The New York Forest Owner - Volume 50 Number 1 by Jim Minor

The New York

Forest Owner A Publication of The New York Forest Owners Association For people caring about New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trees and forests

January/February 2012

Member Profile: Randy and Sibyl Quayle Volume 50 Number 1

www.nyfoa.org

The New York Forest Owners Association

In This Issue . . . From the President

Jim Minor. .................................................................................................... 3

NY Farm Show 2012................................................................................. 5

Officers & Directors

Ask a Professional

Jim Minor, President 22 Bryn Mawr Rd Rochester, NY 14624; (585) 247-7069

Shrubs in the Understory

Marilyn Wyman, Secretary 815 Lawton Hollow Rd Middleburgh, NY 12122; (518) 827-5828

Peter Smallidge. ........................................................................................ 6 Jim Engel .................................................................................................... 8

Kid’s Corner

Rebecca Hargrave .................................................................................... 9

Sarah Stackhouse, Treasurer 3010 Esperanza Rd Bluff Point, NY 14478; (315) 536-9482

Wild Things in your Woodlands

Otis Barber, Sinclairville, (716) 962-8175. 2012

News & Notes.............................................................................................. 11

René Germain, Syracuse, (315) 687-6217. 2013 Roy Emerling, Boston, (716) 998-4190. 2014 Jim Minor, Rochester, (585) 247-7069. 2012 Ed Neuhauser, Groton, (607) 898-3614. 2014 Anne Osborn, Lower Hudson, (845) 424-3683 Ron Pedersen, Latham, (518) 785-6061. 2013 Anne Ross, Western Finger Lakes, (585) 288-4821 Kelly Smallidge, VanEtten, (607) 589-7530. 2012 Sarah Stackhouse, Bluff Point, (315) 536-9482. 2014 Rich Taber, Central New York, (315) 837-4265 Christopher Tcimpidis, Livingston Manor, (845) 439-3989. 2013 Ed Welch, Southern Adirondack, (518) 861-6038 Phil Walton, Capital District, (518) 895-5346

Kristi Sullivan .......................................................................................... 10

NYFOA General Director Candidates............................................ 12 50th Annual NYFOA Meeting............................................................. 13 Woodland Health: Winter of Discontent

Daniel Gilrein............................................................................................. 14

Managing Forests for Carbon Mitigation

James L. Bowyer, Robert W. Malmsheimer, and Michael T. Goergen, Jr................................................................................ 18

Member Profile – Randy and Sibyl Quayle

Carly Neumann........................................................................................... 21

Dave Williams, Southern Tier; (607) 563-3156 Frank Winkler, Andes, (845) 676-4825. 2012 Marilyn Wyman, Middleburgh, (518) 827-5828. 2014

Liana Gooding, Office Administrator PO Box 541 Lima, NY 14485; (800) 836-3566 lgooding@nyfoa.org Peter Smallidge, Chair Editorial Committee and Ex-Officio Board Member Cornell University, Fernow Hall Ithaca, NY 14853; (607) 592 3640 Mike Seager, Ex-Officio / Past President PO Box 1281 Pittsford, NY 14534; (585) 414-6511 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 50, Number 1 The New York Forest Owner is a bi-monthly publication of The New York Forest Owners Association, PO Box 541, Lima, NY 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 March/April issue is February 1, 2012. Please address all membership fees and change of address requests to PO Box 541, Lima, NY 14485. 1-800-836-3566. Cost of family membership/subscription is $35. This publication is printed on Finch Opaque, Smooth, 70 lb. text paper. Located in the beautiful Adirondacks, Finch has long understood that the viability of our business relies on the wise use—and reuse—of resources. Finch papers are made with renewable energy, post-consumer recycled fiber and elemental chlorine-free pulps. In addition, Finch Paper was the first integrated paper mill in the US to received both the Forest Management and Chain of Custody certifications from the Forest Stewardship Council and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.

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Cover:

Sibyl and Randy Quayle standing on the property in front of their pump shed and sap collection tank. For member profile turn to page 21. Photo courtesy of the Quayles.

The New York Forest Owner 50:1 • January/February 2012

From The

President

lans are well underway for our annual membership meeting. As in the recent past it will be held at the State Fairgrounds in Syracuse in conjunction with the New York State Farm Show. The Farm Show runs February 23 - 25 and more information about the farm show itself can be found on page 5 or at http://farmprogress. com/new-york-farm-show. NYFOA members will be mailed tickets to the show (entry to the fairgrounds) a few weeks before the show. Working with NYS DEC and Cornell Cooperative Extension, members of our Central New York Chapter will provide a staffed information booth in the International Building and have arranged this year’s series of the popular Forest Education Workshops in the Art and Home Building on all three days. Refer to page 5 or our web site, http://www.nyfoa.org, for more information on these. Special thanks to CNY’s Jamie Christensen and Rich Taber for pulling this all together. The membership meeting itself will be held on Saturday, February 25th, 1:00 PM, in the Arts and Craft Building. Besides a forestry-related program we’ll have election of new board members and presentations of our awards. The list of candidates is presented on page 12 in this magazine. I encourage you to read it to get a better sense of the people volunteering to serve on the board, representing your interests. Service awards include the Heiberg Memorial Award, recognizing outstanding contributions to forestry and conservation in New York; the NYFOA Outstanding

Service Award recognizing outstanding service to the NYFOA membership and furtherance of NYFOA’s mission; and NYFOA’s Chapter Activity Award thanking volunteer individuals or couples in their chapter education and outreach activities. If you have someone in mind for any of these awards, please send their names to Ron Pedersen at the address given on page 13 by February 1st. We hope to see you at the Farm Show! While we’re on the subject of recognizing those who support our chapters, I can not say enough about their importance to our organization. We at the state level carry out many administrative functions, leverage our core forest education and stewardship mission, and represent the common interests of our members to the state and national governments and other organizations. It is the chapters that do the “boots on the ground” hands-on seminars, woodswalks, and interpersonal events that are at the heart of what we stand for. The members of the chapter steering committees are the unsung heroes of our organization. I urge you to thank them at every opportunity for their commitment to NYFOA and its values. Even better, why not volunteer to join their ranks? All chapters could use more volunteers. Speaking for myself, 17 years ago I joined NYFOA to educate myself on how to better manage our newly acquired woodland. I further reasoned, even though I had a full time job, there was no better way to bring myself up to speed than to volunteer to be on the (WFL) chapter steering committee and place myself in the thick of things. It has proven a tremendous learning experience. Why not consider the same for yourself? By the way, I’m delighted to say that I’m still learning… it’s a lifetime thing. –Jim Minor NYFOA President

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 helps the interested public 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 $15 (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 ________V-Code______ 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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The New York Forest Owner 50:1 • January/February 2012

NY Farm Show 2012

NYFOA STORE

Helping Farmers Produce More from Their Woodlots

Show your support for the Association! All items display the NYFOA logo.

