THE SOUTHERN FOREST NURSERY MANAGEMENT COOPERATIVE:
30 + Yrs of Nursery Research
Scott EnebakProfessor & DirectorForest 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 TechnicianMarietjie Quicke – Research AssociateElizabeth Bowersock – Outreach AssistantPaul Jackson – PhD Graduate StudentBarry Brooks – Forest Research Technician
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 2009States 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
SEEDLING PRODUCTIONTotal 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
DuesFull 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
Elizabeth Bowersock – Worked for SFWS 5 yrs.
Outreach Coordinator for Nursery Cooperative &Longleaf Alliance
Barry Brooks –
Field Technicianfor Nursery CooperativeFunded through the USDA ARS – Methyl BromideAlternatives Program, South Atlantic Region
Marie Quicke –
Field Technicianfor 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
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