Annual Report - The LAD Foundation

L-A-D FoundationBoard of Directors:Leo Drey, Chairman, University CityJohn Karel, President, St. LouisEleanor Drey, Vice President, San Francisco, CAKay Drey, Secretary, University CityLaura Drey, Vice President, Durham, NCSusan Flader, Vice President, ColumbiaWayne Goode, Treasurer, St. LouisLeon Cambre, RollaDorothy Ellis, ThayerEdward (Ted) Heisel, St. LouisRindy O’Brien, Washington, D.C.Jerry Vineyard, OzarkAdvisory Council:Jon Smith, Mountain ViewClint Trammel, McDonough, GADavid Larsen, ColumbiaBill Terry, JadwinEmeritus Board:Richard C. Smith, Columbia (1913-2012)Senior Staff:Terry Cunningham, Forest ManagerGreg Iffrig, Liaison to the BoardJason Green, ForesterBrandon Kuhn, ForesterTechnicians:Danny SkaggsMike AdamsTim DyerMatthew SkaggsSt. Louis Office Manager:Dona Ellis2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation4

From the PresidentFifty years ago, in 1962, Leo and Kay Drey established the L-A-D Foundation. Their goal was tocreate an institution that could carry out in perpetuity their vision for a voice, a presence, and a force forthoughtful, durable, and ethical outdoor resource management in the forests of southern Missouri. Todaythe board and staff continue to do our very best to carry out that inspiring mandate. For all of us, it hasbeen and continues to be a weighty responsibility, but also a great privilege and source of tremendoussatisfaction.This anniversary year has been no exception. For example, last year’s winner of the MissouriDepartment of Conservation Logger of the Year award, J & G Logging, was among two finalists for theForest Resources Association Appalachian Region Outstanding Logger award. This company workslargely on Pioneer Forest, and we are proud of the recognition they have received for their excellentwork.Also, our staff has worked closely with the Show Me Missouri Backcountry Horsemen to develop anequestrian trail through our forest lands that will provide authentic primitive recreation and demonstratethe highest standards of sustainable stewardship of soil and stream resources.In 1978, Leo Drey was among the first conservationists to take real action to protect some sampleof Missouri’s remarkable karst resources in Perry County with purchase of the unique Ball MillResurgence. This region has been underappreciated and underprotected; but in recent years, theFoundation has increased its lands adjacent to Ball Mill, and just this year acquired another small butcritical stretch of Blue Spring Branch, home of the threatened Grotto Sculpin.Similarly, following the Foundation’s 2010 acquisition of a critical inholding on scenic JerktailMountain, we began this year working with the National Park Service to develop stewardship plans for asizeable joint acreage of this fascinating rhyolite knob rising above the Current River valley.Also on Pioneer, we continue to work with the Conservation Department on the study of our nativeOzark black bear population. In addition, we helped to welcome elk back to Missouri, with L-A-D landsindentified as part of the potential eventual range of this impressive animal in the Ozarks.We were once again delighted to host our annual open air bar-b-que for friends and neighbors at thePioneer Forest headquarters grounds in Salem. A big highlight this year was the presentation to Leo andKay of a proclamation from the Missouri Conservation Commission, personally delivered byConservation Director Bob Ziehmer.Finally, we take special note of the announcement this year by the Great Rivers Environmental LawCenter that their prestigious Lewis C. Green Environmental Service Award has gone to Pioneer ForestManager, Terry Cunningham. Besides this well-deserved, high-level recognition, Terry is alsocelebrating his 40 th anniversary as a Pioneer Forest employee. We all join in offering Terry ourcongratulations and thanks for outstanding service.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation5

L-A-D FoundationPIONEER FOREST MANAGEMENTLAND CONSOLIDATIONRESEARCHEDUCATION AND OUTREACHRECREATION AND NATURAL AREASGRANTMAKING AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTPUBLIC POLICY ISSUESADMINISTRATIVE ISSUESPioneer Forest ManagementPHOTO BY Hank DorstTIMBER SALESThis fall of 2012, we have six logging crews working on Pioneer Forest. Following an extended periodof post-windstorm salvage from the straight-line windstorm of 2009, staff have returned to full-timemarking of individual trees and sale administration. At the current rate, we are predicting we will havecut approximately 4.6 million board feet of sawtimber during 2012. In addition to sawtimber sales, weare predicting to cut 5.7 million board feet of blocking and 2.3 million board feet of pulpwood.LOCATION OF TIMBER SALES CONDUCTEDON PIONEER FOREST DURING 2012Map prepared by Jason Green using National Geographic Maps (copyright 2006), and TOPO!PRO! (registered trademark ofNational Geographic Holdings).2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation6

LOGGER OF THE YEAR AWARDIn 2011 J&G Logging (Jay Duncan, Gene Fisk Sr., and GeneFisk Jr.) of Summersville received the “Missouri Logger ofthe Year” by the Missouri Department of Conservation(MDC). J&G Logging worked on Pioneer Forest’s RandolphTract.After winning the “Missouri Logger of the Year Award”in 2011, J & G Logging was nominated for theAppalachian Region Logger of the Year Award for2012. J & G Logging was selected as one of two finalists forthis prestigious award. The crew was visited by a logginginspector who examined the logging operation, loggingsafety, and logging techniques. J & G Logging wasselected as first runner up to this award. Rick Meyer, amanager with the Forest Resources Association, stated that“J & G deserved to be one of the two finalists. It was clearthat every landowner would love to have them working ontheir harvest.” J & G Logging has continued working on theRandolph Tract.Pictured left to right: Gene Fisk Sr., Jay Duncan,and Gene Fisk Jr.PHOTO BY Jason Green“Jason and Brandon, your property(Pioneer Forest) is a real showcasefor foresters. It was an honor for meto see a bit of your forestland alongwith seeing how you guys and J&Gwork together.”Email correspondence from Rick MeyerAppalachian/Southwide Region ManagerForest Resources AssociationAugust 14, 2012UPCOMING INVENTORYIn October we will begin our Continuous Forest Inventory(CFI). This forest-wide inventory began on Pioneer lands in1952 and has been re-measured every five years. This will bethe 12th measurement on Pioneer Forest. Ours is the oldestCFI in Missouri.Forty-six CFI plots covering more than 10,000 acres of landwill be discontinued as part of land transfers in a legalsettlement. Eight new plots, each 1/5 acre in size, have beenadded to this year's CFI based on lands acquired during thepast five years.The equipment and supplies necessary for measuring plotshave been purchased, including CFI paint, mini-notebookcomputers, diameter tapes, and stakes for plot centers.Re-measuring of the more than 450 plots will be completed nolater than mid-March.FOLLOW UP TO 2009 DERECHOPioneer provided internship funding to Denise Vaughn,a former reporter with the West Plains Quill and now agraduate student, to write a report on the effects ofof the 2009 derecho storm. This project is off to a good startPhoto of CFI plot measurement from the PioneerForest archive.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation7

and will lead to articles to be submitted to popular publications, plus a professional summary report.IMPROVING WOODLANDS FOR TALL LARKSPURThe National Park Service has been monitoring populations of tall larkspur (Delphinium exaltatum) ontheir Ozark National Scenic Riverways lands, including two on adjacent Pioneer Forest land. One islocated near Devils Well and another is just north of Akers Ferry. The Nature Conservancy ranks thisspecies as globally vulnerable; it is listed as imperiled in Missouri. Missouri’s plants are thewesternmost location of the species, and are 200 miles from the nearest known sites in Alabama andTennessee.Based on several years of monitoring and observation, tall larkspur seems dependent on the availabilityof strong but filtered sunlight. The Devils Well site includes dolomite glades surrounded by achinquapin oak-dominated woodland. The Akers Ferry site also is a glade and woodland mix. Talllarkspur is known to be dependent upon site conditions where larger shading trees are part of an openwoodland and where the upper leaf litter layer is at least periodically removed, just down to theunderlying duff. This provides for continued seed set and successful seedling development. Withoutadequate sunlight, the plants become non-flowering and populations are eventually threatened.Flowering occurs between July and September.Working across land ownership boundaries, Pioneer Forest agreed to allow the National Park Service toconduct a low-intensity burn treatment to reduce groundcover fuels (leaf litter) while retainingoverstory timber resources and improving the habitat quality for this native summer-blooming larkspur.Follow-up population counts showed a positive increase in numbers.Location of populations of tall larkspur across the United States; Reprinted fromwww.eFloras.org; Map by Flora of North America2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation8

