The New York Forest Owner - Volume 30 Number 3

FOREST OWNERA Publication of the New York Forest Owners Association

May/June 1992People and Trees; Partners in Time

" "'\('~"". I,. '~, ,,., '

THE NEW YORK

FOREST OWNERVOL. 30, NO.3

OFFICERS & DIRECTORS

Stuart McCarty, President4300 East A venueRochester, NY 14618(716) 381-6373

Charles Mowatt, 1st Vice PresidentPO Box 1182Savona, NY 14879

Robert M. Sand, Recording Secretary300 Church StreetOdessa, NY 14869-9703

Angus Johnstone, TreasurerPO Box430East Aurora, NY 14052

John C. Marchant, Executive Director45 Cambridge CourtFairport, NY 14450(716) 377-7906

Deborah Gill, Administrative SecretaryP.O. Box 180Fairport, NY 14450(716) 377-6060

1992Robert A. Hellmann, BrockportAlan R. Knight, CandorStuart McCarty, RochesterCharles Mowatt, Savona

1993David J. Colligan, BuffaloVerner C. Hudson, ElbridgeMary S. McCarty, RochesterSanford Vreeland, SpringwaterDonald. J. Wagner, Utica

1994Norman Richards, SyracuseRobert M. Sand, Odessa

AFFILIATE REPRESENTATIVESCharles Sprague-THRIFTKathleen Farnum--Catskill Forest Assoc.

CHAPTER REPRESENTATIVESPeter Childs-Allegheny FoohillsWendell Hatfield--CayugaIrwin King-Capltal DistrictThomas L. Elllson--Central New YorkRobert S. Davis-Lower HudsonWes Suhr-Northern AdirondackRobert While-Niagara FrontierErwin Fullerton-c-Southeastem AdirondackLarry Lepak-Southern TierPatrick J. McGlew-TiogaGeorge Appleton-Western Finger Lakes

All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced with-out prior written permission from the publisher. Opinionsexpressed by authoris are theirown and do not necessarilyreflect the policy of the publisher.

COVER:Red-Shouldered HawksTop: immature; Bottom: adultCredit: Birds of New Yorl<:,Memoir No. 12,N.Y.S. Museum

FOREST OWNERA publication of the New York Forest Owners Association

Editorial Committee: Betty Densmore, Richard Fox, Alan Knight, Mary McCarty

Norm Richards and Dave Taber.

Materials submitted for publication should be addressed to: R. Fox, R.D. #3, Box 88,Moravia, New York 13118. Articles, artwork and photos are invited and are normallyreturned after use. The deadline for submission is 30 days prior to publication in May.Please address all membership fees and change of address requests to P.O. Box180, Fairport, N.Y. 14450. Cost of individual membership subscription is $15.

CAY Cayuga, 1985 .....•....................•••..........................................•........ 77STC Southern Tier, 1985 ........................•..••..............•......................• 120TIO Tioga, 1986 .......................................................................••..•.......• 91WFL. Western Finger Lakes, 1988 265AFC Allegheny Foothills, 1989 ......•................................•......•..........•.. 99NFC Niagara Frontier, 1990 ......•.•••..................•••••••...............••......... 123CDC Capital District, 1991 ...................•••.................................•........... 89SAC Southeastern Adiorndack, 1991 ........•.....................•.................• 76LHC Lower Hudson, 1991 ....•........•....•..•.....................•.............••......• 47CNY Central New York, 1991 ..•......•.................................................... nNAC Northern Adirondack, 1991 .......................................•................ 61

CFA Catskili Forestry Assoc., 1982 ......•••..................................•..... 121THRIFT Tug Hill Resources, Investment for Tomorrow, 1982 ........• 134

With membership as of April 1, 1992.

Table of ContentsPresident's Message , 3A Chailenge, Robert Sand 3Biological Diversity, Douglas C. Allen 4Pond Building, Kathleen Farnum 7Hand Built Hiking Trails, Ed Greenaker 7Red Shouldered Hawk, StephenW. Eaton 8Over The Rainbow, Richard J. Fox 9Otsego's Woodland Heritage, Henry S. Kernan 10My Favorite Tree, Audrey Childs 13Your NYFOA Chapter, Elizabeth Densmore & Charles Mowatt 13Burning the Woods, Another View, Randy Kerr 15Chapter Reports 16Stand Up and Be Counted, John C. Marchant 19

NY FOREST OWNER 2 MAY/JUNE 1992

President's Message

By Bob SandApril 1992 is a milestone for this Asso-

ciation. It marks the start of our thirtiethyear since we officially organized. TheNew York Forest Owners Association hasgrown to well over 1500 members. It is aviable organization which has flourishedbecause of the active dedication of hun-dreds of volunteers throughout the Stateover the years. We all have given in someway, but along the way received much too.There isn't a forest owner who, after at-tending a woods walk, heads homewardwithout new understanding and apprecia-tion of the day's effort. Our membershiphas a diversity of ownership and manage-ment skills, as well as long term goals. Itis

this sharing and showing that counts.The past has presented many challenges.

Fortunately our resolve as an associationhas brought a good measure of success.New vitality was provided when Affiliatesand the formation of Chapters added an-other dimension to NYFOA. Membershipgrowth has been dramatic. The directionand scope of our influence is far greaterbecause of this more localized member-ship involvement. It has given us a newopportunity to influence good forestry herein our beautiful New York State.

NYFOA has much more to accomplishas an Association. We are poised and readyto accept new opportunities. Many of usare looking forward to that time when wecan serve a membership of 10,000. It is abig number, bu t not so when you recognizethat there are over 250,000 forest owners inthe State.

Over the passing years several trendshave developed. We have now significantfragmentation of forest land, an ever esca-lation of real property taxation, and contin-ued challenges regarding forest health.Fortunately, our forest products industryhas modernized and is in a good position to

provide strong markets for our ever in-creasing forest growth. Yet our politicalatmosphere is slowly losing rapport withNew York's forest owners. There is a lackof understanding that a forest property is avery long term investment. Society and theenvironment are both enhanced by goodforest practices but little consideration isgranted to the forest owner.

As we move into anew century, NYFOAhas important work to fulfill. It will takenot only good and dedicated leadership,but continued support of forest ownerswilling to be a part of our membership. Thefuture is indeed challenging. We havemuch to gain by working together. Mem-bership is a bargain by any standard. Helpus gain added support by enthusiasticallyseeking out and encouraging others to jointhe NEW YORK FOREST OWNERS AS-SOCIATION now.

In addition toforty years as Chief Foresterfor Cotton-Hanlon, Inc., Bob Sand hasheld every possible office for NYFOA andhe received the Heiberg Award in 1988.Bob has retired as Chief Forester and iscurrently our Recording Secretary.

By Stuart McCarty our 1595 members in our 11 chapters.The NYFOA budget for 1992, approved Along with those of our two affiliates, the

by the Board in January, will be presented chapters' activities and newsletters have tofor approval by the membership at the be our best source of new members.Annual Meeting. Itshows a modest in- Anotherexcellentsourceofnewmem-crease in membership income of about bers has been the application in the Wood-$1000 to a total of $25000. We need to do land Steward. This quarterly newsletterbetter, but realistically feel a net of 50 new goes to over 7000 woodlot owners includ-members is about where we will finish the ing NYFOA members and has generatedyear. In 1991 for instance, we gained 367 over 190 new members for NYFOA sincenew members but lost 317 in spite of its first issue almost two years ago. This isenergetic efforts to retain the latter. a clear indication that there are potential

The good news is that the six-month members out there.Chapter Membership Contest has been Another effort to find those potentialsuccessfully completed with the winners members has been made by Dave Colligan,being the Tioga Chapter in Section A, the Chairman of the Membership Committee,Allegheny Foothills Chapter in Section B, and Pat McGlew, Chairman of the Tiogaand the Northern Adirondack Chapter in Chapter. Distribution of our brochure has originated by Mark and Sue Kiester of theSection C. Congratulations to the victors. been made to 58 offices of the Cooperative Western Finger Lakes Chapter over a yearEach will be appropriately recognized at Extension with the request that they be ago when they contributed 1% of the grossthe Annual Meeting and presented with a prominently displayed. Dave reports that revenue of their timber sale to NYFOA.plaque and a forestry video. we are starting to see some results from this Just this past month this was repeated by a

I am sure the contest raised the level of activity. couple in the Allegheny Foothills Chapter.awareness of the need for new members Finally, looking to other sources of What a great idea which could be valuableamong the chapters. We now have 1125 of income for NYFOA, a novel idea was for the future ofNYFOA ~

A Challenge!


commonly recognized species diversity,as well as genetic and community diver-sity. Maintaining genetic diversity is nec-essary to maintain the ability of a speciesto adapt to changing environments, andmaintaining a variety of communities pro-vides the habitats necessary for conserv-ing diverse species.

Structural diversity pertains to the spa-tial arrangement of physical units. Forexample, at the stand level structural di-versity can be characterized by the num-ber of vegetational strata or size classes oftrees. At the watershed level, this type ofdiversity is measured by the distributionof age classes.

Functional diversity represents varia-tion in ecological processes; for example,predator-prey relations and nutrient cy-cling (the movement of nutrients, such asnitrogen, through interconnected geologi-cal, atmospheric and biological systems).The Importance of Scale

Biological diversity is also a questionof scale. The concept applies equally atthe stand, forest, watershed, landscape,and global levels. Conceptually at least,biological diversity can be strategicallypreserved, conserved, or managed at alllevels. However, the attributes ofbiologi-cal diversity change depending on thescale at which it is considered. Not onlydoes this have biological implications, butsocial and political consequences as well.By appreciating the concept of scale, onecan begin to understand the complexity ofbiological diversity issues, and the factthat different management strategies arerequired for different scales and species.

Biological Diversity - Is Variety The Spice Of Life?By Douglas C. Allen

Forestry and wildlife practitioners mustmanage and perpetuate for society a wid-ening array of commodity andnoncommodity natural resources. Pervad-ing this responsibility is a commitment toconserve a healthy environment. The latteris not an easy task in its own right, but thechallenge is magnified as our productiveforest land base declines and human popu-lations and their attendant demand on natu-ral resources increase.

At this juncture, it is difficult to makemany forest management recommenda-tions that will enhance or sustain biologi-cal diversity, because we are ignorant ofthe interactions that occur between mostspecies, and know little about thecontribu-tions that individual species make to acommunity. It is unlikely, however, thatall species contribute equally to commu-nity structure and function. Eventuallysociety will have to make some difficultchoices; tradeoffs between human desiresand the needs of other species or, more tothe point, the needs of the assemblages ofplants and animals that we call communi-ties. We can minimize our regrets at somelater date only if decisions are based ongood science, good managementpractices,and an understanding of the economic,social and ecological trade offs associatedwith different decisions. In this regard,there is a tendency to think solely in termsof commodities -- fur, feathers, wood prod-ucts, or aesthetically pleasing organisms -- "fuzzy" creatures and showy flowers.However, often the most important con-stituents of a community are "invisible" orunattractive, even repugnant, to mostpeople. Insects, fungi, and bacteria, forexample, represent a multitude of inverte-brate and microbial agents that are impor-tant components of biological diversity.Many of these organisms function as keyplayers in nutrient cycling, predator-preyrelations, decomposition, and other vitalcommunity functions.

