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News, Issues & Information?

(05/28/25) Burning at Night. Increase the number of days for prescribed fire by burning at night.

(05/27/25) Portable Sawmilling to Earn Income. The latest in a series of  Webinars from the Natural Resources Webinar Series featuring Dr. Adam Maggard. Why let the sawmills make all the money selling lumber, when you can make lumber with  your own sawmill? Make money when stumpage prices are low.

(05/23/2025) Do You Own an Accident  Prone Car? According to Insurify, versions of the Jeep Wrangler,  YJ, and the Gladiator rank high in accident rates. So did versions of the Dodge Ram and the Nissan Titan. Check your garage for these vehicles. Editors Note: Do your own research.

(05/22/2025) Feed Deer for Free. Young broadleaf forbs are one type of plant that consistently meet a deer's nutritional needs says National Deer Association. Learn to identify horseweed, pokeweed, and common ragweed which emerge after a clearcut.

(05/21/25) Institute for Justice files Legal Challenge to Warrantless Searches in Alabama. Game Wardens have a duty to enforce the laws. That doesn't mean they can ignore the Constitution. Powerful Must Watch YouTube Video.

(05/20/25) The Hidden Cost of Isolation. Privacy is great, but buying deeply discounted land with no access can cause your head to hurt real bad. If there is an easement, is it transferable? Power? Water? Maintenance?

(05/19/25) When Closings Go Bad. LandThink You Tube video by Pat Porter has some helpful tips to follow when attending a real estate closing.

(05/16/25) GAME OVER. The privately owned forests of the South grow way more wood than the privately owned forests of the West or North. Not even close. Even after accounting for what is removed, the South still blasts the competition. Our net growth is almost 95% of the total net growth of the entire U.S. If I were locating a sawmill or a paper mill, the choice would be crystal clear.

(05/13/25) According to this CNBC report, deregulation of forest practices in Sweden since 1993 has coincided with more forest growth. 62% of forest owners feel confident about profitability in the near future. Prices for sawlogs and pulpwood have increased in recent years. The Daily Mail says, "IKEA is likely the largest consumer of wood in the world."

(05/12/25) Can this Hardwood Stand be Saved? "Managing Degraded Hardwood Stands" is a 51 minute webinar featuring Dr. Brady Self, created as part of the Natural Resources Webinar Series, in collaboration with Mississippi State University. It can help landowners determine whether to manage or regenerate hardwoods, based on clear measurable data.

(05/09/25) Tips on Harvesting Morel Mushrooms. 3 types mainly in NE Alabama. Prime hunting time between March and May. A good spring rain helps. Can be found near prescribed burn areas. Find the tree host. All 3 are associated with Ash. But other trees are Tulip Poplar, Elm, Oak, and Cherry. Make certain you can properly identify them.

(05/08/25) "Don't take my farm and use it as a science project." North Carolina landowner frustrated when red wolves, released by Feds on private land after sue and settle agreement, restarted the release program. "Wolves had taken the farm over. There were no deer anymore, there were no quail anymore. There was no wildlife. Barren."

(05/07/25) Southern Yellow Pine Steals the Limelight in April.  "Demand for Southern Yellow Pine continued to outperform that of the rest of the North American lumber market." Southern Yellow Pine makes up a large part of the market base for treated lumber, says Madison's Lumber Prices, a reporter of news for lumber information.

(05/06/25) The New Cheaha State Park Lodge will be built from materials sourced in Alabama, including Mass Timber made from compressed layers of wood that creates strong, structural load-bearing elements. Concrete, Pack your Bags!

(05/05/25) Missed the Sawmill Tour at the Annual Meeting? This 3 minute 27 second TV episode produced by RFD-TV takes you deep inside a cutting edge sawmill in Louisiana.

(05/02/25) Wild Pork Breakfast Sausage Recipe from Elizabeth Kligge of the National Deer Association.

(05/01/25) Either Lose your Shirt or Buy a New One. On-line Course helps you learn more about the Southern Yellow Pine Lumber markets by better understanding how lumber futures markets work. The introductory course takes 5 minutes. If you can see how this could help forest landowners, give us a call.

(04/30/25) Let's Face It. You'd be Shocked, Too. Paul Jeffreys of ArborGen says yellowing or browning of needles for a month or two after planting is common and shouldn't alarm you. Check out his top 8 ways to minimize transplant shock.

(04/29/25) Read the Constitution, Alabama AG Tells Fed Bureaucrats. In a WOTUS Rulemaking Comment, Attorney General Steve Marshall says prior Presidents and agencies could have avoided wasting millions of dollars in unnecessary litigation and regulatory efforts. They should have been willing to recognize limitations on federal authority and adopt regulations consistent with the Constitution and the Clean Water Act.

(04/25/25) Got Big Pine Trees? Westervelt sawmill in Moundville buys logs up to 40 inches in diameter. 65% of their wood comes from people like you and me. 29 AFOA members toured the facility recently during our Annual Meeting.

(04/24/25) Find $45.00 in Your Backyard. "Trilliums are easy to grow, preferring light shade and a compost amended garden soil." Did you see one in your backyard this Spring?

(04/21/25) Nest Box Plans for 61 Birds available from Cornell Lab. For easiest bird house to build, see Carolina Wren and plan details.

(04/18/25) Tiny Timber Crew Counts Logs: Now an Animated Series. Follow Lucy and the crew as they visit sectors of the forest industry. Meet the Tiny Timber Crew's Mother at the Annual Meeting.

(04/17/25) The Forest Farmers Handbook: A Beginning Guide to Growing and Marketing At-Risk Forest Herbs, written by United Plant Savers and Rural Action, is a free downloadable book which demonstrates how to earn supplemental income through the reintroduction and establishment of forest herbs.

(04/15/25) Foreign Investment in U.S. Agricultural Land Markets, with Mykel R. Taylor, Ag Economics and Rural Sociology, Auburn University, is the latest issue of Alabama Extension's 2025 Natural Resources Webinar Series. About 39 minutes.

(04/14/25) Alabama House Bill 505 will increase the amount of time a taxpayer may appeal a final assessment to the Alabama Tax Tribunal or circuit court from 30 days to 60 days. Sponsored by Rep. Chris Sells (Greenville), this Bill is fifth on the House Special Order Calendar when the Alabama House convenes tomorrow. If you care about this, do something today. The National Federation of Independent Business recommends this legislation.

(04/11/25) Confidence in Knowing When to Thin Pines. In this YouTube video, "Is it Time to Thin your Pine Stand?" produced by the University of Florida, Ian Stone answers most of your questions about timing your thinning.

(04/09/25) Slender poles hold up an entire city. According to the BBC, Venice, Italy was built on millions of short wooden poles pounded into the ground. "These trees-larch, oak, alder, pine, spruce and elm-of a length ranging between 11.5 feet to no less than 3 feet have been holding up stone palazzos and tall bell towers for centuries."

(04/07/25) Experts caution that House Bill 509 could have serious unintended consequences. Battling Chronic Wasting disease is a priority for everyone who benefits from deer hunting. Captive deer operations may not be helping. Read HB 509.

(04/04/25) New Tariffs ... North American Wood Products Sector Will See Few Direct Effects, reports Forest Economic Advisors, 3/4/25.

(04/01/25) A Forester Can Provide a Clear View of the Timber Sale Process. This Fifteen Minutes in the Forest video features Consulting Forester Kevin Belt (kevinbelt@embarqmail.com or 423-282-9313). Short, to the point, 14 minutes.

(03/28/25) Native Forest Insect Pests of the Southern Pines: Biology, Management and Impact, a webinar with John T. Nowak, (email: john.t.nowak@usda.gov), U.S. Forest Service. Sponsored by Southern Regional Extension Forestry (webinar landing page). About 42 minutes.

(03/27/25) "Inside the World of Silviculture" is TreeLines Podcast Episode 5, 3/19/25. Host Paul Jeffreys has a conversation with retired silviculturist Greg Hay. Audio: about 16 minutes.

(03/26/25) Do your neighbors, who enjoy the benefits of living near your trees, have a right to stop you from cutting them? That's sort of what's going on in Bessemer, Alabama, where a data center has been proposed to be built on 700 acres of forestland.

(03/25/25) How to Minimize Risk of an IRS Audit. Charles Schawb says some audits are triggered by preventable mistakes. Don't forget to list all earnings. Don't take questionable deductions. People who earn $0/year have about the same audit rate as those earning $1,000,000/year.

(03/21/25) Straight Talk about Venomous Snakes. It is snake season. People get bitten. Don't touch them. If bitten, stay calm and seek medical attention immediately. Alabama doctors are first in the nation to launch a follow up clinic for snake bites.

(03/20/25) Difficult Family Conversations: "Honest, effective communication across generations is critical for the success of any family business. Yet, bridging the communication gap between generations remains a real challenge." Emma Swainston writes this month in The Dispatch.

(03/19/25) Fish Day Pond Stocking Event: Alabama Fish & Pond may be delivering fish to your area soon. Check out their interesting service.

(03/18/25) Do you think European Union Deforestation Regulations (EUDR) constitute a trade barrier to the importation of U.S. forest products into Europe? Do you think EUDR might logically be countered by significant tariffs imposed on European products imported into the U.S.? An AFOA member sent us a note today, describing a conversation he had with a wood dealer in East Alabama who supplies roundwood to International Paper. He also sent us a letter the wood dealer received from IP detailing rules IP will impose in order to be able to ship forest products to Europe.

(03/17/25) Hunting Spalted Wood Treasure is a YouTube video produced by Penn State Extension. "Spalted wood is an uncommonly beautiful natural product produced by fungi in tree wood. It offers forest landowners and woodworkers opportunities to generate income."

(03/14/25) You Will Die, But You Don't Have to Die Without a Will. "As each generation passes, the potential for land to become a point of conflict among family members increases," says John Allen Nichols, Alabama Farmers Federation  Agriculture Counsel. Nichols will tell us how to reduce property taxes by assessing our land under current use at AFOA's Annual Meeting on April 23rd.

(03/13/25) New Property Tax Proposed for Choctaw County: Many Landowners in this County Won't Have A Say In This.  House Bill 351. Potential 5 mil increase.

(03/12/25) Beware of Alabama Senate Bill 42. This Bill allows roads to be closed which could leave your property landlocked. If you think you may become trapped behind a closed road, you should call your State Representative immediately.

(03/11/25) Americans Poised to Buy Land in 2025 reports LandThink Pulse, 2/18/25. Editor's Note: Market updates for both Real Estate and Timber will be discussed at our upcoming Annual Meeting in Tuscaloosa, April 23.

(03/10/25) Participate in the 2024 Costs and Trends of Southern Forestry Practices Survey. If you own forestland in southern states (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, MO, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA), please help improve information for forest landowners by participating in the 2024 Costs and Trends of Southern Forestry Practices Survey. View webinar led by Dr. Adam Maggard on 2022 survey results.

