FOREST OWNERA Publication of the New York Forest Owners Association

MAY/JUNE 1990

(RREP) photo bv Taber)

Forestry: Problems and Solutions "

OFFICERSJ. Morgan Heussler

dPresident (991)

900Porterville RoaEast Aurora, NY 14052Allen F. Horn, 1st. Vice President (991)3978 Pompey Center Rd.Manlius, NY 13104Harold Petrie, 2nd Vice President (1991)RD 1, Box 117Parish, NY 13131John Marchant, Executive DirectorPO Box 360Fairport, NY 14450(716) 377-6060Stuart McCarty, Treasurer (992)4300 East AvenueRochester, NY 14618Howard O. Ward, Asst. Treasurer (990)240 Owego St.Candor, NY 13743Alan Knight 0992}96 Targosh Rd.Candor, NY 13743Alec C. Proskine (990)9270 Congress Rd.Trumansburg, NY 14886Robert Sand 0990}Cotton-Hanlon, Inc.Cayuta, NY 14824Sanford Vreeland 0990}POBox 185Springwater, NY 14560Robert A. Hellman (1992)PO Box 231Brockport, NY 14420Thomas A. Conklin 0991lio Artillery LaneBaldwinsville, NY 12027Richard J. Fox, Advertising Mgr. 0991}RD3,Box88Moravia, NY 13118AFFILIATE/CHAPTER REPS.Donald Colton - Thrift5595 Trinty Ave.Lowville, NY 13367Donald Gilbert - Catskill Forest Assoc.Arkville, NY 12406Wendell Hatfield - CayugaRD2,Box341Moravia, NY 13118Howard Ward - Tioga240 Owego st.Candor, NY 13743Donald Kellicutt - Southern TierRD 1, Box 103Lisle, NY 13797Charles Mowatt - Allegany FoothillsPO Box 351Bath, NY 14810John Marchant- Western FingerlakesPO Box 360Fairport, NY 14450

FRONT COVERState maple specialist Lewis J. Staats. at the

Uihlein Sugar Maple Research Extension FieldStation of Cornell University's Department ofNatural Resources. evaluates a Third·Wo.-Jdconcept of agro~forestry in his rncncgementand research on growing naturally seededbalsam fir trees in a developing sugar bush.

See story page 3.Red Spruces in'Decline - Ruth G. Alscher.

left. a scientist at the Boyce Thompson Institutefor Piant Research. and Suzanne Fellow. o re-search assistant examine some of the redspruce saplings that have been exposed todifferent levels of zone in experiements con-ducted at the institute's field research site nearcampus.

See story page 4.

THE NEW YORK

FOREST OWNERPublished for the New York Forest Owners Association by

Karen Kellicutt, Editor

Materials submitted for publication should be addressed to: Editor, N. Y. Forest Owner,RD #1, Box 103, Lisle, New York 13797. Articles, artwork and photos are invitedand are normally returned after /use. The deadline for submission is 30 days prior topublication in July.Please address all membership and change of address requests to Executive Director,P.O. Box 360, Fairport, u.v. 14450.

President's Farewell MessageSome observations and thoughts as

we end our term as your President ...It has not been dull. During the two

year term, it was necessary to replacethe Editor of the Forest Owner, theTreasurer, and the ExecutiveSecretary. Each was a traumaticsituation and we were blessed to haveKaren, Stuart and John appear. Theycontinue to do caring, skillful work foryour association.It has been rewarding. The support,

wise counsel and friendship theofficers, Board members and manymembers of the chapters andaffiliates have given us have beenexceptional and a joy to experience.To mention names would take anotherpage but please accept my gratefulthanks.It has been educational. One learns

things at every woods walk and Boardmeeting. But the greatest learningexperience for me was serving as anadvisor to the Governor's Task Forceon Forest Industry. I know perfectlywell that Dr. Whaley did not appointme to that job because of my expertiseas a professional forester or otherforestry expert. It was an honorarything because I was President ofNYFOA. So, when we got to Silver Bayon Lake George and found the TaskForce members plus seventy advisorsall discoursing on their fields ofexpertise, it was an awesome,humbling experience for a countryboy from Western New York. But itwas a great opportunity to learn aboutthings like 480A, conservationeasements, marketing problems,what loggers really think, etc.So now it's time to get into the truck

J. MORGAN HEUSSLERand drive off into the sunset. Waitingat home is work on our next projectfor NYFOA. We are optimistic aboutchances for starting a new chapter. Itwould serve Erie and WyomingCounties and possibly Niagara. Wehave about 50 NYFOA members inthese counties now and the potentialfor many more. Bob White fromHolland is our sparkplug. JimCheesman, our DEC forester fromWarsaw and I are helping. Mike Levy,the Buffalo News Outdoor writerrecently did an article on NYFOA. Atthis writing, we have received inexcess of 65 inquiries aboutmembership as a result of the story.We expect most will join.Thanks again and our

congratulations and very best wishesto the new officers and Boardmembers.

2 FOREST OWNER

Forest Conservation Practices Vary WidelyBy DAVID W. TABER,

Department of Natural Resources,New York State College of Agriculture

and Life Sciences, CornellEvery woodland parcel is different.