Jamie Christensen

1. Sweatshirt………………….....$20.00 Green M, L, XL Grey M, L, XL

Got Trees? The New York Forest Owners Association, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry will present a series of free forestry programs on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday February 23, 24, and 25 at the New York Farm Show annually held at the State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. The Farm Show has many exhibits displaying information, equipment, and items of interest to landowners as well as farmers. Landowners who own woodland as part of their property can get information on many subjects that will help them enhance the value of their woodlots for timber, wildlife, and recreation. Seminars consisting of eight different subjects during the three day farm show will be held in the Arts and Home Center Building in the Somerset Room. Subjects will include Wildlife Concerns, Leasing Your Woodlands, Deer Management Plan for NYS, Best Practices for Improving Timber Value, Woodlot Firewood, Selling Timber, Information Availability, Timber Value Market Present and Future, and Natural Gas Drilling Update. People are free to attend whichever seminar interests them and visit the Farm Show exhibits the rest of the time. Forest Management Seminars Thursday February 23 1:00 An Introduction to Silvopasturing, and its Benefits to Land, Livestock and People. Brett Chedzoy, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schuyler County 2:00 What Woodland Owners Need to Know About Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). Rebecca Hargrave, Extension Educator, Horticulture and Natural Resources, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chenango County

www.nyfoa.org

Friday February 24 10:00 To be arranged 11:00 Best Practices for Improving Timber Value. Dr. Peter Smallidge, NYS Extension Forester, Cornell University 1:00 Sugarbush Thinning Improves Tree Growth and Sap Quality. Dr. Peter Smallidge, NYS Extension Forester, Cornell University 2:00 Woodland and Wildlife Information Sources for Landowners. Rich Taber, NYFOA State Wildlife Grant Coordinator, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chenango County

2. Long Sleeve T-Shirt………...$14.00 Green M, L, XL Grey M, L, XL

Saturday February 25 10:00 Timber Value: The Market, Present and Future. Andy Metz, SAF Certified Forester, Consulting Forester, Cortland Forestry 11:00 To be arranged

6. Mugs………………………..…$ 4.00 White with green lettering

There will also be a joint New York Forest Owners Association, NYSDEC, CCE, and SUNY ESF Forestry Information Booth, I55, in the International Food Building each day of the Farm Show. Before or after the seminar presentations, people can go to the booth and talk with knowledgeable Forest Owners Association volunteers, DEC Service Foresters, CCE Extension Foresters and with Master Forest Owner volunteers. Free information (brochures, publications, people, organizations, and resources) will be available at the booth. People can sign up for more information or for a free visit to their woodlot. The International Building has many forestry related exhibits for landowners. For further information contact: Jamie Christensen 315-472-5323 kchriste@ twcny.rr.com, and Rich Taber rbt44@ cornell.edu.

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………..…$14.00 Green with Tan logo, one size 5. NYFOA Member Sign…….…$ 2.00 12x12 Heavy Gauge Plastic Yellow 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: ______________________ Telephone: ______________________ Form of Payment:  Check  Credit Card Credit Card No. __________________________________ Expiration Date ________V-Code______ 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 am looking forward to retiring from my job in about 15 years, and want to work towards optimizing my future timber volume and value. What should I do for the best return? Answer: Timber management can be a fun and potentially rewarding venture. Like any effort and investment, your return can vary even if you do everything correctly. Your focus on optimizing versus maximizing is appropriate; maximizing any single output often causes deficiencies elsewhere. It is also worth noting that many actions you take in support of your timber objective will have positive impacts on wildlife, aesthetics, and recreation. Here are several strategies you can consider. Many of these strategies are described in detail in recorded webinars available at www.ForestConnect.info. Also, a new website is available that allows woodland owners to ask and answer questions in a forum, and interact in other ways. See this new site at http:// CornellForestConnect.ning.com A current and thorough forest management plan is an essential part of timber management. A plan will be written by a forester based on your objectives, interests, time, and resources. NYS DEC foresters will write a forest 6

stewardship plan for no cost to you; contact information for DEC is www. dec.ny.gov/about/27790.html. The plan will describe the property, and the abundance, sizes, and quality of tree species. The plan will note any special features of your property. Based on your objectives and the current condition of your forest, the forester will recommend a work schedule of activities that will transition your current for-

est into your desired forest. Activities might include creating access trails, thinning areas with too many trees for optimal growth, or controlling undesirable plant species. For those tasks you decide not to complete yourself, the forester can help you through the process of selecting a qualified contractor. Make sure your management plan identifies fast tree growth, and increased volume of high quality stems per acre as top priorities. Fast growth of desirable high quality stems is a primary determinant for your timber objective. Also, fast growth will help ensure the trees are vigorous and best able to recover from stresses such as drought, insect defoliation, or ice storms. Faster growth will help trees get bigger faster (not a surprise), but will also improve their unit value. For example, a tree might have a quality grade of “select”, but a few inches of diameter growth would elevate the grade to “prime.” In addition to the increase in board foot volume (a board foot is 12” x 12” x 1”), the unit value of the log might increase by 10% to 20% or more per board foot depending on species. Use the unique talents of foresters

Loggers are an important part of timber production. Loggers and land owners can participate in a nationally recognized training program called Game of Logging to learn the efficiency and safety of directional felling. Loggers who have enrolled in Trained Logger Certification through NY Logger Training also have some training in forest ecology, silviculture, and first aid.

