FORESTRY

CAREER DEVELOPMENT EVENT

(REVISED 2017)

Forestry Career Development Event

Purpose: Scientific management of Louisiana's forest lands ensures a bounty of forest products, outdoor recreation, wildlife, and soil and watershed protection for future generations of this state. Louisiana forest lands provide the raw material for this state's most important agricultural industry, the wood using industry. Through this event, students gain an interest in and knowledge of the forests of Louisiana, the south, and the nation.

Objectives:

  1. To develop the students' ability to understand and use forestry terms.
  1. To develop the students' understanding of the economic impact of forestry and the forest industry to the Louisiana economy.
  1. To develop the students' ability to identify major species of trees of economic importance to Louisiana.
  1. To develop the students' ability to identify hand tools, equipment, and their uses in the forestry industry.
  1. To develop the students' ability to recognize and understand approved silvicultural practices in the United States.
  1. To develop the students' ability to take a forest inventory.

Event Format

The Louisiana FFA Forestry CDE will be divided into six sections:

a. Tree Identification

b. Measurement of Standing Trees-Saw Timber

c. Forestry Tool Identification (see attached list) (Revised 2014)

d. Compass Pacing Practicum

e. Map Reading Practicum

f. Thinning (Revised 2005)

g. Written Test (Revised 2014)

Rules and Regulations:

  1. All general rules apply except as indicated in the specific rules for this event.
  1. A team will be composed of three or four members. If a team has 4 members, the low total individual score will be deleted from the total team score. All scores will be counted for teams with three members. No other alternates will be allowed. (Revised 2005)
  1. The Area and State events will include all six sections of the event and be completed in three hours. (Revised 2005)
  1. Only the following material will be necessary: clip board or writing board, compass, pencil, calculator and tree scale stick. (Revised 2005)
  1. The event location will be identified prior to the event.
  1. No talking is allowed during the event.
  1. No smoking is permitted during the event.
  1. The top three placing teams in the State event will be eligible to compete in the Southern States' Forestry event.
  1. The first place team in the State event will adhere to the rules, regulations, and study guides set forth by the National FFA Forestry CDE in the national competition.
  1. State Forestry Competition: The state FFA office will create a written test from questions derived from a test bank created from the last five years of the National FFA Forestry CDE. Revised 2014)
  1. Tie Breakers for overall event scores: (applied in the order listed)
  2. Tree Identification
  3. Measurement of Standing Trees – Saw Timber
  1. Tie breakers for event sections (when applicable):

Section 1st Tie Breaker 2nd Tie Breaker

Saw Logs Tree Identification Thinning

Tree Identification Thinning Map Reading

Thinning Map Reading Compass

Map Reading Compass Saw Logs

Compass Saw Logs Tree Identification

NOTE: Tree Scaling sticks may be purchased from:

Louisiana FFA Forestry Revised 2011

Forestry Suppliers, Inc.

Box 8397

205 West Rankin Street

Jackson, Mississippi 39205-0397

Tree and Log Scale Stick (Doyle Scale)

Stock #59750

Forestry XXX September, 2000

Construction Safety Products

359 Mt. Zion Rd

Shreveport, LA 71106 Tree and Log Scale Stick -

1-800-592-6940 Doyle # 62D

www.cspoutdoors.com

Forestry XXX September, 2000

Forestry XXX September, 2000

Tree Identification

Sub-Rules

  1. The reference for the Tree Identification section includes: Commercial Trees of Louisiana, Bulletin No. 10, Sixth Edition, 1992, by Clair A. Brown and Louisiana Trees, LSU Ag Center Publication # 1093. (Revised 2005)
  1. Up to fifteen species will be selected from the attached Study Guide. (Revised 2005)
  1. Any tree on the Index list may be used in the event regardless of method of display, live standing specimen, cut branch or cut sapling. (Revised 2005)
  1. Contestants will be given 40 seconds to identify each specimen and record the information on the score sheet. Moving time from tree to tree will not be considered event time.
  1. Four points are given for the correct common name and three points are given for the correct botanical name. Common and botanical names must be those listed in the attached Index. The entire common name as listed in the Index must be used to be counted correct. One point is given for each correct characteristic classification.
  1. The tree identification is the same for the Southern States Forestry event.


IDENTIFICATION OF COMMERCIAL TREES OF LOUISIANA

STUDY GUIDE

Knowledge of the commercial tress of Louisiana is important to every person of the state. If we are to appreciate the contributions trees make to the economy and the beauty of our state, it is essential that we gain knowledge of the trees' characteristics including growth, leaf, stem, flowering habits, and the natural growth area within the state.