L-A-D FoundationPIONEER FOREST MANAGEMENTLAND CONSOLIDATIONRESEARCHEDUCATION AND OUTREACHRECREATION AND NATURAL AREASGRANTMAKING AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTPUBLIC POLICY ISSUESADMINISTRATIVE ISSUESLand ConsolidationDEVELOPMENT OF LAND PROTECTION PLANSRiney Property. PHOTO BY Greg IffrigFollowing up on the revised Acquisition and Disposition of Real Property Policy adopted by the L-A-DBoard on October 3, 2011, the Stewardship Committee has prepared land protection plans for allFoundation land.The goal has been to provide better protection and management of our land. For example, some ofPioneer’s smaller parcels have been difficult to access. Several of these have been sold with the proceedsearmarked for the purchase of more critical land. Pioneer has identified tracts that would fill in-holdings,add important areas within a watershed, or secure continued future access. For some L-A-D naturalareas, there are additions that would help preserve ecological integrity.This review has included natural heritage data (notable species and natural community records), caveand karst information, local topography, representation within Missouri ecoregions, and land ownershiprelated to other public or private conservation partners. The report and its recommendations werereviewed and approved by the Board in April.ACQUISITION - -RINEY FARM AT BALL MILL RESURGENCE NATURAL AREA/BLUE SPRINGBRANCH, PERRY COUNTY - -71.37 ACRESThis property includes a significant border along both sides of Blue Spring Branch. It is located roughlya half-mile downstream from our existing ownership. There are several cave openings reported,numerous karst windows, a spring, and another small resurgence. The stream here is also known toinclude populations of the grotto sculpin fish. This small but rugged farm includes a local high point onthe landscape, offering outstanding views north through the breaks to the Mississippi River bottoms andon across to the Illinois bluffs.Purchase was completed in May 2012. The L-A-D Foundation received a donation of $42,015 from theLeo Drey Pioneer Foundation and was also recently notified that the Missouri Conservation HeritageFoundation approved funding assistance of $26,344. Both donations are to reduce our purchase cost.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation9

BLUE SPRING BRANCHPerry County, near LithiumExisting Ball MillResurgence/ShaferTractThe L-A-D Foundation added the Riney Tract to its Ball Mill Resurgence Natural Area/Blue Spring Branch projectin Perry County. These two pieces of land define the reach of the project and its diverse topography, from atop thePerry County Plain into Blue Spring Branch, a steep gradient tributary of the nearby Mississippi River alluvialplain. The project area now totals 273.37 acres.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation10

ACQUISITION - - NADIST LLC LANDS JOINING PIONEER FOREST DONATED, SHANNONCOUNTY - - 1903.57 ACRES.In December of 2011, Leo and Kay Drey donated six tracts, all in Shannon County, to the L-A-DFoundation. They had formerly been leased by Nadist to the Missouri State Park System as part of theRoger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry.(6 Tracts)1435262012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation11

ACQUISITION - - PROPERTY INTEREST, DENNIG GREERSPRING ROADWhen Leo Drey completed negotiation with the U.S. Forest Servicefor purchase of their Greer Spring Tract in Oregon County in 1993, heretained an interest in the limited use road which the Dennigs used for25 years to reach their cabins along Greer Spring Branch. Leo’sretained interest takes effect at the time the Dennig Family leaseexpires in May 2013. The Foundation Board approved acceptance ofthe interest in the road from the Drey family at its spring boardMeeting. This will give the Board the responsibility of maintaining thenatural and cultural resources and long-term integrity of the springbranch.DennigLease Rd.DISPOSITION OF SEVERANCE LANDAmong several of Pioneer’s outlying parcels was a 60-acre piece ofproperty in Reynolds County in Section 25, Township 30 North,Range 2 East. It had been hard to access and manage. There is nopublic access road to the property. The land is near Clearwater Lakeand offered no opportunity to expand Pioneer’s forest management.A neighbor expressed interest in acquiring it. It had previously been listed for sale by a local realtor butthere was never an offer, and that listing expired. The offer price was negotiated and the property was soldto Steve and Marcia Chitwood of Ellington, Missouri, in July 2012.Pioneer Forestproperty soldProperty sold to Steve and Marcia Chitwood; Map produced from National Geographic Maps (copyright 2006),TOPO!Pro!(registered trademark of National Geographic Holdings).2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation12

L-A-D FoundationPIONEEER FOREST MANAGEMENTLAND CONSOLIDATIONRESEARCHEDUCATION AND OUTREACHRECREATION AND NATURAL AREASGRANTMAKING AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTPUBLIC POLICY ISSUESADMINISTRATIVE ISSUESResearchPHOTO BY Greg IffrigBLACK BEAR SURVEYPioneer Forest continues to work with theMissouri Department of Conservation (MDC)on its black bear trapping effort. The surveybegan in the summer of 2011 in several countiesof the eastern Ozarks in southeast Missouri. Twomale bears were caught on Pioneer in 2011, andtwo more were caught this past summer of 2012.The bear’s sex, weight, and other measurementsare made, and blood and hair samples are taken.Radio collars are used to track their range oftravel. One of the collared bears has since beenspotted by Pioneer Forest staff on a fewoccasions.Pioneer’s population seems to consist of malesand, based on several years of data, to be doingwell. MDC has reported catching female bearssouth of Pioneer Forest.Pictured left to right: MDC Biologist Jeff Beringer, Terry Cunningham,and Dan SkaggsPHOTO BY Pioneer Forest staffELK RESTORATION IN MISSOURIIn 2011, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) launched an elk restoration program bringing34 elk from Kentucky to its Peck Ranch Conservation Area in Carter County. Since then, MDC hasbrought in additional elk and released them on Peck Ranch and on neighboring land owned by TheNature Conservancy, all as a part of the elk restoration zone. MDC says that Missouri’s free-ranging elkpopulation is approximately 80.Pioneer and MDC staffs have explored ways in which some of Pioneer’s land might be managed tobenefit elk. Pioneer’s Backcountry is within the elk restoration zone, and the long-range success of theeffort will depend on additional forage areas and other release sites.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation13

The Foundation has expressed strong support for the overall project and the intention to help where wecan. For example, our acquisition of 242 acres of Jerktail Mountain in 2011 will allow us to encouragenative grass and the more open condition characteristic of this rhyolite mountain which may help the elkpopulation in the years ahead. Pioneer also has begun to look at old fields along Blair Creek which havebeen long abandoned, but still have small and irregularly shaped open areas scattered along the valley. Ifmaintained, these areas could contribute to the overall available forage for Missouri’s elk. This wouldrequire some mowing and seeding of these old openings.MOUNTAIN LIONSeveral mountain lion sightings have been reported throughout Missouri over the last few years. PioneerForest Technician Dan Skaggs attended a meeting in March 2012 hosted by the St. Louis Academy ofScience, Missouri Department of Conservation, and the University of Missouri-St. Louis that addressedthe increasing population of mountain lions in Missouri.DNA evidence shows that the lions in Missouri originate from the Black Hills of South Dakota. Expertssay that the males are just passing through, following river corridors. A mountain lion was recentlycaptured near Pioneer’s Sutton Bluff property by a commissioner from Reynolds County. The lion wasthen later released in the Current River Conservation Area.FERAL HOGSPioneer Forest has been working with the Missouri Department of Conservation to eradicate feral hogsthat have been reported in Shannon County at Rough Hollow, Leatherwood Creek, and at Jack’s ForkHollow at the Randolph Tract. Two hogs were captured and removed near Akers Ferry on the CurrentRiver.Pioneer Forest Manager Terry Cunningham and Technician Dan Skaggs attended a meeting on thematter at which the state reported on plans to use helicopters and other methods to aid in removal offeral hogs.Feral hogs are very destructive, and staff continue to watch for signs of them in other areas of Pioneer.JERKTAIL MOUNTAINIn April there was an on-the-ground resource reconnaissance of the Jerktail Mountain area, includingPioneer’s lands and adjacent National Park Service property. This effort was organized by Dan Drees, abiologist with Ozark National Scenic Riverways, and included Pioneer’s Brandon Kuhn, Neal Humke(Pioneer’s contractor for stewardship projects), Alan Templeton (Washington Univ. biologist), SusanFarrington (MDC natural history biologist), Renata Culpepper (NPS cultural history specialist),Jen Shelby (NPS botanist), George Kipp (MDC forester), and Juliet Lao (Ozark botanist). The followingis adapted and shortened from their group report.The Jerktail Mountain area between Asher Branch and the Broadfoot horse trail is a rich mosaic ofnatural communities dominated by igneous glades, woodlands, and by dolomite glades and woodlands.True forest natural communities occur in the floodplain, drainages, and sun-sheltered north-facing2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation14

slopes. The igneous glades remain relatively open; butcedar, elm, blackjack oak, and other woody speciescontinue to expand, and evaluating the area’s naturalintegrity and potential for cooperative managementwith NPS was the priority interest.There was an abundance and diversity of grasshoppers(including the glade obligate lichen grasshopper). Thenationally declining prairie warbler also was heard.This bird species is known to respond favorably to fire,one of the management efforts envisioned to restoreand then maintain the more open and characteristiclandscape of this massive granite outcropping with itshigh-quality glade that extends as far downhill as the800-foot elevation contour. (The top of the contour sitsat slightly more than 1160 feet elevation.)The USGS map shows the obvious and dramaticcontact between the igneous and dolomite bedrockoutcrops. It is impressive to see both bedrock strataprominently present on the same contour in a part of thearea where there is little vertical relief. Several smalldolomite glades are rich in glade flora typical of thewatershed. Conservative igneous glade plants that wereobserved were American aloe (Manfreda virginica) andcream wild indigo (Baptisia bracteata). The mostconservative dolomite glade plants were rattlesnakemaster (Eryngium yuccifolium) and smooth aster (Asterlaevis). The extent of a potential management area couldbe as much as 1300 acres or more, though the actualmanagement program will require further study andproposals.JerktailMountainStegallMountainWildcatMountainThornyMountainTop image: looking southeast from JerktailMountain with a view of Stegall Mountain.PHOTO BY Dan DreesBottom image: Cluster of white areas highlightedhere are exposed knobs of volcanic rhyolite. Imagetaken from Geologic Framework of the Ozarks ofSouth-Central Missouri—Contribution to aConceptual Model of Karst, U.S. Geological SurveyKarst Interest Group Proceedings, 2011.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation15

