Three years of drought has caused

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1 Fall 2013 Issue #48 Contents: Comments from the State Forester... 2 Financial Assistance... 4 Fall Field Day... 5 Paradise Lost... 6 Prescribed Burn Associations... 8 Walnut Council Meeting...10 Delaware River WRAPS Project...10 Windbreaks for Livestock Calendar of Events...12 Communities Dealing with Drought and Storm Damage Three years of drought has caused an abundance of dead and dying trees in Kansas communities that will require complete removal. The dead trees range from large overmature trees that have been declining or small, newly planted trees that were not able to re-establish themselves. Removal will both be taxing on budgets and staff. Drought also increases a number of pest issues and has longterm effects on trees. Now add the storm damage that many communities have suffered this spring and more recently with the many straight-line windstorms across the Straight-line wind damage to tree canopy. state. The assessment of dead trees from drought will be fairly easy; if they are dead, remove them before they fall and injure someone or cause property damage. The assessment of the storm-damaged trees requires an in-depth evaluation. The hardest hit species are: maple, specifically silver maple; hackberry; and elms. Unfortunately, these trees are the top three species in many communities and can compose 30 to 50 percent of the total number of trees within a community. Trees like silver maple, hackberry, and honeylocust are not decay resistant and start to decay quickly and drop branches soon followed by complete failure of the tree. The elms may have been in decline for a number of years and have finally given up or died due to the resurgence of Dutch Elm disease. Oaks and elms may stand longer, but will begin to drop small branches within the next year. Oaks have generally fared the drought and storms better than most species; but may fall prey to diseases like Hypoxylon canker due to the environmental stresses. This article is not to point out the dead trees: it is about the liability of dead and dying trees. These trees need to be addressed. Standing dead trees or trees with major dead limbs are a huge liability for either the city or the property owner, depending on tree ordinances. Consider the following issues for the evaluation and assessment of your storm or drought damage. Clean-up Remove the downed trees and clean up the debris, followed by removal of all the hangers that remain in the canopies of the trees. Hangers are branches that have broken away from their attachment to the tree and remain lodged in the tree, only to fall out of the tree later and potentially cause damage or injury. Complete an Assessment Assess trees for removal, mitigation pruning, and a watch list (for trees that may require future monitoring for recovery or decline). If you are not comfortable or do not have the experience to perform this yourself, hire a professional, certified arborist with experience in risk assessment or contact your district forester. continued on page 3

2 Comments from the State Forester Larry Biles, State Forester, Kansas Forest Service. Newsletter Publication Information: Kansas Canopy: Newsletter of the Kansas Forest Service State Forester: Larry Biles Contact Information: Kansas Forest Service 2610 Claflin Rd. Manhattan, KS (785) Contributors: Kansas Forest Service Staff To receive the Adobe Acrobat version of this newsletter instead of a paper copy, please contact the Kansas Forest Service by mail, phone, or . A National Evaluation of the Forest Stewardship Program Forest Stewardship, a main street program of the USDA Forest Service State and Private Forestry and the National Association of State Foresters, received high marks on the 2013 national evaluation. The Forest Stewardship Program was authorized in the 1990 Farm Bill. Through this process, Congress provided a contemporary means of extending the work of the highly regarded Cooperative Forest Management program from the 1950s and the Cooperative Forest Assistance program of The intent of these assistance programs is and was increasing timber production and related conservation values from the nation s private forestlands. In Kansas the Forest Stewardship program is administered by Kansas State University s Kansas Forest Service. The Kansas Forest Service files Forest Stewardship progress reports annually with the USDA Forest Service. Kansas accomplishment trends both contrast and support the national trends. From the contrast perspective, Kansas annually assists an increasing number of landowners whereas the national evaluation report reveals a declining number. Conversely, from the support perspective, both reports show an increase in the number of acres annually impacted. We believe four, and possibly more, things account for the Kansas numbers. First, is an aggressive information and education program central to tree planting, maintenance, management, and other conservation values. Second, are exceptionally dedicated and skillful district foresters who go the extra mile in planning and providing educational events and providing on-site technical assistance to requesting landowners. The subject matter of both these services is very broad based. Common content includes protocols for sustaining and managing individual woodlands for product and ecosystem service values including wildlife habitat, improved water quality and quantity, forest products, soil stabilization, forest health, and aesthetics. Thirdly and fourthly are new and strengthened partnerships and the agency s Forest Action Plan. The 2013 National Evaluation document reports that the Forest Stewardship program reaches many private forest landowners, but the