Each forest stand (group of trees withsimilar attributes that distinguish itfrom adjacent groups) is unique.Time is one critical factor that

affects the appearance of all patchesof trees. All woodlands began on openland. However, once covered byforest, the woodlands change rapidlyat first and then more slowly unlessnatural "disasters" due to wind,snow, ice, insects, disease, lightningfires, or floods affect them; or if thelandowner decides to develop the landor have some trees harvested.Trees have a natural life span and

all will someday die. The abundance,lifespan, and health of trees may bediminished by the naturalenvironment which is modified byhuman activities that may changeglobal temperatures, increase acidityof precipitation, produce soil or"smokestack"-suspended particles inthe air, and introduce exotic plants tothe land.Society's needs and wants from

forest land include timber to buildwood products, wood fiber to meetpeople's appetite for paper, fuelwoodfor warmth, scenic landscapes,outdoor recreation opportunities,habitat for wildlife, privacy for one'shome, and ownership of "a piece ofthe earth."Tree form, health, and growth rate

depend on interactions of treegenetics, soils, micro-climaticconditions, insects, diseases,competition from adjacent trees, andhuman damage to a tree's leaves,limbs, buds, branches, bole, androots.Conservation can be defined as wise

use or preservation. Forestconservation is often considered toinclude not only preservation of thetrees, which will naturally change insize and shape over time, but alsoprotection of the soil from compactionand erosion, management of habitatthat enables birds and animals tohave food and cover, preservation ofnatural scenic beauty, and protection

MAY/JUNE 1990

of "wilderness" from encroachmentby people.Forest conservation practices may

be considered by some to include"management" of a wooded housinglot, one carved out of forestland by theeconomic exploitation of landresources through subdivision, tomeet the needs and wants of manypeople.Timber stand improvement

practices (TSI) refer to the pruning,weeding, and thinning of a foreststand; and perhaps even the salvagecutting of naturally dying trees. Anequivalent to TSI in the urban orsuburban setting might be thepractice of arboriculture; but asignificant difference is that usuallyarboriculture does not lead to yieldingwood products for consumers,whereas TSI can contribute to not onlyimproved growth of valuable woodproducts but the arboriculturalamenities of increased tree life,scenic beauty, and wildlife habitat ina forest stand.Forest conservation practices vary

widely and can be tailored to fit theneeds of a particular site andwoodland owner. Discussing yourideas, needs, and wants with

professional foresters can provide youwith additional insight into yoursituation.

State maple specialist Lewis J. Staats, at theUihlein Sugar Maple Research-Extension FieldStation of Cornell University's Department ofNatural Resources, evaluates a Third-Worldconcept of agro-forestry in his managementand research on growing naturally seededbalsam fir trees in a developing sugar bush.

. (RREP photo by Taber)

ROBERT A. HELLMANN, Environmental ConsultantPO Box 231, Brockport, NY 14420 716-637-5983

Do you need a multiple-useconserva tion plan for 5 acres ofopen land -- or even 500? I canprepare one that is ecologicallysound, compatible with nativevegetation, beneficial to wild-life, aesthetically appealing.Call or write to arrange a freeinitial consultation.

3

development. Nitric acid is a form ofnitrogen fertilizer for plants."All plants need nutrients from the

soil to grow. If we give them too muchof one nutrient such as nitrogenfertilizer from the atmosphere and notenough of others, the trees woulddevelop chronic nutritionaldeficiencies, a factor detrimental tothe health of the affected tree in thelong run," Jacobson explained.Some scientists theorize that the

atmospheric nitrogen fertilizer alsomay stimulate tree growth well intothe fall when the tree is supposed to godormant in preparation for coldwinter months. Continued growth inthe fall may jeopardize the tree'sability to survive winter's frigidweather.However, Jacobson is reluctant to

draw such a conclusion. He believesfurther studies are needed on howatmospheric nitrogen fertilizationmight affect cold hardiness and onthe validity of methods scientists nowuse for measuring the cold toleranceof affected trees.

Acid Rain Studies Reveal New CluesBy YONG H. KIM,Science Writer,

Cornell News ServiceScientists have shown for the first

time how acidic clouds that frequentlyshroud high mountain forests can killred spruce trees by damaging theirfoliage, thus impairingphotosynthesis, and by upsetting theirnutritional balance.The finding constitutes strong

evidence that such clouds are killingred spruce trees in the forests of theeastern United States, from Maine toTennessee, according to scientists atthe Boyce Thompson Institute forPlant Research (BTI) at CornellUniversity.The scientists found that two key

ingredients of acid rain - sulfuricacid and nitric acid - are detrimentalto the red spruce and are contributingto forest decline, a slow death offorests at high elevations.Scientists have long suspected that

acid rain, snow, sleet, hail, mist,clouds, and even fog may cause forestdecline in the region, resulting in thedeath of untold numbers of trees athigh elevations over the past threedecades.Jay S. Jacobson, a plant pathologist

at BTI, based his finding on five yearsof controlled field and greenhouseexperiments conducted at theinstitute."We have demonstrated that

sulfuric acid, at concentrationssimilar to those found in acidic mistand cloud-water, seriously weakensthe foliage, thus impairing the tree'sphotosynthesis process," Jacobsonsaid. "At high concentrations, it killsthe needles outright."Jacobson found that, while sulfuric

acid destroyed the trees' foliage,nitric acid upset the balance ofessential nutrients, causing chronicnutritonal deficiencies. Nitric acidalso may be implicated in theweakening of the tree's ability to copewith frigid winter cold, he said.According to Jacobson, red

spruces growing at low elevations inthe coastal areas of Maine and NovaScotia are also dying possibly becauseof ground-level fogs that are heav-ily laced with air pollutants.Hardest hit are red spruces at high

altitutes in the Northeast, including

New York's Adirondack Mountains. Adominant tree species in the region,the red spruce is an importantcommercial tree for the pulp andpaper industries. Other kinds of trees,including sugar maples, balsam fir,and Fraser fir, also are dying in theNortheast as well as in the southernAppalachians of North Carolina andTennessee.Sulfuric acid is formed in the