L-A-D FoundationPIONEER FOREST MANAGEMENTLAND CONSOLIDATIONRESEARCHEDUCATION AND OUTREACHRECREATION AND NATURAL AREASGRANTMAKING & COMMUNITY SUPPORTPUBLIC POLICY ISSUESADMINISTRATIVE ISSUESEducation and OutreachPIONEER FOREST COMMUNITY DINNERForest Manager Terry Cunningham (right)giving a logging tour of Pioneer.PHOTO BY Hank DorstOn April 26, 2012, the Pioneer Forest hosted its annual outdoorcommunity dinner. This was the sixth year Pioneer has hosted thisevent at its headquarters in Salem, Missouri. This year in particularwas a notable occasion, as the Foundation was celebrating its 50thAnniversary.More than 165 of our forest neighbors, friends, logging contractors,community leaders, and a variety of officials from across the stateattended the event. Guests enjoyed a traditional barbecue with all thesides, and special cakes highlighting the anniversary celebration.The evening included a memorable presentation of a Proclamationby the Missouri Conservation Commission to Leo Drey. TheProclamation recognized and congratulated the L-A-D Foundation andPioneer Forest for 50 years of promoting scientifically sound,sustainable forest management in Missouri; for providing theLeo Drey receiving Proclamation from theMissouri Conservation Commission.Pictured left: Department of ConservationDirector Bob Ziehmer Right: Leo DreyPHOTO BY Hank Dorstlong-term protection and management of unique natural areas for the enjoyment of all Missourians; andfor providing opportunities for collaborative state and private partnerships in research, management, andprotection of Missouri’s natural resources.Left: Pioneer Forest Technician Dan Skaggs (green shirt) visits with Tom Draperof the Missouri Department of Conservation; Middle: caterers from WalkersSmoke & BBQ serving guests; Right: Forest Manager Terry Cunninghamwelcomes crowd. PHOTOS BY Hank Dorst2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation16

Poster panels highlighting important history and significant events of the Foundation throughout the past50 years were also on display for guests to view. The posters were later transferred to the Ozark Naturaland Cultural Resource Center in Salem and have been on display for the public. (They are reproduced inthe Appendix section of this report.)DREY LAND CAMP CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY. On April 26, the L-A-D Board visited andtoured Drey Land. Several staff members from John Burroughs School in St. Louis who help operate thecamp were on hand to talk about the activities and experiences students engage in. The camp iscelebrating its 40th Anniversary.Nearly 50 years ago, Leo Drey leased 44 acresof Ozark land to John Burroughs School, andthe site now serves as a student resource forfield biology research, orientation programs,outdoor education, and more. The propertyborders Sinking Creek, which is a tributary ofthe Current River. The camp is maintained bythe Burroughs School (its students, teachers, andstaff) and includes cabins, a pavilion, and anobstacle course.VISITS TO PIONEER FORESTThroughout the past year, Pioneer Forestwelcomed various groups and individuals to tourPioneer Forest. Some of the visitors included:Drey Land Lodge. PHOTO BY Greg IffrigThe University of Missouri School of Journalism. As part of a field studies project on natural resources,students from the university’s journalism program participated in a tour of Pioneer Forest on September23, 2011, led by Pioneer Foresters Brandon Kuhn and Jason Green.Ecologist Dr. Gene Likens. Noted American Ecologist Dr. Gene Likens visited Pioneer Forest withL-A-D board member Susan Flader on November 11, 2011.Representative from Abengoa Bioenergy. On April 6, 2012, Forest Manager Terry Cunningham gave atour of Pioneer Forest to a representative from Abengoa Bioenergy, a Spanish based multinationalcompany operating ethanol refineries in the U.S. Jason Jensen from the Missouri Department ofConservation, and Peter Becker of the Eastern Ozarks Forestry Council also participated.University of Southern Illinois-Carbondale. Students visited Pioneer Forest on June 1, 2012, for a tourled by Forest Manager Terry Cunningham.University of Missouri. Forestry Professor Dr. David Larsen and approximately 30 students from theuniversity’s forestry and ecology programs visited Pioneer on June 14, 2012, to discuss silviculturetopics. Dr. Larsen is a member of the L-A-D Advisory Council.University of Missouri. Associate Forestry Professor Dr. John Dwyer and students visited PioneerForest on June 26, 2012, for a discussion on forest management.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation17

L-A-D FoundationPIONEER FOREST MANAGEMENTLAND CONSOLIDATIONRESEARCHEDUCATION AND OUTREACHRECREATION AND NATURAL AREASGRANTMAKING AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTPUBLIC POLICY ISSUESADMINISTRATIVE ISSUESRecreation andNatural AreasPHOTO BY Ozark Trail AssociationMost of L-A-D Foundation lands are part of Pioneer Forest centered within the Current River watershed,but other properties owned by the Foundation extend as far south as Grand Gulf State Park in OregonCounty and north to Rocky Hollow Natural Area in Monroe County.As part of protecting these important resources we seek opportunities for a range of primitive outdoorrecreation pursuits. There are more than 30 miles of L-A-D Foundation frontage along the CurrentRiver, America’s first national river park. On other lands we have long-distance backpacking routes, aninterpretive drive, and began work this year to provide equestrian access through the Roger PryorPioneer Backcountry. Resource based recreation on these lands and along these trails includesopportunities to explore the outdoors, venture off the trail, walk for miles down an Ozark stream, swim,gather berries in summer, camp, watch wildlife, hunt in season, listen to nature, take pictures, andengage in memorable conversations around an open fire.The following trails total more than 48 miles on the Foundation’s lands. Another 25 miles of trails areplanned or are under construction:Ball Mill Resurgence Trail, Perry County: from a small parking area there is a one-mile loop trailinto the Blue Spring Branch valley and the resurgence.Blair Creek Section, Ozark Trail, Shannon County: a 13-mile long route through Pioneer Forest.Originally designed by the DNR’s Al Schneider, this route was one of the first to be developedas part of the well-known Ozark Trail. We are adding to this an approximately 13-mile longequestrian route roughly paralleling the Ozark Trail.Brushy Creek Trail, Shannon County: a 19-mile nested loop trail providing access to the interior ofour Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry.Cave Spring Trail, Shannon County: a 4.6-mile long round-trip and moderately difficult hikebetween Devil’s Well and Cave Spring.Clifty Creek Natural Area Trail, Maries County: a 2.5-mile long scenic walk.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation18

