Lists

Lists keep me on task and help me remember what I need to do.  And checking things off a list gives me a sense of accomplishment.  It seems like at the start of each new year there is a list for everything.  A quick look on the Internet and you will find idea lists for resolutions, places to go, hobbies to start, and of course, books to read.  
 
That got me thinking, “What are some of the best books for landowners to help them better manage their land in 2022?”
 
So, I asked our ACES Forestry, Wildlife and Natural Resource Specialists for their top book recommendations for forest landowners – and they came up with some wonderful options listed below. 
 
Hopefully this will help you add some new forestland management resources to your library! But if you ever have questions about forestry, wildlife, or natural resource management, Alabama Extension is here with answers.  Stay safe, keep learning, and keep doing good things for the land!
 

If you have a moment please fill out our Backyard to the Back 40 Newsletter Survey. 

Take care, 

Becky 

Dr. Becky Barlow 
Forestry, Wildlife & Natural Resources Extension Coordinator & Harry E. Murphy Professor
Alabama Cooperative Extension System 
 

Plants

A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests.  Authors: Miller, J.H., Chambliss, E.B. and Loewenstein, N.J.  This is only available on-line: https://wiki.bugwood.org/Archive:IPSF  or https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/35292 (Recommended by Dr. Nancy Loewenstein and Dr. Adam Newby)

A Management Guide for Invasive Plants in Southern Forests. A pdf download is available through the USDA Forest Service webpage https://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/36915 , but there are also hardcopy books available. (Recommended by Dr. Adam Newby)
 
Bringing Nature Home.  Author: Tallamy, D.W.  This book explains how you can sustain wildlife with native plants. (Recommended by Dr. Nancy Loewenstein)

Dirr’s Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs.  Author: Michael A. Dirr. (Recommended by Dr. Eve Brantley)
 
Forest Plants of the Southeast and their Wildlife Uses.  Authors: Miller, J.H and Miller, K.V.  This is a good intro-level book of common understory plants. (Recommended by Dr. Nancy Loewenstein)
 
Manual of Woody Landscape Plants. Author: Michael A. Dirr. (Recommended by Dr. Eve Brantley)
 
Native Trees of the Southeast.  Authors: Kirkman, K., Brown, C.L and Leopold, D.J. (Recommended by Dr. Nancy Loewenstein)

Recreation and Nature

Exploring Wild Alabama – A Guide to the State’s Publicly Accessible Natural Areas.  Authors: Wills, K.M. and Davenport L.J.  This book has information on great trails and vistas that you may not be familiar with. (Recommended by Rachel McGuire)
 
The Lost Art of Reading Nature's Signs: Use Outdoor Clues to Find Your Way, Predict the Weather, Locate Water, Track Animals―and Other Forgotten Skills.  Author: Gooley T.  (Recommended by Dr. Becky Barlow)
 
The Secret World of Weather: How to Read Signs in Every Cloud, Breeze, Hill, Street, Plant, Animal, and Dewdrop. Author: Gooley T.  (Recommended by Dr. Becky Barlow)

 Wildlife

Core Principles of Wildlife Control with Wildlife Species Information.  Available online https://www.wildlifecontrolsupplies.com/animal/NWCTP-Book-CLR.html  (Recommended by Dr. Mark Smith)
 
The Birder's Handbook: A Field Guide to the Natural History of North American Birds.  Authors: Ehrlich, P., Dobkin, D.S., and Wheye D.  (Recommended by Dr. Mark Smith)
 
Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases.  Scroll down on this link for more info https://vet.uga.edu/education/academic-departments/population-health/southeastern-cooperative-wildlife-disease-study/  (Recommended by Dr. Mark Smith)

Save the date for the international conference, “The Sustainable Future of CLT in the South: Grow, Design, Build,” to be held April 27 – 29, 2022, in Auburn, Alabama. 

Alabama Professional Logging Manager Program

The Alabama Professional Logging Manager (PLM) program provides training for loggers on sustainable forestry practices and logging safety. Logger training is a key part of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® Inc. (SFI). Logging falls under the SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard. This SFI standard sets mandatory practice requirements for all wood (fiber) sourced from forests and it does not matter if that forest is certified or not. Approximately 96% of wood delivered to mills that participate in the SFI program comes from loggers that have been trained in sustainable forestry. Most of the large mills in Alabama participate in this program which means that loggers need to have their PLM training and keep their training up-to-date to take wood to these mills. Read More

For more information, contact Richard Cristan, Extension Specialist.

