1999 Charleston, South Carolina (in review)

Longleaf Pine: A Forward Look

The theme of the 2nd Regional Longleaf Pine Conference was "Longleaf Pine: A Forward Look." This "forward look" theme was based on our desire to highlight the numerous programs and to acknowledge the rapidly rising interest in Longleaf Pine Management and Restoration taking place across the Southeastern Region. A new spirit of "hope and optimism" is beginning to replace the "doom and gloom" atmosphere that has often surfaced in previous longleaf pine conferences.

By all accounts, the Charleston Conference successfully met our objectives regarding information exchange, development of partnerships, and a growth of friendships among those involved in longleaf initiatives. Invited speakers in the general sessions discussed how social, ecological, environmental, political, silvicultural and economic factors impact the restoration and management of longleaf pine. Some 65 posters presented by managers and scientists from across the region represented an impressive array of ongoing management and research efforts. The conference concluded with a symposium led by a panel of expert managers and scientists discussing operation challenges of managing longleaf ecosystems.

Two bald eagles soared overhead as 400 attendees arrived for a field trip at picturesque Medway Plantation on a beautiful November fall day. Bob Hortman, Medway Plantation manager, provided an overview of Medway's history and management objectives. Following a barbecue lunch, the afternoon was filled with field educational seminars. Discussion topics included seedling care and planting, history of turpentining, pine straw, prescribed fire, RCW's, ground cover plants, wildlife management, timber management, natural regeneration and longleaf restoration. Field presenters were located at stations along a 1.5 mile walking trail allowing for leisurely discussion and interaction. Throughout the afternoon, buses provided transportation to the ancient Medway house grounds where Medway personnel provided guided tours. The day concluded with a Frogmore stew dinner providing visitors with a delicious taste of low country cuisine. The Longleaf Alliance thanks Mrs. Legendre and Medway staff for providing an outstanding educational opportunity for the 400 individuals attending the conference.

Program:

Tuesday, November 17

8:00 AM Registration and Poster Setup

10:00 Introductions/Moderator - Rhett Johnson, LLA

10:05 Clemson University Welcome - Dr. Dan Smith, Director, Clemson Cooperative Extension Service

10:15 Auburn University Welcome - Dean Richard Brinker, School of Forestry, Auburn University

10:25 Opening Remarks and introduction of Keynote Speaker - Hugh Ryan, SC State Forester

10:35 Practical Solutions to Resource Problems - Building Partnerships between the Private and Public Sectors - Key Note Address, The Honorable Charles H. Taylor, R-NC

11:15 State of the Longleaf Alliance - Rhett Johnson, LLA

11:30 Lunch on your own

1:00 General Session - Social, ecological, environmental, political, and economic factors that impact the restoration and management of longleaf pine

Moderator - Charles McMahon, USFS

Social - John Bliss, Oregon State University
Ecological - Richard Porcher, The Citadel
Economic - Rick Hamilton, North Carolina Extension Service
Policy - Lindsay Boring, Jones Ecological Research Center

3:00 Break

3:30 Panel: Success Stories: How can forest landowners be encouraged to restore longleaf? (Why longleaf? Motivations? How to do it? Who can help me?) Objective: To dispel myths of "why not"

Moderator - Julie Moore - Mississippi Natural Heritage Program

North Carolina Successes - Stan Adams, North Carolina State Forester
Small Landowner Successes - David Ledford, Stone Container
Managing Non-timber Resources - Leon Neel, Consultant
How Small Landowners Can Make A Difference - Joan Walker, USFS

5:00 - 7:00 Poster Session and Social

Dinner on your own

Wednesday, November 18

8:00 - 10:00 Poster Session, Continental Breakfast

10:00 Depart for field trip to Medway Plantation; buses depart from Charleston Sheraton. NOTE: Parking is extremely limited at Medway Plantation. Access via personal vehicle must be approved by Steve Muzal at the registration desk.

11:00 Buses Arrive at Medway Gate, Unload and Assemble in Green Field

11:10 Overview of Field Day Activities - Rhett Johnson

11:20 History of Medway Plantation - Bob Hortman

12:00 Barbecue Lunch on Grounds

1:00 Begin Field Activities

Green Field Activities

a) Vegetation Management / Herbicides - Matt Nespecha/Larry Nelson
Calibration of Sprayers, Application Techniques, Tank Mixes

b) Tree Planting - Tom Doody/Jim Whitfield/Dale Pancake
Hand Planting, Machine Planting

c) Pine Straw Management - Mark Megalos & George Kessler

d) Turpentining History- Carroll Butler

e) Longleaf Pine Seedlings - Mark Hainds/Mike Edwards/Pete Ranalet

Medway Grounds Bus Tour - Bob Hortman
Bus tours were provided throughout the afternoon to the historic Medway plantation grounds. This was an opportunity to view the unique double avenue of live oaks entrance planted in the 1850's and the gardens that surround the 1705 plantation home.