owners reached only represent a fraction of the total owners and a fraction of the private forest acreage. As referenced earlier, the national evaluation document also reports that the number of plans enrolled in forest stewardship is declining, but the acreage impacted is going up. The evaluation document reports that people receiving technical assistance are more likely to have harvested timber, improved wildlife habitat, planted trees, and reduced wildfire risks than landowners not receiving the public services. Because of the conscientious effort to manage their forest resources the evaluation document reports that landowners receiving assistance through the Forest Stewardship Program are more likely to reject urbanization pressures. Moreover, they tend to enjoy greater financial and social awards from their properties, and thus are central to keeping forests in forests. Larry Biles, State Forester, oversees all operations of the Kansas Forest Service. To discontinue receiving this newsletter, please contact the Kansas Forest Service by mail, phone, or . 2 Kansas Canopy: Newsletter of the Kansas Forest Service

3 Tree Damage, continued from page 1 Many of this summer s storms have been straight-line winds that either blow out the tops of the tree or cause the tree to blowover. It is the trees that have lost their tops completely that concern me the most. From experience, many of those trees develop enough decay to start to lose major limbs or to cause partial or compete failure of the tree. Another issue is trees that have lost a co-dominant (one side or one half). This is considered a hazard as there is no tissue remaining on one side of the tree to hold it upright. A wind can easily fold this tree over at the point where the other limb has already broken out of the tree. The two most common tree species are silver maple and hackberry. Removal and Mitigation Pruning From the assessment, determine the trees that require mitigation pruning to remove a hazard, trees requiring complete removal, and tree placed on a watch list. Trees that have lost more than 50 percent of their canopy usually are good candidates for removal because they will not have sufficient canopy to recover or they have suffered enough damage to create a tree with poor architecture. Pruning may be an option for recovery but, topping is not an option. Consider getting bids on this work if you do not have a forestry department or your public works department does not have the equipment to do this efficiently or safely. Always hire a professional certified arborist. Plan Develop a plan and start the replanting process. Have a master plan for the community, but consider starting with sections of town, so that your maintenance (mainly watering) during the re-establishment phase is easier and efficient. Plant only what you can effectively maintain. Monitor In the years after a drought or storm, continue to monitor and evaluate the damaged trees for pests, dieback, and structural issues. A tree will either recover or go into a state of decline. It may take many years for the dieback and decay to surface. On a positive note, most of the trees that we have lost are trees that were mature to overmature and already in a state of decline, trees that had a defect or irregularity that would eventually lead to death and trees affected by a pest issue. You have heard of, survival of the fittest? I would further classify most of the dead trees as an undesirable or overpopulated species. Trees are cyclical and require removal. We now have the opportunity to replant our community canopy with a diversity of species, a diversity of age, and truly select species that are more tolerant of our Kansas environment. Select tree species that are more drought tolerant, not fast growing, and able to withstand moderate storm damage. Another concern that I have is that after the trees are removed, new trees will not be replanted. We have and will loose a large Straight-line winds have damaged the tops of tree canopies in Kansas. percentage of our canopy and it will require replacing. Keep in mind that a tree removal is not complete until you replant a tree in that site. I have heard it stated, That a community that is not planting new trees, is simply not growing. Both literally and figuratively. Tim McDonnell, Community Forestry Coordinator/District Community Forester, coordinates community forestry activities and provides educational and technical services for communities and green industries in southeast and south central Kansas. Loss of the co-dominant stem makes this hackberry hazardous. Home owners and municipalities can be liable for damage caused by hazardous trees. 3 Fall 2013 Issue #48

4 Financial Assistance for Forestry Projects Planting trees and caring for woodlands and windbreaks provide benefits well beyond property lines. For this reason, our government is providing financial assistance to Kansas landowners to implement forestry projects on private land. Through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for Forestland Health, landowners will be refunded the majority of their costs to plant trees, clean up woodlands, and breathe life into old windbreaks. Some examples of projects that qualify for EQIP include old windbreaks with gaps or dead trees, eroding stream banks where tree planting can provide long-term reduction in soil erosion, and forests or woodlands that are overcrowded, need thinning, or would benefit from additional tree planting. Removal of invasive or undesirable trees or shrubs such as Asian bush honeysuckle also qualify for the program. Interested landowners should contact their local county Natural Resource Conservation Service office, located in USDA Service Centers and their local Kansas Forest