(03/07/25) Forestry Taxes: Important Considerations for Private Forest Landowners When Filing Your 2024 Taxes. Dr. Tamera Cushing, Extension Forest Business & Economics Specialist at the University of Florida and renowned forestry tax expert, covers important updates to the tax code, deductions, and strategies to help you maximize your returns and stay compliant. Source: Landowner Learning Session from Forest Landowners Association, 3/6/25. Webinar: about 58 minutes.

(03/06/25) Treasury Department Announces Suspension of Enforcement of Corporate Transparency Act Against U.S. Citizens and Domestic Reporting Companies. Editor's Note: We're never going to mention this again.

(03/05/25) Trump’s recent decision on timber markets not likely to help Alabama forest owners. One of his orders would require selling more timber from federal land. Sawmills in Alabama are already full of wood.

(03/04/25) "5 Takeaways from My First Growing-Season Prescribed Fire," by Lindsay Thomas, Jr., National Deer Association, 2/12/25. "With a growing body of science urging deer managers to diversify the timing of prescribed fire, I planned and lit my first growing-season fire on June 14 last year. It was a success, and I plan more spring and summer burns this year. If you hesitate to burn outside your familiar winter window, or to burn at all, consider what I learned when I burned last summer."

(03/03/25) Forisk News, First Quarter 2025, features 10 Highlights from Forisk's Blog. Here's a couple:

• The Impact of Hurricane Helene on Future Pine Sawtimber Supplies

• Tariffs on Imports from Canada? Tell me More!

(02/27/25) How to Make a Stop-Cut Spoon. "Anton Prikazchikov credits his interest in woodcarving to a documentary he saw many years ago, of a child using a knife to transform a branch into a detailed model of a fish. And to a moment of boredom on a dreary winter day in 2018, when he wanted something creative to do." Source: Northern Woodlands, Winter 2024.

(02/26/25) Benefits of Writing a Legacy Love Letter to Heirs. "Crafting a letter to your loved ones that contains your estate-planning information, plus additional rationale for your choices, can help ease their burden when you pass." Reduce chances of your children hating you by following this estate planning advice from Charles Schwab.

(02/25/25) Timber Market Cycles: A 200 Year Look at Cycles in the South's Forest Products Industry. Marshall Thomas, President of F&W Forestry Services, a consulting forestry firm based in Georgia, helps us understand our economic past in this webinar produced by the Forest History Society. Video: about 66 minutes.

(02/21/25) Monarch Butterfly: Exploring the Proposed Endangered Species Act Listing with Brigit Rollins, Staff Attorney, The National Agricultural Law Center. Webinar video, about 63 minutes. Normal silviculture and forest management practices are exempt from being considered "take" of the Monarch.

(02/20/25) Attention, LLCs, LLPs, and Similar Entities: "On Tuesday, February 18, 2025, a federal court reinstated the BOI reporting nationwide. FinCEN has extended the filing deadline to March 21, 2025."

(02/19/25) Bobwhite Quail Management and Quail Forever in Alabama, with John Mark Curtis, State Quail Forever Coordinator (email, (662-694-0041), is the latest issue of Alabama Extension's 2025 Natural Resources Webinar Series. About 63 minutes.

(02/18/25) The Top 100 Landowner List published each year by The Land Report includes several Alabama forest owners. The Westervelt Heirs are number 19.

(02/17/25) Prescribed Fire Effects on Southern Pine Tree Growth and Forest Structure, a webinar with Doug P. Aubrey, University of Georgia. Sponsored by Southern Regional Extension Forestry (webinar landing page). About 67 minutes.

(02/14/25) Forestry & Agriculture: "The overall economic contribution of Alabama’s agricultural and forestry industries for 2022 is $77.3 billion." Source: Alabama Cooperative Extension System, 2/10/25.

(02/12/25) Two Bills being debated in Montgomery this week as reported by ALFA Capitol Connection, 2/7/25:

• "Foreign Ownership of Ag Land Expansion: HB 68 by Rep. Scott Stadthagen, R-Hartselle, would further prevent foreign ownership of ag and forestry property in Alabama. The bill would expand existing law to prevent individuals or companies on any sanctions list of the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Foreign Assets Control from owning ag or forestry property in Alabama."

• "Property Tax Cap Adjustment: SB 100 by Sen. Larry Stutts, R-Tuscumbia, would change a law created during the 2024 legislative session capping the year-to-year property tax assessment values for Class II commercial and business property and Class III residential, agricultural, forestry and historic property. If passed, SB 100 would change the cap from 7% to the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index..."

(02/10/25) Do you know what the financial impact of forestry is in your county? Find out fast with a useful app created by the Alabama Forestry Association: Growing Alabama's Economy: Forestry's Financial Impact. Click on your county.

(02/07/25) Questions & Comments about Pre-Existing Hunting Leases on Land for Sale, LandThink.com, 1/28/25.

(02/04/25) Tariffs in the News: "U.S. Lumber Coalition Rebuts Canada’s Offensive To Dismantle U.S. Measures Against Unfairly Traded Softwood Lumber Imports," states headline of press release from U.S. Lumber Coalition, 2/3/25.

(02/03/25) Message to Potential Investors in Paper Mills, Sawmills, Forestland: The U.S. is a Safe Place to Make Investments.  "Trump Vows to Punish South Africa Over Expropriation Law," Bloomberg, 2/3/25. "South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced last month that he had signed a law that allows the state to seize private land in the public interest, in some cases without compensation."

(01/29/25) "Is that tree valuable or worthless?" Arborgen's Paul Jeffreys discusses tree values with former procurement forester Blake Sherry. The discussion was split into two parts and published on November 20, 2024 (about 17 minutes) and January 20, 2025 (about 19 minutes). Good discussion, worth listening to.

(01/24/25) The Southern Forest and Tree Health Diagnostics Facebook Group, established in 2017, continues to be a popular resource for help with forest and tree health questions. The group is hosted by forest and tree health specialists from Clemson University, University of Florida, Bethune-Cookman University and the Florida Forest Service. Dedicated to supporting the identification of pests and diseases affecting forests and backyard trees, the group provides expert advice and actionable solutions to address tree health issues.

(01/23/25) "Alabama’s forestry industry is a vital economic engine, particularly for the state’s rural areas. By generating billions in economic activity, creating thousands of jobs and promoting sustainable practices, the industry not only supports local economies but also positions Alabama as a leader in forestry and natural resource management on a national and global scale." Source: Alabama Department of Commerce, 1/21/25.

(01/21/25) Riches to Rags to Riches. Forester Ed Lewis describes a brief history of Alabama's Longleaf Turpentine Industry in the Winter 2024 issue of Alabama's Treasured Forests magazine.

(01/20/25) Fire in the Pines is a cooperative newsletter published quarterly to inform and engage North Florida Prescribed Burn Association members, potential members, and those with a general interest in prescribed burn related topics.

(01/17/25) 2025 Forest Health Outlook, with Alabama Forestry Commission Forest Health Coordinator Drew Metzler (email, 334-274-5507), is the first issue of Alabama Extension's 2025 Natural Resources Webinar Series. About 62 minutes. Drew discusses a potentially positive outlook for 2025 Southern Pine Beetle at about 40:07.

(01/16/25) The Family Business Consulting Group brings us two Succession Planning articles today:

• Succession: The Transfer of Power in Family Businesses

• Family Business Succession: 15 Guidelines

(01/15/25) Predator Management & Protecting Natural Resources, with Wildlife Biologist Leif Stephens (email, 334-740-1884), USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, is a recent issue of Alabama Extension's 2024 Natural Resources Webinar Series. About 41 minutes.

(01/14/25) Property Tax Increases and Other Taxes and Fees in Elmore County: "a countywide levelized 9.5% sales tax, a $25 assessment on vehicle and boat tags, a $100 court fee, a $100 jail booking fee, a countywide levelized 9.5% rental tax, property assessments of $25 per year for land-only parcels, $150 per year for residential properties, and $300 per year for commercial properties, as well as a 4.5% countywide tobacco and vape tax." If you have more details about when these taxes and fees will be voted on, please send information to RLL@AFOA.org. Thanks.

(01/13/25) Grant to Repair or Replace Rural Public Bridges: "This vital program, established through the Alabama Legislature’s Rural Logging Efficiency Act of 2023 and funded in the FY25 General Fund Budget, is dedicated to upgrading infrastructure and easing costly transportation challenges resulting from the need to route loaded trucks around corridors with statutorily limited bridges in rural areas."

(01/09/25) No, Climate Change Didn’t Cause the L.A. Forest Fire Catastrophe… counters Unleash Prosperity Hotline, January 9, 2025. Be sure to look at the chart of Total acres burned by wildfire in the U.S. from 1926 to 2018. Also, a front page from an Arizona newspaper in the 30s has some interesting headlines not just related to forest fires.

(01/08/25) "It's The Economy, Stupid," Marshall Thomas, President of F&W Forestry Services reminds us in the Winter 2024-25 issue of F&W Forestry Report. But while Thomas declares, "It's the Economy," pages 2 & 3 of the Report describe hundreds of millions of dollars of government grants for climate mitigation and stuff like that. Remember the Inflation Reduction Act?

(01/07/25) News of interest to forest landowners, plus lots of online events, and, if you live in or near Virginia, conferences, retreats, and even a summit -- all in the Winter 2025 edition of Virginia Forest Landowner e-Update.

(01/06/25) Book Club: What books should be on the "books to read and discuss" list of the Forest Owners' Book Club? Send suggestions to Lee at RLL@AFOA.org.

(01/03/25) Urgent Weather Message from ArborGen: "The week of January 6, 2025, will pose lower than average temperatures for much of the US South. Temperatures are expected to plummet into the middle and lower 20's (Fahrenheit) Monday January 6th – Sunday January 12th. Those planting seedlings are urged to exercise extreme caution in protecting bareroot and containerized seedlings and consider avoiding planting if temperatures are projected to drop below 25 degrees the evening after planting." Read more.

(12/31/24) Raymond James upgrades timber REITs on improving lumber market fundamentals. The brokerage "expressed confidence in U.S. homebuilders' plans for mid-to-high single-digit growth in housing completions next year, despite elevated mortgage rates. Additionally, potential trade policy changes, including higher tariffs on Canadian lumber imports, could provide further support for domestic pricing."

(12/30/24) "Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Detection in Colbert County Expands the State’s CWD Management Zone. A white-tailed deer recently harvested by a hunter in Colbert County in northwest Alabama has been confirmed positive for Chronic Wasting Disease. The detection of CWD in Colbert County has resulted in an expansion of the state’s CWD Management Zone (CMZ) to include all of Colbert, Lauderdale and Franklin counties in the CMZ." What is Chronic Wasting Disease?

(12/27/24) Reversal Again for Beneficial Ownership Reporting Requirements. "A federal appeals court decision on Dec. 26 has reversed course from earlier this week, putting the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) and its beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements on indefinite hold while the courts consider NFIB’s lawsuit challenging the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), Texas Top Cop Shop, Inc., et al. v. Garland, et al. As of this update, businesses are not required to comply with the BOI reporting requirements." "Small business owners are encouraged to take action by sending a message to their lawmakers in the U.S. House and Senate, urging them to quickly and fully repeal the CTA. If you haven’t yet made your voice heard with your federal elected officials, click here to send them an email now." Source: National Federation of Independent Business, 12/27/24.

