THE SOUTHERN FOREST NURSERY MANAGEMENT COOPERATIVE: 30 + Yrs of Nursery Research Scott Enebak Professor & Director Forest Health Dynamics Laboratory

MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the Nursery Coop is to develop and disseminate cultural, biological and chemical technologies in an integrated system for the economical production and utilization of forest tree seedlings in the southern United States.

THE SOUTHERN FOREST NURSERY MANAGEMENT COOPERATIVETM Headquarters: School of Forestry & Wildlife Sciences at Auburn University Staff: Dr. Scott Enebak – Director & Professor Dr. David South – Professor Dr. Edward Lowenstein – Associate Professor Dr. Tom Starkey – Research Fellow Tommy Hill – Forest Research Technician Marietjie Quicke – Research Associate Elizabeth Bowersock – Outreach Assistant Paul Jackson – PhD Graduate Student Barry Brooks – Forest Research Technician >125 yrs of cumulative expertise in nursery problems and nursery culture

Auburn Nursery Cooperative 1970’s – State, private, federal and forest industries were facing critical pest issues that were affecting forest tree seedling production. 1980’s - Weed, insect and disease control technologies examined and developed. 1990’s – Seedling quality and out-planting survival strategies implemented. 2000’s – Representative of Nursery Community to EPA, USDA, APHIS regarding policy decisions affecting nursery business.

MEMBERSHIP 2009 States Industry Private Arkansas Plum Creek ArborGen Georgia Rayonier Joshua Timber Louisiana Smurfit-Stone CellFor North Carolina Weyerhaeuser IFCO Oklahoma Federal South Carolina US For Service Tennessee Virginia 17 Members

Forest harvest intensity in the U.S.

= Coop Nursery

SEEDLING PRODUCTION Total Production Southwide 1.045 Billion seedlings 1.0008 Billion bareroot conifer seedlings 36 million containerized seedlings 44 million hardwood seedlings The southern region produces 80% of all US seedling production Coop Members = 86% of all tree seedlings in the southern region and >70% of all tree seedlings in US AU Nursery Coop Tech Note 2008-02

INCOME STRUCTURE Dues Full member - $8,300 / yr Associate - $4,150 / yr Annual Income Dues $132,000 Grants $121,000 Total $253,000

RESOURCE ALLOCATION Personnel: 70% of annual Coop budget Research Fellow – 1 Dr. Tom Starkey Research Technicians – Half Time Office Administrator – Half Time Student labor – Full Time Graduate Student – As Needed/Approved Operating: 30% budget - travel, equipment, supplies

Personnel with SFNMC Dr. Tom Starkey Research Fellow

Personnel with SFNMC Elizabeth Bowersock – Worked for SFWS 5 yrs. Outreach Coordinator for Nursery Cooperative & Longleaf Alliance

Personnel with SFNMC Tommy Hill – Worked for SFWS 24+ yr Forestry Technician for the Nursery Coop

Barry Brooks – Field Technician for Nursery Cooperative Funded through the USDA ARS – Methyl Bromide Alternatives Program, South Atlantic Region

Marie Quicke – Field Technician for Nursery Cooperative Funded through the USDA ARS – Methyl Bromide Alternatives Program, South Atlantic Region

ACCOMPLISHMENTS Herbicide Testing & Labeling Fungicide Testing & Labeling Fumigant Testing Seedling Quality

A typical nursery with weed competition ~ 1980’s

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS Herbicide labeling Goal Reflex Cobra Stinger Ronstar Devrinol Poast Barricade Estimated reduction in nursery weed control costs of 2 million dollars annually (based on 1975 costs)

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS Nursery Coop efforts lead to the labeling of triadimefon (Bayleton) for Fusiform rust - Cronartium quercuum - control in nurseries. Best estimates indicate rust incidence fell from 2.5% to 0.01% of all seedlings. Pesticide usage fell from 4 lbs/ac/yr to less than 1 lb/ac/yr IPM at its’ best

METHYL BROMIDE Backbone of nursery pest control Soil borne pathogens Pine weed control (particularly nutsedge) Hardwood weed control Seedling quality improvement Nematodes MANDATORY PRODUCTION PHASE-OUT IN 2005 THROUGH INTERNATIONAL PROTOCOL TO PROTECT THE OZONE LAYER

METHYL BROMIDE The Coop has coordinated a $1,800,000 research program over the past 13 years to find a methyl bromide substitute.

METHYL BROMIDE - Alternatives The Nursery Cooperative filed a CUE on behalf of forest tree nurseries in 12 southern states. Nursery Coop was awarded CUE for 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 by the “Parties” of the Montreal Protocol. Have Provided testimony to Congress on MBr issues related to Montreal Protocol Part of USDA Areawide MBr Alternatives - South Atlantic Region. Identified possible replacements: Chloropicrin, Pic +, Dimethyl Disulfide (DMDS), Pic Chlor 60, Iodomethane.

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER Annual Contact Meeting Nursery Short Course Web Page for Coop only and public access Research Reports Special Projects IUFRO Newsletter 2 times / year Consultancy Functions

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER Liaison to the Environmental Protection Agency for the Nursery Community. Crop Profile Regulatory questions Pesticide labels (FQPA) New Chemistry Re-registration Methyl Bromide Issues

FUTURE COOP ISSUES Nutsedge & weed control Rust control Fertilization Research Priorities Methyl bromide substitution Nutsedge & weed control Rust control Fertilization Seedling size & survival Biological treatments