atmosphere when sulfur oxidesemitted during the combustion of coaland oil at power plants undergochemical reactions. Nitric acid, also amajor component of acid rain, is theproduct of emissions from internalcombustion engines, such as those inautomobiles, and from the com-bustion of coal and oil."These pollutants end up in clouds

tha t envelop trees growing onmountaintops for a good part of theyear," Jacobson explained. In fieldand greenhouse experimentsconducted over the past five years,red spruce seedlings were sprayedwith acidic mist containing sulfuricacid, nitric acid, or both.The average pH level for cloud-

water at high elevations is 3.5,Jacobson said. In his experiments,red spruce seedlings were treatedwith mists ranging in acidity from pH2.5 to pH 4.5 for 35 percent of the timeduring the growing season from Juneto September. Acidity and alkalinityare measured on a scale of 14,with pH7 being neutral. A pH below 7 is acidicand above 7 is alkaline.At pH levels of 2.5 to 4.5, the mist

treatment injured the needles,impairing the tree's capacity tomanufacture life-sustaining food,Jacobson said. This may hamper it indeveloping adequate tolerance tofreezing temperatures in winter, headded."This finding is a surprise, because

sulfuric acid from acid rain wasshown in previous studies to beharmless to crop plants," he noted.The red spruce needles died when

exposed to high concentrations ofsulfuric acid at pH 3or below, which is10 times more acidic than pH 4,Jacobson said.He also found that nitric acid upset

the delicate balance of nutrientsrequired by trees for growth and

PORTABLEBANDSAWMILLING

Anything from 2x4's to Log Cabins

TIM ROBERSONRR3, Box 218, Dept. FMoravia, NY 13118

315/496-2253

Nolan'sSporting Supplies

Outdoor Equipment Specialist

37 - 47 Genesee StreetAuburn, N.Y. 13021

315-252-7249

4 FOREST OWNER

Safety Tips for Woodlot HazardsThe Rural Health and Safety

Council notes that recent informationfrom the forestry industry indicates arising incidence of accidents relatedto woodlot work. This concern carriesover to the farm because muchforested acreages is in farm woodlots.The most common hazard is a hung

or lodged tree. This is a tree that getscaught in the branches of an adjacenttree as it falls. A common mistakemade by the chainsaw operator is tomove to the second tree and attemptto cut it, thereby bringing them bothdown. The chainsaw operator isplaced in a position where escapefrom the unexpected fall of the hungtree may be impossible.The proper approach is to leave the

tree and allow it to fall naturally, or toattach a long cable to its trunk andpull it down with a tractor. The cableshould be long enough to keep thetractor operator from being hit shouldthe base of the tree lodge in the groundand the tree fall forward towards thetractor.The second most common hazard is

called a "widowmaker." This is deadma terial in the top of the tree beingcut or in adjacent trees that canbecome dislodged during cutting ortree felling. The risk must be assessedcarefully and then the tree left uncut. or the gamble taken that thewidowmaker can be avoided whenand if it falls.Severely leaning trees often are not

recognized as a problem because theyseem likely to fall in the direction ofthe lean. The problem arises, whenthe saw operator fails to make anadequate undercut or makes noundercut at all. Then, when thebackcut is made, stress within thetree may cause it to split verticallyand the base of the tree kick outwardthrowing the saw or the operator, orboth, a considerable distance.To prevent this, be sure to make a

standard undercut one-fourth to one-third of the way through the tree. Onlarge-diameter trees, make a plungecut with the tip of the saw into theheart of the tree to cut out what iscalled the neutral axis. Be sure toleave a normal hinge of wood near theundercut as well as an attachment ofwood where the backcut will be made.Finally, make that backcut and allowthe tree to fall.

Spring poles are saplings that arecaught by the falling tree and are bentinto an arch. The internal stresses aresufficient to cause severe injury if thespring pole is not released properly.The injury may be inflicted by thepole itself or by the chainsaw beingthrown back toward the operator.The best technique for handling

spring poles is to move the fallen tree,thus allowing the sapling to return toits original position. If the spring polemust be cut, release the stress slowlyby first making a partial cut on thecompression side of the sapling. Thisis the inside of the arch. Carefullycomplete the cut on the opposite sidebeing careful to stand to the side of theline of cut of the saw. Spring poles arevery dangerous and should be handledwith extreme caution,

Straight standing trees are ahazard because extra effort must bemade to assure the proper direction ofthe fall. Plastic or aluminum wedgesfirmly inserted in the backcut willhelp prevent the tree from tipping thewrong way, trapping the saw andendangering the operator.Professional woodcutters habituallyuse wedges during all backcuts asadded insurance that the tree falls theright way.Farm woodlots have emerged as

valuable resources for supplementingfarm income. Agricultural workersshould seek to become skilledchainsaw operators and should useprofessional cutting and fellingtechniques when working in thewoods.