Beaver Trapping

Beaver play a crucial role in the ecosystems where they live, engineering habitat which generates a tremendous diversity of plants, animals, and aquatic life. However, beaver numbers in Alabama have increased to the point of causing millions of dollars in economic damage annually. The largest losses result from cutting timber and flooding timberlands, agricultural crops, and roadways. If your property has water on or nearby it, chances are you will have a run-in with beaver.   

Beavers are territorial. Parents force out juveniles around late winter and early spring to recolonize elsewhere. Most juveniles travel between one and 3.5 miles to find a suitable home site. Once settled, they form colonies averaging four to eight individuals and territories ranging from 20-40 acres. Even though beaver don’t mature until age two or three and have small annual liters of two to three, a breeding pair that is left uncontrolled can have dramatic impacts in a short time.  Read More

For more information, contact Norm Haley, Regional Extension Agent.

Their Blood Runs Cold: Alabama’s Amphibians in Wintertime

Although winter means that snakes and other reptiles become much harder to find, the same is not true about Alabama’s amphibians.

The sound of frogs calling may bring to mind summer nights, but many of the state’s frogs actually call and breed during the winter. In fact, oftentimes the frog species heard during winter will rarely, if ever, be heard during summer and vice versa. This is also true about Alabama’s other group of amphibians – the salamanders. For some species, it is much more likely to catch a glimpse of one on a rainy winter night than it is on a summer day.  Read More
 
For more information, contact Wes Anderson, Extension Specialist.

Alabama Watershed Stewards: Taking a Watershed Approach 

Watersheds Need Local Stewardship  

Alabama is proud of its rivers and streams and are featured on the Official State Seal of Alabama. Despite this pride, people struggle with the question, “Whose responsibility is it to protect our waterways when they belong to all of us?” The health of watersheds directly impacts people.  Additionally, human behavior and design impacts watershed health.  The Alabama Watershed Stewards (AWS) program at Auburn University uses a watershed approach to involve people in addressing local quality concerns. The AWS program offers state-wide educational trainings to the public. Additionally, AWS offers online trainings and resources as it strives to create the conditions for long-term change by building social infrastructure, localizing water quality issues, and providing tangible steps for improvement.

 READ MORE

For information please contact Laura Bell, Outreach Programs Administrator.

W. Kelly Mosley Environmental Awards

W. Kelly Mosley Environmental Awards Program is accepting nominations for the Mosley Environmental Achievement Award in Forestry, Wildlife, and Related Resources. The fundamental mission of the Mosley Environmental Achievement Award is to identify and reward "unsung heroes" who have voluntarily contributed significantly to the wise stewardship of Alabama's natural resources. Almost anyone may be eligible - youths, adults, practitioners, professionals, technicians, individual citizens, and groups - if their voluntary contributions have resulted in the wiser use of our natural resources and the betterment of our communities. Award recipients are identified by the Steering and Selection Committee composed of leaders of Alabama natural resource institutions. 

Although nominations for the Mosley Environmental Achievement Awards may be submitted any time of year. Award recipients receive a $500 honorarium, a framed certificate of recognition, and a framed limited-edition reproduction of our commissioned painting.  Multiple award recipients may be approved each year by the Steering and Selection Committee (i.e., not restricted to only one recipient per year).  Nominators will also receive the same reproduction of our commissioned painting should their submission be successful. 

For more information about the W. Kelly Mosley Environmental Awards Program, or to submit a nomination online, please visit our new website at https://sfws.auburn.edu/wk-mosley-environmental-award/  

If you have any questions regarding nomination submissions, please contact the Executive Secretary, Mark Smith by phone (334-844-8099) or email (mds0007@auburn.edu) 

We hope that you take the time to nominate a deserving individual for this prestigious award. 

Mark D. Smith 
Executive Secretary
W. Kelly Mosley Environmental Awards Program

Winter/Early Spring Checklist for Landowners 

Janurary

• American Woodcock season runs through the end of January in Alabama.
• Develop a winter birding checklist.
• Webinars are a great way to learn about forestry, wildlife and natural resource management.
• Sign up for ACES beekeeping workshops.

Feburary

• Prepare your land for prescribed fire activities.  
• Hunting and fishing licenses can be purchased through the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources website.
• Spring storms can cause trees to topple when soil is saturated.

March

• Plant chufa for wild turkeys in late spring.
• Learn about soil tests for wildlife food plots.
• Start scouting your property for kudzu patches that need control.