The concern over biological diversity islegitimate. Relatively few life forms havea clearly defined economic value, but tovarying degrees all species playa role inthe structure and function within and be-tween forest communities. Even in theabsence of human disturbance, specieswill disappear. Paleontologists estimate

that 99.9 percent of all species that havelived on earth, since its beginning some 4billion years ago, are extinct. Today, how-ever, the earth is loosing species in forestedsystems, most especially in the tropics, atrates greater than ever before. This loss hasmany dimensions; ethical, economic, andecological. The concerns are not felt equallyby all nations, nor among peoples within asociety. Humans will continue to placedemands on forested systems and, in doingso, will continue to modify landscapes.These modifications must be done in aresponsible way and with a better under-standing of both species needs and thespecies interactions necessary to maintainhealthy forest communities.

"We are a unique kind of animal,conscious, able to reflect on what wedo, gifted in wondrous ways. But atthe same time, we are tied tightly tothe surrounding ecological systemfrom which our talents, physical andpsychological, are drawn. Ignoranceof our source and, too often, disdainfor it, lie at the root of humanity'smajor predicament. Politics and eco-nomics continue to centre on theindividual and the collectivity, onfree enterprise and social welfare,neglecting ecological necessities ofa higher order. Neither philosophi-cal liberalism championing libertynor philosophical socialism champi-oning equality will save us fromourselves. Human history will end inecology or nothing." (2)

Biological Diversity - a definitionBiological diversity is a complex issue.

It refers to the variety and abundance ofspecies, their genetic composition, and thecommunities and landscapes in which theyoccur. It also refers to the variety of eco-logical structures, functions, or processesat any of these levels. Biological diversityoccurs at spatial scales that range fromlocal through regional to global.

While genetic diversity is a startingpoint in understanding the dimensions ofthe biological diversity issue, forest land-owners can influence compositional andstructural diversity most readily at twogeographic scales; the stand and the forest.Types of Diversity

ComDositional diversity includes the

(Continued on page 5)

-- VOSS SignsDcpt, NYF. Box 553. Manlius. N.Y. 13104

Ph. (316) 682-6418(Mon.·Fri. 9-5)

F'lmUy Owned &. Opera/Mfar ouer 25 yeaTS

NY FOREST OWNER MAY/JUNE 19924

NEW FORESTRYTropical rain forest? No. But yes, it is

biological diversity in the forests of NewYork State. Billy Morris, NYS DEC for-ester from the Bath, NY office, evaluates a"giant" tree that is slowly dying and de-composing as it provides food and shelterto a variety of other plant and animalorganisms. Perhaps this ecological forestenvironment relates directly to "New For-estry." This concept, "New Forestry," in-volves learning to understand and manageforest ecosystems from a complex ecologi-cal perspective that includes a time frameof hundreds of years, as well as an appre-ciation of nutrient cycling and micro-or-ganisms. "New Forestry" was discussed inthe C. E. Farnsworth Memorial Lectureand Fellowship presentation of March 26,1992, at the SUNY College of Environ-mental Science and Forestry. Presented bythe "father" of New Forestry, "Forest Stew-ardship in an Ecological Age" was dis-cussed by Jerry Franklin,PhD., the BloedellProfessor of Forest Ecosystem Analysis,College of Forest Resources, University ofWashington - Seattle. (Cornell Coopera-tive Extension Photo by Taber)

"The history of civilization details the stepsby which men have succeeded in buildingup an artificial world within the cosmos.Fragile reed as he may be, man, as Pascalsays, is a thinking reed: there lies withinhim a fund of energy, operating intelli-gently and so far akin to that which per-vades the universe, that it is competent toinfluence and modify the cosmic process."ThomasHenryHuxley,EvolutionandEth-ics, 1893; Stephen Jay Gould, NaturalHistory, 4/92, 25.

Diversity(Continued from page 4)

What the Private Landowner Can DoWhat can a forest landowner in New

York do to enhance biological diversity ina meaningful way? I certainly am not anexpert on the subject, but with this admo-nition, I will offer my views on how eachof you can help and why it is important todo so. My tbeme centers on tbe idea tbat,in many instances, deliberate forest man-agement wiD be tbe most effective tool atour disposal. Appropriate silviculture isnot only key to developing bealtby andproductive forests from a commodityperspective, it also can be central to

providing and maintaining diversenon commodity values.

At this point in time, we really havelittle scientific basis on which to makerecommendations to manage for biologi-cal diversity at large geographic scales.Even if we had the information necessaryto make reasonable prescriptions at water-shed or landscape levels, implementationin most geographic regions would requirean unprecedented degree of cooperationand planning between diverse ownershipsand political jurisdictions. Above the for-est level, we often lack both scientificunderstandin garul appropriate institutionalmechanisms. Our ability to maintain and

perpetuate appropriate biological diver-sity becomes even more problematic whenscientific and political questions must beaddressed in the context of constitutional,and strongly held, property rights and theself-centeredness of human nature.

However, there are steps that smalllandowners can take to enhance diversityat the stand and forest levels. For openers,lets consider forest insect pests at the small-est geographical scale, the stand, and witha view to maintaining forest health. Thisapproach appeals to me for two reasons; Iam comfortable talking about insects, andit is at the stand level that a landowner can



----_ ... ~---

hardwood types; 4) maintain, where eco-nomically feasible, stands with multiplerather than single tree species; 5) retain amosaic of age (size) classes of trees or,where practical, multilayered (two-agedor uneven aged) stands; 6) retain snags andtree species, such as beech or basswood,which often have little "commercial" value,but are important to wildlife; 7) layoutroads carefully to minimize erosion and,ultimately, the degradation of aquatic sys-tems; and 8) contact your local DEC officefor assistance if you believe that yourproperty contains a rare species or habitat.

Expropriation of property or diminish-ment of property rights certainly are notthe answer to the biological diversity issue.Understandably, most landowners clingtenaciously to the inalienable character ofthese rights. I would suggest, however, thatalong with these rights goes a social re-sponsibility that will intensify as the hu-man population and its overall impact onthe environment increases. One could ar-gue that true "stewardship" includes ameasure of altruism. In the long run, soci-ety may have to compensate landownersfor actions perceived as altruistic (andmore often than not costly) when environ-mental concerns become entangled withthe issue of private right .ys. public good.Rights are established by law, responsibili-ties are not. Is it naive to think that we cancultivate a conservation generation? I hopenot. For in its truest sense, "stewardship"should transcend boundaries and owner-ships, and integrate public concerns withprivate desires.

Diversity(Continued from page 5)

most easily appreciate the hows and whysof enhancing biological diversity. Admit-tedly, my example provides a narrow view,and one of limited scale, but the principlescan be applied more broadly.

For the most part, insect outbreaks ma-terialize because 1)natural checks on popu-lation growth, such as predators and ad-verse weather, temporarily relax and in-sect numbers increase to the limit of theirfood supply, 2) human activities createideal habitats for a native insect species, or3) we inadvertently transport an insectfrom another continent (say Europe) whereit has evolved in close association with acomplex of checks and balances, to an-other continent (say North America) wherethe climate is suitable and food plentiful,but there are no effecti ve (coevol ved) natu-ral enemies.

Observations by forest entomologists inmany forest types over several decadessuggest that diverse forests are often lesssusceptible to insect outbreaks, or lessvulnerable to damage if an outbreak oc-curs, compared to relatively simple for-ests. Forest diversity is manifested in twoways; species composition (biological di-versity) and stand organization (structuraldiversity). A forest that consists of a singlespecies and one size class is often moresusceptible to an outbreak and less resilientto disturbance than forests that are biologi-cally and/or structurally more diverse, suchas a collection of single species stands thatconsist of several size classes, or mixedspecies stands.

Susceptibility (i.e., the likelihood orrisk of an outbreak) is determined by manyfactors, but certainly availability of suit-able food and reduced populations of natu-ral enemies are two important ingredients.Some forest pests are polyphagous (i.e.,they are capable of feeding on a widevariety of hosts) but seem to do bestonjusttwo or three species, and many others arehost specific. Additionally, a pest usuallyconcentrates on only one or two size classesofthe host. For example, the major pests ofwhite pine seedlings are quite differentfrom those encountered on saplings, andmajor problems of sawtimber size whitepines are different still. A stand that isdiverse structurally and compositionallypresents more of a "challenge" to the pest,both in terms of the pest's ability to find asuitable host and the broader array of natu-

ral enemies that it often encounters underthese conditions.

Economic opportunities, managementobjectives, or site conditions frequentlymay dictate that you perpetuate a rela-tively simple forest condition. Under thesecircumstances, one should be especiallyattentive to changes in pest activities, in-cluding the appearance of incipient dam-age, that may portend future losses.

Often insect outbreaks are triggered byexternal events over which the landownerhas no control; for example, successiveyears of favorable weather that enhancesinsect survival, or mass immigration froma distant infestation. Under these condi-tions, forests characterized by diverse spe-cies and structure are often less likely tosustain significant damage. That is, theyare more resilient to disturbance.

Different species of mammals, birds,amphibians, flowers, etc, also have differ-ent needs. In some instances, these needsare met at the stand level or even by anindividual tree. Other species may havemore "expansive" habitat requirements thatcan be addressed only at the forest, water-shed, or landscape levels. Obviously,sustainability of these organisms may de-pend on the coordinated efforts of manylandowners, because a single holding oftenis not adequate to accommodate their needs.Current thinking indicates that empha-sis in biological conservation should shiftaway from managing for single speciesin favor ofmaintaining healthy commu-nities (i.e., managing for collections ofinteracting species). In most instances,this is viewed as a more prudent ap-proach, both from economic and eco-logical perspectives.

It would be futile to try and compilespecific guidelines or a list of "hands on"management activities that a landownercan use to manage or enhance biologicaldiversity. Each ownership has differentobjectives, opportunities and constraints.Additionally, species and community needsvary.

