Mark Dubois

Tree shelters and weed control: Effects on protection, survival and growth of cherrybark oak seedlings planted on a cutover site

In the southern USA oaks (Quercusspp.) are often favored by forest owners havingmultiple objectives for forest ownership as oaksprovide mast for wildlife, are consideredaesthetically pleasing, and are valuable for timberproducts. Regeneration and early seedling growth isa concern to those forest owners interested insustaining oaks as a component of their forests. Theeffects of tree shelters and herbaceous weed controlon second-year seedling survival, browse by deer andrabbits, and seedling growth of hand-plantedcherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda Raf.) wereexamined. The study was established on a cutovermixed pine-hardwood forest in Alabama. Fourtreatments were: weed control only, tree shelter only,tree shelter with weed control, and a controlconsisting of a seedling without a tree shelter orweed control. No significant difference in seedlingsurvival was found among the treatments after twoyears. Tree shelters were effective in preventingbrowsing. No seedlings in the tree-shelter-onlytreatment were browsed. There was no significant,difference, however, in the percentage of seedlingsbrowsed between the control treatment and the weedcontrol treatment. The use of tree shelters with weedcontrol was the most effective treatment for promoting2-year ground-line diameter, height, and stem volumegrowth.

Does Race Matter in Landowners' Participation in Conservation Incentive Programs?

ABSTRACT This study investigated and compared the participation behavior of white and minority small landowners in Alabama in eight conservation incentive programs. Using nonparametric tests and logit modeling, we found both similarities and differences in participation behavior between these two landowner groups. Both white and minority landowners tended not to participate in conservation incentive programs, and were equally likely to participate in the overall programs, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Stewardship Incentives Program (SIP), and Forestry Incentives Program (FIP). White landowners, however, were enrolled in the CRP longer and signed up more acres in the CRP and FIP than minorities. Moreover, minorities were more likely to be dissatisfied with program participation and to be unable to afford the cost share. The determinants for program participation vary with program and racial/ethnic background. We suggest new approaches to encouraging program participation by small landowners in general and by minority landowners in particular.

Utilization and Cost of Log Production from Animal Logging Operations

Abstract Forest harvesting with animals is a labor-intensive operation. It is expensive to use machines on smaller woodlots, which require frequent moves if mechanically logged. So, small logging systems using animals may be more cost effective. In this study, work sampling was used for five animal logging operations in Alabama to measure productive and non-productive time elements to determine utilization with respect to operators, functions (felling and processing of trees, skidding, loading, and forwarding of logs), animals, and machines. Cost of log production was calculated from the figures reported by owners and the crew members. Average utilization of crew was 58 percent, animals (horses and mules) were utilized only 22 percent and the machines were utilized from 5 to 74 percent of scheduled time. Average cost of log production per m3 was

Soil Disturbances from Horse/Mule Logging Operations Coupled with Machines in the Southern United States

11.28. There appears to be an opportunity to reduce cost of log production by coordinating functions, increasing scheduled work hours, utilization of machines and animals, and reducing labor cost.

Ideologically Structured Information Exchange among Environmental Groups.

Abstract Forest harvesting with animals is a labor-intensive operation. While mechanized logging is very efficient for large tracts of timber, it is often disruptive to the soil. Small logging operations using animals may be less environmentally disruptive. To better understand horse/mule logging performances for soil disturbance, five different horse/mule harvesting operations were investigated. About 75 percent of the soil was undisturbed and 22 percent of the remaining soil disturbance was judged to be slight. Only 3 percent of the soil examinations were classified as deeply disturbed and rutted – a condition considered to be prone to soil erosion. This study suggests that horse and mule logging has low soil disturbance in a partial cut of mixed pine/hardwood forests.

Future Forests: Forecasting Social and Ecological Consequences of Genetic Engineering

We use social network analysis to test the hypothesis that group ideology affects information exchange among environmental groups. The analysis is based on interviews with leaders of 136 environmental groups in Alabama. This paper adds to the literature on resource mobilization among social movement organizations by exploring information exchange among a wide range of environmental groups across an entire state, and by incorporating ideology into our analysis. A typology of environmental groups was developed based on willingness to engage or not engage in political and legal activism to pursue their goals. We found a level of information exchange between activist groups twice that among all other groups. We also found that differing ideological profiles did not limit the flow of information between groups, taken as a whole. We conclude that the relatively high level of connectivity is attributable in part to the presence of paid staff among several key activist groups, making these groups important resources for technical and non-technical support for all groups across the state.

A Survey of Animal-Powered Logging in Alabama

Genetic engineering could result in a dramatic transformation of the forest products industry, increasing corporate economic power and concentrating timber production in those regions most suited to industrial-scale tree plantations. We briefly review arguments in favor of and in opposition to genetic engineering in forestry, and describe the constellation of forces promoting this technology. We then examine possible social consequences with specific reference to the pulp and paper industry in the southeastern United States. This study is exploratory in nature, forecasting possible consequences of a development that has not yet taken place. We suggest that the consequences are potentially far-reaching.