About.com

Ten Questions With Answers on Tropical Rainforests

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:00:07 +0000

Tropical rainforests exist only within the World's equatorial regions and are major "harbors" of genetic diversity. These forests are now home to 50 percent of all the living things on Earth yet the area covers less than 2% of the Earth's surface. There are increasingly fewer of these forests and the remaining tropical rainforest realms are down from an estimated 12% of the estimated world forest cover of pre-history.

Rainforest: Questions With Answers

Image: Mongabay.com

A Forestry Photographic Gallery - FDR's Forestry Legacy

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:49:00 +0000

Franklin Delano Roosevelt loved Pine Mountain Georgia. I've posted pictures of his favorite view of this Georgia mixed pine-oak-hickory forest in this forestry photo gallery.

FDR's Forestry Legacy

FDR also inspired a depression-era building campaign of the rustic style on government forests to support an ailing U.S. work force. Roosevelt reviewed the construction of the Pine Mountain State Park headquarters which was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

There also is a significant population of "mountain" longleaf on Pine Mountain where Roosevelt built his summer home. Although outside the typical coastal plain range of longleaf, Pinus palustris does well in parts of the lower Appalachian. Roosevelt actually planted a demonstration forest of 5,000 longleaf on his Georgia farm during the winter season of 1929-30.

FDR's Little White House - More Photos

Biographies of Ten Most Interesting Forestry and Tree Notables

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 09:14:05 +0000

Here are important people who influenced forests and trees in a positive way over the last century. Notice how different each was in their passions and persuasions. Read how many ways their influence would effect forever, trees and arborscapes in North America.

Joyce Kilmer Memorial Plaque - Photo by Steve Nix, Licensed to About.com

What is a Tree Burl?

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 07:43:06 +0000

There has been very little research done to confirm the cause or causes of burls. I simply can't find much information on the biology of a tree burl online. Sources I've found suggest that a burl could be caused by many environmental factors but the actual biology of burls on trees is not well known.

In certain cases, the burl is actually a desirable tree product and seldom kills a tree. Burls can yield a very peculiar and highly figured wood, one prized for its beauty by many and sought after by people such as furniture makers, artists, and wood sculptors. There are a number of well-known types of burls. Quality burl wood often comes from redwood, walnut, buckeye, maple, baldcypress and teak .

What is a Tree Burl? - The Mysterious Wood Burl

Burl on a Tree - photo by A. Tadesco

Where U.S. Forests are Located, Official USFS Forest Occurrence Map

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:48:59 +0000

This forestland occurrence map indicates where the largest concentration of individual trees are growing (based on existing growing stock) in the U.S. by county and state. The lighter green map shade means less tree densities while darker green means more tree densities. No color means very few trees.

The United States Forest Service's Forest Inventory and Assessment group developed this map to show the spatial distribution of the nation's forest land in 2007 as a percentage of county land area and county tree density.

Source: National Report on Forest Resources

via Where U.S. Forests are Located.

The History and Business of Making Lump Charcoal

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:11:51 +0000

Charcoal is a formless mass of carbon and can be made from most carbonaceous materials but wood is preferred. Charcoal is one of the oldest of man-made fuels and has been prepared in underground "kilns" for thousands of years. Interestingly, charcoal is still a major source of energy for many throughout the world but contributes to major deforestation in poor countries located in sensitive, arid areas.

In the United States, wood is the primary material used for charcoal and is generally procured in the form of residue like sawmill slabs and edgings. Very few trees are harvested for charcoal production in North America.

The History and Business of Making Lump Charcoal

Seven Events That Changed American Forestry Forever

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:15:43 +0000

There was no organized program to manage and protect United States' forests before 1875. No organization existed to champion fledgling forestry efforts being developed to save and manage American forests. There was no government over-site for vast stretches of American trees and no fire protection. Not one professional forester was trained in the United States.

All that was about to change.

Forestry became an American profession at the end of the 19th Century and was first taught at Cornell University and Yale. These universities created the first college level forestry schools in the Western Hemisphere. University-taught foresters were primarily employed in the newly created United States Division of Forestry, later to be called the United States Forest Service.

A massive conservation movement took the Nation by storm and was instrumental in the creation of the first Timberland Reserve which later became know as Yellowstone National Park. Millions of acres of forest land were later purchased to make up one of the largest public forest ownerships in the World - our National Forests. We still enjoy these forests today...

Yellowstone Timber Reserve - National Park Service Illustration

Catastrophic Events, Tree Damage and the IRS

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:00:31 +0000

Timber and tree owners have been hit especially hard the last several years by tornadoes, hurricanes, ice storms and other U.S. disasters.

Remember, trees damaged by fire or storm may entitle the owner to a federal tax deduction in the form of a "casualty loss". This includes losses to both timber and shade trees. You still must attempt to salvage the trees for any remaining value to qualify. A forester can help you with this...

Casualty losses occur when sudden, unexpected and unusual events damage your trees. The first step toward claiming that loss is to document the damage. Take pictures to show the actual property damage before cleanup efforts begin. In most cases you have until April 15, 2010 to report a "casualty loss" of any 2009 damage.

A timber owner has to have made an honest attempt to salvage the damaged timber and accepted any price, even if forced to sell at a lower tree grade. If no buyer can be found, proof of any or all refusals should be documented. So, in theory, if a timber owner has documented the damage and attempted a sale, he/she may deduct all or part of the resulting "loss".

Timber losses may be deducted up to the "adjusted basis" but not on the fair market value. That basis is generally what you originally paid for the timber plus any planting costs. The deduction cannot exceed that adjusted basis. Remember, you should find a registered forester to assess the tree or timber damage.

One cruel fact still remains. The deduction is based, not on timber's fair market value but on your adjusted basis. Many, if not most, owners of timber have a very small basis because the property was purchased decades ago or the timber naturally reseeded or the basis has already been depleted. If your basis is determined to be zero then your loss deduction will be zero. File the deduction on IRS Form 4684, Section B to report the loss.

Find Sources for Tree Seedlings and Saplings

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:53:20 +0000

So, you have either decided to plant some trees or create a new forest plantation. Let me help you find a nursery or seedling source that can provide you with trees. I will suggest companies that can supply you with equipment necessary to the task of tree planting. There are excellent sources that can be contacted via the Internet. Some of these sources actually offer discounted tree and some of the trees are actually free.

Find Sources for Tree Seedlings and Saplings

Using Firewood in Regions with Emerald Ash Borer Infestations

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:32:05 +0000

Transporting firewood presents a very real threat to the American forests by spreading harmful tree insects. Invasive species including the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) and emerald ash borer (EAB) can be carried into new areas of the country on firewood.

To date, ALB and EAB have been detected in a total of 13 States and without intervention the continued spread of these pests is likely. USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is concerned and developing strategies to help limit the insect's spread. Here is my report called Using Firewood in Regions with Emerald Ash Borer Infestations