The following general recommenda-tions seem like a good place to begin formost landowners who wish to address thediversity issue: 1) retain and perpetuate asmany different habitat types on the prop-erty (both aquatic and terrestrial) as isdeemed practical; 2) maintain natural for-est cover types in large blocks rather thanfragmenting into smaller blocks; 3) incor-porate a conifer plantation or two within

SUGGESTED READING1) Society of American Foresters. 1991.Biological Diversity in ForestEcosystems.52p. (5400 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda, MD20814, price-$lO).2) Rowe, Stan. 1990. HomePlace-Essayson Ecology. NeWest Press, Edmonton,Alberta, Canada. 253p. ($15.)3) Hunter, Jr., M. L. 1990. Wildlife,Forests, and Forestry. Prentice Hall,Englewood Cliffs, NJ. 37Op. ($60.)[Acknowledgement: I thank WayneZipperer, Research Forester, U.S.D.A.,Forest Service, SUNY, College of Envi-ronmental Science and Forestry for re-viewing this article and providing manyhelpful suggestions]This is the third in a series of helpful andinformative articles by Dr. Allen. Profes-sor of Forest Entomology at SUNY ESF.


MADE IN NEW YORK:

Accessing Your Woodland With Hand-Built Hiking TrailsBy Ed Greenaker

While hiking through aNew York Statewoodland, nature constantly providesstimulus for our senses to experience thehammering sound of a woodpecker, thesmell offallen leaves, aglimpseof a white-tailed deer. Implementing trails on yourown woodlands not only allows one towitness the solitude of nature first-hand, itis also great exercise and therapy. In orderto provide a maximum experience, the trailitself should be subtle and rustic in designallowing the hikers attention to be focusedon the quality of the outing.

The Appalachian Trail Conference statesthat their environmental objective is "Toprovide a footpath designed and managedto lie lightly on the land with a minimumdisturbance to the natural surroundings".Made-by-hand trails tend to blend muchmore readily with the landscape than those

made with big machinery. The treadwayshould be cleared of most vegetation, butin a manner which would result in minimaldisturbance to the humus layer, thus insur-ing a solid, non-erosive treadway. TheAppalachian Trail Conference recom-mends trail specifications of a4-foot widthby an 8-foot clearance (in ideal condi-tions).

A well-designed trail will wend its waythrough a variety of cover-types, therebyproviding diverse settings for the hiker toenjoy (for example: mature hardwoods,pine stands, meadows, edge of wetlands).The trail might incorporate a generous mixof straight-aways and curves. The designshould be such that a unique point ofinterest or vista might be preceded by aturn in the pathway, creating a surprise tothe hiker and adding a sense of adventureto the hike.

Occasionally, hiking trails require ad-ditional projects as dictated by the terrain.Footbridges may be necessary to crossbrooks. Puncheon (wooden walkways)might provide access through bogs or low-lands. Other areas may require merely afew large stepping stones. In keeping witha natural trail design, all projects should beconstructed primarily with native materi-als.

The benefits of accessing your wood-land with a low-impact, made-by-handhiking trail are numerous. A trail which isproper! y designed and constructed can pro-vide a lifetime of pleasure. So tread lightlyand enjoy the natural treasures that are oursto savor.

Ed Greenaker is a self-employed recre-ational forester and outdoor enthusiast.He resides in Oneonta.

Pond Building Workshop Sparks InterestBy Kathleen Farnum

CFA held a pond building workshoplast September that was exceptional. Over100 attended, a new record for CFA. Thatfigure tells me we did something right.

To start off we arranged for a profes-sional pond builder to speak. It just sohappened that our Board President, JackMcShane, had three ponds put in byLaFever Excavating over the last fiveyears and was contemplating putting in afourth. He offered to have the workshop athis second home in Andes and convincedJohn LaFever to speak. We also decided toincorporate a woodswalk into the day.

Over 80 people called to sign up for theworkshop. Now we needed mother natureto cooperate. She did. She gave us abeautiful sunny day right between tworainy ones. The cars and trucks and evena motorcycle rolled in one by one. Prettysoon Jack's place looked like a smallfairground.

The group enjoyed watching a 15minute video LaFever made describingthe process. It was set up on Jack's backporch and played various times during theday so everyone got a chance to view it.We also picked some of Jack's applesright off the tree for brunch as we waitedforthe entire group to assemble.

NY FOREST OWNER

Jack welcomed the group and took ad-vantage of the super opportunity to give anoverview of CFA and what our goals are.He is really dedicated to CFA and is activein recruiting new members.

John LaFever took over from there andexplained the questions to be consideredwhen putting in a pond. He led the grouparound Jack's three ponds explaining thedifferent aspects of each and the differenttypes to chose from. The site for an addi-tional pond was inspected and the possi-bilities discussed.

Some members of the group stayed onto tour Jack's woodlands. Jack has a reallybeautiful piece of property of 240 acres.there isn't a lot of timber on this propertyso he has concentrated on Wildlife HabitatImprovement and has done some really

7

interesting things in this regard.As an avid archer he designed an ar-

chery course that wends its way through hisproperty. Bird houses and brush piles forrabbits were all over. He also brush-hoggedsome of his fields in strips alternating cutrows and tall grasses, it had proved to be agreat fawning ground. He opened up mastproducing trees increasing the edibles avail-able to wildlife.

He ended by talking about the goodrelationships he has with his neighbors andsome plans he has for the future.

The day was so successful that a secondworkshop is planned for late summer andthis time we may incorporate pond stock-ing. Hope to see you there!Kathleen Farnum is the Executive Direc-tor of the Catskill Forestry Association.

MAY/JUNE 1992

RED-SHOULDERED HAWKBy Stephen W. Eaton

This hawk usually makes its presenceknown by its loud cries, near its nestingarea, a wooded wetland. With the reduc-tion of habitats they have become muchless common since WWII and the Red-tailed Hawk, inhabitant of more open coun-try, has replaced it over much of New Yorkand the northeast. The Redshouldered'sdistribution in New York' is a fairly com-mon nester in Chautauqua, southernCattaraugus, Allegany; Tompkins, Oneidaand Oswego Counties, the Tug Hill pla-teau, river valleys draining the westernAdirondack foothills, Lake ChamplainValley, and the Delaware Valley and itstributaries.Elsewhere it is rather widelypresent as a breeder. It was confirmed asbreeding in only two blocks (5 x 5 km) onLong Island and was confirmed in only oneblock of the Ontario Lake Plain where ithad been a common breeder in the earlypart of the century.

Palmer, in his Handbook of North Ameri-can Birds Vol.4, shows it to nest fromMaine to southern Florida west to Minne-sota, south through eastern Texas and intoMexico, where it may now be absent. Thereis a distinct population nesting in Califor-nia and Nevada where water developmentprojects have increased habitat.

In winter most New York breeding indi-viduals leave their territories and movesouth to Virginia, the Carolinas and Geor-gia. This was determined by recovery ofbirds banded in New York and found in thesouth.'

We look for the Red-shoulder the firstweek of March in southern CattaraugusCounty. The sun gets a little higher in thesky and on a bright sunny day, the cry, aloud clear "Kee-ah, Kee-ah" is heard on theday of his arrival and can be heard throughthe nesting season. Before they leave in thefall in October they will also give their cry,as though to claim their territory one lasttime. One must be cautious to not mistakethe mimicking call of the Blue Jay - par-ticularly in the fall and early March. TheBlue Jay's "Kee-ah" is weaker but quiterealistic.

Red-shouldered Hawks are slightlysmaller than the familiar Red-tailed Hawkand have a longer tail with three distinctwhite, narrow bands. The shoulders, lessoften seen, are rusty reddish as is the breastin the adult.

The nest is typically built in a large treein a stand of mature timber about 100-150feet from water and there is usually a welldeveloped understory. If a previously builtnest is to be used, ownership is indicated bydeposit of greenery- in New York usually

(Buteo lineatus)

Distribution 1

Number of 5·km blocks in which recorded%

702 13

TN

'"

mals and birds, and some insects. Theyseem to specialize on cold blooded verte-brates and in some places, seasonally, onsmall mammals. Often chipmunks are amajor food item. When the various frog,toad and salamander species spawn in ourpond they often come to perch on ourWood Duck box to get their meal. Duringperiod of drought their food may be mainlysmall mammals, the next year with normalprecipitation, mainly amphibians.

The former abundance oftheRed-shoul-der in New York can be seen by my father'sstatement [E.H. Eaton] 1914, "This bird isprobably the commonest large hawk in thesouthern, central and western counties ofNew York, where most of the originalforests have been cleared away and smallpatches of woodland have been left stand-ing along the streams and in swampy tracts."Palmer in the book Maine Birds, 1949,cites William Brewster (1925), who saidthat the Red-shoulder replaced the Red-tail Hawk throughout much of Massachu-setts and the Umbagog region of Mainebecause the original forest was replaced bymainly deciduous woodland. Today thistrend has been reversed in New York andNew England where the Red-shoulderedhas become greatly reduced in numbersand the Red-tail increased. The Atlas ofBreeding Birds. in New York State, wheredata were assembled from 1980- 1985,confirmed the Red-shoulder nesting in 102



Possible breedingProbable breeding

Confirmed breeding

418 60182 26102 15

" Possible breedingIII Probable breeding• Confirmed breeding

~010 sokm

=o 10 JOml

fresh hemlock. Out of a total of 137 NewYork tree nests beech was favored (54),followed by maple (29), chestnut (13),birch (10), oak (9), ash (7), elm, basswood,cherry and hemlock (3 each), hickory (2)and tulip tree (1) 12 of the 13 chestnut treenests were from the southeastern part ofthe state. On Long Island they nestedalmost entirely in chestnut trees.' Theheight of New York nests ranged from 15-75 feet. The number of eggs ranged from2-5 with most sets of three.

In New York and New England eggs arelaid from 5 March to 31 May, peak 18-29April. Incubation may be largely by thefemale but some authors say that matesseem to share incubation equally. Themale comes in low, calling, and swings upto the nest rim; the incubating female risesand flies away and the male settles down.After hatching the male delivers food tothe female at the nest or near by. Incuba-tion lasts 33 days per egg; as incubationstarts with the first egg, hatching is spreadover some days. Daily feeding by theparents averaged about 10 feedings a day;and by day 20, after hatching, when youngstarted feeding themselves, feedings werereduced by half. Age at first flight is about45 days. As "branchers" (perching in treesnear nest) they continue to return to thenest to feed and roost for some time.Young begin to hunt for food about twoweeks after attaining flight but parentscontinue to supply them with food for 8-10weeks.

TheRed-shoulderisa woodland dweller,hunting beneath the canopy and over moreopen terrain nearby, which is moistornearwater They perch quietly, not far off theground, watching for prey which is at-tacked with suddenness. Their food ismainly reptiles, amphibians, small mam-

8

Sialia and its own cheerful song promptedan all out effort to provide suitable housingin suitable habitat. Golf courses, pastures,lawns, and roadways have become Blue-bird Trails networked with organizationsof dedicated New Yorkers and others else-where. An extensive body of knowledgehas proliferated the birding communityand, despite the expanding forests in ourfuture, the bluebirds are coming back.

