The New York
Forest Owner A Publication of The New York Forest Owners Association For people who care about New York’s trees and forests
September/October 2008
Member Profile: Anne and Fred Osborn Volume 46 Number 5
www.nyfoa.org
The New York Forest Owners Association
In This Issue . . . From the Executive Director
Mary Jeanne Packer..................................................................................... 3
Officers & Directors
Members Voices
Dan Cleveland, President 682 Federal Road Erin, NY 14838; (607) 732-7884
Ask A Professional
Mike Seager, Vice President PO Box 1281 Pittsford, NY 14535; (585) 414-6511 John Sullivan, Secretary 179 Ben Culver Rd Chestertown, NY 12817; (518) 494-3292 Steve Teuscher, Treasurer 1392 Lillibridge Rd Portville, NY 14770; (716) 499-6286 Peter Smallidge, Chair Editorial Committee and Ex-Officio Board Member Cornell University, Fernow Hall Ithaca, NY 14853; (607) 592 3640 2009 Harry Dieter, Honeoye Falls, (585) 533-2085 Steve Teuscher, Portville, (716) 933-0370 Alan White, Halcott Center, (845) 254-6031 Frank Winkler, Andes, (845)676-4825 2010 Renee Bouplon, Cambridge, (518) 929-7832 René Germain, Syracuse, (315) 687-6217 Christopher Tcimpidis, Livingston Manor, (845) 439-3989 Neil Walker, Allegany, (716) 375-5233 2011 Dan Cleveland, Erin, (607) 732-7884 Gene Reinshagen, Painted Post, (607) 738-2999 Marilyn Wyman, Middleburgh, (845) 439-3989 Ed Neuhauser, Groton, (607) 898-3614
Chapter-Designated Directors
Robert Greenman....................................................................................... 5
Peter Smallidge. ........................................................................................ 6
New York State Tree Farm News
Erin O’Neill .............................................................................................. 8
Kid’s Corner
Rebecca Hargrave .................................................................................... 9
Wild Things in Your Woodlands
Kevin Mathers............................................................................................ 10
NYFOA Safety Tip..................................................................................... 11 Managed Forests Solutions to Climate Change
Robert Malmshemer, et al. ...................................................................... 12
Timber Theft and How to Prevent It Hugh Canham & Ron Pedersen .............................................................. 14 Calendar Items............................................................................................ 15 Take Forest Planning One Step Further Susan Lacy................................................................................................... 16 Some Interesting Experiences with Trees
Dr. Kenvyn B. Richards............................................................................ 18
Member Profile – Anne and Fred Osborn
Alexandra Silva. .......................................................................................... 21
Dick Patton, Allegheny Foothills; (716) 761-6333 Mike Birmingham, Capital District; (518) 758-2621 Rich Taber, Central New York; (315) 837-4265 Anne Osborn, Lower Hudson; (845) 424-3683 Bill LaPoint, Northern Adirondack; (315) 353-6663 Bob Preston, Niagara Frontier; (716) 632-5862 John Sullivan, Southern Adirondack; (518) 494-3292 Vacant, Southern Tier; Dick Harrington, Southern Finger Lakes; (607) 657-4480 Mike Seager, Western Finger Lakes; (585) 414-6511 Mary Jeanne Packer, Executive Director PO Box 210, 124 E. 4th Street Watkins Glen, NY 14891; (607) 535-9790 mjpacker@nyfoa.org Liana Gooding, Office Administrator P.O. Box 541 Lima, N.Y 14485; (800) 836-3566 lgooding@nyfoa.org
All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced without prior written permission from the publisher. NYFOA does not necessarily support or approve procedures, products, or opinions presented by authors or advertisers. NYFOA reserves the right to accept or reject any advertisement submitted for NYFOA’s publications. However, NYFOA is not able to investigate or verify claims made in advertisements appearing in NYFOA’s publications. The appearance of advertising in NYFOA’s publications in no way implies endorsement or approval by NYFOA of any advertising claims or of the advertiser, its product, or services.
Volume 46, Number 5 The New York Forest Owner is a bi-monthly publication of The New York Forest Owners Association, P.O. Box 541, Lima, N.Y 14485. Materials submitted for publication should be sent to: Mary Beth Malmsheimer, Editor, The New York Forest Owner, 134 Lincklaen Street, Cazenovia, New York 13035. Materials may also be e-mailed to mmalmshe@syr. edu. Articles, artwork and photos are invited and if requested, are returned after use. The deadline for submission for the November/December issue is October 1, 2008.
Please address all membership fees and change of address requests to P.O. Box 541, Lima, N.Y. 14485. 1-800-836-3566. Cost of family membership/subscription is $35.
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Cover:
Anne and Fred Osborn on their New York property in Garrison, NY. For member profile, turn to page 21. Photo courtesy of the Osborns.
© 2008 New York Forest Owners Association
The New York Forest Owner 46:5 • September/October 2008
From The
T
Executive Director
his is a very special edition of The Forest Owner. For the first time, we have a press run of well over 3,000! Complimentary copies of the magazine are being distributed to all NYS Tree Farmers, in hopes that they will become a part of our association if they aren’t already. These are exciting times for Tree Farmers, as they join some of the world’s largest and most respected companies among the ranks of “Green Certified” timber growers. Certification has been a growing movement since its beginnings in the early 1990s, and certified timberlands are beginning to reap the financial rewards and satisfactions for their efforts. The rewards of certification also place an added responsibility on Tree Farmers’ shoulders - to manage their forest properties wisely, to plan carefully, and to take advantage of the latest and best techniques for improving their woodlands. Joining NYFOA can help support Tree Farmers in their efforts by giving them with access to information on funding and technical assistance opportunities, and by connecting them with a regional and state-wide network of private woodland owners and managers just like them. I had the opportunity to spend some time with a group of Master Forest Owner (MFO) volunteers at their refresher session at Arnot Forest in July. See photo next page. I am constantly impressed by the dedication and enthusiasm that these and other MFOs bring to their role as forest assistance volunteers. They provide a tremendous service in reaching out to owners of forest land across New York State.
Now that the new Farm Bill has been enacted, the next step will be to help assure that it is well-funded and that forestry activities receive a fair share of that funding. Farm Bill programs are expected to provide some of the economic incentives needed to manage forest lands for carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat, and enhanced water
Please share this magazine with a neighbor and urge them to join NYFOA. By gaining more members, NYFOA’s voice will become stronger! quality. I am pleased to have been invited to serve on the USDA NRCS State Technical Committee by the State Conservationist. This committee is responsible for providing input and making recommendations to the State Conservationist to consider when he makes decisions about how Farm Bill funds will be expended in NYS. We have had an overwhelming response from members on the draft NYFOA position on high grading and diameter limit cutting. In part, the proposed NYFOA policy is “woodlots should be managed for long term sustainability and to maintain the wide array of benefits they can produce. High grading and diameter limit cutting diminish the availability of many important future forest benefits.” If you haven’t weighed in yet, there’s still time. The NYFOA Policy Committee would like to hear from you before October 15; and expects to present their recommendations to the full NYFOA board for action at their November 1 meeting. –Mary Jeanne Packer Executive Director
The mission of the New York Forest Owners Association (NYFOA) is to promote sustainable forestry practices and improved stewardship on privately owned woodlands in New York State. NYFOA is a not-for-profit group of people who care about NYS’s trees and forests and are interested in the thoughtful management of private forests for the benefit of current and future generations.
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Join!
