Life Sciences Commons^™

Sp570 Drought-Tolerant Trees, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Late-season droughts are common in southeastern landscapes. Many trees are stressed by prolonged periods of hot, dry weather. Selecting trees that use water efficiently without the need for frequent watering or irrigation is one way to make your landscape more resistant to droughts. With impending water shortages in many urban areas leading to prohibitions of irrigation or watering, planting trees that are more tolerant to drought conditions is the best long-term solution to a healthier, low-maintenance landscape.

W179 Wood Products Information - Moisture Content Of 'Seasoned' Firewood, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

The most important property of good firewood is moisture content. Firewood should be fully seasoned (to below 20 percent moisture content) before being burned. Because it can be difficult to ensure that purchased firewood is properly seasoned, the best approach is to buy and stack firewood well before it is needed. There is no danger in over-seasoning wood – drier is better.

W158 Wood Products Information - A Test Of Water-Repellent Coatings For Wood, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Water-repellent coatings slow the uptake of liquid water and are used to improve the appearance and longevity of exterior wood surfaces. By reducing the periodic wetting of wood, water-repellent coatings can reduce the swell-and-shrink cycles that contribute to the checking and weathering of exposed wood such as decking boards.

Many different water-repellents, varying widely in price, are available from a number of manufacturers. A test conducted at the University of Tennessee Forest Products Center compared some of these products.

W020 Developing A Target Market For Hardwood Lumber: Results Of A Woodworker Survey, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Understanding the preferences and buying habits of potential buyers is essential in the development and evaluation of markets for value-added wood product enterprises. Surveying various woodworkers to determine their lumber usage, buying preferences, preferred delivery method and most effective methods of communication can help enhance the effectiveness of marketing plans of lumber producers and lumber sellers. Survey participants were identified through a variety of sources, including woodworker guilds, associations and related organizations in the Southeast.

Sp547 Common Tree Borers In Tennessee, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Many types of insect and mite pests can attack trees in home landscapes. Although feeding damage from most of these pests is aesthetically displeasing, it does not cause severe damage to the tree. Even after total defoliation by caterpillars, most trees will put out a new flush of foliage. Several consecutive years or more of defoliation are needed to cause a serious decline or death of most trees. Also, defoliation late in the growing season is much less detrimental to tree health than that occurring in spring or early summer.

Conversely, some pests can routinely cause significant damage and even …

Sp482 The Southern Pine Beetle, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

The Southern Pine Beetle (SPB) inhabits Tennessee forests, and as forest landowners, we should be prepared to deal with the insect. Each year SPB causes thousands of dollars worth of damage to stands of Southern yellow pines, e.g., Loblolly, shortleaf and Virginia pines. Landowners living near or on their property can reduce losses to SPB by knowing the symptoms of a SPB attack, what to do about it and how to prevent it.

Sp290-Y Greenstriped Mapleworm, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

The greenstriped mapleworm Dryocampa rubicunda (F.) is found throughout most of the eastern United States. This insect pest prefers maples; however, it has been reported feeding on various oaks and boxelder.

Sp290-U Nantucket Pine Tip Moth, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

The Nantucket pine tip moth, Rhyacionia frustrana (Comstock), is a pest of pines in the Eastern, Central and Southern states. Host trees attacked include Scotch, Austrian, Virginia, red, loblolly and shortleaf pines. Longleaf, slash and eastern white pines are rarely attacked.

During recent years, the Nantucket pine tip moth has become an increasingly destructive and abundant pest because of the increase in acreage of pine plantations and seed orchards. Larvae of this moth kill and deform shoots of infested trees. This damage results in a reduction in height, forking or crooking of main stems and, occasionally, death of the tree. …

Sp290-P White Pine Aphid, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

The white pine aphid, Cinara strobi (Fitch), occurs wher ev er Eastern white pines are grown. This pest uses its needle-like mouthparts to suck sap from twigs and branch es. Severely infested parts of trees turn yellow and drop their needles.

Sp290-M Maple Petiole Borer, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

The maple petiole borer, Caulocampus acericaulis (MacGillivray), was first introduced into the United States from Europe. This sawfly is wasp-like in appearance and is rarely seen because of its small size. Although several species of maple are subject to attack by this insect, sugar maples are preferred.

W126 How Do Acorns Develop?, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Each year during the spring months as the days get longer and warmer, the forest comes alive with new plant growth. Conditions needed for growth (warmer temperatures, moisture, extended day length, etc.) scarce over the winter months, reappear and stimulate new life. Each species responds at its own pace to these changes as flowers are born. For oak trees, as leaves begin to unfurl, flower buds also expand and bloom. Ultimately, a new crop of acorns will mature from these flowers and disperse into new habitats (Figure 1).

