Forestry

1. Forestry By: Johnny M. Jessup FFA Advisor/Agriculture Teacher

2. Introduction • There are 483 million acres of timberland in the United States and 248 million acres of other forestland for a total of 731 million acres.

3. What is Forestry? • …. is the management of forests. • A forest is a complex association of trees, shrubs, and plants which all contribute to the life of the community.

4. A Forest Consists of… • Evergreens • Trees that do not shed their leaves on a yearly basis. • Conifers • Evergreens trees that have needle-like leaves and produce lumber called softwood.

5. Important Softwood Species • Southern Pine • Includes loblolly, longleaf, shortleaf, & slash pine. • Most commonly used for pulpwood & plywood. • Douglas Fir • Perhaps the most important species of tree in the U.S. • Used for construction lumber & plywood. • Frazier Fir • Used for commercial Christmas tree production. • Grown in the mountains of North Carolina.

6. A Conifer Forest

7. A Forest Consists of… • Deciduous Trees • Trees that shed their leaves or needles every year and produce lumber called hardwood. • Lumber • Boards that are sawed from the trees and sold by the board foot. • Board Foot • A unit of measurement for lumber equal to 1” x 12” x 12”.

8. Important Hardwood Species • Ash • Used for handles & baseball bats. • Resembles oak & has a high resistance to shock. • Birch • Used for furniture, plywood, & paneling. • Made into veneer. • Oak (Red & White) • Flooring, furniture, & fencing. • Very strong wood.

9. A Deciduous Forest

10. Forestry Products • Plywood • Construction material made of thin material made of thin layers of wood glued together. • Pulpwood • Wood used for making fiber for paper and other products. • Veneer • Very thin sheet of wood glued to a cheaper species of wood that is used in paneling & furniture making.

11. Forest/Wood Lot Management

12. Forest Management • Proper management of a wooded area involves more than just the harvest of trees or the removal of unwanted species. • Many factors have to be taken into consideration such as: soil, water, type of trees, and availability of markets. • Scientific growing of trees is silviculture.

13. Goals of Forest Management • To use forest resources without depletion of forest lands. • Profit to the wood lot owner while preserving & making wise use of resources.

14. Replacing Harvested Trees • Necessary in all but virgin forest or forests that have never been harvested by humans. • Least expensive way of seeding is to replace harvested trees is “natural seeding”. • Source of seed must be available in forest.

15. Replacing Harvested Trees • A surer method of replacing harvested trees is to plant seedlings. • Can be planted with one species or several compatible species.

16. Managing Growing Timber • Prescribed burn • Used to reduce risk of wild fires by eliminating forest litter. • Prescribed thinning • Recommended to remove some trees when competition slows the growth of all trees.

17. Harvesting Timber • Clear Cutting • All trees in an area are removed. • Seed-Tree Cutting • Cutting all but a few larger trees that remains as seed bearers.

18. Harvesting Timber • Shelterwood Cutting • Enough trees are left standing to reseed the lot and to protect the area until the young trees are well established. • Diameter Limit Cutting • All trees above a certain diameter are cut. • Selection Cutting • Used in mixed forests of trees consisting of different ages & species.

19. Careers & Equipment in Forestry

20. Forest Careers • Are related to growing, managing, & harvesting trees for wood & wood by-products. • Examples: • Forester • Forest Ranger • Logging Foreman

21. Careers • Foresters • A service-oriented career that helps with the science of growing trees. • Provide assistance in managing forests for the family as well as the commercial grower. • May recommend reseeding a harvested tract with the most appropriate seedlings.

22. Careers • Forest Ranger • Find employment primarily with the government to manage forests on state and federal lands but may also assist with fire prevention, etc. on private lands as well.

23. Careers • Timber cruiser • Hired by private landowners & companies to estimate the tree volume on a tract of land. • Do outdoor work that requires physical stamina. • Require a high school diploma and special training in estimating tree volume & value of timber.

24. Careers • Logging Foreman • Supervises a crew involved in the harvesting phase. • Responsible for overseeing & managing logging operations.

25. Careers • Chain Saw & Felling Machine Operators • Take down trees & prepare them for loading.

26. Careers • Skidder Operator • Move felled trees from the cutting site to the loading area.

27. Careers • Loaders • Load felled trees on logging trucks.

28. Forestry Equipment • Increment Borer • Checking growth rate of trees. • Used to determine the age of trees within a stand.

29. Forestry Equipment • Planting Bar • Used for setting out tree seedlings.

30. Forestry Equipment • Tree Scale Stick • Used to estimate tree volume.

31. Forestry Equipment • Tree tape • Gives the most accurate measurement in determining the average circumference of trees.

32. Measuring Trees

33. Biltmore Tree Scale Stick • Used to measure diameter and height in trees. • The stick is 25 inches long…. • This is also the distance you hold the stick from your eye when measuring.

34. Measuring Diameter • Measure diameter at dbh (Diameter at Breast Height). • dbh = 4 ½ feet from the ground

35. Measuring Height • We measure height by walking 1 chain from the base of the tree. • 1 chain = 66 feet

36. 1 Chain = 66 feet Measuring Height

37. Timber Marking • Selecting trees that are to be cut before the harvest. • Select individual trees that are…. • Inferior species; value wise • Short bodied or otherwise poorly formed • Overmature • Injured as a result of disease, insects, etc.

38. Designed By: • Johnny M. Jessup, FFA Advisor • Hobbton High School