NYFOA is a not-forprofit group promoting stewardship of private forests for the benefit of current and future generations. Through local chapters and statewide activities, NYFOA helps woodland owners to become responsible stewards and interested publics to appreciate the importance of New York’s forests. Join NYFOA today and begin to receive its many benefits including: six issues of The New York Forest Owner, woodswalks, chapter meetings, and statewide meetings. ( ) I/We own ______acres of woodland. ( ) I/We do not own woodland but support the Association’s objectives. Name: _ _______________________ Address: _______________________ City: __________________________ State/ Zip: _____________________ Telephone: _____________________ Email: _______________________ County of Residence: ____________ County of Woodlot: _ ____________ Referred by: ____________________ Regular Annual Dues: ( ) Student $10 (Please provide copy of student ID)
( ) Individual $30 ( ) Family $35 Multi-Year Dues: ( ) Individual 2-yr $55 3-yr $80 ( ) Family 2-yr $65 3-yr $95 Additional Contribution: ( ) Supporter $1-$49 ( ) Contributor $50-$99 ( ) Sponsor $100-$249 ( ) Benefactor $250-$499 ( ) Steward $500 or more ( ) Subscription to Northern Woodlands $15 (4 issues) NYFOA is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) taxexempt organization and as such your contribution my be tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Form of Payment: Check Credit Card Credit Card No. __________________________________ Expiration Date ____________________ Signature: _________________________ Make check payable to NYFOA. Send the completed form to: NYFOA P.O. Box 541, Lima, New York 14485 1-800-836-3566 www.nyfoa.org
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North Country Forestry LLC
Back row: A group of Master Forest Owner volunteers attending the July MFO refresher with MFO Coordinator Gary Goff (second from r.) at Arnot Forest, pause for a photo with (front row) Cornell forestry summer interns and Mary Jeanne Packer, NYFOA Executive Director. The MFOs took part in a discussion with NYS-DEC representatives who presented details of their new initiative that NYFOA and the MFOs will be supporting to help landowners protect and enhance habitats that are important to NYS’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need.
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The New York Forest Owner 46:5 • September/October 2008
Members Voices Plans for the Future Robert Greenman Editors Note: This story was shared by MFO and NYFOA member, Bob Greenman at the July MFO Update at Arnot Forest. Your are a land owner! You are a tree farmer! You enjoy all that surrounds nature, plant life and animals. Yes! Read on. What are your plans for the future? You say you have a managment plan and that is a positive step. What about long term stewardship of your property? Who will follow through on your carefully thought out plans? During the last annual American Tree Farm meeting in Madison, Wisconsin, a seminar discussed this problem of longevity. The essence of the presentation was to gather your entire family and visit the property. Physically locate the boundaries, measure some tress, identify both trees and plants as well as observe animal life. Involve sons, daughters and grandchildren. Stimulate
them to appreciate all the aspects of the land that means so much to you. Next, bring together future owners. Review the specifics of your management plan. Introduct your adivsors, DEC, forest manager and other trusted friends. Involve them in any current actions — planting, herbicide applications or other timber stand improvments which you have planned. These steps are not only fun but very rewarding. I can testify to them since I have just followed these steps with my family. Eighteen in all visited the property. Young and old walked, talked, measured, identified and became familiar with the property. Plans are laid for my four sons, the new owners, to become involved. Discussions on return visits are under way and what they can do. You love your property and these simple steps will assur you that your legacy will be carried on.
NYFOA STORE Show your support for the Association! All items display the NYFOA logo. 1. Sweatshirt………………….....$20.00 Green M, L, XL Grey M, L, XL 2. Long Sleeve T-Shirt………...$14.00 Green M, L, XL Grey M, L, XL 3. Short Sleeve T-Shirt………...$10.00 Green M, L, XL Grey M, L, XL All shirts are heavy weight cotton with white lettering on the green and green lettering on the grey. 4. Baseball Style Cap………..…$14.00 Tan/Green Brim, one size 5. NYFOA Member Sign…….…$ 2.00 12x12 Heavy Gauge Plastic Yellow with green lettering 6. Mugs………………………..…$ 4.00 White with green lettering 7. Cutting Boards…………...….$ 5.00 Wood, 5 ½ x7 inches Item# Description Size Qty Price Total Shipping and handling: $5.00 Total:
Name:___________________________ Address:_________________________ City:____________________________ State / Zip: ______________________
Toll Free (877)-HALEFOR or (814)367-5916 email halefor@verizon.net
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Telephone: ______________________ Form of Payment: Check Credit Card Credit Card No. __________________________________ Expiration Date ____________________ Signature: _________________________ Make check payable to NYFOA. Send the completed form to: NYFOA, P.O. Box 541, Lima, New York 14485. Questions? Call 800-836-3566
Ask A Professional Peter Smallidge
Peter Smallidge
Landowner questions are addressed by foresters and other natural resources professionals. Landowners should be careful when interpreting answers and applying this general advice to their property because landowner objectives and property conditions will affect specific management options. When in doubt, check with your regional DEC office or other service providers. Landowners are also encouraged to be active participants in Cornell Cooperative Extension and NYFOA programs to gain additional, often site-specific, answers to questions. To submit a question, email to Peter Smallidge at pjs23@cornell.edu with an explicit mention of “Ask a Professional.” Additional reading on various topics is available at www.forestconnect.info
Question: I just purchased a chain saw so I can thin my woodlot for firewood. How do I get started safely?
Answer: Chain saws are great tools when used correctly. They can also result in bodily harm and even death if used with out reasonable care. Here are a few pointers to get you started with safe and productive chain saw use. Chainsaw Safety Best Management Practices Many forest owners will use a chainsaw at some point to clear trails, collect firewood, or thin their woods for improvement and growth of the residual trees. Chainsaws are important tools, but can be especially dangerous if improperly used. Chainsaw operators should be in good physical condition, have properly functioning equipment, appropriate personal protective equipment and know which cutting techniques to use for a given situation. Following are some BMPs (Best Management Practices) to help ensure you are safe and productive with your saw.
circumstances. Be alert to your existing circumstances of person, place and equipment. Through complete attention to your activity, that being the safe operation of the chainsaw, you can greatly reduce your potential for injury or death. Think only about what you are doing, how you are doing it, your personal ability, and the current conditions. If you mind starts to wander, stop running the saw. 2. Participate in an approved safety and productivity course before using your saw. Good courses will last several
hours. Some courses with advanced instruction will require several days, but are worth the investment. Some chainsaw dealers provide limited instruction. Nationally, a course known as Game of Logging for Landowners provides comprehensive technical training for landowners on felling and saw maintenance. 3. Always wear appropriate personal protective equipment. Minimally, equipment includes: a hardhat, eye protection, hearing protection, cut-resistant chaps or pants, and sturdy boots. 4. Identify hazards in and near the tree you plan to cut. Look for dead branches, hanging branches, standing snags, saplings in the path of the falling tree, and other structures that might impede the falling tree. Remove hazards if possible. If hazards cannot be managed, pick a different tree to cut. 5. Determine the back or side lean of the tree relative to the direction the tree will fall. Look into the crown of the tree you will cut and determine where the majority of weight is located. Consider branches that extend to the side which add weight. Special techniques, available in training courses, are necessary to fell a tree against the natural lean. Avoid using ropes, chains and tractors to pull a tree against the lean.
