Forestry and Tree Planting in New York State Karin Verschoor and Gloria Van Duyne Resource Specialist, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Lands and Forests, Albany, NY; Communications Specialist, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Lands and Forests, Albany, NY Abstract planting needs. Since the first years of planting trees, when the State’s land was barely 20 percent forested, through the The New York State tree nursery system was founded in huge reforestation programs in the 1930s and to the rising 1902, making it the oldest State-run tree nursery in the United demand for native species in the 21st century, the nursery has States (Solan 2003). Throughout the decades, the New York grown the trees that have helped transform the State. Today, State tree nursery has evolved to meet the changing needs of nearly 63 percent of the State is forested (figure 1) (NYS DEC tree planting in New York State. From the first small nurseries 2010). As the effects of climate change become increasingly in the Adirondacks, the nursery system grew to multiple apparent, however, the need for trees and shrubs for replace- nurseries across the State that provide trees to fulfill local ment and mitigation will undoubtedly grow. Lake Champlain Hudson River Finger Lakes Figure 1. Forested areas in New York State. (Map source: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation [NYS DEC], 2010). 4 Tree Planters’ Notes Introduction By the 1880s, less than 20 percent of New York State was forested, and the remaining uncut forests in the Catskills and New York’s forests (figure 1) deliver the ecosystem services Adirondacks were being logged at a fast pace. In 1885, New our society depends on daily, such as clean air, clean water, York created the Forest Preserve Act to protect State-owned flood control, erosion control, carbon sequestration, natural lands in the Catskills and Adirondacks from further exploita- cooling, drought mitigation, aquifer recharge, and a steady tion (NYS DEC 2010). This act was strengthened in 1894 by source of fresh oxygen from plant photosynthesis. They also an amendment to the New York State Constitution: produce a wealth of forest products, provide a place for out- door recreation, and support associated economies. The lands of the State, now owned or hereafter ac- quired, constituting the forest preserve as now fixed New York has a long history of responding to challenges re- by law, shall be forever kept as wild forest lands. garding the State’s important forest resources, from the Forest They shall not be leased, sold or exchanged, or be Preservation Act of 1885 to the 2009 revision of the State’s taken by any corporation, public or private, nor shall Open Space Conservation Plan (OSP) (NYS DEC 2010). As the timber thereon be sold, removed or destroyed. scientists learn more about the effects of global climate change, it becomes increasingly clear that healthy forests are essential The Forest Preserve began with 681,000 acres (275,600 hect- to the Nation’s future. The challenge is to keep the forests ares) in the Adirondacks and 34,000 acres (13,760 hectares) in healthy and vigorous in the face of climate change, exurban the Catskills. Today there are more than 2.6 million forested sprawl, pests, diseases, and invasive species. By improving acres (1.05 million forested hectares) in the Adirondacks and sustainable forest management practices, we can keep New more than 300,000 acres (121,400 hectares) in the Catskills, York’s forests as forests and keep them working for the future held as for ever wild lands for New Yorkers. The Forest Pre- of the State and its residents. serve is the largest State-designated wilderness in the country and the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi River (figure 2). Brief Overview of New York State’s History, Politics, and Economy In the 1930s, years of drought resulted in the national climate Regarding Forest Management crisis known as the Dust Bowl—which coincided with the Great Depression. Even in New York, farms failed from drought and millions of agricultural acres were abandoned. Early Deforestation Some of this land was in such poor condition that nothing could grow on it. New York was one of the first States to have permanent Euro- pean settlements, beginning in the 1600s with New York City and the Dutch communities along the Hudson River. At the Bringing Forests Back time of European contact, the State was mostly forest. Native Forests in all the Northeastern States were disappearing Americans had been using fire to manage forests, to encourage quickly by the end of the 19th century, but New York was early succession communities for game, to maintain open the first State to take measures to reverse this trend toward ridge areas for blueberries, and to clear openings for agricul- total forest destruction. In 1901, the Forest, Fish and Game ture. Until the opening of the first Erie Canal section from Commission