Current River Trail (under construction), Shannon County: a 12-mile long hiking route designedto connect Round Spring on the west side of the Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry to theHimont Trailhead.Dillard Mill State Historic Site, Crawford County: a 1.5-mile trail.Grand Gulf State Park, Oregon County: the trail system explores the perimeter of the gulf, and astairway leads to an observation platform at the bottom.Hickory Canyons Natural Area Trails, Ste. Genevieve County: there are two trails here, one aneasy ¼-mile walk to a waterfall, and a one-mile long loop route, the Allen Brohn trail, into andalong part of the canyon.Horseshoe Bend Natural Area Trail, Texas County: a mile-long route from the parking area alonga scenic ridge overlooking the Big Piney River and then down to the river bottom.Laxton Hollow Trail, Shannon County: a two-mile long route beginning at the Himont Trailheadand connecting through Laxton Hollow to the Ozark Trail at Blair Creek.Virgin Pine Walk, Shannon County: located one mile south of Round Spring, there is a shortinterpretive walk and a two-mile interpretive drive through Pioneer Forest.EQUESTRIAN TRAIL THROUGH THE ROGER PRYOR PIONEER BACKCOUNTRYSeveral years ago, volunteers from the Show Me Missouri Backcountry Horsemen proposed that we fillan existing gap in the Ozark Trail which otherwise has been open for equestrian use but not throughPioneer Forest. Their idea was for a long-distance equestrian route.Backcountry Horsemen of America is the national organization, and Missouri’s chapter has severalgroups around the state. These dedicated horsemen promote their goal of “common sense use andenjoyment of horses in America’s back country and wilderness.” Longstanding management objectivesfor Pioneer include such uses as are appropriate for the resource.Developing a route parallel to Pioneer’s existing Ozark Trail and through the Backcountry seemed to bethe best approach. Discussions included volunteers of the Ozark Trail Association and Sierra Club, aswell as staff of the Mark Twain National Forest and Missouri State Parks. Together a route was mappedparalleling portions of the Ozark Trail. This will accommodate equestrian users coming south fromMidridge across the Mark Twain National Forest where a trailhead is planned, then continuing souththrough the Backcountry to the Missouri Department of Conservation lands where a second trailhead isproposed along Highway 106 near Owl’s Bend.Following discussion by the Board, a Memorandum of Understanding to guide this cooperative effortbetween Show Me Missouri Backcountry Horsemen and the L-A-D Foundation was drawn up. Throughthis past summer, the mapped route has been flagged on the ground and the Horsemen are preparing fortheir first chapter-wide volunteer work day on Saturday, October 13, 2012.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation19

NATURAL AREAS UNDER LEASE FOR MANAGEMENT WITH THE MISSOURI DEPARMENT OFCONSERVATION.The L-A-D Foundation leases seven of its properties to the Missouri Department of Conservation formanagement. These properties are: Ball Mill Resurgence Natural Area/Blue Spring Branch (PerryCounty), Clifty Creek (Maries County), Dripping Springs (Texas County), Hickory Canyons (Ste.Genevieve County), Horseshoe Bend (Texas County), Piney River Narrows (Texas County), and RockyHollow (Monroe County). Each year we discuss with MDC staff their ongoing management issues andpriorities. We have been especially involved with the following areas during the past year:Ball Mill Resurgence Natural Area/Blue Spring BranchLEFT--Participants during the field day held November 4, 2011; PHOTO COURTESY OF Laverne Tayler, Perry County Soil andWater Conservation District. RIGHT—Native grass and forb planting at the former Shafer Farm; PHOTO BY Greg IffrigOngoing management on the former Shafer tract at Ball Mill has been convertingagricultural fields to native grass and forbs using local seed sources. This is being done on theuplands which extend south from Ball Mill Resurgence and Blue Spring Branch. During thistime, there have been several studies conducted regarding agricultural practices and waterquality.In November 2011, staff from the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Soil andWater Conservation District organized a well-attended field day on the property to demonstrateand interpret the data they had gathered. There was good attendance and much interest in howthe quality of the area’s water supply can be improved through optimum farming practices.This past year the field conversions were completed, moving us closer to the natural character ofa gently rolling landscape of mixed savanna and grassland.Following acquisition of the Riney property (also part of Ball Mill Resurgence Natural Area/Blue Spring Branch) in May, Foundation and Conservation Department staff met to discuss itsfuture planning and management. An existing small parking area will provide parking and serveas the staging area for public use. The high point across the road will be the vantage point for afine landscape view and an eventual trail into the valley of Blue Spring Branch. Most significantfor the Riney property is the added protection it provides to both sides of that important stream.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation20

Clifty Creek in Maries County. L-A-D and MDC staff have met to discuss overall areamanagement. Trail maintenance issues with erosion along the hiking trail have been resolvedwith Conservation Department staff re-working an especially wet section of the trail, buildingwater diversions beneath the trail to reduce its flow across the trail. Other challenges are thepotential for some glade restoration and opportunities for further research on the site.Dripping Springs in Texas County. Stream Team volunteers plan to conduct a fish survey from theBig Piney River near this area.Hickory Canyons in Ste. Genevieve County. Botanist Nels Holmberg completed a survey of thebryophytes from the property last year and now has been re-visiting the area to inventoryflowering plants. He is especially interested in French’s Shooting Star (Dodecatheon frenchii)which favors bare soil on shaded sandstone cliffs.Horseshoe Bend in Texas County. Fish sampling has been completed along the Big Piney Riverduring this past year. One result of the recently developed management plan was the initialinspection of a north-facing forested cove on Foundation property which may be a candidate foradding to the adjacent Natural Area.Piney River Narrows in Texas County. Past problems with worm digging were persistently pursuedby local conservation agents and now have disappeared. Recent trespassing problems have beendealt with by erecting a new gated barrier. The Missouri Natural Area designation is 50 acres ofthe larger 258-acre property. There is nearly a mile of West Piney Creek on the west sideincluded within the natural area. We have been discussing the possible addition of a 3/4-milecorridor of the Big Piney River, also part of the Foundation’s property here, located on the eastside. An old field bottom between Highway 17 and the Big Piney River is being allowed torevert to bottomland hardwoods, but Johnson grass and spotted knapweed, both non-nativeinvasive species, have been problems. Their presence is being monitored.Other Efforts. In addition to our lands leased to MDC, Pioneer Forest manages four other MissouriNatural Areas on our lands (Current River NA in Shannon County, Lily Pond NA in Reynolds County,Pioneer NA in Shannon County, and the Triple Sink portion of the Sunklands NA in Shannon County).Conservation Department staff generally visit each of these areas every three years and prepare AnnualStatus Reports on site conditions, visitation, results of management, and issues to resolve. We discussedone opportunity to add to Pioneer Natural Area at the mouth of nearby Big Creek. These projects are tobe considered during the year ahead.Of special note. 2012 is the 35 th anniversary of the Missouri Natural AreasCommittee (MoNAC) which oversees the statewide program to protect MissouriNatural Areas. The L-A-D Foundation, and others, began to identify and protectnatural areas even earlier, but it was the formation of MoNAC which brought somany others together for a combined and truly statewide effort. The Jack-in-thepulpit(shown at left) is the symbol of the Missouri Natural Areas Program.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation21

AREAS UNDER MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OFNATURAL RESOURCES, DIVISION OF STATE PARKSThe Foundation leases properties to the Department of Natural Resources as part of the Missouri StateParks System. These are: Dillard Mill State Historic Site in Crawford County, Grand Gulf State Park inOregon County, and the Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry in Shannon County. Issues during the pastyear:Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry. As visitation to the Backcountry has increased, thereduced management attention by the Division of State Parks, DNR budget problems, and stafflayoffs, have compromised plans made 10 years ago. There are increasing illegal ATV trails,signs of off-road motorized vehicle travel, including in streams.The Foundation appealed for law enforcement help, not just from the DNR, but also fromthe Conservation Department whose staff also regularly visit the area. Together they havebegun to patrol the area. DNR has committed to patrolling the Backcountry, at least duringmajor holiday weekends. Simply being visible provides some protection. Rangers have begunleaving information cards on parked vehicles that explain rules for the area.VIRGIN PINE TRACTIn past years, brushy oak and pine seedlings that had grown up beneath the older shortleaf pine had beenremoved. Now management will continue to reduce the accumulating woody, shrubby undergrowth withsmall controlled burns through the area in order to discourage the continuing regrowth of oak. Onceestablished, these will be easy to manage and control. Neal Humke, formerly with The NatureConservancy, has been contracted to prepare burn plans, provide training for our staff, work with othersto prepare the site, and serve as fire boss. A burn was completed in March 2012, with assistance fromthe Conservation Department and AmeriCorps. A second patch was prepared, but the burn waspostponed. We have budgeted to continue this work.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation22

L-A-D FoundationFOREST MANAGEMENTLAND CONSOLIDATIONRESEARCHEDUCATION AND OUTREACHRECREATION AND NATURAL AREASGRANTMAKING AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTPUBLIC POLICY ISSUESADMINISTRATIVE ISSUESGrantmaking andCommunity SupportFOUNDATION GRANT PROGRAMSince 1962, the L-A-D Foundation has given more than 65 grants totaling over $375,000 to variousgroups with projects that serve the Missouri Ozark region. Examples of support have includedenvironmental and conservation education, grassroots organizing, restoration, and communityimprovement projects in the Ozarks. The Foundation distributes general submission guidelines anddeadline information annually to a targeted list of more than 100 organizations and individuals. Theinformation is also posted on the L-A-D Foundation website.2012 Grant Program. In April 2012, the Grants Committee received 26 grant proposals, more than anyprevious year. The letters of inquiry came from several previous applicants and from many neworganizations. Finalists were asked to submit additional proposal information by August 20, 2012. Finalproposals are reviewed by the Committee, and selections and funding recommendations arepresented to the Board for approval at its October Board meeting. Grant funds will be presented inperson by a Board or staff member to each of the recipients in November.2011 Grant Recipients. In the fall of 2011, grants were awarded to the following organizations:•Audubon Missouri – developing a management plan for its Tucker property in Shannon County•Bonebrake Center of Nature & History – offering an Ozark Kids Connection program in Dent County•Friends of La Barque Creek Watershed – created a “Habitat Helper” trailer for river cleanups inJefferson County•Mark Twain Forest Watchers – outreach efforts pertaining to woody biomass in Missouri•Missouri Chapter of the Sierra Club – efforts to reform the NPS General Management Plan for theOzark National Scenic Riverways•Ozark Regional Land Trust – developing a conservation easement in Gasconade County2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation23