The New York Forest Owner 50:1 • January/February 2012

and loggers. Foresters are trained to make recommendations and prescriptions that will help your woodland achieve your desired end points. They can measure the forest, understand the ecological interactions of the trees, and plan for optimizing economic, ecological, and social outcomes. Different foresters have different skills and experiences so find the forester that best matches with your particular needs. Loggers are trained to work efficiently and effectively in felling, skidding, and bucking trees for the best return. Different loggers have different types of equipment, different markets, and different capabilities. Some loggers and foresters will offer services other than those related to timber sales. Because you may have many tasks to complete before your sell timber, find the forester and logger that have a wide range of experiences. Your forester can help you select a logger that matches your needs for a particular task. Avoid the all too common practice of high-grading or diameter-limit-cutting. These exploitive practices remove only the biggest and best trees and leave behind primarily low value and poor quality trees. These practices degrade your woodland by reducing future volume growth potential, decreasing future revenue potential, and encouraging the growth of poor quality less desirable species. Many factors can contribute to high-grading, so learn the features of a high-grade, and specify to your forester that you want to avoid this practice. High quality trails, and where appropriate, roads, will improve your access and efficiency of work tasks. Even owners who are comfortable walking through the woods spend most of their time on or near trails. Trails allow you to access work areas, improve safety, and allow for more thorough inspections of your woods for potentially damaging organisms. If you will work with a contractor or neighbor for harvesting, clearly describe the desired locations of trails and roads and the soil conditions, particularly saturated soils, that will result in road closure. When you visit other woodland owner properwww.nyfoa.org

A legal survey that includes marking the property boundary is an important step in reducing the likelihood that you will become a victim of timber theft. After boundary line trees are marked, inspect the marks annually and refresh paint as needed. Communicate with neighbors about boundaries and harvesting activity.

ties during NYFOA woods walks, ask questions about how the owner designed, installed and maintained the trails and roads. Take steps to avoid becoming a victim of timber theft. Several recent articles by Hugh Canham and Ron Pedersen in this magazine have described the characteristics of timber theft. Timber theft is most common on private lands. Perhaps because a large number of owners are absentee owners, only approximately 40% of thefts are noticed immediately. The best prevention is to obtain a legal survey of your property lines and then blaze and paint those lines. The boundary should be inspected annually and the paint freshened as needed to be prominent. Blazed and painted trees on boundary lines alert potential timber thieves that you know your property, and remove their ability to effectively claim ignorance. If you have a timber sale, only work with reputable loggers and foresters. Have a written contract that is reviewed by your forester and your lawyer. All trees selected for cutting should have a â&#x20AC;&#x153;stump mark,â&#x20AC;? and an unmarked stump

should prompt an immediate conversation with the harvester. Communicate with your neighbors so they know when you are harvesting trees and ask then to tell you as well. Meet the loggers who work in the area and offer to show them your boundary line to avoid any confusion. Have friends and neighbors be alert to unusual activity. Avoid damage to your residual trees when you are harvesting trees. You may harvest trees for a variety of reasons, but whatever the reason be careful to avoid or significantly minimize scuffing the bark at the base of trees or rutting the soil and disturbing the roots. Unfortunately, many owners damage their future high value sawtimber trees in the process of removing low value firewood. It is tempting to try and utilize all trees you cut during a thinning activity, but damage to just a few future high value trees can be worth several times the value of a few cords of firewood. Only competent and trained individuals with appropriate equipment for the terrain should be allowed to remove trees. When harvests continued on page 17

Shrubs in the Understory Jim Engel

alk into any woods and you might be forgiven for overlooking them. They blend right into the canvas of leaves, twigs and stems that make up the forest background. Look a little closer at the leaves, the stems and bark. Try to match them to the large canopy trees that make up the forest overstory. Nothing seems to match, maybe because they aren’t trees at all but the group of plants that are called shrubs. In woodlot management, shrub species tend to just get in the way of other management priorities like producing timber. They have no economic value. They never get large enough to cut for firewood. The stems are usually forked and crooked. The forester recommends cutting them out to reduce competition with the more valuable tree species. So what good are they? What role do shrubs play in the forest ecosystem? People have a way of trying to simplify everything, so we can get our heads around it. In nature complexity is the name of the game. Change the

smallest component and it can have unexpected and unforeseen effects on many other organisms around it. Change happens even if we aren’t aware of them. The forest shrub layer is often defined as the physical space between ground level and 15 to 20 feet in height. The forests understory consists of several types of plants that as a whole make up the understory. The first group and often the most numerous in number are the seedlings and saplings of the dominant canopy trees. The next group is the understory trees, species that are adapted to grow in the shade of the canopy trees. These tend to be small to midsized species like Hophornbeam, American hornbeam, serviceberry and flowering dogwood. Shrubs make up the third group and grow from ground level up to about 10 to 15 feet in height. The last group includes all of the herbaceous plants often referred to collectively as herbs. The herbaceous layer includes all

non-woody plants including annuals, perennials, grasses and sedges. Shrubs are physiologically different from trees. Shrubs are generally described as multi-stemmed plants with numerous stems originating from the root crown. Trees generally have a single dominant stem growing from the root system. In trees the main stem exhibits strong apical dominance while the stems of shrubs are all codominant with no single stem expressing dominance. Shrub stems are often about the same size and many can regenerate from the root crown. Several common shrubs found in the forest understory are spice bush, maple-leaf viburnum, beaked hazelnut and witch-hazel. Other shrubs and shrub like plants such as prickly-ash, round-leaf dogwood, bladdernut and deer berry are locally abundant in some woodlands but not in others. Occasionally other species that require more sunlight will be present in second growth woodland, but these shrubs will not persist over time and eventually be shaded out. Shrubs provide many ecological benefits in the forest understory that are not similarly provided by small trees. Shrubs provide more leaf surface area continued on page 19

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The New York Forest Owner 50:1 • January/February 2012

Ruth Esther Delavan “Grammie D”of Cincinnatus, NY, submitted this photo of her with six of her nine grandchildren on a rare get together “jaunt to the woods” on their Maple Farm. Pictured left to right are Michaela, Kristen, Grammie D holding baby Rosalyn, Rachel, Ethan and Genesis.

Kid’s Corner 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, and it may end up on this page!