(12/26/24) Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire -- we think you will really enjoy this holiday special Chestnut Chat produced by the American Chestnut Foundation. Video: about 89 minutes. Link to YouTube, if needed.

(12/24/24) Appeals Court Reinstates Beneficial Ownership Reporting Requirements. A federal appeals court yesterday lifted the preliminary injunction blocking the deadline for reporting Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI). This decision allows the government to enforce the January 1, 2025 reporting deadline. Source: NFIB, 12/23/24. See 12/06/24, below. This decision affects more than a thousand AFOA members.

(12/20/24) "Don't Cut the Roots!" advises ArborGen's Dr. Paul Jeffreys. Video: about 2 minutes.

(12/19/24) Land Buyer Mistakes and Tips to Avoid Them: Part 3. Pat Porter, owner and broker at RecLand Realty recommends that prospective buyers always walk the property before buying land. Video: 4 minutes. Source: LandThink, 12/3/24. See Part 1, here.

(12/18/24) Let's talk about the big business of Christmas trees. "American consumers bought 21.6 million real Christmas trees last year at a median price of $75, according to the National Christmas Tree Association." Source: Quartz, 12/9/24. See also: Christmas Tree Workshop in Chilton County, April 5, 2025.

(12/16/24) You Can't Build That -- with lumber sawn from the trees you grew on your land, no matter if your lumber is better quality than store-bought graded lumber. Still Mine, a 2012 film starring James Cromwell and Geneviève Bujold, tells the story of a man struggling with unrealistic building codes and an over-eager building inspector. Alabama forest owners have described similar building code nightmares to AFOA over the years.

(12/13/24) "Enviva, LLC, a leading producer of industrial wood pellets, today [12/6/24] announced its successful emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. ... The secured funding also fully finances completion of the Company’s 11th production plant, under construction in Epes, Alabama, which is anticipated to produce its first pellets in May 2025. Once fully ramped, the Company expects the new plant to produce ~1 million metric tons of wood pellets per year..." Source: Business Wire, 12/6/24.

(12/10/24) Prescribed Burn Association in East-Northeast Alabama: Alabama/Georgia Mountain Longleaf Prescribed Burn Association Interest Meeting. If working with your neighbors to carry out prescribed burns on your land sounds like a good idea, you will want to attend a meeting on December 19 from 2 to 4 pm at Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce, 801 Cedar Bluff Road, #A, Centre, AL 35960. Good luck.

(12/09/24) How Much Timber Does the US Harvest, and How is it Used? "Landowners manage their forests to maximize tree growth and their return on investment while at the same time providing wildlife habitat, protecting water quality, sequestering carbon and supporting a host of other environmental benefits. In turn, forest products companies use the trees that they buy from landowners to the fullest extent possible because it makes both financial and environmental sense."

(12/06/24) Texas Judge Shoots Down Corporate Transparency Act Reporting Requirements. "The Beneficial Ownership Information reporting requirements are a harmful invasion of small business owners’ privacy and a misuse of their valuable time." LLC, LLP, and other similar entities owe a big favor to NFIB.

(12/05/24) Why do beech leaves hang on to the tree all winter long? "Marcescence (pronounced mar-sess-uhns), by definition, means to wither but not fall off. American Beech, American Hophornbeam, Witch Hazel, and members of the Oak family all demonstrate marcescence." Source: Kick Off Your Week by Learning Something New: Marcescence-The Tenacity of Trees, November 25, 2024.

(12/04/24) Click here for --->Year-End Tax Planning Letter from JamisonMoneyFarmer PC. P.S.: We learned yesterday that Tax Tips for Forest Landowners for the 2024 Tax Year will be included in the January issue of Capital Ideas, our monthly newsletter.

(12/03/24) Underplanting Longleaf Pine: The ecology behind this regeneration technique & lessons learned from a case study in Georgia, a webinar with Nathan Klaus, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and Joan Walker, U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station. Sponsored by Southern Regional Extension Forestry (webinar landing page). About 77 minutes.

(12/02/24) The Risk is Real: Deer Feeders & Chronic Wasting Disease. Researchers at Mississippi State University Deer Lab and Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks reported in Alabama Wildlife magazine, Fall 2024, that "deer feeders are areas of risk for disease transmission." Of course, "Hunting ... deer over bait now legal in Alabama with purchase of special privilege license." 

(11/27/24) "US South Set to Surpass Canada in Lumber Production: Trade Policies, Wildfires Shift Softwood Capacity Southward." Source: Transport Topics, 11/4/24.

(11/26/24) Thanksgiving Special: How New Deer Hunters Think About Guns, Butchering, Old-School Hunters, and Their First Kill By Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, November 14, 2024.

(11/22/24) Sean Duffy, co-host of "The Bottom Line" on Fox News has been tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as Secretary of Transportation...BUT that is not why we feature him today. Today we learned that a younger Sean Duffy was a speed-climber -- poles -- 90 feet tall -- lumberjack. Watch YouTube.

(11/21/24) Fall Habitat Management: Improving Forb Abundance & Composition, with Wildlife Biologist Courtenay Conring (email, 256-278-5379),  Alabama Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries, is the latest issue of Alabama Extension's 2024 Natural Resources Webinar Series. About 67 minutes.

(11/20/24) Hunting Leases -- The Importance and Expectations -- A Texas Perspective from Braun & Gresham, Attorneys at Law, 11/18/24.

(11/19/24) Alabama's Deer Management Assistance Program Celebrates 40th Year. "Many folks who enroll in the program have an overpopulation problem. They usually have a lot of deer and need some way to shoot more deer."

(11/18/24) "We will find a way to make it work," reported Georgia Society of American Foresters Chair Caleb Warnock in Southeastern Forester, Fall 2024. "Hurricane Helene damaged millions of acres of timberland from newly planted pines to 50 year old stands. It is hard for us to understand what this will do to the future of the timber market in the area. All of the damaged acres will have to be salvaged and cleaned so they can be replanted. This means that no significant amount of timber will come from this area for the next 15 years. The local mills will extend their reach for supply, and foresters and loggers will have to do the same. But we will find a way to make it work."

(11/15/24) What are the Pros and Cons of Combining Two Parcels of Land? Real estate professional Brad Butler provides a brief answer on LandThink.com, October 29, 2024.

(11/14/24) Tax Policy Wish List from a Forest Landowner. Tax Expert Tamara Cushing wrote a sample letter for us to send to our newly elected president and members of Congress. It's on page 5 of our November newsletter, Capital Ideas. She touched on things to keep and things to change in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act when it is renewed in 2025. Open pages 4 & 5 of the November newsletter.

(11/12/24) Have you ever wanted to run a portable sawmill? Northern Woodlands introduces us to two Massachusetts boys, twins, who bought their own mill at age 17 in "Meet the J Team: Jay and James Clarke."

(11/11/24) Master Forest Owner, Master Gardener, and now, Master Naturalist. Maggie Edwards describes Alabama's Master Naturalist Program in the November issue of Neighbors magazine: Alabamians Wild About New Master Naturalist Program.

(11/08/24) Forestry Tools: Part 2 is one of the Virginia Extension Forestry's Fifteen Minutes in the Forest Series of videos. In this one Extension Forester Karen Snape explains some simple tools you can use to measure tree diameters, areas, and volumes in the woods.

(11/07/24) Shopping All the Way to the Woods: How the Outdoor Industry Sold Nature to America by Rachel S. Gross, publisher Yale University Press, 304 pages. Gross writes in the book's preface, "I became a specialist in the meanings Americans attach to their experiences in nature. I am now a historian of outdoor gear -- and the first person to claim such a job description." Cost - hardcover: $32.50

(11/06/24) Property Tax Decisions in Four Counties (source: Secretary of State):

• Autauga County 7 mills:  For: 38.99%  Against: 61.01%

• Chilton County 3 mills:  For: 74.99%  Against: 25.01%

• Marengo County 3 mills:  For: 49.83%  Against: 50.17%

• Marengo County 5 mills:  For: 50.68%  Against: 49.32%

• Mobile County 6.5 mills: For: 66.18%  Against: 33.82%

(11/05/24) Venomous Snakes of Alabama, with Wildlife Biologist Jimmy Stiles, Wild Taught Environmental Education & Management, is the latest issue of Alabama Extension's 2024 Natural Resources Webinar Series. About 63 minutes.

(11/04/24) Red Wolves: The World's Most Endangered Wolf, with Emily Weller, Red Wolf Recovery Program Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, was recorded on September 18. It is part of the Alabama Extension's 2024 Natural Resources Webinar Series. About 70 minutes.

(11/01/24) Does My Land Qualify for a Data Center? "Data centers are vital to our modern digital landscape, and their demand will continue to increase in the coming years. Data center developers must carefully consider location-specific factors such as land qualifications before selecting a site for development. Factors such as proximity to electrical infrastructure, zoning regulations, physical characteristics of the land, environmental risks, and the political climate all play significant roles in determining the suitability of a property for data center development."

(10/30/24) Fire Lines is the bimonthly newsletter of the Southern Fire Exchange, a regional organization focused on the interests of prescribed burners. The October 2024 issue is packed full of news and events.

(10/29/24) What if you want to build a pond and the Corps of Engineers says, "No."? "The most important thing to do should this happen to you is to challenge a wrong decision—always." Source: Pacific Legal Foundation, 10/10/24.

(10/24/24) 10/29/24 Update: Weight Restrictions Were Lifted by County Commission This Morning. Weight Restricted Road in Barbour County Halts Timber Harvests. An AFOA member called us Tuesday afternoon following the Barbour County Commission meeting, reporting that the Commission would not listen to complaints of forest landowners about weight restrictions on a county road. He reported that a formerly good gravel road had been paved in front of a commissioner's home and then weight restricted. The commissioner evidently doesn't want truck traffic on "her" road. The Barbour County Commission has called a special meeting to decide weight limits for trucks on county roads. The meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 29 at 10 AM Central Time at the Eufaula Courthouse. Editor's note: If timber can't be harvested from land locked behind the weight-restricted road, will the County Commission make sure future property tax appraisals reflect the reduced property values?

(10/23/24) In Your Face -- It's time we talked about spiderwebs. Texas A&M Agrilife Today describes "The strange types of spiderwebs found in nature," 10/1/24.

(10/21/24) Dog Deer Hunting hasn't been in the news much for the past few years, but then we read the following headline from Virginia: Virginia Supreme Court affirms lower-court ruling in Right to Retrieve Law case, Augusta Free Press, September 30, 2024. Editor's question: Have you had any problems with dog deer hunting on your land? Send a note to RLL@AFOA.org.

