Forestry, Wildlife and Natural Resources Extension Team Updates

“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”
-Maya Angelou

I think of that quote from Maya Angelou often because, to me, it sums up our Forestry, Wildlife, and Natural Resources Extension team well. As a team, we had many face-to-face workshops, field days, and other planned events canceled due to COVID-19 related restrictions and concerns. We did briefly feel defeated.  But then, something amazing happened. Our team came together and quickly figured out how we could still get quality information out to those who need it but in a format that would also keep everyone safe. 

In early March, Regional Agents started posting videos to our Forestry, Wildlife and Natural Resources Facebook page. The first ones were short – a 10-second one of a rattlesnake (that has since had almost 800 views), and an 11-second one of an opossum meandering through the woods (that has since had over 150 views). Then on March 23, Regional Agent Norm Haley posted a video on scouting for aquatic weeds and things took off from there. We now have 17 videos on our Facebook site with over 9,500 views.  

Longer-format, online workshops soon followed those early videos posted to Facebook. In some cases, we have increased our reach 10 times over what we would have with face-to-face workshops and have reached people living all across the United States and in Canada, Australia, India, Nepal, Albania, and Macau – just to name a few! To see our current listing of webinars or to register, visit our FWNR Webinar webpage.

We look forward to the day when we can again host face-to-face workshops safely for everyone. There is nothing like being able to meet and work with Alabama’s citizens in person. But if it had not been for this “defeat” who knows when we would have stepped out of our comfort zones and started to see who we are and what we could rise to.

Thanks, as always, for looking to Alabama Extension for answers!

Take care, 

Becky 

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

Forestry Herbicides for Site Preparation of Pine Plantations

There is limited information on site preparation herbicides for pine plantations in Alabama. This Extension publication will help forest landowners and forestry professionals gain a better perspective on forestry herbicides available for site preparation. We compiled a list of site preparation herbicides and included: rates to apply them, species of pine, target species, resistant species, time of year for application, soil activity, and when to replant pine seedlings.  Read More

For more information, please contact Dr. Richard Cristan, Extension Specialist/Assistant Professor

Latest on Toxicants for Controlling Wild Pigs

The latest buzz in the wild pig world still revolves around the development of toxicants for use in controlling wild pigs. There are two toxicants currently in the running for use on wild pigs, warfarin and sodium nitrite.

Products Under Research

Warfarin, an anticoagulant and the active ingredient in Kaput Feral Hog bait, is the only toxicant currently registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use on wild pigs. However, Texas was the only state to register this product for use on wild pigs. Because some stakeholder groups threatened to pursue litigation, the manufacturer subsequently withdrew their registration. This means that this product is not currently available for use in any state, including Alabama. The manufacturer and state and federal agencies continue to research how this product can be used safely and to prevent non-target species such as black bears from accessing the product. Read More

For more information, please contact Dr. Mark Smith, Extension Specialist & Professor

Timber Sale Methods

Thinking of fall and winter often brings to mind the satisfaction of cooler weather, football Saturdays, or a day spent in the woods. However, late fall and winter is also a great time for landowners to conduct a timber sale, as cold and wet conditions often fetch higher prices for some products (most often pine and hardwood pulpwood). Also during this time of year, landowners with naturally dry soils or tracts located near roads will likely have an easier time selling timber, especially when buyers are looking for wood sources during wet winters.

New landowners or those that do not sell timber frequently may be curious as to how timber is bought and paid for. Timber sales generally occur in one of two formats; per unit or lump sum. One system may be better than the other depending on what the landowner is selling and how they plan to report the income from the sale.
Read More

For more information, please contact Drew Metzler, Regional Extension Agent

Fall & Early Winter Checklist for Landowners

October

• Don’t miss the free Alabama Extension Natural Resources Webinar Series that begins October 7!
• Did you remember to update your fishing license? In Alabama, the license year runs from September 1 to August 31.  
• Hunting and fishing licenses can be purchased through the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources website.
• Thinking of organizing a hunting club?  Doing a little planning ahead of time can make for a more enjoyable hunting season.
• Prepare tree planting contracts for this winter’s tree planting.
   

November

• Fall is the best time to treat Chinese privet with basal bark herbicide treatments.
• Longleaf, slash, and loblolly pines naturally begin to cast old needles this month.  These needles can be raked and harvested for mulch.  Alabama Extension publication “Harvesting pine straw for profit: Questions landowners should ask themselves” can help you decide if pine straw harvesting is right for your property.
• Use caution when burning piles of leaves or logging debris.  
• Found forest items make great fall and winter decorations.

December

• Plan to be part of the Christmas Bird Count
• Take time this winter to learn how to use satellite imagery to better manage your property.
• Make sure you have documented all cost and revenue information for your 2020 land management activities.
• This is also a good time to update land management plans and review them with family members.

To continue to provide you with science-based, timely information, the Alabama Extension Forestry, Wildlife, & Natural Resources team has created the Forestry, Wildlife, & Natural Resources Webinar listing.  These are mini workshops that you can view at any time of the day, and most webinars provide continuing forestry education and Professional Logging Manager hours. To see our full listing of upcoming, archived webinars, and for registration information, please visit the link below.