Things are looking good for people who grow trees. At a recent conference for timberland owners in the southeast, experts in forestry suggested that the spate of research on global climate changes may result in increased productivity for timber growers. Basically, more CO2 in the air means more demand for trees to be grown. Check out the full report below! And as always, keep growing.
EMERGING CLIMATE MAY BE POSITIVE FOR SOUTHEAST U.S. TIMBER GROWERS
Moultrie, Ga. – Nov. 7, 2014 – Presentations from several experts in forestry and forest management at the 2014 Southeastern Regional Forest Owner and Manager Conference last week suggest that increased atmospheric carbon from an emerging climate may result in higher productivity for timber growers in the Southeast U.S.
Over 150 forest owners and managers from seven states were present at the conference in Valdosta, Ga., on Oct. 28-29 to gain valuable knowledge on forest management from elite group of speakers. During his presentation, Dr. Chris Maier, an internationally renowned scientist of the U.S. Forest Service in Research Triangle Park, N.C., noted that, “Atmospheric carbon has been on the rise since the onset of the Industrial Revolution and the positive carbon ‘fertilization’ effect for forests is well known.”
Dr. Tim Martin, a distinguished professor at the University of Florida, echoed Maier’s comments in a later presentation, “Over the next 50 to 100 years, temperature and precipitation changes in the Southeast U.S. are not expected to be as severe as in other regions of the globe, which combined with fertilization from elevated CO2 may increase productivity potential.”
Dr. Phil Dougherty, a lead scientist with the Center of Forestry Research and Applied Management in Danielsville, Ga., summarized for the attendees that, “Collectively, with increases in atmospheric carbon, positive rainfall patterns, an improving understanding of forest management, and accelerating tree breeding and improvement programs, the magnitude of the potential productivity increase is large.”
Additional conference topics covered included Efficient and Sustainable Management of Operational Pine Plantations; Forest Management and Marketing in a Global Investment Environment; Successful Establishment of Longleaf Regeneration in the Red Hills of Georgia and Florida; the Genetic Potential of Loblolly Pine; Effective Site Preparation and Seedling Deployment; Timber Maintenance, Management and Protection; Competition Control for Loblolly and Longleaf Plantations; Harvesting System Advancements that Reduce Cost; Recognizing and Capitalizing on Site Resource Pools that Accrete with Consecutive Intensive Managed Rotations; and more.
The conference concluded with a tour of the country’s largest container seedling nursery located at International Forest Company (IFCO) in Moultrie, Ga. Additional field tour stops included a look at genetic demo plantings of advanced loblolly, longleaf, and slash pine, region wide eucalypts cold hardiness tests and a visit to IFCO’s newly established pine orchard near Moultrie.
The conference was organized and hosted by the Forest Landowner Association, Dougherty & Dougherty Forest Services, Inc. and IFCO. For information on the 2015 conference to be held Oct. 27-28, 2015, contact IFCO COO Wayne Bell at 800-633-4506.
International Forest Company grows longleaf, loblolly, slash and shortleaf pine seedlings for forest landowners across the southeast. IFCO has a nursery in Moultrie, Ga. and DeRidder, La. For more information, visit www.internationalforest.co.
Article written by Matt Hestad. Matt may be contacted at matt@hlstrategy.com or by calling 678-378-3513.
Matthew Noxsel
Editor // Timber Update
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