The New York Forest Owner a Publication of the New York Forest Owners Association for People Caring About New York’S Trees and Forests May/June 2014

The New York Forest Owner A Publication of The New York Forest Owners Association For people caring about New York’s trees and forests May/June 2014

Member Profile: Gary Goff

Volume 52 Number 3 www.nyfoa.org The New York In This Issue . . . Forest Owners From the President Jim Minor...... 3 Association Update on RNYW 2014 Officers & Directors Jerry Michael...... 5 Jim Minor, President 22 Bryn Mawr Rd Ask a Professional Rochester, NY 14624; (585) 247-7069 Peter Smallidge...... 6 [email protected]

Ron Pedersen, Vice President New York State Tree Farm News 22 Vandenburg Lane erin O’Neill ...... 8 Latham, NY 12110; (518) 785-6061 [email protected] Kids Corner derek J. Conant ...... 9 Sarah Stackhouse, Secretary/Treasurer 3010 Esperanza Rd Bluff Point, NY 14478; (315) 536-9482 Wild Things in Your Woodlands [email protected] kristi Sullivan...... 10

Renee Bouplon, Cambridge, (518) 692-7285. 2016 EQIP Cost-Sharing Available for Forest Stewardship Bob Glidden, Niagara Frontier, (716) 795-3305 Jerry Michael...... 11 Sid Harring, Mayfield, (518) 863-9135; 2017 Lou Inzinna, Southern ADK, (518) 374-1490 NYFOA Awards...... 12 Jeff Joseph, Southern Finger Lakes, (607) 659-5995 oodland ealth corpionflies nusual orest nsects Stacey Kazacos, Reston, VA, (610) 755-8616; 2017 W H : S — U F I Melissa Fierke and Christopher Foelker...... 14 Ralph Meyer, Central New York, (315) 363-5342 Jerry Michael, Binghamton, (607) 648-6534. 2016 2013 NYFOA Donors...... 18 Jim Minor, Rochester, (585) 247-7069. 2015 Colette Morabito, Western Finger Lakes. Member Profile – Gary Goff David Morabito Jr. and Sr., Allegheny Foothills. Maureen Mullen...... 21 David Newman, Syracuse, (315) 470-6534. 2016 Anne Osborn, Lower Hudson, (845) 424-3683 Ron Pedersen, Latham, (518) 785-6061. 2016 Mike Seager, Rochester, (585) 414-6511. 2015 Kelly Smallidge, VanEtten, (607) 589-7530. 2015 Charles Stackhouse, Bluff Point, (315) 536-9482. 2015 Sarah Stackhouse, Bluff Point, (315) 536-9482. 2017 Rich Taber, Central New York, (315) 380-6776 Phil Walton, Capital District, (518) 895-5346 Dave Williams, Southern Tier; (607) 563-3156 Volume 52, Number 3 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 Liana Gooding, Office Administrator sent to: Mary Beth Malmsheimer, Editor, The New York Forest Owner, 134 Lincklaen PO Box 541 Street, Cazenovia, New York 13035. Materials may also be e-mailed to mmalmshe@syr. Lima, NY 14485; (800) 836-3566 [email protected] edu. Articles, artwork and photos are invited and if requested, are returned after use. The deadline for submission for the July/August issue is June 1, 2014. Peter Smallidge, Chair Editorial Committee and Please address all membership fees and change of address requests to PO Box 541, Lima, Ex-Officio Board Member Cornell University, Fernow Hall NY 14485. 1-800-836-3566. Cost of family membership/subscription is $35. Ithaca, NY 14853; (607) 592 3640 [email protected] 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 All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced without use—and reuse—of resources. Finch papers are made with renewable energy, post-consumer prior written permission from the publisher. NYFOA does recycled fiber and elemental chlorine-free pulps. In addition, Finch Paper was the first integrated not necessarily support or approve procedures, products, or paper mill in the US to received both the Forest Management and Chain of Custody certifications opinions presented by authors or advertisers. NYFOA reserves the right to accept or reject any advertisement submitted from the Forest Stewardship Council and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. for NYFOA’s publications. However, NYFOA is not able to investigate or verify claims made in advertisements appearing www.nyfoa.org in NYFOA’s publications. The appearance of advertising in NYFOA’s publications in no way implies endorsement or ap- proval by NYFOA of any advertising claims or of the advertiser, Bob O’Brian (Cotton-Hanlon forester on right) and Gary Goff reveling in a stand its product, or services. Cover: of successfully regenerated sugar maple at Cornell’s Arnot Forest. For member © 2014 New York Forest Owners Association profile see page 21. Photo courtesy of Peter Smallidge.

2 The New York Forest Owner 52:3 • May/June 2014 From NYFOA is a not-for- profit group promoting ThePresident Join! stewardship of private forests for the benefit of current and future Of the many articles that Gary Goff on page 5. Another activity undertaken by generations. Through local chapters and has written for this magazine over the your board over the course of the past year- statewide activities, NYFOA helps years, one of the earliest was “New plus, is the development of Core Values woodland owners to become responsible York’s Master Forest Owner COVERTS for NYFOA which can now be found on stewards and helps the interested public Program” in our September/October our web site, www.nyfoa.org. Marilyn to appreciate the importance of New 1991 issue. In it he lays out the concepts Wyman was the leader in developing these York’s forests. of the nascent MFO program and invites interested parties to attend the first class Please share this magazine Join NYFOA today and begin to in November of 1991 at Cornell’s Arnot receive its many benefits including: six issues of The New York Forest Owner, forest. In the ensuing years the expanding with a neighbor and urge woodswalks, chapter meetings, and program has complemented and enhanced them to join NYFOA. By statewide meetings. NYFOA’s mission by providing gaining more members, ( ) I/We own ______acres of wood- “boots on the NYFOA’s voice will land. ground” for ( ) I/We do not own woodland but sup- educating woodlot become stronger! port the Association’s objectives. owners and Gary Name: ______has documented and this is her “swan song” as she recently Address: ______progress in the reached her board tenure limit of two City: ______program over the 3-year terms. We thank her for her many years on these years of service, sharing her perspectives State/ Zip: ______pages. With Gary’s and her sundry gifts with us. Telephone: ______recent retirement the program will enter its In conjunction with our partners in the Email: ______next phase and as it does so we’d like to Council of Forest Resource Organizations County of Residence: ______thank Gary for his many years of service. we’ve also completed the 2014 Forestry County of Woodlot: ______Please read more about Gary on page 21. Awareness Day in Albany where we Referred by: ______As of this writing we’ve held our focused on 1) Forest Property Taxation, Annual Meeting this past March and have 2) Wood Energy Biomass Energy, 3) Regular Annual Dues: an updated list of board members, listed Improving and Protecting Forest Health, ( ) Student $15 on the inside front cover. We thank our 4) Urban Forestry, and 5) Promoting (Please provide copy of student ID) long-standing volunteers and welcome our Sustainable Woodland Management and ( ) Individual $30 ( ) Family $35 newest members, Sid Harring, Stacey Conservation. Our thanks to the team led Multi-Year Dues: Kazacos, and Charles Stackhouse. If you by Frank Winkler and Carl Wiedemann ( ) Individual 2-yr $55 3-yr $80 get a chance to see any of them you might for the many hours they spent on the ( ) Family 2-yr $65 3-yr $95 want to extend a big Thank You for their CFRO committee and presenting these Additional Contribution: commitment to leading our organization. issues to our NYS elected representatives. ( ) Supporter $1-$49 Also, we’d like to further recognize here All three of the aforementioned topics ( ) Contributor $50-$99 Bruce Robinson, this year’s winner of the are now documented on our web site ( ) Sponsor $100-$249 Heiberg Award and Gary Goff, winner of (www.NYFOA.org): The collection of ( ) Benefactor $250-$499 our 2014 Service Award. Read more about web pages under RNYW can be found by ( ) Steward $500 or more these award winners beginning on page 12. clicking on the RNYW banner on our home ( ) Subscription to Northern Woodlands $15 (4 issues) Our Restore New York Woodlands page or the yellow menu bar at the top of NYFOA is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) tax- (RNYW) initiative continues to move every page; the Core Values description exempt organization and as such your contribution my forward as described by Jerry Michael be tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. continued on page 5 Form of Payment: Check  Credit Card Credit Card No. ______The mission of the New York Forest Owners Association (NYFOA) is to promote Expiration Date ______V-Code______sustainable forestry practices and improved stewardship on privately owned Signature: ______woodlands in New York State. NYFOA is a not-for-profit group of people who Make check payable to NYFOA. Send the care about NYS’s trees and forests and are interested in the thoughtful man- completed form to: NYFOA agement of private forests for the benefit of current and future generations. P.O. Box 541, Lima, New York 14485 1-800-836-3566 www.nyfoa.org www.nyfoa.org 3 2013 Chapter Service Awards

