Forest Management Specialists, Inc.

04/20/2025

Both of these newly planted seedlings have brown needles but both are not dead. The one on the right still has green cambium which indicates that it is still alive. It should make a full recovery.

10/18/2024

Chemical site preparation and a site preparation burn have provided access for tree planters in the winter. Work with an ACF member to write the best prescription and coordinate the work for your reforestation efforts.

08/27/2024

Alabama is experiencing the worst beetle outbreak in a quarter century. Ips engraver beetle and deodar weevil were the initial culprits. However, southern pine beetle are now causing considerable mortality and loss of value. Work with a consultant forester for control and mitigation practices.

08/11/2024

I have a client in Lauderdale County, AL that wants to sell some chert. They have a lot of it! If you know someone looking for chert, inbox me!

07/27/2024

High quality white oak brings exceptional prices. This landowner had an average of 10 grade white oaks per acre which yielded her almost $4,000/acre! Work with an ACF member to get the best price for your standing timber, protect you with a written contract, and monitor the harvest for compliance.

07/17/2024

Fire is a great tool. However, you may need chemical and mechanical help to reach your goals.

We preach prescribed fire like it's written in red on the pages of the habitat management gospel.

But long-term use of fire alone often won't maximize diversity or deer forage production. We've burned this stand at 2-year intervals since it was thinned nearly 10 years ago. What do you notice? A sea of Canada goldenrod.

An understory dominated by a single species is rarely, if ever, desirable for deer forage or cover, not only because deer prefer diverse foraging options, but because monocultures don't have the structural complexity deer prefer to bed in.

Sustained use of prescribed fire promotes perennials such as goldenrod. So what to do about it? This stand needs soil disturbance such as disking, or skidder tires ripping up the ground during a thinning operation, to disrupt perennial root systems and expose new seeds lying dormant in the soil.

As incredible a tool as fire is, there are no silver bullets in habitat management.

07/01/2024

The ACF is the Gold Standard for Forestry Consulting. I'm honored to be associated with this group of professionals.

07/01/2024

Wildfire in an upland hardwood forest in north Alabama. Damage to the base of tree will occur if the cambium just beneath the bark reached the lethal temperature. Otherwise, the fire did more good than harm by creating a protein rich forest floor for many species of wildlife.

04/02/2024

This Ips Engraver infestation was observed during a routine checkup on one of the properties enrolled in our Care Program. These regular checkups are a form of health screening for our client's forests.