SRS-4159 Ecology and Management of Southern Pines Southern Research Station US Forest Service Dr. Jim Guldin, PL

1. SRS-4159Ecology and Management of Southern PinesSouthern Research StationUS Forest ServiceDr. Jim Guldin, PL

2. Locations: • Monticello AR • Nacogdoches TX • Hot Springs AR • Pineville LA • Huntsville, AR 6 Experimental Forests • Crossett EF • Alum Creek EF • Stephen F. Austin EF • Koen EF (SRS-4157) • Sylamore EF (SRS-4157) • Palustris EF (SRS-4158)

3. Our mission Develop and share information about ecology and management of vegetation, wildlife, and soils in southern pine ecosystems of the southeastern United States. Our emphasis Mixed loblolly-shortleaf pine and pine-hardwood forests of the West Gulf Coastal Plain, and the shortleaf pine and pine-hardwood forests of the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains.

4. Pine ecology, silviculture and soils research Management of southern pines using even-aged and uneven-aged silvicultural systems centered at Crossett (Jim Guldin, Don Bragg)

6. We are the Station’s premier program for science delivery • in ecology and management • of southern pines Pine ecology, silviculture and soils research Crossett Field Day, 2005 Southern Pine Module USFS National Advanced Silviculture Program Crossett AR & Pineville LA, 2012

7. Pine ecology, silviculture and soils research Shortleaf pine restoration and management on the Ouachita NF (Guldin, Rudolph, Perry)

8. Work has been instrumental in redefining silviculture—habitat restoration with sustainable timber byproducts Pine ecology, silviculture and soils research

9. Pine ecology, silviculture and soils research Ecology and management of Cross-timbers old-growth stands Cross Timbers RNA, LBJ Natl. Grasslands

10. Shortleaf Canyon, OK Ft. Chaffee, AR

11. Pine ecology, silviculture and soils research National Long-term Site Productivity Studies in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi (Andy Scott) LTSP initiated in 1989 as collaborative effort between FS R&D, NFS, expanded to private lands in 1993 TX LTSP installed in 1997 near Groveton, TX; Affiliate installed on industry land near Fred, TX in 1996.

12. Biomass harvesting can decrease site productivity but also can be easily managed Remeasurement, summer 2012 Texas LTSP sites

13. Pine ecology, silviculture and soils research Cooperative work: • 25-year shortleaf pine G&Y study with OK State (Lynch, Guldin) • Climate Change Hazard rating index in western part of Region 8 with OK State (Hennessey, Wilson, Will, Guldin) • Oak Decline and Red Oak Borer with University of Arkansas (Stephen, Guldin) • Shortleaf pine genetic introgression with OK State (Tauer, Nelson-SRS, Guldin)

14. Wildlife research Centered at Nacogdoches TX and Hot Springs, AR Problem: To discover, develop, and synthesize knowledge about the effects of forest management, insect pests, and climate change on wildlife and wildlife habitat in southern pine-dominated ecosystems

15. Wildlife research Ecology and management of RCWs (NFs in AR, OK, and TX--Rudolph, Saenz, Perry)

16. Natural cavity Artificial cavity

17. Recovery of the RCW on the Ouachita—a case study of habitat restoration and nest boxes The silvicultural details kept the timber program alive from 1990-present

18. Wildlife research Ecology of forest bats and their use of forested habitat (Perry)

19. Tough work with huge implications as WNS spreads Fieldwork—over moccasin-filled creeks at night Big brown bat roosting in pine snag

20. Wildlife research Breeding phenology and habitat of anurans, under changing climate and tallow (Saenz)

21. Dreadful effects of decomposing tallow leaves on anurans …decimate native amphibian and reptile species And climate change makes it worse Autumn tallow leaves in aquatic systems…..

22. Wildlife research Biology, management and reintroduction of Louisiana pine snake in LA and Texas (Rudolph, Saenz)

23. A cooperative effort with SRS and a half dozen other agencies and NGOs Neonate LA pine snake Key sites across the region

24. Wildlife research Lepidopteran response to prescribed fire (Rudolph)

25. Two key species of conservation concern respond quite favorably to prescribed fire Great spangled fritillary Neonate LA pine snake Diana fritillary

26. Wildlife research Key cooperators with NFGT on R8 Bird Surveys

27. SUMMARY Big opportunities to build on the Crossett experience in Texas—adaptive silviculture under changing climate Might need a new Experimental Forest in Oklahoma -tip of the sword for climate change effects -Take advantage of natural USFS stands and dispossessed Weyerhaeuser stands (including some dormant research studies)

28. SUMMARY Opportunities to expand and quantify Cross Timbers research in restoration and management LTSP studies offer tremendous potential to quantify ecological effect of intensive management

29. SUMMARY On private land—work on a solution to the Family Forest conundrum Help landowners with management, especially Rx burning and WUI Where do local markets stand?

30. SUMMARY Wildlife research is critical Deals with game-stopper issues • Points to alternatives that don’t stop the game • On public land-find rare habitat and make a lot of it • Monitor treatments but in a statistically rigorous manner

31. SUMMARY Wildlife research is critical Deals with game-stopper issues • Points to alternatives that don’t stop the game • On public land-find rare habitat and make a lot of it Wildlife work is extraordinarily prominent and well-respected internationally

32. DISCUSSION Followup: Jim Guldin, PL, SRS-4159 jguldin@fs.fed.us FS cell 870-723-1623