Pb1772 A Hardwood Log Grading Handbook, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

A good understanding of log valuation will help landowners, loggers, log buyers and saw millers agree on the fair value for a load of logs. This handbook briefly summarizes common log grading rules for hardwoods. Basic concepts in log scaling, lumber grading and log bucking optimization are also discussed because each of these topics relates to log grading.

W227 Tree Growth Characteristics, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Trees are fascinating. The largest of all woody plants, they have well-defined stems that support a crown of leaves. The growth form varies by species and can be categorized. This publication has been created to provide professional foresters, arborists, students, Extension personnel, advanced homeowners and others a general understanding of how trees grow. Specifics will include primary vs. secondary growth, allocation of photosynthate, shoot growth patterns and crown shape.

W217 The Business Of Carbon Credit Trading For Forest Landowners, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

The 21st century is ushering in an indisputable shift toward green. Many businesses large and small, across disciplines, spanning the globe, are reconfiguring their mode of operation to meet the prospect of emerging green (ecosystem) markets. Carbon credit trading is an emerging ecosystem market from which some forest landowners may profit. This market could become sizeable if federal or state governments intervene to set mandatory targets for carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction. It could also become less significant as industries change to be more successful in lowering their carbon emissions.

W214 Wood Products Information - Wood Pellets - An Introduction To Their Production And Use, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Wood pellets are compressed wood particles that are used as fuel. Pellets are already commonly used in some areas of the country, but they are growing in popularity as the cost of primary fuels increases and concerns about global climate change build.

This fact sheet is a short introduction to wood pellets and will be helpful to those who are interested in using or producing wood pellet fuel. The advantages of wood pellets and how pellets are made and used are discussed.

Pb1780 Conducting A Simple Timber Inventory, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

This publication is an introduction to the terminology and methodology of timber inventory. The publication should allow non-professionals to communicate effectively with forestry professionals regarding timber inventories. The reader is not expected to have any prior knowledge of the techniques or tools necessary for measuring forests.

The publication is in two sections. The first part provides background information, definitions and a general introduction to timber inventory. The second part contains step-by-step instructions for carrying out a timber inventory.

Pb1679 Forest - A - Syst: Self-Assessment To Prioritize Your Forest Uses, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

You are unique. The title “Forest Landowner” is one not held by many Tennesseans. Your ownership carries with it a sense of treasure, of enjoyment, of wildness. But it’s also a privilege, one that imparts responsibility, one that can be observed and one that increasingly can be measured.

If you were to be judged on your forestry practices, how would you score? Would you even know which parameters to assess or what questions to ask? Which of these forest uses aesthetics, recreation, soil, timber, water, wildlife—are more important? Have you ever intelligently, and intentionally, began a planning process for your …

Pb1756 The All Season Pocket Guide To Identifying Common Tennessee Trees, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

This booklet was prepared by professional foresters to help you identify Tennessee’s most common trees. It is designed to go to the woods with you (where it is needed) by comfortably riding in your back pocket, pack or cruiser’s jacket. Enjoy!

Pb1774 Technical Guide To Crop Tree Release In Hardwood Forests, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Crop tree release (CTR) is a widely applicable silvicultural technique used to enhance the performance of individual trees. It offers flexibility in that it can be applied on small or large properties, and with certain modifications, it can be applied as a precommercial or commercial operation. By favoring the development of selected crop trees within a hardwood stand, the landowner can meet a variety of area-wide management objectives such as wildlife habitat, recreation, timber value, aesthetic beauty and species diversity.

CTR can be applied at various stages of development, including sapling, pole and sawtimber stands, depending on the specific opportunities …

Pb1767 Wood Protection For Log Home Owners, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Wood is a beautiful material that has been used for centuries for building log homes. Wood is also a high performance composite with good strength, insulation, fire resistance and durability characteristics. This means that uniquely beautiful log homes can be as efficient and long-lasting as structures made from wooden lumber, steel or concrete.

An understanding of wood properties will help log home owners protect and enjoy their homes. This publication is designed to provide basic information about wood, wood protection and the use of large timbers to build log homes.

Sp677 Hardwood Plantations As An Investment, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Deciding what to do with a piece of land is not always easy. Appraisers use the phrase “highest and best use,” which implies that one should use the land for its maximum “economic/monetary value.” For example, would the landowner make more money by building a new shopping center or residential subdivision (with a substantial investment required) or would he or she do “better” renting to a livestock producer for grazing or cutting hay? Many acres are valuable as cropland growing annual crops such as soybeans, wheat or cotton. The choices for using land are many.