Winter Edibles: Get out your fork! O ur woods abound with food year round, even now. I know its January, and you’re thinking “There is nothing out there that is not frozen.” But don’t think that! There is goodness under that snow and more goodness to come soon. So, what can you find right now? Wintergreen tea made from black (sweet) and yellow birch. Just cut off 4-5 inch pieces of small twigs and steep them in hot water. Or just chew on them to get the flavor of a wintergreen candy. Burdock roots can be dug when the ground thaws. Burdock is often found along roadsides or in disturbed areas. Look for the large flat leaves that die back in the fall, dig down as far as you can and Yellow birch. Photo: Bill pop up the roots. Cook, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org Burdock has a large taproot like a carrot. Look for the smaller, younger plants as they will be tastier, not ones that have gone to seed. Scrub well and slice into strips then boil for 20 minutes. Burdock root can be used as carrot or celery, or like potatoes. Rose hips are the red berries on the thorny wild roses. These little gems are packed with vitamin C. They can be cooked or dried. They are easy to find www.nyfoa.org

and pick, but they do need to be processed to remove hairy seeds before eating. Check for recipes on-line.

Rose hips. Photo: Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org

Ground nuts, Apios americana, can be found along marshy areas or paths in the woods. The ground nut is a legume and in the summer it has a beautiful maroon flower similar to a pea. It is an herbaceous vine, and the dried vines can often be found in the winter. Carefully pull up and dig around the base of the vine to find the “ground nuts,” which are actually tubers, up to 8 on a root shoot. This plant is a true native, and was a common food for eastern Native Americans before European settlers came. Ground nuts can be cooked like potatoes. Staghorn sumac berries can be harvested and soaked to make “lemonade.” Look for the upright clumps of red, fuzzy berries pointing towards the sky on sumac shrubs. Cut off some clumps and clean and de-stem them. Immerse and rub them in cold water and soak them for several

hours to make a lemony drink. In a few more months we’ll have even more options. Maple Syrup — not just for pancakes: jack wax, maple coated nuts, maple cream — yummy! Visit a local producer in Staghorn sumac berries. March and April Photo credit: Bill Cook, Michigan State University, or make your Bugwood.org own. Also in April and May, be on the lookout for ramps (wild leeks) and fiddleheads which come out in early spring. Ramps have a strong onion flavor and can be eaten raw or cooked. Fiddleheads, the tightly coiled young shoots of the ostrich fern, are earthy and green and nice sautéed, steamed, or grilled. Be careful, some fern shoots are toxic; be sure its ostrich fern before you harvest it. Take an adult with you. These are just a few of the wild foods and drinks that you can find. Be sure you’ve identified the plants correctly (take an adult with you) before you cook and eat them. Enjoy! Rebecca Hargrave is the Community Horticulture and Natural Resources Educator at Cornell University Cooperative Extension in Chenango County.

Wild Things in Your Woodlands Kristi Sullivan

Cottontail Rabbit Two species of cottontails are present in New York and both are very similar in appearance. The first is the Eastern cottontail (Silvilagus floridanus), which is abundant throughout much of New York State except the central Adirondacks. In contrast, the New England cottontail (Silvilagus transitionalis) is uncommon and occurs only east of the Hudson River. The New England cottontail is a species of special concern in New York State because its distribution and abundance have declined significantly over the last 40 years. Both of these rabbits are mostly gray-brown in color, with white undersides and a small white tail that looks like a cotton ball and is most visible as they bound away. They are about 14 ½ to 18 inches in length, and weigh about two to three pounds.

s you walk along a woods edge in the winter, the sights and sounds of wildlife activity are not as obvious as in other seasons. The tracks of the cottontail rabbit, or the occasional glimpse of a rabbit bounding for cover, remind us that some of New York’s mammals are still active. The woods are quiet and peaceful during winter, and the lure of discovering tracks, scat, or other signs of wildlife is added incentive to venture outdoors and enjoy what nature has to offer. Like tracks and droppings, shrubs and seedlings with cleanly nipped twigs about 2 feet off the ground are evidence that rabbits are nearby. Rabbits are herbivores, feeding on bark and twigs of species such as sumac, oak, dogwood, maple, wil10

low, apple, and raspberry during the winter. In the spring and summer rabbits feed on goldenrod, clover, chickweed, dandelions, and many other plants, eating the more succulent vegetation parts such as leaves, shoots and flowers. Rabbits are crepuscular, meaning that they feed most actively at dawn and dusk. As the weather starts to warm in late February or March, rabbits entertain us with their wild, leaping courtship antics prior to breeding. Breeding starts in February and continues into September. After a gestation period of about 28 days, from three to seven young are born. The young, hairless with eyes closed, are born in a nest consisting of a shallow depression in the ground lined with hair pulled from the female’s belly

and dead grasses. They nurse and require parental care for about 20 days after birth. A mature, healthy female can have as many as five litters per breeding season. Although a single female could contribute as many as 35 young to the population each year, only about 20 – 25 percent of the young survive a full year. Predators, weather, disease, parasites, and social factors keep populations in check. Male cottontails are territorial and dominant males maintain territories of about eight to 25 acres. Other males can remain in the area as long as they remain subordinate, and respect the social hierarchy. Females defend a territory of about two acres in the nesting season. When local densities are high, frequent social

The New York Forest Owner 50:1 • January/February 2012

interactions can increase stress and lead to reductions in litter sizes and survival rates. Creating habitat for rabbits is relatively easy. Rabbits need nesting cover in the spring and summer, and food and escape cover throughout the winter. By leaving the tops of trees cut for firewood or during a timber harvest, you can provide food at ground level as well as cover. Crooked or forked evergreens can be partially cut through and toppled over to provide “living brush piles”. After the holidays, consider placing your Christmas tree out in the woods instead of sending it to the landfill. Create clusters of old Christmas trees by overlapping this year’s tree with last year’s tree. You can also create brush piles by placing large rocks or logs on the ground, and

adding progressively smaller pieces of wood as you build up. By crisscrossing larger logs on the bottom, you create hiding spaces and prevent the pile from decaying to quickly. Old rock walls and stumps left in the ground are also beneficial. With just a few small habitat improvement projects, you can satisfy the food and cover needs for cottontail rabbits and enjoy both the springtime antics and the winter signs that are the hallmark of the this animal. Kristi Sullivan is Co-Director of the Conservation Education and Research Program and Director of the NY Master Naturalist Program. More information on managing habitat for wildlife, as well as upcoming educational programs at the Arnot Forest can be found by visiting the arnotconservation.info Image credited to Lew Gorman.

