The New York

FORESTOWNERA publication of the Nf'W YorkForest Owners Association

November/December 1994

THE NEW YORK

FOREST OWNERVOL. 32, NO.6

OFFICERS & DIRECTORS

Don Wagner, PresidentRD #1. Box 203CUtica, NY 13502; (315) 733-7391

Bill Minerd,lst Vice President1123 Cold Springs RoadLiverpool, NY 13088; (315) 451-3712

Robert M. Sand, Recording Secretary300 Church StreetOdessa, NY 14869-9703; (607) 594-2130

Clara Minerd, Treasurer1123 Cold Springs RoadLiverpool, NY 13088;(315)451-3712

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

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

1995Elizabeth Densmore, Machias; (716) 942-6600Richard J. Fox, Moravia; (315) 497-1078John VI. Krebs, Honeoye Falls; (716) 624-1793Tom Ellison, Manlius; (315) 682-9376

1996Albert Brown, Slow; (716) 763-9067Verner Hudson, Elbridge; (315) 689-3314

. Peter Levatich, Brooktondale; (607) 539-7049Don Wagner, Utica; (315) 733-7391

1997John T, Hastings, Queensbury; (518) 798-0248Charles Mowatt, Savona; (607) 583-7006Norman Richards, Syracuse; (315) 472-3696Elizabeth Wagner, Utica; (315) 733-7391

AFFILIATE REPRESENTATIVESCharles Sprague, THRIFT; (315) 788-5920Dinnie Sloman, Catskill Forest Assoc.; (914) 586-3054

CHAPTER REPRESENTATIVESMark & Joann Kurtis, Allegheny Foohills; (716) 945-6012

Tom Hewitt, Cayuga; (315) 497-1266Buzz Gosch, Capital District; (518) 797-3623Bob Sykes, Central New York; (315) 673-3691Bob Howard, Northern Adirondack West; (315)265-7560Herb Boyce, Northern Adi rondack East; (518) 946-7040Bob Colligan, Niagara FrontierGregg Mackey, SE Adirondack; (518) 893-2236Larry Lepak, Southern Tier; (607) 656-8504Don Schaufler, Tioga, (607) 589-6095Eile~n VanWie, Western Finger Lakes; (716) 367-2849 I

All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproducedwithout prior written permission from the publisher.NYFOA does not necessarily support or approve proce-dures, products, oropinions presented by authors or adver-tisers.

COVER: Master Forest OwnersUpdate. (See page 4)

Photos by Gary Goff.

2 NY FOREST OWNER

FOREST OWNERA publication of the New York Forest Owners Association

Editorial Committee: AI Brown, Betty Densmore, Alan Knight, Mary McCartyand Bill Minerd.

Materials submitted for publication should be addressed to: R. Fox, Editor, R.D. #3, Box88, Moravia, New York 13118. Articles, artwork and photos are invited and are normallyretumed after use. The deadline for submission for JanlFeb is Dec 1.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.

Master Forest Owners

Panel answers questions on RPTL Section 480a. (See page 4.)

Table of ContentsPresident's Message, Don Wagner 3NYS MFO's Program, Gary Goff 4·American Ginseng, Donald H. O'Shea 6North American Maple Project, Douglas Allen 8Chapter/Affiliates 10Pineholm-40 Years, Norman Richards 12Ask A Forester, Bob Sand 15LETTERS _ 16Bubble, Bubble, Toil & Trouble, Jane S. Lord 18

NYFOA - 1-800-836-3566 - INFO NOV/DEC 1994

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGEIt was a beautiful fall day with the leaves

just starting to reach their full color. As folksstarted to arrive, it was obvious that a goodtime was goingto be had by all. That's right.I'm talking about NYFOA's Fall Meetinghosted by THRIFT in Boonville on Septem-ber30th and October 1st. Eighty-eight peopleenjoyed the exceptional, all-you-can-eat buf-fet on Friday night at the Hulbert House.After dinner, three excellent speakers pro-vided the program. Saturday, the skies wereovercast and the weather somewhat threat-ening, however, the enthusiasm of the TourLeaders and eager members was not damp-ened. Unfortunately, the mill tour of LyonsFalls Pulp and Paper Company was canceledat the last minute. Initially, some folks weredisappointed, however, after participating intwo of the three remaining tours, everyone Italked to expressed their delight. I want totake this opportunity to personally thankHarold Petrie, Affiliate Chair, and all of thevolunteers that worked so hard to make thisyear's fall meeting such an interesting andenjoyable experience. The insert photo is ofRandy Kerr, Tour Leader for the LewisCounty Public Lands tour, with severalNYFOA members listening intently to hisevery word. As is always the case, meetingand talking to other members ofNYFOA atthese events is as pleasurable as the eventitself. During a conversation with Jill andBarry Cornell Friday even ing before dinner,they mentioned that they had read my mes-sage in the last edition of the Forest Ownerregarding the successful fledging often Blue-birds. They told me that they were successfulin fledging four American Kestrels (the miniFalcon), also once kr ~wn as the SparrowHawk. Barry indicated (hat he had plans fora nesting box and asked me if I'd be inter-ested in a copy. I told him I would; and whatdo you think? I received it in the mail thefollowing Monday! Thanks Barry for yourthoughtfu Iness and promptness. If any mem-berwould like a copy of the plan for a Kestrelbox, drop me a note, I'll be happy to send acopy.

In way of an update, the Leadership Re-treat scheduled for September 9th and 10th atDodge Pond had to be canceled because ofscheduling conflicts and prior commitments.The work done by Dawn Howard of theNorthern Adirondacks Chapter on such shortnotice was extraordinary. I want to thankDawn for all of her hard work and apologizefor having to cancel the meeting. It will beNY FOREST OWNER

Randy Kerr (c.), Lewis County Forester, discusses some history and management.Photo by President Don Wagner.

discussed at our next Board Meeting andhopefully rescheduled when more of ourleaders are capable of attending.

Since my September 10th Saturday wasfree, I took the opportunity to attend theCatskill Forest Association 's Annual Meet-ing which included a tour ofNorm Richards'Tree Farm. [see page 12] It was a beautifulfall day in the Catskill Mountains. Normreceived recognition for his forty years as aTree Farmer. Congratulations, Norm. Thehard work you and your family have put inover the years is readily evident. I particu-larly enjoyed the view of Norm 's two pondsbeyond his open meadow.

