Life Sciences Commons^™

Prescribed Burning In Tennessee: Importance And Barriers, Goals, And Information Needs Of Private, State, And Federal Managers, Brian T. Hemel

Masters Theses

Early in the 20^th century, intense and severe wildfires were frequent due to abundant fuels generated by logging and the presence of anthropogenic ignition sources in close proximity to these fuels. As timber was depleted, this period of lumbering ceased and the realization that vast tracts of cutover land had to be reforested and protected led to the inception of fire suppression organizations and techniques. The fire exclusion that occurred over much of the 20^th century due to organized fire suppression efforts has led to two sets of problems: the buildup of fuels and the decline of fire-adapted …

Maximizing Northern Red Oak (Quercus Rubra) Seedling Growth To Sustain Oak-Dominated Ecosystems In East Tennessee, Brian Andrwe Barwatt

Masters Theses

The success of northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) in the oak-hickory forest type and its growth and development into the overstory is of great concern due to the value of this species as a source of forest products and mast for wildlife. There is a general consensus that rapid oak seedling height growth occurs above certain threshold levels of light, soil moisture, and nutrients. If these specific levels and the relative importance of competition between northern red oak (NRO) seedlings and other individual plant species can be determined, then the implementation of more precise management practices that promote …

Establishment Of Upland And Bottomland Hardwood Agroforestry Plantations In Tennessee And Mississippi, David Michael Casey

Masters Theses

The feasibility of alley cropping as a means of afforestation was studied across seven different study sites in western Tennessee and northern Mississippi. Seeds were collected from 11 oak (Quercus spp) species and black walnut (Jug/ans nigra L.) trees in the region and grown under nursery protocols that are designed to produce seedlings of optimal size in one year. Seedlings were lifted by genetic family after one year and initial seedling measurements were recorded. Four bottomland studies and three upland studies were then sorted into an incomplete block design with multiple species and families within each block. …

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 …

Pb1744 Quality Hardwood Veneer, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Private forest landowners have long understood that some trees are distinguished as being exceptional. Not every forest contains such rare trees. In the hardwood industry, such trees are termed veneer. From veneer trees come veneer logs; from veneer logs come veneer sheets. Unlike most logs that are processed into conventional lumber, veneer sheets are thin layers of wood produced by slicing logs.

Essentially any log can be processed as veneer. However, for hardwood trees, normally only those logs of desired species and with the finest characteristics are selected. This is especially the case when the finished wood product is …

Crop Tree Management In West Tennessee: A Traditional Financial Analysis, Scott Lorenz Twillmann

Masters Theses

Crop tree management was designed to fulfill a combination of goals such as wildlife, aesthetics, and timber management. This silviculture method was designed for small woodlots with high value species and can be easily understood by non-industrial private landowners. It focuses on selecting and releasing trees that will yield multiple benefits to the landowner.

The purpose of this study was to determine if crop tree management on an upland oak site in west Tennessee was a financially attractive option for individual landowners. The primary objective of this study was to determine the profitability of crop tree management by examining different …

Volume 2, Number 1 (2004), Ut Institute Of Agriculture

Tennessee Land, Life and Science Magazine

Issue Highlights:

• Emerging Markets
• Value in Good Genes
• Songbirds as Indicators
• Tennessee Agriculture in a Global Market

Current Assessment And Future Prediction Of Forest Cover Change In Cumberland And Morgan Counties, Tennessee: A Modeling Technique, Jeffery David Strickland

Masters Theses

Determining the relationship between human disturbance of the environment and natural forest change is critical for sound natural resource planning. Improved land cover modeling techniques that incorporate geographic information systems and statistical models are needed to assist in this analysis. Continued forest fragmentation due to increasing population and urbanization has created a growing interest in forest protection for the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee. Specifically, Cumberland and Morgan Counties have seen unprecedented population growth over the last two decades, resulting in fragmentation of forestland. This study developed a model to determine the probability of exurbia development and its resulting forest fragmentation. …

