BLADEN LAKES — State foresters shared their knowledge of the $35 million pine straw industry last week in the second of a two-part series.
Forest management was the main topic, giving those with pine forests a glimpse inside their woods, and those managed by the state.
“With any forest you have a written management plan to guide your management decisions,” said Sarah Crate, one of the presenters. “That is the first criteria. The second criteria is using prescribed fire, because prescribed fire is such an integral part of the long leaf.”
Crate showed a presentation with different plots where prescribed fire was used versus those where it has not been used.
The difference it makes was evidenced in the photographs.
Bill Pickens has been with the forest service for over 30 years, and he explained some of issues with long leaf pine management.
“Harvesting pine straw in North Carolina is not exactly a new thing,” Pickens said. “We think of it more in the last 25 years.”
He shared a picture of people harvesting pine straw in the early 19th century.
“They probably did it for many of the reasons we do these days,” he said. “It’s good for a lot.”
People often use it for mulch around flower beds and also in gardens.
Pickens does caution against folks raking the straw around the bases of the trees or piling up the pine cones or sticks around them in prescribed fire forests. If there is a fire it will burn down to the roots and kill the tree.
Straw is baled in cube shapes, round bales and also is now being packed into cardboard boxes.
During the middle of the morning Sarah Crate educated about pine straw in the area.
Forester Bill Pickens shared his knowledge about pine straw mulching during the morning session.
Attendees listened to presentations during the last day of the two part series. The first part of the classes were held in the meeting room at Jones Lake State Park.