The 2013 NYFOA Chapter Services Awards were presented Allegheny Foothills Chapter Otis Barber at the annual meeting on March 22, 2014. To the right is a Capital District Chapter Tom Wolfe listing of the award winners from their respective Chapters. Central New York Chapter Bruce & Charlene Revette NYFOA’s Chapter Service Award thanks a volunteer Northern Adirondack Chapter Paul Schork individual or couple from each chapter for helping the Southeastern Adirondack Chapter Barbara Hennig Chapter to operate, reach members and/or provide outreach Southern Finger Lakes Chapter Gary Goff to private forest owners in their area. Below are the award Southern Tier Chapter Stephen Kutney winners that were present. Western Finger Lakes Chapter Jim Minor

L to R: Ron Pedersen presents to CNY chapter L to R: Ron Pedersen presents to SOT L to R: Ron Pedersen and Marilyn Wyman award winners Charlene and Bruce Revette. chapter award winner Stephen Kutney. present to SFL chapter award winner Gary Goff.

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4 The New York Forest Owner 52:3 • May/June 2014 Update on RNYW 2014 NYFOA STORE Show your support for the Association! All items display the NYFOA logo. Jerry Michael 1. Sweatshirt………………….....$20.00 YFOA’s “Restore New in managing for regeneration to Green M, L, XL York Woodlands” post their resumes on our website. N Grey M, L, XL initiative was launched last Several have responded to date year in conjunction with and we expect to receive more. 2. Long Sleeve T-Shirt………...$14.00 our Association’s 50th Again, thanks to Jim for designing Green M, L, XL anniversary, and it will be a and placing this Directory of Grey M, L, XL major focus for us for many years to come. Consulting Foresters on the website. 3. Short Sleeve T-Shirt………...$10.00 Several projects supporting RNYW were The link is on the RNYW homepage and Green M, L, XL announced in the November/December there is a “Find” utility that allows you to Grey M, L, XL issue of this magazine, and we wanted to quickly identify foresters that serve your bring members up to date on our progress. county. All shirts are heavy weight cotton with First, thanks to the efforts of our Another project announced for 2014 white lettering on the green and green President (and volunteer webmaster) Jim was the provision of a $250 grant to lettering on the grey. Minor, the RNYW content on our website Chapters to offset the cost of erecting small has been updated and presented in a more demonstration deer exclosure fences in 4. Baseball Style Cap………..…$14.00 accessible format. Since external outreach wooded areas of public parks. The object is Tan with Green logo, one size is an important element of our RNYW to increase public awareness of the impact 5. NYFOA Member Sign…….…$ 3.00 strategy, a professional-looking website is deer browsing has on the regeneration of 12x12 Heavy Gauge Plastic an absolute necessity. Go to www.NYFOA. desirable tree species. Guidelines for the Yellow with green lettering org, click on the RNYW panel on the home construction of these exclosure fences have page, and check out the content. been provided to the Chapters, and several 6. Mugs………………………..…$ 4.00 Also in support of our public outreach are developing plans for construction. White with green lettering objective, a Power Point presentation Our major RNYW activity in 2013 7. Cutting Boards…………...….$ 5.00 “New York Forests – An Endangered was “Woodswalk Weekend,” which was Wood, 5 ½ x7 inches Species” was developed last year and mainly concentrated in the month of May, recently updated. The presentation has but actually continued through the fall. Item# Description Size Qty Price Total been delivered to numerous Cooperative Some Chapters conducted as many as four Extension workshops and various woodswalks with a RNYW theme, and environmental organizations in recent more than 600 people participated overall. months and has been very well-received. For 2014, Chapters were requested to In an effort to bring this message to more host at least one public woodswalk with local audiences, an electronic file of the a primary RNYW theme, and to include Power Point slides and accompanying some RNYW content in every woodswalk Shipping and handling: $6.00 script have been provided to Chapters, with they hosted. Many recent Chapter encouragement to “go on the road” with it Newsletters have announced RNYW NYS Sales Tax – add 8% locally. woodswalk plans for 2014, and we are Total: As a service to forest owners who are working to get the woodswalks posted concerned about the future of their own on the RNYW website map so that non- Name:______woodlots, we invited consulting foresters members who access our site will be able Address:______who advertise knowledge and experience to participate. City:______State / Zip: ______From the President (continued) Telephone: ______Form of Payment: Check  Credit Card has its own web page accessed through the In addition, we continue to expand the Credit Card No. “About NYFOA” pull-down menu (menu archives of The New York Forest Owner ______bar under the photos at the top of the with the addition of issues now going back Expiration Date ______V-Code______page).; and the Forestry Awareness Day to January of 1999. Issues going back even Signature: ______material and other legislative issues in the further are expected to be added in the Make check payable to NYFOA. Send the new “Policy” section accessed through the coming months. completed form to: NYFOA, P.O. Box 541, Lima, New York 14485. Questions? Call same menu bar. –Jim Minor 800-836-3566 NYFOA President www.nyfoa.org 5 logger is felling, make sure the contract stipulates that everyone working in the woods has completed Game of Logging. If bigger timber is being cut among Ask A Professional desirable residual trees, your contract may want to stipulate competency with GOL Level III that teaches the felling of Peter Smallidge large trees with awkward lean. Moving wood is another potential activity where Landowner questions are addressed by foresters and other natural injury occurs. Farm tractors and ATVs resources professionals. Landowners should be careful when interpreting are often used, but lack the low center answers and applying this general advice to their property because of gravity on a skidder. Owners, who landowner objectives and property conditions will affect specific move logs or trailers of firewood, need management options. When in doubt, check with your regional DEC office to be attentive to the risk of rolling or or other service providers. Landowners are also encouraged to be active flipping on side slopes. Success in safety participants in Cornell Cooperative Extension and NYFOA programs to gain is measured by the absence of injury to additional, often site-specific, answers to questions. To submit a question, people. Peter Smallidge email to Peter Smallidge at [email protected] with an explicit mention of Supporting owner’s objectives – “Ask a Professional.” Additional reading on various topics is available at Ownership objectives should guide all www.forestconnect.info decision-making in the woodlot. The harvest has potential for significant Successful Woodlot Harvesting have training through a recognized safety changes that will either advance or and productivity course such as Game detract from the vision the owners Question: I’m planning to harvest of Logging. Game of Logging teaches have. If a written management plan trees from my woodlot, but I want to a felling process that minimizes the doesn’t exist or is not current, take the be successful. What do I need to think likelihood of being injured, reduces the time to work with a forester to develop about to ensure success? (Gary G., potential for damage to residual trees a plan before arranging the harvest. Northern Adirondacks) (those you want to retain in the woods), Communicate with family members or and optimizes production. If you are co-owners to make sure all objectives Answer: personally felling the trees, find the are articulated, evaluated and prioritized. Harvesting trees from a woodlot is a course and take Levels I and II. If a Talk with your forester to make sure the common activity. Surveys of woodlot owners in New York report that harvesting for firewood or timber are two of the most commonly planned manipulations desired by owners. Defining success depends a bit on the desired outcome, but there are several attributes that are common to most successful harvests. The effort required to attain success will vary depending on two factors. One factor is whether you or someone you hire will cut and move the trees. The second factor is whether the harvest is commercial and generates revenue or is pre- or non-commercial and doesn’t generate revenue. Logistically, though not physically, the easiest combination is for you to fell trees as part of a non- commercial harvest. Increased detail to planning is warranted as more people and more potential revenue are included in your goal. Safety – Harvesting inherently has the potential for injury. Whether you or Figure 1: Foresters have training to inventory woodlots and describe the condition and abun- someone else is cutting, those involved dance of trees. That information can be used to develop a silvicultural prescription and tree marking guide to aid in the selection of trees to cut and trees to retain. with felling and bucking trees should