Walking Tour

a) Native Groundcover Vegetation - Jeff Glitzenstein, Donna Streng and Johnny Stowe

b) Fire Season of Effects - Joe Mills and Julie Moore

c) Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Management - Ralph Costa and Tracy McKee

d) Stand Dynamics/unevenaged mgt. - Ralph Meldahl and Steve Swanson

e) Forest Products - Rick Hamilton and Tom Savage

f) Natural Regeneration - Bill Boyer and Bart Sabine

g) Food Plots - Robert Smith and Greg Yarrow

h) Restoration Conversion - Vernon Compton and Bob Mitchell

5:00 Social

6:00 Dinner - Low Country Boil

7:30 Return to Hotel

Thursday, November 19

8:00 General Session - Management Issues and Frequently Asked Questions - Moderator, Dean Gjerstad

Longleaf Genetics - Ron Schmidtling, USDA Forest Service, Gulfport, MS
Vegetation Management - Larry Nelson, Clemson University
Longleaf and Wildlife Management - Robert Smith, Consultant

9:30 Break

10:00 General Session (Continued)

Conservation Easements - Joe Hamilton, DU
Heritage Programs - Johnny Stowe, SC Natural Heritage Program
Safe Harbor - Ralph Costa, USF&WS

11:15 Wrap-up - Dean Gjerstad, LLA

11:45 Lunch on your own

Thursday, November 19

1:00 PM Plenary Symposium: Restoration and Management of Longleaf Pine Ecosystems: Operational Challenges and Economic Considerations. Co-chairs: Robert J. Mitchell, L. Katherine Kirkman, J. Charles Peoples, Frank T. Cole, J.W. Jones Ecological Research Center

This plenary session will explore issues involved in the restoration and management of the longleaf pine ecosystem through the experiences of research/management teams and their approaches. Session speakers will discuss the application of management to meet specific ecosystem goals with feedback from research and monitoring under an adaptive management system. Additionally, the session will address the need and mechanism for a regional synthesis of research and management information that facilitates development of general principles applicable to management across the range of the conditions in which longleaf ecosystems are found.

1:00 -1:10 Management and Research: Opportunities and Constraints - Robert J. Mitchell

1:10 -1:35 Conversion of slash pine plantations - Adaptive management on St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge - James Burnett

1:35 - 1:50 Ecologically sound methods for harvesting pines - Leon Neel

1:50 - 2:40 Fire and mechanical treatments for ecosystem management in Sandhill communities: A management and research report from the Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge -Richard Ingram, Joan Walker, and Scott Lanier

2:40 - 3:00 Break

3:00 - 3:45 Research implementation and monitoring - Adaptive management in longleaf pine systems - Jeff Hardesty & Rick McWhite

3:45 - 4:45 Panel discussion & concluding remarks - Kay Kirkman, Doria Gordon, Robert Mitchell, Frank Cole, J. Charles Peoples, James Burnett, Leon Neel, Joan Walker, Ricky Ingram, Scott Lanier, Jeff Hardesty, Rick McWhite, Louis Provencher

Friday, November 20

8:00 AM Savannah River Site Post-Conference Field Trip

The Savannah River Site is located 15 miles south of Aiken, SC about 2.5 hours (130 miles) from Charleston, SC. The Site is 200,000 acres of predominately longleaf forest that is being managed and restored by the Department of Energy. The Savannah River Natural Resource Management and Research Institute, a partner in the Longleaf Alliance, will host the tour. The Site has numerous examples of long term longleaf management and restoration efforts.

Highlights of the tour include: 8-year-old regeneration studies, 12-year-old pine straw raking, burning and fertilization studies, an automated annosum stump applicator developed at the Site, role of fire intensity on root damage and beetle mortality, economic and yield analysis, RCW recovery and management techniques, restoration and management of understory plants, and fire and smoke management.

Recognition

We give a very special thanks to Steve Muzal, Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service, who coordinated the many conference planning and logistical details. We also thank members of the conference steering committee (Frank Cole, Ralph Costa, Bob Franklin, Dean Gjerstad, Bill Hubbard, Randall Johnson, Rhett Johnson, George Kessler, John Kush, Charles McMahon, Ralph Meldahl, Joe Mills, Steve Muzal, Larry Nelson, Patricia Straka, Don Tomczak, David Van Lear, and Joan Walker) for suggestions on conference content and speakers. A special thanks goes to the USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, South Carolina Forestry Commission, Santee Cooper Electric Cooperative, Okeetee Club, Cyanamid, Norfolk-Southern, Georgia-Pacific, J.W. Jones Ecological Research Center, and Southern Regional Cooperative Extension Service for their financial contribution in support of this conference.

A 196-page proceedings of the conference is available. Copies may be obtained by contacting the Longleaf Alliance.