Research Accomplishment Reports 2010

RREA Program

J.W. Stringer
Department of Forestry

 

Non-Technical Summary

Improving sustainable stewardship and the health of Kentucky s non-industrial private forestlands is paramount to improving the quality of life of Kentucky s 423,000 forest owners and the landscapes surrounding the majority of Kentucky s populace. One-half of Kentucky, 12 million acres, is forested. This resource provides the backdrop for the lives of many Kentuckians. The forest also provides abundant wildlife resources yielding $1.5 billion dollars to the economy and supports a forest industry with annual shipments of $6.4 billion, employing 37,500 Kentuckians in 112 of Kentucky s 120 counties. Threats to forest health and sustainability include the invasion of exotic species, mismanagement or benign neglect of forest resources and wildlife habitat, ineffective use of forest resources, and forest fragmentation and loss of habitats affects our potential to maintain sustainable life styles and a quality of life expected from every Kentuckian. Providing solutions for forest/natural resource problems and forest industries in the state are critical for maintaining strong and sustainable economies, protecting our natural resources, and providing for a sustainable life style for all Kentuckians.

The University of Kentucky s Cooperative Extension forestry program is focused on effectively delivering knowledge, insight, and solutions that address forest and forest-industry-related challenges affecting all Kentuckians.

2010 Project Description

RREA funded 185 individual events with 6,333 individuals or businesses participating including family and industry forest owners, professional forestry and natural resource personnel, forest industries and loggers.

RREA also contributed to the production of the Kentucky Woodland Magazine for forest owners in Kentucky, development or maintenance of 5 websites including a YouTube channel and yielded 23 extension publications and manuscripts, 3 book chapters, 1 book, and contributed to 6 applied research papers.

RREA also resulted in a total of 146,470 indirect contacts that were provided information and assistance on forestry and wildlife issues.

Programming was focused in four subject areas including the enhancement of economic opportunities for non-industrial private forest owners and forest based communities, stewardship of Kentucky's forests, identification and control of invasive exotics, and the enhancement of wildlife resources.

A total of 97 programs with 2,783 attendees were provided to enhance economic opportunities for forest owners and rural communities. This included county forestry programs focusing on timber marketing and the production of non-timber forest products including Shiitake mushrooms and maple syrup production and programming for aligned professionals including loggers through the Kentucky Master Logger Program and Certified Logging Program and education and training of secondary wood industry personnel at the University of Kentucky's Wood Utilization Center, training programs for wood drying through the Ohio Valley Lumber Drying Association, the Railway Tie Association. A total of over 31,000 were made aware of economic opportunities through direct contact and over 19,000 indirect contacts were made and 7 extension publications produced.

Forest Stewardship was also a primary area of concentration with over 85 programs conducted impacting over 3,458 individuals. A total of 1,368 individual family forest owners directly participated in woodland owner programs such as the Kentucky Woodland Owner Short Course and the Kentucky Fall Webinar Series. Family forest owners also were provided 10 extension publications relating to woodland management. 1,050 individual family forest owners were also directly impacted by programs for forestry and natural resource professionals including the Professional Forestry Workshops and the Kentucky Master Logger Program.

In total 3 programs for wildlife and invasive species management were conducted for 92 forestry and wildlife professionals with effected 1,628 landowners. Four magazine articles provided information on forest health and invasive species and were distributed to over 10,150 individuals.

2010 Impact

RREA programs resulted in a total of 7,683 family forest owners directly obtaining education and information on forest management and stewardship or being impacted directly by RREA sponsored programs instituted for forestry and aligned professionals. Cumulatively this resulted in over 356,405 acres protected or improved. This included 1,628 owners directly being afforded technical assistance on invasive species management. Development of technical standards and the training of forest and natural resource professionals provided for 3,000 acres of invasive species removal and approximately 450,000 dollars in practice payments were distributed through farm bill programs to family forest owners.

Fiscal impacts from RREA supported programming were primarily derived from logger and forest industry training. This resulted in direct dollars saved or earned in the forestry sector of 147,366,305 dollars. In total 226 firms were established and 314 jobs were maintained or created due to RREA supported programs. The majority of the fiscal impact was derived from 109 million dollars in direct stumpage revenue to family forest owners from Kentucky Master Loggers that harvested 197,340 acres and 730 billion board feet of timber in Kentucky and surrounding states. These loggers also implemented best management practices that protected 875 perennial and 2,410 intermittent streams in Kentucky.

Industries benefiting directly from RREA supported training programs at the Wood Utilization Center at the Robinson Center for Appalachian Resource Sustainability accounted for 1,205,665 dollars saved or earned and programs provided to members of the Ohio Valley Lumber Drying Association resulting in 37,160,640 dollars saved or earned. The total contribution of these industries to the economy of Kentucky through the production of finished paper and wood products was approximately 1.53 billion.