6 The New York Forest Owner 52:3 • May/June 2014 to residual stems (Figure 2). A successful harvest ensures that an adequate number of residual stems per acre lack damage to roots, stems and crowns to ensure they can provide the functions sought by the owner. Value retained – Value, in this case, considers economic, ecological and non- tangible elements. The amount and type of these values to be retained should be described through the systematic planning conducted by the forester and owner. A woodlot has a fixed amount of economic potential at a given point in time; as more is removed less is retained. Economic value can, but doesn’t always, recover after a harvest. Ecological values can increase or decrease through harvesting, but thoughtfully planned harvests should generally increase ecological values, although ecological conditions such as habitat for specific wildlife will change. Non-tangible values, such as aesthetics Figure 2: Bumper trees can be left along skid trails to protect valued trees that might otherwise and recreational access will change as be damaged by skidding. In this example, a beech tree was marked for harvest but the logger a result of the harvest. Your forester removed only the upper section to retain the high stump as a bumper that protected the maple. Logging during solid ground conditions (winter or late summer) reduces impact on root systems. can describe the extent of the change, whether positive or negative, how long that change will exist, and how the forest harvesting activity is directly connected leave. Selecting trees to cut without the will look as it responds to the effects to and supports one or more ownership aid of a marking guide may result in of the harvest. In this case, note that objectives, and doesn’t impair other high irregular patterns of residual tree type there is often little correlation between priority objectives. A successful harvest and quality that will complicate rather ecological and aesthetic values. A will move a priority objective closer to than support ownership objectives. A successful harvest will have considered the desired future condition. successful harvest uses a thoughtfully the type and nature of values to be Silvicultural prescription – In a developed silvicultural marking guide. retained and planned to avoid mutually technical sense, harvesting trees is a Damage to residual – The activity of exclusive desired outcomes. silvicultural manipulation to influence the harvest emphasizes the trees being Value extracted – Value, in this the establishment, growth, composition cut, but the rationale of the harvest case, is typically monetary. At some and quality of the woodlot. This should emphasize the residual trees, point in their life, many owners want manipulation has consequences that those remaining after the harvest. to generate revenue from their woods. relate to the ownership objectives and Depending on the circumstances of the This is a legitimate objective. Value can the continued ability of the woodlot to owner and the woods, valid silvicultural be extracted, sometimes a significant reproduce and grow trees of desired prescriptions might dictate leaving only amount, through a harvest if sufficient species and quality. Harvesting should a few large high quality trees (e.g., planning and management over time have target trees based upon a silvicultural seed trees in a mature forest), many allowed for an accumulation of growth prescription, where that prescription is moderately sized trees (e.g., thinning and accounted for the future needs of the informed by the owner’s objectives and from below the main canopy of an forest. Simply cutting the accumulated attributes of the woodlot. A forester is immature forest), or only seedlings and growth, without consideration of the trained, and should apply, knowledge saplings (e.g., an overstory removal/ future forest, is exploitive and non- on how to measure the variety and regeneration harvest). In all cases, there sustainable. Most land in the Northeast abundance of trees (Figure 1). The are residual trees that are expected to can produce a mature forest every 80 to information of the pre-harvest condition provide some future function in support 100+ years. Therefore, only the owner of the woodlot will allow the forester of the owner’s objectives, and those trees in possession of a given acre on that time to visualize the variety and size of trees need to be healthy and productive. A interval will extract significant value, retained during the harvest, and thus what combination of felling skills developed and the value will reflect the actions of trees to cut. That information allows through the Game of Logging, a good the previous owners. Thus, buyers and the forester to develop a marking guide marking guide, and conscientious woods- of which trees to cut and which trees to workers will reduce or eliminate damage continued on page 19 www.nyfoa.org 7 New York State Tree Farm News Erin O’Neill

usually take this time around Earth Day to myself a conservationist drawing inspiration natural resources does not destroy the long- I reflect on its origins and what it’s meant from the likes of Gifford Pinchot (who by the term viability of the forests as long as we’re to accomplish. To think introspectively about way said “Forestry is Tree Farming”) I am careful and deliberate. For a moment this year, what have I done lately? I’m inspired this year often still awed, especially when Earth Day however, I stopped to think about those de- by a quote from the famous Scottish-American rolls around, by the ecological thinking of bates that Muir and Pinchot had all those years naturalist and preservationist John Muir; preservationists like Muir. ago, the philosophical divide that continues “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he As tree farmers and forest managers, we today. I thought about the merits of experienc- finds it attached to the rest of the world.” do tend toward the conservation angle, if ing nature for spiritual nourishment and the Mr. Muir was a preservationist, and that’s not the “cut it all it’ll grow back” mentality. transcendental qualities Muir wrote about. putting it lightly as he is nearly single handedly This draws from the belief that management As I thought, I decided that as with any- responsible for the environmental conscious- is healthy and that it promotes biodiversity. thing, there are times and places where each ness of today’s society. While I so often find When used as a tool, harvesting renewable is appropriate. That like most things in life, moderation is key. Forest management is healthy and good for biodiversity. It creates LANDOWNERS! and maintains timber viability, wildlife habitat Earn additional income from hunting leases and water quality and we should continue prac- Liability insurance is included ticing good forestry on more acres. However, there are places where preservation is called for; where the microclimate of a forest area is so unique and valuable that human inter- vention is a hindrance to the natural order of things; where a tract of land is so beautiful as it stands, that no machinery should make its

A Division of Farmers National Company mark. www.NationalHuntingLeases.com So as I brought my Earth Day musings to Bringing Landowners and a close this year, I’ll share with you how I’m Sportsman Together reminded that both men and their respective groups of followers encouraged city dwellers For additional information, contact Tom Dziekan, HLN Representative • (315) 789-3181 to experience nature. That both camps opposed [email protected] reckless exploitation of our natural recourses and that while Muir advocated against clear- cuts, he also acknowledged the need for uti- lization of our timber resources. And even as Pinchot debated, he viewed wilderness as wild and something to be respected. I encourage you to do the same, ponder a little one day as you’re wandering your wood lot. Do you have a special area or any acres of high conservation you want to add to your management plan? There’s a section of the Tree Farm management plan template just for adding them. If you’d like to learn more about High Con- servation Value Forests (HCVF) or find out how to become a Tree Farmer a great place Toll Free (877)-HALEFOR or (814)367-5916 to start is always by contacting a Tree Farmer email [email protected] or an inspector. Just remember, a Tree Farm representative is only a phone call (1-800-836- 3566) or e-mail ([email protected])

Erin O’Neill is the Chair of the NYS Tree Farm Committee.

