Going to work every day in a place where Air Force fighter planes fly directly above the tree-line at speeds of 600 mph, while dropping bombs only a few hundred yards from your office, takes some getting used to, especially for someone in the forestry profession.
"It took me about six months before I could get to where I didn't spill my coffee every time a plane came flying directly overhead," said Scott Smith, Air Force installation forester assigned to the Dare County Bombing Range. In addition to trying to keeping coffee in his cup everyday, Smith's position at the bombing range requires him to wear many hats, ranging from forest manager to ecologist to conservationist.
Part of his professional focus is on Atlantic White Cedar, one of the strongest and rarest trees found on the East Coast, which still can be found growing on the bombing range the adjacent Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. The bombing range and refuge combined are thought to play host to the largest existing population of the tree in the US.
Forestry experts have been patiently working since 1992 to restore The Atlantic White Cedar populations to a healthy state. The species faced a bleak future in the early 1980's but recent results have shown that the diligence of many concerned forestry experts is beginning to pay off.
Despite the historical accounts of over-harvesting, it has been estimated by some scientists that Dare County has the largest population of the rare species of cedars left in the world. Locally, the species is called juniper. Between 1975 and 1984, more than 10,000 acres of juniper were logged while today, mainly species like loblolly pine are harvested.
The hearty tree has the ability to reach heights of 85 to 100 feet with a circumference greater than 20 inches.
It was popular during colonial times and had many beneficial uses due to its strength, pliability and resistance to rot and insects. It was used to build boats, furniture and log cabins, including floors and shingles.
Today, the wood is used for many of the same reasons and doubly sought for its rich aromatic qualities and nearly white color.
Prior to the establishment of the refuge and the Dare County Bombing Range, 10,000 acres of white cedar were harvested from the Dare County mainland. The once common tree was commercially logged by Alligator River Timber Company until 1989 when operations ceased. Today, due to intense logging, drainage, wildfire and lack of forest management, less than 10,000 acres of juniper remain in North Carolina, with more than half in Dare County, according to a 2002 NC State University study.
In North Carolina, which probably had more than half of the original cedar on the East Coast, the greatest population was in the Great Dismal Swamp, with large acreage also in Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell and Washington counties. Much of the Great Dismal Swamp and the lands along the Alligator River were drained for agriculture beginning in the late 18th century which was a contributor to the loss of a suitable ecosystem for the species.
During the early 1980's the Department of Defense shifted its forest management approach on the bombing range, taking a more pro-active effort in the science of conservation. Smith, a University of Colorado graduate began work at the bombing range in 1988 after working with the NC Division of Forest Resources in Elizabeth City. Smith was able to establish a partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NC Divisions of Forest Resources and NC State University with funding from the Department of Defense Legacy Resource Management Program for the intensive restoration of 3,000 acres of white cedar clear cuts. The project has gained a lot of ground since its initiation.
The natural regeneration of white-cedar depends on a source of seed and the factors influencing its presence, germination and survival. The growing process is extremely delicate and it is influenced by a list of factors which include moisture, sunlight and temperature. For white cedar seed to germinate, the soil must be constantly wet, which has been a primary limiting factor. According to NC State University, for the seedling to survive the water supply cannot be too little or too much.
A "swamp forest" is the name for such an area and this type of environment occurs when water runs from adjacent high ground into the forest creating a swamp.
Cecil Frost with the NC Department of Agriculture has observed virgin stands of juniper thought to be 200 to 300 years old stretch to heights of 100 feet in the Great Dismal Swamp. Both Frost and Smith agree that trees this old aren't the norm, but it is a testament to its long-time history in the region.
Economics is also part of the equation and a facet that the Air Force has taken into consideration. "In order for the tree to be commercially viable, it must be harvested between 60 and 80 years of age otherwise heart-rot will start to set in and it will no longer be useful" said Smith. It's also important for older Atlantic White Cedars to be harvested to allow for newer seedlings to grow. "Without a place to take the trees to once they are harvested, there is no way to achieve successful re-growth program for the species."