•Ozark Trail Association – support of Adopt-A-Trail program and trail completion in each of thecounties the trail passes through•Revitalization & Action Board of Summersville – repair and maintain the Summersville Mill in TexasCounty•Show-Me-Missouri Backcountry Horsemen – development of an equestrian trail in the Backcountry inShannon CountyCOMMUNITY SUPPORTThroughout the past year, Pioneer Forest contributed financial support to various projects andcommunity groups. Some of the recipients included:High School Scholarships. Pioneer Forest awarded a college scholarship to Charles Blake of Eminence,Missouri, to pursue a degree in Business at Ozark Technical College. Tiffany Bland of Bunker,Missouri, received a scholarship to the University of Missouri-Columbia to study biology.B.E.S.T. School Foundation (Eminence, MO). Pioneer contributed to this endowment fund to supportongoing scholarship assistance for graduating high school seniors.Ozark Natural & Cultural Resource Center (Salem, MO). Pioneer supports the center’sprogramming and displays that are open to the public.Stream Team 1028 (Jadwin, MO). Pioneer made a donation to aid in the group’s upper Current Rivercleanup.Project Prom (Eminence, MO). Pioneer made a donation to support the Eminence High School Prom.Dent County 4-H. Pioneer supported the county’s local livestock fair.Pictured above left is the Habitat Helper Trailer. PHOTO BYFriends of LaBarque Creek WatershedPictured above right are volunteers working on the Ozark Trail.PHOTO BY Ozark Trail Association2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation24

L-A-D FoundationFOREST MANAGEMENTLAND CONSOLIDATIONRESEARCHEDUCATION AND OUTREACHRECREATION AND NATURAL AREASGRANTMAKING AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTPUBLIC POLICY ISSUESADMINISTRATIVE ISSUESPublic Policy IssuesCurrent River. PHOTO BY Wayne GoodeREVIEW OF BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICESDepartment of Conservation (MDC) forestry staff is at work with others to rewrite the Best ManagementPractices for Sustainability. The result will be a new book to guide private landowners, loggers,foresters, and sawmill operators in forestry operations. The book will provide a range ofrecommendations regarding forest management, roads, streams, cemeteries, cultural resources, invasiveand endangered species, natural heritage, recreation, and fire, as well as post-harvest operations andmonitoring. When this effort began, Pioneer’s Brandon Kuhn was asked and agreed to participate on theforestry technical committee to help develop and describe approved practices for the document.Members of the various teams are primarily MDC staff. Others participating include Mark Twain ForestWatchers, the US Forest Service Northern Research Station, The Nature Conservancy, National WildTurkey Federation, American Tree Farm, University of Missouri, Eastern Ozarks Forestry Council andMissouri Forest Products Association.ADVOCATING FOR THE CURRENT RIVER AND IMPROVED MANAGEMENT ATOZARK NATIONAL SCENIC RIVERWAYSL-A-D Foundation has worked with the Friends of Ozark Riverways (FOR) to encourage the NationalPark Service to adopt a stronger General Management Plan (GMP) for the Ozark National ScenicRiverways (ONSR). Key to FOR’s efforts has been bringing together many organizations andindividuals from across Missouri who favor reform of the river and park management.Various partners of FOR collected more than 5000 signatures of individual support from acrossMissouri and beyond and more than 100 letters of support from local businesses. In November andDecember 2011, three press conferences were held across the state of Missouri to announce the resultsfrom the petition drive. These many voices should help to improve the draft GMP, which is still underdevelopment and expected early next year.In May 2012, Bill Black, the former Superintendent at Fort Smith National Historic Site in Arkansas,was appointed to fill the vacancy of ONSR Park Superintendent. Staff and Board have met with BillBlack on several occasions; he attended Pioneer’s bar-b-que in April.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation25

L-A-D FoundationFOREST MANAGEMENTLAND CONSOLIDATIONRESEARCHEDUCATION AND OUTREACHRECREATION AND NATURAL AREASGRANTMAKING AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTPUBLIC POLICY ISSUESADMINISTRATIVE ISSUESAdministrative IssuesRICHARD C. SMITH (1913-2012)In July 2012, the L-A-D Board received word that Richard C. Smithhad passed away at the age of 98. Dick served as an advisor to LeoDrey beginning in the 1950s, served on the Foundation’s Board ofDirectors, and then as a member of the L-A-D Emeritus Board.Dr. Smith was very well respected in the field of forestry. He beganhis career as a field forester for the U.S. Forest Service, and thenbecame head forester for the American Creosoting Company inLouisville, Kentucky. He went on to receive his master’s degree anddoctorate in forestry from Duke University. In 1947, he beganworking for the University of Missouri as a professor of forestry andthen became Assistant Dean of Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife anddirector of graduate studies. He worked for the university for 35years.Dick was active in the Society of American Foresters (SAF) andwas elected a fellow in 1977. He was a founder of the Missouri SAFand received the first Karkhagne Award for meritorious service. Hewas instrumental in developing guidelines that the Foundation usesPictured is Richard Smith.PHOTO BY Greg Iffrigfor long-range management of Pioneer Forest. He also helped the SAF establish its first two ResearchNatural Areas in Missouri, both of which are located on Pioneer Forest.NEW EMPLOYEE JOINS PIONEER FORESTPictured is Matthew Skaggs.PHOTO BY Pioneer staffIn June of 2012, Pioneer Forest welcomed Matt Skaggs as ournewest technician. Matt is from Bunker, Missouri and is thethird generation Skaggs that has worked on the forest(Rayborn and Danny prior to Matt). He is learning theapplication of uneven-aged single tree selection and timbersale administration. Matt is also well rooted in the localcommunity having taught for the Bunker School District andas a farm owner in the Bunker area.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation26

TERRY CUNNINGHAM TO RECEIVE AWARDPioneer Forest Manager, Terry Cunningham, has been selected by theGreat Rivers Environmental Law Center to receive its 2012 “LewisC. Green Environmental Service Award.” The award is presentedannually to individuals who have demonstrated long-termcommitment to protection of the environment.An awards dinner is planned for September 23, 2012, in St. Louis.STRATEGIC PLANNINGThroughout the past year, the Foundation has continued its focus onstrategic planning. Board member Rindy O’Brien has chaired an AdHoc Governance Committee to develop plans for the Foundation anda best practices management structure. This process has includedupdating governance processes and policies, such as those pertainingto real estate, finance, and personnel.Pictured left: Terry Cunningham. At right:Leo Drey. PHOTO BY Lauri DreyThree key areas of the Foundation’s mission remain in place: sustainable forest management, protectionof natural and cultural areas, and resource-based grants serving the Missouri Ozark region.MARKETINGThe Foundation recently updated its website by adding several new publication links and updates to thenatural areas sections. The website offers information on the lands and management of the Foundationand Pioneer Forest, including such items as our annual report, grant program schedule, and an internalfile of working documents for committees and board members.For several years, the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center has featured display posters for theFoundation and Pioneer Forest in its exhibit space. In early 2012, staff created new large display postershighlighting topics such as outdoor recreation, the protection of special areas, and Pioneer ForestManagement. This summer, the Center has displayed posters highlighting the Foundation’s 50thAnniversary and its various milestones.PIONEER FOREST LUMBER, LLCIn 2008, at the direction of the L-A-D Board, Pioneer Forest initiated a marketing experiment to test thealternative of buying its own logs, adding value during their processing, and then selling lumber. It wasorganized as Pioneer Forest Lumber, LLC and began operation in December 2008.In early 2012 Pioneer Forest staff prepared a report for the Executive Committee that detailed theperformance and operation of Pioneer Forest Lumber, LLC. After reviewing benefits and challenges,analyzing income and expenses, and observing current market demands, the staff recommended that wesuspend the operation.Staff also recommended that there be a reevaluation of the potential for Pioneer Forest Lumber, LLC inthe years ahead, as the economic outlook could change. The Board agreed and the project has beenshelved, but with the observation that as a result of this exercise, much was learned by the staff about theaspects of the forest products industry. For now, we will concentrate on what we know best.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation27

CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT HERITAGE AGREEMENTOn May 25, 2012, the Foundation finalized a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the MissouriDepartment of Conservation (MDC) regarding development and maintenance of products andservices related to conservation planning for Missouri Natural Areas and adjacent lands. The agreementauthorizes sharing of Missouri Natural Heritage Program (MONHP) data for the purpose ofconservation planning for L-A-D Foundation Missouri Natural Areas, and is in effect for a period of fiveyears. MDC provided the Foundation with a 2012 review of known Missouri Species and Communitiesof Conservation Concern for its lands.MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR HORSE TRAILS AND SIMILAR PROJECTSIn May 2012, the Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Show-MeMissouri Backcountry Horsemen. The MOU addresses design specifications of the trail route, a code ofethics for trail use, responsibilities and liability of each party, and other measures of reporting andconduct.The Foundation’s commitment is to make lands available for development and maintenance of thisequestrian trail in furtherance of the MOU, and subject to the approval of the Missouri Department ofNatural Resources and its existing lease of the Backcountry. (That lease provides for equestrian trailswith management rules approved by L-A-D.)The agreement will be in effect for a five-year period.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation28

Appendices2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation29

The L-A-D Foundation was organized in 1962 with its principal mission to protect natural areas. Beginning in 1964, for the next 10years, Drey made a series of land donations to the Foundation. These were important Missouri places he had acquired, most are nowMissouri Natural Areas (Clifty Creek Natural Area in Maries County, Current River Natural Area in Shannon County, Dripping SpringsNatural Area in Texas County, Hickory Canyons Natural Area in Ste. Genevieve County, Horseshoe Bend Natural Area in Texas County,Piney River Narrows Natural Area in Texas County, Pioneer Natural Area in Shannon County, and Rocky Hollow Natural Area inMonroe County). Grand Gulf State Park is also a National Natural Landmark.In the years that have followed, Drey and others have donated land or contributed resources that have enabled the Foundation to acquire,protect, and sustainably manage land which offers many benefits for the public. In 2004, Leo and Kay Drey donated most of PioneerForest to L-A-D, dramatically increasing L-A-D land acreage. Today the Foundation owns more than 145,000 acres.The following pages have been adapted from a series of five panels produced earlier this year that have been on display inSalem this past summer.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation30

Piney River NarrowsTexas CountyCave SpringShannon County1962through1973Dripping SpringsTexas CountyClifty Creek Natural AreaMaries County2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation31

Photo courtesy of the Bonebrake CenterPhoto courtesy of Bob Gestel19741977Petroglyph at Rocky Hollow Natural AreaRocky Hollow named toNational Register of Historic Places; L-A-DFoundation begins Missouri NaturalAreas SurveyDillard Mill in Crawford County acquired byL-A-D, later is designated as a State Historic SiteOverlooking the Current River at Bee BluffDrey donates 960 acres of scenicriver land along the Current Riverin Shannon and Carter counties1978Ball Mill Resurgence in Perry County acquired19802012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation32Bird Artist David Plank preparing to lead visitors on a bird walk atBonebrake Center in Dent County.L-A-D Foundation grants exceed $100,000

Photo courtesy of Bob Gestel1984Grand Gulf in Oregon County, donated to L-A-D byLeo Drey, becomes a Missouri State Park1985Hickory Canyons, Photo courtesy of David Stonner, MDCDr. Robert Mohlenbrock, Southern IllinoisUniversity, completes the flora of HickoryCanyons Natural Area, includes 612 speciesBoard encourages Pioneer Forest toexpand its recreational program1990Himont Trailhead, Roger Pryor Pioneer BackcountryFoundation funds help to publish MissouriLegacy: State Parks and Historic Sites,University of Missouri Press1991L-A-D Foundation Board works withthe Drey family to plan for the futureof Pioneer Forest2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation33

Hickory Canyons Natural Area. Photo courtesy of theMissouri Department of Conservation1993Memorial to Missouri Conservation LeaderCharles Callison dedicated atRocky Hollow Natural Area1995Two hiking trails completed atHickory Canyons Natural Area1996Foundation acquires Virgin Pine alongHighway 19 in Shannon County;Pioneer Forest staff prepare first Annual Report2001Board helps dedicate theRoger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry;L-A-D Foundation joinsPioneer Forest’s 50th Anniversaryat Missouri Botanical Gardenand Tower Grove ParkPhoto courtesy of Wayne Goode2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation34

Photo courtesy of the Missouri Department of Conservation2003Pioneer Forest gains FSC Certification2004Leo & Kay Drey donate Pioneer Forest;Time Magazine recognizes it among thetop 10 philanthropic gifts for 20042005Current River Natural Area, establishedby Society of American Foresters in 1955,celebrates 50 years of protection2006Bluff School in Shannon Countyrepaired; Lily Pond Natural Area inReynolds County conveyed to L-A-Dby The Nature Conservancy2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation35

Summersville Mill, Texas CountyFifth grade class from College School in St. Louis, visits Cook Stove Cave2007Pioneer expands its office; Foundation adds protectiveacreage to Ball Mill Natural Area in Perry County2008Cave Research Foundation reports 146 caves onFoundation land which protect endangeredspecies, and provide opportunities foreducation, research, and mappingUS Forest Service SouthernResearch Station publishescollection of papers about 50years of Pioneer Forest2010John Burroughs School andAmeriCorps volunteers completeCave Spring Trail in Shannon CountySince the early 1960s L-A-D Foundationgrants have totaled more than $300,000, tomore than 60 organizationsPhoto courtesy of Revitalization and Action Board of Summersville2011Foundation acquires property in Shannon Countythat completes protection of Jerktail Mountain2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation36

Missouri Department of Conservationrestores native grassland acreage atBall Mill , Perry County2012Riney propertyalong Blue Spring Branchat Ball Mill Resurgence acquired.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation37

L-A-D FOUNDATION LANDSPIONEER FOREST (including each of the following special areas)Blair Creek Hanging Fen ShannonForest reserve 1 , 2011, 25 acresBluff School,Medlock Cave Shannon Forest reserve, 1995, 51 acresCunningham Sink Shannon Forest reserve, 2011, 24 acresCurrent River NA Shannon SAF Natural Area 2 , 1955 andState Natural Area 3 , 1977, 10 acres;Addition, Natural Area, 2005, 255 acres;Total area 265 acresFishtrap Hollowand Marshy SpringHollow Fens Shannon Forest reserve, 1995, 45 acresLaxton Hollow Shannon Forest reserve, 1995, 145 acresLeatherwood Creek Shannon Forest reserve, 1995, 1003 acresLily Pond NA Reynolds State Natural Area, 1975, 8 acresOld SchoolhouseHollow Fens Shannon Forest reserve, 1995, 140 acresPioneer Forest NA Shannon SAF Natural Area, 1964 andState Natural Area, 1977, 20 acresSinkhole Ponds Complex ReynoldsCOUNTY SPECIAL DESIGNATION SIZEForest reserve, 1995, 45 acresSutton SchoolHollow Fens Shannon Forest reserve, 1995, 75 acresTriple Sink/ Shannon State Natural Area, 1980, 23 acres;Sunklands NA 4Addition of 19 acres included as part of Sunklands NaturalArea in 1999; total area 42 acresTufa Creek Shannon Forest reserve, 2011, 116 acres142,259.25 ACRESRIVERWAYS CORRIDOR LANDSScenic EasementsShannon, Carter National Park Service, Ozark NationalScenic Riverways, 1970, 951 acresCave Spring Shannon Adjacent Current River, 172.55 acresLANDS LEASED TO THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION (MDC)1123.55 ACRES2174.87 ACRESBall Mill Resurgence 5 Perry State Natural Area, 1979 , 19 acres of198.84 acres leased to MDC; 71.37 acres added in 2012;total area 273.37 acresClifty Creek Maries State Natural Area, 1971 , 230 acresDripping Springs Texas State Natural Area, 1973 , 8.59 acresHickory Canyons Ste. Genevieve State Natural Area, 1973 , 420 acres;Addition of 560.91 acres in 1979; total area 980.91Horseshoe Bend 5 Texas State Natural Area, 1973 , 69 acres of222 acres leased to MDC; total area 233 acres2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation38