Service, district forester. Locations and contact information for USDA Service Centers may be found at and for Kansas Forest Service, district foresters at www. kansasforests.org/programs/rural/services. shtml (an EQIP brochure is available at the bottom of this web page). Landowners are also welcome to call the Kansas Forest Service State Office at (785) for more information. Tree planting, forest stand improvement, windbreak renovation and riparian forest buffers are just a few of the practices that EQIP can help pay for. The deadline to apply for EQIP projects for 2014 is November 15, However, landowners interested in forestry projects through EQIP should begin the process as soon as possible for the following reasons: Kansas Forest Service district foresters must meet with EQIP applicants at the proposed project site to determine if the project qualifies. If it does, district foresters must prepare a plan to implement the project at no cost to the applicant. considered. Kansas Forest Service district foresters provide one-on-one service through a variety of programs across large multiple-county districts. Landowner s who wait until the last minute to apply may not receive adequate services by the in time to apply for EQIP. However, anyone who applies for the program by the November 15th deadline will be Kansas forests, woodlands and windbreaks are under threat from a variety of insects, disease, wildfire and development. They are critical to our public health and well-being. Forests filter air and water and provide places for recreation where our children and grandchildren can enjoy wildlife and nature. Families, not the government, own most forests, woodlands, and windbreaks. They need help from forestry professionals and especially from the people who own them. EQIP for Forestland Health can help sustain this treasured resource. Bob Atchison, Rural Forestry Coordinator, coordinates rural forestry activities for the Kansas Forest Service. 4 Kansas Canopy: Newsletter of the Kansas Forest Service

5 2013 Fall Forestry Field Day This year s Fall Forestry Field Day takes participants to southeast Kansas and pecan country! The October 10 event will be 10 miles east of Parsons on Bill Devlin s 176-acre tree farm where Hickory Creek meanders through groves of pecan, black walnut, pin oak, green ash, and shagbark hickory. A native of Cherokee County, Devlin s father purchased the 280-acre farm in 1960 for $30 an acre and Bill inherited the property in In 2012, Kansas Forest Service district forester, Katy Dhungel, certified Devlin s woodlands as meeting the standards of sustainability required by the American Tree Farm System. Devlin has been harvesting pecans since he was 7 years old and has quite a bit of experience grafting improved pecan cultivars, which can be observed throughout the property. He also encourages native pecan production and harvests nuts annually. Devlin harvested the timber on his property about 15 years ago and had another recent harvest in 2011 selling around 7,000 board feet of sawlogs. Most recently Devlin has planted 2 acres of black walnut and pecan and is releasing pole-sized pecan and walnut from competing lower quality trees. Devlin also creates additional income by leasing hunting rights and from 33 productive oil wells on the property that are maintained by Sirius Petroleum. The field day will provide landowners, ranchers, farmers, and natural resource professionals the opportunity to receive experts best thinking in the cultivation and management of Kansas forests, woodlands, and related natural resources. The day will begin with an overview of the tree farm by Bill Devlin, and a grafting demonstration by Aaron Sterling, a young man that Bill has taught this horticultural surgery. Bill Reid, K-State Research and Extension, Pecan Experiment Field, and nationally recognized expert in pecan management, will present a session on pecan plantation management and best-performing cultivars. Local pecan grower, Tom Circle, will provide a pecan tree shaker demonstration to show how pecans are collected during harvest. Kansas Forest Service foresters will discuss how and when to release quality trees within woodlands to maintain forest health. Jake Weber, K-State Research and Extension Horticulturalist for the Wildcat Fall 2013 Issue #48 District, will offer an update on diagnosing common insect and disease problems and how to control them. Mike Simon, with the Hunting Lease Network will explain how landowners can create additional income through the development of hunting lease agreements. Water quality and quantity are significant issues for the people of Kansas. Doug Blex, Coordinator for the Middle Neosho Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy group (WRAPS) will share information about how these stakeholders are addressing concerns within the Middle Neosho. Maintaining healthy grasslands includes keeping unwanted woody encroachment from taking over. Jim Strickland, a local contractor, will demonstrate how effective a mechanical tree shear can be in that endeavor. State Forester, Larry Biles, will be on-hand to present John Head, a Neosho County Tree Farmer, with the 2013 Forest Stewardship Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year award. Other dignitaries scheduled to attend the field day include John Floros, Director of K-State Research and Extension and Dean of the College of Agriculture at Kansas State University. In addition to the partners already mentioned, Neosho and Labette County Conservation Districts are helping promote and sponsor the event. A hot lunch will be provided as part of the $15 registration fee. Registration and a brochure about the field day are available on the Kansas Forest Service web site at by clicking on News & Events and Events Calendar. Registration information may also be obtained by calling the Kansas Forest Service State Office at Brochures will be mailed the Kansas Forest Service mail list by mid-september. Bob Atchison, Rural Forestry Coordinator, coordinates rural forestry activities for the Kansas Forest Service. Bill Devlin shows off one of his Conibear squirrel traps. Evidently the squirrels like his prize pecans too! Bill poses by one of the many pecans he has grafted to improve nut quality. Bill and Kansas Forest Service Forester, Katy Dhungel, checkout beaver damage along Hickory Creek. 5