8 The New York Forest Owner 52:3 • May/June 2014 Kid’s This could be your photo here! Corner Derek J. Conant

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! Riparian Buffers any of you know how important buffer. “Riparian” meaning the area Mtrees are to humans and the natural along the river bank. See an example of a world. You probably know that trees riparian buffer protecting a stream from are important because they provide pollution in the photo below. us with food in the form of fruits and Before a raindrop even lands on the nuts, oxygen from photosynthesis, ground a tree’s canopy catches it. The building materials from the wood, and tree canopy slows down raindrops and temperature control by providing shade. drops them to the ground at a controlled What you may not have known is that rate. Rainwater that hits the ground trees are also extremely important for directly may not be absorbed into the clean rivers, lakes and streams. soil quickly and becomes surface water Trees are great for protecting drinking runoff. Surface water runoff can contain water and reducing pollution that enters many water pollutants and flow at our streams, rivers, and lakes. They very fast and destructive rates if trees accomplish this in several ways but aren’t around. Surface water runoff can mainly by their abilities as a riparian contain chemical pollution in the form buffer. We call corridors of trees that of pesticides, petroleum waste, plant grow along the banks of water a riparian fertilizers, salts, and sediment. Trees help regulate the rate and amount of surface water runoff that enters a stream, Example of soil erosion. river, or lake. As water The term for this process is called soil flows over the ground and erosion. Without trees to stabilize soil, through trees, they slow soil can become unattached in large the water down. The water chunks and form dangerous landslide, then can be absorbed into slump, or flow. The photo above shows the ground where pollution stream bank erosion. in the water can be filtered The next time you’re playing in a by the soil and plant roots stream or walking next to water, look to before it becomes ground see if there are trees along the bank. If water or a fresh water not, does the water look murky or can spring. Tree roots also you find spots along the bank that the soil help to hold soil in place has washed away? so that when it rains it doesn’t get washed into a local water body, making Derek J. Conant is a Program Educator at it dirty and destroying Cornell Cooperative Extension of Onondaga sensitive ecosystems. County. Riparian buffer www.nyfoa.org 9 Wild Things in Your Woodlands Kristi Sullivan

Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)

The scarlet tanager is a medium- sized songbird, about 7 inches in size. Strikingly beautiful, the male tanager is a brilliant scarlet red with solid black wings and tail. In contrast, the female tanager is olive green on the back, with a yellow underside and dark brown or black wings.

s warmer weather arrives and the trees food and successfully raise a brood of smaller patches of forest. Encourage a Abegin to leaf out, many songbirds young, a pair of tanagers needs at least healthy forest canopy with small gaps, make their annual trek to the northeast to four wooded acres, with eight being allowing the sun to reach the forest floor, nest and raise their young. Having spent optimum. and promoting understory growth. This the winter in montane evergreen forests The tanager forages mostly by gleaning will create a forest with many layers of from Panama to northwestern South or hawking flying insects. When a bird vegetation at different heights, which in America, the tanager seeks out mature is gleaning, it catches insects and other turn provides feeding and nesting sites and deciduous and mixed forests upon its invertebrates by plucking them from within abundant food. Retain a variety of tree return. The male tanager arrives first to set foliage, or sometimes from the ground. In species and encourage individual tree health up territory. contrast, a bird that is hawking will watch to help create a healthy, resilient forest and This beautiful bird can be seen for prey from a suitable perch. When it benefit the scarlet tanager as well as other throughout New York State, especially in spies potential prey, the bird will chase wildlife. large forested areas. However, because it and catch it in its beak, then return to To hear the call of the scarlet tanager, tanagers spend most of their time high in the perch. In addition to invertebrates, the visit http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/ the forest canopy, they can be difficult to tanager also eats buds and fruits. scarlet_tanager/id pick out, despite the male’s vividly colored Hawks and owls prey upon adult plumage. A telltale sign of the tanager’s tanagers. Squirrels, crows, and blue Kristi Sullivan works in the Department of presence is its hoarse, robin-like song jays will raid tanager nests, feeding Natural Resources at Cornell University. She is Co-Director of the Conservation Education and and a characteristic call of “chip-bang”, on the eggs and young. Brown-headed Research Program, and Director of the New emanating from high in the treetops. cowbirds parasitize more than half of all York Master Naturalist Program. Tanagers usually nest in deciduous trees, tanager nests in some areas, particularly building a shallow cup of twigs, grass, where the forest has been fragmented by Would you like to receive an electronic bark, and rootlets about 20 to 30 feet development. Cowbirds are brood parasites version of future editions of The Forest Owner? If so, please send Liana an email above ground. They construct the nest on that lay their eggs in the nests of other ([email protected]). a horizontal limb, about halfway out from birds. When parasitism occurs, the adult the trunk of the tree, and usually at the host birds often raise the larger, more You will receive an email every two junction of two or more smaller branches. demanding cowbird young at the expense months that includes a PDF file of the The tanager lays 1-6 eggs (usually 4) that of their own. publication. While being convenient for are greenish blue in color with fine reddish The best way to provide habitat for you – read The Forest Owner anytime, specks. Eggs are incubated for 13-14 days the scarlet tanager is to maintain large, any place; this will also help to save the Association money as the cost of printing prior to hatching. After hatching, the male contiguous areas of forest habitat, and and postage continues to rise with each helps to feed the young. To find enough encourage wooded connections between edition.