I also attended a meeting on Thursdayevening, September 29th, soonsored by theCentral New York Chapter in i. iverpool. Theguest speaker was Dr. Paul U. Manion, Pro-fessor - Forest Pathology, at Syracuse ES &F. I can'trememberwhen I enjoyedapresen-tation more. Dr. Manion's expertise has al-ways been of interest to me. I think for thefirst time that I can remember, I heard aplausible explanation formapledecline. Sorrythat more of you didn't have the opportun ityto participate in this presentation but there isgood news. Dr. Manion has agreed to lead awoodswalk sharing his knowledge along theway. This event will be announced in themagazine when scheduled by the CentralNew York Chapter. I strongly recommendthat you don't miss this woodswalk

On a personal note, the TSI work underNYFOA - 1-800-836-3566 -INFO

SIP for 45 acres of my woodlot was justcompleted along with a vehicle recreationtrail. The TSI was a lot of hard work. Iappreciate the efforts of my Consulting For-ester, Wayne Tripp. Watching the road beingconstructed was a real joy for me. The exca-vating machine used to remove rocks andstumps, and to grade and level was phenom-enal. The skills of the operator were alsoexceptional. For anyone that's tried to put aroad into rough terrain in the AdirondackMountains knows what a chore this task.really is. Wouldn't you know it, almost im-mediately after the road work was complete,with the exception of some fi II, the monsoonstarted. I haven't been able to get to mywoodlot since the rains ended so I don'tknow how much erosion, if any, occurred tomy newly constructed road. I'll let you allknow in my next President's Message theoutcome of the forty days and nights of rainon my road project.

Iwant to take this opportunity to welcomeall of the new members that have recentlyjoined our Association. If you participate inthe Association activities I know you will notbe disappointed. Lastly, in almost everyPresident's Message I talk about the impor-tance of recruiting new members. Have yourecruited your new member yet?

P. S. For those of you who saw the Sep-tember/October magazine the FROG wasthe one on the left.

NOVIDEC 1994 • 3

NY's Master Forest Owner COVERTS Program"The power of the program is that it

comes to you. Everyone tends to procras-tinate, and to have someone come to meand schedule a visit was what it took to getmoving on my woodlot plan. Thanks forthe program"!

"The visit by the Master Forest Ownermade me realize I was uncertain about mygoals and had to give more thought to whatI wanted to accomplish".

"The Master Forest Owner was pleas-ant and helpful. I have had additional con-tacts with him as a result of his enthusias-tic assistance."

These are just a few of the positivethings participant forest owners are sayingabout NY's Master Forest Owner/CO-VERTS Program. A mail survey of forestowners, who had been visited by MasterForest Owner (MFO) volunteers between1991 and 1993, revealed this and muchmore valuable information about the effec-tiveness of the program.

The goal of New York's Master ForestOwner/COVERTS Program is to provideprivate, nonindustrial forest owners withthe information and encouragement neces-sary to manage their forest holdings to en-hance ownership satisfaction. Since 1991,over 100 qualified volunteers from 39counties have been certified in the program.Over the past three years the MFOs havevisited a reported minimum 325 neighborforest owners who own a total of 26,750acres. A typical visit consists of a half-daywalk through the forest owner's woods withthe purpose to assist him/her with findingsources of information that may be of in-terest to the forest owners. MFOs are nottrained to perform management activitiesor give professional advice, but rather theyare there to listen to the forest owner's con-cerns and questions, and offer advice as tosources of assistance based on their train-ing and personal experience. As an indica-tion of the value of the visit, respondentsto the previously mentioned survey ratedthe value of the information received fromthe MFOs a 4.2 on a 5-point scale.

In addition to the on-site visits, MFOsparticipate in numerous other forestry edu-cational activities and events in their com-munities. These activities may be as simpleas answering a question over the phone, oras involved as hosting a day-long work-shop in cooperation with their CountyCornell Cooperative Extension Office, re-

4 NY FOREST OWNER

"""7 •David Briggs, President NY Assessors Association, provides some background

to the Master Forest Owners prior to the 480A discussion.

gional DEC Office, and County ASCS/SCS long recognized the value of educating pri-Office. MFOs also routinely invite others vate nonindustrial forest owners to ensureto visit their forest holdings. NY's volun- continued forest productively, forest ownerteers have increasingly been involved in satisfaction, and environmental protection,State-wide educational events such as the statistics indicate that there is much moreBoonvilieWoodsmans'FieldDaysandNY to do. For instance, only 3% ofState Society of American Foresters annual Pennsylvania's forest owners have a writ-meetings. Several of NY's MFOs partici- ten management plan, and less than 20%pated in a 1994 national conference on for- of those who harvest timber use the ser-est stewardship held in Nebraska City, NE, vices of a professional natural resourcessponsored by the USDA Forest Service to manager. In NY State, with over 500,000investigate continuing opportunities to in- forest owners, probably less than 30% ofvolve volunteers in forestry educational all forest holdings are purposefully man-programs. All told, NY's MFOS have been aged for any objective. As a result, not onlyinvolved in a minimum reported 390 such is long-term productivity sacrificed; theactivities or events in the past two years! costs are incalculable in terms of environ-

New York is one of about a dozen states mental degradation and, perhaps most im-nationwide that have similar programs portantly, ownership satisfaction.based on volunteers. The first such pro- Results of the 1993 survey (usable re-grams were started a decade ago in Ver- sponse rate of 63%) of forest owners vis-mont and Connecticut and were co-spon- ited by NY's MFOs, indicated that one-on-sored by The Ruffed Grouse Society and one peer counselling motivates forest own-Cooperative Extension. These programs are ers to make informed decisions and takecalled "COVERTS" (pronounced like ajar appropriate action, For example, within 2"cover"), because a strong emphasis is years of the visit and as a results of the visit:placed on the creation and maintenance of -34% of the forest owners prepared awildlife habitat through wise forest man- written management plan and 18% plan toagement. A "covert" is good ruffed grouse do sohabitat and is symbolic of the importance --60% of the forest owners met with aof habitat to all wildlife. New York's pro- professional forester, and another 20% plangram was initially funded by The National to do soWild Turkey Federation, The RuffedGrouse Society, and the NY Forest Stew-ardship Program, but is now funded onlyby the latter two organizations.

Even though the forestry profession has

-32% of the forest owners imple-mented wildlife management practices and21% plan to do so

-42% of the forest owners sought outmore information on forest management.