1. Be where you are. Accidents with chainsaws happen in a split second, but those accidents often result from existing
The New York Forest Owner 46:5 • September/October 2008
6. Identify and clear an escape path. When the tree starts to fall, you need to be at least 15 feet away from the stump and at a 45 degree angle from the direction of the fall. Take time before felling to clear any obstacle that might block your path. Do not stand near the stump of a falling tree. After the tree falls, look for falling branches and trees before moving to the next tree.
NYFOA POSTED SIGN ORDER FORM
7. Determine the length and thickness of the hinge. A correctly felled tree depends on the hinge wood to determine the direction of travel. Based on what you learned in an approved felling course, measure the tree to determine the length and thickness of the hinge. Be careful not to cut your hinge.
P R I V A T E
8. Determine the final cuts. Know where you will stand and how you will execute your final cut. If using wedges, how many will you need and where will you place them. Make a final check on safety and others before releasing the tree to fall. 9. Maintain your equipment. Assess the operability of your saw and safety equipment at the beginning and end of each day. Keep your chain teeth sharp, the chain appropriately tight, and the engine running smoothly. Make adjustments to equipment as necessary during the day. Replace broken safety equipment. Improperly function equipment can cause increased fatigue and greater chances for injury. 10. Stop before you get tired. Know the limitations of your physical endurance. If you stop before you get tired, you will be around tomorrow to cut the tree that will be where you left it.
POSTED – No Trespassing – Hunting, Fishing or Entry by Written Permission Only
Name & Address - Owner or Lessee
Use this form to order the sign shown above. The signs are orange with black printing. SIGN MATERIAL
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Make checks payable to NYFOA. Mail form to NYFOA at PO Box 541, Lima, NY 14485. For more information call 1-800-836-3566 Some of the 18 individuals who attended the chainsaw safety class NYFOA NAC held at the West Stockholm Fire Station. A very good program was presented by Jim Howells from CT. Pictured (left to right): Chuck Gardner (brother of member Harry Gardner), Joe Russell (new member) Harry Gardner (member), Bill LaPoint (NAC Chairman), Jim Howells (Instructor), and Tory Russell.
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* Minimum order is 50 signs with additional signs in increments of 25. ** Shipping Costs: 50 signs, $4.50; 75 signs, $4.75; 100 signs, $5.25; 100+ signs, add $.75 for each 50 signs over 100 (150 would cost $5.25 plus $.75 for the additional 50 for a total of $6.00).
New York State Tree Farm News Erin O’Neill Getting The Most Out Of Your Woodlot Let’s talk about that for a minute, as it’s a very common topic of landowner workshops. If you’ve ever noticed the Tree Farm sign, it’s a diamond shape. The four sides represent what Tree Farm considers to be the important management areas of your forested land. We’ll take them one at a time. Wood seems the obvious one when many people talk about getting the most from your wood lot because it generally produces the majority of the revenue you’ll see. We continually educate ourselves on the best way to grow quality timber, the best technology to harvest it and how to make it provide for our short and long term goals.
Counter clockwise to everyone’s favorite though, Recreation! From hiking boots to golf clubs and kayaks to dirt bikes, we all have our favorites. If having your own personal playground is most important to you, then getting the most from your wood lot may not have anything to do with timber. This may be the case with the next side of the sign as well, Wildlife. If you are a hunter, you’ll want trails and trees that provide food sources. If your passion is bird watching, you’ll need to manage for openings and nest sites. Bringing us finally around to Water. All animals, including the human kind, need clean water. Maybe you have a well your family drinks from, a pond or stream to fish and swim in or you are just doing your part to prevent erosion and pollution.
With all these things to think about, getting the most from your wood lot simply comes down to what you want from your wood lot the most. Be sure to discuss these options with your forester, and don’t get nervous when he talks about harvests after you just told him you’re a turkey hunter. As you probably know the Tree Farm program endorses, even requires, harvesting as part of your management plan. How do you think you’ll get turkeys as far as the eye can see if you don’t manage the trees for the oaks! This year, NY Tree Farm has sponsored workshops and publications, and has plans to sponsor more of them. The possible permutations of what “the most” is are endless and education is your best tool. If you think of a workshop, demonstration or publication you’d like to see, please let us know. And remember, a Tree Farm representative is only a phone call (1-800-836-3566) or e-mail (nytreefarm@hotmail.com) away. Erin O’Neill is the Chair of the NYS Tree Farm Committee.
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The New York Forest Owner 46:5 • September/October 2008
Kid’s Corner
Erwin & Polly Fullerton of So. Woodstock, VT submitted these photos that were taken in 1961 and 1995 respectively. Their sons (left to right) Gary, Glenn and Bruce are sitting in the same spot, with the same pose, in both photos 34 years apart on the family land owned since 1872.
Rebecca Hargrave
Do you have a photo of you and your kids or grandkids in your forest? If so, The New York Forest Owner would like to see it! Send an electronic or hard copy to Forest Owner editor, MaryBeth Malmsheimer, (address on page 22) and it may end up on this page!
The Colors of Fall N ew York is a beautiful place to be in the autumn. The forests turn radiant colors of red, yellow, orange, purple and gold. But why do the leaves change? What makes them different colors? Most leaves are normally green, and that green is from the light capturing pigment chlorophyll. All spring and summer, leaves use the green chlorophyll to turn sunlight into the sugar the tree needs to live. Have you ever seen a sickly plant? Often the leaves are yellowish, or even brown, meaning that the tree isn’t healthy enough to continue to produce chlorophyll. At the end of the summer, when getting ready for the cold dry winter, trees start making less chloro-
phyll, since they don’t need to make any more food for the year. The decrease of chlorophyll allows us to see the other colors hiding underneath and new colors only produced in the fall. Yellow and orange come from carotenoid pigments that are always in the leaf and have a chance to shine in the fall. Often trees will turn other fall colors first and then fade to yellow as fall progresses. Red and purple come from anthocyanins. These pigments are formed in the leaf in the fall. The amount of red and purple produced by the leaf depends on many things including rainfall, nutrients and temperature. That is why some fall years are prettier than others. After they have turned, the leaves prepare to drop off the tree since
they would freeze in the winter if they stayed on the branches. So the tree creates a barrier at the base of the leaf and sheds it, sending the colorful leaves to the ground and giving autumn its nickname “fall.” Autumn Leaf Activities: • How many different colored leaves can you find? • Can you find leaves of different colors on the same tree? • Which of your trees turn first? • Which of your trees turn last? • Make a collection of different colored leaves and preserve their color by pressing them in a heavy book. Ways to Preserve Leaves • Place between two layers of wax paper, wax sides in; and with an adult and a warm iron, melt the two sheets together. Then you can trim around the leaf (leave a little edge to hold the paper together). Or, • Mix two parts water and one part glycerin in a shallow dish. Submerge your leaves in a single layer for 2-6 days (you may have to weigh them down) and then let them dry. They will remain flexible as well as stay colorful. Rebecca Hargrave is the Community Horticulture and Natural Resources Educator at Cornell University Cooperative Extension in Chenango County.
