Clemson FNR

WANTED: Your Bradford pear trees! Florence area property owners are invited to exchange up to five Bradford pear trees for an equal number (1:1 exchange) of FREE young, healthy, native replacement trees. WHY? Bradford pears are not native to the U.S. and have been widely planted in SC for years. While the blossoms are pretty, they have a pungent odor and the trees often break during storms. Even worse, Bradford pear trees directly contribute to one of the worst invasive plant species in the Southeast – the Callery pear. This program gives homeowners the option to remove Bradford pears and replace them with native trees. Doing so will help reduce the amount of seed that can grow into Callery pears and will help diversify the urban landscape. WHEN? Saturday, March 1, 2025 8am-11am WHERE? City Center Farmer’s Market 200 Sanborn Street Florence, SC 29501 HOW? Visit clemson.edu/extension/bradfo… -Pre-registration is required. Once available, click the "Register" link on the right under your city. -Take a photo of yourself with the cut tree (a selfie, if you will) and bring it to the exchange event. -Replacement trees will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis while supplies last. If your preferred replacement tree is not available at the time of distribution, you will be provided with a healthy alternative. Specific tree species cannot be reserved ahead of the event. *Any SC resident can participate and take part in the program, but only the property owner can register and get the trees. Property owners are responsible for tree removal. LEARN MORE: clemson.edu/extension/bradfo…

FORESTRY COMMISSION DEPLOYS 13 TO OUT-OF-STATE WILDFIRES Responding to multiple requests in July, the South Carolina Forestry Commission has sent 13 wildland firefighters and other personnel to join crews battling wildfires in five states. The 13 SCFC personnel have either traveled to or returned from wildfires in California, Idaho, Oregon, South Dakota and Washington. Their work assignments fall under a wide range of Incident Command System (ICS) roles, spanning everything from firefighters, heavy equipment bosses and tractor plow operators to public information officers and base camp managers, among others. Like other state forestry agencies, the Forestry Commission sends its highly trained personnel out west every year in response to calls for out-of-state assistance. With it being early in the western wildfire season, the SCFC expects to continue providing resources until fire conditions improve.

On June 4, 2024, a new traveling exhibition "Forest to Furniture: Exploring the History of South Carolina's Wood Products," will be on display. The exhibition explores the hidden-in-plain sight stories of furniture and other wood products manufactured in the Palmetto State.

Landowners who are interested in using prescribed fire on their property are invited to learn how and where to create fire breaks when preparing for a prescribed burn. This FREE event will be January 27 from 1-3 PM. Preregistration is required at l8r.it/0R10

Family, Forests, Future by Clemson Extension is offering a new hybrid course for new landowners. Registration opens on September 11, 2023 and closes September 18, 2023. The registration fee is $50. Visit l8r.it/gZXM to register today.

Urban Tree Health Workshop When: September 28, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Where: SRP Park- WOW! Club (187 Railroad Ave, North Augusta, SC 29841) Cost: Cost: $40 (no credits) OR $100 (with CFE/CCH credits) includes lunch To Register: secure.touchnet.net/C20569_u…

In 1949, John Shirer of the SCFC’s Fire Staff developed a hand-held device to calculate the value of timber lost in a wildfire. Shirer called his device the “Damometer”. It was adopted by the US Forest Service & renamed the “Southern States Forest Fire Damage Appraisal Meter.”

SAVE THE DATE🚨⁠ The SCFC will hold the first-ever Shortleaf Conference on November 16 at the Piedmont Forestry Center. Learn about the Shortleaf initiative, Silviculture, Shortleaf regeneration and much more. Registration for this conference opens August 15.

Attention, outdoors enthusiasts! It’s once again time for the Summer Wild Turkey & Quail Survey, administered by the SCDNR. Read more about the program, learn about the guidelines and download the survey form on DNR's website: l8r.it/fPSG