Map of ACF

Description
The Austin Cary Memorial Forest (ACMF) is administered under the direction of the School of Forest Resources and Conservation in the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The 2,040 acre forest, a typical north Florida pine flatwoods ecosystem, was acquired in the 1930’s to meet accreditation requirements of the Society of American Foresters. Before the acquisition, the property had been extensively logged by the early 1900s, with turpentine operations on many of the residual trees. Most of the forest regenerated naturally in the 1920s and 1930s. Management of the forest today recognizes its unique composition of old stands mixed with pine plantations and strives to optimize the multiple use value of this resource. By broad forest types, the ACMF has approximately 800 acres of planted pine, primarily slash pine, 900 acres of 60-80-year-old naturally regenerated pine (predominately longleaf), 35 acres of bottomland hardwood, 265 acres of cypress ponds and cypress or hardwood drains, and 40 acres of non-timbered, special use areas.

Three primary uses of the ACMF are: 1) resident and continuing education (including many SFRC undergraduate classes), 2) extension and demonstration, and 3) research. The ACMF is managed primarily to teach and demonstrate forest ecosystem structure and function and the potential of a variety of sustainable land management principles and practices. A mosaic of stand conditions is requisite for reaching these objectives. Long term management of the forest focuses on maintaining this mosaic, which includes various regeneration systems in the natural stands (uneven-aged, shelterwood and seed tree, with 50+ year cycles), plantations at various stages of 30-year rotations, and both plantation and natural stands with minimal management intervention. Sustainability of the management system was recently recognized by certification under the Forest Stewardship Program and the American Tree Farm System. The ACMF is also a licensee under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative and certifications are pending for the SFI and Forest Stewardship Council programs.

In addition to the three primary uses, ACMF has a marvelous public use and education complex at Lake Mize that features the conference center, education building, picnic area, a tree walk and wetlands restoration area, and a number of other educational trails and kiosks. The complex is available and used for functions ranging from classes to weddings. Arrange-ments for using the facilities are handled through the SFRC Director’s Office (phone 846-0850).

Research Use
The ACMF has a long history of diverse research and demonstration projects. Many of the completed as well as ongoing studies have provided information to support current and potential forest management practices in the Southeast. Other research projects have represented regional installations in a national network such as an acidic deposition study in the 1990s and a current installation focusing on carbon exchange in different North American ecosystems. One of the earliest, and still active, installations is the wood preservation study site, a long-term cooperative among both public and private organizations.

As an example of the diversity of projects, other current research at ACMF includes:
1) Termite control methods (managed by the University of South Florida);
2) Cypress regeneration (part of a statewide study);
3) Clone banks for key longleaf pine genotypes;
4) Ground water hydrology related to stand treatments and development; and
5) Control methods for reducing fire risks in understory shrub vegetation.

In addition to designed research studies, other sites have been established to demonstrate various management practices or for long term monitoring purposes. Current examples include:
1) Agroforestry (non-timber forest products);
2) Lake Mize LakeWatch (part of a statewide network to monitor water quality);
3) Uneven-age management of longleaf pine;
4) Site preparation x species x genetic source (a comparison of 1970s, 1980s and current plantation management systems);
5) Hatchet Creek water level monitoring (maintained by USGS);
6) Opportunities for regenerating high value hardwoods; and
7) Effects of different prescribed fire regimes on understory development.

New faculty and graduate research projects are welcome. Procedures for initiating a new project are described on the SFRC/ACMF website: http://sfrc.ifas.ufl.edu/facilities.html.

Administration
The ACMF operates under a management plan reviewed by both state agencies and certifying organizations, which requires regular monitoring and plan revision. Graduate students and faculty with an interest in such management protocols are invited to participate in the planning and monitoring process by contacting the ACMF forester or committee.