www.nyfoa.org
Wild Things in Your Woodlands Kevin Mathers
Frog Friendly Forests
N
ew York forest owners place a high value on the wildlife on their land, with songbirds and game animals like white-tailed deer and wild turkey at the top of the popularity list. Our forests also provide homes for less visible species of wildlife, and among these are the amphibians. Frogs and salamanders are lurking under rocks and rotting logs, breeding in temporary pools, and foraging for food high in your treetops. With a little effort, forest owners can help protect these fascinating creatures and in the process develop a greater appreciation of nature. Amphibians are commonly associated with wetlands and even small moist microsites, for good reason. Most amphibians spend some of their life in water. Many species, however, 10
spend a good deal of time on land, and a few are totally terrestrial. Redbacked salamanders, perhaps the most abundant vertebrate in most New York forests, live out their complete life cycle on land. Most people are familiar with the piercing springtime calls of the spring peeper, but are they aware that these treefrogs leave their watery haunts after the breeding season and head for the woods? Another amphibian commonly encountered in the forests of New York is the eastern newt. The bright orange-colored juvenile form of this salamander called a red eft lives on land and is easily spotted walking boldly on the forest floor. Even amphibians usually associated with wet habitats like the common green frog use forests. Research conducted in upstate New York showed green frogs often venture considerable distances from their summer habitat to seek out small streams and seeps on forested hillsides for winter hibernation sites. Amphibians are sensitive to environmental changes, and for some species their populations are on the decline. Forest owners can help protect frogs
and salamanders if they learn more about the types of amphibians that live on their property, and find out about their life cycles and habitat needs. To learn what amphibians are likely to live in your woodlot visit bookstores or libraries for identification manuals, use the Internet, and contact local nature centers for programs and information on amphibians. Armed with some knowledge, you can start searching for amphibians on your property. Don’t expect to find all the amphibians in your woodlot. Many salamanders for example, are rarely seen outside of their brief breeding season. After you become familiar with the common amphibians in your area and their habitat preferences, you can examine your property to determine how well it meets their needs. One of the easiest ways to help enhance amphibian habitat is to provide plenty of cover. The moist environment in and underneath decaying wood provides excellent cover for a number of salamanders. So leave some downed trees and large limbs behind when harvesting firewood or timber. Rock and brush piles also make good cover for amphibians. Adding logs or limbs to shallow areas of streams and ponds will enhance habitat for both juvenile and adult amphibians. Avoid disturbing wetlands, streams, springs, seeps, ravines, and rock outcrops because they provide unique habitat for amphibians. Temporary areas of ponded water, also called vernal pools, are especially important because they provide breeding habitat that is free of fish that prey on amphibian eggs and young. Set aside a natural buffer area around these pools
The New York Forest Owner 46:5 • September/October 2008
NYFOA Safety Tip Spring poles Spring poles prevent a unique safety hazard in tree felling. Simply cutting a limb or small tree under extreme tension can cause serious injury if the tension is released suddenly.
45o
The safest way to release a spring pole is to shave wood from the underside. To determine the best point to shave, envision an imaginary line straight up from the stump (perpendicular to the ground). Then another imaginary line horizontal to the ground across the highest point of the bow. Envision a point at a 45° angle from where the two imaginary lines meet to the pole.
Illustration shows the point where to shave the wood from the underside to release a spring pole.
Gradually shave under the point until the tension is released. Safety tip provided by Ed Wright, President, W. J. Cox Associates, Inc.
so they are protected from timber harvesting and recreational activities. A buffer of 50 to 100 feet wide is often enough to protect a seasonal pool. If you don’t have any seasonal pools on your property, consider building some. Many species of amphibians live in or next to small woodland streams. Set aside a buffer at least 50 feet wide to help maintain the quality of the creeks on your property. When conducting management activities like timber harvesting or trail building, use care to minimize damage to streams caused by erosion and siltation. Minimize the number of stream crossings and use proper construction techniques for forest roads and trails. A professional forester or your county Soil and Water Conservation District can help you select best management practices that will help prevent serious problems. Landowners sometimes inadvertently create hazards for amphibians. Large ruts in haul roads or trails may fill with water to create attractive pools
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for amphibians. If roads or trails are used by tractors or ATV’s during the breeding season these pools become death traps for amphibians. Other hazards include mowing too close to pond edges and removing travel corridors between wetlands and forests. Managing your forest to protect amphibians can be compatible with many other management objectives including timber harvesting. Just remember to take the habitat and life cycle needs of frogs and salamanders into consideration before you embark on projects that can impact their homes. For additional information on frog and salamander friendly forests visit: http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/wildlife/herp/index.html http://www.cortland.edu/herp/ http://herpcenter.ipfw.edu Kevin Mathers is an Extension Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome
Bruce E. Robinson, Inc. Forestry Consultants • Forest product marking & marketing • Timber appraisals • Access road design & supervision • Boundary maintenance • Forest management planning • Forest recreation planning • Wildlife management • Forest taxation planning • Tree farm management • Tree planting & tree shelters • Urban forestry & community management
1894 Camp Street Ext. Jamestown, NY 14701-9239 E-mail: ber01@alltel.net Phone: 716-665-5477 Fax: 716-664-5866 11
Managed Forests Solutions to Climate Change By: Robert W. Malmsheimer, Patrick Heffernan, Steve Brink, Douglas Crandall, Fred Deneke, Christopher Galik, Edmund Gee, John A. Helms, Nathan McClure, Michael Mortimer, Steve Ruddell, Matthew Smith, and John Stewart As the world grapples with climate change, it would be a tragic lost opportunity if the role of forests was not fully realized and taken advantage of. Forests are shaped by climate. Along with soils, aspect, slope, and elevation, climate determines what will grow where and how well. Changes in temperature and precipitation regimes can dramatically affect forests. Climate is also shaped by forests. In recent years concerns have been voiced over the potential impacts of increasing concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) on temperature and climate. Given such concerns there are many ways to reduce GHG emissions and atmospheric concentrations, the most familiar of which are increasing energy efficiency and conservation and using cleaner, alternative energy sources. Less familiar, yet equally essential, is using forests to address climate change. Unique among all possible
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remedies, forests can both prevent and reduce GHG emissions while simultaneously providing essential environmental and social benefits, including clean water, wildlife habitat, recreation, forest products, and other values and uses. The Society of American Foresters’ Climate Change and Carbon Sequestration Task Force, composed of this article’s authors, recently issued a report that summarizes how managed forests can address climate change. We prepared this article to help forest landowners understand how their forests can address global climate change. The report is available at http://www.safnet. org/jof_cctf.pdf and will be published as a book by the end of September 2008. Preventing GHG Emissions Forests and forest products can prevent GHG emissions through wood substitution, biomass substitution, modification of wildfire behavior, and avoided land-use change.
