The annual longleaf cone crop report for the Southeast spells out a poor year for the iconic pine tree’s efforts at natural regeneration.
Forestry Research
Apalachicola National Forest wildfire could benefit quail habitat
Bobwhite quail in the Apalachicola National Forest are likely to see an improvement in their habitat following a wildfire earlier in June. The “Quail Fire” burned about 350 acres during the first week of June in an area that is a focal point of the Upland Ecosystem...
Non-native pitted bluestem an emerging issue in the Red Hills
There is an emerging issue in the Red Hills of an invasive grass, pitted bluestem (Bothriochloa pertusa), that is being noticed by land managers more regularly. As with any invasive species, early detection and eradication is key to avoid monoculture-forming grasses...
Shortleaf: The most misunderstood pine
A multi-year study of shortleaf pines aims to fill in gaps in knowledge about the species’ life history and its unique fire-adapted traits.
From forest management to cleanup, it’s time to prepare for hurricane season
In recent years, severe storms have become increasingly more common. They have left many landowners with questions about how to clean up their property or help prevent the loss of trees.
NB66: From fire exclusion to restoration
NB66 hasn’t seen prescribed fire since the winter of 1966. Now, it provides a unique chance to learn about the process of restoring an area to upland wildlife habitat.
Hardwood removal creates new opportunities in bobwhite management
Parts of this story appeared in a previous edition of Quail Call. You can listen to and read the 2024 Quail Call here Hardwoods such as oak, hickory, and sweetgum provide many wildlife benefits. However, for the quail manager, having too many hardwoods in the uplands...
Tall Timber researchers study dendrochronology in Africa
Last November, I had the opportunity to participate in the African Dendrochronological FieldSchool (ADF) in Livingstone, Zambia. I was invited to go by Tall Timbers post-doc Dr. Nicole Zampieri, who organizes and teaches at the field school, that I work closely with....
The tradeoffs of balancing quail and timber
If the goal is to balance timber, quail, other wildlife and aesthetics, it is worth knowing that there are trade-offs for mixing management strategies.
Study: The impact of differing ground disturbance intensities
Mechanical ground disturbance can change the plant composition in fire-dependent pine communities, sometimes permanently degrading or eliminating native plants if they are repeatedly disturbed. A recently published study by Tall Timbers Fire Ecologists Cinnamon Dixon...
Get hyped for hyperspectral: A new frontier in mapping Florida’s landscapes
Cutting-edge technology is helping researchers more accurately map landscapes, differentiate between different ecosystems and assess conservation values from afar.
Roller chopping vs mowing: The impact of cutting hunting lanes
There are pros and cons associated with how you cut your hunting courses and block the woods. We weigh the differences between roller chopping and mowing.