Reprinted from Jan. 1990 AmericanAgriculturist

Coli or Write for Free Brochure

Landowners -TIMBERLAND Forestry Consultants

offer the following services:* Timber Marking & Sales - highest prices guaranteed* Timber Stand Improvement - both marking & cutting* Timber Inventories & Appraisals* Firewood Marking & Sales* Free Estimates

timbe~lcndPROFESSIONAL FORESTRY CONSUL TANTS

Box 49B, W. Beecher Hill Rd.Owego, NY 13827, b071b87.04bO

MAY/JUNE 1990 5

Robert Synowiez

Send Questions to:Wes Suhr , R.R. 1, Box 59BOswegatchie, N.Y. 13670Ask a Forester

If you really want to improvetimber harvesting practices in NewYork, what group must be consulted?63% of New York's forest land isprivately owned, with 75% of thisunder non-industrial ownership. Sothat makes us a prime target forimproving the stewardship of forestland in New York. As the owners, weare ultimately responsible for itscare.Assuming you have harvested wood

products on your land, are you happywith the results? You may be pleasedwith the cash received for stumpageor wood sold, but how about thecondition of your woodlot after thesale - are you happy with that too?Occasionally, we are not satisfied

with the way things "look" after alogging or harvest job. The remainingtrees may be damaged or of lowquality, slash may be improperlydisposed, but the worst thing that canhappen is a degraded soil and waterresource. Normally, the most damageto the soil occurs on and near the mainskid trails and truck roads, forexample, deep surface rutting oftrails and road washouts at drainagecrossings. Trails and roads becomeimpassable, site potential for growingtrees is reduced, and the quality ofwater draining the area is impaired.Possibly, you had a poor contract or

none at all, or the contract dateexpired before you spotted thedamage. In any case, you want toimprove these degraded sites. Afterall, you will use the truck road andmain trails again, and you want anenvironmentally "clean" woodlot.Active erosion will increase thedamage, so you should make therepairs as soon as possible. Let's lookat some of the most cost effectivemethods you can employ to reducethis damage.MAINTAINING SKID TRAILSGenerally, ruts should be filled and

the trail drained to stop gully erosion.Start on the worst sections first,usually on the steepest grades.Assuming you have a tractor withbucket or blade, first push or back-blade the "berms" (humps of soilforced out by the skidder tires) back

into the ruts. Fill the remaining rutswith gravel or coarse soil, grading asyou go.After the section of trail is

"smoothed over", install a few waterbars to divert surface runoff. Themain skid trails should allow tractortravel, so construct "rolling" waterbars, 6-12" high with gradual,compacted sides. For rapid drainage,skew each bar (20-30 degreesdownslope (see diagram). It willrequire some hand-shovel work.

A ROLLING WATER BARWhere do you locate the bars, and

how many are needed for properdrainage? This depends on factorsspecific to the section or slope that isbeing treated. As an example, note the

photo of a badly rutted skid trail withruts 2' deep and a 6% grade over adamaged section of 500'. Here, seeprunoff (located near the top of photo)is draining into the rut which iseroding into a smally gully,A RUTTED SKIDTRAILThe sequence of operations must be

changed here. Before any smoothingor filling can be done, the section mustbe "dried out". First, a water barmust be formed at the top of thesection to divert the seepage flowacross and away from the skid trail.Then it would take about a week of"normal" weather for the section todry out before rolling back the bermsor filling the ruts.The photo shows about 300' of rutted

skid trail, and it continues for another200' down-slope before crossing anintermittent channel. Over this totaldistance, there are three naturalinterruptions or gradiant breaks inthe slope. The first one occurs at theseep near the top of the photo - wherewe installed the first water bar. Youcan see the second break in the slopenear the middle of the photo - installthe second water bar here. And thereis another natural break about 150'

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

6 FOREST OWNER

Ask a Forester(from Page 6)

downslope from this one - place thethird water bar there.In other words, first attempt to

locate water bars at the naturalbreaks in slope to facilitate drainage.This is especially true when a long,low gradient section steepensdownslope. As located in the diagram,the water bar keeps concentractedflow off the steeper section.

~----»e-:4ff?J-~~'~.\}.?-: locate bar here/~

So far, we have 3 water bars on the500' section of rutted trail, the middleone about 200' below the upper bar andthe lowest bar about 150' below themiddle one. Do we have enough barsfor adequately draining this 6%section? According to the generalguide below, the interval should beabout 125'. Our 150' is probably ok dueto the high rock content of these soils(low erosion hazard). One more barmay be required between the middleand upper bars to break the 200'interval.Grade-%

125101520253040

RECOMMENDED DISTANCESBETWEEN WATER BARS(Source: Acceptable Management

Practices for Maintaining WaterQuality on Logging Jobs in Vermont-Department of Forests, Parks andRecreation, Waterbury, VT)

Distance-ft.400250125806045403530

Bear Paul LumberBuyers of Standing TimberTimber/ands and Sawlogs

Box 20Fryeburg, Maine 04037Jack Davis

207-935-2951 (Office)802-626-5269 (Residence)

NYFOA to Sponsor 2ndWoodswalk for 1990 On June 9Because of a tragic illness in the

family originally sponsoring thiswoodswalk, we have switched it to theKreb's Tree Farm near Springwater,NY. This is a 435 acre farm with 310acres of hardwoods and conifers andfive ponds for improved wildlifehabitat. The tour will be guided by theDEC state forester responsible forhelping the Krebs successfullymanage this resource. Highlights ofthe tour will include:• Examples of several types ofimprovement thinnings,• A variety of site variations.• A hardwood stand logged in 1986.• Clearcuts completed two and tenyears ago.• A 35year old Douglas Fir stand.• A 55year old larch stand..20 and 30year old red pine stands.• Timber and firewood saletechniques and results.• Tips on how to operate "in theblack".The Woodwalk will begin at 10a.m.

and will last until about 1 p.m. Apicnic area will be available for thosewho wish to stay for lunch. Pleasebring your own food, coffee and softdrinks will be provided.

Livingston County - 10a.m. June 9DIRECTIONS: Beginning from a

point on route 15A, 0.6 miles North ofSpringwater, NY, turn east onWheaton Hill Rd. and continue 2.5miles to Tabor Corners. Jog 300yardsNorth in Tabor Corners and turn eastonto Tabor Corners Road. Proceedabout 0.5 miles and bear left on DutchHollow Road. Continue another 0.5miles to Peglow Road where thewoodswalk will begin. NYFOAdirection signs will be placed alongthe route beginning at the route 15A,Wheaton Hill Road intersection.