10 The New York Forest Owner 52:3 • May/June 2014 NYFOA POSTED SIGN EQIP Cost-Sharing Available for Forest Stewardship ORDER FORM Jerry Michael ood news for forest owners! Now that consulting foresters are TSP’s, and an ex- GCongress has finally passed the Farm isting 480a Management Plan may qualify POSTED Bill, the Natural Resource Conservation as a CAP, allowing you to skip this step. PRIVATE Service (NRCS) once again has funds avail- Applications for a CAP or any EQIP prac- – No Trespassing – able for the Environmental Quality Incen- tice can be submitted year round, but the Hunting, Fishing or Entry by Written Permission Only tives Program (EQIP). We will summarize earlier the better if you want funding in the the process for applying for funding later in next fiscal year. All applications for EQIP this article, but first some background. funding are prioritized for available funding Name & Address - Owner or Lessee Late in 2012 the NRCS State Forester by NRCS during scheduled ranking periods organized an advisory committee to help which vary year to year. Successful appli- Use this form to order the sign shown above. establish funding priorities for forestry cants are informed by the NRCS Field Staff The signs are orange with black printing. stewardship practices. NYFOA was rep- that their application was approved for SIGN COST NUMBER resented on this committee, along with the funding and a contract is developed prior to MATERIAL PER SIGN ORDERED* COST DEC, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and the end of the Fiscal Year (September 30). SUNY ESF. During several meetings with 4. After your CAP has been completed by Plastic (.024 gauge) $.60 ______$______the state NRCS staff in 2013, we empha- the TSP and you have received your EQIP sized the need for cost-sharing for practices payment for the CAP, you can apply for Aluminum necessary to address the forest regeneration EQIP funding for the specific practices (.012 gauge) $.90 ______$______crisis, specifically herbicidal treatment of outlined in your CAP. There are dozens Add Name and Address to Sign invasive and interfering vegetation, and the of forest stewardship practices eligible Set up cost per address $5.00 construction of deer exclosure fencing. We for EQIP funding, many of them directly Plus $.05 per sign ______also sought to ensure that these practices related to establishing regeneration of the Shipping and Handling Cost would receive an appropriately high prior- forest. For instance, you could receive $10.00 per order $10.00 ity during the ranking procedure for the $142.79 per acre for herbicidal site prepa- $______allocation of funding. ration, and $.67 per linear foot for deer SUBTOTAL In August 2013, NRCS-NY held sev- exclosure fencing. Your application for NYS Sales Tax – add 8% $______enteen regional meetings around the state specific practices will go through the same TOTAL COST OF ORDER $______where the available EQIP funding was al- process of prioritization as your CAP did. located among the water quality, grazing, When a CAP will be required as a first Please specify Name and Address wildlife habitat and forestry categories. step, the process can take up to three years to be printed on signs: NYFOA Chapters were represented at from the time you first apply to the time some of these meetings, and helped obtain you get reimbursed for the actual practices Name:______local shares of up to 35% for forest stew- implemented on your woodlot. It is an ardship. involved process, but your NRCS District Address: ______Detailed information about applying for Conservationist is ready and willing to Limited to two lines of type (abbreviate where EQIP funding from NRCS can be found advise and guide you through every step. possible). Type is about 5/16 inches high. by exploring the NRCS website at www. Remember, applications can be submitted Mailing Address NRCS.USDA.GOV/getstarted, but here is a year round but in order for the application (UPS Shipping Address if different from summary of the several steps required. to get into the next batching period, you mailing address) 1. Visit your county USDA Service Center should submit your application as soon as (often sharing office space with your coun- possible. You should also ask to be placed Name:______ty Soil & Water Conservation District). on the distribution list for invitations to the Register your property and establish eligi- regional EQIP funding allocation meetings Address: ______bility for programs with the Farm Service held in August. Show up with a contingent Agency. of Chapter members and make the case for ______2. Meet with the NRCS District Con- a fair share of available EQIP funding for servationist to discuss your stewardship forest stewardship. The squeaky wheel usu- Make checks payable to NYFOA. objectives. A visit to your woodlot may be ally gets the grease. Mail form to NYFOA at: scheduled and any existing management One last thought: Our federal taxes are PO Box 541, Lima, NY 14485 plans for your property may be reviewed. paying for these programs, so let’s not 3. Apply for a Conservation Activity Plan hesitate to utilize them to further NYFOA’s For more information (CAP), the preparation of which is eligible “Restore New York Woodlands” initiative. Call 1-800-836-3566 for payment assistance. The CAP must be * Minimum order is 50 signs with prepared by a forester who is a certified Jerry Michael is a member of the NYFOA Board additional signs in increments of 25. Technical Service Provider (TSP). Many of Directors. www.nyfoa.org 11 NYFOA AWARDS Bruce Robinson Honored with Heiberg Award Heiberg Award Recipients 1966 Hardy L. Shirley 1967 David B. Cook 1968 Floyd Carlson 1969 Mike Demeree 1970 No Award 1971 Fred Winch, Jr. 1972 John Stock 1973 Robert M. Ford 1974 C. Eugene Farnsworth 1975 Alex Dickson 1976 Edward W. Littlefield 1977 Maurine Postley 1978 Ralph Nyland 1979 Fred C. Simmons 1980 Dr. William Harlow 1981 Curtis H. Bauer 1982 Neil B. Gutchess 1983 David W. Taber 1984 John W. Kelley 1985 Robert G. Potter 1986 Karen B. Richards 1987 Henry G. Williams 1988 Robert M. Sand 1989 Willard G. Ives Dale Schaefer presents the 2014 Heiberg Memorial Award to Bruce Robinson 1990 Ross S. Whaley The Heiberg Memorial Award, Bruce and his staff have helped to 1991 Robert S. Stegemann memorializing Svend O. Heiberg, a world- manage many private woodlots, and forests 1992 Bonnie & Don Colton renowned professor at SUNY College surrounding the municipal water supplies 1993 Michael C. Greason of Environmental Science and Forestry, of Rochester and other cities, and the urban 1994 Douglas C. Allen recognizes outstanding contributions to forests of Jamestown and a dozen other 1995 John C. Marchant forestry and conservation in New York. communities. In all, they have managed 1996 Harriet & John Hamilton Heiberg was one of the original founders of some 3000 parcels totaling more than 1997 Vernon C. Hudson the New York Forest Owners Association 200,000 acres. 1998 Peter S. Levatich in 1962. The award was presented to In addition to his consulting work, 1999 James E. Coufal Bruce Robinson at the Association’s annual Bruce has led countless woodswalks 2000 James P. Lassoie meeting held Saturday, March 22nd. and given many talks for NYFOA and 2001 John T. Hastings Bruce developed an interest in all things other organizations. Attendees invariably 2002 Albert W. Brown outdoors at an early age, and by the time come away impressed by his extensive 2003 David J. Colligan he was in high school he had decided knowledge of ecology – not just forestry, 2004 Jack McShane he wanted to be a forester without even but the interaction of forests, open space, 2005 Peter Smallidge knowing exactly what that meant. He wetlands, animal communities, soils and 2006 Cotton-Hanlon attended Paul Smith’s and then SUNY other factors. He conveys this information 2007 Jim Beil ESF, where he majored in Forest Zoology with the infectious enthusiasm of somebody 2008 Gary Goff and minored in Forest Mycology. After who obviously loves what he is doing. His 2009 John Sullivan graduation he worked as a DEC service varied knowledge and experience allow him 2010 Carl Wiedemann forester from 1970 – 1984, and hung out to help landowners manage their property 2011 Mike Birmingham his shingle as a private consulting forester for multiple goals – not timber production 2012 Charlie Mowatt 2013 Ron Pedersen in 1985. continued on page 16 2014 Bruce Robinson

12 The New York Forest Owner 52:3 • May/June 2014 Outstanding Service Award Presented Outstanding Service to Gary Goff Award Recipients

1978 Emiel Palmer 1979 Ken Eberly 1980 Helen Varian 1981 J. Lewis Dumond 1982 Lloyd Strombeck 1983 Evelyn Stock 1984 Dorothy Wertheimer 1985 David H. Hanaburgh 1986 A. W. Roberts, Jr. 1987 Howard O. Ward 1988 Mary & Stuart McCarty 1989 Alan R. Knight 1990 Earl Pfarner 1991 Helen & John Marchant Rich Taber presents Gary Goff with the Outstanding Service Award for 2014. 1992 Richard J. Fox The 2014 recipient of the NYFOA • In-service training for CCE educators 1993 Wesley E. Suhr Outstanding Service award is a fitting • Writing better forest stewardship plans 1994 Alfred B. Signor awardee. The Oxford English Dictionary • Grassland management for songbirds 1995 Betty & Don Wagner defines “outstanding” (as an adjective) as • Agricultural wetlands management noteworthy, remarkable, or exceptional. • Invasive plant awaremess 4-H project 1996 Betty Densmore All three definitions fit as we look at this • Urban-area workshops for absentee 1997 Norman Richards person and his accomplishments. woodland owners 1998 Charles P. Mowatt For 35 years, Gary Goff has • The role of slash in protecting tree supported the sustainable management seedlings 1999 Eileen and Dale and careful stewardship of NY and • Private forest land stewardship in the Schaefer northeastern private forests and forest NYC watershed 2000 Erwin and Polly owners. A defining attribute of Gary’s • Logger training silviculture and contribution has been his willingness to ecology curriculum development Fullerton enthusiastically and thoughtfully tackle • Effective communication for private 2001 Billy Morris any new or emerging issue that impacts land legacy planning 2002 Donald G. Brown private woodlands. Over the course • National and NY State Committee of of his career he has worked in many the 4-H Forestry Invitational 2003 Henry S. Kernan program areas, including: • Hunter safety ethics training, and 2004 Hugh & Janet Canham • Firewood management and woodstove • NYS Master Forest Owner (Coverts) 2005 Jerry Michael safety Volunteers • Development and administration of the It is likely this last mentioned 2006 John Druke Cornell woodlot home study course program, the MFO volunteers, that most 2007 Ron Pedersen • Writing bulletins, articles and fact commonly identifies and effectively 2009 Alan White sheets on small woodlot management defines Gary’s career. The MFO for sawtimber, for wildlife, and for program started in 1991, and was 2010 Dick Patton firewood modeled partially on similar programs 2011 Jamie Christensen • Arnot Forest Associate Director for in New England. However, Gary 2012 Joan and Hans Kappel Extension/Outreach, Director of the used his breadth of talents and vision Arnot ‘Earn-a-Buck’ Program to build a more substantive program 2013 Dick Starr • Behaviors and attitudes of foresters, that would serve as a model for other 2014 Gary Goff forest owners, and hunters peer counseling programs in the • Biosurveillance of the Emerald Ash borer via Cerceris wasps 4-H project continued on page 17 www.nyfoa.org 13 Lafayette, where I had caught specimens the year before, in an effort to obtain larvae, to no avail. Other scientists have live trapped specimens, but were unable Woodland Health to provide the necessary mating and oviposition habitat for females to lay eggs A column focusing on topics that might limit the health, vigor from which to hatch the elusive larvae. and productivity of our private or public woodlands If you are a true observer of small creatures, you may also spot Coordinated by Mark Whitmore a Hangingfly, a close relative of Scorpionflies. Hangingflies can easily be mistaken for crane flies - but again Scorpionflies: Unusual Forest Insects the number of wings (and lack of halteres) will give them away. The legs By Melissa Fierke and Christopher Foelker of Hangingflies are so delicate that they can not even support the fragile body in a standing position and so you will only see As you are walking in your woods at ESF’s Lafayette field station a couple of them hanging from a leaf or a twig. A or hiking in some of our beautiful years ago. At first, I had no idea what it rather unique aspect of their life history Northeastern mesic woodlands, you was, but upon closer examination, I knew is that males capture prey, usually other may notice some rather unusual-looking it was an insect (6 legs you know) but the insects (often real flies, such as midges six legged friends. Some of the most four wings in combination with the forceps and mosquitoes), and offer them as nuptial intriguing are Mecopterans, a rather like structure on the end of its abdomen gifts to the seriously attractive hangingfly unique order of Hexapods (aka insects). completely threw me until I got a good These unlikely looking “bugs” with their look at the head, whereupon the elongate long, horse-like “faces” and chewing rostrum gave it away as potentially being a mouthparts are called Scorpionflies, and Mecopteran. Literature on the life history though it is hard to imagine, we actually and habits of this particular insect is sparse know very little about some of these large and there is still much to learn, including, captivating insects. incredibly, the fact that the larval life stage Their common name is thanks to the remains undescribed. In fact, the Cornell males of the common Scorpionfly, which Entomology club has named this creature have a modified reproductive structure that its mascot and has made it their objective folds up and over their back, very much to find and describe the elusive larvae. resembling a scorpion’s stinger. But, This past summer an undergraduate and fear not, this charismatic little fellow does myself deployed and monitored pitfall traps not sting. Oh, and it is not a fly, either, under the stately walnut and hemlocks at Earwig scorpionfly despite the “fly” in its common name, as it clearly has four wings (and real flies, in the insect order Diptera, have only two obvious wings and their hind wings FORESTRY SOLUTIONS are modified into tiny structures, called halteres, which act as balancers – these are THAT MEET why those pesky house flies are so adept at avoiding your flyswatter!). Of course, YOUR OBJECTIVES. females do not have the “stinger” and so their abdomen is gently tapered and both Providing solid technical and sustainable males and females are generally yellowish brown with banded or spotted wings. solutions to today's complex forestry problems. If you are profoundly lucky you may encounter an earwig scorpionfly. Admittedly, I(MF) am a late blooming WAYNE TRIPP entomologist (I started my PhD in entomology when I was 32 – without ever Glens Falls, NY Herkimer, NY having had an entomology class), still I 518.480.3456 315.868.6503 felt pretty confident in my entomological skills, until I found one of these lovelies in Fifty Years and Growing | www.fwforestry.com my longhorned beetle flight intercept trap