For Act II the nest boxes and stands aredesigned to frustrate the starlings and op-portunistic mammals; located carefully todiscourage the House Sparrow and theHouse Wren and doubly sited to accommo-date the Tree Swallow. The next boxes aremonitored for blow fly maggot infestation;the larvae removed, if present; nests re-moved after fledging to encourage a sec-ond effort; and generally patronized fortheir role as heralds according to the NewYork Wizard, John Burroughs:"And yonder bluebird with the earth tingeon his breast and the sky tinge on his back- did he come down out of heaven on thatbright March morning when he told us sosoftly and plaintively that if we pleased,spring had come?"

To become a player in Act III, write:UPSTATE NEW YORK BLUEBIRD SO-CIETY, Joe & Sue Sedlecek, 226 MyrtleAve., Johnson City, NY 13790, (607) 797-9268; and catch a Bluebird.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

By Dick FoxDespite the fact that the Land of Oz is in

the Territory of the Oneidas, it really de-pends upon which direction Dorothy islooking. Unofficially since the late twen-ties, and officially, since 1970, the EasternBluebird (Sialia sialis) has been recog-nized as the State Bird of New York, thesame species so honored by the State ofMissouri. There are two other kinds ofSialia over western rainbows of Kansasand the Rocky Mountain Range. The Fam-ily is Turdidae or Thrushes with ten otherspecies found in North America, and in-cludes the American Robin (Turdusmigratorius).

Given that the Eastern Bluebird favorsgrasslands and a few trees for cavity nest-ing and perch sites, it must be some stub-born quirk or a deeper profound insight ofNew Yorkers to select this bird for thehonor. Consider: New York was probablyover 95% in forest of one kind or another

since the retreat of the glacier. Absentgenetic modification or environmentaladaptation, the bluebird must have beenrestricted to beaver (the unofficial StateMammal) meadows and natural bums,which according to some, was not an over! ycommon habitat.

Unless Indian land management by ag-riculture and deliberate burning providedadditional habitat and pre-white settlerencouragement; it was the berserk woods-men and aggressive homesteaders of the19th Century who strived to satisfy thefood and fiberneeds of an expanding urbangrowth and an accompanying industry. Bythe removal of75% of New York's forestcanopy the new people provided excellentbluebird habitat.

The wistfulness of Dorothy's song isechoed in New York, because the immi-grants brought two friends very antagonis-tic to the Eastern Bluebird: the English orHouse Sparrow (Passer domesticus) toCentral Park in 1850 and the EuropeanStarling tSturnus vulgaris) to Central Parkin 1890. Commencing in the 1930's thesetwo cavity nesters successfully displacedthe bluebird from its decreasing habitat, aNew Yorkof62% forests and much greaterurban growth. To further define the quirkyNew York character and our questionablechoice as the State Bird, the Eastern Blue-bird has a considerable roster of unfriendlynative critters that is an ever-present threatto the bluebird's survi val. The list includesthe House Wren (Troglodytes aedon), theTree Swallow (Irodoprocne bicolor), theRaccoon, and the larvae of the Blow Fly, toname a few. So much for the overture.

However, during Act I, the appeal of

Hawk(Continued from page 8)

blocks in the State: the Red-tail in 1042blocks. Gerald A Smith, who wrote up thespecies in the atlas stated," The virtualabsence oftheRed-shouldered Hawk fromred maple-hardwood swamps along LakeOntario and the scarcity of records in ripar-ian situations on the Great Lakes Plain isstriking. Equally striking is the large num-ber of records from the Adirondack andTug Hill Plateau forests. This is in sharpcontrast to distribution described earlier inthe century."

The history of the distribution of thesetwo hawk species illustrates beautifullyhow pervasive man's influence can be on

the status of the northeastern hardwoodsand their woodland occupants. Althoughpesticide residues have been found inRed-shouldered Hawks most authors seem toagree that these have not been a majorfactor in the change in status of this hawk.

References:1[The Atlas of the Breeding Birds of NewYork (Andrle and Carroll 1988)]2[(Bull, Birds of New York state, 1974)]3(Dutcher 1888-94)

Steve Eaton is a retired Professor of Biol-ogy at St. Bonaventure University; man-ages a Certified Tree Farm in CattaragusCounty and member of NYFOA' sAllegh-eny Foothills Chapter; and a Master For-est Owner, class 0/,91.

I am indebtedfor this article to Steve Kahl,Conservation Chairman of the OwascoValley Audubon Society and much helpfromJoe and Sue Sedlecek, alsoNYS DEe'sThe Conservationist.

John Marchant, Executive Director ofNYFOA with Cub Scouts on the Blue-bird Trail.


debris on the forest floor keep most otherspecies out and thus establish the climaxstage. Without drastic disturbance the stageis permanent. Nevertheless because dras-tic disturbances are within the climaticpattern undisturbed stands of sugar maple,beech and hemlock do not often occur.

Most northern hardwood forests inOtsego County are even-aged and resultfrom natural or man-made disturbancesthat interrupted the successional trend atan earlier stage than the climax. They takemany forms and degrees of forms, one ormore together: fire, wind, ice, drought,insects, diseases, browsing, breakage andclearing for conversion to other uses. Forexample the gypsy moth prefer to feed ontrees weakened by extreme cold or drought.With defoliation the roots lack food andthe energy to absorb water and send it to theupper branches where photosynthesis cantake place. The tree dies; light reaches theforest floor where seedlings are waiting toreplace the older trees.

A case to visualize the process is that ofthe white pine, whose seedlings need min-eral soil and sunlight. White pine seedmust have found them in the primeval pre-colonial forest; only drastic, catastrophicdisturbance can account for their presenceon the forest floor. Without them, whitepine does not survive in competition withhardwoods. Still white pine is Otsego'slargest and most long-lived tree.


Otsego's Woodland HeritageBy Henry S. Kernan

Most of those familiar with our countywill agree that trees and forests are themost striking natural beauty of the land-scape. Whatever the tax-rolls say, they aremore than undeveloped "open space" wait-ing for buildings and roads. The seasonalchanges alone should persuade us thatforests are an ineluctable, dynamic forcethat shape the way we live and the way weuse our land. They already cover two thirdsof our county and spread further each year,with their dazzling fall colors and moresomber hues of the leafless winter months.Maple flowers tinge the "green fire" ofearly spring with yellow and red. As thesummer advances the woods become quietand the leaves droop to signal the passingseason. A landscape and a life withoutforests is almost unimaginable to us.

New York's forest inventory of 1980found 371.3 thousand acres of forestedland in our county. The inventory nowunder way will undoubtedly show pasttrends continuing; more forest, more wood,denser stocking and larger trees. We havemore red maple but less red oak. Highquality saw logs and veneer logs are moreabundant, but even more abundant arelow-quality trees fit only for chipping andburning. The human presence has longdominated those trends and will continueto do so even more thoroughly in the futurethan in the past. The more we learn aboutforests the better we can guide them towarddesired goals.

Reciprocal links between men and for-ests are as ancient as the human species.Though early civilizations and agricultureappeared first in nearly treeless river val-leys, they spread into the forest with stoneaxes and fire. The need for tools and equip-ment have strengthened those links to farm-ing, shelter, transport and the stages ofindustry through the present elaboratechemical conversions of wood and genera-tion of electric power. Concerns for rarespecies and ecologies under stress are com-ing to dominate the next stages. Thuspassive indifference toward forest and treesis even more inappropriate today, when theneed for natural resources and the means oftheir conservation or destruction are morepowerful than ever before.

The trees thatdominate Otsego County' s

Circa 1925 photograph by Arthur 1. Telfer with special thanks to Milo Stewart, BillGengenbach and Julius E. Waller (Master Forest Owner, Class 0/,91)

forests are northern hardwoods; essentiallybirch, beech and maple. The oak-hickoryforest type pushes north along the widervalleys, with a few remnants of the borealforest around glacial lakes. Pioneer de-mands for clapboarded housing, harness-ing horses and shodding feet did away withmuch white pine and hemlocks. The coni-fers are coming back as a glance at ourlandscapes can suggest. Nevertheless theforests we see and admire most are pre-dominately maple forests.

For the last 10,000 years northern hard-woods have been following the retreatingglacier across our Allegheny plateau andthe boreal forests of spruce and fir. Theythrive best in deep, well drained soils withprotection from excessive sunlight andwind, avoiding the extremes of too muchwater or soils too stony, poor and thin. Atthose extremes the typical species are whitepine and red maple. The most successfulnorthern hardwood in numbers and vol-ume, in sentiment and beauty, the back-bone of the local sawmill industry, is thesugar maple, the golden tree of syrup andautumnal splendor. About 20 other speciesof timber size grow with sugar maple butnone does so well as the forest advancesover open land with mostly light-seeded,sun-loving component species. The forestevolves, becoming taller, denser and cast-ing more shade, toward a nearly stableassociation of sugar maple, beech and hem-lock. Their dense shade and thick layers of


feet. The ratio of2.8 to 1 suggests that NewYorker's are making very conservative useof their forests, at least for industrial andenergy production.

Given that ratio and the heavy burden ofreal property taxes, one can well ask whyhalf a million or so New York woodlandowners acquire and retain their properties.They must have reasons beyond those ofgrowing and selling for financial gain.Each one has a set of values, but probablythe weightiest whether conscious or not,are in assured affinities with trees and tree-covered land, affinities deeply rooted inthe human psyche. Especially at the times

Otsego(Continued from page 10)

life. The red oak has heavy branches and aspreading crown. The other two have nar-rower crowns and can thus grow in denserstands without losing their rapid growth.The most valuable woods for timber arethose with a quarter to a third of theircapital growing stock in oak, ash and cherry.

In the 1850's New York was the nation'sleader in lumber and nearly every house-hold used wood as a fuel. Where the statestands today compared to others is lessimportant than the balance of growth todrain. They are strongly and surprisinglyout of balance. In round terms the netannual increment is 550 million cubic feetand the removals are 200 million cubic


How to Avoid Best SellersHenry S. Kernan measuring a white birchtree on his tree farm in the CharlotteValley.

Yet the predominate influences on theforests we see to-day are human activities-They cleared and cultivated land that hassince relapsed into forest and they loggedover woodlots time and again. Plantationsof exotic conifers have proliferated as haveexotic pests like the white pine blister rust,the chestnut blight, the Dutch elm diseaseand the gypsy moth. Even the abundance ofdeer and beaver, both tree killers, is to anextent the result of man's presence. Treesand forests are under continuous stress andcombat for survival. Yet no form oflife hassurpassed them for longevity, 6000 yearsor more in the case of bristlecone pine.

