CFA NEWS Winter 2020 Vol. 38 No. 4 A PUBLICATION OF THE CATSKILL FOREST ASSOCIATION, INC. 2 As a member you can see upcoming events and learn more about programs at; www.catskillforest.org . Refer a friend or neighbor CFA NEWS to the Catskill Forest Association Winter 2020 and get a free gift from us. EDITOR Dorothy Monforte BOARD OF DIRECTORS From the Mike Porter, President, Margaretville President’s Desk Robert Bishop II, VP., DeLancey Steve Miller, VP/Treas., Margaretville Winter 2020 - Lisa Alder, Sec., Margaretville Steve Finch, Margaretville Paul Krickhahn, Roxbury By: Mike Porter Mark Kugler, Halcott Center Norman Maender, Margaretville Every so often topics David Northcutt, Margaretville require renewed analysis. This Bonnie Seegmiller, Downsville season’s newsletter is one of those Frank Winkler, Andes to me. I want to make a disclaimer at this point that the information DEC LIAISON and views of this article are not Mike Callan, Region 3, New Paltz the official position of CFA nor is STAFF RESOURCES there very much chance that this Ryan Trapani, Director of Forest Services position will be adopted by anyone, John MacNaught, Program Manager anywhere any time soon. These Zane Lawyer, Program Technician views are only possibilities if NYS Kathy Fox, Financial Manager legislators come to the realization Dorothy Monforte, Marketing Manager that the time has come for updating CONTACT the Forest Preserve status. Catskill Forest Association, Inc. Change is inevitable. 43469 State Highway 28 Members of CFA develop a pride PO Box 336, Arkville, NY 12406 in their forestland and often Phone: (845) 586-3054 Fax: (845) 586-4071 owning their land for a period of [email protected] time, realize that it is changing in www.catskillforest.org spite of their wishes. Their forest is changing because it is a living organism and each day, month, year Copyright 2020 | CFA NEWS Contents may not be reproduced without permission. and decade it is getting older. This aging is the natural process of forest Winter 2020 Vol. 38 No. 4 3 succession. If you plan is to simply by the “Forever Wild” clause of a enjoy your forest for what it is, after NYS constitutional amendment in years of aging it will be different perpetuity much the same as you no matter what your wishes. Small might do on your land when you trees will become bigger, shade decide to simply let it grow. These intolerant trees will be dying and depleted and destroyed forests were disappearing and undergrowth may to be, in essence, let go as their be disappearing. succession progressed from where You notice this happening it was at that time. The “Forever and, as a member of CFA, contact Wild” clause in the Forest Preserve one of the foresters to discuss this Act continues to govern large tracts change. You want your forest the of land in both the Catskills and way it was and the recommendation Adirondacks. is to “manage” your land in With this protection, the order to reverse, slow or stop lands began to evolve back to forests succession. The solution includes almost immediately. The Northeast recommendations to cut trees climate and geology is such that to open the canopy, remove new reforestation will occur with little species that have “invaded” your or no effort on human’s part. The forest as it aged and maybe plant humidity and soils are perfect for species that were present when you trees to grow. As one might predict, originally purchased your land. The just that has happened. From 1886 end result would be, in addition to the 1960’s the forest preserve of to getting some of your original the state reached maturity and the species back, the return of wildlife beginning of climax transition. you had developed fondness for in There was abundant wildlife living your original forest. The prognosis in the forest. There was lots of food, is that with lots of work and time lots of shelter and plenty of available you might be able to enjoy your water, the lifeblood of the Northeast. woods as before. Do you have the In the ’60’s and ’70’s time or ambition? another land use phase began. The My point!! In 1886 the widespread dairy farm industry was State of New York amended its changed forever by the advent of the constitution to protect lands in both bulk milk delivery system. Many the Catskills and Adirondacks from small farms that delivered milk in gross mismanagement by industry 10 gallon milk cans by truck could and agriculture in the forests of not afford the transition to bulk the two regions. As a result of service and many of the marginal the amendment, large tracts of farms that might have made it had to “mishandled” forest land were cease operations because bulk milk protected