News & Notes Seedling Sales Begin January 2012 The NYS Tree Nursery offers more than 50 different trees and shrubs for your needs: stream buffers, hedges, windbreaks, wildlife food and habitat, attracting pollinators, Christmas trees and more. Bare root seedlings are lightweight and easy to plant. Numerous trees and shrubs available make great stream buffers. Storms in 2011 destroyed many streambanks. Healthy planted streambanks and floodplains slow the force of floodwaters and reduce erosion, protecting our loved ones and property. The sale begins January 3, 2012 and runs through mid May. For more information visit their web site at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/ animals/7127.html Social Network Site Private woodland owners have an added option for connecting with other woodland owners and educational resources. A social network site, http:// www.nyfoa.org

CornellForestConnect.ning.com allows woodland owners to learn about the ecology and management of their property’s resources and connect with other woodland owners having similar interests. The social network site is part of the Cornell University Cooperative Extension ForestConnect program. ForestConnect is an educational and applied research program of Cornell University

and Cornell Cooperative Extension. The goal of ForestConnect is to support the sustainable production of private woodlands in New York (and beyond) through the provision of educational assistance. ForestConnect is a broad and deep program and works with numerous colleagues, cooperators, and partners. For more information about ForestConnect, visit the main website at www.ForestConnect.info

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NYFOA General Director Candidates The Nominating Committee of NYFOA presents the following slate of four nominees to fill the four openings on the statewide Board of Directors. Each opening is for a three-year term as provided by the Bylaws of NYFOA. Please complete the ballot below and mail to NYFOA by February 10, 2012 or vote in person at the Annual Meeting on February 25, 2012. Jim Minor - Rochester, NY Jim Minor and his wife, Barbara, have been members of NYFOA since 1994. Jim has been active in the Western Finger Lakes chapter, serving as its Newsletter Editor, Chapter Chairman, and Chapter-Designated Director to the State Board. He currently serves on the WFL board and is their Newsletter Publisher. Jim is past Vice President of NYFOA and currently serves as its President. He is a retired engineer with degrees from the University of Rochester and Brown University. He and Barbara own/manage 200+ acres of forest/farm land in Schuyler County. Mike Seager – Webster, NY Mike has been a member of NYFOA for more than 10 years, and has served on the board of the Western Finger Lakes chapter for much of that time. He served six years as WFL’s designated director to the state board of directors, during which time he served as both vice president and president of the board. Mike and his father own about 175 acres of cropland and woodlot in Allegany and Livingston Counties, which they manage for timber production and small game and bird habitat. Kelly Smallidge - Van Etten, NY Kelly lives near Ithaca, in Van Etten, NY. She has been involved with the Southern Finger Lakes Chapter of NYFOA for several years, as a member of the chapter steering committee, and served as a member of the NYFOA Board. She earned a B.S. from ESF in Environmental Studies with a concentration Policy and Management. As a member of NYFOA, her interest in management of private forested land has been driven by a personal goal for an improved understanding of forested land policy. She enjoys NYFOA because of the firsthand opportunity the organization provides to witness the development and application of forest policies and their impacts.

Detach and Complete

Mail Before February 10, 2012

Election Form Vote for Four (3) Candidates

Jim Minor ( )

Mike Seager ( )

Kelly Smallidge ( ) _________________ ( ) Write-in candidate ___________________ ( ) Name(s) _____________________________________________________________________________ Address _____________________________________________________________________________ City _____________________________________ State _______________ Zip ______________ Chapter / Affiliation ________________________________ Send ballot to: NYFOA, P.O. Box 541, Lima, New York 14485 12

The New York Forest Owner 50:1 • January/February 2012

50th Annual NYFOA Meeting

NYFOA Awards At the annual membership meeting each year, NYFOA presents several awards: The Heiberg Memorial Award recognizes outstanding contributions to forestry and conservation in New York. The NYFOA Outstanding Service Award recognizes outstanding service to the NYFOA membership and furtherance of NYFOA’s mission. NYFOA’s Chapter Activity Award thanks a volunteer individual or couple from each chapter for helping the Chapter to operate in reaching members and other private forest owner outreach in the area. Each Chapter is urged to name one volunteer individual or couple each year for recognition by the state membership at the annual meeting in 2012. Please send the name of your “Chapter Activity” awardee, and any suggestions on individuals for the statewide awards to Ron Pedersen by February 1, 2012. Ron Pedersen 22 Vandenburg Lane Latham, NY 12110 Email: rwp22@nycap.rr.com

The New York Forest Owners Association is holding its annual membership meeting, in conjunction with the three-day New York Farm Show, on Saturday February 25, 2012, at the New York Fairgrounds in Syracuse. The annual meeting will begin at 1:00 pm and be held in the Arts and Home Building. At the meeting the Heiburg Memorial Award, the Outstanding Service Award, and NYFOA’s Chapter activity awards will all be presented. The meeting will also feature the topic: The Health Status of New York’s Forests. No single measurement can summarize forest health. Instead, we look at a wide set of indicators which together serve as a reflection of existing conditions of New York’s forest health. Repeated monitoring of the forest over time allows us to identify trends in forest conditions and evaluate the effectiveness of our actions. Information about forest health is obtained in a variety of ways. The USDA Forest Service conducts a program of Forest Inventory and Analysis, which provides information in NY on rates of tree growth and death, harvesting, and changes in forest types and tree species. The Forest Service and the New York State DEC conduct regular ground and aerial surveys of forest damage and the causal agents, both in permanent plots and in other forest areas. NYFOA’s keynote speaker will discuss the overall health of New York’s 18 millions acres of forests, and highlight some of the key challenges facing New York’s forests today. For more information, contact Liana Gooding at 1-800-836-3566 or go to www.nyfoa.org for more details.

