Temple-Inland lifts one billionth seedling
By SHARON KERR

Temple-Inland lifted the one billionth seedling from the super-tree nursery in Jasper County at a special ceremony Friday, Feb. 9.

Jim Brody, vice president of the forest products division, said if all the one billion one-foot-tall seedlings were laid end to end, they would reach more than 189,000 miles, 90 times across the United States or enough to wrap the entire earth seven and half times.

More to the point, Jasper County extension agent Ricky Thompson said timber brought to mills in Jasper is a $59 million dollar industry, and that doesn't begin to count manufactured wood products like telephone poles, railroad ties, and oriented strand board.

That green in those 100+ acres of the Clyde Thompson nursery planted in loblolly and slash pine are literally the color of money for East Texas.

Jim Tule has been manager of the nursery almost since its beginning in 1989. The Thompson unit replaced the Stillman nursery in Newton, which began in 1957.

Tule said they plant super-trees. The seed is selected from genetically improved stock for better growth, form and disease resistance. Super-trees result in a 30 per cent productivity increase in volume per acre.

The Jasper facility produced 37 million seedlings last year. Temple-Inland utilizes 75 per cent to replant its 1.6 million acres of forest land. The remaining 25 percent of the seedlings are donated to landowners and conservation groups or sold. Seedlings are shipped all over Texas and Louisiana.

Temple-Inland celebrated the occasion of the one billionth seedling and 50 years of reforestation with lunch, speeches, and recognition of long-time employees like Tim Stewart, who has been with the nursery and Temple-Inland 34 years.

In his opening remarks, Brody noted that Temple-Inland's roots go back to 1893, to one sawmill in Diboll that belonged to the Temple family.

"Others followed a 'cut out and get out' strategy," Brody said, "But with Temple the difference has been that sustainability is the foundation of our corporation."

Brody noted that of hundreds of sawmills and companies from that era, only Temple remains.

After the meal, six dozen people hiked out to a marked plot where Tule, Brody and Stewart jointly stuck a shovel into the soft grey loam to gently lift number one billion.

"We're growing the best forest in the world," Brody said.