14 The New York Forest Owner 52:3 • May/June 2014 and the use of technology, international collaborations, and social media to widely broadcast these amazing new organisms. There are considerable opportunities associated with finding and learning more about unknown species as they may provide insights into other organisms (including humans) and there can be novel technologies stemming from their morphology, physiology, or biology that Snow scorpionfly Common scorpionfly can tremendously benefit the fields of medicine, chemistry and engineering. females. Larvae of both Hangingflies flea-like Mecopterans that can be found With this, it is critically important to and common Scorpionflies resemble hopping around in the snow at the base of protect regions of high diversity so as caterpillars (similar to moth/butterfly trees in late winter, feeding on mosses, to provide future generations with the larvae), but are unique in that they have scavenging organic matter, and looking for opportunity to explore, understand and compound eyes which is unknown in love. utilize these unknown wonders for the larvae of all the other insect orders that Truth be told, Mecopteran diversity is advancement of science and human undergo complete metamorphosis (for only a small sampling of the incredible society. example flies and beetles). Larvae are diversity insects exhibit, not just in New Observing insects is a pathway to thought to be scavengers and are found York State, but around the world. With experience wonder, to engender curiosity in wet habitats, including moist soils and approximately 2 million species currently and to engage with our natural world. some in the edges of ponds/lakes and slow described and approximately 18,000 new There is still so much to learn - and to moving streams. ones identified every year, some experts realize that an hour spent quietly watching These creatures have been around on think this is only a small proportion of the a single one meter patch of ground in earth a very long time (much much longer estimated 10-60 million species yet to be our very own backyard or woodlot may than humans) with the oldest known discovered on the planet, particularly in reveal an insect or arthropod not known to fossils dating back to about 270 million remote tropical regions such as the jungles science is truly amazing. years ago. Other specimens have been of the Amazon or the Congo. beautifully preserved in 35 million year Not surprisingly, insects represent Melissa Fierke is a Forest Entomologist & As- old Baltic amber that are virtually identical the majority of both the described and sociate Professor at SUNY-ESF and Christopher Foelker is a PhD Candidate in to our current day Scorpionflies. A estimated undescribed organisms. Their Entomology at SUNY-ESF. recent development in our understanding amazing variety of body shapes, lifestyles, of Scorpionflies has been revealed using and food sources have allowed them to new technologies to examine and compare colonize almost every corner of the world. Mark Whitmore is a forest entomologist in the their genetic material to other insects. The new president of ESF, Dr. Quinten Cornell University Department of Natural Re- sources and the chair of the NY Forest Health Surprisingly, researchers have determined Wheeler, is an expert on insect taxonomy Advisory Council. that fleas, one of the greatest pests of our and has written multiple books on the beloved pets (and vectors of the dreaded great diversity and novelty that exists bubonic plague of humans via rodent and which is yet to be discovered. As the hosts), are closely related to Mecopterans, founder of the International Institute for and may be a sister group to Boreids (or Species Exploration, he has promoted Snow Scorpionflies). Boreids are tiny the acceleration of species discovery

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Northern New York ~ Tupper Lake ~ 518-359-3089 Southern Adirondacks ~ Lake George ~ 518-668-5880 www.fountainsamerica.com Hanging fly www.nyfoa.org 15 Heiberg Award (continued) alone, but various types of wildlife habitat grow. My career, to date, of 44 years SUNY College of Forestry at Syracuse. and overall ecosystem health. makes me realize how little I know. It I was not accepted because my financial Birds hold a special place in Bruce’s could be said that my life’s work is as plans were incomplete. I think that meant heart, as anybody who walks through the a phloem cell seeking a xylem (a bit of they recognized me as a poor kid in a woods with him knows. Although Bruce unavoidable forestry humor). single-parent family with three teens still travels the world to see new bird species, In 1951, at the age of five, I and my at home. Mom provided our meager he has not lost his wonder at some of the mother were out for a walk. A small income by taking in sewing. I was happily most common local species; I have heard tree was discovered, which I observed working in construction at the time, along him talk about chickadees with a tone to be different from anything I had ever with part-time gardening and landscaping. approaching rapture, and he finds great seen. Mother dug it up and we carried I easily concluded my career path was to be value – because birds find great value – in it home for transplanting. The tree grew a continuation. trees that have no commercial value and vigorously in its new home and forestry My guidance councilor, Mr. Ward, that many of us view as junk. lessons began, almost serendipitously, and seemed more disappointed than I with All of these attributes have made Bruce continued for several years. My goats ate the rejection. As a key player in my life, one of the most-sought after foresters in the cedar. It sprouted multiple stems. I he intervened to help find an alternative Western New York, and we are proud to built a crude fence around the tree to deter career path. Through his telephoning, recognize his more than 40 years of work goats. Multiple stems were splayed and pinch-hitting and personal encouragement, on behalf of New York’s forests with the split by the weight of wet snow. We staked I entered Paul Smiths College of Arts and 2014 Heiberg Award. the most upright and removed the weaker Sciences in January of 1964. Then a two- stems. Six years after planting we moved year college, I received an AAS degree in The following is an excerpt from a to a home several miles away. We dug the Forestry in 1966. narrative written by Bruce Robinson upon cedar, now a tree much larger than I, and Although still in financial limbo, transfer learning of his honor: took it with us. negotiations into the College of Forestry I love the concept of dynamics of life During my teen years, interests in the were successful. Graduation in 1969 within the forest, especially how trees natural world grew. I was frequently provided a BS degree in Forest Zoology consulted about a ‘tree problem’, and with a minor in Forest Mycology. One of began to read and research in order to the Robin Hood Oak Awards was received know more about something should I ever by me, not for academic contributions, Bruce E. be asked again. The librarian at school but for being president of the Forest was disposing of many old copies of Nature Zoology Club during a time of phenomenal Robinson, Inc. magazines and, knowing of my growing growth from meetings with few members reputation as a naturalist, offered them to to community efforts regularly involving Forestry Consultants me. Although I knew no one who was a hundreds of students and guests. forester, and had little concept of what such My first opportunity to work as a • Forest product marking & a career might entail, by my junior year in forester came with an employment marketing high school I had concluded that I should interview with NYSDEC. I began work • Timber appraisals do that. in 1970 as a service forester. My area • Access road design & Reality set in that such a career required of responsibility was with private land supervision training and education. I applied to the ownerships in Cattaraugus County. With • Boundary maintenance • Forest management planning • Forest recreation planning • Wildlife management • Forest taxation planning • Tree farm management • Tree planting & tree shelters • Urban forestry & community management