NYFOA - 1-800-836-3566 - INFO NOV/DEC 1994

and another 7% plan to do so.The success of this volunteer program

is grounded in the power of "peer" coun-selling. Knowledgeable and experiencedforest owner neighbors can interact as un-biased peers with less experienced forestowners. Volunteers are less likely to useforestry terminology and jargon than pro-fessional foresters, and inexperienced for-est owners may be less intimidated by theirown lack of knowledge. In addition, vol-unteers not tied to the forestry professionmay gamer more trust from owners thanprofessional foresters. This program can-not single-handedly be the magic cure-allto motivate all of NY's forest owners toestablish management plans for their for-ests, but it is one more tool that effectivelyreaches a few hundred more!

Each spring the program director GaryGoff, solicits names of candidate MFOsfrom current MFOs, DEC Foresters,Cornell Cooperative Extension Agents, TheNY Forest Owners Association, NY TreeFarm Committee, and officers of variousNY forestry organizations. An invitationletter and application form is sent to thecandidates and about 35 to 40 applicantsare selected (with the assistance of a com-mittee) from the pool of returned applica-tions. Candidates need not necessarily evenown forest land, but they must show a sin-cere interest in working with neighbor for-est owners toward the goal of improvingforest stewardship. There is no set patternto who becomes an MFO. They truly rep-resent the gambit of your neighbors, includ-ing farmers, retirees, school teachers, busi-nessmen, bus drivers, and self-employedtrades people.

All MFOs must attend a 3-day work-shop training in mid-September, held atCornell's Arnot Teaching and ResearchForest just south of Ithaca, to become cer-tified. The training is given by a wide vari-ety of professionals from Cornell Univer-sity, College of Environmental Science andForestry, NYS Dept. of EnvironmentalConservation, NY Forest Owners Associa-tion, NY Institute of Consulting Foresters,The Catskill Forest Association, CoastalLumber Co., and local timber harvestingfirms. A combination offield trip exercisesand inside classroom lectures are used tocover topics including: forest ecology, for-est economics, communication and educa-

Neil Lamson, USFS, & Crop Tree Management exercise.

tion techniques, and sources of informationon forestry programs and assistance.MFO's consistently rate the training as out-standing and one of the best educationalevents of their lives.

This past September the training was arefresher course for MFOs previeusiy-cer-tified over the past three years. It was at-tended by 36 MFO volunteers and 17speakers. Topics this year included: effec-tive facilitation, forestry practices for wild-life management, presentations by MFOs,forest land taxation, agroforestry opportu-nities, ecosystem management, strategiesto improve audience recruitment, crop treemanagement, song birds and land manage-ment (including calling in a barred owl thatevening), and issues and opportunities forNY's MFO Program. Several presentationsreceived "outstanding" evaluation ratings.A principal reason for holding the refreshercourse was to reinvigorate the attendees andapparently it was successful as the overallprogram received a "reinvigoration" ratingof 4.4 on a 5-pt. scale! The MFOs told ofsome great and revealing experiences suchas the MFO couple that were further moti-vated to do more this past year upon hear-ing the trials and tribulations one MFO re-lated to the class at the last year's training.Another MFO told of the confused fellowthat called him up to schedule lunch be-

.....a survey rated MFO informationvalue - 4.2 on a 5 point scale.

NY FOREST OWNER NYFOA - 1-800-836-3566 -INFO

cause the local paper had advertised theMFO Program as "the next best thing to afree lunch!" But the bottom line is that theMFOs provide a free, no-obligation servicethat forest owners fmd worthwhile and theMFOs also find the work personally re-warding.

MFOs are encouraged to establish work-ing relationships with local professionalresource managers including Cornell Co-operative Extension County Agents, NYSDEC Foresters and Wildlife Biologists,Private Consulting Foresters, CountyASCS/ SCS personnel, and others involvedin various ways with forest managementsuch as local land trusts and environmen-tal organizations. Such mutual relationshipsallow the MFOs to keep abreast of assis-tance programs, local conditions, and beinvolved in various educational events. Inaddition, MFOs occasionally holdwoodswalks at their forests for other MFOsto share experiences and ideas. The pro-gram Director also sends out mailings ofrelevant publications and notices of com-ing events to inform MFOs of advances inforest management.

Anyone interested in contacting anMFO can acquire a listing of MFOs fromtheir Cornell Cooperative ExtensionCounty Office or NYS DEC Regional For-estry Office. Anyone who would like aflyer on the program or is interested in be-coming an MFO volunteer should contactGary Goff, Program Director, FernowHall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853- ph. 607-255-2824.

NOV/DEC 1994 - 5

The Forest's Enchanted Carrot: American GinsengBy Donald H. O'Shea

Unlike many ofthewildherbaceous plantssought out by today's forager, wild Ameri-can ginseng is not to be found in the fields,roadsides or urban lots. Panax quinquefoliuswill flourish only in rich woodland soil in theshelter of hardwood trees, and because ofman's relentless pursuit of its root, especiallyduring the last 200-300 years, ginseng hasretreated even deeper into the forest.

Panax quinquefolius means "five-leavedcure-all" - an accurate description of theplant's exaggerated reputation as a panacea.ItsAsian counterpart, Panaxschinsenq, com-bines "cure-all" or "panacea" with the "hu-man root" or "manlike" description of itsoccasional likeness to the human form.

Both the Chinese and the Native Ameri-cans attached special healing and rejuvenat-ing powers to the man-shaped root, believingthe plant to be a divine gift from heaven toman. The association of the plant's appear-ance to its curative powers, is an example ofthe doctrine of signatures, a theory that had asubstantial following among early healers.Just as medieval physicians confidently usedliverleaf (Hepatica nobilis) to treat liver dis-orders because they perceived the shape andcolor of the plant's leaves to resemble ahuman liver, other healers saw ginseng'sman-shaped root as a sign that it would curesome (or all) ofthe afflictions ofrnankind-. Itwas used to treat everything from anemiaandasthma to kidney stones, digestive disorders,earache and back pain. Some believed itincreased fertility, while others trusted it as acontraceptive. It was, and still is, used as anaphrodisiac and a stress-relieving tonic. Manyherbalists now tend to shy away from themore extravagant claims of ginseng's heal-ing powers, but still value the root's use as astimulant and a daily tonic to prevent stress.

