Clemson Extension Forestry and Wildlife

Benefits of Prescribed Fire for Pest Control

Brown spot needle blight looks like yellow spots surrounded by brown rings on pine needles. This fungus causes pines, usually longleaf, to drop needles. Burning your longleaf stand can help eliminate the fungus. Photo credit: Dave Coyle, Clemson Extension.

Prescribed fire is a commonly used management tool in both pine and hardwood forests in South Carolina. When used correctly, it has many benefits to forest ecosystems. Fire helps reduce fuels on the forest floor, which can help lower the chances of a wildfire. It helps recycle nutrients, making them more available to the growing […]

Invasive Species Spotlight Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus altissima)

Figure 2. Tree-of-Heaven flowers Image Source: Jan Samanek, Phytosanitary Administration, Bugwood.org

Take just a short drive down the road or interstate, and I bet you will have a good chance of seeing Tree-of-Heaven. In the last few years, I have really started to notice this tree along the sides of roads. I have also made numerous landowner visits where I have seen it on their property. […]