Guys;

See if yall can point me in the right direction. I recently heard a discussion saying that "the state" (right up there with the nebulous "they"!) is funding up to $20k for land owners to conduct controlled burns and thinning. Unfortunately, that's about all I heard.

If you have information on that, I sure would appreciate if you'd please pass it along.

Thanks!

contact your local NRCS office and ask about the planting and burning programs. There are several programs where they will pay for the work but they are all a little different. If you are in Auburn, the main NRCS office for the State is there and they can answer your questions specifically. Some programs involve planting longleaf pine and there are some others too but each property qualifies for each program differently.

What Skinny said. The only funding for thinning would be a pre-commercial thinning. Other thinnings you should be able to break even or make a little money but is mainly for the health of the trees left.

I was told I would have to pay for burning and I just planted long leaf with a state program 3 years ago.

Last year I had one tract (clear cut from the previous December) sprayed, burned, and replanted on cost share. 2 years ago had a controlled burn in 20+ yo pines on cost share. I have a forester handle mine so I'm not an expert on the matter but I know money has to be available. Sign up early, point system, and be patient.

Turkey, I use a forester not far from you that may be able to help for future needs.

You have to sign up before sometime in Oct, then the applications are bundled and sent in. Then depending on funding and your point system rating you might be approved. The process takes too long, in my opinion.

Oct. 17th I believe

His name ain't pirtyle is it if so I'll pass.

Yep, he's done good for me. Is there a problem I should watch for?

Bradley,

If I can help you with anything, give me a call.

I have been using John Pirtle for five years now and I can only speak of my experience. I have found John to be professional, honest and very thorough. He has developed a game management plan and forest best practices, I am amazed how my place is beginning to look. The first action was site prep and planting long leafs in a 8 acre clear cut, after 4 years the long leafs are about 4-5 tall and growing fast now. We just clear cut 21 acres of sparse pines that is being site prepped for long leafs. I would recommend John to anyone. JMO

I agree. I will continue to use him until he proves me wrong.

How much does this kind of service cost?

You can't really state a cost it depends on what you want done, John is pretty good at working with the funds from cost share programs. I feel good knowing when I burn he is licensed and insured. The nice thing about him is he doesn't push you he makes recommendations on improvement and best use of the land .

Let's just say my experience with him was a hassle some of it his fault some of it the timber company. I won't be using him again I'll do it or have Brad help me from now own. I hired him so I didn't have to worry about things getting messed up and they still happened. I love my long leaf and they've done great but some avoidable things happened that never should have.

Johns a good guy and knows his stuff. Unavoidables happen to all if us. There is cost share available for burning. Check with both the dept of conservation and NRCS for specifics. There is also some cost-share for thinning MERCHANTABLE trees. If you thin below a specific basal area there is money to help do it. They are trying to encourage open pine woods - not sure why because they are the best wildlife habitat going and should sell themselves but....

I also burn, plant, spray herbicides, wildlife reccs if you need help in central AL.

How early can you burn long leafs?

You can burn your long leafs the first year but Ive waited 3 for mine.

The initial batching date for NRCS funding this year was 10/17 for EQIP. Burning, planting, TSI are all parts of the Forestry and Wildlife section in EQIP. We no longer have WHIP (which was just wildlife) with the passage of the new farm bill. There may be other batching periods in the year so it never hurts to have an application on file. We also have the CStP (conservation stewardship program) you can burn under this program. EQIP is a financial assistance reimbursement. If you get a contract, then you install the practice to specs and you are paid what is in the contract. For CStP it is more of a rental contract. You have to do an enhancement to your land (which burning would be) and you are paid an annual stewardship payment. The batching date for the CStP program will be some time after January.
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/al/programs/financial/
PM me if you want more info. The office in Lee county is located at 3381 Skyway drive (off Fredrick/Glenn between Academy and Tiger Town).