MagazineDeadline

Materials submitted for theJuly/August issue should be sent to:

THE FORESTOWNERBOX 103

LISLE, N.Y. 13797NO LATER THAN JUNE 10

WE SPECIALIZE IN LOGGINGAND ALL YOUR FORESTRYWORKBuyers of Standing Timber

A A PEPPE Timber ProductsLOGGING and FIREWOOD

Dept. FMoravia, NY 315/497-1760

MAY/JUNE 1990 7

Landowners and ForestryIndustry Meetings

"Forest Stewardship," "ForestsForever," and "Economics ofPrivately Owned Forests and all ofNew York State's Forests" will beaddressed at a special meeting that isexpected to attract 200attendees fromthroughout New York State.Environmentalists including thoseintrested in many different aspects offorest based land stewardship,including forest preservation, wildlifehabitat, hiking, camping, canoeing,ornithology, tree farming, and timberharvesting, are expected to attend.

Registration for the educationalmeeting begins at 6:45 p.m. followedby door prizes and introductions at7:15 p.m. at the Adirondack HighSchool, Ford Street, Boonville, NY onFriday, August 17,1990.Sponsored by Cornell Cooperative

Extension and the New York ForestOwners' Association, Inc. as part ofthe New York State Woodsmen'sField Days, the following renownedspeakers, starting at 7:30 p.m., willhighlight timely topics of interest tomany environmentally concernedcitizens and organizations, outdoorrecreationists and the tourismindustry, and New York's timberharvesting and wood using industriestha t supply wood products toconsumers.* Robert H. Bathrick - Director of

Division of Lands and Forests, NYSSEC: "Forest Stewardship"* Curtis H. Bauer - Professional

Consulting Forester & President ofFORECON, Inc.: "Is Your ForestForever'?"* Hugh o. Canham - Professor of

Forest Economics, SUNY ESF:"Economics of Your Forest and NewYork's Forests"A special feature of the program

will be "Gifts from the Forests forAttendees," according to themeeting's moderator, David W. Taberof Cornell Cooperative Extension,Department of Natural Resources. Inaddition, he has noted that the timely-topics technology transfer programwill climax with refreshments whileattendees have an opportunity topersonally meet the speakers during asocial gathering in the high schoolcafeteria from 9:30 -lO:OOp.m.

IN ITHACA - Sept. 18-20

"Challenges in the Conservation ofBiological Resources: Exploring NewTools for Managers, Planners &Educators" is a symposium to be heldin Ithaca, NY, September 18-20,1990.It has been organized by CornellCooperative Extension - Departmentof Natural Resources and CornellLaboratory of Ornithology andsponsored by a host of interestedorganizations.During the symposium the

emerging disciplines of conservationbiology and landscape ecology will beexamined.For a flyer on the symposium

contact Deborah Walsh Grover,Conservation of Biological ResourcesSymposium, Natural ResourcesDept., Fernow Hall, CornellUniversity, Ithaca, NY 14853-3001(tel.607/255-2115).Forest Stewardship Program is an

initiative involving manyconservation-minded organizations inNew York. The "Forest StewardshipAct of 1989" at the national level has agoal of placing 25million acres of non-industrial private forest lands understewardship management within 5years. This program is important inNew York with its 17.5million people,and 30.2 million acres of land, 61percent of which is forested, includingsome 15.4million acres of commercialforest land, held in over % millionprivate ownerships.Renowned speakers at the

"Landowners and Forest IndustryMeeting" on Friday evening, August17 1990(with a 6:45 p.m. registration)at' the Adirondack High School inBoonville, NY as part of the New YorkState Woodsmen's Field Days are asfollows:* Robert H. Bathrick, Director of

Division of Lands and Forests, NYSDEC, on the topic, "Forest Steward-ship" ;* Curtis H. Bauer, Professional

Consulting Forester, FORECON,Inc., on the topic "Is Your ForestForever'?"* Hugh O. Canham, Professor of

Forest Economics, Faculty ofForestry, SUNY College ofEnvironmental Science and Forestry,on the topic 'J.H~onomics of YourForest, and New York's Forests."

According to moderator for theprogram, David W. Taber of CornellDepartment of Natural Resources,the "state of the times seminar,"which will include "gifts from theforests" for attendees, and a "meetthe speakers with refreshmentssegment" is sponsored by the NewYork Forest Owners' Association,Inc. and Cornell CooperativeExtension, as part of the New YorkState Woodsmen's Field Days. WBRVRadio of Boonville, 900 on the A.M.dial, will be live broadcasting the"seminar" and arrangements arebeing made relative to acceptingquestions from callers, and pre-meeting broadcasting interviews withofficial delegates from "conservationminded organizations" throughout thestate.For a flyer (which will be available

in late May) on the New York StateWoodsmen's Field Days, send yourname and address to NYSWoodsmen's Field Days, P.O. Box123,Boonville, NY 13309(Mrs. PhyllisA. White, Executive Secretary - Tel.315/942-4593)."Directory of Forestry, Fish &

Wildlife Publications" (RevisedWinter 1990) is a "ConservationCircular that lists 140publications anda Woodland Management home-studycorrespondence course, availablefrom Cornell University. To obtain acopy of the directory, which costs$1.00, contact a county or New YorkCity office of Cornell CooperativeExtension; or send a check payable toCornell University with your requestto -Distribution Center, CornellUniversity, 7 Research Park, Ithaca,NY 14850.