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Phone: 716-665-5477 Fax: 716-664-5866

16 The New York Forest Owner 52:3 • May/June 2014 Outstanding Service Award (continued) help from dozens, or more likely hundreds, country. Over these last 23 years under shows approximately a 7:1 return on of inquisitive, enthusiastic and dedicated Gary’s direction, the MFO program investment. The Department of Natural forest owners, my learning curve has not has documented approximately 550 Resources at Cornell University and the leveled off in over 40 years. trained volunteers who have visited Cornell Cooperative Extension System Highlights of those early years came more than 7000 woodland owners on has benefited from Gary’s leadership. through leadership opportunities in the more than 420,000 acres and invested Gary Goff is outstanding, and has spent development of the Nannen Arboretum in more than 28,000 hours of volunteer his career in service to the sustainability Ellicottville and a nature education center service. In addition, these volunteers and stewardship values sought by NY at the Jamestown Audubon Center. have contributed countless thousands of private woodland owners. I have participated in numerous NYFOA additional activities in support of private sponsored woods walks and outdoor woodland stewardship through support education events. in NYFOA chapters and directly to In 1984 I left NYDEC to take a short owners in their towns and communities. MISSING: term part-time position as director of Based on a 2008 survey of woodland Past Issues of the Forest Owner Church Growth for the First Covenant owners visited by a MFO volunteer, Church in Jamestown. Part-time forestry owners are more likely to contact a NYFOA is looking for various continued to fill the calendar. A career private consulting forester, develop a issues of the New York Forest change evolved only as a fork in the management plan, use best practices road, and forestry demands soon led to if they harvest timber, increase the Owner from the 1970s-1990s. incorporation in 1985. Work load has sustainable value of a timber harvest, required at least four full-time forester improve wildlife habitat and save or earn If you have any extra copies positions since. more money. The value associated with please conact Liana Gooding at: It is impossible to identify the greatest these outcomes, as compared to private, [email protected] accomplishments from the perspective state and federal financial support of satisfaction with a career choice. It is exciting that I may have positively impacted nearly 200,000 forested acres under 3,000 owners. It is humbling to realize that I have been given shared SAW IT COMING responsibilities with other managers in the care of street trees in the cities of PORTABLE SAWMILL SERVICE Jamestown and Warren and twelve smaller communities. I have been allowed to be UTILIZING A WOODMIZER LT40 SUPER an active participant in the protection of watersheds in Rochester and several other Custom Milling At Your forested water supplies. The greatest reward comes from the Place Or Mine connection that happens when a like- minded forest owner understands from a Serving The SFL, WFL, SOT new perspective and is motivated, through Chapter Areas his or her own observations, to do more. Countless NYFOA woods walks bear Hardwood, Softwood, Timbers, witness! Siding, etc. In my opinion, the greatest long term threat to forestry in New York lies in For more information contact: the refusal by elected officials to legally Mike Grover recognize timber as a crop. We are already at the point in many forests where Online: Sawitcoming.net the dream of sustainability can never E-Mail: [email protected] be realized. When taxation exceeds Phone: 607-220-7242 growth value, forest managers become 10 Years Experience, Flexible Schedule unnecessary. Thanks for patiently being a significant Getting The Most Value part of my career. —Bruce Robinson From Your Logs Is My Goal!

www.nyfoa.org 17 Selleck, Nat & Emily Howard, Harold Semanovich, Ken & Sharon Huges, PA & PJ 2013 NYFOA Donors Sementelli, Mark & Mary Iannotta, John Jane Ilacqua, Peter The New York Forest Owners Association thanks the people and organiza- Shafer, Dave Irwin, Robert tions that supported our programs and publications in 2013. Your help is Sieben, Robert Jacobs, Paul Smith, Gerald W. Jenks, Jane & Dave essential to our work. Spann, David Johnson, Mark L. Kline, Diana & Minkowitz, STEWARD Lasch, Timothy A. Ferrentino, Carl T. Stevens, Will & Judy ($500 or more) Lessord, Greg & Kathy Stock, Bill Tina Finlay, Peter KMC Enterprises Bengtson, Mr. & Mrs. Litynski, Paul G. Fitts, Richard S. Sturges, David & Elaine Sture R. Lovelass, Mr. and Mrs. Thew, Spencer Koffler, Beverly Perry Frey, Michael James & Kosko, Louis Hennig, Barbara Lester Ferree, Anne Van Niel, Sharon Minor, James & Barbara Maguire, Andrew VanGorder, Robert & LaBarca, Joseph Gardenier, Jean Landvest, Inc. Pedersen, Ron & Peggy McLaren, Glenn & Susan Glover, Janice Thomas Mary Ann Varney, Stuart & Deb McShane, Jack Walker, Mr. & Mrs. Lawn, Bernard Gondree, Howard & Lillian Lescak, Allen Michael, Jerry Graber, Tom & Kathy Arthur BENEFACTOR Molyneaux, Richard Wanser, Donald Lewis, R. P. Greenberg, Walter S. Maender, Norman R. ($250 - $499) Mowatt, Charles P. Greenfield, Ingrid & Byron Watson, Robert S. Bulich, Jimmy & Micaela Northwoods Association Webster, Mr. and Mrs. Marinanccio, Louis Gregory, Peter Matis, Tim DeGeorge, Joe & Sue Nowak, Paul L. Hallenbeck, Bill & Alice Henry J. Gundlach, Andrew O’Connell, Michael Williams, Dave May, Jim Hampton, Glenn & Anne Middlebrook, Mr. and Mrs. Neuhauser, Ed & Coleman, Onteora Club Marie Withers, A.E. Peg Patton, Dick & Carol Wood, Robert C. Daryl Harris, Art Morabito, David R. Shirley, Frank Ratti, Nick Hart, Patrick Wyman, Marilyn & Rick Wagner, Arthur Regan, Patrick Zacek, Karl Motheral, Suzanne Howard, Chris Nelson, Don Walton, Phil & Valerie Schoeck, Richard Howard, Thomas F. Seager, Michael OTHER Nemeth, Gary Humphrey, William & Nolan, Mr. and Mrs. SPONSOR Semmler, John Katherine (up to $50) ($100- $249) Simpson, James & Rita Akland, Bob & Carolyn Raymond Ives, Steven Odell, Mark Alabama Forest Owners’ Stackhouse, Charles & Jackowski, John & Mary Anderson, Glenn Association, Inc. Sarah B&C Farm Olsen, Drew Ellen Orage Farm Allen, Douglas Statler, Jon Kehoe, Jeff Baron, Michael Anderson, Daniel Steger, Don & Connie Bottle, Thomas Paine, Peter Keller, Walter Parmenter, Bob & Marion Atkinson, Corrine Tcherepnine, Peter Lafferty, John Brand, Mel B&B Lumber Co., Inc. Tighe, Tom Brennan, John J. Perham, Dennis Lambiase, Trish & Paul Pfeiffer Nature Center Babock, Severance & Warne, Steven Lasselle, Richard & Karen Busick, Charles Maria Whited, Cynthia Butler, William Piestrak, Ed & Wanda Lepak, Lawrence Quinn, Bob Beckwith, John & Kathryn Wolfe, Tom & Anna Linderman, Herb & Jeri Camp Fire Club of Bistany, Undine Yancey, George & Cindy America Quintavalle, Mike & Linda Luther Forest Group Radell, Bon Bulich, Jim & Betty Madava Farms Carlson, Arthur Chestnut Ridge Rod & Gun CONTRIBUTOR Columbia Land Randazzo, Ted Mallett, George & Stefania Richardson, Victor Club ($50-$99) Mallett, George & Stefania Conservancy Cleveland, Daniel Adams, Randall W. Colwell, Jacob I. Rose Valley Farm Maracle, William Rose, Frank Corcoran, Robert O. Albany Diocesan Marchant, John & Helen Connors, Daniel Cotton-Hanlon, Inc. Cemetaries Coupal, Bob Ruger, Karl Martin, Dayle Ryan, James & Jeanne Cranker, Clifford J. 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18 The New York Forest Owner 52:3 • May/June 2014 Ask a Professional (continued) management, silvicultural prescriptions, safety and what is retained in the woods. Communication – Central to all aspects of a successful harvest is full communication. Think about the harvest as an intersection of three parties: owner, forester, and logger. (Figure 3). In some cases the owner is felling the trees, so communication may be simplified. In some cases the owner is a collection of family members, so communication may be more involved. In all cases, a successful harvest requires the owner(s) to know what they want as a desired outcome, be able to describe that desired outcome to the forester and logger, and communicate satisfaction about the harvest while it is in process. The adage “you get what you inspect not what you expect”, if applied, helps ensure a successful harvest.

