Between 1952 and 1953, the USDA Forest Service planted a stand of Longleaf Pine at Savannah River Site. More than 10 million seedlings were planted during those two years to create a screen around the area and help stop erosion on the property. SPECIAL

Green thumbs

Forest Service keeps things growing at SRS

Web posted Saturday, November 11, 2000

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By Lisa M. Lohr
Staff Writer

Since 1952, The USDA Forest Service has been an integral part of the goings-on at Savannah River Site.

The site itself is more than 200,000 acres, a majority of it dense forest.

Though most people think the Forest Service's primary responsibility is to cut down trees, the first job of the unit on the site was just the opposite.

The land inherited by SRS was originally farmland, so one of the first priorities was to plant trees to prevent erosion. During the first several years, more than 75 million trees were planted.

Also during the first decade, the Forest Service developed a land management plan, began limited timber harvesting and initiated a wildlife management program that included the first controlled deer hunts.

The Forest Service also expanded its responsibilities to include enhancing habitat for endangered plant and animal species, such as the red-cockaded woodpecker.

In 1985, there were four red-cockaded woodpeckers on the site. Because of the research and efforts to understand what the bird needs to grow as a species, there are more than 160 birds on the site today. Other species helped by the endangered habitat program include the bald eagle and the gopher tortoise.

``We can create the habitat that they need,'' said Ron Bonar, assistant manager of timber. ``If we left this area alone, untouched, we wouldn't have as good a habitat for the gopher tortoise.''

Dan Shea, prescribed burn manager for the Forest Service, looks over a wildfire site at SRS. Forest Service crews brought the 37-acre blaze under control. Crews also are responsible for maintaining roads that allow quick travel to and control of fires. TODD BENNETT/STAFF

``We are growing them specifically for seed, and we are selecting very narrowly,'' Mr. Bonar said.

``We are getting the trees back into the forest and re-establishing the best of the best white oaks.''

Another important aspect of the Forest Service's role on the government site is fire management.

Allen Nichols, assistant manager for fire, said the keys are planning, preparedness and prevention.

In controlled burning, also called prescribed burning, the Forest Service starts fires under close watch to decrease the natural fuels that can cause wildfires to get out of control.

Mr. Nichols said planning helps control the smoke during the prescribed burns.

``It is very much a planning effort; fire is a very technical business,'' he said. ``Smoke is one of the largest concerns. We plan so the smoke is blown away.''

The Forest Service does the same with tree species that are no longer as abundant as they once were.

The white oak is one such tree. Old property records use white oaks as boundary markers on much of the property, but there are few to be found on SRS land today. The Forest Service locates white oaks on the site with good growth characteristics, then collects acorns and replants only strong individuals in hopes of ensuring the success of future white oaks.

In cooperation with weather centers on the site, firefighters look at types of wind, speed, rate of movement and elevations that will carry the smoke away from the sensitive locations on the site.

Being prepared is one thing this service has down to a science. ``We have excellent access,'' Mr. Nichols said.

A lightning strike sparked the 37-acre fire on Savannah River Site property. SPECIAL

The Forest Service is responsible for the upkeep of all the secondary roads on the site, which provide them access to virtually anywhere a fire may break out. Good maintenance of the dirt roads also provides convenient fire breaks to keep flames from spreading.

And any time weather conditions, such as lightning, pose a threat of creating fires, firefighting crews are pre-positioned to respond immediately.

``Our suppression philosophy is that for any fire, we hit it quick and hit it very hard,'' Mr. Nichols said. ``Here on site, our response times are cut as close as we can get it.''

The Forest Service also houses its own research team. John Blake is assistant manager for research and oversees the approximately 80 projects managed throughout the year.

Through partnerships with the Southern Research Station and more than 15 universities, researchers are able to bring in additional expertise and utilize the site's abundant resources for important studies, not only for the site's mission needs, but also for regional and national problem-solving.

``We tend to look at filling in gaps or needs, anything that is an issue related to the site,'' Dr. Blake said.

The research program is divided into five categories: recovery and monitoring of red-cockaded woodpeckers; bio-diversity and ecosystem management studies; wetland restoration and banking; operations research to improve fire, silviculture and wildlife management; and short rotation woody crops cooperative research to develop new, environmentally sound and sustainable technologies.

Silviculture practices include pine and hardwood planting, vegetation management and spacing control.

One of the present research programs is restoring 20 of the nearly 300 Carolina Bays found on the site. Carolina Bays are isolated wetlands in natural shallow depressions found primarily in Georgia and the Carolinas. On the site, 60 percent of the rare and threatened plant species are found in Carolina Bays.

Programs like this also provide educational opportunities for graduate and post-graduate students in related fields.

Reach Lisa M. Lohr at (706) 823-3332.

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