6 6 Paradise Lost The rise of horse culture and its influence on the Plains Indians, traffic on the overland trails, and the entrenchment of settlers are three significant events in the 19th century in the Great Plains. These three episodes had one thing in common: They all bore down intensely on valley timberlands. In the article, A Long, Long Time Ago, the authors state, Humans, whatever their purposes and means of living, found riparian woodlands to be a resource essential to survival. The same was true of animals. Mead s Paradise Valley may have This article focuses on a rather looked much like this vista of Scott obscure valley and creek located County, Kansas. in north central Kansas, Paradise Creek and Paradise Valley located in northwest Russell County. When this county was organized in 1874, a township was named Paradise and a subsequent community also was given this name. James R. Mead, hunter, trapper, trader, and explorer traversed this area in 1860 when it was pristine. Having departed his ranch northwest of present-day Salina, his hunting party journeyed up the Smokey Hill River about 75 miles and found the country burned over and entirely destitute of game. Looking north between the divide of the Saline and Solomon Rivers he noted black objects, which appeared to be buffalo on the hills, and timber coming out of one of the canyons in the divide. He encountered a large herd of buffalo and discovered a large creek with timber. We found groves of oak timber growing in the bottoms of each side, extending a great distance along the creek into the hills it was one of the most beautiful valleys I ever saw with canyons on the hillsides filled with fine cedar timber. Further exploration indicated numerous Indian camps, but none were of recent vintage. There were no signs of axe or of white man s presence in any of it (I) had found a stream unknown. As he and his party drove into the valley, he exclaimed, Boys, we have got into paradise at last! Having traveled for the previous week or two over a burned and desolate area it really, seemed like an Eden. Mead named the valley and the creek that flows through it Paradise. This was accepted and used by those who settled this area in the 1870s. Not only did Mead discover significant stands of virgin timber, but a paradise of game: buffalo, elk, black-tailed deer in bunches of 15 or 20, turkeys in abundance, beaver, otter, mountain lions, and wolves. This was Paradise Valley in its natural state, or a Mecca of the hunter s dream and the Indian s delight. Later, Mead would reflect on his discovery and extoll its beauty and abundance of flora and fauna. Looking in retrospect, he additionally, but shamefully, noted that the buffalo had vanished and the elk, turkey, and grouse were rare. These reflections would not depict the clear-cutting of timber that occurred here in 1867, a short 6 years after he discovered his paradise. The entities involved in this act of desecration included the U.S. Army garrison at Fort Hays, Kansas Pacific Railroad (later the Union Pacific Railroad [Eastern Division]), and independent wood contractors. Wood contractors contracted with the military and railroads for projects such as for timber needed for the construction of railroads (fuel, cross ties, bridges) or supplying the military forts with fuel supplies/construction. Native Americans viewed both the military and the railroads as a viable threat to their domain and very existence. The arrival of the Iron Horse was hardly welcomed as it epitomized a gross violation of their ancestral home. The railroad built through central and western Kansas derived much business as well as protection from the army. Not long after the Civil War, General W. T. Sherman considered railroads to be important aid to the military and urged all the protection the railroads needed to finish construction and begin operation. Military aid to the railroads was a contribution to settlement. As the railroad extended westward to Fort Hays in 1867, timber practically vanished and freighting this commodity by wagon and oxen from eastern Kansas came at a prohibitive cost local supplies were strongly sought and infrequently located but it too would come at a steep price, both in lives lost and virgin landscapes eradicated. continued on page 7 Kansas Canopy: Newsletter of the Kansas Forest Service