Piney River Narrows Texas State Natural Area, 1971, 50 acresof 258 acres leased to MDCRocky Hollow Monroe State Natural Area, 1973, 188 acres;National Register of Historic Places, 1974;total area of 191acres leased to MDCCOUNTY SPECIAL DESIGNATION SIZELANDS LEASED TO MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES 289 ACRES 6Dillard Mill Crawford State Historic Site, 1977, 130 acresGrand Gulf State Park OregonNational Natural Landmark 7 , 1971 andState Park, 1984, 159 acresState Natural Area, 1986, 60 acre-portionRoger Pryor PioneerBackcountry Shannon Lease to Missouri State Parks, 2005,a 56,675 acre portion of Pioneer ForestOTHER267.42 ACRESLower Rock Creek Madison Recreation land, 226 acresVirgin Pine Shannon Scenic remnant corridor, 41.42 acresTOTAL LAND OWNERSHIP146,114.09 ACRES1 The concept for Forest Reserves was discussed by Pioneer Forest staff in 1994. In 1995, the management plan for each of these areas wasdescribed along with boundaries, and following Leo Drey’s agreement and the endorsement of the Foundation Board, the program wasadopted. Additions were made in 2011.2 The Society of American Foresters Committee on Natural Areas was organized in 1947.3 The Missouri Natural Areas System began in 1971 with the first areas owned or leased by the Missouri Department of Conservation.Beginning in 1977, the Missouri Natural Areas Committee was established by agreement of the Missouri Department of Conservation andMissouri Department of Natural Resources to review and approve natural areas throughout the state under a variety of public and privateownerships.4 Originally designated as a Missouri Natural Area in 1980 under the ownership of the Frank B. Powell Lumber Company; acquired by theL-A-D Foundation in 2006.5The total area of Ball Mill includes 3.27 acres owned by the Foundation and not leased by MDC. The total area of Horseshoe Bendincludes 11 acres owned by the Foundation and not leased.6 State Historic Sites and State Parks are managed by the Division of State Parks, Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The RogerPryor Pioneer Backcountry is included in the Pioneer Forest acreage ("Total Land Ownership").7 The National Natural Landmarks program is administered by the National Park Service. Grand Gulf is among fewer than 600 sitesdesignated in the United States.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation39

GLOSSARY OF TERMSAcre – A unit of land area measurement equal to 43,560 square feet.Advanced regeneration – Seedlings or saplings that develop or are present in the understory.Age class – An aggregation of trees essentially the same age. Age class is often used synonymously with “sizeclass.” Age intervals of 10 years are commonly considered to be the same age class.Aquatic habitat – A local environment in or near water that provides food, a place to reproduce, and shelter forwater-dependent species.Aquatic invertebrate taxa – Includes a range of organisms such as snails, crustaceans, insect larvae, leeches, andaquatic worms.Aspect – The cardinal direction that a slope faces (north, south, east, west).Avifauna – Avian wildlife, birds.Basal area – The area (in square feet) of the cross section of a tree stem, including the bark, generally at breastheight (4.5 feet above the ground). In the aggregate, it is the total cross-sectional area per acre of all trees at breastheight.Biological diversity – The conditions of having a variety of biotic characteristics and traits (e.g., genus, species,and community types), life history stages, structural forms (e.g., stratification, zonation, and the physical structuresof plants), biotic patterns (e.g., reproductive activity, food web, social, and interactive), and functions (e.g., nutrientcycling, hydrological cycling, and provision of habitat). Also termed “biodiversity.”Biotic index – A range of values used to observe and compare biotic changes in response to pollution or habitatchange.Board foot – A unit for measuring wood volume. It is commonly used to express the amount of wood in a tree,sawlog, or piece of lumber. A piece of wood one foot wide by one foot long by one inch thick equals one boardfoot.Bolt – A short log or a squared timber cut from a log, usually less than 8 feet in length.Buffer strip – A strip of vegetation left unmanaged or is managed to reduce the impact a treatment or action onone area would have on an adjacent area.Canopy – The more or less continuous cover of branches and foliage formed collectively by the tops, or crowns,of adjacent trees.Canopy closure – The progressive reduction of space between tree crowns as they spread laterally.CFI – Continuous Forest Inventory, an inventory repeated with regular frequency, over a long time period, tolocate and estimate quantities by species, product, size, quality, and other characteristics.Chrono-sequence – Forest stands covering a range of ages and management-related disturbances.Clear-cut – A harvest method used in the even-aged silvicultural system. The removal of all merchantable andnon-merchantable trees greater than 1.0 inch in diameter in one harvest cut. Pioneer Forest management does notinclude the use of clear-cutting.Community – An assemblage of plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi that live in an environment and interact withone another, forming a distinctive living system with its own composition, structure, environmental relations,development, and function.Conservative species – Plants most often associated with a specific habitat or natural community. For example, aweedy plant species can be found along roadsides, disturbed woodlands, and old fields, whereas a lead plant isonly found in prairies and open glades. This may be better understood by comparing birds such as the commonAmerican Robin to the uncommon and more conservative Swainsons Warbler.Cord – A unit of gross volume measurement for stacked roundwood based on external dimensions, generally a2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation40

4 by 4 by 8-foot stack (128 cubic feet of stacked wood).Cross-tie – A transverse timber forming a foundation or support.Cull – A tree or log of merchantable size that, because of defect, has no merchantable value. A cull may be highly valuableas a den tree.Customary rights – Rights that result from long habitual or customary actions that have, by such repetition and byuninterrupted acquiescence, acquired the force of law within a geographical or sociological unit.Cutting cycle – The planned interval between partial harvests in an uneven-aged stand.Dendrochronology – The study of tree rings and tree ring patterns influenced by environmental factors such as climate andfire. Analyzing annual growth increments helps us to understand the age of a tree or a forest canopy and to compareresponses to change between species and within a forest or a region.Den tree – A living tree with a cavity large enough to shelter wildlife. Also called a cavity tree.Diameter breast height (d.b.h.) – Diameter of a tree measured on the uphill side of the tree at 4.5 feet (breast height)above ground line.Disturbance regimes – Any of a variety of events, such as wind, floods, and/or fires, that cause a significant change in thelocal or regional environment and the associated plants or animals.Down woody debris – Woody portions of trees that have fallen and are lying on the ground. Down woody debris includestwigs, branches, logs, stumps, and whole trees that have fallen. Also referred to as either fine or course woody debris.Duff – Partly decayed organic matter on the forest floor.Ecosystem – A conceptual unit comprised of organisms interacting with each other and their environment, having the majorattributes of structure, function, complexity, interaction and interdependency, and temporal change with no inherentdefinition of spatial dimension.Endangered species – Any species in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant part of its range. Endangeredspecies may be state or federally listed.Erosion – The displacement of soil from one place to another by any means, including wind, water, gravity, logging, roadbuilding, and fire.Even-aged management – A system of forest management in which stands of trees are maintained or cut with relativelyminor differences in age, usually less than 10% of the rotation.Even-aged silvicultural system – The application of a combination of actions that results in the creation of stands of treesof essentially the same age that are growing together. Managed even-aged forests are characterized by a distribution ofblocks of single-age stands (and therefore, tree size) throughout the forest area. The difference in age between treesforming the main canopy level of a stand usually does not exceed 20% of the age of the stand at harvest rotation age.Regeneration in a particular stand is obtained during a short period at or near the time a stand has reached the desired age orsize and is harvested. Clear-cut, shelterwood, or seed tree cutting methods produce even-aged stands.Exotic species – Species that would not occur naturally in the location where they are found.Federally listed – Animals or plants formally added to the federal lists of endangered or threatened wildlife or plants by theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and/or National Marine Fisheries Service. In legal terms, this also includes species formallyproposed for addition to these lists.Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) – A measure of developmental stability based on genetic complexity.Forest – Generally defined as an area with over 60% canopy cover.Forest structure – The layers of vegetation within a forest. These layers are, in general, seedlings, advanced reproduction,saplings, poles, and overstory. Except for seedlings, each of these layers can be made up of multiple age classes.Fragipan – Loamy, brittle subsurface soil layer low in porosity and organic matter and low or moderate in clay, but high insilt and fine sand. A fragipan appears to be cemented and restricts roots.Geo-reference – Spatial information related to geographic data allowing the data to be displayed along with other relatedgeographic data within a geographic context.GIS/GPS – Geographic Information System, best described as telling us where a particular oak is within the forest,compared to GPS (Geographic Positioning System), which tells us the particular point (x, y, z) where we are within the2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation41