Wood Substitution. Wood products from sustainably managed forests can be replenished continually, providing a dependable supply of both trees and wood products while avoiding emissions from production and use of the substituted products. Life-cycle inventory analyses reveal that the lumber, wood panels, and other forest products used in construction, store more carbon, emit less GHGs, and use less fossil energy than steel, concrete, brick, or vinyl. Biomass Substitution. The use of wood to produce energy opens two opportunities to reduce GHG emissions. One involves using harvest residue for electrical power generation, rather than allowing it to accumulate and decay on site or removing it by open-field burning. The other is the substitution of woody biomass for fossil fuels, which can reduce oil and gas imports and improve environmental quality. Biomass can offset fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, gasoline, diesel oil, and fuel oil. At the same time, its use can enhance domestic economic development by supporting rural economies and fostering new industries making bio-based products. Wildfire Behavior Modification. Reducing wildland fires, a major source of GHG emissions, reduces the release of carbon stored in the forest. Virtually all climate change models forecast an increase in wildfire occurrence and intensity. Under extreme fire behavior scenarios, which could be exacerbated by climate change, increased accumulations of hazardous forest fuels will cause ever-larger wildfires. Active forest and wildland fire management strategies can dramatically reduce CO2 emissions while also conserving wildlife habitat, preserving recreational, scenic, and wood product values, and reducing the threat of wildfires to communities and critical infrastructure. Avoided Land-Use Change. More carbon is stored in forests than in agricultural or developed land. Preventing land-use change from forests to non-forest uses is another way to reduce GHGs. Globally, forestland conversions released 33 percent of the total
The New York Forest Owner 46:5 • September/October 2008
carbon emissions between 1850 and 1998—more emissions than any other anthropogenic activity besides energy production. Forest conversion and land development liberate carbon from soil stocks. For example, soil cultivation releases 20 to 30 percent of the carbon stored in soils. Additional emissions occur from the loss of the forest biomass, both above-ground vegetation and tree roots. Because it is unlikely that publicly owned forestland will increase, successful efforts to prevent GHG releases from forestland conversion must focus on privately owned forests. The development of new products, such as cellulosic ethanol and new engineered wood products, may add value to working forests and add incentive for landowners to keep forests in forests. Reducing Atmospheric GHGs Forests can also reduce GHG concentrations by sequestering atmospheric carbon in biomass and soil, and the carbon can remain stored in any wood products made from the harvested trees. Because the area of US forests is so vast—33 percent of the land base—even small increases in carbon sequestration and storage per acre add up to substantial quantities. Sequestration in Forests. The capacity of stands to sequester carbon is a function of the productivity of the site and the potential size of the various pools— soil, litter, down woody material, standing dead wood, live stems, branches, and foliage. Net rates of CO2 uptake by broad-leaf trees are commonly greater than those of conifers, but because hardwoods are generally deciduous while conifers are commonly evergreen, the overall capacity for carbon sequestration can be similar. Forests of all ages and types have remarkable capacity to sequester and store carbon, but mixedspecies, mixed-aged stands tend to have higher capacity for carbon uptake and storage because of their higher leaf area. Enhancement of sequestration capacity depends on ensuring full stocking of trees, maintaining health, minimizing soil disturbance, and reducing losses due to tree mortality, wildfires, insect, www.nyfoa.org
and disease. Management that controls stand density by prudent tree removal can provide society with renewable products, including lumber, engineered composites, paper, and energy, even as the stand continues to sequester carbon. Storage in Wood Products. Harvesting temporarily reduces carbon storage in the forest by removing organic matter and disturbing the soil, but much of the carbon is stored in forest products. The carbon in lumber and furniture, for example, may not be released for decades; paper products have a shorter life, except when disposed of in a landfill. The climate change benefits of wood products lie in the combination of long term carbon storage with, as discussed earlier, substitution for other materials requiring higher energy consumption in manufacture and having higher emissions. Forest Carbon Offset Projects The role of forests and forest products in preventing and reducing GHGs is beginning to gain recognition in marketbased policies. Forestry is one category of projects that can create carbon dioxide emission reduction credits for trading to offset emissions from industrial and other polluters. Depending on the program, several project types may be eligible: afforestation (i.e., converting non-forested lands to forest lands), reforestation, forest management to protect or enhance carbon stocks, harvested wood products that store carbon, and forest conservation or protection. Two types of renewable energy credits are becoming available—for using wood-based building materials instead of concrete, steel, and other nonrenewable building materials; and for using woodbased biofuels, such as wood waste, instead of fossil fuels to generate electric power. Global carbon markets, however, have not yet fully embraced the potential of forests and forestry to mitigate climate change. The Kyoto Protocol, for example, introduced the concept of trading GHG emissions, but it limits the role of forestry to afforestation and reforestation. Phase I of the European Union
(EU) Emissions Trading Scheme allows global trading in carbon dioxide emission reductions to help EU countries reach their targets, but forestry activities are currently not eligible due to difficulties in carbon accounting. Domestic efforts to date include two regulated emissions trading programs. The Northeast’s Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a cap-and-trade program, limits eligibility to afforestation. The other, the California Climate Action Registry, permits credits for afforestation, managed forests, and forest conservation. Voluntary markets for forest carbon include emissions trading transactions through the Chicago Climate Exchange and over-the-counter transactions. Opportunities for landowners to capitalize on managing forest lands for carbon will depend on the price of carbon, capacity to meet formal carbon accounting protocols, and transaction costs. Opportunities and Challenges for Society, Landowners, and Foresters Given the facts, society’s current reluctance to embrace forest conservation and management as part of the climate change solution seems surprising. It is beyond argument that forests play a decisive role in stabilizing the Earth’s climate and that prudent management will enhance that role. Forest management can mitigate climate change effects and, in so doing, buy time to resolve the broader question of reducing the nation’s dependence on imported fossil fuels. The challenge is clear, the situation is urgent, and opportunities for the future are great. History has repeatedly demonstrated that the health and welfare of human society are fundamentally dependent on the health and welfare of a nation’s forests. Society at large, the US Congress, state legislators, and policy analysts at international, federal, and state levels must not only appreciate this fact but also recognize that the sustainable management of forests can, to a substantial degree, mitigate the dire effects of atmospheric pollution and global climate change.
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Timber Theft
and How to Prevent It Hugh Canham and Ronald Pedersen Landowner Responsibilities: An Overview The illegal cutting of trees on a person’s property is a devastating experience, not unlike having one’s house robbed. While all parties in forest management and the wood-using industry have a responsibility to minimize this heinous crime, the primary responsibility rests with the landowner. Timber theft takes on many forms. Thieves might illegally enter a property from neighboring lands as those properties are being cut. Trees of absentee owners are often targeted, as are woodlots out back and out of sight. In addition to thefts through trespass, thieves may offer vague and incomplete contracts, which can lead to cutting more trees than agreed upon, delayed payments, any number of excuses or no payment at all. Thieves only cut the most valuable trees, even those with potential for many years of further growth, thereby diminishing a valuable natural resource as well as the owner’s equity. Financial recovery from thefts is rare, and woodlot recovery may well take generations. Landowners must act to prevent timber theft, using common sense and sound forest management. Property boundaries should be well marked, maintained, and
regularly inspected. Owners are advised to stay in contact with neighbors and be aware of their plans. Woodland decisions should be guided by a forest management plan prepared by a professional forester and owners should never make spur-of-the-moment decisions to cut, regardless of how attractive an offer may sound. Professional help should be sought before agreeing to a sale or signing a contract. Obtaining legal and forestry advice is a smart investment that can preclude a lot of grief. Solid contracts protect all parties. Trees to be harvested should be marked prior to contracting, and preferably sold by bid for an agreed amount with full payment before any cutting begins. Pay-as-you-cut, percentage or payments according to mill slips provide too many opportunities for dishonesty. Check proposed harvester’s references and assure up-to-date insurance. The contract should require the harvester to walk and acknowledge the sale boundary, and provide for location of landings, clean up and erosion control. Owners or their forester should monitor harvesting operations.
tupperlake@fountainforestry.com lakegeorge@fountainforestry.com
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Victims of timber theft contact law enforcement agencies ASAP. Use the 24/7 number (877) 457-5680 for NY’s Environmental Conservation Officers, or call the New York State Police, or the county Sheriff. The Environmental Conservation Department can provide a rough assessment of a timber loss upon request of a law enforcement officer. This can help the victim and his attorney in deciding on follow-up actions. The following reports provide additional information on preventing timber theft: Timber Theft in New York: Findings from Questionnaires and Suggested Further Actions (www.nyfoa.org). A Legislative Briefing on Timber Theft in New York by the New York Joint Legislative Commission on Rural Resources (www.senate.state.ny.us). Would you like to receive an electronic version of future editions of The Forest Owner? If so, please send Liana an email (lgooding@nyfoa.org). You would get an email every two months announcing when the current edition is available for download; and be given the URL for a webpage where you can go and get a PDF file of the publication. While being convenient for you – read The Forest Owner anytime, any place; this will also help to save the Association money as the cost of printing and postage continues to rise with each edition.
