CFA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT— CFA Reaches 500+ Members Stumps Righting Themselves CFA News - Cover Photo by Chris Hopkins - Windham, NY by, Russ Seaman - Andes, NY by, John MacNaught - CFA Wildlife Specialist After my wife John even walked me through proper felling We bought our land in the and I pur- techniques and we analyzed several stumps of Catskills back in the 1960's chased our trees I had cut down to see how I could improve when we lived in Chap- paqua. It overlooks the home in Wind- on safely felling trees in the future. After every- Pepacton Reservoir. We built ham, NY last thing was finished I was given a welcome packet a cabin on it and spent many October I was and a member sign that I now am proudly display- weekends there until we re- searching for ing right in the front of my yard. John also in- located to North Carolina in an arborist to formed me that I am the 500th member of the 1970. Then it was pared down to 3 or 4 longer stays come and as- Catskill Forest Association and I would like to con- per year, sometimes by my- sess trees on gratulate them on this great milestone! self, but still doing various my property for Overall I can’t say how impressed I am with "improvement" projects. On firewood re- one of those stays I had Apple Trees Growing Fruit on Member's Property John’s wealth of knowledge and the help he gave moval and gen- come back to the cabin to fix The cover this CFA news edition shows the be- me to forest safely and preserve my property. I my lunch and while sitting at eral health. ginnings of a generous apple crop growing in Dela- can’t wait to participate in future programs and the table, staring out the After doing ware County this summer. Even with three frosting workshops that are offered. I look forward to doorway and contemplating quite of bit re- nights in a row during bloom this spring, the trees many more years of membership with the Catskill the afternoon's work, I no- search online ticed a 10 or 12 foot hemlock "stump" standing appear to be producing a notable crop. Forest Association. trying to find upright. It was obviously cut by a chainsaw still Why are these trees so full? In the summer of the right per- Thank You For Everything! with the remnants of its lower branches. It seemed a mystery and I went to investigate. 2016 a new CFA member joined, his name is Hale son, I came across the Catskill Forest Association Rickman. Hale wrote the membership spotlight ar- and their Tree Marking Program. I was very in- Outside I then remembered it was a tree that ticle for the Spring CFA news 2016. Hale owns an trigued by their commitment to the preservation of had fallen onto our property from city land and I had "cleaned" it up the previous year. In the average amount of land for the Catskills, about 12 the Catskill forest, plus their multiple different ser- meantime the stump had righted itself! acres in Margaretville, NY. On my first visit to his vices and educational classes. A year or so later I had a letter from a neigh- property we mostly discussed tree ID and general A couple of bor/friend up there telling me that someone had forest management. We quickly found several weeks ago John cut and taken a log from a large black cherry tree quality red oak trees and about six or eight volun- MacNaught on our property. Now with my knowledge of things teer apple trees growing in a small opening behind I was able to respond that it was I who had taken showed up at the log from a fallen tree and the stump had then his house. These trees were being shaded and my property righted itself. choked out by red maple and some white pine with all of the growing in close proximity. tools to tackle I explained the differences of shade tolerances the job. We Cheers, in trees noting the trees which produce nuts and walked around Russ Seaman fruit, like his apple and oaks, are less shade toler- my one acre Andes, NY ant than the maple towering above. If nothing property while were to be done then eventually these fruitful John was ex- trees would no longer have the energy to produce plaining differ- Note from the Editor: These articles, written by their crop and would one day die due to the shade. ent types of CFA members Chris Hopkins and Russ Seaman We cut the maple later that month through CFA’s trees, their were contributed as a member spotlight for the Forestry for Wildlife Program. shade toler- Trees Flagged to be Left Summer 2017 CFA News. All members are wel- ance, which comed and encouraged to contribute their stories Now, with the sunlight shining above, the apple trees I should as part of the CFA News Member Spotlight