2010 Publications

Ammerman, B., Stringer, J.W., and Fackler, C. 2010. Forestry Emerald Ash Borer Industry Note February 2010: Shipping and Hauling Hardwood Firewood. Cooperative Extension Service, University of Kentucky, Department of Forestry, FORFS 10-01. 3pp

Barnes, T. 2010. Urban Pest Management. Encyclopedia of Pest Management, Taylor and Francis Group, New York, NY. DOI: 10.1081/E-EPM-120019154

Barnes, T. 2010. Toxic Plants. Kentucky Woodlands Magazine 5(2):12-13

Barnes, T. 2010. Hot Plants: Dicentra exima. Kentucky Gardener 8 (3): 13-14

Barnes, T. 2010. Backyard Bats. Kentucky Woodlands Magazine 5(1) 16-17

Barnes, T. 2010. Ditch the Invasives in Favor of the Kentucky Natives. KY Gardener 8(1):12-15

Barnes, T. 2009. Home Remedies in the Garden. Kentucky Gardener Magazine Newsletter.

Barnes, T. and N. Wirzba. 2009. The Gift of Creation: Images from Scripture and Earth.Acclaim Press, Morley, MO.

Fackler, Carroll. 2009. Ohio Valley Lumber Drying Association Membership Directory, FORFS 09-04

Hill, Deborah B. 2010. Agroforestry Forest Farming: Have Maple, Will Sugar, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Kentucky, Department of Forestry, FOR-118, 4pp.

Hill, Deborah B. 2010. Non-Timber Forest Products: Gleaning the Forest. Kentucky Woodlands Magazine 5(1): 18-19.

Hill, Deborah B. 2010. Non-Timber Forest Products: Have Maples, Will Sugar. Kentucky Woodlands Magazine 5(3): 16-17.

Stringer, J. 2010. High Impact Options for Hardwoods: Before, During, and After Harvest. Forest Landowners Magazine. In Press.

Stringer, J. 2010. Marking Hardwoods for Selective Harvest. Forest Landowners Magazine 69(3):36-37.

Stringer, J. 2010. How to Keep Your Woodlands Healthy. Kentucky Woodlands Magazine 5(2): 2-5.

Stringer, J. 2010. Producing Certified Wood. Kentucky Woodlands Magazine 5(2): 23.

Stringer, J. 2010. Silviculture for Small Woodlands. Kentucky Woodlands Magazine 5(1): 1-4.

Stringer, J. 2010. Certification for Kentucky's Woodland Owners. Kentucky Woodlands Magazine 5(1): 23.

Stringer, J. 2010. Managing and Preventing Woodland Degradation. Kentucky Woodlands Magazine 4(3):1-4.

Stringer, J. 2010. Invasive Plant Hit List: Paulownia. Kentucky Woodlands Magazine 4(3): 10-11.

Stringer, J. 2010. Timber Sale Administration. 2010. Cooperative Extension Service, Department of Forestry. Training Manual. 83pp.

Schweitzer, C. J., Gottschalk, K.W., Stringer, J.W., Clark, S.L., and D.L. Loftis. 2010. Using Silviculture to Sustain Upland Oak Forests Under Stress on the Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky. In Proceedings 17th Central Hardwood Forest Conference. USDA Forest Service e-GTR (referred proceedings).

Witt, E.L., Barton, C.D., Stringer, J.W., Bowker, D.W., and R.K. Kolka. 2010. Evaluating Best Management Practices for Ephemeral Channel Protection Following Forest Harvest in the Cumberland Plateau - Preliminary Findings. In Proceedings 17th Central Hardwood Forest Conference. USDA Forest Service e-GTR (referred proceedings).

Research Publications Bowker, D., Stringer, J., Barton, C., and S. Fei. 2010. GPS and GIS Analysis of Mobile Harvesting Equipment and Sediment Delivery to Streams During Forest Harvest Operations on Steep Terrain. In Proceedings 17th Central Hardwood Forest Conference. USDA Forest Service e-GTR (referred proceedings).

Bowker, D.W. and J. W. Stringer. 2010. Efficacy of Herbicide Treatments for Controlling Residual Sprouting of Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus altissima). In Proceedings 17th Central Hardwood Forest Conference. USDA Forest Service e-GTR (referred proceedings).

Bowker, D., Stringer, J., Barton, C., and S. Fei. 2010. GPS and GIS Analysis of Mobile Harvesting Equipment and Sediment Delivery to Streams During Forest Harvest Operations on Steep Terrain. In: Fueling the Future, Proceedings of the 33st Annual Meeting of the Council on Forest Engineering. 2010 Jun 6-9. Auburn, AL. (CD - Council on Forest Engineering)

Parrott, D.L., Lhotka, J.M., and J.W. Stringer. 2010. Effects Of Midstory Removal On Underplanted Black Oak (Quercus velutina) And White Oak (Quercus alba) In The Western Cumberland Plateau. In Proceedings 17th Central Hardwood Forest Conference. USDA Forest Service e-GTR (referred proceedings).