ACES - Forestry, Wildlife, & Natural Resources

ACES - Forestry, Wildlife, & Natural Resources We provide Alabamians with information needed to wisely & effectively manage their natural resources

🌱 Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) Autumn olive is a deciduous, often multistemmed shrub that can reach heights of up ...
09/06/2026

🌱 Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)

Autumn olive is a deciduous, often multistemmed shrub that can reach heights of up to 20 feet, sometimes giving it the appearance of a small tree.

Leaves are a key identification feature of this plant: the upper side is typically bright green to light gray-green, while the underside is a striking silver color due to fine silver scales.

Leaves are alternate, usually 2–3 inches long and 1 inch wide, with wavy margins.

Pastel yellow, tubular flowers appear in early spring in clusters near the stem. Small, round fruit, overall red in color but covered in fine silver or brown scales, matures from summer through early fall.

This species causes major issues in natural areas, parks, and managed forests where it can form dense thickets.

Introduced in the mid-1800s for ornamental landscaping, wildlife plantings, and erosion control, autumn olive produces fruit that is heavily consumed by birds, which has driven its rapid spread. Heavy infestations are established in the northeastern U.S., with continued spread expected across the northern half of Alabama—particularly in the northeast region. Learn more about control options through the Alabama Forestry Commission: https://www.forestry.alabama.gov/Pages/Informational/Invasive/Autumn_Olive.aspx

🌿 Join the 2026 Year of Alabama Invasive Plants Project to raise awareness, improve identification skills, and take action against invasive species. Visit the ACES Year of Alabama Invasive Plants Project to learn more and take the pledge.

Hiring a contractor to plant trees on your land? Having a clear, written tree planting contract protects your investment...
09/03/2026

Hiring a contractor to plant trees on your land? Having a clear, written tree planting contract protects your investment and ensures the job is done right. 🌲
A well-written contract should outline essential details including planting specifications, seedling handling requirements, payment terms, and performance standards. Establishing these expectations before planting season begins helps prevent costly mistakes and set your future forest up for success.Read our full guide to learn key considerations and common FAQs about tree planting contracts: https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/forestry/tree-planting-contracts-for-landowners-faqs/

Chainsaws are powerful tools that require proper operation and routine maintenance to ensure user safety and extend equi...
09/02/2026

Chainsaws are powerful tools that require proper operation and routine maintenance to ensure user safety and extend equipment life. 🪚

Understanding key built-in safety features—such as the chain brake, front hand guard, chain catcher, and throttle trigger interlock—is critical before starting any cutting job. Regular maintenance, including inspecting chain tension, sharpening cutters, cleaning air filters, and ensuring proper bar oil lubrication, keeps your saw running safely and efficiently.

Read the full article to learn more about chainsaw safety features and maintenance practices: https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/forestry/chainsaw-safety-safety-features-and-maintenance/

Looking to add deer-tolerant native plants to your yard? Test your plant knowledge! 🌸🌾How many of these 4 Alabama native...
09/01/2026

Looking to add deer-tolerant native plants to your yard? Test your plant knowledge! 🌸🌾

How many of these 4 Alabama native species can you identify?

Drop your guesses in the comments below! 👇

We are so excited to get back in the classroom at Auburn University! 🦅🐾"Being such a large course and having many first ...
08/31/2026

We are so excited to get back in the classroom at Auburn University! 🦅🐾

"Being such a large course and having many first year and second year students, I love getting to teach students who are new to the university and excited to learn. Sometimes I'm one of their first wildlife professors. It's particularly rewarding getting to know students in class who I have then gone on to mentor and watch them grow as wildlife students during their time at Auburn." – Dr. Anderson, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist.

In addition to WILD 2050 (Wildlife Conservation History and Law), Dr. Anderson is also teaching Human-Wildlife Conflicts (WILD 6410/5410)—an online, asynchronous course offered to both graduate and undergraduate students.

Learn more about wildlife conservation in Alabama: https://www.aces.edu/blog/tag/wildlife-conservation/

Alligatorw**d (Alternanthera philoxeroides) is an important non-native invasive species to know in Alabama because of th...
08/30/2026

Alligatorw**d (Alternanthera philoxeroides) is an important non-native invasive species to know in Alabama because of the vast array of water resources that we use for consumption, recreation, agriculture, and industry.

