Forest agencies, conservation organization complete easement to save Texas' longleaf pine

Texas A&M Forest Service

The Nature Conservancy, Texas A&M Forest Service, and the U.S. Forest Service have collaborated to purchase a conservation easement on 4,785 acres of forestland in the Longleaf Ridge area of East Texas, permanently protecting some of the best longleaf pine habitat in the state.

The groups purchased the easement for 2.277 million dollars from Crown Pine Timber LP, a limited partnership managed by Campbell Global, a timber investment and management firm based in Portland, Oregon. Campbell Global manages more than 1 million acres of timberlands in East Texas on behalf of Crown Pine Timber.

The easement was funded through the Forest Legacy Program, a federal program managed by the USDA Forest Service. The Nature Conservancy provided $569,250 in matching funds.

This type of conservation - often called a "working forest" conservation easement - keeps forestlands in private ownership while conserving the land for future generations. Landowners and local communities continue to realize economic gain from timber management while the forest provides other benefits such as watershed protection, wildlife habitat, recreation and scenic values.

Crown Pine Timber will continue to harvest timber on the property according to a forest stewardship plan; however, the easement prohibits subdivision and development of the land by any current or future owner.

"We appreciate our partners for their commitment to maintaining working forests in this critical conservation area. Campbell Global has a rich history of environmental stewardship and sustainable forest management. We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with our partners to protect this land from development and for future generations," said John Gilleland, CEO of Campbell Global.

Texas A&M Forest Service, a Member of the Texas A&M University System, will monitor and enforce the conditions of the easement.

"This conservation easement is good for Texas. It allows us to protect some of our working forests and the values and services they provide in perpetuity, while keeping the land in private ownership," said Brad Barber, who coordinates the Forest Legacy Program within the Texas A&M Forest Service.

Longleaf Ridge, where the easement is located, is a large block of undeveloped forestland located north of Jasper, Texas, connecting the Angelina and Sabine National Forests. The easement protects examples of the area's unique features, including spring-fed creeks, Catahoula rock outcrops, longleaf pine forests, and bogs which are home to wild orchids and insect-eating pitcher plants.

"The United States has lost 95 percent of its longleaf pine forests, which are now among the rarest and most threatened ecosystems in the country," said Wendy Ledbetter, director of The Nature Conservancy's forest program in Texas. "With our state's rapidly increasing population, we must work with private landowners, the timber industry and state and federal partners to restore these vital forests in Texas."

Longleaf pine forests once stretched from Texas to Virginia, covering some 90 million acres. These forests are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the United States, providing habitat for high-priority species such as red-cockaded woodpecker, Louisiana pine snake, Bachman's sparrow, bobwhite quail, eastern wild turkey, and Louisiana black bears. Today, according to USDA Forest Service, less than three percent is left of the original longleaf forest.

Over the last decade, increased awareness and restoration efforts have begun to reverse the century-long decline of longleaf pine forests, including the recent organization of the America's Longleaf Restoration Initiative, a national effort to focus public and private funding on maintaining, improving, and restoring longleaf pine forests throughout its historic range.

According to Brian Gowin, Conservation and SFI Manager for Campbell Global's Southwest Region, "Campbell Global has taken a proactive approach to protect and conserve longleaf pine ecosystems, working in partnership with non-profits and government agencies." In addition to this easement, Gowin credits the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and National Wild Turkey Federation for partnering with Campbell Global to restore or enhance over 7,000 acres of longleaf pine forests and associated riparian habitat in Longleaf Ridge since 2008.

"At the moment, opportunities to conserve more forestland are limited only by the availability of funding," said David Bezanson, the Nature Conservancy's protection and easement manager. "Forest Legacy Program funding has been shrinking in recent years along with other federal conservation programs. More public and private investment is needed to keep forestlands intact to benefit the economy and wildlife of East Texas."

Jackson & Perkins

At the supermarket you can get a bunch of celery or a head of lettuce for under a dollar, and when you buy large bags you can get apples, oranges, potatoes, etc. for just a few cents each. But there is one plant product that you still have to pay a premium for: cut flowers. Decent bouquets regularly cost $25 or more, and these are often treated with large amounts of insecticides that can be detrimental to the environment. If you find yourself buying flowers with any kind of frequency, than cut flowers are the most vital thing for you to grow yourself! Save money and preserve the environment - get your cutflower garden growing with these 7 simple tips:

Create a dedicated bed. You will be asking a high level of production from your cutting garden, which means you will want to feed and water these plants more frequently. Therefore it is convenient to have your cut flowers in their own bed.