There are a few other northern plants inthe Ginseng Family (Araliaceae) such asbristly sarsapari lla (Aralia hispida) and spike-nard (Aralia racemosa), and there are, ofcourse, other plants with compound leavesmade up of five leaflets, such as the cinque-foils and Virginia creeper (Partenocissusquinquefolia). When comparing these plantswith American ginseng, there may be someconfusion, due to similarities in the Latin orEnglish names or because of a few sharedphysical characteristics. Panax quinauefoliushas some unique characteristics, however,that allows it to be readily identified - espe-cially when the entire plant is examined.American ginseng has an erect stem, grows8-24 inches tall and has three large, com-

6 NY FOREST OWNER

Branch, root, flower, and berries of American ginseng.

pound leaves, each consisting of five thin,stalked, ovate leaflets, and each leaf is posi-tioned atop the long stem. The leaflets havetoothed margins, are pointed at the tips, androunded or narrow at the bottom. Of the fiveleaflets that make up the horse chestnut-shaped leaves, the upper three are the largest.The tiny (one-eighth inch) greenish-white orgreenish-yellow flowers appear in late spring,and are borne in a single spherical cluster (theumbels of the Ginseng Family are rounderthan those of the parsley family, Umbelliferae,for example). The umbel of inconspicuousflowers, which rises above the leaves, oftencarries an odor similar to lily of the valley.The fruits, ripening to bright red berries, areproduced in late summer and drop in the fall.The leaves turn yellow earlier than most inthe forest, making the plant more conspicu-

ous at "harvest time."Ginseng's perennial root varies in size

and shape according to its age and growthpattern. Its length may vary from 2-3 inchesto 4-6 inches or more, when mature, andabout 1I2 to 1 inch thick. It is a white tobrownish-white, fleshy, somewhat flexible,gnarled carrot, usually becoming forked af-ter its second year. Each fall, the root pro-duces a bud, from which next year's stemwill grow. From year to year, these budsleave scars in a spiraling pattern on the sec-tion joining the stem with the root. Thesescars form a sort of chronological map, notunlike the growth rings of a tree. By countingthe bud scars, the age of the root can bedetermined even as it is being dug. Immature-roots (less than six years old) should be leftundisturbed.

NYFOA· 1·800·836·3566 ·INFO NOV/DEC 1994

To dig or not to dig; that is the question.Assum ing that ginseng has been located,there are several factors that a would-be roothunter may want to consider before settingout to harvest the "enchanted carrot." First ofall, ginseng root is not always easy to dig - itcan not be simply plucked from the earth likea garden variety carrot from sandy soil, andto be of commercial value, it must remainintactwhen it is dug. It isthe sbi!l2S' of the root,and the root hairs and "appendages" - thebranched parts of the root together with itsage, that largely determines the commercialvalue of an individual root. The more the rootresembles the human form, the more desir-able itwill be, for it is the man-like figure thatsignals special powers - the magic of ginseng- to those who attach to the plant its traditionalattributes: good health, long life, manliness'and power. The foot must be properly caredfor after it is dug. If it is not carefully washedand dried and the leaf stem immediatelyremoved, or if it is harvested at the wrongtime of the year, it will be inferior, even if itwas a prime root to begin with. Improperlydried roots will mold, as will those with anygreen material left on them. Dreams of quick

For $300 and 200 roots tothe pound, a small patchis hardly a gold mine.

riches may be shattered when one learns howmany roots it takes to make apound. Accord-ing to Doug Schmid of the Albany DECoffice, that number has increased rather dra-matically in the last few years. Even beforethe roots apparently began getting smaller,an average 120-140 wild roots were neededto make a pound; the figure is closer to 200/lb., now. At a current estimated value ofabout $300 per pound ($60 for cultivatedginseng) a small patch is hardly a gold mine.Then there are the rules and regulations, toconsider. These will be touched on onlybriefly, here, but anyone seriously consider-ing digging ginseng is advised to contactDEC, first. Doug Schmid from the Bureau ofForest Resource Management Office is thecontact person. His number is: (518) 457-7370.

Ginseng is a protected species, and theregulation of its harvest, use and sale variesfrom state to state, in accordance with man-dates from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser-vice. The plant has been declared a "threat-ened species" in at least 3 I states, but not inNew York State. In this state, ginseng hasbeen listed as "exploitably vulnerable" i.e.;"likely to become threatened ifcausal factorsNY FOREST OWNER

continue." Many of the regulations in NewYork State, apply only to dealers - those who.b1!y, aswell as sell, ginseng. Any person whobuys the roots must obtain a permit, and anyroots sold outside of the state must be "certi-fied" to verify that they were picked in seasonfrom mature plants. Weighing the roots andtabulating statistical information is part ofthe certification process, as well. There arerules for "diggers," too, but the regulationsare straightforward and easy to follow (butextremely important!):

1)Dig only on your own property, unlessyou have permission. Permission is neces-sary to dig on public lands, as well (anddifficult to obtain - permits to dig ginseng onstate forest lands, are not, and are not ex-pected to become, available).

2) Dig roots only during the harvest sea-son. New York's season runs from Septem-ber 1 through November 30.

3) Dig only mature roots. Individuals arenot expected to count bud scars to ascertainthe age ofthe root - this would be subjectiveand unreliable. Check, instead, the plant it-self. Ifit has three compound leaves made upof five leaflets on each, and ithas ripe berries,the plant should be mature. (If the bud scarscan be seen, counting them may help toestablish the root's age more precisely).

4) Plant the seeds! Regulations requirethat the berries from the uprooted plant, besown within 50 feet of its original growingsite. The berries should be covered with nomore than an inch of soil. This will offersome protection from bird and mammalmarauders, while mimicking natural propa-gation (the fallen berries would be coveredwith only a light layerofleafmold and forestdebris).

It goes without saying that the steward-ship role assumed by the forest owner appliesto all life in his forest. If he is fortunateenough to have a ginseng patch, he will dowell to appreciate its intrinsic value as muchas its commercial value, and realize the im-portance of its continuing existence. Ameri-can ginseng's Asian counterpart is all butextinct in the wild, so rare that a prime wildroot may sell for thousands of dollars. Culti-vated plants may continue to sustain thetrade, but the wild ginseng, once gone, takeswith it the magic and mystery of the root thatcures all ills.

TREE PROTECTORSDIEBACK PROBLEMS

WE HAVE THE ANSWER!The health of your trees dependson getting accurate information.