In order to make this contest as nearly authoritative and of the most value for increasing the students' knowledge of commercial trees, live plant materials (in the field or classroom), supplemented by slides and photographs, and should be used for study.

The booklet, Commercial Trees of Louisiana, by Clair A. Brown can be used as a reference. Up to fifteen species selected from the Index below will be used in the event. The official common names and scientific names will come from the Index. (Revised 2005)

Louisiana FFA Forestry Revised 2014

INDEX – TREE IDENTIFICATION

Number / Common Name / Botanical Name / Primary Use
1.  / Red Maple / Acer rubrum / C
2.  / Pecan / Carya illinoensis / C
3.  / Hickory / Carya spp. / C
4.  / Sugarberry / Celtis laevigata / C
5.  / Eastern Redbud / Cercis canadensis / A
6.  / Flowering Dogwood / Cornus florida / A
7.  / Common Persimmon / Diospyros virginiana / W
8.  / American Beech / Fagus grandifolia / C
9.  / Ash / Fraxinus spp. / C
10.  / Honeylocust / Gleditsia triacanthos / W
11.  / American Holly / Ilex opaca / A
12.  / Black Walnut / Juglans nigra / C
13.  / Eastern Redcedar / Juniperus virginiana / C
14.  / Sweetgum / Liquidambar styraciflua / C
15.  / Yellow-poplar / Liriodendron tulipifera / C
16.  / Southern Magnolia / Magnolia grandiflora / A
17.  / Red Mulberry / Morus rubra / W
18.  / Water Tupelo / Nyssa aquatica / C
19.  / Blackgum / Nyssa sylvatica / C
20.  / Shortleaf Pine / Pinus echinata / C
21.  / Slash Pine / Pinus elliottii / C
22.  / Spruce Pine / Pinus glabra / C
23.  / Longleaf Pine / Pinus palustris / C
24.  / Loblolly Pine / Pinus taeda / C
25.  / American Sycamore / Platanus occidentalis / C
26.  / Eastern Cottonwood / Populus deltoides / C
27.  / Black Cherry / Prunus serotina / W
28.  / White Oak / Quercus alba / C
29.  / Southern Red Oak / Quercus falcata / C
30.  / Overcup Oak / Quercus lyrata / C
31.  / Blackjack Oak / Quercus marilandica / C
32.  / Cow Oak / Quercus michauxii / C
33.  / Water Oak / Quercus nigra / C
34.  / Cherrybark Oak / Quercus pagoda / C
35.  / Willow Oak / Quercus phellos / C
36.  / Shumard Oak / Quercus shumardii / C
37.  / Post Oak / Quercus stellata / C
38.  / Nuttall Oak / Quercus texana / C
39.  / Live Oak / Quercus virginiana / A
40.  / Black Locust / Robinia pseudoacacia / C
41.  / Black Willow / Salix nigra / C
42.  / Sassafras / Sassafras albidum / C
43.  / Baldcypress / Taxodium distichum / C
44.  / Tallow Tree / Triadica sebifera / A
45.  / Winged Elm / Ulmus alata / C
46.  / American Elm / Ulmus americana / C

ONLY THESE TREES WILL BE CONSIDERED Commercial

W - Wildlife

A - Aesthetic


Thinning

Sub-Rules

1. Up to 30 trees will be selected and designated for use in this part of the event. The trees may be all one species or a mixture of species.

2. An area up to 30 feet in radius will be selected and marked by ribbons, paint, rope, etc. It will contain at least 15 and not more than 30 trees to represent a timber stand that needs thinning. The trees will be numbered starting with one. (If the area selected and marked has more than 30 trees, the trees not needed for this phase will be marked with an "X" and will not be considered in the evaluation.)

3. All trees, with the exception of any "X" trees, in the selected area will be considered as a forest management site; each tree will be scored by the contestants using one of the following options:

a. Harvest - (Harvest the tree.)

b. Leave - (Tree should remain in stand for a good reason.)

4. The contestants will be given a detailed "situation" concerning forest management objectives of the stand selected. Information that will be needed to help contestants in their decisions will include the following: (Revised 2005)

a. Landowner objectives,

b. Markets available--(including hardwood),

c. Wildlife habitat considerations--(scope, etc.),

d. Present condition of stand, and

e. Final goal of the management plan.

This information will be given to contestants at the site before they start evaluation of the stand orally, by poster or a "hand-out" sheet.