(10/18/24) Risks and Liabilities: Equine Activity & Agritourism Statutes: Strategies for Risk Management is a webinar presented by The National Agricultural Law Center earlier this week. If you have ever thought of developing trail rides or other outdoor entertainment on your land, you will want to listen to this webinar. Presentation Slides. About 65 minutes.

(10/16/24) Hurricane Helene Damage Reports from Florida and Georgia. We haven't seen any report for Alabama, but suspect the damage was very small.

(10/15/24) When Cell Service Is Down, You Can Send iPhone Texts via Satellite. Available with iPhones 14, 15, & 16. Original source behind paywall: Wall Street Journal, October 8, 2024.

(10/14/24) "British Columbia Forest Companies See a Future.    In the U.S. Fast-growing southern forests, low labour costs and tax breaks are driving an exodus."

(10/11/24) Avoid fines and penalties by complying with the Corporate Transparency Act ASAP. If some or all of your land is held in an LLC or similar business entity, and if you haven't already complied with the new regulations, listening to law firm Braun & Gresham's recent podcast (Episode 3) will be very helpful. Audio, about 13 minutes.

(10/10/24) Poor quality trees, sawdust, and shavings are processed into wood fuel pellets ready to ship to England. Drax video, about 13 minutes.

(10/09/24) "Death Tax Could Come Back From the Grave. One of the best features of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) was the doubling of the federal death tax exemption to $13.6 million. ... But if the TCJA is allowed to expire at the end of next year, about two to three times more family farms and businesses will get hit by the tax. That's bad enough, but something much worse could be coming. Elizabeth Warren has introduced a bill ... [that would slash] the estate tax exemption all the way down to $3.5 million, and raising the rates from a current flat 40% to rates ranging from 55% to 65%."

(10/08/24) Unrealized capital gains taxes may start by targeting the ultra-rich, but they will eventually target you. "...before 1917, the median American was not paying income taxes. Income taxes were truly a policy targeted toward the rich."

(10/07/24) Remind Your Hunters to Keep Safety at Forefront This Fall. "Alabama hunters are apparently more aware of the safety aspects of climbing a tree during hunting season. During the 2023-2024 season, only six treestand accidents were reported, down significantly from the average. Unfortunately, Alabama’s two years without a hunting fatality ended with two this past season."

(10/04/24) "That’s why our prices are down. Demand is down. And that is because of the tight money policy," opines Consulting Forester Marshall Thomas in the fall issue of F&W Forestry Report. Thomas also provides "a striking example" of how the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Chevron Deference will improve the business climate in the U.S.

(10/03/24) Should a forest owner have the right to sell stumpage to the highest bidder? Should the high bidder have the right to ship logs to a mill in Canada or Germany or China? Should U.S. sawmills have a right of first refusal to buy your timber? We suspect some folks in the hardwood sawmill industry think your timber belongs to them; that you shouldn't have the right to sell your logs to an exporter. Read this cached copy of a letter we found on the National Hardwood Lumber Association's website. We highlighted in red some worrisome/threatening words. 

(10/02/24) Stumpage Prices. Alabama Forest Owners' Association has been a subscriber to TimberMart-South since 1989, and TMS has allowed AFOA to print Alabama stumpage prices in our newsletter, Capital Ideas, in the top left corner of page 2, since that time. Pine Pulpwood and Chip-N-Saw prices were quoted in the August 2024 newsletter, Pine Sawtimber and Pine Power Pole prices were quoted in September, and Hardwood Pulpwood and Oak Sawtimber prices were quoted in the October newsletter. Thank you, TimberMart-South.

(10/01/24) Financial Relief from Southern Pine Beetle Damage for Forestland Owners in All Alabama Counties.

(10/01/24) WOW Habitat in the ROW: "Rights of Way [powerlines, pipelines] through your land can be awesome for wildlife!" Source: 15 Minutes in the Forest, 9/20/24.

(09/27/24) Container Seedlings: Plant Them Early. If you decide to invest and plant container seedlings, ArborGen Nursery encourages you to consider planting them early.

(09/26/24) "Norway said on [September 18] that elevated levels of radioactive caesium (Cs-137) it had detected near the Arctic border with Russia were likely due to a forest fire near Chornobyl in Ukraine, the site of the world's worst nuclear accident." Editor's note: We seem to remember reading several years ago that nuclear power plants do not have to insure against accidents that might cause loss of use of farmland or forestland. You may find Worst Case Scenario, a novel by T. J. Newman, an interesting read as Microsoft plans to re-start a unit of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant.

(09/20/24) Banks Urged to Stop Financing Livestock Production. "More than 100 climate groups are pressuring JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and other private banks to stop financing global meat and dairy companies. ...the institutions’ lending activities undermine their environmental commitments." Editor's note: Will they soon be attacking those who grow and harvest trees?

(09/19/24) Wilderness First Aid: A Beginner’s Guide: "...if something goes wrong when far from civilization and rapid emergency response care, the situation can become serious very quickly. Understanding how and when to apply first aid in the wilderness is essential..."

(09/18/24) Property (Wealth) Tax Votes Coming Up on November 5. Click here for sample ballots.

• Autauga County: 7 mills
• Chilton County: 3 mills
• Marengo County: 3 + 5 mills
• Mobile County: 6 1/2 mills

(09/17/24) Important Considerations for Timberland Purchase and Management Method. "...how do you make decisions of where to buy land, what to be willing to pay, and whether to focus your management on planted or natural stands?"

(09/16/24) Top 10 Native Plants for Birds, Bees, & More, with Horticulturalist Kerry Smith, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, is the latest issue available of Alabama Extension's 2024 Natural Resources Webinar Series. About 61 minutes.

(09/13/24) Data Centers, Power Lines, Eminent Domain: "Maryland Bill Aims To Protect Farms From Eminent Domain Threat For New AI Data Center Power Lines." Source: ZeroHedge, 9/9/24. "...350% premium to be added to the highest appraisal of land to compensate small farms for their 'loss of income, gainful employment and disruption of their lifestyles.'"

(09/12/24) "Birds love to migrate with good tailwinds." Explore nightly bird migration data in your region with BirdCast Migration Dashboard. Watch 1-minute video. Birds crossing Alabama last night.

(09/10/24) Decoding the Chevron Doctrine Ruling, a learning session produced by Forest Landowners Association. "Watch Charles Yates, Attorney with the Pacific Legal Foundation, discuss the implications of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling to overturn the Chevron Doctrine. For 40 years, the Chevron Doctrine gave federal agencies the authority to interpret ambiguous language from Congress when crafting regulations. This decision marks a significant change in the regulatory landscape, especially for environmental regulations that may impact forest landowners. Learn about the history of the Chevron Doctrine and how this decision by the Supreme Court may change how Congress, the agencies, and the courts approach environmental laws and regulations moving forward."

(09/09/24) "State port upgrades enter final phase. After five years of work, port poised to be deepest on Gulf of Mexico." The ability to ship logs from Mobile will soon open all kinds of export opportunities. See also: "Georgia Exports Company is the only fully integrated exporter of Southern Yellow Pine in the Southeast United States."

(09/06/24) "France-based energy giant TotalEnergies has entered into a new agreement with climate solutions provider Anew Climate and U.S. forestry-focused carbon removal platform Aurora Sustainable Lands to invest $100 million in forestry operations aimed at preserving carbon sinks and supporting the company’s climate goals.
     "The investment will be directed towards supporting Improved Forest Management practices across a portfolio of 20 of Aurora’s carbon projects in 10 U.S. states, covering [750,000 acres]."

(09/05/24) News from the Dakotas that may interest Alabama forest owners:

• Eminent Domain to Acquire CO2 Pipeline ROW Denied by South Dakota Supreme Court
• Constitutional initiative on North Dakota’s November ballot “would prohibit all tax on real or personal property..."

(09/04/24) "Want to reduce the debt? Let's start selling millions of acres of federal lands." Source: Unleash Prosperity, September 4, 2024. We are fortunate that most of the land in Alabama is privately owned working forest and farm land.

(09/03/24) 7-mill property tax will be on Autauga County ballots in November. If you know of any other property tax proposals that may be on the November 5 ballot or a property tax referendum on any other date in the future, please send details to AFOA -- RLL@AFOA.org. Thanks.

(08/29/24) Forestry Tools: Part 1 is one of the Virginia Extension Forestry's Fifteen Minutes in the Forest Series of videos. In this one Extension Forester Karen Snape explains some simple tools you can use to measure tree heights, log lengths, and distances in the woods.

(08/28/24) "Kamala Proposes $5 Trillion in New Taxes – the Biggest Tax Hike in the History of the World," reports Committee To Unleash Prosperity (CTUP), 8/23/24. In the CTUP article, above, be sure to click on the screenshot from CNBC. A 2-minute video of Squawk On The Street, 8/22/24, will open. Worth watching.

(08/27/24) Sortin' It Out: A Guide to Understanding Forest Products -- Part 1: Pine, by Consulting Forester Billy Rye, was published in Cooperative Farming News, Summer 2024. Be aware: Captions for a couple of the photos in the article were switched by the printer.

(08/22/24) Health Insurance Costs Still a Problem for Many Farmers and Forest Owners. Alabama AgCast recently discussed Alfa Health Care Legislation with Preston Roberts. Audio: about 19 minutes.

(08/21/24) MORE Annual Meeting Presentations. If you attended our 2023 Annual Meeting at Lake Guntersville State Park Lodge, you may have had a hard time hearing the speakers in the main auditorium. You will find the recordings we made, and recently published to the web, much easier to hear and understand.

(08/20/24) Help Your Kids Save for Retirement. "Educate and encourage your kids to invest in assets that can't be taxed by the federal government. If you can use tax dollars to grow wealth, you've won the game. For example, buy farmland." Source: Taxlink by Rod Mauszycki, Progressive Farmer, Summer 2024.

(08/19/24) Local Log Markets and the Migration of Softwood Lumber Capacity Across North America: "The nature and structure of sawmill capacity has changed. The number of sawmills has decreased, and the average softwood sawmill size has increased. While multiple regions have increased capacity – U.S. South, U.S. North, and Eastern Canada – the South is unique with respect to the volume and scale of this growth through the substantial addition of new sawmills."

(08/16/24) Annual Meeting Presentations. Did you miss our 2024 Annual Meeting in Eufaula or want to listen to one of the speakers again? If yes, you will be pleased to know that recordings of the "indoor" presentations are now available online.

(08/15/24) 8 Tax Tips is a short, but persuasive video, featuring Dr. Tammy Cushing, well-known tax expert at the University of Florida. See also: Tammy was a guest on AFOA's webcast, Capital Ideas - Live!, yesterday, when she discussed the tax changes to be expected next year when the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expires.

(08/13/24) Navigating Economic Development in Forestry in the South: Sustainably Growing Trees, Opportunities,  & Jobs. "Abundant forest resources, in the southern states of the U.S. and across the nation, are under-utilized creating fantastic opportunities to expand the forest industry and create more jobs - especially in rural areas. Economic developers may not be aware of the important economic impact that forestry already contributes to their states as well as the opportunities to expand." Sponsored by Southern Regional Extension Forestry (webinar landing page). About 62 minutes.