from further exploitation trucks couldn’t get to their farms. Winter 2020 Vol. 38 No. 4 4 Many small farms “closed up shop” Welcome, and, just as the State did in 1886, let New Members! their lands return to nature. There Jeffrey Keefer was a new private land evolution Ryan Scully Joe Burrascano back to forests. Wildlife found the Ray Arnone Tom Sperber early succession stages and the later Carmen Montes de Oca stages of the State land a good mix Jennie Romer Amber Bravo of habitat, food and water. Most Darrell Hartman Tom Orlando notable, white-tailed deer and wild Justin Champa turkeys found the new mix of habitat Alex Sharp Daniel Ellen ideal for population increase. Howard France Jamie Buckner Turkeys have expanded their ranges Amy Schaffer throughout the Northeast. Their Mariya Shalumova Ezequiel Minaya size and feeding habits have had Paul Wyszinski Nancy O’Connor rather minor impacts on the lands Robert Vosper they inhabit. Annmarie Maida Hector Silva The white-tailed deer, on Michael Weiss Gertjan Meijer the other hand, were a different Andrew Kelly story. As their population increased, Ellen Verni Patricia MacLaney their appetites for browse rapidly Hedda Szmuk began to impact the developing Simon Williams Michael Dimen forests. Their browsing outpaced Robert Meredith Erik Johnson regrowth in many areas as many of Anthony Lepsis the tree species that are necessary Jesse Helmuth Austin Sandler for the healthy evolution of there John Melican Scott Robinson forests were their favored foods. Denis Lavallee Since deer can only reach about five Muriel Stallworth Susan Vig feet to eat, they concentrated on the Bernard Cohen Kat Cass “low-hanging” food, seedlings and George Suess undergrowth. This combination of Brian Caffrey Jodie Ousley increased population and voracious Filippo Fossati Garrett Smith appetite have virtually stopped the Daniel Weaver growth of the replacement trees in Nickie Friedman Jeffrey Slade the forest. Katharine Lheureaux Renata Mayhew This brings us to today’s Nicola Whiteley forest. Our “Forever Wild” lands John Hoffman Loren Graham are, in many ways, devoid of new Kelly Shea Ian Epstein growth and most wildlife. Though Paul Buehler there are species that require “old Tina Kukielski Margaux Knee growth,” most species that are more John Stillwaggon in the public eye are struggling. Winter 2020 Vol. 38 No. 4 5 Now our private lands that were harvest and manage? By managing at one time farms are becoming a forest you, in essence, slow or the property of people who simply reverse succession. This could help want a piece of land for different to return some of the lands devoid of forms of “enjoyment.” Many wish wildlife back to “productive” lands to simply leave their land remain hat would lead to the improved untouched. This is much the same health and well-being of the forest as the “Forever Wild” provision. As and wildlife. Steeper and more it takes a while to realize what has remote land could be kept as wild and is happening, maybe it is time and untouched to satisfy the species to revisit the “Forever Wild” clause that require old age forest trees. of our State Constitution. Though This message is a statement CFA is not in the business of of facts and observations that, lobbying for legislation, this is only a maybe, should be considered. We factual evaluation of the restrictions live on a dynamic planet and have brought about by the clause. taken many of the succession “Forever Wild” has worked. controls “out of the hands” of From a time when the forests were nature and put them in human under siege and in terrIble shape to hands. It might be time for us to now where they are showing signs of use the control we have willed upon “aging out” successionally, “Forever ourselves. Wild” has given us our forests back. I want to wish all members My question, and the point of this a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays message; Is it time to re-evaluate and Happy New Year. Let’s hope the “wild” status and pass an that 2021 is much better. amendment to allow management on some of the Preserve land that It’s all good in the woods, is reasonable to get to and safe to Mike Porter, CFA Board President Winter 2020 Vol. 38 No. 4 6 Roots By: Ryan Trapani “Roots.” Many of us are aware of their importance to trees. Arborists and Foresters know that a tree’s roots can grow three times past the diameter of the tree’s “drip line.” Roots of course help feed the tree water and nutrients, as well as respire. More impressive to me, is how well they anchor such a large and woody mass to the ground, despite wind, height, and gravity. I have come to trust these roots when hanging out in a tree’s canopy.