5. Two points will be given for each correct decision up to a total of 60 points, depending on number of trees in the radius. (Possible score for this phase will vary.) (Revised 2005)

6. Team will be given 30 minutes for their decisions in this part of the event. (Revised 2005)


THINNING

STUDY GUIDE

PURPOSE Exercising proper judgment in removing trees from timber stands at the opportune time is essential to the overall health, vigor, and value of a forest. It allows landowners a larger return on investments.

THINNING (harvesting) overstocked woods or those that are becoming crowded gives the remaining trees more space in which to grow in size and value.

METHOD

1. Determine which species of trees (pine, red oak, white oak, and so forth) you want to leave.

2. Select those "leave" trees on a basis of condition, value, size, vigor, spacing, and importance to the wildlife habitat.

3. Remove trees that are overtopped by others, damaged, diseased, deformed, stagnated, or the poorest of a crowded group that are poorly spaced.


SCORE SHEET (SAMPLE)

THINNING

TEAM NAME CONTESTANT'S NUMBER
SCHOOL
(Mark One Choice)
TREE NO. / TREE NO.
1. / HARVEST / LEAVE / 16. / HARVEST / LEAVE
2. / HARVEST / LEAVE / 17. / HARVEST / LEAVE
3. / HARVEST / LEAVE / 18. / HARVEST / LEAVE
4. / HARVEST / LEAVE / 19. / HARVEST / LEAVE
5. / HARVEST / LEAVE / 20. / HARVEST / LEAVE
6. / HARVEST / LEAVE / 21. / HARVEST / LEAVE
7. / HARVEST / LEAVE / 22. / HARVEST / LEAVE
8. / HARVEST / LEAVE / 23. / HARVEST / LEAVE
9. / HARVEST / LEAVE / 24. / HARVEST / LEAVE
10. / HARVEST / LEAVE / 25. / HARVEST / LEAVE
11. / HARVEST / LEAVE / 26. / HARVEST / LEAVE
12. / HARVEST / LEAVE / 27. / HARVEST / LEAVE
13. / HARVEST / LEAVE / 28. / HARVEST / LEAVE
14. / HARVEST / LEAVE / 29. / HARVEST / LEAVE
15. / HARVEST / LEAVE / 30. / HARVEST / LEAVE
Three Points for Each Correct Response / Score

Tree Measurement Division

Sub-Rules

1. A standard tree scale stick will be used. These may be purchased from Forestry Suppliers/or Construction Safety Products (see page 2). (Revised 2005)

2. Ten trees will be selected and designated for use in each part, saw timber, and pulpwood estimating. These 10 trees will represent the volume on a one-quarter acre plot. You will be required to give the total volume on one acre assuming the quarter acre is representative of the whole acre.

3. Contestants will be given a maximum of 30 minutes.

4. Each contestant will estimate each tree. All values will be recorded. Tree diameters will be taken to the nearest inch. Tree height will be taken to the nearest half-log and nearest 4-foot pulpwood stick. A half-log is defined as being 8-feet long. The minimum log tree will be 10 inches D.B.H. and one log merchantable. The minimum top dimension for pine will be 8 inches, and the minimum top dimension for hardwood will be 10 inches. The minimum pulpwood tree will be 5 inches D.B.H. and 12-feet merchantable.

5. Each tree volume will be found in the volume tables (Table I and Table II) which will be located on the judging cards. Record saw log volumes as found in the table. Total the 10 saw log volumes after all trees have been estimated and multiply by four to find the total volume on an acre. Total the 10 pulpwood cubic foot volumes after all trees have been estimated and multiply by four to find the total cubic feet on an acre. Divide cubic feet by 90 to obtain cords. Carry out division to the nearest one-hundredth of a cord.

6. Scoring: Thirty points will be given for the correct D.B.H. and thirty points for the correct height. Forty points will be given for the correct volume per acre. Five points will be deducted for each 5% deviation (plus or minus) from the correct measured volume. (Revised 2014)

D.B. H. – 30 points

Height – 30 points

Volume per acre – 40 points

Deviation (+/-) deduction from correct measured volume – 5 points per each 5%

7. Each contestant will turn in the score sheet when either time runs out or the contestant finishes each part, before starting the next part.


MEASUREMENT OF STANDING TREES

STUDY GUIDE

PURPOSE Standing trees are measured to obtain an estimate of the amount of various forest products which might be cut from the tree. This is done to have an idea of the volume present. Most timber sales are based on volume. All forest properties must have some estimate of total volume, volume per acre, and volume by product for the forest manager to decide the course for future actions.