(08/12/24) Our 5th Generation Tree Farm: "Some of my favorite childhood memories are on this property. It gives us a place to connect with aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. Most of us live in the city so it’s been a blessing to be able to go out into the country and do country things like shoot fireworks, have bonfires, fish or just enjoy nature." Source: National Woodlands, Vol. 47, #3. Video: about 2 1/2 minutes.

(08/09/24) Drone Use in Forest Operations Timber Harvesting, Erosion, and Storm Damage Assessments, with Dr. Richard Cristan, Auburn University College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, is the latest issue of Alabama Extension's 2024 Natural Resources Webinar Series. About 61 minutes.

(08/08/24) From the My Florida Forest video series, we thought you would enjoy "To Burn or Not to Burn: Should I Burn My Forest?" Video: about 7 minutes.

(08/07/24) What Drives Forest Productivity and Impacts Forestland Returns?, is a brief essay on LandThink.com by Derek Dougherty, a forest management and forestry research entrepreneur.

(08/06/24) Final Harvests, Part II of Timber Harvesting Techniques by Consulting Forester Billy Rye was published in Cooperative Farming News, Spring 2024.

(08/05/24) "Land Deemed A Secure Inflation Hedge," LandThink Pulse, 7/23/24. "Investing in land is an exceptional strategy to hedge against inflation, offering stability, growth, and wealth preservation. By understanding the impact of inflation on investments and leveraging the unique advantages of real estate, investors can safeguard their wealth during uncertain economic times."

(08/02/24) Weyerhaeuser Company announced last week acquisitions totaling 84,300 acres of high quality timberlands in Alabama for $244 million (almost $3,000 per acre). Remember - the purchases were in Alabama and here's one of the reasons Weyerhaeuser closed the deal: "Located in one of the strongest inland sawlog and fiber markets in the U.S. South"

(08/01/24) Influence of Prescribed Fire on Wild Turkeys, with Dr. Mike Chamberlain, University of Georgia, is the latest issue of Alabama Extension's 2024 Natural Resources Webinar Series. About 69 minutes.

(07/30/24) The hunters who lease your land may use AFOA's special webpage to help them find members for their club. Tell them to check out the webpage at www.HuntingClub.bz. Send information to be listed on the webpage to rll@afoa.org. A member service of the Alabama Forest Owners' Association.

(07/26/24) Prevent Global Warming by Burying Lots of Trees in the Ground. Surely no one is dumb enough to do that, right? Wrong! Read: ‘Wood vaulting’: A simple climate solution you’ve probably never heard of, Grist, July 23, 2024. TGIF!

(07/25/24) Back Porch Forestry with Dr. David Mercker, University of Tennessee Extension, is back with two new episodes: Forest Carbon Credit Overview and Forest Carbon Credit Markets.

(07/24/24) Establishing Oak Regeneration is a Process, Not a Post-Harvest Event. "Extension Foresters at the University of Tennessee ... published a review of various red and white oak regeneration approaches titled 'Oak Regeneration Practices.' This publication includes ten fact sheets that describe the benefits and weaknesses of silvicultural practices such as prescribed burning, social scarification, midstory removal, afforestation plantings, and more." Source: Southern Regional Extension Forestry News Digest, 7/22/24.

(07/23/24) "The average pine growth-to-drain for the South in 2024 is 1.4, indicating a general oversupply of timber in the region. A heat map by county (open link, below, to see map) highlights local variations, with tight markets in north Florida and south Georgia. Areas of south Alabama, central South Carolina, and northern Louisiana also have relatively balanced timber supply with demand. Northern Mississippi, northeast Georgia, northern North Carolina, and Virginia have an oversupply of pine growth relative to demand." Source: Local Timber Supply and Growth-to-Drain in the U.S. South, Forisk Blog, 7/18/24.

(07/22/24) Southern Pine Beetle Detection Map Shows Lots of Spots (Infestations). We suspect the only reasons there aren't more spots on the Alabama Forestry Commission's map are lack of monitoring flights in many counties and the simple inability of human spotters to mark every spot seen. See also our news note from 6/17/24, below.

(07/19/24) Germany's Dying Forests Should Be Wake-up Call for Forest Landowners Everywhere. Planting trees of one species and one age-class over vast areas is an open invitation to insect infestations and disease outbreaks. DW Planet A's 13 minute video offers advice to all prospective tree planters. Hinting that global warming might be to blame for this giant human error is their folly.

(07/18/24) Southeastern Logging Trends, with Dr. Joe Conrad, Associate Professor of Forest Operations, University of Georgia, is the latest issue of Alabama Extension's 2024 Natural Resources Webinar Series. About 55 minutes.

(07/17/24) A Time to Plant by Consulting Forester Billy Rye was published in Cooperative Farming News, Winter 2024.

(07/16/24) "But mostly we chatted - about his friends, his classes, his goals for the future, my hopes for his future." Read more about a mom planting trees with her family, from The Christian Science Monitor, 6/2/03.

(07/15/24) US lumber market chaos -- why is the market slumping? "In May, housing starts were down about 5.5% and the expectation is that there’s not going to be many more gains in housing until mortgage rates start to inch lower."

(07/12/24) Improving thinned loblolly, longleaf and slash pine stand growth with a herbicide or a fertilizer treatment – making the right choice by Dr. David Dickens, Professor, Forest Productivity, University of Georgia, may be the answer to your problems. But... we suspect many forest owners facing a serious lack of demand for their pine timber may turn a thumbs down on any investment costs that might make their trees grow faster.

(07/11/24) Timber Theft? Logger Cutting Over the Line? Call your Sheriff. Or call the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's Alcohol and Rural Crime Unit (ARCU). Contact information for ARCU agents.

(07/10/24) Invasive Plants Refresher and Newcomers to Look Out For, with Dr. Nancy Loewenstein, Alabama Extension, Auburn University, is the latest issue of Alabama Extension's 2024 Natural Resources Webinar Series. About 62 minutes.

(07/09/24) POSTED! NO TRESPASSING! Alabama Forest Owners' Association has two different No Trespassing signs available for the use of members and the hunters who lease their lands. Our orange sign is primarily for landowners who aren't leasing their land for hunting. Our yellow sign is used by landowners and hunters to let people know that the land is leased to hunters. Hundreds of thousands of the signs mark the property lines of our members.

(07/08/24) Marshall Thomas, President of F & W Forestry Services reported this week in F & W Forestry Report, Summer 2024, on the stumpage market outlook, about biofuels from pulpwood ("rumors without much substance"), about potential large penalties for non-compliance with a new law on corporate transparency (pay attention if your land is held in an LLC or similar entity), and  mergers that "have  the potential to reduce competition for the trees we grow."

(07/05/24) News that may have an effect on your property values:

• Over $50 M given to continue expansion of high-speed internet in Alabama
• Work begins on first phase of Birmingham Northern Beltline project

(07/03/24) We enjoy many privileges in the United States of America, not least of which is the right to own and manage forestland. While most of us will celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence tomorrow with fireworks, maybe some homemade ice cream, maybe a slice of fresh watermelon, we hope you will take a minute to remember those whose courage made our celebration possible. 

(07/02/24) Save Money on Property Taxes by Assessing Your Land with Current Use. Read: What's So Special about Special Use Valuation? A Chronicle of Current Use by John Allen Nichols, Alabama Farmers Federation Agriculture Counsel, Neighbors, July 2024. Also learn more at Department of Revenue: About Current Use and Current Use Application Form.

(07/01/24) "A new website called www.seekalabama.com (Seek AL) is designed to be an endless resource where [you] can find out what Alabama’s outdoors has to offer, including an interactive map to explore locations for specific activities." "The website addresses that common phrase 'I didn't know that was in Alabama,'" [T.C. McLemore, Innovate Alabama’s Executive Director of the Outdoor Recreation Programs] said. "Now, folks are going to know what is in Alabama, both Alabamians and those who are considering a move to Alabama."

(06/27/24) What's Eating My Seedlings? Arborgen's Dr. Paul Jeffreys answers: Deer eat "newly planted pine seedlings, primarily due to a lack of natural browse availability. If you’ve planted seedlings within the last few years, you can attest that they are some of the most expensive deer food available."
     Evidently, deer are eating a lot more than pine seedlings. Take a look at the agenda of "Alabama Deer Abatement in Crops" meeting that took place this morning in Montgomery. The apparent leader of the meeting was Steven Hague.

(06/26/24) Forestry's Impact in Alabama is Impressive -- $36 billion annual economic impact, 123,623 direct, indirect and induced jobs that exist because of the industry. Forest owners should look at those numbers with pride and recognize that without the millions of trees we grow each year, Alabama's forest industry would cease to exist.

(06/25/24) Do you have children or grandchildren who are wondering what they might do with their lives? Forestry Works has some suggestions for someone who wants to stay in touch with forests, but may be interested in the manufacturing aspects of the forest industry. Here's a list of ideas:

• Crane Operator
• Forest Products Processing Manager
• Heavy Equipment Operator
• Human Resources
• IT Specialist
• Log Grader
• Millwright
• Procurement Forester
• Sales Representative
• Saw Filer
• Scalehouse Operator
• Truck Driver
• Welder
• Cabinet Maker
• Carpenter
• Furniture Maker
• Chemical Engineer
• Civil Engineer
• Electrical Engineer
• Industrial Electrician
• Mechanical Engineer

(06/24/24) Inflation of the dollar, whether purposely caused by the Federal Reserve or haphazardly caused by a spendthrift Congress, is a tax on wealth. "With 10% inflation, the average family can expect to lose 7% of its lifetime income to government," explains John Goodman, Goodman Institute, in his essay, The Inflation Tax. Some of us remember the Carter years -- inflation in 1980 was more than 12 percent.

(06/21/24) How Do You Recruit Wood-based Businesses? "Join this webinar to increase your understanding of the process of recruiting businesses for forestry and more. This is the second webinar in a four-part series on Wood-based economic development." Speakers: Greg Barker, President, Economic Development Partnership of Alabama and Veronica Crock, Senior Project Manager, Alabama Department of Commerce. Sponsored by Southern Regional Extension Forestry (webinar landing page). About 64 minutes.

(06/20/24) Hunting Liability Insurance. If you worry that someone who hunts on your land might cause you to be sued (hunter falls from tree stand, wife sues you; young hunter drives ATV off bridge, mother sues you; deer hit by car, driver sues you), you should probably consider using AFOA's Hunting Liability Insurance. About 4,000 landowners use the policy to protect themselves and tens of thousands of hunters on more than two million acres.

(06/19/24) Repeal the Death Tax. Senator Tuberville weighs in on the importance of repealing the Federal Estate Tax. Source: YellowHammer, June 18, 2024.

