George A. Hernandez, Ph.D. Richard A. Harper, CF, RF USDA Forest Service

1. Tree Nursery Production and Tree Planting in the United States BWG/FIA User Group Meeting 21 May 2013 George A. Hernandez, Ph.D. Richard A. Harper, CF, RF USDA Forest Service State and Private Forestry Southern Research Station Forest Inventory and Analysis

2. A Brief History of Tree Planting in the South 70% of Tree Planting on Non-Industrial Private Forest Land Involves some form of cost share Agricultural Conservation Program 1936 to 1996 – 2.9million acres ACP became EQIP in 1996. Soil Bank Program 1956 to 1960 – 1.9 million acres Over 90% remained in trees many have been harvested and replanted. Forestry Incentives Program1974 to 2002 – 2.9 million acres Stewardship Incentive Program 1990 to 2002 – 250,000 acres Conservation Reserve Program 1985 to Present – 2.2 million acres Wetlands Reserve Program 1990 to Present – 1.2 million acres

3. 503 acres 1st gen Total Tree Planting in the South: 1925 – 2012 CRP CRP 2 Soil Bank Acres Planted CCC

4. Conservation Reserve Program Acres Planted 1985 – 2011

5. Conservation Reserve Program – Hardwood Planting NRCS Hardwood Planting Practices: 3A Hardwood 22 Riparian Buffers 23 Wetland Restoration 31 Bottomland Hardwood

6. Forestry Incentive Program Acres Planted 1974 – 2002

7. Plantations in the South • 46. 3 Million Acres including industry (NOT State or Fed) • 42.8 Million Acres Pine • 3.5 Million Acres Hardwood • 30 Million Acres is Corporate (1985 Region 8 RPA summary ) • 16 Million Acres is Non-Corporate (1985 Region 8 RPA summary ) • 14 Million acres (approximately) from all conservation programs • 30% of all Plantations • 87% of all Non-Corporate Plantations !

8. State Nurseries and Total Tree Planting in the South: 1925 – 2013 503 acres 1st gen CRP 25 State Nurseries 42 State Nurseries 46 State Nurseries CRP 2 16 State Nurseries Soil Bank Acres Planted 17 State Nurseries CCC

9. Southern State Forest Nurseries 1920 - 2012 Florida Prison Farm Nursery Munson Nursery Harry Baker Nursery M D Andrews Nursery Herren Nursery Alabama John R. Miller Nursery Jake Stauffer Nursery Edward A. Hauss Nursery Georgia Herty Nursery Davisboro Nursery Flowery Branch Hightower Nursery Horseshoe Bend Page-Walker Nursery Morgan Nursery Flint River Nursery Kentucky Pennyrile Nursery Louisville Nursery John P. Rhody Nursery Morgan County Nursery Arkansas Bluff City Nursery Bacum Nursery Louisiana Alexander State Forest Nursery Oberlin Nursery Northwest Nursery Monroe Nursery Columbia Nursery Beauregard Nursery Mississippi Mt. Olive Nursery Winona Nursery Waynesboro Nursery North Carolina Griffith Nursery J.S. Holmes Nursery Goldsboro Nursery Ralph Edwards Nursery Linville River Nursery Oklahoma Stillwater Nursery Forest Regeneration Center Broken Bow Nursery Virginia Charlottesville Peary New Kent Forestry Center Augusta Forestry Center Garland Gray Forestry Center Texas Conroe Nursery Kirbyville Nursery Indian Mound Magnolia Springs West Texas Nursery South Carolina Camden Nursery Georgetown Nursery Sumpter Nursery Tilghman Nursery Old Piedmont Nursery Coastal Nursery Taylor Nursery New Piedmont Nursery Rock Hill Nursery Tennessee Pinson Nursery East Tennessee Nursery Red indicates still in operation. (16 state forest nurseries are currently operating in the South)

10. Conifer Seedling Production => 22,839,600 1925 Seedling Production 16,100 State 9,611,700 Private 11,831,400 Industry 1,380,400 Federal 2012 Seedling Production 123,794,000 State 453,329,000 Private 357,622,000 Industry 0 Federal 934,745,000 <=

11. Hardwood Seedling Production 1965 Hardwood Seedling Production 2012 Hardwood Seedling Production State Nurseries 7,622,300 State Nurseries 15,154,000 Industry Nurseries 1,684,000 Industry Nurseries 22,430,000 Total 9,306,300Total 37,584,000

12. Total Tree Planting in the South: 1925 – 2012 Acres Planted

13. Tree Planting in the Southeast 1925 – 2012 Acres Planted 1925 - 2012 93,863,853acres 1square mile = 0.0015625acres 93,863,853 X 0.0015625 146,662 146,662sq. miles 93,863,853 acres Were Planted Between 1925 and 2012

14. Tree Planting in the Southeast 1925 – 2012 Acres Planted 1925 - 2012 SC 32,020 + GA 59,425 + AL 52419 = 143,864 146,662 square miles

15. Tree Planting in the United States • This annual report was begun in 1952 by the Washington Office National Nursery Specialist. • The National Nursery Specialist position was eliminated during downsizing in the early 1990’s. • Bob Moulton an analyst in the Washington Office took over the Tree Planting Report. • In 1999 Bob Moulton retired and George Hernandez assumed the responsibly for producing the report. • In 2000 the Washington Office made the decision to discontinue producing the Tree Planting Report. • In 2002 the Auburn University Forest Nursery Management Cooperative issued their first Tree Planting in the South report. • In 2010 Forest Inventory and Analysis offered to provide funding to State & Private Forestry to produce a Tree Planting Report.

16. Hernandez assumed the responsibly for producing the Tree Planting in the United States report in 1999 in time to oversee it’s demise. Sadly, this was not the first instance of an asset being considered outdated.

17. Georgia Forestry Commission Reforestation Report • The Southern Group of State Foresters agreed to collaboratively produce a report of the annual regeneration occurring across the South. • The Georgia Forestry Commission volunteered to collate the data and produce the report. • State forestry agencies compliance with the call for data was an issue from the beginning of this project and data quality was often challenged by state partners. • Participation by state partners was sporadic and eventually only a few state continued to provide the Georgia Forestry Commission with their data.

18. Auburn Seedling Production Survey Protocol • The Auburn University Southern Forest Nursery Management Cooperative began a region-wide annual survey of Seedling Production. • Two page questionnaire sent in June to all available nursery addresses (220+/-) in 12 southern states. • Follow up telephone calls made to maximize participation and update addresses. • Data from 50-60 nurseries annually. • Compiled by State, Ownership, Species & Stock Type.

19. FIA/S&PF Seedling Production Survey Protocol • In 2010, the FIA/Southern Region S&PF began a nation-wide annual survey of Seedling Production. • Purdue University gathers data from 20 states in the Northeast • University of Idaho gathers data from 17 states in the West • Auburn University gathers data from 13 states in the South • A questionnaire was sent in June 2011 to all nurseries listed in the USDA Forest Service Directory of Forest & Conservation Nurseries (220+/-) in all 50 states. • Follow up emails, and telephone calls were made to non-responders to maximize participation and update addresses. • The data collected and compiled by State, and includes Ownership, Species Grown and Stock Type (bareroot or container).

20. Tree Planting Comparison by sub-Region, 2012

21. Tree Planting Trend in the South

22. Nursery Production Compared with FIA Data by State, 2012

23. Nursery Production Compared with FIA Data by sub-Region, 2012

24. Seedling Production Comparison by sub-Region, 2012

25. Seedling Production, North and Canada, 2012

26. C Questions? Discussion…