7 Paradise, continued from page 6 Paradise Valley became a target for the railroad construction crews and contractors. One railroad contractor had to fortify his camp with a stockade against attacks from marauding Indians. The contractor was issued rifles and ammunition from the government to thwart off raids and guards were needed for tasks as hauling water for men and teams from Big Creek. Wood for fuel, railroad ties, bridges, and other necessary construction tasks had to be cut and hauled from tributaries of the Saline and Smokey Hill Rivers as those rivers were largely destitute of timber. Paradise Creek, a tributary of the Saline, would provide timber for nearby railroad construction. A railroad construction foremen noted, The Indians were very troublesome and never to be trusted. Occasionally, garrison soldiers from Fort Hays guarded wood contractors and railroad construction workers. Frequently, contractors and workmen were killed when they ventured out alone or beyond the protection of guards. Oxen were targeted also. When not hauling heavily laden timber wagons, oxen grazing and resting would return to camps with arrows sticking in their sides. This activity was hardly the calm and beauty that Mead and his companions experienced in Paradise years earlier. Euro-American civilization was on the move and railroads exemplified the march of Manifest Destiny. The sanctity and integrity of Paradise Valley was violated and its Edenic description was indeed lost. It is not known to what extent this timbered area was clear-cut, as railroad and military records in the form of post returns at Fort Hays do not bear this out; such records do not appear to exist. The Union Pacific Railroad that was constructed through Nebraska at about the same time cut and used virtually all the native timber in establishing the first transcontinental railroad. What is also known is railroads preceded settlement of landowners. Those who homesteaded in Paradise Valley no doubt benefited from the timber harvested in the creek bottoms by the railroad and the fort. This favorable condition facilitated the establishment of prime farmland for crops and forage to sustain settlement that commenced a few years shortly after the railroad was constructed. This harvested timberland had not regrown. Paradise Valley is an example of a wooded riparian area lost to settlement in 19th century Kansas. Vegetation and timber removal would be compounded many times over during the 20th century. This condition can be remedied through restoration and proper management of our riparian areas. Though a paradise or Eden cannot be reestablished as that depicted by James Mead, the tools and technology at our disposal today, in conjunction with the proper mindset, will go far in our efforts at redeeming that which has been lost. Sources Droze, Wilmon H. Trees, Prairies, and People: A History of Tree Planting in the Plains States. Texas Women s University: Denton, Texas. 1977; p. 11. Mead, James R. Hunting and Trading on the Great Plains, University of Oklahoma Press: Norman. 1986; pp Oliva, Leo E. Frontier Forts and Settlement, Kansas and the West. Topeka, Kansas: Kansas State Historical Society, 1976; pp Ruard, Greg and West, Elliott. A Long, Long Time Ago, Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 59 (5), 2004; pp. 105A-110A. Union Pacific Railway Company. KANSAS: A Complete and Comprehensive Description of Agriculture, Horticultural, Stock Raising and Mineral Resources of Kansas: U.P.R. Co., Omaha, Nebraska. January, 1903; pp Larry Rutter is a member of the American Tree Farm System and serves on the Kansas Tree Farm Committee and the Kansas Chapter of the Walnut Council Board. Timber removal Just like in 1867 when riparian forests were removed from Paradise Valley, loss of riparian forests in environmentally critically areas continues today to make way for $7 corn. Fall 2013 Issue #48 7

8 Wyandotte 8 Prescribed Burn Associations in Kansas A Community-driven Effort to Improve Grassland Management The use of fire in parts of Kansas has been embraced for decades as an effective tool for grassland management. Generations of ranchers and farmers continue to see the economic and environmental benefits of using fire. Although prescribed burning is generally well-accepted in Rawlins Decatur Phillips eastern Kansas, Sherman Thomas Sheridan Graham Rooks Osborne the differences in rainfall and plant Wallace Logan Gove Trego Ellis Russell productivity lead to Greeley Wichita Scott Lane Ness Rush Barton less acceptance of Pawnee Hamilton Kearny Finney Hodgeman Stafford prescribed fire in Gray Edwards Ford western Kansas. Pratt Stanton Grant Haskell Kiowa Meade Clark Barber Morton Stevens Seward Comanche Data from the historical fire regime Gyp Hills Russell County in western Kansas Cherokee Strip Cloud County shows a greater return interval for fire occurrence; estimates range from 7 to 15 years for western Kansas, compared to 2 to 5 years for eastern Kansas. In semi-arid grassland, it can take up to 4 years for full grass recovery and establishment after a fire, depending on available soil moisture and rainfall. Timing is crucial to get the full benefit of prescribed fire in western Kansas. This is difficult in a region where a lack of manpower, adequate insurance, and fire equipment make it difficult to implement prescribed fire during ideal times. Additionally, lack of experience and training has led many landowners to burn in less-than-ideal weather conditions and using unsafe ignition techniques, which leads to escaped fires that further hurt the reputation of prescribed fire. An increase in local regulations also hinders the ability of an individual to burn their land. To make matters more challenging, as insurance rates and regulations for prescribed fire contractors continue to rise, many are abandoning their businesses, or simply restricting their work to eastern Kansas, leading to extremely limited availability in western Kansas. The ability to use prescribed fire has become more and more difficult in western Kansas, leading to stagnation of grass stands and the degradation of the short/ mixed grass prairie, which in turn has hurt grassland animal species many of which are experiencing significant population declines already. Fortunately, prescribed burn associations are a solution to this problem. These associations Prescribed Burn Associations in Kansas Cheyenne Norton Smith Jewell Republic Marshall Nemaha Brown Mitchell Lincoln Ellsworth Rice Jewell County Route 36 are independent, local groups of landowners who understand