The backdrop of life in Otsego Countyis the sugar maple, in village, field, forestand highway. Nevertheless we are for-tunate in having several other species ofoutstanding value, red oak, white ash andblack cherry. They produce wood of extra-ordinary beauty and usefulness, and arealso the most majestic trees of the forest.

They are neither pioneers such as poplarand pin cherry nor shade-loving climaxspecies such as hemlock and beech. Theirseedlings and saplings do best in moderateshade but later need full sunlight on theircrowns. In market value as standing treesthey are worth twice sugar maple, eighttimes beech and twelve times poplar. Attheir best they have long, straight clearboles and crowns above the sugar maplesand other slower more shade-loving spe-cies. All three are abundant, though peri-odic, seeders. They thus enrich the forestwith the offer of food and shelter to wild-

By Romeyn BerryWe read the book reviews pretty care-

fully. Having done so, we're apt to reacharound, pull down an old book, and readthat. Last week it was Fenimore Cooper's"The Pioneers" that we picked off theshelf at more or less random, after perus-ing the current Saturday Review.

This practice does notrepresent a stub-born disregard of public opinion or ofcritical estimates-just patience. Publicopinion is frequently right, but it's mostapt to turn out to be reliable when it hasbeen given a chance to cool off and settledown. If, after a year, a new book contin-ues to sell and still wins the favorablecomment of people whose judgment insuch matters we commonly find in har-mony with our own, we then feel thewater with our toe, wet our wrists, anddive into it. By this method we catch up inthe course of time with the new bookslikely to survive, and avoid those bestsellers which have become known to thetrade as tripe.

The last previous occasion on whichwe read "The Pioneers" -in 1898 at aguess we read it solely for the plot and tofollow the fortunes of Natty Bumpo whohad previously won our interest in thepages of "The Deerslayer," "The Last ofthe Mohicans," and "The Pathfinder." Atthat time we leaped lightly from episodeto episode skipping the descriptive pas-sages and the comments on the mannersand customs of the early settlers of OtsegoCounty. On this trip we reversed thejourney through Cooper's slow and pon-

derous paragraphs and concentrated onthe early days of Cooperstown.

'The Pioneers" was written in 1823and deals with the last decade of the 18thcentury, and the early part ofthe 19th.TheCooperstown country had a 15-year starton the Ithaca section, less than 100 milesaway, but the manner of settlement wasentirely different. The difference is stillstrikingly apparent in the social and eco-nomic structure of the two communities.

Over there tremendous areas were earlyacquired by smart real estate operatorswho encouraged settlers to come in, pur-chase small holdings, clear the land, es-tablish farms and villages, and thus makemore valuable the unsold portions of thebig tracts. The children of the sellers andthe buyers were soon grouped into twodistinct categories and, according to re-ports, the line of demarcation can still beseen when people throw parties.

Being part of the Military Tract, theland around Ithaca was broken up intosmall parcels from the start. Nobody everacquired large tracts and the rise and fallof family fortunes around here was at notime based on the unearned increment.

All of which is respectfully submittedto show it's still possible to get a lot ofinformation outoftheworks ofJ.FenimoreCooper.

A selection from "Dirt Roads toStoneposts"; a collection of articles by"Rym" Berry published in bookform byCentury House, Watkins Glen in 1949.


Otsego(Continued from page 11)

of seasonal change, budburst and leaffall,their presence creates both delight andawe. The thoughtful observation of for-ests, understanding their structure andrhythms of change by day, season, year anddecade, deepen and sharpen those affini-ties thereby increasing the rewards of own-ership beyond those found in passive aware-ness.

About the only ways we woodlot own-ers have to stand the drain of real propertytaxes are through sales of standing timber.Paying an annual assessment with periodicsales is hardly a way to make money.Moreover to many citizens a logged-overwoodlot is an affront, like billboards androadside beer cans. Until a practical way isfound to remove trees by air, logging andthe first years of recovery are certain to beunsightly. Fortunately woodlots do havespontaneous powers of recovery even fromthe most brutal treatment, powers to whichthe 371,300 acres of forest land in thecounty are witness. Probably few or noneexist today without some trace of humanintervention by selective cutting and re-moval of trees. Clear cutting and conver-sion to agricultural land are no longerpracticed to any important degree. Hencethe emphasis upon the word selective.

Quite understandably loggers choose topay for and remove trees that yield thehighest profit. As a woodlot loses the treesof best quality and retains the poorest, theselective process entails a deterioration ofgenetic quality and species mix. Most ofOtsego's forests have been through theprocess several times and are thereforevery far from growing anywhere near theirpotential. Skillful management and care-ful logging can more than double theirgrowth and value.

P.O. Box 185Springwater, N.Y. 14560

SANFORD VREELAND. PE.

CONSULTANT. 1-716-669-2250

Looking North towards Cherry Valley, circa 1990. Photograph by Nancy Waller.The most important factor is the control

over the density and diversity of the stand.The process of control can begin when thetrees are a few inches in diameter. Carefuland selective thinnings concentrate thegrowth upon the trees of best quality andspecies. Density control is very important,because the crop trees must have room togrow. Another important goal is diversity.Stands of different sizes and species pro-duce the best trees while making fullest useof the site and best satisfying the multiplepurposes of forestland ownership.

In sum, our woodland heritage is doingwell, but could do better. We need morediverse markets for wood, more skillfulloggers, fairer taxes and, above all, moreinformed and interested owners.

Henry Kernan is a consulting foresterparticularly active in international for-estry.He has hostedmanywoodswalksforthe NYFOA affiliate, the Catskill ForestryAssociation, and other groups on his Char-lotte Valley forest; and is a Master ForestOwner, class of 1991.

Membership CornerBy David J. Colligan

Our membership ranks are growing, but we are always looking for ways toattract new members. Stuart McCarty, our president, started a friendly competitionamongst the chapters to try to increase the memberships within the chapters. Hew hascovered this in his message elsewhere in this issue. Those not in the competition whoare not in a chapter are not left out because we keep track of any individual who iscredited if the new member puts down the name of the sponsoring member on the lineafter the words "Referred by ..;" on the membership application.

We'd like to take this opportunity to honor those individuals who have beencredited with bringing in four or more members since the data base was brought up todate by John Marchant in the fall of 1989. Our apologies to anyone who didn't get crediteither because our records aren't complete or the applications didn't specify thesponsoring member:

HONOR ROLLMember's Name Number of

New MembersDick Fox 12Morgan Heussler 9Wes Suhr 8Mary McCarty 7John Marchant 7Billy Morris 7Bob White 7John Hastings 6Stuart McCarty 6Karen Anderson 5Dave Tregaskis 4Congratulations to all of those on our Honor Roll as well as anyone else

who has brought in new members!


· My FavoriteTreeBy Audrey Childs property in Cattaraugus County provided a visit to my favorite shrub. We fertilize it

My first memory of a favorite tree goes link with forests as they always took me and keep it trimmed, which has resulted inback to my preschool years. My Dad and I after leeks in the springtime and a delightful springtime experience eachwere very close and on weekends he would "huckleberrying" (as the natives called it) year.take me hiking in hills near our home. in the summer. A particular memory is of These are just of a few of the experi-Looking back it must have been he who a pink, wild azalea. They had dug it in the ences I have had that make me thank Godfound this secluded spot, but I called it my woods and planted it in their yard. I was daily for the privilege of now being able to"house". It was a hemlock grove with a always in awe of that beautiful flowering live on our acreage and enjoy the forest andstream running along the side of it. The shrub. When I was about twelve, I went to magic of nature every day.hemlock branches swept down and across visit in the spring and was shocked to seethe edges of the bubbling stream, making my favorite shrub gone. I rushed into theit a very secluded, cool oasis. My Dad house to find out what had happened.would cut me a bough which I used to Apparently my Grandfatherhadcutitdownsweep and tidy up my house. We would because my grandmother was afraid I wouldtake our lunch with us and keep the fruit get stung, since it attracted so many bees.and drinks in the bubbling refrigerator. It That was the one and only time I was everwas such a happy time for me that even disillusioned with them.after all these years the smell of hemlocks Years later, just after my husband and Ibrings back a feeling of nostalgia. had purchased our property in Cattaraugus

We moved to the city when I was seven County, we were exploring and came uponso I had to leave my little home in the forest a huge, beautifully flowering azalea in thebehind. My love of the woods, thankfully, woods. It literally took my breath away. Indid not end with this move; it was nurtured the twenty-six years that we have ownedby frequent visits to my grandparents. Their our forest, I have yet to miss a springtime

Your NYFOA Chapter and YouBy Betty Densmore and Charlie Mowatt

NYFOA'S chapters are as diverse as thestate they cover. All are different and allare alike. Each chapter forms along its ownguidelines and "cookie-cutter" samenessis not a feature. Some are very active;others much less. Where do you fit in theequation? Are you one of the many whohave never attended a chapter activity (orhaven't in a long time)?

Maybe you are missing a very dynamicexperience. Where else can you meet withand exchange information with a group oflike-minded people who have, in manycases, the same goals? Where else can youtalk with foresters, Master Forest Owners,and private woodlot owners who are grap-pling with the same problems as yourself?

Some chapters feature woods walks onmember properties, a perfect chance to seewhat others have done. Don't be surprisedto find out you are doing a good job offorest management. Everyone has pride intheir forests and it is always fun to share thepleasure, insights and experiences of oth-ers and to see how they are tackling thesame tasks you are facing.

Workshops are another way that some

chapters get information on a variety ofsubjects to members. It's always a stimu-lating learning experience to attend aninformal workshop on Stewardship Incen-tive Programs, wildlife management, prun-ing, 480-A tax laws; even chain saw safetyand other less cerebral exercises. It's awonderful opportunity to question an ex-pert on any aspect of a vexing dilemma,without obligation , in a relaxed atmosphere,surrounded by others with every range ofexpertise from novice to past master.

Some chapters seem to exist as much forthe socializing as for the exchange of infor-mation. Some have annual picnics, pot-luck dinners and Christmas parties wherethe strong friendships that have been forgedresult in memorable not -to-be-missed goodtimes that provide the glue that buildsstrong chapters. Some fund -raise in a vari-ety of ways. Highly motivated volunteersusually end up having a terrific time whilefilling the coffers of their treasury.

Chapterrepresentatives from each chap-ter attend NYFOA Board of Directorsmeetings during the year and informationis exchanged that help to keep NYFOA'sgoals frrmly fixed on your needs as a forest

(early azalea, Rhododendron roseum)

Audrey, with her husband Bob, are enthu-siastic members of the A llegh eny FoothillsChapter and Master Forest Owners, Class01'91.

owner. NYFOA's Board recognizes theenormous value of chapters in theorganization's growth and effectiveness.Chapter represen tatives recognize the valueof the volunteers on the Board who work inmany ways to further the aims and ends ofthe private forest owner.