Plant in rows rather than clusters. This gives your flowers enough room to "eat" and "drink" heavily - after all, it takes a lot of energy to create bloom after bloom!

Stagger your plantings for continuous bloom production.

Cut blooms promptly. This will encourage more rebloom, and it is better to harvest buds before they fully open - they will open a bit more in the vase. Cut your flowers in early morning or late evening, not during the heat of the day.

Keep your plants healthy by using sharp, clean tools to cut flowers.

Help your blooms last longer by re-cutting the stems under running water, then submerging them in water and flower preservative. These steps kill bacteria that would spoil the flowers.

Avoid mold by changing the water in your vase frequently and keeping the vase in a low-humidity spot.

One of the best ways to create a gorgeous display in your vase is to start with a large, impressive bloom like Armani Peony Queen's Circle Tulip, or Starry Night Hibiscus.

Then back up these big blooms with vertical color, like the spires of color with Delphinium or Beardtongue.Fill up the middle space with a symphony of textures, using the distinctive forms of flowers like Persian Fritillary Columbine, or Epimedium.For that finishing touch, be sure to intersperse some delightfully fragrant blooms like Muscari, Lavender, Gardenia, or Magnolia.Once your flower are truly spent in the vase, you can still enjoy their beauty a while longer if you dry them out! The substantial blooms of flowers like Echinacea are ideal for this process.

Chikungunya, the mosquito-borne virus that continues to spread throughout the Caribbean, has now arrived in the U.S. Florida health officials have confirmed the first locally acquired cases of the painful disease. This means mosquitoes on the U.S. mainland have become infected with the disease and are now spreading it to people that they bite.

"It was only a matter of time before Chikungunya virus invaded the USA," said Jonathan Cohen, mosquito control expert and president of Summit Responsible Solutions, which makes mosquito control products. "We have seen this progression before with the spread of West Nile virus in the USA starting in 1999."

According to the CDC, the most common symptoms of Chikungunya virus are fever and severe joint pain. There is no vaccine to prevent the virus, so mosquito control is the key to preventing the spread of the disease. Chikungunya is carried by two mosquito species, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, both of which are found in the U.S.

Female mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, so homeowners are advised to eliminate places where water can collect and stand in their yards and gardens. To prevent mosquitoes from breeding in ponds, bird baths and other places where water collects, use a product that contains Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) - a bacterium that naturally kills mosquito larvae but is harmless to other living things.

Diboll: The long-term plan for a privately-owned estate can be as individualized as the property owner. That includes how the land is managed both now and into the future. Texas A&M Forest Service can help landowners explore options to develop a plan that is right for you. The state agency that works to conserve and protect the natural resources of the state - including assisting landowners in managing their own piece of Texas - will be featured at the Woodland Owners' Workshop August 14 in Diboll. Agenda items include eminent domain, planning for the future, inheritance and property transfer, and what tools and resources are currently available to property owners for making management decisions. TFS has a longstanding practice of providing such assistance to landowners. The workshop is free to the public and will be held at the Lottie and Arthur Temple Civic Center in Diboll from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Lunch is included and continuing education credits are available. Please RSVP by Aug. 8 to Shane Harrington at 936-546-1470 or sharrington@tfs.tamu.edu.

Nacogdoches: SFA Gardens at Stephen F. Austin State University will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. Thursday, August 14, in the Ina Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, 2900 Raguet St. in Nacogdoches. Ethan Kauffmann will present "Green Roofs, Green Walls, the South Carolina Way." Kauffmann grew up in Lancaster, Penn., before attending Clemson University and earning a B.S. in Biology. In 2007 he joined Moore Farms Botanical Garden after eight years at Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Garden where he managed the zoo horticulture program. In his current position as Garden Director at Moore Farms Botanical Garden, he has led the transition from a private pleasure garden to a non-profit botanical garden. Kauffmann has collected plants across the country and abroad but is always excited to return to the wild places of South Carolina. He feels that horticulture connects us to the natural world and that exploring this relationship is vital to understanding and defining our place in it. Ethan currently resides in Columbia, South Carolina. The Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series is held the second Thursday of each month at the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture's SFA Pineywoods Native Plant Center. A rare plant raffle will be held after the program. The lecture is free and open to the public, but donations to the Theresa and Les Reeves lecture series fund are always appreciated. Parking is available at the nearby Raguet Elementary School, 2428 Raguet St., with continual shuttle service to the Ina Brundrett Conservation Education Building. For more information, call 936-468-1832 or email grantdamon@sfasu.edu.