the benefits of prescribed fire and assist other members in conducting prescribed burns on their property. Many of the factors that limit an individual s ability to conduct prescribed fire can be solved by joining a prescribed burn association, Washington Doniphan through the sharing Cloud Atchison Clay Riley Pottawatomie Jackson of fire equipment, Jefferson Ottawa Dickinson Geary increased manpower, Shawnee Wabaunsee Douglas Johnson Saline Morris Osage and the opportunity Lyon Franklin Miami McPherson Marion Chase for hands-on training. Coffey Anderson Linn Harvey Butler Greenwood Woodson Allen Bourbon Any prescribed burn Sedgwick Wilson Neosho Crawford Elk association that forms Sumner Cowley Montgomery Labette Cherokee Chautauqua in Kansas can choose to exist independently Phillips County Ness County West Arkansas Alan Sleeper or as a chapter under the nonprofit Kansas Prescribed Burn Association. As members of a nonprofit, prescribed burn associations are eligible for a variety of grants for fire equipment such as hand tools, water tanks, drip torches, and fire-resistant clothing. Additionally, there is potential for prescribed fire insurance as more prescribed burn associations form in Kansas as well as Nebraska, Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Colorado, and Mississippi, creating a regional market for group insurance coverage. Another benefit of joining a prescribed burn association is the opportunity to gain experience and knowledge from agency personnel and the experienced landowners within each group. People can come out and learn why fire is beneficial, and how to burn before buying anything or doing anything on their own land, says Eva Yearout, the current president of the Kansas Prescribed Burn Association. We welcome them to come out and burn with us and gain that experience so they feel more confident. Eva and her husband Keith are members of the Gyp Hills Prescribed Burn Association, and use fire and bison grazing in their management of the Z Bar Ranch in Barber County. Although prescribed burn associations are formed to be self-sustaining under the concept of neighbor helping neighbor, there are many organizations throughout the state that provide support and training to members. The Kansas Forest Service Fire Management Program has the capability to lead demonstration burns on property where Reno Kingman Harper Leavenworth continued on page 9 Kansas Canopy: Newsletter of the Kansas Forest Service

9 Prescribed Burn Associations, continued from page 8 landowners are willing to turn their burn into an educational, hands-on training opportunity for local prescribed burn associations. Jason Hartman, Kansas Forest Service statewide prescribed burn coordinator, oversees and assists with the formation of prescribed burn associations. Michele Witecha, Kansas Forest Service rangeland fire and wildlife ecologist, also works in western Kansas to promote prescribed fire and the establishment of prescribed burn associations. The Kansas Prescribed Fire Council supports prescribed burn associations by seeking funding for grants and providing two positions in western Kansas geared toward prescribed burn association establishment and support through education and training, and providing prescribed burn plans. These positions are held by former NRCS employees Roger Tacha and Jess Crockford, who both bring a wealth of experience and knowledge regarding local geography and conservation program requirements for prescribed burns. Pheasants Forever biologists have also played a key role in the formation of prescribed burn associations. In addition, both beginner and intermediatelevel prescribed fire workshops are held in most counties every spring. These workshops are the result of collaboration with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife biologists, Pheasants Forever, Kansas State University Research and Extension, The Nature Conservancy, and the Kansas Forest Service. Because of this education and hands-on training, the track record for escaped fires by prescribed burn associations members is virtually flawless. The structure of prescribed burn associations varies from county to county, but generally there is a president (or 2 co-chairs), secretary/ treasurer, and (occasionally) an equipment manager in charge of keeping track of the prescribed burn association-owned equipment. Meetings usually occur twice a year a pre-burn season meeting to discuss potential burn sites, and a post-burn meeting to evaluate the previous season. Dues vary from group to group, but are usually less than $50 dollars per year and, among other activities, are used to bring experts to the prescribed burn associations for training and prescribed fire education. Prescribed burn association establishment generally starts with only 5 to 6 members, but membership quickly grows once the group begins actively burning. There are currently 10 active prescribed burn associations in the state, with more forming every year. As Kansas continues to experience changes in climate patterns, increased prescribed burning regulations, and a rise in wildand/urban interface issues, the ability to conduct safe prescribed fires will become even more crucial. The prescribed burn association core concept of neighbor helping neighbor holds the greatest promise in accomplishing what is absolutely necessary to keep our grasslands healthy and sustainable. Without this naturally occurring disturbance, our grasslands continue to diminish in productivity and the wildlife that depend on it will continue to decline in numbers, creating a substantial environmental and economic loss for future generations of Kansans. The increase in tree invasion on the prairie, and the existence of prescribed burn associations