Louisiana Agriculture Magazine Spring 2006.pdf
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.
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.
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.
The following eight articles appeared in the spring 2006 issue of Louisiana Agriculture in "What's New?"
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The 1,200-acre Lee Memorial Forest in Washington Parish serves as an important research and teaching resource for the LSU AgCenter.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.