La Marque: "Successful Fall Vegetable Gardening" with long-time GC Master Gardener Luke Stripling, 9-11:30 a.m., August 16, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque; 281-534-3413; email reservations to galv3@wt.net, further details www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston. Free.

Rosenberg: "Backyard Basics: Vermicomposting" - raising worms and harvesting their castings for use as an organic fertilizer. Worm castings can provide extremely rich organic fertilizer at minimal cost. Presented at 9 a.m., Saturday, August 16, by Fort Bend Master Gardeners Composting Specialist Sam Guardiola and Master Gardener Margo "Mac" McDowell, 9 a.m. Fort Bend County Extension Office, 1402 Band Rd, Rosenberg. $15 ($25 couple). For details and registration, call 281-342-3034, email brandy.rader@ag.tamu.edu, or visit http://fortbendagrilife.org or www.fbmg.com .

La Marque: "Gardening by The Square Foot" with GC Master Gardener John Jons, 6:30-8 p.m., August 19, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque; 281-534-3413; email reservation to galv@wt.net, further details www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston. Free.

San Antonio: "It's Not Too Early to Start a Fall Garden"--Backyard Gardening Series will be held 6:30-8:30 p.m., August 19, at Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service, 3355 Cherry Ridge Suite 208, San Antonio. Learn how to prepare for a fall garden: soil and planting preparation and getting rid of weeds; types of soil amendments and fertilizers; variety of warm and cool season crops; do's and don'ts of fall gardening; successes and challenges of having a fall garden. Presented by David Rodriguez, County Extension Agent-Horticulture, Texas A&M AgriLife Ext Svc. 2 CEUs for Master Gardeners. Cost is $10. RSVP to Angel Torres, at 210-467-6575 or matorres@ag.tamu.edu.

Seabrook: Jim Bundscho, a Montgomery County master gardener, will present a program on aquaponics at 10 a.m., August 20, at the Clear Lake Meeting Room, 5001 Nasa Parkway, Seabrook. For more information, visit https://hcmga.tamu.edu/Public/pubP2.aspx.

San Antonio: The Bexar County Master Gardeners General Meeting for August will be held at the AgriLife Extension Office, 3355 Cherry Ridge Drive Suite 208, San Antonio, 1 p.m.-3p.m. on Thursday, Aug 21. Fall Gardening 101 will introduce gardeners to the flowers, grass, trees, shrubs, and veggies that do well with fall planting. Dr. Tom Harris, Master Gardener, Gardening Columnist, and frequent contributor to Seeds, will discuss bed preparation, selecting the right varieties of plants including planting, watering, and fertilizing them. The meeting is free and open to the public. Master Gardeners and Interns will receive 1.5 CEUs for attending.

Seguin: The Guadalupe Master Gardeners will meet on Thursday, August 21 at the Justice Center, 211 Court Street, Seguin. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. after a social function starting at 6:30. Join Master Gardener Specialists for a Round Table Discussion: Just-in-Time Gardening Refresher for Fall. Attendees will choose 3 small discussion groups to attend. Master Gardener specialists will lead each small group, discussing challenges, solutions, and successes in areas such as: plant propagation; growing herbs, vegetables, and native plants; efficient irrigation, composting; and tree care. For further information visit www.guadalupecountymastergardeners.org or call 830-303-3889.

San Antonio: Do you have (or know of) a child or children, age 8 to 13, interested in learning how to grow a vegetable garden and how to become a good steward for the environment? If so, The Children's Vegetable Garden Program is the place to be this fall!  This program, held on 16 consecutive Saturday mornings, is hosted at the beautiful San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston, San Antonio. The Fall session starts on Aug. 23 and concludes Dec. 6 and applications are being accepted until Aug. 18, but hurry as space is limited. Fee: $50 per child or $60 for two children to share a 3.5' x 28' garden plot (non-refundable). For more information and to register, visit https://www.sabot.org/?nd=vegtable . Or, contact Timothy Roan at 210-207-3278 or timothy.roan@sanantonio.gov. 

Hempstead: Waller Co. Master Gardeners will host a "Fall Gardening" program presented by Tom Leroy, retired extension horticulture agent from Montgomery County, on Tuesday, August 26, 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at a location to be announced later. Call 979-826-7561 to reserve a spot. On-site registration: $15. Light refreshments will be served. 