has caused people to rethink their management plans on their own ranch, says Yearout. People look at their grass productivity and usually know that something is not working on their land, but they either aren t sure what needs to be done, or they know they should burn but are not sure how to start using fire. The built-in help and experience provided by prescribed burn association members makes a good foundation for a single individual to learn about and apply fire to their own land. It is the hope of most natural resource managers that the number of prescribed burn associations will grow in the state, and their safe burning records will influence the public in realizing that fire, when applied at the right time and with the right equipment and techniques, is one of the most effective management practices available. To ensure the success of this goal, agency personnel such as those in the Kansas Forest Service will continue to support prescribed burn associations in solidifying prescribed fire s rightful place on the prairie landscape. For more information about prescribed burn associations, you can contact Michele Witecha at mwitecha@ksu.edu, or (620) ext 101. Michele Witecha, Rangeland Fire and Wildlife Ecologist, promotes the use of prescribed fire and the establishment of prescribed burn associations for the Kansas Forest Service. Michele Witecha, preaches the value of prescribed fire and prescribed fire associations 9 Fall 2013 Issue #48

10 Floyd Schmidt and John Head, members of the Kansas Chapter of the Walnut Council enjoy a moment at the 2013 National Walnut Council Meeting in West Virginia. Konza Prairie and the Flint Hills Discovery Center will be featured as part of the 2014 National Walnut Council Meeting in Manhattan. Kansas to host 2014 Walnut Council National Meeting The Kansas Chapter of the Walnut Council is pleased to announce the 2014 national meeting June 8 through 11, in Manhattan, Kan. The Walnut Council encourages research, discussion, and application of knowledge about growing hardwood trees. This international association represents nearly 900 woodland owners, foresters, forest scientists, and wood-producing industry representatives. The council promotes sustainable forest management, conservation, reforestation, and use of American black walnut (Juglans nigra) and other fine hardwoods. Even if Kansas Canopy readers are not Walnut Council members, they are invited to participate in this event. Kansas only hosts this meeting once every 10 to 11 years, so don t miss your chance to attend! In addition to local tours, and regional speakers, the annual meeting features reports from U.S. Forest Service researchers and updates from other state chapters, and a popular Landowner Show and Tell segment where landowners share techniques or equipment they developed to help them manage their walnut trees. Another Walnut Council tradition is that all attendees receive a small carved keepsake, made of black walnut. Meeting headquarters will be the recently remodeled Four Points by Sheraton hotel and conference center on the west side of Manhattan. The meeting agenda and field tours are still being developed, but visits to the Konza Prairie, Flint Hills Discovery Center, and the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene are on the list. This is your chance to rub elbows with walnut enthusiasts from across the country, and show them how we do things in Kansas. More details will be coming soon, in the Canopy and elsewhere. The meeting is being cosponsored by the Kansas Forestry Association. If you have questions, please contact Charles Barden, Kansas Walnut Council Chapter President at cbarden@ksu.edu or call (785) , or contact Bob Atchison at atchison@ksu.edu or call (785) Additional information about the Walnut Council and membership is also available at Charles Barden, Extension Forester, K-State Research and Extension, Manhattan. 10 Conclusion of Delaware River Riparian Forest Assessment Project Yields Interesting Results After 3 exciting years, an extensive project aimed at assessing streamside forests (known as riparian forests) in one of the state s top-priority watersheds has come to a close. The Delaware River Riparian Forest Assessment Project, begun in 2010 as a result of a U.S. Forest Service grant, employed Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis and on-the-ground forest inventory to address a critical and complex question: Where do riparian forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs), such as forest buffers, need to be located in order to produce the greatest water quality impact? Water quality impact means forests reducing in-stream sediment by stabilizing stream banks and preventing their collapse. The project s primary partners, which include K-State Research and Extension Forestry and the Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams, are currently preparing the final package for presentation to the Delaware River Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) group. This package will be an extensive electronic map of the Delaware River watershed that informs WRAPS on riparian forest location, extent, condition, and ownership. Foresters and WRAPS personnel will use the geodatabase in efforts to promote voluntary riparian forestry practices and programs within critical areas identified by the study. The complete project report will be available in the Streamside Forestry section of the Kansas Forest Service website later continued on page 11 Kansas Canopy: Newsletter of the Kansas Forest Service

