The Ecology and Management
of Atlantic White Cedar
(Chamaecyparis thyoides)
Ecosystems

A Symposium held on June 9 - 11, 2009
Greenville, North Carolina

Thursday, June 11, 2009
Plenary Session IV - Forum and Open Discussion

1. Brian Martin (Gates Milling), one of our loyal financial sponsors through the years, talked briefly about problems and issues related to milling AWC. Mr. Martin supports the idea of an "AWC Alliance," which, among other things, could perhaps provide better information to mills concerning the short- and long-term supply of logs. There was some discussion concerning alliances, e.g., longleaf pine. Eric Hinesley and K. O. Summerville (NC Forest Service, retired) will investigate this idea further, and provide an update at the next meeting.

2. Marketing trends: Brian Martin mentioned that loose knots cause lumber to have little value compared to clear wood. Perhaps the feasibility of stem pruning should be investigated.

3. Eric Hinesley raised a question about the correct common name for AWC. There seems to be no consensus in the names. This is evident simply by reading the titles in abstracts for this meeting. Many references and websites use "Atlantic white cedar", others use "Atlantic white-cedar", and still others use "Atlantic whitecedar". This needs to be clarified by botanists and/or other knowledgeable people. Hinesley will look into this further, and perhaps give a report at the next meeting.

4. Brian Martin also suggested that a BMP Manual for AWC logging practices be prepared in the future to show that harvesting in accordance with a specified list of guidelines can be carried out without destroying the site, as often occurs with traditional logging. This will be further investigated. One option would be to expand the BMP Manual prepared earlier by Zimmermann for AWC in New Jersey.

5. Chris Lowie of the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service volunteered to host the 2012 AWC meeting in in the vicinity of the Great Dismal Swamp.