(06/18/24) New Forest Succession Planning Workbook: "North Carolina State University has released a new landowner-friendly interactive workbook to assist with succession planning. The 40-page workbook includes ... an introduction, information on why succession planning is important, instructions for using the worksheets, helps estimate asset value, and details on how to pursue an estate plan." Source: Southern Regional Extension Forestry News Digest, Week of June 10, 2024.

(06/17/24) Spring Southern Pine Beetle (SPB) Trapping Results Not Good. The Alabama Forestry Commission monitors SPB each spring using pheromone-baited traps. "Alabama numbers are up significantly compared to last year’s spring trapping results, so it is possible that we may have an active summer in some locations. Forest Service trapping results in east Alabama on the Talladega National Forest were exceptionally high (off the chart in one ranger district). We will certainly need to focus some early aerial detection efforts in the northern half of the state." Source: TreeTopics, June 2024. Check SPB Map for results in your area (as of this date (6/17/24), no monitoring flights have been posted to the AFC webpage). See also: State of emergency declared after Mississippi forests hit hard by pine beetles, drought.

(06/14/24) Where Do We Go from Here? Fostering Purpose in the Rising Generation, Both In And Out of the Family Business: "However, as families move further into the next generations, there may be signs of shifts in values and priorities. This can emerge from an alternative outlook on the world, a desire to experience things differently, or even subtle or not-so-subtle resistance to the environment in which they were raised."

(06/13/24) Four Mushroom Forays Planned by Alabama Mushroom Society: June 15 - Baldwin County, June 15 - Elmore County, June 16 - Madison County, and June 22 - Jefferson County. Learn more in their June newsletter.

(06/12/24) Kentucky's Woodland Owner Short Course began yesterday (sorry - recording may be available), and includes 5 online sessions and a field session (in Kentucky). "The online sessions raise awareness of key woodland/wildlife issues and provide examples of how to best address these issues. Field sessions showcase real world management applications to further emphasize what was learned during the online sessions. Registration for online sessions only is $10 and registration for online sessions and 1 field session is $25 per person or $35 per couple. Learn more by clicking here. Register here."

(06/11/24) The Woman Landowner Academy, a six-week program for women managing family forestland in the southeast, starts July 16, 2024. "Wouldn’t it be awful to find out down the road what you sold your land and timber for was really worth 5x, 10x, 100x the value you received from that 'cash now' offer?"

(06/10/24) Auto Manufacturers, Combat Vehicles, Ships and Planes lead the list of Alabama's Largest Manufacturers. Paper mills, which used to be at the front of the list, now trail along near the rear.

(06/07/24) The American Landowner, May 29, 2024 Episode featured Arborgen's Dr. Paul Jeffreys Comparing the Pros and Cons of Different Pine Tree Seedlings. Podcast: about 61 minutes.

(06/06/24) Demand for Hunting Land is Huge! Members of the Alabama Forest Owners' Association may list their land on www.HuntingLand.bz for free. Yesterday we listed 120 acres in central Alabama and the landowner immediately began receiving calls and emails; he leased the land in less than 24 hours.

(06/05/24) Significant Expansion of Alligator Hunting Season in Alabama: "We have a growing alligator population throughout the state that has allowed our staff to look at more opportunities for hunters to expand some of the areas and increase the number of tags," [Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Commissioner Chris Blankenship reported to the Alabama Conservation Advisory Board on May 18]. "The areas are larger, and we’ve added some bonus tags this year to encourage people to take more smaller alligators instead of waiting for that one big one and not being able to fill their tag at all. All in all, it will be about a 192% increase in the number of tags. It’s substantial."

(06/04/24) "SIGNED INTO LAW: Alabama Abolishes Income Taxes on Gold and Silver." "Alabama Governor Kay Ivey[, on May 14, 2024,] signed a bill that removes all income taxes on capital gains from the sale of gold and silver, enabling the state to take an important step forward in reinforcing sound money principles." Source: Money Metals, 5/18/24.

(06/03/24) Insect Repellents: "Over the years, one thing has become clear from Consumer Reports’ testing of insect repellents: When in doubt, go with deet." Source: Consumer Report, 5/19/24.

(05/30/24) Expanding Forestry Markets - How is it done? Gary Faulkner, Forest Economic Development Specialist, Alabama Forestry Commission, was the featured speaker for this May 21, 2024 webinar, sponsored by Southern Regional Extension Forestry. About 65 minutes.

(05/29/24) Chestnut Challenges: "...a mix-up in the lab has sparked a veritable civil war in the [chestnut] niche conservation community," and "...he'd spent years planting the wrong tree." Read: The Problem With Darling 58: The fight to save America's iconic tree has become a civil war.

(05/24/24) Predators May Have Less & More Impact Than You Think, with Mike Conner, The Jones Center at Ichauway, is the latest issue of Alabama Extension's 2024 Natural Resources Webinar Series. About 56 minutes.

(05/23/24) Do Subsidy Payments and Free Management Assistance to Forest Landowners Have a Place in Our Society? To a low-income, hard worker who pays taxes and may not yet own his own home, a forest owner with 40 acres is a rich guy. Read more from the Committee to Unleash Prosperity: No More Welfare for the Rich, 5/15/24.

(05/22/24) The Advantages of Hiring Your Minor Children for Summer Jobs. Source: DeLoach, Barber & Caspers, P.C., Certified Public Accountants, 5/22/24.

(05/21/24) Goats and Sheep Are Commonly Used to Reduce Fire Hazards, but Sometimes Goats Go Rogue. A Master Goat Producer's Certification Program is scheduled for July 31 through August 2, 2024 at Tuskegee University's Goat Farm (link and dates to be corrected soon).

(05/20/24) "U.S. House and Senate Introduce Legislation to Repeal Small Business Ownership Registry," reported the National Federation of Independent Business last week. Repealing the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting Rule will be important to forest owners whose land is held in a corporation, LLC, or other similar entity.

(05/17/24) That smell of smoke in the air is a signal from Canada to let us know that mismanagement of millions of acres of government owned forestland is sending jobs and investment capital to Alabama and other Southern States. Read: BC Council of Forest Industries urges action on mill closures, and, Hundreds of jobs affected as Canfor makes cuts in northern B.C.

(05/16/24) Forisk News, Q2 2024 Edition: Learn more about "The Other Pellet Producers: North American Domestic Market," plus many other market updates from Forisk Consulting.

(05/14/24) Private Working Forests Support 2,496,697 Jobs with a Payroll of $109,423,739,002 in the U.S. Learn more with the National Alliance of Forest Owners' Private Working Forests in Your State Interactive Map.

(05/13/24) Warrantless Searches of Private Land Unconstitutional, Appeals Court Rules. "State officials in Tennessee cannot conduct warrantless searches of private [land], the Court of Appeals of Tennessee ruled unanimously on May 9. The ruling applies to private land under 'actual use' via fencing, farming, posting, gating, hunting, fishing, camping, or other activities."

(05/10/24) Prescribed Burn Associations: Increasing and Improving Your Acres Burned, with Ryan Mitchell, Tall Timbers, is the latest issue of Alabama Extension's 2024 Natural Resources Webinar Series. About 62 minutes.

(05/09/24) Goods from the Woods: How is Lumber Made? is a two and a half minute video produced by the North Carolina Forestry Association. Share with a friend or a grandchild.

(05/07/24) Land Buyer Mistakes and Tips to Avoid Them: Part 1. Pat Porter, owner and broker at RecLand Realty points out some of the pitfalls when purchasing land with a seller-financed loan in this 4 minute video. Source: LandThink, 4/30/24.

(05/06/24) Like-Kind Exchanges: Last month, Forest Landowners Association joined 34 other national associations in support of preserving long standing tax rules governing like-kind exchanges (LKEs). The April 10 letter encouraged policymakers to reject proposals, such as those in President Biden's budget, to restrict the use of LKEs.

(05/03/24) Consulting Forester/Wildlife Biologist Mark Thomas was the guest of Mossy Oak's Gamekeeper Podcast earlier this week. Here's what they wrote about the interview: "This week we’re thrilled to be joined with one of the most interesting and well versed wildlife and forestry professionals we’ve ever met, Mark Thomas. Mark's insane resume proves he’s been exposed to more than can be explained in one podcast. We have a fun discussion and look back at what he has learned over his lifetime of managing properties for enhanced wildlife experiences to help the average guy be a better Gamekeeper. You’ll learn about ecotones or edges, QVM, hunting pressure, fire ants, turkeys, herbicides, limbing roads, sanctuaries, tarsal glands, agricultural food plots, could you be burning too much, timber management and much more. We guarantee you’ll learn something and laugh more than normal. Listen, Learn and Enjoy."

(04/29/24) Property Tax Increases Proposed for Autauga County (HB 450) and Wilcox County (HB 489). The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB Legislative Links, 4/26/24) alerted us to the bills.

(04/24/24) Last week at the Forestry Field Day at Pine Ridge of Alabama, Bence Carter stood in a newly planted field of warm season grasses and described the value of that type of wildlife habitat. The three publications he brought along to show us were:

• Ecological Succession: The Natural Progression of Plant Communities Over Time
• Managing Early Successional Plant Communities for Wildlife in the Eastern US
• Native Warm-Season Grasses: Identification, Establishment and Management...

(04/23/24) Promoting Bird Habitat in Working Forestland, with EJ Williams, American Bird Conservancy, is the latest issue of Alabama Extension's 2024 Natural Resources Webinar Series. About 61 minutes. Also, we think you will enjoy reading a 12-page booklet by EJ and Jeremy Poirier, Bird Friendly Forests: Opportunities for Private Forest Owners in the Southeastern United States.

(04/22/24) Domestic and Global Hardwood Market Update: "The COVID pandemic impacted markets for U.S. hardwood lumber in unprecedented ways, and its aftereffects have led to a global slowdown in hardwood markets. This presentation will look at current hardwood market conditions, what led to them and how they compare to the impacts of the Great Recession over a decade ago." Tim Knol, Northern Editor, Hardwood Review, was the featured speaker for this April 18, 2024 webinar, sponsored by Southern Regional Extension Forestry.

(04/19/24) The conversion of private forestland to publicly owned forestland continues in Alabama with our Forever Wild program spending millions on land every year. Please read Timber crisis has implications for environment, economy and climate by Nick Smith, Capital Press, 4/16/24, and see if you can see how Forever Wild might lead to similar problems for us in Alabama.

(04/18/24) F&W Forestry Report, Spring 2024, features articles on European Union deforestation regulations, an interesting review of recent tree planting, and more. The Report, as usual, is a good read. Enjoy.

(04/15/24) Legislation in Montgomery on Health Plan, Property Tax Increase Cap, and Carbon Sequestration (Pore Space) were all featured in the April 12 issue of ALFA's Capitol Connection. Editor's note: We're not sure what it will be used for, but we noticed that the Alabama Treasure Forest Association (part of the Alabama Farmers Federation) will receive $60,000 from the Education Trust Fund (HB 145). 

(04/12/24) Wood Fuel Pellets from Dothan "will soon be heading overseas." Peak Renewables' joint venture with Rex Lumber "will run 100% on dry shavings." Source: Biomass Magazine, 4/10/24.