Currently, the bombing range is working with Gates Custom Milling for logging operations. Juniper is a niche species and in the future it will be imperative that mills try and establish a niche market. Loggers need that incentive to come in and harvest the tree, which in turn pays banks for loans on extremely expensive and complex logging equipment. "There are many factors that fall into play," said Smith.
Forest managers have studied the undergrowth on the forest floor in the Dare county range and found that it is too thick for the successful growth of white cedar. Proper sunlight isn't able to reach the seeds for germination. White-cedar is highly sensitive to fire but without it the canopy will not expose the seeds on the forest floor which is why the forests have occurred so infrequently throughout history.
Forestry managers have found that after stands of juniper have died or fallen due to hurricane damage, other species like gum and maple begin to take over in replacement. Gum and maple are "shade tolerant" trees, which means that, unlike white cedar, they can successfully regenerate and grow in shade.
In 2003, Hurricane Isabel damaged 7,000 acres of forest on the range and brought down many trees causing new problems.
"Logged and hurricane-damaged areas on the range have created some problems with seedling survival. Shrubs, vines and trees have replaced the bare forest floor, and the seedlings must compete with them for light and nutrients which has hindered successful regeneration," said Smith.
According to NC State University researchers, repeated logging in the absence of fire leads to reduction in area and loss of cedar habitat to deciduous swamp forest, with an eventual loss of the species. This effect, along with widespread hydrologic changes associated with ditching, seems adequate to explain virtually all known cases of white cedar displacement in the Carolinas.
As the efforts to restore and regenerate Atlantic white cedar increase, so will the demand for the seedlings. Extensive research has been conducted at the NC Department of Forest Resources tree nursery in Goldsboro, NC. Seeds are extracted from the cones and, if they meet certain criteria, they are planted and maintained by the nursery.
In an effort to establish a more natural regime, hydrologic restoration was initiated in 1989 on the refuge with the installation of water controls structures in the outlets at several major canals. Three culverts recently installed on the bombing range also provide water control for thousands of acres directly affecting the restoration areas.
The overall goal of the project is to restore the entire 3,000-acre study area but the number of acres restored will all depend on how well research has paid off. The study area only represents a fraction of the once thriving ecosystem on the refuge and range. Someday, after intensive study and labor efforts, refuge and range managers hope to bring complete restoration of Atlantic White Cedar to the area. A plan to make the tree commercially and economically viable also will be considered. Studies have shown that after 65 years the tree can be harvested and re-growth will occur under proper supervision.
Despite some uncertainty regarding proper restoration practices, forest managers and scientists are continually working for a more complete understanding of the species. Using herbicides to control undesirable species, logging, surveys and good science practice, scientists are making steady progress. A symposium planned for June 2006 in New Jersey will bring together all those involved with the conservation of juniper including scholars, organizations and governmental agencies in order sharing ideas and concerns.
The bombing range and the refuge are currently doing research involving aerial photographs from the 1932 until the present. The images have shown a change in the forest structure within the acreage. Current infrared images show extensive aerial detail of clear cuts, stands of cedar and contrasts in areas sprayed with herbicide in order to diminish competitive species. The Air Force is interested in cutting 20 acres within a 300 acre block in order for seeds on the forest floor to germinate and grow. The floor also must be cleared of fallen white cedar from hurricane Isabel.
"Even though the white cedar has been lying on the forest floor for two years, it is still able to be sent to the mill because of its resistance to rot and decay," said Smith. Studies have shown that seeds buried within the forest floor are able germinate after up to two and possibly five years of dormancy which is why the forest managers are interested in clearing the downed trees.
The overall goal and of the bombing range and the refuge is to restore the damaged trees, regenerate older trees and expand the presence of white cedar. "These forest stands are dynamic and they need proper care in order to regenerate and survive," said Smith.
Studies and management will continue into the future to find the best possible means of managing this challenging and unique species.The Outer Banks Sentinel