8 FOREST OWNER

Black Walnut TreesIn New York

By DAVID W. TABER,Department of Natural Resources,

New York State College of Agricultureand Life Sciences, Cornell

. Planting black walnuts maymterest you. But most soils in NewYork are not conducive to successfull~ng-term growth of healthy,VIgorous, and nice-form black walnuttrees. Juglans 'nigra' (the genus andspecies of black walnut) identify thetree by its scientific name from about20species of walnuts found throughoutthe world.Black walnut is a medium-sized

tree normally reaching about 80 feethigh and 2 to 3 feet in diametermeasured at 4% feet above the ground(DBR) , at maturity. Sometimes thetrees reach 150feet in height and 8 feetinDBH.The natural range of black walnut

covers most of New York State, butthe tree has a taproot and does best ona deep rich soil that has no hardpan orbedrock for at least 3 feet from the soilsurface. The species is intolerant ofshade. Therefore, in an even-agedforest stand a vigorously growingblack walnut tree will be found as adominant tree with its crown in themain canopy of the tallest trees. Itsbole will be straight and free of limbsbelow the crown, thereby making theveneer or lumber it yields morevaluable for many consumerproducts.In addition to its edible nuts which

a~e .enjoyed by both nut~eatingwI!dhfe and humans, its wood isprized for lumber, veneer bentwoodand. lathe-turned produ'cts. High~quahty black walnut veneer logs inNew York, over the years, havebrought relatively high stumpageprices to their landowners. And somepeople have planted black walnutseedlings in plantations. Pruning thetrees can increase their value forti~ber products by eliminating theexistence of knots in the wood.

ADIRONDACK WOODLANDOWNERS VARYPreliminary results of a Cornell

University Department of NaturalResources 1989 study of Adirondackforest owners shows significant

differences between residents andnon-residents. Land use planners,land management organizations~nvironmental groups, wood-usingmdustry executives, and educationalorganizations will be interested inthese initial findings.Based on random samples of non-

industrial non-resident private forestowners, and non-industrial privateforest owners who reside in theAdirondacks, three major differenceswere discovered. Residents 1. havemore knowledge about forestmanagement than non-residents, 2.have a more positive attitude aboutthe benefits of forest managementthan non-residents; and 3. carry outmore forest management (timberharvesting, wildlife recreationmaple syrup production, timber standimprovement, wildflowers andberries, etc.) activities tha~ non-resident woodland owners, accordingto Valerie Luzadis Alden. Alden, aformer Cornell Cooperative Extensionagent ~n Schenectady County, isconductmg the study as part of herM.S. thesis at Cornell.Final results of Alden's study and

recommendations for using the find-ings in developing educationalprograms for non-industrial privateforest owners should be available in afew months. For additionalinformation, you can contact Ms.Alden at 661MacElroy Road, BallstonLake, NY 12019(Tel. 518/877-7148).WILFLIFE DAMAGE MANAGE-MENT. Wildlife damage management isImportant to some growers of orchardcrops, field crops, evergreens forornamentals, and Christmas trees aswell as homeowners who have theiryards landscaped with evergreens.Paul D. Curtis, extension associatehas just joined Cornell University'~Department of Natural Resources tobegin a new extension and researchprogram on wildlife damagemanagement in New York StateWithin a few months he will b~conducting a mail survey of CornellCooperative Extension field staff tohelp identify the significance ofvarious ~ypes of wildlife damage.Information gathered will be used as abasis for developing programs.

NYFOA MembershipWe have all heard people sa" ~bt

one vote, or one person's position onan issue doesn't matter. I submit thateach of us who cares about the futureof this planet CANmatter.By improving our own special

woodlots and influencing ourneighbors and acquaintances toimprove theirs we can each definitelymake a difference. Although these canbe accomplished as individuals webelieve the success can be evengreater within an organization likeNYFOA. We learn from each other,we motivate each other and togetherwe can reach higher goals. When oneof those goals is a more desirableenvironment in the future or possiblytotal survival it can be prettyimportant.If you are not already a member

please consider joining today. Youhelp us become a stronger, moreeffective organization and we offeryou new 'sources of information,personal contacts and a lot of newfriends with a very common interest.

BECOMEA

MEMBERTODAY

Check your preferredmembership option:o Regular - $10 0 Family - $15o Contributing - $16 - $99o Supporting - over $100Send checks payable to:New York Forest Owners AssociationP.O. Box 360Fairport, N.Y. 14450

Name.

Address

City

State/Zip

County Phone

MAY/JUNE 1990 9

Federated Garden Clubs of New YorkState, says that "Trees act as nature'sdustmops, catching much of the 12million tons of pollutants released intothe atmosphere each year in theUnited States. Twenty trees areneeded to offset the polluting effect ofone car driven 60 miles. Finally, foreach person in the U.S., we need seventrees to change carbon dioxide to.oxygen." In New York City, he pointsout, there is V4 tree per person.WATER LEVEL CONTROLThe clearing of trees causes the

water level in the affected area torise, since trees, through their rootsystems, absorb thousands of gallonsof water each year. As a result,flooding may result as water fills theair spaces in the soil, affecting theroot systems of other plants, resultingin further rise in the water table andnegatively impacting other areas. Inaddition, leaves keep rain water fromdirectly hitting the soil, preventingover-inundation of the ground and,through natural percolation, filteringthe water as it descends.SOILEROSIONTree roots act to hold the soil in

place, acting as a stabilizer againstthe forces of erosion. Writing inWestchester Environment, publishedby the Federated Conservationists ofWestchester County, Inc., MitziSuskind Pike points out that "Lost soilin the form of sediment causes a greatdeal of damage. It fills drainagechannels, plugs culverts and stormdrainage systems, thus necessitatingfrequent and costly maintenance ...Ponds are filled in more quickly thanotherwise." Over four billion tons ofsediment a year go into the ponds,lakes and rivers of the U.S. and onebillion tons go into the ocean, of which10 percent comes from highway andland development, according to Dr.Piker.As an example of both water control

and soil erosion, development of a19,000-acre site in Sherwood Forest innorthern New Jersey is beingcontested on the grounds that thedrinking water supply of two millionresidents would be imperiled.Opponents claim that two criticalreservoirs which provide water forthe area would be threatened byexcess siltation and the area would besubject to flood conditions if plans fordevelopment are implemented.

