Turkey247 you bring forward some specifics I did not know as for percentages. I know you are more in tune with the timber practices of the various timber companies in the SE. I can only speak to my personal experience over the years of leasing from timber companies. In all that time I have only leased one property that had their property on a rational burn program. I have personally seen the benefits of what this rotational burn program has done for the property. Compared to what I have experienced in the past to what I have experienced now, is night and day difference.

I recently talked my friend into burning his pines and it has helped hold the turkey the entire spring. It makes a difference in my personal opinion. Like you said, the liability and expense of doing rotational burn programs are simply cost that most land owners are not willing to do. As you pointed out it's not a guaranteed return on timber growth. I wish that our state agencies would educate and promote the benefits for wildlife as I personally feel like that alone makes it worth doing. I know I was personally ignorant to the benefits until I experienced it first hand. I had read about the benefits and been told, but until I experienced what a rotational burn does for the wildlife of a property is when it truly registered.

I know it's a complex road to navigate and one I doubt anyone within the state would be willing to tackle. It would be a big step in the right direction if they could some of that 2% to 3% signed up.

"Tomorrow is the most important thing in life.
Comes to us at midnight very clean.
It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands.
It hopes we've learned something from yesterday."