, ruffed grouse are adapted to a patchwork of forest and the dense vegetation that develops on land where timber harvests have occurred.

MISSOURI HUNTING, FISHING, AND CAMPING INFORMATION

Battling Invasive Species in Missouri

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Missourians can help protect our state from devastating invaders

The potential effects of invasive plants, animals and diseases on the state’s economy and outdoor resources are incalculable.

JEFFERSON CITY MO – Will you be camping this summer? Boating or fishing? Planting trees or other landscaping? If so, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages you to help save the Show-Me State’s forests, fish and wildlife resources, along with our economy, from an army of invasive species. 

Missouri’s location in the middle of the continent makes it a crossroads for travelers of all kinds, including a growing number of exotic plants, animals and diseases. Among the better-known invaders are the zebra mussel, gypsy moth and bush honeysuckle. But, the list is much longer. Here are some other key culprits:

Emerald ash borer

These penny-size green beetles were first discovered in southeast Missouri in 2008. They have already killed more than 50 million ash trees in 14 states, including Missouri.

Ash trees make up approximately 3 percent of forests and 14 percent of urban trees in Missouri. In some neighborhoods and parks, that figure reaches as high as 30 or 40 percent.

The adult beetles nibble on ash foliage but cause little damage. However, the larvae feed on the inner bark of ash trees, disrupting the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients, eventually killing the tree.

The MDC is working with other state and federal agencies to help stop the spread of the beetle. A quarantine is in effect in Wayne County that restricts movement of hardwood firewood, ash nursery stock and other untreated ash wood products out of the county.

You can help prevent the spread of this deadly invader by not transporting firewood. Get firewood where you will burn it, and burn it all before you leave.

Thousand cankers disease

This infection of walnut trees is caused by the walnut twig beetle and a fungus it carries. It affects many types of walnut trees to varying degrees, but is lethal to black walnut. It is killing black walnut trees in at least eight western states.

The beetle bores into walnut trees and the fungus then forms thousands of growths, called cankers, under the bark. These cankers disrupt the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients, and can eventually kill it.

Missouri is home to more than 55 million black walnut trees and is the nation’s leader in black-walnut nut production. Missouri is also one of the largest producers of black walnut wood products. While the disease has not yet reached Missouri, estimates of potential damage to the state’s economy -- through the loss of nuts, wood products and planting stock -- could annually exceed $135 million.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture has banned the importation of “raw” walnut wood products, such as firewood, green lumber and nursery stock, from states where the disease has been found. The quarantine does not include nuts, nutmeats, bark-free, kiln-dried lumber and finished products, such as furniture. 

Again, don’t transport firewood. Get it where you will burn it, and burn it all.

Rusty crayfish

This invasive species has been spread from its native range in the Ohio River basin by anglers and bait dealers. Its aggressive nature and fast growth rate enable it to displace native crayfish, reducing the biological diversity of Missouri streams. 

You can help by not dumping bait. The Wildlife Code of Missouri prohibits the release of unused bait into waters where it did not originate and prohibits the sale and possession of this invasive crayfish.

Chinese mystery snail

This large Asian mollusk already inhabits several Missouri streams. It competes with less robust native snails, which are important parts of the food chain. Chinese mystery snails are on Missouri’s list of prohibited species and are illegal to possess.

You can help by not dumping aquarium water or contents into Missouri’s lakes and streams.  Dispose of unwanted aquarium animals humanely and deposit them in your trash.   

Northern snakehead

This 2-foot-long Asian import has gained a foothold in southern Arkansas and could spread north into Missouri. It can travel cross-country to new waters, sports a mouth full of needle-sharp teeth and devours game fish, such as bass, sunfish and catfish.

Asian carp

This species has multiplied dramatically since invading the Missouri and Mississippi rivers about 20 years ago.  They compete with important native aquatic filter feeders and can eventually take over bodies of water. Their impact on Missouri’s commercial fishing industry and sport fishing still is largely unknown, but could be devastating.

Spotted knapweed

This non-native member of the aster family takes over pastures and roadsides, rooting out native plants and ruining pastures for cattle. The 2-foot-tall perennial, bedecked with attractive, fringy pink blossoms, probably arrived in the United States in the late 1800s in contaminated hay or seed from Eurasia. Since then, it has spread to more than 45 states, including Missouri. Unlike aster species native to Missouri, spotted knapweed’s roots produce chemicals that are toxic to other plants, killing native species. It is bad news for wildlife and livestock because it is not a good food plant.

It was designated a noxious weed by the Missouri legislature in 2008.  You can help by controlling it on your property.

Purple loosestrife

Native to Europe and Asia, purple loosestrife was first brought to North America in the early 1800s. This attractive but highly invasive plant turns diverse, healthy wetlands into impenetrable stands of vegetation largely useless to native Missouri wildlife. Native wetland plants die out due to shading from the tall, dense purple loosestrife stands.

Purple loosestrife is included on Missouri noxious weed list.  You can help by controlling it on your property.

Common and cutleaf teasel

This pair of prickly thistles from Europe has been in Missouri for more than 100 years, but has multiplied dramatically in the past 10 years. It was introduced to North America, possibly as early as the 1700s, because the prickly stem was used in the textile industry to raise the nap of woolen cloth. Teasel’s unusual -- and by some perspectives, attractive -- flower heads have led to its use as a horticultural plant, in flower arrangements and in the craft trade. These are extremely aggressive plants that can take over livestock pastures and open fields, displacing even a thick stand of fescue.

Again, these are noxious weeds so it is important to control them if you find them on your property.

Feral hogs

These “hogs gone wild” destroy wildlife habitat and private property, compete with native wildlife for food, and can pose a threat to humans, pets and domestic livestock through the spread of disease.

Small populations of free-roaming domestic hogs have been part of the Missouri countryside since the days of open range. These isolated populations were kept in check by local hunting efforts.

The situation took a turn for the worse in the 1990s when hog hunting for recreation began to gain popularity. People started raising and releasing  European wild boars for hunting on private land. Some escaped, or were intentionally released on public land, and crossbred with existing free-roaming swine.

These “hogs gone wild” are prolific breeders and their numbers are growing at an alarming rate. Left unchecked, feral hogs will spread throughout Missouri, causing million of dollars in agricultural, environmental and property damage.

MDC is working with other state and federal agencies to control feral hogs on public lands, and is helping private landowners trap and kill them.

MDC encourages hunters to shoot feral hogs on sight.

It is against the law to release any type of hog on public land in Missouri. Report releases, sightings and kills to your local Conservation office.

For more information on these and other alien invaders, and how to help control them, contact your local Conservation office, or visit www.missouriconservation.org and search “invasive species” or a specific invader.

Missouri Hunting Information