Response by: Peter J Smallidge, NY Exten- Figure 3: It is important to talk with your forester, as illustrated, and all people involved in the sion Forester, Cornell University Cooperative harvest. The chance for success is greatly increased if landowners, their forester and their log- Extension, Department of Natural Resources, ger talk about expectations and likely outcomes associated with the planned harvest. Communi- Ithaca, NY. [email protected], 607/592-3640 cation during the harvest will help resolve misunderstandings or unexpected events. sellers of woodlands should know the the value of the cut stems is typically current condition and past treatment of a significantly less than the value of the forest to be able to forecast the potential residual stems. Without proper skill, for revenue. training, and equipment the removal of a A variation of value in a non- few dollars of firewood can irreparably commercial harvest is whether the owner damage what would have been high removes cut stems to utilize as firewood. value future timber. Success in extracted Caution is warranted here because value will depend on prior planning and

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Magazine Deadline Materials submitted for the July/August 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 June 1, 2014

20 The New York Forest Owner 52:3 • May/June 2014 Member Profile: Gary Goff

Maureen Mullen

ary Goff is likely a very familiar Gary has had a professional interest Gname to the NYFOA membership. in forest regeneration “as an ecological Gary has been with Cornell University’s phenomenon and scientific endeavor… Department of Natural Resources and and have long been intrigued by it.” Cooperative Extension since 1979. He is However, the longer he’s observed it, most well-known for having developed been involved in the issues, and listened and directed the NY State Master Forest to people involved in forestry, the more Owner (MFO) Volunteer Program, an he realized regeneration is in dire shape endeavor that has trained approximately in New York State and something ought 550 volunteers throughout NY State since to be done. Gary says he was very 1991. He has been a member of NYFOA pleased to see the importance the issue since early in his career. Until about ten was achieving among forest owners as They don’t all get away; Gary with “Earn-a- years ago, Gary served on the Planning first highlighted in an article written Buck” deer at Cornell’s Arnot Forest Board of the Southern Finger Lakes Jerry Michael in a 1997 issue of the Chapter (SFL) of NYFOA; he recently Forest Owner magazine entitled, “Will at stake and momentum is growing was honored with a plaque of appreciation private forest owners have any cherry, within academic, research, extension, for his active roles within the SFL and the ash or oak to cut in 100 years? Does management and non-governmental Allegany Foothill Chapters of NYFOA. anybody care?” (Gary has included organizations to get the word out and Also, he was honored with the 2014 a copy of this article in every MFO work toward management and policy Outstanding Service Award at the annual volunteer training binder since it was changes…which is good because now we spring meeting of NYFOA in Syracuse. first published.) For the last couple are getting the collaboration, teamwork, He has also been a regular contributor decades, the regeneration issue has very and focus that is necessary to make a to this magazine, writing about Forestry slowly gained a following. And now, difference on the land. It’s all great!” Best Management Practices and, more “Finally, it seems many organizations Since 2012, when NYFOA launched recently, about forest regeneration. and agencies are recognizing what is its forest regeneration campaign, Restore New York Woodlands (RNYW), Gary has taken an active role in spreading the word. He has contributed to NYFOA’s magazine and website by writing RNYW- specific articles and technical reports. He has co-developed RNYW educational materials and “walk guides” for NYFOA members and MFO volunteers. And the MFO volunteer trainings always conclude with a presentation on regeneration. “It’s meant to be a synopsis of the overall MFO training. This is why the new volunteers are here: all they’ve just learned about tree identification, pests, and deer, all boils down to what it takes to regenerate the next forest. It is so rewarding to have the volunteers report on the training workshop evaluations, ‘Now I get it. I see what’s going on, or I see what isn’t going on’, in so many words.” The MFO volunteers are A picture is worth a thousand words: deer exclosure at Cornell’s Arnot Forest. continued on page 22 www.nyfoa.org 21 fishing and hunting. He will continue to stay active in the many programs he’s committed to. According to Gary’s “Year One Plan,” he’ll continue volunteering as a Master Forest Owner, join the Northern Adirondack Chapter of NYFOA, continue his 4-H Forestry volunteer work, and perhaps do some volunteering for Mike Farrell at Cornell’s Uihlein Sugar Maple Research and Extension Field Station. His “Year Two Plan” is still up in the air…

Maureen Mullen is an Extension Aide at Cornell Cooperative Extension, Human Dimensions Research Unit, Cornell University. Dr. Shorna Allred is the faculty advisor for the NYFOA Member Profile Series.

Gary and Fumika Takahashi (student intern) conducting seedling browse counts on research plots on Cornell lands. 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 [email protected]

Please share this magazine with a neighbor and urge Browsed red maple sapling on Cornell research plot. them to join NYFOA. By gaining more members, encouraged to guide or participate in rural and suburban counties; mail surveys woods walks with a focus on RNYW of foresters to gauge their perception of NYFOA’s voice will and regeneration. Gary is also heartened the status of regeneration in harvested become stronger! to see other organizations in New York stands; a study of the impact of slash — The Nature Conservancy, Audubon, on regeneration; and the Earn-a-Buck regional land trusts — initiate their own deer hunting program at Cornell’s Arnot campaigns on forest regeneration. Forest. Gary has also been involved with After working for Cornell University several regeneration research projects for the last 35 years, Gary will be retiring over the years: monitoring regeneration in May. His plans include moving to response to fencing and understory Lake Placid, fixing up the house he removal; deer management studies in has there, and doing lots of hiking,

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