The New York Forest Owner 46:5
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September/October 2008
Calendar items Rural Landowners Workshop Getting the most outof your property September 20, 2008 8:30 am - 3:30 pm Clayton A. Bouton High School 432 New Salem Road Voorheesville, NY 12186 Topics will include: Cutting the fuel bill; Selling timber; Managing wildlife; Preserving the property for the children; Enjoying a pond; and Preventing trespassers. This workshop provides answers to these and other questions. Please join us. Your land is possibly your most valuable asset. Learning to protect it is critical for you, the environment, and the economic health of New York State. Additional information will be available at the exhibit tables. You may also request a free visit to your property by professionals and trained volunteers. Registration fee is: $25.00/individual; $40.00/couple. Please make checks payable to CCE Albany County and send to: Cornell Cooperative Extension Albany County PO Box 497, 24 Martin Road Voorheesville, NY 12186. Questions? Call Chuck Schmitt or Lisa Cox at 518-765-3500. Sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension Albany County, Capital District Chapter of New York Forest Owners Association, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and New York Tree Farm
Cornell Cooperative Extension Presents Forestry Field Day Saturday, September 27, 2008 8:30am till 12:30pm. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome and Chenango Counties will be holding a Forestry Field Day. The event is for forest landowners who would like information to help them in managing their woodlands. The field day will be located at Gaius Cook Park, just east of the village of Greene. www.nyfoa.org
Hands-on sessions on basic woodlot management will be presented throughout the morning. There will be sessions on tree identification, tree volume measurements, selecting trees and managing forest stands for firewood, wildlife habitat management, and creating old growth conditions in forest stands. Each family will receive a field day packet including printed materials, along with a tree measuring stick. Presenting these topics will be natural resource professionals from Cornell Cooperative Extension, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Region 7, Division of Lands and Forests, and Division of Wildlife. Assisting with the event will be members of the Southern Tier chapter of the New York Forest Owner’s Association. Registration can be done by calling 607334-5841 and requesting an informational flyer. The cost of the event will be $15 for the first family member and $5 for each additional member, if preregistered by September 23. Those registering after September 23 will pay $20 for the first member of a family, and $5 for each additional family member.
Controlling Invasive Species – Some Experimental Results October 4, 2008 10:00 am – noon Genesee County Park Interpretive Center Invasive and other undesirable species are becoming more common in our environment – from beech brush taking over woodlots, to honeysuckle and multiflora rose in fields, to purple loosestrife in wetlands. Chemical treatments can be very effective, but can also have negative side effects on wildlife and desirable vegetation. On the other hand, mechanical removal of invasives is hard work, time consuming, and often not very effective. Dr. Peter Smallidge, New York State’s extension forester, and Paul Osborn, Genesee County Park supervisor, have been cooperating on some projects at Genesee
County Park to test the effectiveness of alternative methods of controlling invasive plants in woodlots and fields. Two techniques will be highlighted. The first is flame weeding, in which a torch is used to burn off undesirable vegetation. The other technique is herbicide cut-stump treatments. Some trees, such as beech, sprout from the roots of a large tree and so tend to form a thicket of saplings around a central mature tree. By cutting the central tree and treating the freshly-cut stump with herbicide, it is possible to kill many of the nearby saplings. This type of treatment allows the herbicide to be brushed on the stump so there is no overspray to contaminate nearby plants, and uses much less herbicide overall than if the individual saplings are treated with it. The event is free and open to the public, with no registration required. This should be an excellent opportunity to learn about the state of the art in control of invasive plants. There will be ample time for questions and discussion as well. Genesee County Park is in Bethany, just south of Batavia. They will meet at the interpretive center for an initial discussion and demonstration of flame weeding, then move to Area E to see the state of the demonstration plots. Further information: Mike Seager, (585) 414 6511 or seager_michael@ yahoo.com
Northern MFO Refresher Workshop Saturday October 25, 2008 This event will be hosted by Kelly Smallidge & Bill Scripter in Crown Point, NY All MFO Volunteers and NYFOA members are welcomed to attend. Contact Diana Bryant at 607-255-2115 or dlt5@ cornell.edu for more information and to register.
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Take Forest Planning One Step Further Susan Lacy
E
ver wonder what will happen to your forest land in the future? Will it remain in your family? Or will it still even be forest? Like forest regeneration, good financial outcomes don’t just happen, they take planning. Perhaps you inherited your land or chose to purchase forestland because you wanted your own green space. You enjoy walking through forests, viewing birds and wildlife, engaging in recreational activities or just having a buffer from the world outside. Private landowners, like you, control a significant portion of our nation’s forest land. Nationally, there are over 10 million private forestland owners) and
90 percent of these owners hold less than 100 acres (USDA Forest Service, 2005. The actions of one landowner may not seem to make much difference, yet the collective actions of many landowners are leading to an increasingly fragmented forest. Dividing forests in smaller tracts affects the scale and degree of management that is likely to occur in those forests. Looking forward, there may come a time when you can no longer manage the day to day operations of your forest. Will one or more of your children take over care and responsibility of that forest? Is maintaining the land as forest an important consideration for you? If so, financial planning will be a valuable
step to help ensure that your long term wishes are executed and at the same time establish the most advantageous tax position for you. As a landowner, you have probably worked with a forester to develop a stewardship plan or some other type of forest management plan focusing on your forest’s biological and physical resources. You identified objectives and outlined the steps you needed to take in order to meet your goals over time. Financial planning follows a similar process of identifying goals and implementing an action plan. Taking a comprehensive view of all your assets, including your forestland, will provide recommendations and strategies to help you achieve your goals without sacrificing available benefits. According to a Pinchot Institute for Conservation study in 2005 on the transfer of forestland to the next generation, most heirs were interested in inheriting the land. Unfortunately, only 60 percent of these heirs had any current involve-
Log Buyer / Business Development RWs manufacturing inc is located in Queensbury, nY. candidate main job is to establish and maintain relationship with wood log suppliers and customers. We are looking for someone who has a minimum of 5 years experience in the logging industry. The candidate will be responsible for contacting potential suppliers, booking appointments, negotiating conditions and closing deals. The candidate will be also responsible for developing local market within 300 miles radius. candidate will have to call potential customers and promote RWs products. candidate has to be self-motivated, dynamic, organized, able to establish communication and networking channels, and willing to work on the road. base salary of $40 000, performance bonus ($10 000-$25 000), health plan, vacation, holidays and sick days. This is full time job. please send resume at eric.fortin@royalwoodshavings.com or by fax at 418831-6505.
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The New York Forest Owner 46:5 • September/October 2008
ment in the management of the family forest. Expectations about their future involvement in management decisions varied; but there was clear agreement that taxes and medical expenses could potentially require selling the land. Comprehensive financial planning will help these heirs avoid untimely land sales in order to meet unexpected expenses. A variety of vehicles, such as insurance, trusts, and business structures are available to help ensure that the land is maintained in the family for future generations. There are six key integrally linked areas of financial planning. Without careful consideration of all areas together, you may make decisions that help with one area and hinder your progress in another area. The six areas of planning with a brief description are: 1. Financial Position • Maintain an adequate cash reserve (enough to cover 3-6 months living expenses); • Track current income and expenses; • Manage debt.