You need to go to a few of your chapter'sactivities. Don't be put off by fears ofgetting over-involved when an alreadyhectic life leaves you little time to do halfof what you wish. You'll come home re-vitalized, with some of the practical solu-tions you've been looking for. At the veryleast you'll have spent some time withpeople who care about the land and aretrying to implement good stewardship.

Your input may be what is lacking inyour chapter. Every chapter leader is al-ways looking for ideas on ways to provideyou with what YOU want from NYFOA.Maybe all that is missing is you and yourstated needs. Your local chapter needs youand it might come as a very pleasant sur-prise how much you can get from yourlocal chapter.


tity, by all means attempt to get the highestbid for premium or veneer saw logs. In ourarea, you will be fortunate to get $50 perthousand board feet which will not returnthe holding and management costs formaturing beech. The average stumpage forbeech in our area is $30 per thousand, closeto the stumpage value for firewood,

My responsibility is to point out thefacts to forest owners. If they have youngstands of beech, I would encourage them tothin the stands heavily, leaving only thevery best for the next thinning or harvest.Very few trees will produce high-qualitymature stems (lumber or veneer) with thepresent incidence of the beechbark dis-ease. The best local market for the thinned(small) stems is firewood. And if yourmature beech look like this defective treeas most of mine do, then the highest-valueproduct is still firewood, beating both pulp-wood and pallet markets in this area.

Ask A Forester: Forest Inventory & ManagementFOREST

~STEWARDSHIP

_____ .J The Woodland Steward

Wes has received several questions and~omments about articles in the FebruaryIssue of Woodland Steward. Since there isinsufficient space for full response in that~ewsletter. he has selected two for report-ing here that should be of interest to manyof you.

DearWes:This letter is precipitated by your very

unflattering article about "The LowlyBeech. "

Anyone who needs to be convinced ofthe aesthetic value of beech is invited tocome inspect the woodwork in my diningroom. Built in 1905 by a lumber merchantwho obviously knew and appreciated finewoods, the general opinion among themany persons knowledgeable in woodswho have inspected my home is that thedining room, paneled in cross-sawn beechis the visual prize in a house generouslyendowed with handsome woodwork.

I am fortunate that not every woodlandmanager thinks beech is suitable only forpallets or firewood. When we had a fire andI was obliged to replace a part of the woodin the dining room, I was able to obtaincross-sawn beech, which was then milledand fabricated into replacement panelingto match that historically present in theroom.

The compliments on the new beechwoodwork have been as generous as theadmiration of the old beech woodwork. So,please, if any of you grow veneer qualitybeech, don't sell your trees for fire wood.Save them for the custom woodworkerswho have been petitioning me for mysource of beech.

Th.ere is no more beautiful or showypaneling than the magnificentrays in cross-sawn beech.

Sincerely,Rosemary Nichols1241 Nineteenth StreetWatervliet, New York 12189

Dear Rosemary:

Thank you for your interest in the ar-ticle, The Lowly Beech, I am sorry youthought it "unflattering" due to a lack ofdiscussion on the wood grain of beech.Unfortunately, nature has afflicted thisspecies with the beech bark disease, and the~orest owner is not compensated for grow-mg veneer quality beech. Under these cir-cums~nces, the number of beech logsreaching the mill will continue to decline,regardless of our desire for beech lumberand veneer.

Although done consciously in the refer-encedarticle, I did exclude a description ofthe wood grain which is very beautiful withits conspicuous wood ray flecks. Everyonewho has seen the grain would agree it hasunusual aesthetic appeal. I have also seenbe~h veneer with a pinkish-brown, wavygram -- very attractive indeed. If morepeople were familiar with the grain, the~emand ~or beech should rise which mayincrease Its stumpage value in the woods.(Stumpage is the value, or average bid, fortrees as they stand uncut in the woods.)

Besides a low demand for beech, why isthe stumpage value so low, compared toother species? One of the reasons is thedifficulty in processing it at the mill, withits dense grain which readily distorts whendrying in the kiln. Also, a smooth, seem-ingly defect-free surface on the log mayyield defective lumber. The mill peopletell me there can be much wood lost in theprocessing.

One obstacle in supplying beech wouldbe removed if forest owners were fairlycompensated for raising beech sawtimber(stumpage at least $100 per thousand boardfeet). However, they may never realize anadequate return on their investment be-cause most trees will die or will be defec-tive before reaching marketable size, dueto the beechbark disease.

C~rtainly, if the forest owner has high-quality, mature beech in commercial quan-

Dear Mr. Sum:I read with interest your comment about

Sapstreak disease in your latest "Wood-land Steward.". I would like a little bit clearer explana-tion.

You mention poorly designed system ofskid roads as a contributing factor. Is thatbecause of root damage due to the aboveground traffic, or because of possible sideinjury to the stem during skidding? Orboth?

Also, I have an old farm in theAdirondacks which has reverted to forestland. Along the old stone walls, and wherethe barbed-wire field dividers used to bethere are many maple clumps coming up-but most of them are red maples, ratherthan sugar maples. None of the stems areover 6" in diameter. I have been taking outwhat appear to be the weaker stems of eachclump, and trying to make one healthy tree.Are you suggesting that I shouldn't do thiseither, or are red maples not a problem?

Thanks for your help. SASE enclosed.SincerelyRobert C. StevensOne Green Ridge RoadPittsford, New York 14534-2408



Forester Burning the Woods .... Another Point of Viewthrough as long ago as 30-40 years, andexamination will show that nearly everystem has evidence of basal damage, ap-pearing on the side of the approaching rue.

Although there may be isolated caseswhere fire used as a sivicultural tool mightbe justified, I would be most hesitant to useit since there are other methods of encour-aging reproduction.

So called controlled fires can quite eas-ily become uncontrolled with no respectfor boundary lines and with litigation onthe horizon.

Red oak, although not as tolerant asbeech or sugar maple, is a prolific sprouterand quickly re-stocks areas where holes inthe overstory allow sunlight to penetrate.

Unlike most of the white oaks that ger-minate in the fall, the red oaks germinatethe following spring which is advanta-geous in spite of considerable loss of acornsby insect parasites.

Natural seeding on the richer sites oftenproduces hundreds of seedlings per acre,particularly after even a partial timber har-vest.

I prefer to see Red Oak in stands associ-ated with other species such as basswood,cherry and ash. Even Red and sugarmaple diverse and pleasing to the eye.

I thought we had learned years ago thatsivilcultural practices leading toward purestands of whatever species was question-able. A flexible approach, without the useof rue might better be considered.

By Randy KerrIn the last two issues of the FOREST

OWNER, there have been articles outlin-ing the benefits of prescribed burning ofhardwood understories to facilitate the re-production of "OAK FORESTS".

The latest one, appearing in the March-April issue would seem to encourage suchpractice and under-estimates the detrimen-tal effects of fast moving fires throughyoung hardwood stands, regardless of spe-cies. The belief that logging slash must bepresent to incur such damage is simply nottrue.

It is not the presence or absence of slash,but rather the time of year that the fireoccurs that is more critical. Most serious,fast moving surface fires, usually takeplace during the fall season when freshlyfallen leaf litter is present.

Fires travel faster in such fuels andflames created tend to be hotter and reachfurther up the stem. On the other hand, leaflitter compacted by winter snows create asituation where spring or early summerfires are less severe in intensity and heightand will in fact, sometimes bum them-selves out.

Weare aware that logging slash involume, does playa part in severe forestrues where trees of all species are con-sumed and killed outright.

Fire, (prescribed burning) is recognizedin the south as a valuable tool in themanagement of pine but not ofhardwoods nor should it be here, anytime of year.

Examination of burned sites where fastmoving rues have traveled along the sur-face will often show little or no damage forperiods of 5-10 years. You might think thatindeed, little or no damage exists. I havehad opportunities, however, to observehardwood stands where such fires passed

(Continued from page 14)

Dear Mr. Stevens:Thank you for your letter of interest in

the article on sapstreak disease.Infectious points of entry for the spores

ofthis fungus may be both through woundson exposed roots and through basal woundson the stems of sugar maple. The woundingis often done by traffic on skid trails or bythinning sprout groups of pole-sized stems(4" and above). So far, research indicateslarger stems to be infected (poles +), withincomplete or unpublished information onsaplings. The fungus probably does notrecognize diameter limits! Cut saplingsmay be infected, but their more rapid,vigorous growth/sap-flow may be able tothwart the disease (just my guess).

The evidence to date indicates sapstreakdisease is specific to sugar maple, it has notbeen found on red maple. I believe it is safeto assume it will not infect red maple.

As you, I have also thinned many redmaple clumps. It is best to thin the stemswhen they are large enough to show somedominance (around 2" in diameter), as youare doing. Select the largest, bestformed(straightest) stems which arise lowest onthe old stump or closest to the ground. Thelatter characteristic makes the stem lesssusceptible to infection (various diseases)through the old stump or root crown. Afinal suggestion for cutting the individualstems -- cut at a good slant, rather thanhorizontally, allowing for rapid drainageof moisture.

Randy Kerr: 39yearswithDEC, theftrst 18years with the Bureau of Forest FireControl ... .Forest Ranger, Lowville andDistrict Ranger, Canton. Presently, For-ester for Lewis County and Sec'y forTHRlFT,NYFOA's affiliate for the TughillPlateau.JOHN GIFFORD 716/664-5604 (8)

Broker 716/487 -9709 (R)Vice President - Real Estate

,-;;?~1.t"·~n' ~/.~~ ...~::':~::,

Woodsmen Want Tree Tales"Trees Are Our Greatest Treasure" is the topic of this year's New York State

Woods,?en's Corporation's Prize Essay Contest, which is open to the public.E~tnes must .be less than 500 words of prose; literary work must be original and not

prevIously published or submitted for inclusion in any publications. Deadline for entryISJune 30.

Send entri~s to NYS Woodsmen's Field Days, Inc., PO Box 123, Boonville, NY13309. The winner will be awarded the $100 prize during the Field Days held August14-16 at the Oneida County Fairgrounds.

Ques.tions ~egarding ~e essay contest or a possible photo contest should be directedto Phy Ills White, Executive Coordinator, NYS Woodsmen's Field Days, PO Box 123,Boonville, NY 13309 (315) 942-4593.

.~.