Forest Certification: From The Perspectives Of Fsc Certified Land Managers In North America, Angela Hartsfield

Masters Theses

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification emerged nearly a decade ago from the realms of environmental non-governmental organizations, which sought greater environmental and social accountability from the forestry sector. Since its birth, FSC forest certification has had significant impacts on land managers who have adopted FSC forest management certification for their organizations. Given limited information on impacts of certification, and in order to better understand and assess the implications of FSC forest certification on land managers and on land management; I employ a mail survey, sent to all FSC certified land managers in North America. The results of this survey are …

Volume 1, Number 3 (2003), Ut Institute Of Agriculture

Tennessee Land, Life and Science Magazine

Issue Highlights:

• Booming Biotechnology
• Lessons in Leadership
• New Options for Producers
• Entering an Exciting New Era

Volume 1, Number 2 (2003), Ut Institute Of Agriculture

Tennessee Land, Life and Science Magazine

Issue Highlights:

• Insects as Teaching Tools
• Helping Children Succeed
• Honors Student Faces Bright Future
• Reinventing the Family Farm

Volume 1, Number 1 (2003), Ut Institute Of Agriculture

Tennessee Land, Life and Science Magazine

Issue Highlights:

• Adding Value to Dogwoods
• A Building to Advance Science
• Teaching Lessons in Life
• Towards a Brighter Forest Future

First-Year Changes In Oak Regeneration, Understory Competitors, And Resource Levels In Response To Two Overstory Treatments And Prescribed Burning At Chuck Swan State Forest, Samuel Wayne Jackson

Masters Theses

Oaks (Quercus spp.) are highly valuable as sources of forest products, in promoting recreation, and in providing food and habitat for wildlife. Oak regeneration has significantly declined over the past century in many regions of the eastern United States. This has led to increased concern with respect to the maintenance of oakdominated ecosystems on the landscape in the future. It is currently thought that oaks are being out competed by species that either grow faster or are more tolerant of shade than oaks. Many of these competitors are more sensitive to fire than oak, and it is thought …

Pb1463 Tree Crops For Marginal Farmland - Christmas Trees, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Growing Christmas trees can be a profitable use for marginally productive farmland. Though more labor-intensive than other tree crops, a Christmas tree crop can return a profit in as little as five to seven years. In addition, Christmas tree production requires little up-front capital investment. Most production operations require only hand tools or common farm machinery.

Most industry experts predict that Christmas tree markets will remain stable. However, there is a surplus of Christmas trees in many regions of the United States. To be competitive, growers must efficiently produce high-quality trees of the species that consumers demand.

Artificial Christmas trees …

Pb1692 Wood Identification For Hardwood And Softwood Species Native To Tennessee, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

This publication provides information on how to identify wood of several species common to Tennessee by using a hand-magnifying lens. Included in this publication are a wood identification key for some common Tennessee species, a list of key specie characteristics and a list of companies that sell wood identification sample sets.

Tennessee has a rich variety of tree species, and the wood produced from each of these has unique structure, physical and mechanical properties. The differences in wood structure and properties allow for the manufacture of wood-based products with many different appearances and uses. Since wood is a popular and …

Sp595 Timber Theft! How To Avoid It And What To Do If It Happens, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Timber theft, or timber trespass, is common throughout the Southeast. Each year numerous private forest landowners discover their timber has been stolen or inadvertently harvested.