11 Windbreak Benefits for Livestock Windbreaks provide many benefits for you, your livestock, and your wallet. Intense winter and summer temperatures can put stress on you and animals. Windbreaks help reduce wind speed to protect your livestock in the winter, while providing shade and directing summer breezes during hot seasons. Windbreaks benefit feedlots, livestock pastures, and calving areas. In the winter, windbreaks reduce wind speed, lowering animal stress. This improves animal health and increases feeding efficiency. Temperatures below 18 degrees cause animal stress and livestock require additional feed to maintain body temperature. This endangers the health of livestock while costing more money. Properly placed windbreaks provide a 70 percent reduction in wind speed, lowering the wind-chill factor and animal stress. A study in Iowa on calves and yearlings indicated that requirements for feed were 7 percent greater for those in open lots than for similar animals with shelter. A study Delaware River Project, continued from page 10 in Montana showed beef cattle guarded by windbreaks during mild winters, gained an average of 34 to 35 pounds more than cattle in an open area. By lowering animal stress and wind speed, feed costs can be reduced by 12 percent during winter seasons. For summer time, setting up windbreaks around the north Windbreak protecting cattle for winter and west border provide winds in Ingalls, Kan. shade and allow winds to circulate in the pasture area, reducing the potential heat stress to the animals. Keep your south border open to allow a summer breeze. These windbreaks filter dust from tillage operations and roads. They also lessen traffic and machinery noise. Overall the initial cost of planting these trees and shrubs will do more than pay for themselves throughout their lifetime. Leah Rutledge, Conservation Forester, Outreach for Conservation Trees Program for the Kansas Forest Service. this fall. In the meantime, below are a few of the more relevant findings: On average, 62 percent of Delaware riparian areas are either nonfunctioning (i.e., riparian area lacks woody vegetation and is a barebank situation) or functioning-at-risk (i.e., woody vegetation exists in the riparian area, but it is sparse and inadequate for bank stability). The riparian forest canopy in the Delaware watershed is dominated by tree species of low economic value, such as elm and hackberry. These same two low-value species comprise nearly 70 percent of the Delaware s forest regeneration (i.e., seedlings and saplings). Active forest management was absent on a majority of assessed properties. Threats to healthy, properly functioning riparian forests include: land conversion due to high agricultural commodity prices, lack of active management, and excessive livestock use. Although this study focused solely on the Delaware River watershed, I believe the results can be extrapolated to watersheds across eastern Kansas. In other words, if you traveled to any other watershed in eastern Kansas, the riparian conditions would be quite similar to those found in the Delaware. Our findings in the Delaware underscore the immense threats that face our state s riparian forests: land conversion, improper or complete lack of management, and the all-too-common mentality that they are useless, wasteland, areas. I ll try to view these results in a The on-the-ground portion of the positive light, however, by stating assessment project was an excellent this the Delaware has almost way to connect with riparian forest unlimited opportunities for some landowners. Above, project partners great riparian forestry efforts! Charlie Barden (far right) and K-State Though these results are intriguing, graduate student Dalila Maradiaga the real excitement starts when we admire a black walnut with a put this information to work. Keep landowner in Nemaha County. an eye out for the winter edition of the Kansas Canopy, where I ll describe the tactics Kansas Forest Service and partners will use to turn the assessment information into actual on-the-ground forestry projects. William Beck, Watershed Forester, has statewide responsibility for forestry practices that improve water quality. 11 Fall 2013 Issue #48

12 Kansas Canopy Kansas Forest Service 2610 Claflin Road Manhattan, KS Presorted Standard US Postage Paid Permit #525 Manhattan, KS Notice of nondiscrimination K State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, as amended. Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts, and United States Department of Agriculture Cooperating, John D. Floros, Director. Links of Interest: Kansas Forest Service K State Research and Extension State of Kansas Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism kdwpt.state.ks.us Natural Resources Conservation Service Kansas Farm Service Agency Kansas 12 Calendar of Events September 3, 2013 through October 11 Order Fall Conservation Seedlings. Online at: www. kansasforests.org, or call October 7 11 Kansas Arborist Association Training Course, Manhattan, Kan. Contact: Tim McDonnell, (316) ext. 202 or tmcdonne@ ksu.edu. October 10, Fall Forestry Field Day, Bill Devlin Tree Farm, Parsons, KS. Contact Bob Atchison, (785) or atchison@ksu.edu. October Great Plains Society of American Foresters Annual Meeting, Lincoln, Neb. Contact: Bob Atchison, (785) or atchison@ksu.edu. November 7 Kansas Forestry Association Board Meeting. Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Area Office, Topeka. Contact Bob Atchison, (785) or atchison@ksu.edu. We Need Your Help To reduce printing and mailing costs, the Kansas Forest Service would like subscribers who are willing to receive the newsletter electronically to send their address to cathy@ksu.edu or call us at Your address will not be given to any other organizations. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to let us know. For a current listing of events, check our Web site: Kansas Canopy: Newsletter of the Kansas Forest Service