San Antonio: An Earth-Kind Education Seminar on Fall Vegetable Gardening will be presented by David Rodriguez, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service horticulturalist, 10:30 a.m.-noon, August 23, at Milberger's Landscape Nursery, 3290 N. Loop 1604, San Antonio. 1.5 CUEs. Free.

La Marque: "Strawberries" with GC Master Gardener Robert Marshall, 6:30-8 p.m., August 26, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque; 281-534-3413; email reservation to galv@wt.net, further details www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston. Free.

Austin: With its warm days and cooler nights, along with more stable weather patterns, fall just may be the best season for vegetable gardening in Central Texas. On September 4, Master Gardener and vegetable specialist Tommie Clayton will share her many years of experience in gardening, with details on planting schedules, proven varieties for our area and other helpful resources. The program will be held at the AgriLife Extension office at 1600-B Smith Rd, Austin; cost is $10 for early registration and $15 for late or on-site registration. Register online: https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/TravisCounty. Register by phone: 979-845-2604. For more information, contact Daphne Richards at 512-854-9600 or drichards@ag.tamu.edu.

San Antonio: Texas Water Star Program Earth-Kind Landscape School, A Four-Part Series for Homeowners, will be held at Texas A&M AgriLife Ext Svc, 3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208, San Antonio, on four Saturdays (Sept. 6 & 20 and Oct. 4 & 18) from 8:30 a.m. to noon. This four-part workshop that will target new homeowners in the Alamo area interested in learning the best practices for home landscaping and gardening. 3.5 CEUs per session for Master Gardeners. Registration fee:  $60 for all four Saturday sessions or $100 For a Couple (same household) or $20 per session; RSVP and registration & fee due Aug 27. Contact Angel Torres, (210) 467-6575, or matorres@ag.tamu.edu.

San Antonio: The Fall Youth Gardens Educator's Training class will be held Saturday, September 6, 8:30 a.m.-3: p.m., at the Education Service Center Region 20, 1314 Hines, San Antonio. This program is designed for teachers, educators, and volunteers in support of youth gardening in the classroom and community. Training and lunch is provided at no cost to participants. 5 CEUs for Master Gardeners and Interns. For more information, contact Ruby Zavala, Youth Gardens Coordinator, at 210-467-6575 or ruby.zavala@ag.tamu.edu. 

San Antonio: October  21 is the evening to learn all about Home Aquaponics. Join David Rodriguez at 6:30 p.m. when he introduces Steven Sumrow from Aquaponic Systems USA at Texas A&M AgriLife Ext Svc, 3355 Cherry Ridge, San Antonio. During this two-hour presentation, learn how to create your own Home Aquaponics to grow plants and vegetables in a water environment along with aquatic fish. Aquaponics is a system of aquaculture in which the waste produced by farmed fish or other aquatic animals supplies nutrients for plants grown hydroponically, which in turn purify the water. No chemicals or soil needed, thanks to its automatic recirculating system, Aquaponics does not require much monitoring or measuring. 2 CEUs for Master Gardeners and Interns. Fee:  $10. RSVP to Angel Torres at 210 467-6575 or matorres@ag.tamu.edu.

• Many, many practical and timely garden tips that are for Texas - not Maine or California!
• Organic, earth friendly tips to make your garden grow and prosper
• Lots of space to record your own activities for future reference
• Planting dates and tips for vegetables, flowers, herbs, fruit and lawns

The Vegetable Book

By Dr. Sam Cotner

Finally, back by popular demand and in its fourth printing, the most informative and comprehensive "how-to" book on vegetable gardening in Texas (also, suitable for most other areas of the South) written by the late, great Dr. Sam Cotner, former head of horticulture at Texas A&M University and lifelong gardener. This interesting read has over 370 pages of detailed information on every crop, from Asparagus to Watermelon including problem/solving sections for each vegetable. If you want to maximize your enjoyment and success growing vegetables in Texas, this book is a "must have," whether you are a beginner or a seasoned gardener. Price $34.02

By William D. Adams

The best thing for tomato enthusiasts since the tomato itself! Adams draws on more than thirty years of experience to provide a complete, step-by-step guide to success in the tomato patch. Learn everything from soil preparation, planting, feeding, caging and watering. Liberally sprinkled with the author's easy humor and illustrated with his own excellent photographs, this must-have book has everything you'll need to assure a bumper crop! 189 pages. Lots of color photographs! Price: $31.94

($15.82 if ordered separately)

Remit payment to:

TG Books * PO Box 9005 * Waco, TX 76714

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