Don 0 'Shea retired from the New YorkStateDepartment of Correctional Services in 1990.He has a lifelong interest in trees, wild plants,nature and gardening and is both a volunteerMaster Forest Owner and Cornell-certifiedMaster Gardener.

NYFOA - 1-800-836-3566 -INFO

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to think of all of the benefits youcould enjoy from having a pond ora lake on your own property. Thisidea could become a reality if theright conditions prevail. From ourexperience it normally requiresfavorable watershed conditions,good site conditions, owner-commitment to stewardship forenhancement of forest land values,appropriate engineering planningand design, and good constructionpractices.

PONDS UNLIMITED CANEV ALUATE the site of yourchoice. We can provide all of theengineering services needed toplan, design and oversee theconstruction of a dam to create ahandsome pond or lake on suitableproperty. You can get additionalinformation by calling 315/422-POND or sending a letter ofinquiry to:

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NOV/DEC 1994 7

THE NORTH AMERICAN MAPLE PROJECTResults from New York's Plots - Part II

By Douglas AllenIn the Sept.!Oct. issue, readers were

introduced to the North American MapleProject (NAMP) and the New York land-owners who cooperate in this endeavor.The current article highlights results fromthe 27 woodlots and sugarbushes thatcomprise New York's portion of the pro-gram.

Crown ConditionOne of the most meaningful ways to

view results is to look at yearly changesin the proportion of overstory sugarmaples (trees in dominant and codorni-nant canopy positions) that have whatNAMP considers to be high levels ofcrown dieback (greater than 15%) orhigh crown transparency (greater than25%).

Except for sugarbush maples in 1992and 1993, 6% or less of the overstorytrees that we monitor in New York ex-hibited high levels of die back duringeach of the past six years (Fig. 1). Thisfigure increased to approximately 9% in1992 and 1993 for maples in activesugarbushes. The 361 overstory sugarmaples monitored in sugarbushes con-sistently have had slightly higher levelsof dieback compared to the 612 over-story maples in nonsugarbush stands.

For the past two years, the proportionof overstory maples in the high diebackcategories in NY's sugarbush plots (9%,Fig. 2) has exceeded the average forNAMP sugarbushes as a whole, but it hasbeen less than the NAMP average fornonsugarbushes.

Thirty-four percent of the overstorymaples in both sugarbushes and

_~ CLEAR CREEK--~~ CONSULTING

Profaulon., Fora.try ServiCes

Tlmber Appraisals • TImber Mar1tIng •Tlmber Trespau.s • For•• t Msnagement Plans

And 0ttIer Forastry SeMces

PATRICK J. McGLEW(&o7)~8

P.O. Box 104Nichols. NY 13812

NY FOREST OWNER

15

t- 10ZUJ(Ja:wa. 5

o'88 '89 '90 '91

YEAR'92 '93

Figure 1. Annual percentage a/the overs tory sugar maples in NY's NAMPplots rated in high (i.e., > 15%) crown dieback classes.

nonsugarbushes exhibited high crowntransparency in 1988, but transparencydecreased substantially thereafter (i.e.,crown density improved), until the lasttwo years when a modest increase oc-curred.

The proportion of NY maples withhigh levels of transparency in 1993 wasgreater than the NAMP average forsugarbushes, but the NY average in thenonsugarbush stands was lower than av-erage crown transparency for the overallproject.

Factors Associated WithCrown Condition Changes

High crown transparency in 1988 wascaused by extensive pear thrips damage.Very little dieback was associated withthis outbreak and within two years (Fig.2; 1988 through 1990) crown densityimproved markedly.

The slight increase in the proportionof NY's overstory sugar maples withhigh levels of both dieback and transpar-ency during 1992 and 1993 can be attrib-uted to forest tent caterpillar defoliationat a few sites and bole damage resultingfrom forest management (thinning) ac-tivities in two stands. In general, thecondition of sugar maple crowns in New

NYFOA - 1-800-836-3566 -INFO

York's NAMP plots indicates that thetrees we monitor are healthy.

Sugar Maple MortalityNow that we are six years into the

NAMP project, it is possible to deter-mine the extent of sugar maple mortalitysince 1988. The figures given below areconservative estimates, because they in-clude live trees that werecutfor-manage-ment purposes (salvage cuts from unusu-ally severe storm damage, thinning, etc.)as well as those lost to natural mortality.Eventually, we will distinguish betweenthe two sources of "mortality", but at thisearly stage of the analysis they remaincombined.

For NAMP as a whole, the averageannual mortality of upper canopy sugarmaple for all sites was approximatelyequal for both sugarbush {0.8%) andnonsugarbush (0.7%) stands. Averageannual mortality in New Yorksugarbushes (\.8%) was a little morethan twice that of the NAMP average for

....sugar maplesobserved .... are ingood condition ....

NOVIDEC 1994

35

3025

••••ffi 200c:: 15Wa.

10

50

'88

111 SUGARBUSH• NON-SUGARBUSH"--------------- ----------

'89 '92'90 '91YEAR

Figure 2. Annual percentage of the overstory sugar maples in NY's NAMPplots rated in high (i.e. > 25%) crown transparency classes.

sugarbushes. This difference is explainedlargely by the fact that during the past sixyears one entire plot in NY was clearcutbecause of excessive ice damage and two

plots were thinned heavily. Basically,the natural mortality of overs tory treesthat we have observed in NAMP (includ-ing NY) has been low and well within the

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range of what one would expect in ahealthy forest.

Sugar Maple Health ConfirmedAt any point in time throughout the

range of sugar maple, one can find for-ests where maple crowns appear to bedeteriorating and (or) where abnormallyhigh mortality occurs. The agent or agentsinvolved frequently can be identified,but in some instances the cause is un-known. Results from NAMP indicatingthat the sugar maples observed by thisproject generally are in good conditionhave been corroborated to on.e degree oranother by independent surveys inOntario, Vermont, Wisconsin, the Cana-dian Forest Service Acid Rain NationalEarly Warning System, and the U.S. For-est Service Forest Health MonitoringProgram.

This is the 17th in the series of articlesprovided by Dr. Allen, Professor of For-est Entomology at SUNYIESF. Reprintsof Part 1of the NAMP article and othersof the series may be obtained by request.