(contined on page 11)

George Squires NamedTree Farmer - NYFOA Member

Property owned by George Squires,technician for the Genesee County Soiland Water Conservation District(SWCD) was recently added to theAmerican Tree Farm System.The American Tree Farm System is

a nation-wide program whichencourages private forest owners togrow trees as a crop.Squires owns 13acres of forest land

in the town of Bethany and has workedhard to improve it through theremoval of native grapevines that had':;'e[un to take over the woodlot and theconstruction of an access road.Squires will maintain his status as anAmerican Tree Farmer by continuingto manage his woodlot through .theremoval of poorer quality hardwoodswhich he will use as firewood duringthe next five years."George's property is a great

example of what can be done by thesmall woodlot owner," stated MarkKeister, Senior Forester for theDepartment of EnvironmentalConservation who nominated Squires."It takes hard work, commitment andpatience but the rewards come in theway of reduced heating oil bills, a nicestand of high quality trees in thefuture and the satisfaction of

improving a part of theenvironment.' ,"I know I have a great deal of work

ahead of me in order to accomplishthe goals set forth in my managementplan," stated Squires when asked tocomment on his Tree Farmmembership, "but its work I know I'llenjoy. Being a member of theAmerican Tree Farm System willhelp drive me towards these goals."In New York State 87 percent of the

timber resource is owned by non-governmental, private (referred to asNIPFs, non-industrial private)owners. And, almost 40 percent ofthese landowners - own woodlotssmaller than 50 acres in size.Therefore, small woodlot ownersmake an important contribution to thehealth and welfare of New York'sforest products industry.

As a member of the American TreeFarm System Squires will receive asign, a quarterly magazine and theopportunity to compete against othertree farmers for national recognition.There is no fee to the landowner to bea tree farmer, just a woodlot and acommitment to proper forestmanagement.

The UndeniableImportance of Trees

Reprintedfrom North County News,Yorktown Heights, N. Y. Dec. 5 IssueThe following commentary has

been prepared by the ConservationAdvisory Council of the Town ofCortlandt."TREE - a. A woody perennial

plant having a single usually elongatemain stem generally with a few or nobranches on its lower part. b. A shrubor herb of arborescent (i.e., woody)form." -- Webster's Ninth NewCollegiate Dictionary"Spare, woodman, spare the

beechen tree." - Thomas Campbell(1777-1844)"Shedding the leaves is chiefly a

means of conserving water duringthe winter when the ground is frozen."- The Columbia Encyclopedia

* * *The tree stands there in all its eye-

pleasing beauties of form and color,shielding us from the direct rays ofthe sun, taken for granted by mostpassersby. Efforts to preserve thetree are not based on esthetic reasonsalone. In addition to providing foodand lumber, the tree performs manyother, less obvious functions thatbenefit mankind. Among these, in noparticular order of importance, are:OXYGEN SUPPLYMan cannot exist without oxygen,

yet he constantly concocts ways toimperil his sources of this vitalelement. Fortunately, the tree notonly generates oxygen during itsnatural processes, but it absorbs thecarbon dioxide that we exhale andthat we exhaust from our factoriesand engines, thus helping to keep ourair supply fresh. Dan O. Barnhart,quoted in the News, published by the

10FOREST OWNER

BIG OAKSBY FLOYD KING

Columnist with Rochester Democrat & Chronicle

One man's vision alteredthe landscapeThe oak, 'tis said, is the king of

trees.If this is so, the land of the Genesee

is blessed with an abundance ofarboreal royalty. Immortalized bylandscape artists, photographers andwriters, it is unique in the nation.The dream of it all traces back two

centuries to one man. The year was1790,and there in the wings of historystood James Wadsworth.The Revolutionary War was over,

the Seneca allies of the British weredefeated, and settlers were pouringinto the fertile Seneca homeland.Among the settlers were the

Wadsworth brothers, James andWilliam. They bought 2,000 acresalong the east bank of the river andfounded the village that would becomeGeneseo. As fast as they cleared theland and put it into production, theybought more. At one time, Jamesalone owned 34,500acres.Nevertheless, this man of vision

was not content. His marvelouslyfertile fields, with their huge crops ofgrain ripening in the sun, didn't lookquite right. Something was missing.On a trip to the estates of England,

he figured out what it was. Trees! Thevery thing the pioneers had beencutting down and burning.James hurried home. By the time

the Wadsworths had so much landthat they were leasing out some.James put a new clause into theleases:"Tenants are not to destroy, nor

suffer to be destroyed, any shade tree,to leave growing on such lands as areto be cleared off, at the rate of oneshade tree to every two acres, andoccasionally a clump of shade trees;and in case such Lessees shalldestroy, or suffer to be destroyed, anyshade trees, they shall pay to theLessor the sum of ten dollars for eachand every shade tree so destroyed, asstipulated damages therefor."

This clause was almost heresy forpioneers who had worked to clear theland with ax and fire. But as timewore on and they saw the results, theybegan to appreciate the beauty of ashade tree. Neighbors noticed andfollowed suit.