• Consider the tax implications of all financial strategies. 5. Retirement Planning • Determine future income needs and evaluate available sources of income; • Develop plans for withdrawal and distribution of funds. 6. Estate Planning • Develop a plan for the distribution of assets; • Create a legacy through charitable giving; • Determine the impact of taxes and asset value for heirs.
3. Wealth Accumulation • Help ensure stability of your assets over the long term; • Plan and implement actions for savings and investment; • Focus an appropriate balance for asset allocation relative to your risk tolerance.
One of the challenges for you as the forest landowner, especially if you have a small holding, is generating cash flow. Property taxes are due every year. Some management actions such as pre-commercial thinning, trail maintenance or wildlife habitat management require capital expenditure without any income expectation. Timber harvests and the sale of alternative forest products such as mushrooms, ginseng and pine straw produces some income that can offset some expenses. However, these events are occasional, sporadic and may be insufficient to meet ongoing costs. A review of your total portfolio of real (land) and financial assets could identify the opportunities for increased cash flow that could support overall forest management activities. Estate planning and tax management are critical financial planning components for forest landowners.
4. Tax Management • Reduce current and future state, federal and estate taxes;
Susan Lacy is a Certified Forester. The views expressed here are those of Susan Lacy. The information provided is not written or intended as tax or legal advice. Individuals are encouraged to seek advice from their own tax or legal counsel.
2. Risk Management • Provide income in the event of death or disability; • Protect your ability to meet your goals.
Would you like to receive updates via email on emerging forestry issues and opportunities for forest owners? If so, please make sure we have your current email address. Contact Liana in the NYFOA office: lgooding@nyfoa.org
Susan J. Keister, LLC 7025 Harpers Ferry Rd Wayland, N.Y. 14572
Consulting Forestry Services NYS-DEC Cooperating Forester SAF Certified
585-728-3044/ ph 585-728-2786/ fax susanjkeister@ frontiernet.net
BUYING BUTTERNUT Dr. Doug Allen’s Entomology column will return in the next issue of The New York Forest Owner.
www.nyfoa.org
Highest prices paid Purchasing diseased and dead trees only (Butternut Canker) Standing dead – blow downs – worm track not a defect Buying full loads – all grades
VERMONT WILDWOODS Contact: Parker Nichols Marshfield, VT 802.426.3449 17
Some Interesting Experiences with Trees Dr. Kenvyn B. Richards
I
am looking at a 4-H Club Certificate of Completion for a 1st Year Forestry Project dated October 17, 1940, when I was 12 years old. Although my Father’s interest in trees undoubtedly had rubbed off on me, this was my first substantial personal experience. It involved planting 1,000 red pine seedlings, with my father’s assistance. Quite a bit of effort was expended in clearing the site although it was never completed and the result has been evident ever since. Robust timber exists on the cleared portion today with only spotty specimens where the brush was not cleared. Many of the bigger trees could be harvested for saw logs now. I went on to complete 2nd-4th year 4-H Forestry Projects which included a Tree Identification Notebook, Woodlot Improvement, and Timber Estimating and Log Scaling. All this took place in the Town of Stratford, Fulton County. Fast-forward to 1969, when I moved to New Haven, NY to continue a teaching career at the State University College at Oswego. The 3 to 4 acre tract our family settled on was two-thirds in trees and shortly revealed a good variety of species includ-
ing one that came with us in a flower pot. It was a Chestnut Oak which had been grown from an acorn collected from a group of trees near the “high water mark” of Confederate penetration at Gettysburg. The tree is now 14” DBH and a prolific producer of acorns; 2007 was an absolute spectacular year for production. With 19 species of trees already on the property, the challenge became to establish a miniature arboretum and determine how many species would survive here. The top soil is thin and is underlaid with stony, heavy clay. Many trees were brought here from the property the family still maintains in Stratford, a total of 10. Eight were gifts. Three were oaks grown from acorns. One, a balsam poplar, was propagated from a cutting. Forty-five were purchased bringing the number of different species growing today to 83. An American Chestnut obtained from a research group in Maryland grew to about a 6” diameter and was producing burrs before succumbing to the blight. A Horse Chestnut was removed when the roots started affecting the raspberry patch! Others have lost out to ice storms, shade or unknown reasons.
Two White Spruce seedlings from the same nursery and planted the same day. The tree on the left was allowed to “be all it could be” and the tree on the right was pruned yearly.
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Kenvyn Richards stands in front of the “famous” Gettysburg oak featured in the article.
Trees that are growing vigorously include White Spruce, Blue Spruce, White Pine, Eastern Hemlock, White Cedar, Eastern Red Cedar, White Fir, Norway Maple, Larch, Yellow Poplar, Sugar Maple, Red Maple, River Birch, American Beech, Black Cherry, Box Elder, Black and Honey Locust, Basswood, Red, White, Burr and Chestnut Oaks, Sassafras, White and Green Ash, Sycamore, Large Toothed Aspen, Quaking Aspen, Eastern Cottonwood, Chinese Elm, Butternut, Black Walnut, Gingko, Norway Spruce, Dawn Redwood, Mountain Ash, Hackberry, Persimon, Cucumber Magnolia, Catalpa, Service Berry and Mulberry. Many are doing just ok, but many are struggling such as the Engleman Spruce, Bristle Cone, Pinyon Pine, Lodgepol Pine, Shagbark Hickory, Sawtooth Oak, Osage Orange, Sweet and Black Gum, Holly, Bald Cypress and Western Hemlock. The Arboretum experience has just about run its course due to lack of further space for planting! It has been a source of great interest and a ready supply of foliage samples for Earth Day and Conservation Field Day presentations. I would recommend the activity to anyone with similar interests with land available for planting. Dr. Richards is a Professor Emeritus at SUNY Oswego.
The New York Forest Owner 46:5 • September/October 2008
–advertisement–
The SFI® Program How can you tell if the products you buy have been produced with the well-being of the forest in mind? Certification and product labeling increase a consumer’s ability to encourage good forest stewardship through the purchasing decisions they make. The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) program is a comprehensive system of principles, objectives and performance measures developed by professional foresters, conservationists scientists, and other stakeholders that combines the perpetual growing and harvesting of trees with the long-term protection of wildlife, plants, soil and water quality. Founded in 1995, SFI is an independent, internationally recognized Forest Certification organization. Certification is a voluntary process in which the management of a forest is documented as meeting certain economic, environmental, and social standards. Wood fiber users and producers that agree to abide by the SFI® Principles are certified by an independent 3rd party as meeting or exceeding the performance standards. Harden Furniture, Inc. is just one of the many companies that are certified to the SFI Standards of Sustainability and participate in the New York State SFI Implementation Committee.
www.nyfoa.org
Healthy solid cherry growing in Harden-owned forest lands in Central New York.