planted the first tree plantation on State land in Rome to Utica in 1819, development of much of the State had the Catskills to replace trees that had been burned. Because no been limited. The subsequent canal network was surprisingly North American sources for seedlings were available in large extensive, considering the rugged topography of much of the quantities, it was necessary to import seedlings from the huge State, and opened up vast areas of forested land for logging tree nurseries in Europe. Europeans had long practiced sus- and agriculture (Verschoor 2006). tainable forestry, growing many tree species, including North Serious deforestation started with the Industrial Revolution, American trees such as eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) which brought railroads, large-scale industry, and widespread and red pine (P. resinosa Ait.), in tightly managed tree planta- use of steam engines. Logging became almost ruthlessly effi- tions, where seedlings were planted to replace trees that had cient, and large areas of the Adirondacks and other areas were been cut. Millions of tree seedlings would be needed to even heavily cut. Some industries were extremely dependent on begin restoring the ravaged forests of New York. The United forest products, notably the numerous tanneries, which used States needed to develop its own sources of seedlings, grown the high tannin bark of hemlocks; this use led to an almost close to where they would be planted, and free of imported complete removal of this species, especially in the Catskills pests and diseases. Federal and State tree nurseries were the (Kudish 2000). best way to supply millions of seedlings at reasonable cost. Volume 55, No. 2 (2012) 5 Figure 2. State land and conservation easements managed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. (Map source: NYS DEC, 2012). Much of the farmland in New York was on marginal land and, New York’s Forest Practice Act (FPA) of 1946 recognized the as better land became available out West, the agriculture in- importance and contributions of private forest lands. The FPA dustry began to decline in New York. When the Great Depres - program was deemed vital to the interests of the people of sion hit, many farmers could no longer make a living on their New York State to ensure that the practice of forestry would worn out, unproductive land (figure 3). The 1929 State Re- be encouraged, that damage to the environment caused by forestation Act and the 1931 Hewitt Amendment authorized unplanned and exploitive overcutting might be avoided, and the Conservation Department to buy land for reforestation that the industries of the State that are dependent on forest purposes (NYS DEC 2010, 2011). These lands were known products might be stabilized as much as possible. The act pro - as State reforestation areas and were the beginning of today’s vided free forestry assistance to private landowners. As late as State Forest System in New York. Many of the early refor- 1970, 1 in 25 forest landowners received program technical estation areas were established on some of the worst lands assistance each year. Today, that number has declined to 1 in the State. The Conservation Department began a massive in 300 because of decreases in program staffing and a sharp tree-planting program to restore these lands for watershed increase in the number of forest owners (NYS DEC 2010). protection, soil stabilization, flood prevention, and future tim- State funding for tree planting fell victim to the Depression, ber production. Today, these areas are covered with healthy, but the Federal Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), founded well-managed State forests. (State Forests are still referred to by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933, rescued the tree- as reforestation areas as originally defined in legislation.) planting program in New York. Millions of tree seedlings 6 Tree Planters’ Notes were planted on the barren soil of the new State reforestation After World War II, a resurgence of tree planting occurred areas, work that provided employment for thousands of young as more farmland fell vacant. Scientific game management men. Roosevelt was especially interested in reforestation led to the development of State-owned Wildlife Management work, having planted his own estate with seedlings from the Areas to provide optimal habitat for game species such as State tree nursery beginning in 1912. His trips to view CCC waterfowl and upland birds. The Park and Recreation Land projects in New York typically included visits to reforestation Acquisition Act of 1960 and the Environmental Quality Bond areas (figure 4). Plantations consisted mainly of conifers. Acts of 1972 and 1986, provided funds for the acquisition of Hardwoods regenerated naturally but, at the time, were con- additional State forest lands, including inholdings or parcels sidered much less valuable than softwoods (figure 5).