series. trees have all the energy they need to produce a Trees Marked for Firewood save, and Chris Hopkins If you would like to have your article published in a crop of fruit for both Hale and the wildlife behind which I should cut down to encourage proper future CFA News publication, please contact John his home. The fruits of your labor can be rewarded growth of others. We marked lots of trees with Windham, NY MacNaught, Wildlife Specialist and CFA News edi- by just shining some light on the issue and releas- blue paint for firewood and roped off others that tor (845) 586-3054. Or, submit to ing the trees from competition. we decided were worth keeping. My two springer [email protected]. No matter what you use John MacNaught, spaniels looked like little smurfs after trying to your woodland for, CFA wants to share your chase the blue paint all over the yard! forest experience! CFA Wildlife Specialist 8 9 When did these burns occur? My best guess is 9. South Mountain, to 2700 feet. that they began some time between 4000 and 3000 years ago, but intensified with the introduc- 10. Rose Mountain, 2160 to 3090 feet. tion of agriculture about 1000 years ago. The Further Reading Thinking Outside the Forest burns most likely ceased some time in the 17th and early 18th centuries as Native American popula- For further reading on the effects of Native CFA Member and Director, Frank Winkler tions declined. American burning on Catskills forests, see the fol- lowing issues of the CFA News: These dates I have learned from reading the Fall 2009: Native Americans' Effect Those of us serious about sustainable timber minimize the pressure they put on our tree seed- reports of a number of anthropologists and arche- ologists; few living trees date back more than Fall 2014: Shavertown Oaks management know that too many deer will seri- lings. However, those of us located on south fac- about 200 to 250 years to tell us their story. ously devour desirable tree seedlings. This results ing valley slopes where deer yard up in winter will Fall 2015: Betty's Bog in very poor timber regeneration and poor wildlife probably continue to have challenges with regen- It requires a few centu- Spring 2016: American Chestnut Follows People habitat for most species. In many areas of New eration unless seedlings are directly protected. ries for oak York State this has become a serious problem that Summer 2016: Mountain Laurel Thickets: An A very simple start to groves to frequently goes unnoticed. Most of us enjoy see- gradually Alternative to Radiocarbon Dating? improving deer grazing ing deer. Some of us enjoy hunting deer and want revert back would be to mow idle more deer to increase success. This is under- to northern fields about 3 weeks hardwoods The Fall 2017 issue of CFA News standable, but without recognizing the conse- before the first frost of because quences of too many deer we are creating severe Over the years, several people have expressed autumn. This will re- oaks are adverse impacts such as poor forest regrowth, loss mid-tolerant interest in the migration of, and present distribu- cycle that undesirable tion of, black spruce and eastern larch (tamarack) of many types of song birds and other wildlife, of shade, mature forage growth in the greater Catskills region. Perhaps CFA mem- spread of lyme disease, agricultural crop loss, and not intoler- and stimulate the ant. Visit bers as a whole might be curious about these two deer/car accidents. We have more deer problems more digestible and these oak boreal conifers. I'm considering the fall 2017 issue even though in many places we have fewer deer. as an opportunity to offer my thoughts. nutritious regrowth. groves to- A big part of this is caused by changes in agricul- This new growth can day and you ture. New York State has a very diverse land- will find little help support deer until by, Dr. Michael Kudish scape. Where farming is still active, there is more oak repro- the snow gets too for deer to eat other than tree seedlings. Most duction. In- deep as well as when stead, you farmers are tolerant to some crop loss, have large Red oak being taken over by we have those fre- will find tracts, and are willing to harvest enough deer to maple regeneration below. quent winter thaws. seedlings keep losses within tolerable limits. However, Photo by Ryan Trapani, CFA and saplings Forestry First Fridays Many people make one where active farming no longer exists the most of sugar mowing of these types desirable food source for deer are those seedlings maple and beech, sometimes with hemlock, and Frank Showing Lush Growth of fields in June and toward the east, red spruce.