Harden Furniture, Inc. Harden Furniture, Inc. is unique, as no other furniture manufacturer owns its own woodlands and sawmill operations. By owning thousands of acres of forested lands in New York State, Harden is able to maintain an ample supply of high-quality saw logs without compromising our natural resources. In order to responsibly care for and nurture our forests, Harden’s woodlands are intensively managed and harvested on a rotational 20 year cycle, using trees that are 90–100 years old. As a certified member of the SFI® program, all Harden-owned forests are compliant with their standards. Harden has been meeting many of those standards over our 100-year history. With each harvesting operation, Harden’s stands of timber are selectively cut, removing those trees that have reached maturity, or, for other silvicultural considerations (disease, crowding, etc.), need removal. The remaining stands of timber are improved by removing trees, and concentrating all available growing space on the younger and healthier trees. To learn more visit harden.com, or contact Harden’s Forestry Department at 315-245-1000 x. 262
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New York State Maple Do you own a sugarbush? Want to learn how you can receive income and tax benefits from tapping your maple trees? Contact NYSMPA. Working together we can make things happen. The production of maple syrup, and associated value-added products, is an important agricultural industry in New York State. Maple production contributes to local rural economies and provides supplemental income to farmers and forest land owners. In 2005, there were 1,485 producers with 100 or more taps. New York State maple production, valued at nearly $7.2 million in 2004, represents about one-sixth of the total production in the U.S. New York is the second largest maple producer in the nation. The mission of the New York State Maple Producers Association is to support the maple products industry in New York State and promote its long-term viability.
607.535.9790 www.nysmaple.com
Herbicide Applications
www.futureforestinc.com Phone: 585-374-2799 FAX: 585-374-2595
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The New York Forest Owner 46:5 • September/October 2008
Member Profile:
Anne and Fred Osborn Alexandra Silva
W
ith family roots deep in the traditions of land preservation and conservation, Anne and Fred Osborn and their children are conscientious caretakers of properties in Garrison, Putnam County, that include Cat Rock, a popular site for weddings with panoramic views of the Catskills Mountains, the Hudson River and the New York City skyline as backdrops. The foundations for their dedication and passion for the land were laid generations ago for both Fred and Anne, who serves on the NYFOA board. Anne was raised on a 100-acre parcel of land in Northern Westchester near the Mianus River. Her father, Jim Todd, who passed away in 1996, donated the greater part of the land to the Nature Conservancy as part of the Mianus River Gorge Preserve. Now encompassing more than 700 acres around the Mianus River watershed in Connecticut and New York, the Mianus River Gorge Preserve was the first project
completed by the Nature Conservancy in 1953. The Mianus Gorge Preserve is also the first National Natural History Landmark, so designated by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Some 150 years ago, Fred’s great-greatgrandparents, purchased the property on the summit of Cat Rock, or Wildcat Mountain, in Garrison. Originally a favorite picnic destination, his grandparents started developing the 100-acre site in 1919 as a getaway from the busy life of New York City. Anne and Fred moved to Cat Rock in August 1987 and live in the original buildings, completed in 1920 and described as “rugged but grand” on their website, www.osborncastle.com. Cat Rock was owned by 76 shareholders of Oslands, Inc. in 1987, but shares in the land holding corporation established by Fred’s grandfather are now held by fewer than 20 family members. Anne and Fred
View of the pool at Cat Rock in Garrison, New York.
www.nyfoa.org
have bought up many of the shares, and they now own the majority, they said. The entire Cat Rock property is rented in July and August, but in the early summer, May and June, and early fall, September and October, Cat Rock is a picture-perfect place of celebration for brides and grooms. In 2008, 22 outdoor weddings were planned during the four months, Anne said. Sometimes the wedding parties rent one or more of the many bedrooms of the main house, as well as a cabin in the woods, which serves as a rustic wedding night cabin. As for Anne and Fred’s own room, it is often occupied by the bridal couple or the bride’s parents, which leaves Anne and Fred bedless just about every weekend, they said. The Osborns’ eldest son, Frederick Henry “Hank” Osborn IV, is Cat Rock general manager, overseeing the weddings while his parents stay with friends or attend college reunions and conferences. Anne’s family has a summer house on Martha’s Vineyard, and Fred’s family has a rustic retreat in Maine, though the distant locations prove to be far more convenient for their July and August eviction than for weekend travel, Anne said. Hank and his wife were one of the first couples to be married at Cat Rock after Fred and Anne moved there. Daughter Ellie’s marriage followed three years later. Their youngest, Graham, held an engagement party last summer at Cat Rock, and he, too, is involved with Oslands, Inc., which owns and runs Cat Rock and the numerous houses on the estate. With so many weddings and visitors each year, Cat Rock undergoes a lot of wear and tear. According to Fred, there are at least two or three different contractors on the property repairing ancient infrastructure at any given time. The Osborns are currently concentrating on repairing the plumbing, driveway, septic system, roof, windows and a steam-ruined floor. They are also contemplating repairing the 85-year-old original tennis court on the property. For her part, Anne is attempting to restore the main garden, which was designed by Fred’s grandmother, Margaret continued on page 22
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Schieffelin Osborn, and Ellen Shipman in 1924. She also intends to restore the banks and earthen dam of an old ice pond with native riparian vegetation. This will result in vernal flooding of a few very large tulip, poplar and oak trees that are growing in the sediments of the old pond, she said. Having already discussed the possibilities of wetland enhancement with the DEC, Anne plans to obtain bare-rooted plants and other shrubs from the state division of soil and water. Perhaps if conditions are right, this will create a suitable native turtle habitat, Anne said. She also intends to bury power lines along part of the historic Old West Point Road, which borders the ice pond. When not concerned with the Cat Rock estate, Anne and Fred focus on their other properties. Fred and his siblings control another 150 acres of forest land, which Anne, a private consulting forester by training, has mapped by stand and soil type. In the 1960’s, Fred’s grandparents and their neighbors set up the Garrison School Forest, 181 acres of wooded lands that included a state Revolutionary War historic site. Over the years, additional gifts to the School Forest have included a Boy Scout cabin, a meadow habitat and interpretive signage explaining the
context of the School Forest. Currently, the state is negotiating to buy a large parcel of land from the Osborns, in order to keep it undeveloped but under sound forest management. The existing preserve, managed by the DEC, was donated many years ago by Fred’s great-grandfather. Further acreage was purchased in the 1970’s from the estate of a deceased cousin. Fred Osborn with a portion of the New York property in the backBetween managing ground. the various properties with Fred, Anne keeps busy as an active as the science project coordinator for the grandmother to five grandchildren and New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, serving on several non-profit boards in- a loose confederation of many different cluding the NYFOA, the Garrison Union hiker groups, which helps to maintain Free School Forest Committee, the Hud- more than 1,700 miles of hiking trails in son River Sloop Clearwater, the Russel the Highlands area, including the AppalaWright Design Center at Manitoga, the chian Trail. Next fall, Anne will return to Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, the private forestry consulting, she said. Fred, retired since 2005, previously Black Rock Forest Consortium and the Alumnae Counsel of the Yale School of worked with the Episcopal Church Foundation, a non-profit organization for clerForestry and Environmental Studies. In addition, she worked temporarily gy and parish support. While active with the Foundation, Fred spent much of his time traveling around the country teaching others how to raise money in support of their missions. Fred is currently on the board of 12 other organizations, though he is not active in NYFOA. Anne became involved with NYFOA through the late Eugene McCardle in the spring of 2000. While writing her final paper for Yale University’s Forestry School, Anne kept up a regular correspondence with Eugene, who helped put her in touch with many valuable contacts. After his death later that year, Anne said she wanted to join NYFOA in an attempt to fill the large gap Eugene had left. That year Anne became chapter president of the Lower Hudson Chapter and held the position until 2007.
Last year’s Osborn Chirstmas at Cat Rock in Garrison, New York.
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Alexandra Silva is a Forest Resources Extension Program Assistant at Cornell University, Department of Natural Resources, Ithaca, NY 14853.
The New York Forest Owner 46:5 • September/October 2008
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