Since oaks were the area'sdominant species and mademarvelous shade trees, they were thealmost unanimous choice of thesettlers.Fortunately, oaks live on and on.

Today you can still enjoy the fruits ofJames Wadsworth's vision. Six yearsago, Carl Wiedemann, a seniorforester for the state Department ofEnvironmental Conservation,identified 246 of the original oaks onone-time Wadsworth lands along 25miles of the Genesee River.Wiedemann made the survey for an

article in the September/October 1983issue of the DEC's Conservationstmagazine. All the oaks he found wereover 45 inches in diameter at breastheight.Probably nowhere else in these

United States would you find such acollection of trees saved for posterityby one man's dream. It is truly alegacy ofthe ages. ~

Importance of Trees-TEMPERATURE CONTROLWeare all thankful for the shade

that trees provide with the resultantfeeling of coolness. But trees act as airconditioners in another way: theylower air temperature by evaporatingwater in their leaves. The New YorkTimes reports that studies in Floridahave shown that trees, if properlyplaced, can reduce energy costs of airconditioning by as much as 20percent.Trees also act as air purifiers bytrapping and filtering out dust andpollen particles on the hairy surfacesof their leaves.PROPERTY VALUEDo trees add value to your

property? Well, "yes" and "no"."Yes," according to research by theUnited States Forest Service whichfound that trees can contribute anaverage of 7 percent to the value of ahalf-acre home site and as much as 27percent to the appraised value. "No,"because the same research has alsofound that these figures hold true onlyfor 1 - 29 trees on a half-acre site.Above 30 trees, the value is reduced,due to perceptions of diminuation oflight and possible damage from ice orwind storms.FOODS and BY-PRODUCTSSome of our most tasteful and

nutritious foods come from trees:apples, cherries, pears and nuts andberries of all kinds which have been a

Gold Hard Hat AwardRichard Rommel, a Senior Forester

with the NYS Department ofEnvironmental Conservation, wasrecently presented with the TreeFarm Gold Hard Hat Award at theSouthern Catskill Tree Farm FieldDay. The award is given to Foresterswho have certified 100 or morelandowners as American TreeFarmers. Mr. Rommel is only thesecond Forester in New York State toreceive the Gold Hard Hat.Richard Rommel has been a

forester for 18 years, having beenstationed at the New Paltz DEC Officefor the last 12years. During that timehe has certified most of his TreeFarmers in the Orange, Sullivan andUlster County Area. Many of theseproperties can be recognized by thegreen and white diamond shaped TreeFarm sign in their front yard.

(continued from page 10)

source of sustenance to man from hisearliest beginnings. However, the treealso produces other products whichbenefit man: cellulose for makingpaper, rayon and other materials;turpentine, resins, rubber, maplesugar, among them. Medicine, too,uses the tree, particularly in the formof quinine, widely used as a specific inthe treatment of malaria and otherfevers.WILDLIFEJust as the tree has helped man

survive by providing food and shelter,so has the tree fed and sheltered birdsand other forms of wildlife which arean essential part of nature's life chain.The protection of endangered speciesin our national forests has become amajor concern of governmentalagencies entrusted with these lands.For example, legislation to protectthe habitat of the spotted owl whileallowing tree cutting in federal forestsin the northwest was recently enactedby Congress and sent to the WhiteHouse.Does your community presently

have a tree preservation ordinance?Is one being considered? In eithercase, these efforts deserve yoursupport, and the planting of new treesand shrubs will enhance the value ofyour property, contribute to yourenjoyment of your home and benefitthe general environment.

MAY/JUNE 199011

MR. AND MRS 910322 VANDEN8URGR. W. PEDERSENLATHAM NY LANE

, 12110-0000L----~-----------~

R.D. #1, Box 103Lisle, N.Y. 13797

LETTER TO EDITOR

April 5, 1990 government action concerningforestry over the past 200 ytears,there was no mention of Franklin D.Roosevelt, former Governor of NewYork who became the (Father) of theU.S. Civilian Conservation Corps

To the Editor,Regarding the article (Year of the

Tree) written by David W. Taber, Iwas very disturbed by the fact thatwhen he summed up the history of

TREGASKISLoggers Saw Mills

Skidders Log Trucks

Fire Liability

607 -898-3821 315-497-0410evening • day• AGENCY

DAVID W. TREGASKIS

All forms of insurance

10 Central StreetMoravia, N.Y. 13118

315-497-0410

INSURANCEMember Cayuga Chapter - NYFOA

Non-Profit Org.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDMarathon, N.Y.

13803Permit No.2

-I

known as "Roosevelt's Tree Army".We of the C.C.C.'s planted around 3billion trees and shrubs to establishforests and control erosion etc. duringthe thirties and early forties, for thedollars spent the greatest governmentconservation project EVER.Senator Hewitt of Locke, N.Y. was

also instrumental in establishingreforestation in New York State.Currently over 800,000 acres havebeen purchased by the state under thisact.As a former member of the C.C.C.

and a charter member of the NACUAOswego, NY Chapter 80 and also amember of NYFOA, Cayuga Chapter,I feel 1990 "The year of the Tree"should recognize the CCC'saccomplishments.

Respectfully,Alfred B. Signor

Vice President - Real Estate

JOHN GIFFORD 716-664-5604 (B)716-487-9709 (R)Broker

TIMBERCAND "REALTYSALES. ACQUiSITIONS ~ APPRAISALS

... .,'A Division of FORECON. Inc.Crown Building, 100 E. Second Street,

Jamestown, N.Y, 14701

FORESTOWNER