The Longleaf PineAmong the Southern pines, longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) has several key characteristics that have allowed it to grow on some of the harshest sites in the southeastern United States. One is its fire tolerance. Fire is a critical component of the longleaf pine ecosystem, and longleaf evolved with understory species, like the bunchgrasses, […]
Clemson Extension Forestry and Wildlife
Personal Protective Equipment for Chainsaw Users
In the first part of this series on chainsaw safety, Patrick Hiesl talked about the safety features of modern chainsaws (https://blogs.clemson.edu/fnr/2023/09/05/the-safety-features-of-a-modern-chainsaw/). Now, we are telling you about the personal protective equipment available to protect you from most major injuries. For chainsaw users, Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, includes leg, foot, eye, hearing, face, and hand […]
Stumpage Price Trends and Forest Industry Hot-Spots in South Carolina
Pulpwood Stumpage Trends in Q2, 2023: In the second quarter of 2023, statewide pine pulpwood stumpage prices averaged $8.89/ton, while the average hardwood rates were $8.54/ton in South Carolina. It is a dramatic decline in pulpwood prices from the first quarter of 2022 when pine and hardwood pulpwood stumpages were above $14/ton. Sawtimber Stumpage Trends in […]
Conservation Burial: Turning Your Haunt into Hallowed Ground
Land is a legacy, something you pass on to your children and your children’s children. Historically, when someone passed away, family members managed all of the affairs, including the care of the body. But somewhere along the way, we lost parlors in our homes, funeral parlors took over, and we were left with just the […]
English Ivy Control — Basal Bark Treatment Research & Existing Recommendations
In numerous urban forest settings and isolated patches of rural forestland, English ivy (Hedera helix) persists as either groundcover or aerial vines (different life stages) attached and extending up into the canopy of trees. For some landowners, this plant is a nuisance and can hinder tree growth/development. This article will discuss research observations from current […]
TICK TALK
Anybody who has spent time in the woods or other wild surroundings is familiar with ticks, those blood-sucking arachnids that seek out creatures, including we humans, on which to feed. Most of us also know that ticks are carriers of numerous diseases, the most known being Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. However, many […]
The Safety Features of a Modern Chainsaw
Now that the outside temperatures are cooling down, it is a great time to start working on cutting some firewood for next year or cleaning up some of those trees that the summer storms knocked over. Many of you have probably used chainsaws for years or decades and are well-versed in the use of them. […]
Stumpage Price Trends and Resources to Find Mills in Your Local Area
Pulpwood Stumpage Trends: In the second quarter of 2023, statewide pine pulpwood stumpage prices averaged $8.89/ton, while the average hardwood rates were $8.54/ton in South Carolina. It is a dramatic decline in pulpwood prices from the first quarter of 2022 when pine and hardwood pulpwood stumpages were above $14/ton. The average prices for pine and […]
Grand Natural Treasure
The common theme for most of my written works have involved some aspect of forestry associated with the southeastern wood “basket”. I was inspired on my recent family vacation to visit several National parks (Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Arches, Canyonland, Bryce Canyon, Coastal Reef, and Zion) across northern Arizona and southern Utah. In my opinion, […]
Summer Defoliators: Their Bark is Worse Than Their Bite
The leaves on a hardwood tree make the food, so it stands to reason that any loss of foliage would be detrimental to tree health…right? Well, not always. Unlike the impacts of girdling (phloem loss) which are detrimental whenever they occur, the impact of foliage loss depends on the season in which it occurs. In […]