One choice that should be …

Sp678 Forest Management Strategies To Minimize The Impact Of The Gypsy Moth, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Use of silviculture to manage gypsy moth effects gives foresters additional tools for developing integrated pest management programs. Silvicultural actions should be taken prior to gypsy moth outbreaks to reduce or minimize the potential damage that arises in stands vulnerable to gypsy moth. Three approaches to reduce stand susceptibility to gypsy moth are applicable. First, change the stand composition by reducing the proportion of favored species and increasing the number of non-favored species in the stand. This can be accomplished through intermediate thinning treatments. The percentage of favored species that remain should be less than 30 percent of total composition. …

Sp680 Treatments For Improving Degraded Hardwood Stands, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Pthe large trees of tomorrow. This assumption has been perpetuated in the diameter-limit harvests that have led to what we call high-grading today. The largest and best trees are repeatedly harvested leaving the smaller, inferior trees to perpetuate the next stand. In reality, the trees being released are probably of similar age as those being cut. The smaller, released trees did not have a chance to prosper in competition with the faster-growing, overstory trees. These released trees are incapable of continued growth with their small, spindly crowns. The consequence of removing only highly valued trees with each harvest is a …

Sp679 Two-Age System And Deferment Harvests, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

The two-age system is designed to maintain two distinct age classes in a forest. This system is generally initiated using a deferment harvest, sometimes referred to as a shelterwood or clearcut with reserves (Figure 1). The deferment harvest retains a limited basal area of canopy trees while allowing the majority of the area to regenerate. The harvest initially creates a stand that contains scattered or small groups of older trees, typically one rotation length in age, surrounded by a regenerating age class. The canopy trees that are left are termed reserve trees. At the end of a second rotation length …

Sp673 Forest Certification For Family-Owned Forests - Who Will Certify And Why?, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

The concept of forest certification has grown as a tool to foster sustainable forest management. It began on the global scale in the 1980s, and moved rapidly to the United States. Initially in the U.S., several forest product companies completed third-party certification, followed by many publicly owned forests. Some stakeholders are beginning to discuss the need to accelerate forest certification on family-owned forests. Family-owned forests are particularly important in the U.S. because they comprise the majority of the forest land and contribute the greater part of the nation’s annual timber removal. Yet little is known about who among this diverse …

Pb1607 Landowner's Guide To Timber Sale Contracts, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

A written timber sale agreement or contract is generally the preferable and safest method of selling timber. A written contract is a legally binding document that protects both the buyer and the seller (the landowner) from misunderstandings that may develop in the absence of such an agreement. A contract will verify the seller’s ownership of the timber to be sold and the absence of liens or other liabilities. There is little legal recourse with verbal agreements. By negotiating a contract, both parties are likely to work out difficulties before they occur and be more pleased with the transaction.

No two …

Sp657 Impacts Of Air Pollution On The Urban Forest, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

An average human breathes around 3,400 gallons of air each day. Included in each breath can be numerous noxious chemicals as well as suspended particles. Consequently, human lungs must cope with this pollution. It is well known that air pollution is hazardous to human health and of enormous concern today. However, the “lungs” of our urban areas, trees growing in and around our cities, must also contend with air pollution. Just as air pollution impacts humans, air pollution affects trees in a variety of ways.

Pollution has long been identified as harmful to trees. Historically, impacts of air pollution were …

Pb1751 A Southern Pine Management Guide For Tennessee Landowners, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Forestry’s impact upon Tennessee is inescapable. The wood products industry contributes more than $21 billion annually to the state economy and employs 184,000 workers.1 There are 14.4 million acres of forestland across the state, more than half the land base, and nearly 70 percent of these lands are owned by private, non-industrial landowners. Tennessee prides itself upon being one of the nation’s largest producers of hardwood timber, but 1.2 million acres of our forests are comprised of southern yellow pines.

These pines contribute not only to a diversity of products that can be commercially marketed, but also increase the wide …

Sp627 Identification And Control Of Non-Native Invasive Forest Plants In Tennessee, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Invasive, exotic plants can cause significant displacement of native vegetation. But exactly what are exotic plants? What makes them invasive? To find out, let’s start with some basic definitions.

The vegetation historically found in a local area is termed native vegetation. These plants have traditionally been found in the area and are well-suited to maintain themselves in their environs. Exotic plants are those plants found in a particular area, but which originate from another continent or country. These plants can also be referred to as non-native. However, non-native plants are not always exotic. Non-native plants may also be native …

Pb1650 Understanding Log Scales And Log Rules, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

A necessary step in determining the value of timber at the mill is establishing the estimated volume by standard scaling practices. Examples of scaling practices include measuring the weight of pulpwood to estimate the volume and measuring the dimensions of hardwood sawlogs, along with applying a log rule to determine how much lumber can be sawn from the log. This publication describes common methods of log scaling and log rules used in Tennessee.

Scaling estimates the log volume on a board foot, cubic foot, linear foot or cord basis. In scaling pulpwood or chipwood, the volume of available material is …