South Carolina Forestry Commission

It’s #PrescribedFireAwarenessMonth, and SCFC Fire Chief Darryl Jones is here to explain how this practice is used in South Carolina and the benefits it offers to our landscape. Learn more: scfc.gov/protection/pre… How to notify the SCFC about your prescribed burn: scfc.gov/protection/fir… Need professional prescribed burning on your property? Commission foresters are available to provide landowners with advice regarding prescribed burning, and for a fee, the Commission can construct firebreaks on your property, have equipment standing by during a burn or conduct the prescribed burn for the landowner. scfc.gov/management/lan…

@ValMaeAug The date for the Fall Arborist Workshop is Aug. 27-- maybe we'll see you there! treessc.org/events/

@ForestryCommish I wish I could attend.

REGISTER NOW: The Trees SC Spring Arborist Workshop is right around the corner! Join us for the one-day event that covers: -Native and Invasive Pests of Trees -Tree Fertilization -Spotted Lanternfly Management -Common Mistakes that Kill Trees -Choosing Hopeful Tree Species for the Future WHERE Irmo Municipal Building 7300 Woodrow St Irmo, SC 29063 WHEN Thursday, March 26, 2026 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CREDITS CEUs available: ISA, SAF, SC Pesticide, Planning and Zoning REGISTER #location" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">eventbrite.com/e/2026-spring-… *Lunch is included. **Reserve your seat today; this course is limited to 100 people.

Do you know about our local sawmill network? This map provides the people of South Carolina an opportunity to process/source wood locally. Find a sawmill nearest you and give them a call for your next project! scfc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/e… Learn more about the local sawmill network, mill directories and SC forest product maps: scfc.gov/development/ec… If you'd like to have your portable sawmill business added or changed on the map, please email sdanskin@scfc.gov.

Are you seeing pops of pink in your area thanks to this #TreeIDTuesday feature? The Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) is a popular ornamental tree found statewide. Flowers are pinkish-lavender and are among the first to bloom in spring. This species has heart-shaped leaves that turn yellow in the fall and have alternate arrangement. Flat, bean-like seed pods often stay on through the winter. Besides announcing the arrival of spring with its eye-catching flowers, this species: ✅ has several edible parts. The buds, flowers and fruit (seeds) can be eaten raw, pickled or cooked. Its small, green branches are even used as seasoning for wild game In parts of southern Appalachia, so this species is also called "spicewood." ✅ is a classic, reliable indicator that spring crappie fishing is starting, signaling that fish are moving from deeper water into creeks and shallow areas to spawn. ✅ has roots and bark that were used before modern medicine to treat a variety of illnesses. Native Americans treated whooping cough with a tea made from the boiled bark of the Eastern redbud, and dysentery was even treated with an extract made from the bark. ✅ tolerates fire and deer. ✅ has a deep taproot that allows the Eastern redbud to withstand storm, ice and wind damage. Want to learn more about this species and other native SC forest trees? Get our SCFC Tree ID Book: bit.ly/TreeIDBook

Want to learn more about prescribed burning right from your home? Check out this great online resource from the Extension Foundation! ⬇️⁠ ⁠ "The Introduction to Southeastern Prescribed Fire course is designed to introduce students to the fundamental basics of prescribed burning in Southeastern forested ecosystems. ⁠ ⁠ At the end of the course the student should have a working knowledge of fire law, fire terminology, fire prescriptions, fire safety, firebreaks, smoke management and a basic understanding of how to conduct a prescribed burn."⁠ ⁠ Course link: campus.extension.org/enrol/index.ph… ⁠ *This course is not intended to take the place of state certification courses, workshops or experience in the field. Rather, it is intended to give students a basic understanding of the principles of prescribed fire and fire effects. #PrescribedFireAwarenessMonth