II

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NY FOREST OWNER NYFOA - 1-800-836-3566 - INFO NOV/DEe 1994 • 9

CHAPTER! AFFILIATES

NORTHERN ADIRONDACKOn August 6th, about 20 Tree FarmlNAC

members met at the Lake Alice Game Man-agement Area, near Chazy, for an in-depthlook at wetland restoration and managementfollowed by a barbeque at Point Au RocheState Park.

Eric Derleth of the US Fish and WildlifeService (F&WS) explained the "Partners forWildlife" Wetlands Restoration Program withan on-going project in a formerly drained,wet field. The engineered 700' dikewill floodabout 7 acres with an average water depth of18 inches suitable for wetland habitat. Adja-cent land will be managed as grassland toattract waterfow I, shorebirds and song birds.

Eric enlightened us with a variety of other

people and. 'lrees, partners in 'lime,

SOUTHERN TIERThe Baxter Tree Farm in Sanford was the

site of a full day Forestry/ Christmas TreeWe! ," \ on August 27.jurs were conducted of SIP-fundedaccess trails, a clover/fescue wildlife plant-ing, and an improved sugar bush. The Xmastree plantation of 250, 000 trees was alsotoured. Vendors and numerous speakers madethe day a valuable learning experience.

THRIFTOur members are gearing-up for winter

and reflecting on the events of the past year-a busy one.

The event that makes us proud was host-ing NYFOA's Annual Fall Meeting; and thejoyous time we had at Hulbert House inBoonville. The food, our speakers, the fel-lowship, and the tours provided a wonderfultime for all.

Thanks to all NYFOA members, speak-ers, and workers who made it possible. Aspecial note of congratulations to our Presi-dent, Harold Petrie.

NIAGARA FRONTIERSeptember 10th fourteen members en-

joyed a pleasant walk in the woods ofLetchworth State Park. We visited a planta-tion, an old growth forest, and a site insuccession. As a bonus we learned some-thing of various mushrooms.

November 19th our chapter will visit theValor Lumber Company Plant in Sandusky.Valor ships semi- fmished lumber around theglobe to be used forfltrOTing, furniture, mu-sical instruments, etc. Valor received theEXPORTER OF THE YEAR Awardin May1994 from the Small Business Administra-tion. We will visit the Company's Dimen-sion Mill. Valor uses every part of a tree;nothing is wasted. Call R. Preston, 716-632-5862

WESTERN FINGER LAKESSeptember 24th, Dave & Jo Bott hosted a

woodswalk on their property; Bruce Robinsonled the group of over thirty people. Bruce hadmarked a section for timber harvest and hereviewed the process, We had the pleasure ofseeing wildlife shrubs, new plantings, and abreathtaking view. Bruce's program not onlyentertained and informed our members, butengaged the attention of three deer for awhile.

November 1st, there will be a general

10 NY FOREST OWNER

'FORE -.CA't'UG

ORKA N..

CHAP ER

OtlR~.Cl..;eANAiR• RECREATION·INOUSTRY-JOSS

•• CLeA.N WATER• WfLDlJFE•• EXPORTS•• INCOME

Sept. 24, Dick Fox, Lfee Signor, & Tom Hewitt (r) represent the Cayuga Chapter for NationalHunting & Fishing Day at Auburn's WAL-MART Photo by TimNoga, Secretary, Federationof Conservation Clubs.meeting at the Cornell Cooperative Exten-sion Center on Highland Avenue in Roches-ter. The topic will be Tree Identification(native and naturalized, non-ornamental). JimPeek, Assistant Regional Forester from NYSDEC Region 8 will make the presentation.November 12th, NYS DEC Senior ForesterMark Keister will do a follow-up of TreeIdentification in the field .at Mendon PondsPark.Phone (716)367-2849.

topics such as the laser level/direct-read rodused in surveying the dike, and artificial ducknesting structures as the wood duck box,tripod and hanging baskets for puddle ducks.He also informed us aboutthe exotic wetlandplant, purple loosestrife, which is suppress-ing most of our beneficial aquatic plants. Ithasno fQOOvalue, and there is no knownselective control for this introduced invaderwhich is dominating many of our wetlands.

Ed Reed, Region 5 Wildlife Biologist,took us on a tour of the Lake Alice watercontro Ifacility where waterfow Iis protected,but where there is great fishing. Bruce Ber-nard, DEC forester, ended this interestingday of magnificent weather with a tour of arecent timber harvest, showing excellent sap-ling regeneration.

Thanks to Herb and Debbie Boyce for allthe plarming that staged this interesting tour.

CENTRAL NEW YORKThe Central New York Chapter held a

meeting September 29th at the LiverpoolLibrary. Our guest speaker was Dr. PaulManion, Professor of Forest Pathology atE.S.&F. Dr. Manion presented a very infor-mative video showing examples of various

",!to

NYFOA -1-800-836-3566 -INFO NOVIDEC 1994

ALLEGHENY FOOTHILLS CHAPTERSeptember 17was a grey day with a threat

of showers but this did not keep 55 stalwartmembers from a woodswalk on the Mowatthome farm in Franklinville. Charlie (and allthe other Mowatts) walked us through a 25acre woodlot that is marked for harvest inJanuary. We were given handouts that in-cluded amap of the harvest area, a list of treesto be harvested and a copy of the contract andtimber harvest guidelines.

We were walked through and given therationale for marking and told what theMowatts hope to achieve in the future withthis woodlot. Lots of questions were askedand information exchanged. I (almost) evenunderstand "basal area"! After lunch we helda short meeting. We decided that we will renta hall for the annual Christmas party as it isgetting too big, and a little daunting to expectamember to host this mob. Detai Ison the dayand location can be secured from Mark orJoann Kurtis at 945-6012.

Our annual fundraiser is in full swing withalmost $500 worth of balsam cones alreadycollected and members busily collecting but-ternuts, walnuts and red oak acorns. Anyonewishing to contribute walnuts to the causeshould call the Kurtises atthe above number.We anticipate a nut collection in excess of$1000.00 this year.

'lhink globally, ~ct Locally, 'logether

Grand Parade Marshal of the47th NYS Woodsmen's FieldDays held at Boonville August20, 1994 - Verner C. Hudson.

Mar) & Vern Hudson wearing crowns pro-vided by Bill and Clara Minerd; photo byMary Richardson.

tree diseases. A nice question and answersession followed. We hope to schedule afield trip on this same subject in the future.

We welcome Judy Gianforte who hasaccepted the position of Vice Chairperson ofour chapter. We also welcome' thirteen newCNY memberships (June through August).