Timber theft carries a civil penalty in Tennessee and often results in a complete financial loss to the owner. The value of stolen timber can be written off against income tax as an involuntary conversion. The deductible loss, however, is limited to the tax basis of the timber. If caught, the trespasser can be required to pay damages double or triple the current market value of the timber, according to whether the timber was negligently …

Pb1693 Sawing Logs For Quartersawn Lumber, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Hardwood lumber producers are constantly looking for ways to increase the value of their products. One way to increase lumber value is to saw logs using a method that will produce quartersawn lumber where growth rings appear parallel to one another on the wide face of the board. Quartersawn lumber is more valuable than lumber sawn using other methods and is very desirable for applications such as furniture and cabinet making. This publication describes quartersawn lumber, explains how it differs from lumber with other grain patterns and details several methods for producing quartersawn lumber on either a sawmill with a …

Setting Up The Books: A Forest Owner's Guide To Capital Accounts And Record-Keeping For Federal Income, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Financial Management

Forest owners have a number of federal income tax incentives available to them. Growing timber can 2 be an income-producing activity, with the trees being considered a capital asset. Income from sales or other disposition of capital assets is then taxed at capital gains rates, as opposed to ordinary income tax rates. Investments in timber can be recovered through depletion deductions and reforestation expenses, qualifying for a tax credit. These provisions and others in the tax code encourage timber production, which is generally considered to be good for both the ecology and the economy. This publication will assist you …

Pb1462 Tree Crops For Marginal Farmland - White Pine, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

White pine has flexible, blue-green needles that are grouped in fascicles of five. Each year, branches originate from the terminal growing tip (whorled pattern) giving the tree a distinctive appearance of layers of branches. The distance between successive whorls represents one year of growth. In forested settings, white pine grows rapidly on good sites, exceeding 100 feet in height and averaging 2 to 3 feet in diameter. The trunk is usually straight with a pyramidal crown. White pine is capable of attaining ages of 200 years.

White pine was extensively used in construction when old-growth white pine forests were abundant. …

Pb1628 Forest Products Measurements And Values, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Success in buying and selling forest products depends on one’s knowledge of product measurement and ability to predict the current market value. When trees are harvested, they can be sold as whole trees, factory class sawlogs, construction class sawlogs, veneer logs, pulpwood and/or chipwood. Lumber is sold by its grade, which is determined by the size and location of defects. Each product from the forest has a particular method by which it is measured and its market value estimated. This publication explains common forest products measures used in Tennessee and how to estimate the current market value.

Pb1466 Tree Crops For Marginal Farmland - Loblolly Pine, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Throughout the South the amount of timberland — about 182 million acres — exceeds the amount of cropland and pasture combined. Approximately one-third of all land in the South is covered with pine trees. Loblolly pine is by far the most abundant pine species. Its natural range in cludes the 12 southern states from Texas to Virginia, as well as Maryland and Delaware.

Loblolly pine has spread remarkably in the South east, growing quickly and forming pure stands in aban doned agricultural fields. For this reason, it is also known as “old field pine.”

The early colonists called a moist …

Caloric Production Of Black Bear Foods In Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Robert Michael Inman

Masters Theses

Understanding energetic potential of habitat patches is important for management designed to provide adequate habitat for wildlife species. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) has a high density of black bears that have been studied intensively from 1968-1997; habitats within the Park are relatively undisturbed, and similar vegetative cover types can be found throughout the southern Appalachian mountains. Black bear reproduction in the Park has been correlated to hard mast production, however little work has been done to assess the importance of soft mast. Geographic Information System (GIS) based habitat use models have been developed for bears in the Park, …

Identification, Life Cycle, And Presence Of Nectria Species Associated With Beech Bark Disease In The Great Smoky Mountains National Park And The Effectiveness Of Nematogonum Ferrugineum As A Biocontrol, Brenda A. Rutherford

Masters Theses

Two species of Nectria, N. galligena Bresadola and N. coccinea var. faginata Lohman, Watson, and Ayers, are associated with beech bark disease (BBD) in North America. In 1993, beech bark disease was discovered in the Great Smoky MOuntains National Park (GSMNP).