It's Women's History Month, and today's #ThrowbackThursday is in honor of our agency's fire tower operators! The first Forestry Commission fire tower was erected in August 1930, but from the 1960s on, most South Carolina tower operators were women; frequently their husbands were employed as firefighters. In many cases, the tower became a family tradition, with adult children succeeding their parents as tower operators. Most tower sites consisted of 10 acres of land, the tower, and a year-round dwelling for the operator. The size of the property allowed tower operators to grow their own vegetables and feed for their domestic livestock. In the early days, most tower families had a milk cow, chickens, and raised a few hogs for their own use. The tower operator’s hours in the tower cab depended on the fire danger. If it was raining, they didn’t go up at all; if danger was low, they might make a short check in the morning and afternoon; when danger was high, they might spend as much as ten hours per day in the cab. When a smoke was spotted, each of two towers would record its direction using a large compass table and a sighting device called an alidade. The fire was located at the spot where these readings crossed when plotted on a map. Towers were not routinely manned at night. During moderate to high danger, operators were required to make a “night check”, climbing the tower after dark to check for glows. Towers were the public’s fire reporting contact point and served as the communications link for firefighters in the field. The Forestry Commission closed its fire tower system on October 1, 1993. Photos: 1. Marjorie Ward, Earle Tower, 1968 2. Lila Robinson, Cross Tower 3. Betty Dennis, Cook Tower, 1971 4. Betty Jo Mixon, New Zion Tower, 1970 Learn more: scfc.gov/about-us/histo…

Congratulations to SCFC Asst. Fire Chief Ben Kendall who graduated from the Palmetto Leadership Program for the Environment, Agriculture and Forestry (PLEAF) program Tuesday. The two-year intensive academic, experiential learning and networking curriculum facilitates personal and professional growth and success while sharpening character and leadership skills. PLEAF is housed and directed by Clemson University's College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences (CAFLS) and the Cooperative Extension Service, along with key program-related cooperating partners. Kendall is the fifth person from the SCFC to complete the program. Pictured first is Kendall (left) and PLEAF director Dr. Kirby Player. The second photo shows a group gift Kendall coordinated to present to Dr. Smart. Photos courtesy of Katie Black, Clemson University. Learn more about the program: clemson.edu/cafls/palmetto…

This #TreeIDTuesday species is in bloom now! Serviceberry has it all. It... ✅ is native to SC ✅ has pretty flowers ✅ offers delicious fruit ✅ and has some hilarious common names (Chuckle-berry or Chuckley Pear, anyone??) Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) has showy white flowers, each with five narrow petals. This species is an early spring bloomer with flowers emerging before leaves. The fruit is berry-like, edible and ranges from dark red to purple. Serviceberry is also commonly called Juneberry as fruit matures in the summer. This shade tolerant species can grow up to 50' tall and can be found in the Piedmont and mountains, along with a variety of sites from dry hillsides and ridges to sandy loam riverbanks. Want to learn more about this species and other native SC forest trees? Get our SCFC Tree ID Book: bit.ly/TreeIDBook

The first Bradford Pear Bounty event of 2026 was a success!⁠ More than 95 trees were given away to residents who removed a Bradford Pear or Tree of Heaven from their property in exchange for a native tree at the Mount Pleasant event Feb. 28. ⁠ ⁠ Forest Health Coordinator David Jenkins and Invasive Species Coordinator Katie Biggert helped residents choose the "Right Tree, Right Place" out of the available species: rusty blackhaw, possumhaw, southern red oak, dahoon holly, post oak, American elm, baldcypress, winged elm, sugarberry and black cherry. Residents also learned about the Asian Longhorned Beetle quarantine zones in Charleston County. Fun giveaways and questions were also answered by Berkeley Electric and the SC Native Plant Society's Lowcountry Chapter. ⁠ ⁠ Are you closer to the Midlands or Upstate? You still have time to cut down your trees and register for one of the next Bradford Pear Bounty events!⁠ ⁠ COLUMBIA⁠ Saturday, March 14, 2026 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at 2404 Main St, Columbia (formerly Pelican's Snoballs)⁠ ⁠ GREENVILLE⁠ Saturday, March 28, 2026 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Conestee Park, 840 Mauldin Rd, Greenville⁠ ⁠ REPLACEMENT TREES:⁠ clemson.edu/extension/brad…⁠ ⁠ REGISTER and learn more: clemson.edu/extension/brad…⁠ ⁠ *Even if you do not live in Columbia or Greenville, you are welcome to take part in an event so long as you are willing to travel and register in advance.⁠ **Event locations vary per year.