This species can be found across the state and can be rooted in consistently moist soil as well as drier terrestrial environments, causing issues in streams, recreational ponds, and terrestrial landscapes such as food plots.

In aquatic settings, this plant can form dense, sprawling mats that hinder navigation, disrupt aquatic habitats, deter recreation such as boating, fishing, and swimming, and can harbor mosquitos.

To identify this plant, look for the opposite leaf arrangement with elliptical to lanceolated shaped leaves. Stems are hollow and can grow up to 3 feet long.

In the summer months, the plant produces a small and papery, clover-like flower head that emerges on a stalk 0.5 - 3 inches long (comparatively long to other look-alikes) at the leaf axils.

Alligatorw**d is listed as a class C noxious w**d in Alabama and is on several other state's invasive plant lists. With Alabama's rich and unique aquatic diversity, it is important to keep a lookout for this species and control it early, however it is critical to keep in mind that the plant can spread via stem fragments so attempts to cut or pull plants may lead to further spread. Chemical control options can be an ideal treatment method in many situations. For control options, read more here: https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/alligator-w**d-alternanthera-philoxeroides

Also remember to inspect and clean your equipment before leaving the water to prevent the spread of these plants to new waterbodies.

🌿 There's still plenty of time to join the 2026 Year of Alabama Invasive Plants Project to raise awareness, improve identification skills, and take action against invasive species. Visit the ACES Year of Alabama Invasive Plants Project to learn more and take the pledge.

08/29/2026

Alabama is home to a number of walking stick species. Two-striped walking sticks like these can be fairly abundant in good habitat. They feed on a wide range of plants but rarely at damaging levels.

Males and females remain attached for much of the late summer, which has earned them common names like "devil rider" and "musk mare", when paired with their ability to spray defensive chemicals at predators.

Make plans to attend the Partners in Conservation Awards Luncheon at the Alabama Nature Center on October 9!
08/28/2026

Make plans to attend the Partners in Conservation Awards Luncheon at the Alabama Nature Center on October 9!

Calling all timber owners, forestry enthusiasts, and landowners in Barbour County! 🌲 Path to better land management star...
08/28/2026

Calling all timber owners, forestry enthusiasts, and landowners in Barbour County! 🌲 Path to better land management starts with good planning. Join us for the upcoming Barbour County Forestry Landowner Planning Committee Meeting to connect with local extension resources and fellow land managers.

Whether you own forestland or simply want to learn more about local forestry education initiatives, this session is open to anyone interested in supporting our local forest resources.

📅 Date: September 11, 2026
⏰ Time: 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM
📍 Location: Barbour County Extension Office

🔗 Secure your spot and register here: https://au-academics.my.salesforce-sites.com/pmtx/evt__SiteEventDetail?id=a1RUg0000020JxZ

Are you taking the guesswork out of your pruning practices? Join us for our upcoming City Forests Webinar: Stop Pruning ...
08/27/2026

Are you taking the guesswork out of your pruning practices? Join us for our upcoming City Forests Webinar: Stop Pruning Malpractice with a Prescription!

In this session, Kristoffer Rasmussen—Florida Chapter Prescription Pruning Qualification Coordinator, CTSP, TCIA Qualified Trainer, Accreditation Auditor, and ISA Urban Forest Professional—will dive into ANSI A300–2023 pruning standards and how to build objective-based work specifications that elevate tree care.

Whether you are managing young trees or structural loads in mature trees, learn how precise specifications, Best Management Practices (BMPs), and the Prescription Pruning Qualification (PPQ) framework improve communication with clients and production crews while raising overall industry accountability.

Event Details:
📅 Date: September 24
⏰ Time: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM CST
💻 Location: Online via Zoom
🎓 Continuing Education: Available CEUs for ISA Certified Arborists

Who Should Attend:
Arborists, municipal staff, tree care managers, and forestry consultants.

What You Will Learn:
You will discover how to specify exactly which branches need to be pruned, determine the appropriate number and maximum size of cuts, identify exact cut locations for clear crew and client communication, apply prescription-driven processes to both young and mature trees, and support better long-term tree structure and stewardship.

Ready to upgrade your tree care specifications?

🔗 Register here: https://auburn.zoom.us/meeting/register/cv150Q39T7K70tJv6m-OPg

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602 Duncan Drive, Forestry, Wildlife & Environment Building, Auburn University
Auburn, AL
36849

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