(04/11/24) "$115 million sawmill planned for Coosa County, creating 130 jobs" -- and a new market for pine sawtimber in central Alabama. Source: AL.com, 4/11/24.

(04/10/24) Tax Calculator: How the TCJA’s Expiration Will Affect You: "Congress has less than two years to prevent tax hikes on the vast majority of Americans from taking place. That’s because the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017, a tax reform law that simplified individual income taxes and reduced tax rates across the income spectrum, is set to expire. If Congress does nothing, most Americans will face higher taxes, worse incentives for work and investment, and a more complicated tax system starting in 2026." Source: The Tax Foundation, 3/12/24.

(04/09/24) The difficulty you may have faced when trying to sell timber may not only be caused by a simple over-supply of timber. The American Loggers Council suggests much bigger problems in "Is the forest products industry in crisis?" Source: Woodworking Network, 3/27/24. Editor's note: 10 or 15 years ago, AFOA's timber buyers list contained more than a thousand potential buyers. Today it contains less than 400.

(04/08/24) Cash is a Favored Method for Purchasing Land, say respondents to the February LandThink Pulse. "33% of respondents indicated that if they were buying land today, they would forgo financing and pay all cash. Coming in a close second, 28% said they would pay more than 20% as a down payment."

(04/05/24) The winners of the 2024 Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest have been announced. "The diversity of Alabama's landscapes, native plants, wildlife and outdoor recreation opportunities make it a photographer's paradise," said Chris Blankenship, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Commissioner. "From the mountains in north Alabama to the state's Gulf Coast, the winning images in this year's Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest highlight the natural beauty of our state. Congrats to all of the winners!" Click here to see the winning photographs.

(04/04/24) Pandemic Whiskey Boom Turns To Hangover. "Brown-Forman reported dismal sales over the winter holiday season and the hangover has lasted into 2024. 'Christmas stunk,' Chief Executive Lawson Whiting said on a call with analysts in early March." Source: ZeroHedge, 3/31/24. See also (behind paywall): Jack Daniel's Flowed During the Pandemic. Now Comes the Hangover, Wall Street Journal, 3/23/24; and, Jack Daniel's Finds Demand Is on the Rocks, Wall Street Journal, 3/28/24. Editor's note: Will the price of white oak stavewood (for whiskey barrels) follow Jack's decline?

(04/03/24) The "greed and envy tax is completely irrelevant to the revenue-raising function of our tax system." Read more from the Committee to Unleash Prosperity: Why, Oh Why, Do We Tax Death in America?, 4/2/24.

(04/02/24) The Long-Term Capital Gains Tax Rate in Alabama is 5 Percent. Not too bad. But what if you moved to California and then sold your forestland (or shares of stock)? The long-term capital gains tax rate in California is 13.38%. The rate in Tennessee is zero. Read more from the Tax Foundation at State Tax Rates on Long-Term Capital Gains, 2024.

(04/01/24) Who owns the empty space underground after oil and gas have been extracted?
     Since the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 gave huge "tax credits and tax benefits for capturing carbon dioxide and then 'storing'" it deep underground (see comments from Oil & Gas Board General Counsel Marvin Rogers), the question of ownership of the underground "pore space" has become very important.
     Senate Bill 230, introduced March 19 by Senator Greg Albritton, would give the pore space to surface owners.
     AFOA member John Christopher, Jr., a minerals and surface owner in Choctaw County, wrote to AFOA on March 28: Senator Albritton "wants the State to declare that all subsurface pore space be ceded to the surface owner and to allow pipeline right of ways across surface owners to the re-injection wells." The bill would be "...damaging of mineral owners interest and the damage it may create if commingled with residual reserves."
     In letters to Senator Bobby Singleton and Representative Brett Easterbrook, AFOA member Judge J. Lee McPhearson wrote: "This issue will soon be a very important issue to the people in Choctaw County as there are going to soon be efforts made to build a pipeline from counties north of Choctaw County into Choctaw County." McPhearson also noted that SB230 "places a potentially huge financial obligation on the State of Alabama to assume all financial obligations and liabilities that may arise should environmental issues arise with the storage of carbon dioxide in 'pore spaces'."
     May 3, 2024: Legislature passes bill to store CO2, other gases underground, YellowHammer.

(03/27/24) Is a Tiny House Just What You Need on Your Land? "From minimalist cubes to charming wood cabins, ... modular tiny homes show that downsizing doesn't mean compromising." Shona Jackson shows us more than a dozen tiny home ideas in This cozy red cabin takes just 3 hours to build. Source: yahoo!life, 2/27/24.

(03/26/24) All About Mushrooms: Alisha Millican, President of the Alabama Mushroom Society, joined Jonathan Goode on The Land Show, Episode 432. Alisha described the many activities of the Mushroom Society including hikes in the woods to find mushrooms (forays). AMS website. Alisha's interview begins at 4:57 and runs to about 24:01.

(03/22/24) "Legislation aimed at giving Alabama Farmers Federation members a reasonably priced option for quality healthcare was introduced Tuesday. ... 'There is a gap in affordable health insurance for farmers and others who aren’t covered by employer plans but do not qualify for federal subsidies,' said Federation President Jimmy Parnell." Source: Capitol Connection, March 22, 2024.

(03/21/24) Memories Celebrated, by Davon Cook, The Dispatch, March 2024. "Now may be the time! I’ve heard heartfelt regrets of 'we never got it done'."

(03/20/24) Britt, Tuberville assail proposed regulation that threatens paper, pulp producers: "The regulation, called the European Union’s Deforestation-Free Regulation (EUDR), would impose costly reporting requirements for American companies in the forest products industry that export to the European Union (EU) and serve as a barrier to international business." The Europeans have never met a regulation or a certification program that they didn't love.

(03/19/24) "Solar blackout: Supervisors [in Halifax County, Virginia] put halt on applications for now after crowd descends on meeting." "We are now around 1% in Halifax County under solar panels. Where does it stop?" asked Stacy Long, member of We the People of Virginia, Inc.

(03/18/24) Effects of Changing the Season of Burn in Longleaf Pine Systems, with Dr. John Willis, Southern Research Station, U.S. Forest Service, is the latest issue of Alabama Extension's 2024 Natural Resources Webinar Series. About 57 minutes.

(03/15/24) Exposure to the Woods: Bringing Newcomers to the Forest Industry: Maine's Eric Kingsley tells us about how he introduced a new high school graduate to the wood industry. A nice story to leave you with on this warm Alabama Friday.

(03/14/24) "Timberland has been the top untapped asset class, but it has emerged as an appealing investment choice for astute investors who want to diversify their portfolio of investments. It is a resilient class with a track record spanning over three decades, it delivers stable long-term returns." Source: LandThink, 1/23/24.

(03/13/24) Silvopasture 6-Part Webinar Series produced by Southern Regional Extension Forestry has been recorded and is ready for viewing. Topics are:

• Silvopasture: An Introduction and Overview
• Establishing Pine Silvopasture When Starting From Pastures or Plantations
• Establishing Hardwood Silvopasture Systems When Starting From Pastures or Woodlands
• From Forage to Livestock: Managing Animals in a Silvopasture system
• Moving Towards a Silvopasture System: Getting Started & Finding Help
• Silvopasture producers share their stories and Answer Questions: A Panel Discussion

(03/12/24) Deer Management and Forestry BMPs: "This virtual self-paced course aims to provide technical information on specific techniques, including forestry best management practices (BMPs), used to enhance and preserve white-tailed deer habitat on forested land." Questions? Want to get started? Contact James Johnson at james.johnson26@uga.edu.

(03/11/24) Property Tax Cap Legislation Moves Forward: "Legislation aimed at capping annual tax increases was reported favorably out of the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee [last] Wednesday. HB 73 by Rep. Phillip Pettus, R-Killen, would cap annual ad valorem tax increases at 5% for Class II commercial and business property and Class III residential, agricultural, forestry and historic property as substituted by the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee. Other Southern states have enacted similar measures. Between 2021 and 2022, the average Class III increase was 13%, with some counties seeing jumps of 20-42%. A companion bill, SB 110 by Sen. David Sessions, R-Grand Bay, has been assigned to the Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee. The legislation will be voted on by the House following [this] week's break." Source: Capitol Connection, 3/8/24.

(03/08/24) "Money is a very powerful thing, which you hardly notice when it goes right, but which can create havoc when it goes wrong.” Milton Friedman. Is it time to have that talk? "Are You Financially Literate? Answer These 5 Questions to Find Out."

(03/07/24) Environmental Protection Agency's New Air Quality Standards May Create Challenges for Prescribed Burning. Fewer burn days available is one likely result of the changes. A factsheet on the EPA’s implementation of this rule can be found here. Driptorch Digest also summarized the recent updates. See also: Senator Tommy Tuberville and 32 Other Senators Send Demand Letter to EPA.

(03/06/24) Today's Timber Prices Don't Matter, states Forest Research Notes, Vol. 20, No. 4. "Today’s timber prices are important for timber that is expected to be harvested now, but they are not very important for timber that is going to be harvested in 10 or 100 years. Forest economists can provide reasonable estimations of what prices might do in the near future, but cannot predict shocks (which seem to occur every 10 years or so) and are really not very good at forecasting prices 25 or 50 years from now." Archive of all Forest Research Notes.

(03/05/24) How to: Reintroduction of flames in a fire-excluded landscape, Tall Timbers, 12/12/23. "Southern pine stands that have undergone fire exclusion become overgrown and dominated by woody plants and lack the habitat needed to support game and non-game species alike. But reintroducing fire to these landscapes isn’t as easy as heading off into the woods with a drip torch."

(03/04/24) SBI: On the Case of Rural Crime, Neighbors, March 2024, described the theft and partial recovery of farm equipment (trucks, trailers). Another case that SBI thwarted was described by forest owner Dr. Greg Smith on AFOA's Capital Ideas - Live!, 2/14/24. Smith reported that an SBI agent contacted him to let him know someone was trying to sell his (Smith's) land. The crime was prevented.

(03/01/24) "Prescribed Fire Near Power Lines Could Zap Your Wallet," says Lindsay Thomas, Jr., National Deer Association, 2/16/24.

(02/28/24) Are There Lenders That Accept Land As Collateral? "Land owners that either want to acquire additional rural land or to cover land improvement expenses, such as building ponds, barns, etc., often use the equity in their land as collateral for a land improvement loan." Keith McKinley, Alabama Ag Credit, will tell us some success stories of landowners using timberland as loan collateral at our Annual Meeting on April 17.

(02/27/24) Valuing Standing Timber on Small Acreage. Real estate broker Pat Porter gives sound advice to those who own or are thinking of buying a small timber tract. Source: LandThink, 2/13/24. If you decide to follow one of his suggestions - Use A Forester - you can find a consultant who works in your part of the state at www.ForesterSearch.com.