The SC Forestry Commission conducted a 40+ acre prescribed burn for Historic Camden Foundation at the Historic Camden Battlefield and Longleaf Pine Preserve last month. The primary goal of the controlled burn was to remove accumulated hazardous fuels, but another important goal was to restore the landscape to resemble what troops would have seen Aug. 16, 1780 at the Battle of Camden. “As a forest landowner, we know that prescribed fire is an effective tool to reduce fuel loads and protect the integrity of this hallowed ground,” said Stacey Ferguson, deputy director, Historic Camden Foundation. “Historical journal accounts tell us that this site would have consisted of towering longleaf pines and an open understory. Partnering with the South Carolina Forestry Commission, we are working to return it to that condition and create an immersive experience for battlefield visitors.” Prescribed, or controlled, burning is the skilled application of fire under planned weather and fuel conditions to achieve specific forest and land management objectives. The practice has many benefits, including: -Reducing the amount of wildfire fuels -Eliminating vegetative competition -Improving wildlife habitat -Reducing the spread of pest insects and diseases Prescribed burning cannot stop all wildfires, but it is the best management tool available for preventing larger and more frequent outbreaks. Approximately 500,000 acres are prescribed-burned every year in South Carolina by land managers who understand the appropriate weather conditions, fuel loads and atmospheric conditions for conducting such burns. Learn more: scfc.gov/protection/pre… #PrescribedFireAwarenessMonth

See how EASY it is to submit an online notification for your upcoming yard debris burn! 1. Visit scfc.gov/notify OR open the SCFC app and select 'notify' 2. Enter your county and take note of the day's fire danger level 3. Type in your address and contact info 4. Agree to the terms and follow proper precautions during your debris burn! Remember, you're LEGALLY REQUIRED to notify the SC Forestry Commission BEFORE your outdoor debris burn. Plus, you must follow the proper precautions. Need to review the precautions? Visit scfc.gov/protection and select "Fire and Burning."

REGISTER NOW: Join us this Friday for a resilient forestry planning workshop. This course aims to boost understanding of how to implement adaptive approaches that support ecological health, economic viability and long-term forest sustainability in South Carolina. ⁠ ⁠ WHEN: Friday, March 6, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.⁠ ⁠ WHERE: Harbison Environmental Education Center⁠ 5600 Broad River Rd, Columbia, SC⁠ ⁠ CREDITS: 5.5 SAF CFE Cat 1 credits for professionals ⁠ AGENDA:⁠ -Forest Stewardship Issues in South Carolina - Chisolm Beckham, SCFC⁠ -Southern Forestry in Transition: Are We Clear on Next⁠ Steps? - Puskar Khanal, Clemson University⁠ -Forest Carbon Credits: Lifeline or Mirage? - Curtis Lee VanderSchaaf, Mississippi State University⁠ -Managing Forest Risk & Vulnerabilities - Michelle Thompson,Clemson University⁠ -Forest Resilience & Adaptation - David Clabo, University of Georgia⁠ ⁠ REGISTER: forms.office.com/pages/response… *Lunch and snacks provided with registration⁠ ⁠ CONTACT: Puskar Khanal⁠ pkhanal@clemson.edu⁠ 864-656-3079⁠

DID YOU KNOW: The classification of your forest ownership affects your applicable tax rates, the deductions you can claim and filing requirements. Your forest property generally falls into one of three categories: 1. Personal use or hobby. You own the property primarily for personal use, enjoyment, or hobby, rather than to earn money. 2. Investment. You intend to make a profit from the property either from timber income or asset appreciation (profit motive); however, your activities and involvement do not rise to the level of a trade or business. 3. Trade or business. You have a profit motive, and your forestry activities are conducted in a business-like manner. Your involvement in the business may be material participation or passive (determined annually). Material participation implies regular, continuous, and substantial involvement and typically results in greater tax deductions and faster cost recovery. Losses from passive activities can only offset passive income. Read more Tax Tips for Forest Landowners (2025 Tax Year): fs.usda.gov/land/taxtips.p…