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Woodland Health A column focusing on topics that might limit the health, vigor and productivity of our private or public woodlands

Coordinated by Mark Whitmore

Winter of Discontent By Daniel Gilrein

secondary problems such as borers and Armillaria root rot the threat to forest and landscape trees can be serious. Part of what makes winter moth a problem is the wide host range it enjoys, including oaks, maples, ash, cherries, basswood, crabapple, apple, and blueberry; winter moth has even been reported to feed on Sitka spruce and heather. Another factor is that the caterpillars hatch quite early in the spring to feed on newly developing buds, causing heavy damage in a short time and when it might not be easily noticed. On blueberries, for example, this can easily mean the loss of the current season’s crop. While there are some natural enemies that take out a portion of the population they are not adequate to maintain a low infestation (hence the interest in Cyzenis). Dr. Elkinton estimates there have typically been 100,000 (and as many as 250,000) caterpillars per tree and up to 20 million per hectare (i.e., over 8 million per acre). Besides the established infestations in eastern Massachusetts (mostly east of Interstate 495), at present winter moth has been found in coastal Maine and New Hampshire, Rhode Island and eastern Connecticut, though one was detected on Staten Island and others on

Our thoughts turn to all things winter this time of year, and for us entomologists that naturally includes winter moth, a potentially serious threat to woodland and landscape trees that is knocking on New York State’s eastern border. As an insect specialist employed to help protect society, crops and landscapes from pest threats it seems I’m always arriving with some fresh hell, as Dorothy Parker might put it, to report. Fortunately the news on winter moth isn’t all bad, and it is possible we may not see it in much of New York State any time soon. However, when something so potentially devastating is so close by a little chain rattling is in order.

of Connecticut; and Rick Hoebeke, entomologist formerly with Cornell. Winter moth, a European insect, wasn’t completely unknown this side of the pond, with prior invasions in Nova Scotia around 60 – 80 years ago and in the Pacific Northwest around 40 years ago where it is now established. Those infestations were eventually brought under control in part by introduction of a parasitoid fly (Cyzenis albicans), but leading up to which some forested areas of Nova Scotia sustained high levels (40%) of red oak mortality due to winter moth defoliations. In combination with outbreaks of other insects such as forest tent caterpillar and gypsy moth, severe drought and the threat of

Background Nearly 20 years ago eastern Massachusetts was experiencing a persistent outbreak of what appeared to be fall cankerworm (a type of ‘inchworm’). Unlike prior outbreaks this one was getting worse, not abating, and trees were being killed by repeat defoliations. In 2002 specimens were examined and determined to be either Bruce spanworm (Operophtera bruceata), a native species, or possibly winter moth (O. brumata). The two species are very similar in both moth and caterpillar stages, but winter moth was finally confirmed as the culprit in 2003 thanks to Deb Swanson, then Massachusetts Cooperative Extension Educator in Plymouth County; Bob Childs and Dr. Joe Elkinton, entomologists with University of Massachusetts; Dr. Dave Wagner, entomologist with University

Adult Winter moth. Photo Credit: Robert D. Childs, University of Massachusetts.

The New York Forest Owner 50:1 • January/February 2012

Bruce E. Robinson, Inc. Forestry Consultants

Winter moth larva. Photo Credit: Robert D. Childs, University of Massachusetts.

eastern Long Island. In Massachusetts winter moth has been detected as far west as Athol and Ware, but so far has not spread west into upstate New York. Residents in eastern Massachusetts may have noticed the adult winter moths (male) fly late in the year after emerging from the soil, where they have pupated, usually starting around late November to early December. The moths may be active into January, somewhat later than is typical for

fall cankerworm moths. Females are flightless and crawl up nearby trunks or other structures to await a mate. Eggs are then laid and overwinter on the trunks and branches of host trees. The moths then die, having completed their mission. The eggs hatch in spring as temperatures reach about 55 degrees F and budbreak begins. Similar to gypsy moth, the tiny caterpillars may blow from one tree to another, moving the infestation to nearby trees. Though the

Leaf damage caused by Winter moth. Photo Credit: Robert D. Childs, University of Massachusetts.

www.nyfoa.org

• 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@windstream.net Phone: 716-665-5477 Fax: 716-664-5866 caterpillars are similar in appearance to fall cankerworms, they differ in one aspect that is fairly easy to see: fall cankerworms have three sets of prolegs (hind legs) with the front pair much reduced in size, but winter moth only has two. Bruce spanworm, the native relative of winter moth, cannot be separated from it in the field. There is only one generation a year and the caterpillars are gone by mid-June. Winter moths are attracted to pheromone traps set out in late fall used for Bruce spanworm, but separating the two species can only be done in the lab. Dr. Elkinton and his team have now released C. albicans and successfully established (since 2010) it at five locations. It has also been found in other areas where recent releases were not done, suggesting the insects are successfully overwintering. It takes time for these natural enemies to ‘catch up’ to such a huge host population, continued on page 16

Winter of Discontent (continued) so they’ll be watching for evidence of impact over the next five years or so. Meantime, they are also looking at other natural enemies for possible use in the fight against this foreign invader. There are also other reasons for optimism. Dr. Elkinton notes that the insect may be limited to areas along the coast and further south where winter temperatures are milder. And at least in managed landscape situations there are effective insecticides that can be used, including some naturally derived materials (be sure products used are approved for use in New York State). As forest managers know, however, it is important to watch for unusual problems or outbreaks while they are still small and can be managed with limited intervention. Some helpful photos and more information can be found at the Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project website at http://www. massnrc.org/PESTS/pestFAQsheets/ winter%20moth.html and the University of Massachusetts Extension Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry website: http://extension.umass.edu/landscape/ fact-sheets/winter-moth-identificationmanagement

References A New Pest Concern in New England: Winter Moth Update 2009. University of Connecticut Integrated Pest Management Program. Accessed 12/13/2011 at http://www.hort.uconn.edu/ipm/ general/biocntrl/wintermoth.htm Cracking the Case of the Winter Moth. University of Massachusetts Extension Highlights. Accessed 12/13/2011 at http://extension.umass.edu/index.php/ news-events/106-cracking-the-case-ofthe-winter-moth Elkinton, J. et al. 2010. Survey for Winter Moth (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) in Northeastern North America With Pheromone-Baited Traps and Hybridization With the Native Bruce Spanworm (Lepidoptera: Geometridae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 103(2): 135-145. Elkinton, J. 2011. Biological Control of Winter Moth in New England. Dept. of Plant, Soil and Insect Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Daniel Gilrein is an Extension Entomologist, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center, Riverhead, NY. Mark Whitmore is a forest entomologist in the Cornell University Department of Natural Resources and the chair of the NY Forest Health Advisory Council.

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Please specify Name and Address to be printed on signs: Name:______________________________ Address: ____________________________ Limited to two lines of type (abbreviate where possible). Type is about 5/16 inches high.

Mailing Address

Wayne Tripp, C.F.

New York Manager wtripp@fwforestry.com Glens Falls (518) 480-3456

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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 * 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).