Ten sites for permanent plots were selected for incidence of the disease at different elevations in the GSMNP. These plots were rated four times in 1994 and 1995 for the presence of two scale insects, Cryptococcus fagisuga Lindinger and Xylococculus betulae (Pergande) Morrison, and the presence of perithecia of Nectria spp. The beech trees in each plot were also …

Pb1574 Managed Forests For Healthy Ecosystems, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

In this publication, we will more completely describe the concept of ecosystem management, and provide examples of how it may apply to your woodland. The older multiple-use and sustained-yield principles will not be forgotten; they will simply become part of a larger goal of maintaining healthy ecosystems. Responsible forestry and agricultural practices that are consistent with this goal will not be affected.

Crop Tree Management Of Upland Hardwoods In West Tennessee, David O'Neal

Masters Theses

A 40-year-old upland hardwood stand in west Tennessee was selected to test the effectiveness of crop tree management techniques. The stand consisted of 20 acres with each acre having the potential to contain 36 crop trees. Treatments consisted of: 1) a crown release, 2) fertilization (150 lbs. N and 35 lbs. P₂0₅ per acre) and 3) a combined release and fertilizer treatment.

A severe ice storm struck west Tennessee the winter following the study's initiation. Results indicated that release greatly increased a crop tree's susceptibility to severe ice damage and that black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) …

Pb1523 Forest Practice Guidelines For Tennessee, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Forestry, Trees, and Timber

Those involved in managing Tennessee forests have felt the need for a concise statement about forest practices in Tennessee. Although several sources provide information about Tennessee’s forests and appropriate forest practices, searching for information takes considerable time, and in some instances the sources are not readily available. These guidelines provide a ready, authoritative reference. This publication identifies appropriate forest management practices and informs the Tennessee forest landowner about making wise policy decisions and establishing long-range goals.

However, many land management decisions are complex and can not be explained here. In most cases, forest management requires the services of a professional …

An Analysis Of Topographic Effects On Landsat Thematic Mapper Image Using Digital Terain Data, Xiaomin Liu

Masters Theses

A comprehensive literature review on the simulation and corrections of topographic variations in remote sensing data was presented. The effects of topography on the scene radiance of LANDSAT thematic mapper (TM) image were examined in the context of the remote sensing of vegetation m Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP).

To simulate the image intensity component due to varying orientation of surface elements, two reflectance models were adopted to generate the synthetic images from a Digital Elevation Model (DEM). Visual and analytical procedures were developed to register the TM image to the DEM data.

The dark tones of scene radiance …

Prediction Of Forest Type And Productivity Index On Disturbed Sites In Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Charlotte Pyle

Masters Theses

A study was conducted in a portion of the permanent vegetation plots established by Uplands Field Research Laboratory in Great Smoky Mountains. The plots were located in the northwestern portion of the park in the vicinity of Cades Cove and Tremont on sites previously disturbed by chestnut blight, logging, fire, farming activities, and livestock grazing. Estimated plot productivity, and data on vegetation, soils, and topographic parameters were available from previous study of these plots. The purpose of the present study was to develop methods to predict forest cover type and plot productivity index score using site and disturbance history-related factors. …

The Decline Of Log House Construction In Blount County, Tennessee, John T. Morgan

Doctoral Dissertations

The log house is an important element of architectural heritage of much of the eastern United States. In some areas, such as East Tennessee, log construction was not replaced by frame construction until the late nineteenth century.

Several reasons have been presented in the literature for the decline of log house construction, but none of them had been tested empirically. This study determined to what extent the reasons given for the decline of the log house construction explain the decline of log dwelling construction in Blount County, Tennessee. The study analyzed the influence of five factors: (1) relative affluence of …

Winter Backcountry Campers In The Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Their Behavior, Use Patterns And Characteristics, Janet Loy Hughes

Masters Theses

Studies of backcountry or wilderness use to date have been based on summer or peak season use. Due to the lack of research concerning winter backcountry use, a comparative study was conducted to investigate potential differences in the behavior, use, and user characteristics of winter and summer backcountry campers in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Major questions to be addressed in the study were: (1) are the user characteristics and use patterns of winter backcountry campers significantly different from those of summer campers? (2) are the motives of winter backcountry campers different from those of summer campers? and (3) …