forest.Harvest cycle – The time period between harvest entries when using an uneven-aged management system.Harvest rotation – The time period between harvests when using an even-aged management system.HCVF – High Conservation Value Forests – Those forests that possess one or more of the following attributes:1. forest areas containing globally, regionally, or nationally significant concentrations of biodiversity (e.g.,endangered species) and/or large landscape-level forests contained within the management unit, where viablepopulations of most, if not all, naturally occurring species exist in natural patterns of distribution andabundance;2. forest areas that are in or contain rare, threatened, or endangered species;3. forest areas that provide basic services of nature in critical situations (e.g., protection of water catchments andcontrol of soil erosion).High-grading – Harvesting to extract only the most valuable trees from a forest. No consideration is given to regenerationrequirements of tree species or future development and health of the trees or forest.High-quality hardwoods – Hardwood trees or stands that will yield high-value timber products, such as face veneer,knot-free lumber, furniture, or specialty product stock and flooring.Ingrowth – Trees that during a specified period have grown past an arbitrary lower limit, primarily of diameter or height.Ingrowth is usually expressed as basal area or volume per unit area.Indicator species – A species whose presence in a certain location or situation at a given population level indicates aparticular environmental condition. Population changes are believed to indicate affects of management activities on anumber of other species or on water quality.Karst (topography) – Terrain with distinctive characteristics of relief and drainage arising primarily from a higher degreeof rock solubility than is found elsewhere. Some of these characteristics are springs, losing streams, underground drainageand water reservoirs, caves, natural bridges, and sinkholes.Landscape – A physiographic unit capable of sustaining several populations of a species; a mosaic of landforms and plantcommunities irrespective of ownership or other artificial boundaries.Layering – A forest regeneration technique in which portions of a plant, such as a limb, can be used to sprout roots andstems.LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design; a certification system developed by the U.S. Green BuildingCouncil.Legacy tree (or forest) – Preserves certain qualities (such as old-growth trees or forests, wildlife habitat, species,community, etc.) that may be lacking on a landscape scale.Log landing – A place where logs are taken (skidded) to be loaded on trucks for transport to the mill.Losing stream – A flowing stream that gradually gets smaller or disappears due to the loss of some or all of the flowageinto below-ground channels or caverns.Mature tree – A tree in which growth has reached the culmination of mean annual increment (economic maturity) and/orone in which growth equals loss of biomass, beyond which decline and mortality will eventually occur (biologicalmaturity).MBF – Thousand board feet.MMBF – Million board feet.Native species – Any species of flora or fauna that naturally occurs in a particular area, and that was not introduced byhumans.Natural forest – A forested area in which many of the principal characteristics of the native ecosystems are present.Natural regeneration – An age class of trees created by natural seeding, sprouting, suckering, or layering.Neotropical migrants – Bird species that breed in the United States during summer and spend winter in Mexico, CentralAmerica, South America, and the Caribbean Basin.Non-timber forest products – All forest products except timber; other materials obtained from trees, such as resin, bark,2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation42

and leaves, as well as other non-tree plant or animal products found in a forest.Old-growth forest – Ecosystems distinguished by old trees and related structural attributes. Old-growth encompasses thelatter stages of stand development. These latter stages typically differ from earlier successional stages in a variety of waysthat may include tree size; accumulations of large, dead woody materials, especially on the forest floor; number of canopylayers; species composition; and ecosystem functions.Old-growth stand – A stand of mature trees that is unroaded or lightly roaded, with little evidence of previous logging,usually ranging in size from 15 to 500 or more acres, and of sufficient size and configuration to maintain specific ecologicalfunctions.Overstory – The uppermost layer of foliage that forms a forest canopy.Plantation – A forested area that lacks most of the principal characteristics of native ecosystems because of humanactivities, such as planting, sowing, and intensive crop-like management and harvests.Progeny – Offspring from a parent, in this case, the offspring of tree species within the timber stand.Regeneration – Seedlings and saplings existing in a stand. This is the process by which a forest is renewed, eitherartificially by direct seeding or planting, or naturally by self-sown seeds and sprouts.Resurgence – A sinkhole that acts in the traditional manner of collecting and moving surface water directly to undergroundreservoirs and then, during especially heavy rainfall, reverses this flow of water to act like a spring.Riparian area or zone – An area along the bank of a river, stream, lake, or pond identified by the presence of vegetationthat requires free or unbound water or is more moist than normally found in the area. The zone may be a narrow strip ofvegetation that borders a creek, river, or other body of water. Riparian zones may occupy only a small percentage of awatershed but are extremely important components of the general landscape.Root-sprung – A condition of storm-damaged trees in which high winds bend a tree to the point where roots are partiallypulled from the ground but the tree is not blown down.Savanna landscape – A landscape characterized by widely spaced trees with an understory of native grasses and shrubs.Savannas are suitable for wildlife species not generally found in closed-canopy landscapes.Scale – A measure of volume in a tree based on the diameter and height of the tree.Silviculture – The art and science of producing and tending a forest by manipulating its establishment, composition, andgrowth to best fulfill the objectives of the owner, that may or may not include the production of timber.Single-tree selection – A harvest method expressed by the selection of individual trees to be removed from a stand of trees,the basis of uneven-aged management.Skid trail – A road or trail over which equipment or horses drag logs from the stump to a road or log landing.Snag – A standing dead tree from which leaves and most of the branches have fallen. A snag may be newly dead and appearto be a leafless tree or may be little more than a tall stump from which all of the limbs and bark have fallen. Snags are usedby a variety of wildlife species.Spatial – Of or relating to space: such as “the spatial distribution of individual trees.”Stream – A channel with a defined bed and a bank that carries enough water flow at some time during the year to flush outleaves. (1) Ephemeral streams are streams that flow less than 10% of the time, only in direct response to rainfall, with achannel that may be scoured or unscoured and is always above the water table. (2) Intermittent streams are streams that flowseasonally (10% - 90% of the time) in response to a fluctuating water table, with a scoured channel at least three feet wide.(3) Perennial streams are streams that flow year-round (more than 90% of the time), with a scoured channel always belowthe water line.Stumpage – The value of standing timber or uncut merchantable timber.Suckering – The generation of sprouts that grow along the trunk of a tree, usually after a drastic change in growingconditions, such as a heavy harvest, allowing a sudden increase of light to reach the trunk.Sustainable forest management – The practice of meeting forest resource needs and values of the present withoutcompromising the forest’s value for future generations.Threatened species – Any species likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future and designated in the FederalRegister or is State Listed.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation43

Timber stand improvement (TSI) – A thinning made in timber stands to improve the quality, composition, structure,condition, health, and growth of the remaining trees.Topographic relief – The three-dimensional quality of the surface of land, more specifically depicting the differencesbetween the lowest and highest elevations within an area or region. (The most-used example would be a topographic mapshowing contour intervals.)Topographic roughness – An index value obtained from the measure of a larger region divided by the measure of manysmall measuring surfaces.Travertine – A mineral consisting of a massive layered calcium carbonate formed by deposition from spring waters orespecially from hot springs.Tufa – A natural, calcareous deposit associated with springs, lakes, and groundwater.Understory – The area of the forest at the lowest height level below the forest canopy. Plants in the understory are a mix ofsaplings of canopy trees together with understory shrubs and trees. In the Ozarks, dogwoods, redbud, and bladdernut arerarely tall and are generally understory trees.Uneven-aged silvicultural system – The application of a combination of actions that results in the creation of stands inwhich trees are in at least three age classes. Managed uneven-aged forests are characterized by a distribution of age classesand tree sizes ranging from regeneration to mature trees on each acre throughout the forested area. Regeneration in aparticular stand is obtained throughout the harvest cycle and following a harvest and, in oak/hickory stands, is retained untila short time after complete canopy closure. Single-tree selection or small-group selection tree harvest methods produceuneven-aged stands.Vascular Plant – A plant having specialized tissue for circulating resources (water, minerals, and photosynthetic products)through the plant. These include ferns, club mosses, flowering plants, and conifers.Vegetative architecture – Stratified vegetation levels consisting of various canopy layers, understory layers, andgroundcover.Veneer – A thin slice of wood removed from a log. The thin slice is laminated onto a lower quality or more stable baseoften, but not necessarily, of the same species.Veneer tree – A large (usually more than 18 inches in diameter), knot-free, high-quality tree from which veneer logs areobtained.Volume – The amount of wood in a tree, stand of trees, or log expressed in some unit of measure, such as board feet, cubicfeet, etc.Watershed – An area of land with a single drainage network. A watershed may be very large, such as the Mississippi Riverwatershed, or smaller, such as the Blair Creek watershed. A watershed may or may not include a perennial stream. HolmesHollow in Shannon County is an example of a watershed without a perennial stream.Wetlands – Those areas inundated by surface or ground water often enough to support plants and other aquatic life thatrequire saturated or seasonally saturated soils for growth and reproduction. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes,bogs, and similar areas, such as sloughs, potholes, wet meadows, fens, river overflows, mud flats, and natural ponds.Woody debris – All woody material, from whatever source, dead and lying on the forest floor.Woodland – Generally defined as an area with less than 60% canopy cover.Working forest – That portion of a forest dedicated to the production of forest products.2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation44

2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation45

October 2012. Between 1996 and 2006, the staff of Pioneer Forest prepared an Annual Report to the Foundation for the Boardof Directors of the L-A-D Foundation. Beginning in 2007, this report was expanded to become the Annual Report of theL-A-D Foundation.Other publications and information about the Foundation or Pioneer Forest are available from the L-A-D Foundation, 705 OliveStreet, Suite 724, St. Louis, Missouri 63101 or from Pioneer Forest, P.O. Box 497, Salem, Missouri 65560. Information is alsoavailable at www.ladfoundation.org or at www.pioneerforest.org.This report has been printed on recycled paper2012 Annual Report of the L-A-D Foundation46