CATSKILL FOREST ASSOCIATIONOn Saturday, September 10more than 35

people turned out for the Catskill ForestAssociation's Annual Meeting. After a briefbusiness meeting, where Jack McShane, JimDunbar, and CarlWiedemann were re-electedto CFA's Board of Directors, PresidentMcShane welcomed the group. DinnieSloman, Executive Director, then gave hisreport which highlighted CFA's activitiesover the past year. Don Wagner, President ofNYFOA, also gave a few comments.

After a brief break, where the crowd en-thusiastically began purchasing tickets forthe silent auction, the educational portion ofthe program began. Attendees listened topresentations on a variety of management

NY FOREST OWNER

issues. Fred Colie, past president and forestmanager of the Tuscarora Club, spoke to thegroup on the history ofthe fish and game cluband how the club manages its land for gamespecies. The second segment was presentedby Tom Salo, president of the Delaware/Otsego Chapter of the Audubon Society, andfeatured a slide presentation on managementpractices to attract a variety of birds. Themorning session concluded with an intro-duction to trail design and construction byPeter Jensen, Principal of Openspace Man-agement of Great Barrington, Massachu-setts. Many good questions came from thegroup for each of the speakers.

An excellent buffet lunch was preparedand served by the Ladies of the NorthKortright Church. After lunch the results ofthe silent auction were announced and theprizes given to the winners. A special auctionthen was held for a signed and numberedfishing print by artist and fly fishing instruc-tor Francis Davis of Long Eddy. JuergenSchumann had the highest bid.

For the afternoon portion of the meeting,the group traveled a short distance toNormanand Karin Richards' property inHarpersfield,for a woodswalk. [See page 12]

NYFOA - 1-800-836-3566 -INFO

N.Y.S.Tree Farm NewsBy Sue Keister

It has come time fOr.Bob and AudreyChilds, N.Y.S.'s 1991 Outstanding TreeFarmers of the Year to retire from theirposition on the N.Y.S. Tree Farm E "1'tive Committee. However, the Com .',ctee cannot let them go without sayinggood-bye and thank you.

Nominated by Consulting ForesterBruce Robinson, the Childses Tree Farm,known as Blueberry Hill, not only cap-tured N.Y,' s highest honors, but went on,in 1992 regional competition, to placesecond to the eventual winners of theNational Outstanding Tree Farmer Com-petition.

Bob and Audrey are more then "just"outstanding Tree Farmers. They are untir-ing promoters of the benefits of tree farm-ing and forest stewardship. Whether it bethrough their service as members of theExecutive Committee (and those longone day trips to meetings which werenever located closer to Blueberry Hillthen a good 3 hour drive), their sponsor-ship and hard work at one of the bestattended, annual forestry workshop daysin the state, or their enthusiasm and pro-motion to any and all who would askwhen they sold their home grown mer-chandise at the Buffalo farmers market.Bob and Audrey are untiring in theirenthusiasm for the "cause"!

And although words are not alwaysenough, sometimes they are all we have.

Thank you, Bob and Audrey for allyour dedication and hard work. Yourpresence on the Board will truly bemissed.

Tree Farm TreatsTree Farm cook books are still avail-

able for your holiday gift giving needs! Awonderful collection of tree farm testedrecipes! All for just $8.00!! Order yourstoday by calling or writing the EmpireState Forest Products Association at 123State Street, Albany, N.Y. 12207, (518)463-1297.

NOV/DEC 1994 11

or maintain as open fields; (b) old-fields invarious stages of natural tree regrowth fromscattered seedlings to closed "pole-stands";and (c) heavily cutover residual woods.

From the beginning, the managementobjective for the tree farm has been to keepcapital investment low, and maintain andimprove the property through weekend andvacation work and the farm's income. Weinitially patched up Mr. Goss's shack forfamily use, and in 1968 moved into the cabinwe have built - still to be "fmished".

We became cooperators under the ForestPractice Act in 1955; getting a general man-agement plan prepared by a state forester andfree or low cost tree seedlings from the statenursery. From 1955 to 60 we planted upmostopen fields, primarily for Christmas trees inthe better fields but some for reforestation onrougher areas. We soon had more Christmastree plantings than we could care for well, soseveral fields were given up to a mix ofplanted and natural reforestation after a par-tial harvest of Christmas trees. Learning thehard way that today's Christmas trees are ahorticultural crop rather than a forest crop,we now maintain about 15 acres of fairlyintensive Christmas tree plantations currentlyin their second and third rotations - a smallcommercial business that occupies most ofthe family's worktime there, but has coveredthe operating costs of the tree farm mostyears. Another value of the Christmas treeplantings is that they provide a practicalmeans of maintaining areas in a fairly open

PinehoIm: 40 Years of a Multi-value Tree FarmBy Norman Richards

One problem often noted for private non-industrial woodlands in New York is thataverage ownership is less than ten years, sothat many owners never get to know theirwoodlands and the many values they canprovide. Hidden in that average, however, isthe group of owners who call themselves"tree farmers". We are a diverse lot, but onefeature we are most likely to have incommonis being fortunate to own and work with ourproperties long enough to learn about wood-land changes - growth and death of trees,changing landscapes and animal populations;the results of our actions on these and othernatural processes; and especially our owngrowing understanding and changing viewsand values of the piece of the earth under ourstewardship.

A great value of tree farming, comparedwith most other farming, is that it requireslong term concern and care but not dailytending, so a tree farm can remain a familyfocus for continuity while our livelihoods,residence locales, and even generationschange. The Richards' tree farm, "Pineholrn",completes its 40th year this fall. Its story isspecial only to our family, and otherwise isjust one example of many such family treefarms that have avoided various pressures to"cash in" long enough to add their ownchapter to the landuse history of their locale.

The main part of our 190-acre property onthe northwest edge of the Catskills was an oldfarm purchased in 1954 in partnership withmy father. The idea for, this tree farm camefrom my freshman forestry courses the pre-vious year that promoted reforesting oldfields and rehabilitating deteriorated forestsinNew York. I was also strongly influencedby Aldo Leopold's "Sand County Almanac"published in 1949. Leopold, who rehabili-tated the landscape of an old sandhill farm in

Nolan'.Sporting Supplle.

Ovtdoor Equipment Specialist

. 37 - 47 Genesee StreetAuburn, NY 13021

315/252-7249

12 NY FOREST OWNER

Old fields regrown to woods - planted and natural.