TIMBERCAND::·REALTYSALES • AcQUiSlTiQNS :. APPRAISALS

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Crown Building. 100 E. Second StreetJamestown, NY 14701

NY FOREST OWNER 1 5 MAY/JUNE 1992

Chapter Reports"""1=··.•·.=.$=n=uE=h=h=E=.·.iN¥=· •••·•·••=,F=P=Ql'=·u=l=LiO'={= •••••••••=.i.•.••,

Betty DensmoreThe APC was unusually busy; our Mar

21meeting was attended by about40peoplewho enjoyed Herbert Darling, Jr.' s presen-tation on "Saving the American Chestnut."Member Bruce Robinson participated in aseminar on Tree Pruning given by the Catt.Co. Extension. Member Bob Childs par-ticipated in a SIP Program and sign-up onMar. 28 at the Extension in Ellicottville;member Dave Waldron was also aspeaker.Members Helen and Bob Naflewere named Cattaraugus County's TreeFarmers of the year and will be honored ata dinner April 2. A Tree Planting andCulture Seminar to be held April 11 willfeature members, Bruce Robinson and BobChilds as speakers.

The AFC donated $200.00 to theEllicottville Arboretum to be used to im-prove the Pierce-Whitney Forest (a forestthat will ultimately serve as a model ofgood stewardship practices for New York-ers).

On May 16 we will present a "timberharvest in progress" woodswalk at theAnderson Tru st property in Mayville, NewYork. Walk will beledby BruceRobinson,Consulting Forester.

PAT$KIDVFQR~$TA$$QQMJTJQMBy Ed Thorne

CFAdesignedaMapleSyrupworkshopto provide amateurs with information earlyenough so that they could try maple syrupmaking this year. On Feb. 8 over 30 turnedout at the Erpf House in Arkville whereCliff Farnum, a local producer for 25 years,instructed the group. Plastic containers forcanning were given out and buckets andspiles were sold at a modest fee. CFAgained 4 new members.

On March 13 thru 15 CFA had a boothat the Northeastern Wildlife Expo, in Al-bany. The exhibit was an excellent way todraw new members and promote our orga-nization.

As of this report CFA's Wildlife En-hancement Workshop, at the Erpf Houseon March 28, has not been held yet. Fromthe number of calls coming in it looks likewe will have a good group. Bill Sharick,Senior Wildlife Biologist from DEC 4,

will be the guest speaker.A busy weekend for CFA May 2 CFA

will host a woods walk at Henry Kernan'sproperty in South Worcester. May 3 CFAwill have a booth displaying our goals atthe Hanford Mills Museum to help cel-ebrate Arbor Day. The days activities in-clude: a tree planting memorial, sawmilltour, maple syrup slide show, lecture onSIP, and an open forum.

On May 16 CFA is hosting a sawmilltour atBoicevilleLumber and awoodswalk.

Dates have not been set for a FreshwaterWetlands Program, Birdwatching Work-shop, and Tour of a Nursery, later in thesummer.

CFA is planning our annual meeting.This year it will be a Picnic with an educa-tional theme held outside perhaps at a StateFacility. Details should be finalized byMay 1st. Interested parties call (914) 586-3054.

The Cayuga Chapter joined with thedraft animal owners to sponsor their an-nual mid-winter cooperative effort nowknown as the Cabin Fever Festival andheld in Fillmore Glen State Park. Despitea drizzly Saturday afternoon, heavy rainthat night, and an early Sunday morningrescue of the temporary bridge across DryCreek, Park Manager Tom Noble esti-mated attendance at 2000 people for eachday.

A. A. Peppe exhibited his new woodprocessor in action, Lee Hopkins-his ro-tary saw mill products, Dick Stoyell dem-onstrated a newly restored Ireland shinglemill, and Gerald Reynolds displayed arestored Ireland drag saw driven by a 'one

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lunger'. Special interest was stimulated byDierk Terlow' s forge and custom made-while-you-wait iron works.

While Tim Roberson and his portableband saw sawed Red Pine lumber for BillMillier, Charlie Famoly, and Keith Batzerto use in the construction on site of theraffled utility building, Gregg Wellot acrossthe way, hand-hewed an oak log to thefinished beam required in the restoration ofa historically correct building located in anearby community. In addition to the manydraft animal activities of skidding logs andhauling families, there were a number ofcrafts people who demonstrated and soldtheir products.

An interesting product which was manu-factured according to approved specifica-tions and then sold at nominal cost was RedPine Bluebird Houses. The proceeds to befittingly dedicated for a boulder/placque tocommemorate a former U. S. CivilianConservation Corps Camp located at thePark. The Red Pine logs were harvestedfrom the Town of Locke Water WorksWoods and probably planted in 1936 bythe CCC.

The American Museum of Natural His-tory in New York City is famous for exhib-its of whatever natural history may be ofpublic interest. Most people think of theMuseum for exhibits especially advertisedbecause of general demand; such as, thePlanetarium, NATUREMAXand the greatscreen cinema, the dinosaurs, the greatmammals of Africa and North America,the whales, and the great fishes. Not enoughpeople think of forests! Very few who love


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Chapter Reports(Continued from page 16)

forests realize how exciting and profoundl yeducational can be the study of forests inthis Museum's exhibits! For example, inbeautiful three dimensional scenes the natu-ral history of the Lower Hudson Valley isdisplayed accurately, not only as to chang-ing land use, but also, as to geology, soils,forest types, understories, groundcover,wildlife, and even underground inverte-brates. Everyman's Forest, USA, can bestudied here. On Saturday, May 30th, comeand see!

Schedule: 10-12 AM, Personal Options;12-1PM, Garden Cafe; 1:30PM, Start atMuseum Shop, Woodswalk thru NYS En-vironment and North American Forest Ex-hibits; 3-4PM, Personal Options; 6-7PM,Garden Cafe; 7:30-8:45PM,NATUREMAX. Find Museum and exten-sive Parking at W 81st St. near CentralPark West. Questions?? R. BamberMarshall, RD 3, Box 329, Yorktown, NY10598; (914) 962-9888.

I··.·mc.·ainsooli.. :·1Bob White

On May 23 the NFC will visit theReinstien Nature Preserve in Cheektowaga,New York (10:45 AM). The walk will beled by Jeff Liddle, caretaker.

On June 13 a tour of Forest Lawn inBuffalo is planned (10 AM). With over6000 trees, an arboretum and an identifiedlist of 157 bird species, this is a livingsource of beauty and peace in the heart ofthe city.

Wes Suhr & Dave FornessPotsdam Hardwoods hosted the North-

ern Adirondack Chapter on a tour of theirsawmill on Saturday, February 8th.

Bill Crary, mill manager and co-ownerof Potsdam Hardwoods, led the tour withthe mill in full operation. We were able tofollow the manufacturing of lumber from10g form to kiln dried stock. Potsdam Hard-woods has maintained an excellent reputa-tion for the quality of their product, as wellas for the safety and efficiency of the entireoperation. They market everything fromsawdust and chips to finished products.The mill's production exceeds 3 millionboard feet on an annual basis.

We'd like to thank Bill Crary for hisefforts and compliment him on his man-

agement of Potsdam Hardwoods.On March 21, Lewis Staats, Cornell

Cooperative Extension Specialist (MapleProgram), led a tour of 40 visitors on theUihlein Sugar Maple Research ExtensionField Station near Lake Placid. Cornell isat the "cutting edge" in applied researchfor high quality syrup production.

For example, a new plastic tubing spile,called the "Vacuspout", is found to do lessdamage to the stem while taping and mayeven provide sweeter sap, drawing fromsap flow just beyond the cambial area.They are also testing a prototype sap vaporevaporator which is the first unit to receivethe field sap (average sugar content= 2%),producing a concentrate with an averagesugar content of 15%! This cuts the boilingtime at the boiler by at least l/5th.

The sugar bush is thinned to the properdensity and the thinned areas are veryclean.

An orchard is devoted to genetic re-search where care full y selected stock fromsuperior parent trees have been planted.One small pole produced sap with sugarcontent as high as 100/,! Some day, suchresearch may result in the production ofvery sweet and fast-growing progeny forfield plantings.

Very interesting day, and very cold.About 15 people made it to the end of thetour. Our thanks go out to Lewis for ex-plaining the operation, and to DaveFornesswho made the arrangements.

WE HAYEA GREAT SPRING OUT-ING COMING UP! On Wednesday,May13, the Northern Adirondack Chapter ofSAF (Society of American Foresters) issponsoring a dual meeting/field tour on theWanakena Campus, SUNY, more com-monly known as THE Ranger School.They invite al] NYFOA mem bers to attendand brush elbows with some very knowl-edgeable people.TENTATIVE AGENDA:

1. Registration, 9-10 am2. Woodswalk, Dubuar Forest, 10-12

(management, silviculture)3. Lunch (bring own)4. Conservation Easements (classroom

session), 1-3(?)They expect to have managers and spe-

cialists participating from the RangerSchool,DEC, Nature Conservancy, WagnerWoodlands, SAF and NY Equalizationand Assessment. Come learn about forestmanagement and how we can reduce ourtaxes.

SQUTHERNADIR<:iNDAcRIErwin Fullerton

Our first leap year meeting was held atthe Crandle Library, Glens Falls February29th. A National Stewardship Video wasshown by Laurel Gailor, Cornell Coopera-tive Extension Agent for Warren County.The question and answer period was led byNYS DECRegion 5Forester John Hastings.For the forest landowner this was an inter-esting and challenging program, and of-fered choices towards the improved man-agement of woodlands. Perhaps more of uswill emphasize wildlife and recreation inaddition to timber improvement.

Our next meeting is targeted for June 6thand will include processing wood productsfor a shaving mill, kiln drying lumber, andfuel use in Saratoga County.

:S<jumDltRl'i:mmR :::1Larry Lepak

On March 27th, approximately 60 per-sons attended the chapter's annual potlucksupper. No one went away hungry as thecooks outdid themselves with both gour-met entrees and deserts.

Chapter member Richard Molyneauxwas congratulated by the chapter for beingnamed 1992 New York State Tree Farmer.

Russ Hamilton, an agent for Farm Fam-ily Insurance Companies, addressed themeeting on the topic of "Liability Insur-anceand the Tree Farm". Gerald Kachmor,DEC forester, discussed the StewardshipIncentive Program with the chapter mem-bers, who had applied for SIP funding. Thenext meeting is scheduled for Tuesday,May 5, 1992 at7:30PM at the CooperativeExtension building on Front Street inBinghamton. The program will address the"Do's and Don'ts of Hunting Leases".Anyone who currently is leasing their for-estland for hunting is invited to share theirexperiences. The evening program will


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Chapter Reports(Continued from page 17)

include the viewing of a video on huntinglease considerations. Futurechaptereventsinclude a woodswalk, June 13 at 10:00AM at the Al and Moira Robert's (formerRegion 7 Forester) Tree Farm, Clark St.Ext., Groton, 607-656-8504. For chapterinformation, contact chapter presidentLarry Lepak at 607 -656-8504 or chaptersecretary and program chairperson MikeMcKilligan at 607-729-6511.

