By Larry Foster, RF. With the end of summer approaching, we can look forward to cooler temperatures, college football and deer season. Landowners will soon need to get game food plots prepared and planted. Several steps are necessary to ensure good results that attract abundant wildlife for hunting or observation. If a property does not already have openings in place it is important to start early....
Many forest landowners hope to preserve and increase the value of their land as a legacy for those who will follow them, either by inheritance or sale of the property. If a property is producing income it is more likely to be kept in timberland. There are several ways a property owner can accomplish this goal. First, understand the value of the timber especially if the property or timber is to be...
Kudzu Patch Kudzu – Friend or Foe? Do you remember the movie ‘The Blob’? It was first released in 1958 and starred Steve McQueen and his girlfriend Jane (Aneta Corseaut). The movie was about a gelatinous, alien life form that slowly engulfed everything in its path. I think that this is how most of us view kudzu. It just looks like a scary, green monster that slowly creeps along and devours...
A little time and effort spent now will pay off in spades next spring. Why Plant chufa? Chufa provides turkeys with a wonderful source of fat, vitamins, oils, fiber (yes turkeys need it too), carbs, and protein. So while chufa certainly attracts turkeys, it provides them with a super-quality food that helps sustain a healthy population of gobblers and hens. What types of soils are best to plant a...
The invasive species of "Cogongrass" is becoming an issue for landowners in South and Central Alabama. Attached to this post you will find a great article published by The Alabama Forestry Commission by Dr. Jim Miller, USDA Forest Service R & D, Auburn University and Dr. Stephen F. Enloe, Auburn University. This article provides valuable information concerning the control of this invasive...
Prescribed burning is a vital part of land management for both timber health and wildlife management. Timing of the fire is a factor that highly influences the outcome. On tracts of land with heavy undergrowth (fuel), prescribed burning is best to take place during the cool season. When there is a great deal of fuel on a tract it is generally best to use a back fire. A back fire is created by allowing the...
In investing in a timberland property, it is advisable to investigate all aspects of the life cycle of life cycle ,especially the financial life cycle of loblolly pine plantations. Don Donald, ALC has done this in a power point presentation featuring two of his timberland properties. The attached PDF file summarizes the entire process. Plantation Life Cycle...