This morning the Forestry Commission hosted the SC Wildfire Response Arsenal Showcase at Jim Hamilton-LB Owens Airport in Columbia, bringing together partners, legislators and dignitaries to celebrate a historic milestone. With the recent purchase of 11 additional enclosed-cab dozers, 100% of the agency’s frontline firefighting bulldozers are enclosed-cab units within their 15-year safe service life. Enclosed-cab bulldozers provide much greater protection to the firefighters from exposure to heat, smoke, limbs and debris and increase the likelihood of survival if the unit were to become trapped and a burnover occurred. Along with commemorating that milestone, the event was held to showcase the variety of equipment used to fight wildfires in South Carolina and highlight the strong partnership between the Forestry Commission and its many cooperating partners, including Owens Field. Among the Forestry Commission’s arsenal of firefighting resources on display were a Caterpillar D2 enclosed-cab dozer, a Caterpillar D5 enclosed-cab dozer, two AT-802 Fire Boss single-engine air tankers, a Type 6 engine, a Cessna 182, a Cessna 206, a water-tending firetrack, an International transport, a Can-Am utility vehicle and an SC National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk.

Governor proclaims March Prescribed Fire Awareness Month COLUMBIA - Gov. Henry McMaster has proclaimed March 2026 Prescribed Fire Awareness Month in South Carolina. A coalition of state, federal and non-governmental land management organizations under the umbrella of the South Carolina Prescribed Fire Council requested the proclamation to raise awareness of the essential role that fire plays in both the stewardship of our natural resources and the protection of lives and property. Prescribed, or controlled, burning is the skilled application of fire under planned weather and fuel conditions to achieve specific forest and land management objectives. Controlled burning is an ancient practice, notably used by Native Americans for crop management, insect and pest control, and hunting habitat improvement, among other purposes. The practice continues today under the direction of land managers who understand the appropriate weather conditions, fuel loads and atmospheric conditions for conducting such burns. These carefully applied fires are an important tool to reduce wildfires, enhance wildlife habitat, and keep the nearly 13 million acres of forested land in South Carolina healthy and productive. Read the full release: scfc.gov/wp-content/upl…

#NationalInvasiveSpeciesAwarenessWeek wouldn't be complete without some ideas for alterNATIVEs to plant! These species will keep your yard beautiful and the planet healthy!⁠ ⁠ Instead of Callery pear (or any of the varieties such as Bradford or Cleveland), plant serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea). Its flowers provide early nectar for a number of pollinators and the fruit is eaten by bluebirds, orioles, yellow-shafted flickers, scarlet tanagers, and various other birds. Humans also enjoy the fruit!⁠ ⁠ Instead of Chinese, European or Japanese privet, plant mapleleaf viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium). This native shrub grows in shade or partial sun and compliments yards with a dense canopy and a layer of understory trees. The fruits provide food for lots of wildlife, including wild turkey, bluebirds, cardinals, crested flycatchers, brown thrashers, hermit thrushes, cedar waxwings, pileated woodpeackers and white-tailed deer. Flowers and immature fruit provide food for the caterpillar of Henry’s elfin butterfly.⁠ ⁠ Instead of Ailanthus, plant scarlet buckeye (Aesculus pavia). Hummingbirds and bees visit the flowers, and the nuts are spread by squirrels.⁠ ⁠ Instead of Japanese honeysuckle, plant our native coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens). It can be trained on an arbor or a fence. Hummingbirds enjoy the long, tubular flowers, but bees and butterflies also visit these flowers. The fruits are eaten by quail, purple finches, goldfinches, hermit thrushes and robins. The caterpillar of the spring azure butterfly feeds on the foliage of this vine.⁠ ⁠ LEARN MORE: scfc.gov/wp-content/upl…