Bonnie ColtonTHRIFT may have appeared inactive

for the past few months, but the appearanceis deceiving. A metamorphosis has beentaking place. Beginning at a "Focus on theFuture" dinner meeting last spring, THRIFThas been re-evaluating its mission, its meth-ods and its member involvement. Out ofthis process is growing not only a neworganizational structure, but a new andvibrant way of addressing the issues weface in the Tug Hill region.

The first step was designing and refin-ing a more effective framework for action,motivated by a broader based leadershipcore. The result was a Coordinating Coun-cil with representatives elected from eachof the four counties in the Tug Hill region.

The Council now is in the process ofgetting acquainted, refining a committeestructure which will help us meet our mis-sion goals, and recruiting additional mem-bers to help with committee work. Meet-ings are planned in each of the four coun-ties on a rotating basis to encourage in-creased member attendance at program.s

Needed committees identified so farare: Membership, Finance, Legislative,Networking, Program, Long-range plan-ning, Public relations and Newsletter, plustemporary local committees to make meet-ing and program arrangements. These func-tions formerly were being handled by afive-member executive committee whichwas beginning to suffer burnout. The newformat promises to be not only more effi-cient, but more dynamic and creative.

Patrick McGlewRecent snow and below zero wind chill

couldn 'tkeep us outofthe woods on March14 & 15, when we met with the EndlessMountains Draft Horse Club for a DraftHorse Logging Seminar. The Draft HorseClub members benefitted from NYFOAmembers'woodsknowledge,andNYFOAmembers learned a great deal about drafthorses. It was a pleasure to see these mag-nificent animals working together in thewoods. We saw various types of equip-ment and how its use will affect a team'sability to handle a hitch oflogs. We learnedthat when talking about mules, stubbornstill fits, but sensible might also enter thepicture. Voice commands as well as reincontrol are essential for a draft horse, andmight very well prevent serious injury ifthe driver slips behind his horse(s). Discus-sions on personal safety, as well as safetyand care of the horses, reassured me thatthe Endless Mountains Draft Horse Cluband NYFOA were themselves a good"team". I suspect that some of our mem-bers will get to know each other better.

The Program Committee reports thattwo sawmill tours are the upcoming events- one large mill and one small one. Officialdates have not yet been set, but look forsometime in May. Suggestions for pro-grams, or offers to host a chapter eventshould be directed towards Jim Signs at(607) 687-0330.

WENDELL HATFIELD(Over 35 years experience)

General Excavation, Road Construction, Wetlands Enhancement,Ponds and Drainage

A.D. 2, Moravia, N.Y. 13118 • (315) 497-1398

:WESTERNFINGERLAKES::·1The Role of Forests On Our

Fresh Water SupplyWoodland greatly enables the recharg-

ing of our underground aquifers for thebenefit of all people. Consider these ratesof infiltration of rain water into the surfacesoils.A liter of water will infiltrate:

A freshly cultivated field in 30 minutesA pine forest floor in 3 minutesA hardwood forest floor in 30 secondsA heavily used recreation area in 30

hoursHooray for the northern hardwood forest.

Taken from "Farming the Small Forest"by Lawrence Walker & WFL Newsletter

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PATRICK J. McGLEW(507) 699-3846

P.o. Box 10.4Nichols, NY 13812

NY FOREST OWNER MAY/JUNE 19921 8

It's Time ToStand Up AndBe CountedBy John C. MarchantExecutive Director, NYFOA

After many promises from a lot of usSIP is finally here. We can now sign up forsubstantial cost sharing benefits with realdollars available at the completion of ap-proved projects. But there are the magicwords. "APPROVED PROJECTS". AllSIP projects have to be approved by a DECService Forester. That in itself does notpresent a problem, most of us believe it willwork quite well. The problem is the num-ber and availability of Service Foresters tomeet our needs. They have been consis-tently cut back for several years running,and right now their department has beenthe particular target for further downsizing.Well informed guesses are also saying thisis only the beginning of what we can expectin the future.

So here we are, about to receive moremoney from the federal government thanwe have ever had; money that is deliber-ately targeted for projects of real value tous and society; and our state government ismoving in a direction to deny us thatopportunity. It is very doubtful that there isenough staff at this time to implement allthe programs to make full use of the 1.5million dollars available this year. Anyfurther cuts will assure that shortfall andthe continuing loss of millions more overthe next five years.

So now is the time to be counted folks.Please pick up your pens and let our stategovernment know how you feel about thisissue. To be most effective write to: Gov-ernor Mario Cuomo, The Executive Cham-ber, State Capitol, Albany, NY 12224.

And for additional effective impactplease consider sending copies to: Francis1. Murray, Jr., same address as above.

Commissioner Thomas Jorling, NYSDEC, 50 Wolf Rd., Albany NY 12233.Robert Bathrick, State Forester, 50 WolfRd., Albany, NY 12233.

Ralph Marino, Majority Leader Senate,Room 330, State Capitol, Albany, NY12247.

Saul Weprin, Speaker of the Assembly,Room 349, State Capitol, Albany, NY12248.

King George Did Pine For Pine

AN APPEAL TO HEAVEN

What could a king want from coloniesthat could scarcely raise enough food forthe tea and rum that must be imported?King George III wanted what he did nothave at home-the tall white pines of NewHampshire.

In 1634, when the first cargo of whitepine masts arrived in England for the sail-ing ships of the world's foremost navy,they quickly replaced Riga fir from south-ern Baltic shores. The fir was a fairly shorttree so that often two had to be spliced witha joining spindle to make a serviceablemast.

ButNew Hampshirepine was tall enoughto equip ships whose mainmast might beforty inches in diameter and 120 feet talland weigh up to eighteen tons. White pineweighed 25 percent less than Riga fir andwas often unblemished from bottom to top.

In 1722, at the behest of the king, allwhite pines fit for masting the Royal Navywere declared reserved for the king by theNew Hampshire General Court. In 1772 itpassed a law making it a crime to harvesttrees a foot or more in diameter. The gov-ernor, appointed "surveyor of the king'swoods," employed many deputies whospread throughout the countryside lookingfor sawmill yards that might be breakingthe law. They confiscated suitable logs,burned settlers' sawmills, and used spiesand informers to locate illegal logs.

The response was violent. The NewHampshire Pine Tree Riot in 1772, threeyears before the Boston Tea Party, resistedthe seizure of some 270 logs, seventeen to

thirty-six inches in diameter, fromClement'sMill Yard inWeare, New Hamp-shire.

When the sheriff and a deputy arrived toenforce the law, they were thoroughlybeaten by twenty men with faces black-ened and switches in their hands. Thelawmen's horses, with manes clipped andears cropped, carried their owners out oftown with "jeers and shouts ringing in theirears."

The British militia soon arrived to findthe woodsmen had fled into the forest.When they later surrendered they werefined only twenty shillings each by a JudgeMesheck Weare, who thought it pruden t todemonstrate his regard for public senti-ment rather than forthesheriffand the pinetree law.

At Lexington, when the colonists shoul-dered arms in resistance to the Stamp Act,the Sugar Act, and high duties on tea, theyhad the example of the men of Wearebefore them. The revolutionists' first flagwas the famous pine tree banner, a greentree on a white field, with the words, "AnAppeal to Heaven." This was the flag usedat Bunker Hill, and used by George Wash-ington when he dispatched two vessels tointercept two English munitions ships.

The tall white pines of New Hampshireare gone, as are the sailing ships that madesuch good use of them. They served to seta pattern for resistance to the Crown thatultimately freed the entire country.

ReprintedjromNYFO MarIApr.1977.


R.J. Fox, Acting EditorRD#3, Box 88Moravia, NY 13118

FOUNDED 1963

Non-Profit Org_U.S. POSTAGEPAID

Moravia, N.Y.13118

Permit No. 21

921.1.

------------

TO MEET ITS OBJECTIVES THE ASSOCIATION:Publishes the New York Forest Owner bimonthly.Holds Spring and Fall meeting for the entire membership,Chapters conduct "woods walks" and other events to stimulate enthusiasm for goodstewardship, timber stand improvement and managing woodlands for other values.Encourages members to be active in local chapters.Fosters affiliation with other organizations with similar NYFOA objectives.Recognizes outstanding individual effort on behalf of forestry and private woodlandresources in the state.

The New York ForestOwners Association

OUR MISSION: The Association is organized to encourage the wise managementof private woodland resources in New York State by promoting, protecting, repre-senting and serving the interests 0/ woodland owners.

OUR OBJECTIVES ARE:To assist owners in making decisions for the best use of their forests.To work to increase profitability of woodlot investmentTo influence legislators at all levels of government to strengthen forestry as anindustry.To unite forest owners in a common cause of improving their forest resources andforest opportunities.To inform the public on the value of a healthy tree growing industry.To network with related organizations in promoting common objectives.

As a forest landowner you have the privilege of pursuing personal goals. Goodstewardship and moral responsibility will assure the preservation of the forest forfuture generations. As New Yorkers we can work together to protect and perpetuateour forest lands.

WOODLOTCALENDARMay 2 - CFA- Woodswalk, Henry Kernan Prop-erty, South Worchester, (914) 586-3054_May 3 - CFA-Booth at Hanford Mills Museum- Tree Planting Memorial Sawmill tour, MapleSyrup slide show, SIP lecture, (914) 586- 3054.May 5 - STC-7:30 PM Cooperative ExtensionBldg., Front Street, Binghamton, "Do's andDon'ts of Hunting Leases.May 13 - NAC-9AM Wanakena CampusSUNY, Woodswalk Dubuar Forest & After-noon Seminar Conservation Easements, (315)848-2136.May 16 - CDC-Woodswalk. Call Irwin King,(518) 872-1456.May 16 - AFC-Woodswalk Anderson TrustProperty, 10 AM, Mayville, (716) 557-2529.May 16 - CFA-Sawmill Tour at BoicevilleLumber and Woodswalk, (914) 586-3054.May 20 -WFL-7 :30 PM, Monroe CooperativeExtension, Highland Avenue, Rochester"Genesee Land Trust" Audio/Visual presenta-'tion.May 23 - NFC-1O:45 AM, Reinstein NaturePreserve Woodswalk, Cheektowaga, BobWhite, (716) 537-2803.May 30 - LHC-1O AM, or 1:30 PM. AmericanMuseum of Natural History Forest ExhibitsWoodswalk, NYC, Bamber Marshall, (914)962-9888.June 6 - SAC-Shaving Mill, Kiln, Fuel Use,Saratoga Co., (518) 965-8257.June 13 -NFC-1O AM, Forest Lawn, BuffaloJune 13 - STC-1OAM, Al & Moira Robert'sTree Farm, Clark St. Ext, Groton, (607) 656-8504.


The New York Forest Owner - Volume 30 Number 3

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