(02/26/24) Property Tax renewals will be on Monroe County ballots on March 5. Up to 10 mills. A 20-year decision. Montgomery County voters will be asked to reinstate an expiring 3.5 mill tax. This tax will be in effect for 30 years.

o   Sample ballots for all counties

(02/23/24) "How to Keep ATVs from Riding on Your Property" was the most popular story on NWOA's Wednesday Woodland Word in 2023. Click here for AFOA's "No Trespassing, Posted" signs.

(02/22/24) Online Forest Landowner Academy Course: "The University of Florida ... is offering an online Forest Landowner Academy suitable for landowners in Florida and in neighboring coastal plain regions of Georgia, Alabama, and as far as Mississippi, Louisiana, and eastern Texas. This is a self-paced course that provides quality core educational content on forestry and multiple-use stewardship concepts. Forest landowners will gain comprehensive knowledge and skills related to forest resources that they can use in their land management and planning. Topics include identifying tree species, pine, hardwood, land use management for both solid wood and pulp products and non-timber forest products." 30% promotional discount available through Feb. 29. Promotion Code: SWDXWF

(02/21/24) "Don't Drop It on Alabama" Statewide Spring Cleanup could use your help. "Make Plans NOW for your City, County, School, Neighborhood or Volunteer Group to Join Volunteers from Every County in Alabama For the Annual Statewide Spring Cleanup!" Contact People Against A Littered State (PALS).
 

(02/20/24) Cogongrass Control Program Now Open for Applications. "Property with cogongrass infestations must be located in any of the 67 counties of Alabama, although the landowner is not required to reside on the property or within the state. There is no minimum or maximum acreage ownership requirement to enroll. It is a cost-free program."

(02/19/24) 1.4 to 3.7 Billion Birds Are Killed by Feral Cats Each Year. To learn more, watch The Ecology & Impacts of Free-ranging Cats on the Environment, a webinar presented by Dr. Christopher Lepczyk, Auburn University, College of Forestry, Wildlife & Environment. This is the latest issue of Alabama Extension's 2024 Natural Resources Webinar Series. About 66 minutes.

(02/15/24) Morel Foray Planned for March: The February 2024 Newsletter of the Alabama Mushroom Society announced a Members Only Morel Foray in March, and their Third Annual Alabama Mushroom Faire at Noccalula Falls, October 26-27. Further down in the newsletter is an interesting article about periodical cicadas and the fungi that attack them. Good photos and graphics. Click here for membership information.

(02/13/24) A Basic Introduction to Forest Investment Analysis, by Curtis VanderSchaaf, may give you a better understanding of the variables that affect your forestland investment. Source: Southwest Mississippi Forestry Newsletter, November 2023. You may also find Texas A&M Forest Service's Timberland Decision Support System useful and fun to play with.

(02/12/24) Why The Future Of Wood Burning Stoves In Homes Is Uncertain. "There is certainly something nostalgic, earthy, and fascinating about using a wood-burning stove in your home. The sound of the crackling wood, the smell of the fire, and the ability to control your home's heating with a log or two make these stoves an attractive option to many. However, some states (Alabama not included) believe these stoves are causing too much pollution, and they're taking legal action to get some of them banned." Source: housedigest, 2/3/24

(02/09/24) Cap on Property Tax Increases: Alabama House Bill 73 would cap property tax increases to 3% per year for agricultural land, forestland, and owner-occupied dwellings, and 5% per year for other properties such as vacant lots, rentals, and businesses. Find your lawmakers' contact information here.

(02/08/24) Free Book for Schools and Educators: "The Geological Survey of Alabama, in partnership with Dr. Jim Lacefield and the Alabama Museum of Natural History, is offering a free copy of Dr. Lacefield’s book to schools and educators in Alabama. His book, entitled Lost Worlds in Alabama Rocks—A Guide to the State’s Ancient Life and Landscapes, is an excellent resource designed to give the reader a guided tour through Alabama’s diverse geologic history." Contact the Publications Office of the Geological Survey of Alabama, Camilla Musgrove or Eric Fair: write to publications@gsa.state.al.us or call 205-247-3636.

(02/07/24) "Fire is for the birds: Bird abundance doubled in severely burned areas of Southern Appalachia," reported the U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station, 1/30/24. "Birds Prefer Areas Devastated by Wildfires," announced the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), 2/2/24.

(02/06/24) "[Alabama] Ag Commissioner Pate, other ag commissioners sound alarm on woke bank policies that could impact farmers, consumers," reports 1819 News, 1/29/24. "Net Zero Energy Could Mean Net Zero Food," warns Committee to Unleash Prosperity, 1/30/24. Editor's question: Have you checked on the ESG policies of your bank? See also: The Feds Gave Banks Tools To Shut Down Your Accounts If You Buy Guns or Bibles, The Federalist, 3/7/24.

(02/01/24) "Roundup Not Guilty!" reports the last paragraph of a January 30, 2024 NBC News article. But this is NBC's headline: "Bayer ordered to pay $2.25B after jury finds Roundup weed killer caused Pennsylvania man’s cancer."

(01/30/24) New Year, New Thresholds for Estate Planning, from Braun & Gresham, 1/22/24.
     "Each new year, the federal gift and estate tax exemption is adjusted based on inflation. For 2024, the exemption increased from $12,920,000 per individual to $13,610,000 per individual. A married couple can give up to $27,220,000 to children and others tax free.
     "An individual also can take advantage of the annual gift tax exclusion when making gifts to persons other than spouses without using up any of the federal gift and estate tax exemption. In 2024, the annual exclusion amount was raised from $17,000 per recipient to $18,000 per recipient. For example, one person can make an $18,000 gift to three different people for a total of $54,000 without incurring a gift tax or using part of the federal gift and estate tax exemption."

(01/29/24) Tax Tips for Forest Landowners - 2023 Tax Year (PDF) isn't the only useful information you'll find on the National Timber Tax Website. The website "was developed to be used by timberland owners, as well as a reference for accountants, attorneys, consulting foresters and other professionals who work with timberland owners regarding the tax treatment of timber related activities." The 2023 Tax Tips was included in AFOA's January issue of Capital Ideas, our monthly newsletter.

(01/26/24) Opportunity to Explain to Tree Huggers Why Markets for Low Quality Wood Support Forest Owners in Our Efforts to Grow High Quality Sawtimber, Veneer Logs, and Power Poles. The Truth About The Wood Pellet Industry: A Community Discussion, sponsored by the Dogwood Alliance, will be held in Demopolis on Tuesday, January 30 at 6 PM at The Ballroom, 114 East Washington Street, Demopolis, Alabama.

(01/25/24) Avoid Prescribed Fire Injuries with These Tips from a Physician and Woodland Firefighter. Hint: Fire is not the problem. Source: National Deer Association, Lindsay Thomas, Jr., January 24, 2024.

(01/23/24) Diapers from Pine Trees: In a 2-minute video, Domtar Paper's John Edwards describes how fluff pulp is made from pine trees.

(01/22/24) Alpha-Gal Syndrome: Allergic Reaction to Eating Red Meat, Consuming Dairy Products or Even Interacting with Substances like Gelatin from Tick Bite. One victim of AGS "explained that 'not being able to eat ice cream, trying to get used to almond milk, (exercising) extreme caution while eating (and) dissecting menus at restaurants' came with a heavy emotional toll." Read the whole article. The best/worst is past the half-way mark. Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch, 1/12/24. See also: https://alphagalinformation.org/.

(01/19/24) Rails to Trails: What Are the Landowner's Rights? The National Agricultural Law Center sponsored a webinar this week entitled, An Overview of Landowners' Rights in Federal Rail-to-Trail Conversions. About 58 minutes.

(01/18/24) F&W Forestry Report, Winter 2023-2024, has an upbeat market report on page 1 along with numerous timber price charts and market indicators. Enjoy.

(01/17/24) New York Stock Exchange Withdraws Natural Asset Companies. "Today, the Securities and Exchange Commission withdrew the proposed rule to approve the creation of 'Natural Asset Companies' on Wall Street," reported American Stewards of Liberty, 1/17/24. See 01/15/24, below.

(01/16/24) A Maple Syrup Production Industry in [Alabama], Probably Not, But Perhaps as an Infrequent Hobby. Source: Southwest Mississippi Forestry Newsletter, January 2024.

(01/15/24) Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall joined attorneys general from 24 other states on January 9 to send a "scathing letter" opposing Natural Asset Companies to the Securities and Exchange Commission. For background information on Natural Asset Companies (NACs), listen to the leader of the opposition, Margaret Byfield, discuss the problems posed by NACs to landowners and others on the Bill Walton Show, Episode 258, January 12, 2023.

(01/12/24) No trespassing means no trespassing, even for the government. In 2021, the South Dakota legislature passed into law "...the most private-property-protecting law in the country. The law is called the No Government Trespassing Act, and it protects private property owners from government agents trespassing on their land."

(01/11/24) Warning: Freeze Conditions Expected Across the Southeastern U.S. The Southern Forest Nursery Management Cooperative's Management Alert contains management implications:

• We recommend waiting to plant seedlings until the daily highs are above freezing and the low temperatures have moderated.
• Seedlings that were recently planted have likely not been established in the soil and could die.

(01/10/24) Interstate Migration: Alabama is among the top ten "inbound" states, according to the Tax Foundation. Editor's note: Will increasing population be good or bad for forest owners? Send me a note: RLL@AFOA.org.

(01/09/24) Luke Macaulay, University of Maryland, wrote to AFOA this morning: "We held a workshop last November titled 'Enhance Your Land for Wildlife', where we covered seven topics related to land management for wildlife. We've had a chance to edit and upload the speakers onto our YouTube channel and I wanted to share them with you."

1. Shoreline management
2. Wetland Management for Waterfowl
3. Forest & Woodland Management for Wildlife
4. Meadow & Early Successional Habitat
5. Soil Conservation Districts and Cover Crops
6. Funding for Habitat Improvement
7. Prescribed Fire for Habitat

(01/08/24) Cooper Holmes talked about raking and selling pine straw on his family's land in Perry County on The Land Show late last year. Episode 419, brief interview from 52:25 to 55:07.

(01/05/24) The Toyota Tacoma pickup truck and the Jeep Wrangler were among the top 10 vehicles with the lowest depreciation rates over five years, according to iSeeCars.com, 11/6/23. Trucks were rated as a group with Toyota holding the two top spots.

(01/04/24) Politics Factor Into Where People Choose to Buy Land. "According to the November LandThink Pulse [Survey] results, a substantial share of Americans won’t buy land in a place where the laws conflict with their political beliefs. An overwhelming number of respondents (81%) indicated that they WOULD NOT buy land in state that did not align with their politics."

(01/03/24) Retirement savings last longer in Alabama. If you live in another state and you're considering moving back to Alabama, or if you live in Alabama and are considering moving to another state, you might benefit from reading, Here's how long $1 million in retirement savings lasts in every state -- and where it runs out the fastest, CNBC, 1/1/24.

(01/02/24) The Southern Christmas Tree Association's latest newsletter reminded members, "we are all in this together."

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