The New York Forest Owner 50:1 • January/February 2012

Ask a Professional (continued) occur, keep trails and roads as straight as possible, use bumper trees to protect more desirable trees, and avoid harvesting in late spring and early summer when large sections of bark may be easily scuffed from trees. Timber management is a long-term venture, so help control costs by actively using state and federal tax codes to your advantage. In NY, the forest tax law, 480-a, allows for up to an 80% reduction in the assessed value of forest land, excluding buildings, used for the production of forest products. Participants need to have a written management plan, at least 50 acres of woodland, and a forward rolling 10 year commitment. Forest owners who carefully scrutinize and recognize a fit with the forest tax law requirements can achieve considerable savings in school and town property taxes. The federal tax code currently allows for owners

who actively participate in the management of their woodlands to enjoy increased opportunity for deductions of allowable expenses, capital gains treatment of income, and increased deductions of some capital expenses. There are of course definitions and details to learn, but owners can find what they need to start asking informed questions about federal code at www.timbertax. org. Continue to learn all you can about your woods, and stay connected with other woodland owners. Cornell Cooperative Extension through ForestConnect and many county based programs has the responsibility and capacity to provide for most of your educational needs. Educational resources include, for example, bulletins and fact sheets, workshops, conferences, webinars, demonstration sites, and Master Forest Owner trained volunteers (www.

CornellMFO.info). There are also opportunities to stay connected with other owners in NY and beyond through social networking websites. Web links for these educational resources were mentioned in the first paragraph. Another important resource is NYFOA. Beyond the NY Forest Owner magazine, the chapters are superb resources for meeting other owners in your area and learning what to do and not do on your property. Take advantage of woods walks in your chapter and neighboring chapters if possible. Also, consider volunteering some time on the chapter steering committee or state board. Your volunteer time will pay significant dividends. Peter J. Smallidge is the NYS Extension Forester and Director Cornell University Arnot Teaching and Research Forest. He can be reached at email:pjs23 @cornell.edu or visit his website at www. ForestConnect.info

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www.nyfoa.org

Managing Forests for Carbon Mitigation James L. Bowyer, Robert W. Malmsheimer, and Michael T. Goergen, Jr.

he role of forests in carbon and climate mitigation may seem to be very straightforward. Since trees capture carbon as they grow and forests store massive quantities of it, it is easy to conclude that trees and forests should be treated as carbon sinks and left alone. But this kind of thinking reflects an incomplete understanding of the role of forests in carbon mitigation. In reality, forests have multiple roles to play in carbon mitigation, and forest management can help to optimize those roles. A new report from the Society of American Foresters, based on an extensive review of more than 280 recent studies of forest carbon relationships, shows that a policy of active and responsible forest management is more effective in capturing and storing atmospheric carbon than a policy of hands-off management that precludes periodic harvests and use of wood products. While acknowledging that forests have a myriad of values and that it is not appropriate to manage every forested acre with a sole focus on carbon mitigation, the report’s authors conclude that national environmental and energy policies need to be based upon an understanding of forest carbon benefits. The research identified four basic premises to establishing effective policies: 1. Energy produced from forest biomass returns carbon to the atmosphere that plants absorbed in the relatively recent past. It essentially results in no net release of carbon as long as overall forest inventories are stable or increasing (as is the case with forests in the United States). 18

2. Energy derived from burning fossil fuels releases carbon that has resided in the Earth for millions of years, effectively creating a one-way flow to the atmosphere. Whether emissions from fossil fuel combustion are ultimately taken up by land, ocean or forests, they are not returned to fossil fuel reserves on anything less than a geologic time scale. 3. Wood products used in place of more fossil fuel-intensive materials, such as metals, concrete, and plastic reduce carbon emissions, store carbon, and can provide additional biomass that can be substituted for fossil fuels to produce energy. 4. Sustainably managed forests can provide greater carbon mitigation benefits than unmanaged forests, while delivering a wide range of environmental and social benefits including timber and biomass resources, jobs and economic opportunities, clean water, wildlife habitat, and recreation.

The report emphasizes that a rational energy and environmental policy framework must be based on the premise that atmospheric greenhouse gas levels are increasing primarily because of the addition of geologic fossil fuel–based carbon into the carbon cycle. Findings indicate that forest carbon policy that builds on accumulated scientific knowledge can be an important part of a comprehensive energy policy that reduces fossil fuel consumption and provides carbon mitigation benefits while also delivering a full range of environmental and social benefits, including clean water, wildlife habitat, and recreation. A summary of the report is available at: http://dovetailinc.org/ files/DovetailManagingForest Carbon1011.pdf and the complete report is available at http://www. safnet.org/documents/JOFSupplement.pdf. James L. Bowyer is the Director of the Responsible Materials Program for Dovetail Partners and a Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota. Robert W. Malmsheimer is a Professor of Forest Policy and Law at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY. Michael T. Goergen, Jr. is the Executive Vice-President and CEO of the Society of American Foresters.

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Shrubs in the Understory (continued) closer to the ground where the majority of forest birds forage. Their dense irregular branching habit provides more cover and structural complexity near the ground via forked branches and multiple stems that birds prefer for nesting. Most forests contain only one or two dominant shrub species and some contain no shrubs at all. It is unclear why this is. There are large variations in the composition of the understory between one forest and another. Could it be that those one or two species are so finely adapted to the site that they are the only species that can reproduce and survive over time? Or is it that the species present today are the only ones that survived or were able to recolonize after some past human activity eliminated all of the forest understory. Many factors can bear on the differences in understory composition; the amount of sunlight, soil composition, pH, drainage patterns and topography. The shrubs that live in the understory need to be able to survive and reproduce with the amount of sunlight available to them. Sunlight, or the lack of it, may be one of the more significant selective factors influencing species survival. The amount of sunlight will determine what species can survive and how well they grow and persist. The difference may also be due to the past history of the forest. What human activity might have impacted the forest in the past, what species were eliminated and which ones survived? Most of our current woodland has regenerated on former abandoned agricultural fields or woodland that was used to pasture animals. If your woodlot is a second growth forest that regenerated after agricultural abandonment it might have only a few species remaining compared to a forest that was only used for firewood or timber harvest. A woodlot that was used for pasturing animals may have lost all of its understory species. Pasturing animals in woodlots was a common www.nyfoa.org

