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 more...>Louisiana Agriculture Magazine>Past Issues>2006>Spring>

Magazine Cover

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ON THE COVER

This young longleaf pine has begun to grow skyward. Longleaf pine forests have been disappearing over the past century and so have the wildlife that require this habitat. Longleaf pine trees form a sparse overstory, the midstory is open, and the ground vegetation includes lush grasses and wildflowers. Read about the research being conducted on flora and fauna in these forests. This issue of Louisiana Agriculture focuses on sustainability of Louisiana’s forests. (Photo by John Wozniak)

in this issue


Mapping Swamp Forest Conditions
The productivity and composition of wetland forests depend strongly on hydrological conditions. Minor changes in the frequency, duration and seasonality of flooding can favor establishment and growth of entirely separate groups of species.
Figure 1. Researchers core a baldcypress tree
Baldcypress Site Relationships and Silviculture
Regional increases in flooding are likely to reduce the productivity of baldcypress-water tupelo swamps in coastal Louisiana. Although these trees are merchantable for lumber production, it will be important to design appropriate management plans for these sites.
stream
Forest Management and Stream Organisms: Role of Trees in Aquatic Food Webs
Water quality monitoring efforts in Louisiana’s streams focus on the concentrations of sediment, nutrients and other compounds in the water. However, activities within the watersheds of these streams actually play the most critical role in determining stream water quality.
More Research Needed on Bio-based Fuels
Louisiana farmers and foresters could find a silver lining in the cloud of rising fuel prices with the development of new fuels from crops they already grow or could grow.
three-dimensional plot of LIDAR data
LIDAR Promises Improved Inventory-taking
LSU AgCenter scientists have been researching remote sensing work with airborne lasers to develop three-dimensional pictures to measure the stand and take inventory of a forest.
Jennifer Martin, 4-H member
Crain Helps Youth Develop Forestry Skills
LSU AgCenter area forestry agent Barry Crain helps youth develop forestry skills during a special 3-hour training event every year before the state 4-H University competition held on the LSU campus in June.
April Mason, left, and Philip Saksa, graduate students
Forestry BMPs Protect Water Quality in Louisiana’s Streams, Bayous and Lakes
Louisiana is blessed with an abundance of forests and waterways. Miles of rivers, bayous and lakes provide Louisiana’s citizens with fishing, hunting, boating and recreational opportunities, which contribute to the state’s wealth and economic growth.
forest
The Role of Louisiana’s Forest Ecosystems in Carbon Sequestration
Since the late 19th century, the global average temperature of the Earth has increased by 0.7 to 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit. The significant global warming has been attributed to human activities such as fossil fuel combustion and land use change, which lead to the increase of the concentrations of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide.
photo
Establishment Success and Growth of Southern Pine Plantations on Water and Nutrient-Poor Soils
Forests of Louisiana managed for timber production constitute the state’s top agricultural crop, contributing an estimated $4.554 billion to Louisiana’s economy in 2005. Louisiana’s managed forests, which are often loblolly pine plantations, are among the world’s most productive forests at producing timber and fiber.
What's New?
The following eight articles appeared in the spring 2006 issue of Louisiana Agriculture in "What's New?"
Clearing debris after Hurricane Katrina
The Hurricane Impact on Southern Pine Sawtimber Stumpage Prices in Louisiana
Within a month, hurricanes Katrina and Rita damaged about 4.4 billion board feet (3.0 billion by Katrina and 1.4 billion by Rita) of sawtimber inventory in Louisiana.
fire and flowers
Longleaf Pine Forests: Wildlife of Louisiana’s Threatened Grasslands
What do red-cockaded woodpeckers and gopher tortoises have in common? They are endangered species, and both require a habitat becoming rare inLouisiana and throughout the southern United States. To thrive, they need open pine forests, known as longleaf pine savannahs.
katrina damaged forest
Lee Memorial Forest Serves Louisiana’s Forestry Industry
The 1,200-acre Lee Memorial Forest in Washington Parish serves as an important research and teaching resource for the LSU AgCenter.
photo
LSU AgCenter Scientist Develops New ‘Model’ To Predict Timber Production
Timberland owners and managers use statistical models to predict growth and yield of their forests. Quang V. Cao in the LSU AgCenter’s School of Renewable Natural Resources has developed a new predictive model that promises to improve on current ones.
chinese tallow tree leaves
Invasive Species in Louisiana Forests
Over the past 300 years, tens of thousands of animal and plant species have been introduced in the United States. A small number have proved invasive.
photo
Best Management Practices at Work on an East Feliciana Tree Farm
Picture an ideal tree farm with beautifultrees, a stream, some good roads and wildlife.Such a farm exists in the rolling hills of East Feliciana Parish under the watchful ownership of Linda Carruth.
Protecting Coastal Wetland Forests: What Can You Do to Help?
Louisiana’s coastal wetland forests are of tremendous economic, ecological, cultural and recreational value. But many acres of these forests have disappeared over the past century, and many more are being degraded or lost each year.
Barry Moser, 1955-2005
Barry Moser, 50, head of the Departmentof Experimental Statistics, died unexpectedly April 19, 2006, of a heart attack.
illustration of quail
Using Herbicides and Fire to Manage Pine Forests for Northern Bobwhites
Northern bobwhite populations have declined over the past 30 years throughout their range. This decline is due to habitat loss caused by a combination of factors including changes in landscape use from small farms with brushy fence lines and hedgerows to silvicultural practices creating large monocultural stands and, more recently, reduction of fire as a silvicultural tool.
Editors Receive Award
Linda Foster Benedict, associate director of LSU AgCenter Communications,and Rick Bogren, associate professor, received a gold award for their editing of Louisiana Agriculture.
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