practice of small subsistence farms from colonial times through the early 1900s and is still in use today although on a more limited basis. Small farms utilized every piece of available land for what ever returns it could provide. The fall was a particularly important time of year when oak, hickory and chestnut trees were producing a mast crop of nuts. Cows, sheep and pigs would be turned loose into the forest to fatten up on the bounty of the forest. Whether you currently have shrubs in your woodland or not you should consider the ecological importance of shrubs to the over all health and biological diversity of your woodland. Increasing forest bird populations by improving understory habitat can have the added benefit of suppressing insect pest populations in your woodlot. More browse for deer on the forest floor might help a few more tree seedlings from being eaten. More foliage in the understory can help protect the soil surface from erosion by pounding rain and add more leaf litter to the soil surface. Those are just a few more obvious benefits. The complexity of forests ecology tells me that there will be many more, but no less significant, benefits to the health of the forest. You can conserve and encourage your present shrub and herbaceous plants. Reintroduce shrub species if they are currently missing from your woodland or augment your current species with the addition of new ones to increase biodiversity. Collecting and dispersing the seeds of shrubs and other understory species is an easy and efficient way to introduce and promote colonization of shrubs and herbs in your woodlot. For more information on how to use seeds to introduce and promote colonization of shrubs and herbs go to http://whiteoaknursery.biz/ restore/index.shtml.

Do you want access to woodlot, wildlife, agroforestry, maple and other related information at your finger tips? Internet resources exist and help connect NY woodland owners to unbiased research-based information. Check out Cornell Cooperative Extension – Woodlots on the Internet · Publications, webinars, links to resources, FAQs, and more at www.ForestConnect. info · Got Questions (and answers) at: http:// CornellForestConnect. ning.com · Calendar of workshops offered by the CCE Department of Natural Resources www. DNRCCE.com · Social networking via www.FaceBook. com search for “ForestConnect” · Micro blogging at www.Twitter.com/ CornellWoodlot

Jim Engel is owner of White Oak Nursery and a member of NYFOA.

Are you interested in a particular topic and would like to see an article about it. Please send your suggestions to: Mary Beth Malmsheimer Editor The New York Forest Owner at mmalmshe@syr.edu Please share this magazine with a neighbor and urge them to join NYFOA. By gaining more members, NYFOA’s voice will become stronger!

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The New York Forest Owner 50:1 • January/February 2012

Member Profile:

Randy and Sibyl Quayle Carly Neumann

andy and Sibyl Quayle own 15 acres of woodland in Lake Placid, NY. Randy worked as a Psychologist in the Lake Placid School System and Sibyl worked as an Early Childhood Educator. Both are now retired. They do not live on their woodland property that is jointly owned by Sibyl and her brother. The property has belonged to Sibyl’s family since around the 1920s. Her grandfather bought the land, located on a hillside above Lake Placid, in order to prevent it’s development. Since that time the family has felt compelled to continue to keep the land from being developed. The forest consisted of pri-

marily beech and sugar maples so in the Fall of 2010 the couple decided to start a maple syrup operation on their property. Randy and Sibyl contacted Mike Farrell to learn about what would be required to start their operation. Mike led them to Eric Fahl, a forester, who helped them to selectively remove the dead and diseased beech. Their first syrup season was the following spring, March and April 2011. They had a good first year producing 450 gallons of syrup from 800 taps. They also planted 20 trees last year, both maple and Black walnut, in what they describe as “an ongoing project.”

The Quayle’s presenting the check for $2,000 to Jon Fremante, Director of the Shipman Youth Center. (Left to Right: Mike Farrell, Randy Quayle, Sibyl Quayle, Jon Fremante, Anthony Kordziel, and John Cranley). Anthony was the senior at Lake Placid High School whose senior project was learning about the maple industry — and did lots of volunteer work for us and Mike Farrell. John Cranley participated in the project and helped with the set up of our maple project and sale of the maple syrup.

www.nyfoa.org

Tapped Sugar Maple on the Quayle property.

One of the hardest parts about planting trees is a lack of a water source on site, but they are persevering. The first year was not without some challenges though; leaking vacuum lines and mechanical problems. But these challenges were to be expected with the start of a new maple operation. Another interesting challenge, Sibyl added, is managing the forest and teaching their neighbors. A dirt road runs through the bottom of the property that several of their neighbors use to get to their homes. Although the beech removal benefited the forest, the process left branches on the ground which some neighbors thought looked messy. Sibyl and Randy work to educate their neighbors about the importance of this management for the health of the forest and how in due time the woodland will look more picturesque. The couple utilized a lot of volunteer help to make their first season a success. One of the main reasons they started the project was to benefit the Shipman Youth Center in Lake Placid. They had been involved with the center since it’s founding 15 years ago as the center began to find it’s niche in the community. The Shipman Youth continued on page 22

Randy Quayle pulling a tap from one of our maple trees at the end of the season in May, 2011.

Red Fox Maple property, showing the Quayle’s in front of their pump shed and sap collection tank.

Center seeks to provide healthy activities for children in the community. The center’s director Jon Fremante “was eager to get involved in the maple project and volunteers helped from setting up taps, to collecting and to selling the final product,” Randy states. This year Randy and Sibyl donated $2000 from their operation to the Shipman Youth Center and look forward to seeing this number increase next year. Although the business is extremely time consuming the rewards for the couple and the community have also been great. One of the students from the Shipman Youth Center researched the maple industry for his senior project and did a lot of work on the property. Based on his efforts he discovered his passion for the industry and upon graduation decided to enroll at SUNY ESF (College of Environmental Science and Forestry) to purse his interest at the collegiate level. This is truly a success story of their volunteer involvement. Another benefit; the couple is applying for agricultural exemption to reduce the tax burden from the property. For forest owners hoping to start a maple operation Randy cautions that it is very time consuming but extremely rewarding. Randy reflects, “there are always more things to do” which is exciting but also challenging. Carly Neumann is a Forest Resources Extension Program Assistant at Cornell University, Dept. of Natural Resources, Ithaca, NY 14853. Dr. Shorna Allred is the faculty advisor for the Member Profile Series.

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 will receive an email every two months that includes 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 50:1 • January/February 2012

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For More Information Contact: Mary Beth Malmsheimer, Editor (315) 655-4110 mmalmshe@syr.edu

magazine

Deadline

Materials submitted for the March/April Issue issue should be sent to Mary Beth Malmsheimer, Editor, The New York Forest Owner, 134 Lincklaen Street, Cazenovia, NY 13035, (315) 655-4110 or via e-mail at mmalmshe @syr.edu Articles, artwork and photos are invited and if requested, are returned after use.

Deadline for material is February 1, 2012

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