Wisconsin, distinguished between "poorland" inthe commercial/economic sense and"rich country" in terms of environmental andaesthetic values. Searching for an appropri-ate property within about 100 miles of ourfamily farm in the Hudson Valley, I waslooking for cheap land with some open fieldsgood enough to grow Christmas trees - theplanned means of supporting the tree farm;but also a landscape that appealed to memorebasically as "country".

The Theron Goss farm was a fairly typicalCatskill hillfarm in several respects. Settledaround 1800, it was.a small dairy farm untilGeorge Stevens retired in"the 1920's. Thehouse burned down on the next resident, andthe barns were removed. Mr. Goss, wholived a few miles away, bought the farm in1930 and raised potatoes and cauliflower andcut some hay. He built a small shack forhimself and a second for his horses to stayovernight while tending the crops. When webought the farm from him, the old pasturesand some fields were in various stages ofregrowth to trees, but the best fields were stiIIbeing maintained by haycutting. The woodsareas had been logged for saleable sawtim-ber a few years earlier; a reasonable stepbecause timber value generally was not re-flected in the low saleprices of such land - inthis case $14 per acre. Therefore, in 1954 theproperty presented all the typical old-farmsituations: (a) open fields offering three alter-natives - plant trees for Christmas trees orreforestation, leave to natural reforestation,

NYFOA -1-800-836-3566 -INFO NOV/DEC 1994

"young conifer" stage useful for wildlife andviews.

Improvement of the cutover woods andnaturally reforested fields, including 59 moreacres added to the farm, initially consisted ofoccasional "poison-walks" to herbicide poortrees interfering with good young ones. In1965, Pineholm was certified as New YorkTree Farm No. 295 in the American TreeFarm System. In 1983,Ray Laux from nearbyStamford began to center a part-time fire-wood business on the farm, resulting in com-mercial thinning and improvement cuttingson most of our hardwood stands to date. Amajor side-benefit ofthis has been an exten-sive system of woodsroads, as well as hismaintenance of the main roadways on thefarm.

Also in 1983, we had our first sawtimber,harvest of some red oaks that had seeded intoan old pasture about 1890. Last year, Mr.Laux carried out a partial harvest and im-provement cutting of mostly sugar maplesawlogs and firewood in our steep north-slope woods. Over-all, our improved hard-wood stands have an increasing volume ofgood sawtim ber for harvest overthe next fewdecades, and we also can begin to see thefuture timber values in the younger hard-wood stands. A few years ago we had sevenold-field white pines cut and hauled for cus-tom sawing into about 2,200 board feet oflumber we are enjoying using to fmish theinside of our cabin. Our areas of plantedpines also are now growing toward goodtimber, especially where we have found thetime to thin and prune the best trees.

While Christmas tree and timber manage-ment provides the financial base for main-taining our tree farm, several non-commer-cial values and uses of woodland and non-woodland area of the farm are more impor-tant to the family on a continuing basis. A 10-acre meadow maintained for wildflowersand wildlife by controlled burning, patch-

30 + Years Experience

ROBERT DEMEREEProfessional Forestry Consultant

Timber Sales· Management PlanningTax Law· Tree Planting

3987 Northway DriveCortland, NY 13045-9317

Telephone:(607) 753-0497

NY FOREST OWNER

Meadow maintained for wildlife and views.

mowing and herbicides is valued for ourlandscape views. Below the meadow, a dugswimming pond and adjacent beaver pond,dammed more or less "cooperatively" by thebeaver and us, are a center of wildlife activityand family recreation. Above the ponds, rockledges that are poor for growing trees addlandscape and habitat diversity to the farm.We value the wildlife for viewing, but permitsome hunting on most of the property outsideof a central wildlife safety zone. Deer dam-age to forest and Christmas trees is a signifi-cant problem, so deerhunting is somewhathelpful in this respect. Fruit crops for us and

"---ANNOUNCING

wildlife include apples - both rehabilitatedold trees and ones we have planted, and alsoplantings of many other fruit and nut speciesof which blueberries have been most suc-cessful. All of these values are dimensions of"rich country" that now another generation -our grandchildren - is beginning to learn andappreciate.

Dr. Richards is aprofessor offorestry at theSUNY College of Environmental Scienceand Forestry (ESF), a charter member ofNYFOA, anda frequent contributor to theNYFOREST OWNER. Photos by the author.

The very excellent forestry guide:Crov Tree Management in Eastern Hardwoods by Arlyn W. Perkey, Brenda L.Wilkins, and H. Clay Smith will once again be available through the USDAForest Service Morgantown, WV, office.

Also available will be a large supply of Crov Tree Management: Quick Refer-ence. This condensed booklet, which is a back pocket insert to the Crop TreeManagement in Eastern Hardwoods publication, has generated separate re-quests. It is especially useful to give to landowners who have treatment pre-scriptions in Stewardship plans.For additional copies of either publication, please contact:

Brenda L. Wilkins or Arlyn W. PerkeyForest Resources ManagementNortheastern AreaState and Private ForestryUSDA Forest Service180 Canfield StreetMorgantown, WV 26505Telephone: 304-285-1536

NYFOA - 1-800-836-3566 - INFO NOV/DEe 1994· 13

NY STATE FAIR CHAMPIONSThe Roberts family, who have been grow-

ing Christmas trees on Clark Street Exten-sion between Cortland and Groton for 27years, took home three first place ribbonsincluding Grand Champion, plus a secondplace and three third place ribbons for theirbalsam fir, Fraser fir, white spruce, Douglasfir, Austrian pine, blue spruce and table tree.

This is the fourth time the Roberts familyhas entered state fair competition, but thefirst time they brought home a Grand Cham-pion.

Al Roberts a retired NYS DEC Foresterand NYFOA Awardee for 1986, and hiswife, Moira, have been growing trees since1953 starting on Tughill land near BarnesCorners and Lowville. They started inTompkins County in 1965, and bought asecond lot in 1978, thereby doubling XmasTree Production from 15to 33 acres. In 1989Moira and Al drew up a formal partnershipamong themselves and their two sons andwives.

They now produce 1300 trees a yearwholesale and sell another 700 cut-and-choose. They also manage fairly intensivelyan adjoining 100 acres or so of hardwoodsfrom which they harvesttheir own firewood,a few cords to sell, and lumber for personaluse. They also cut, skid, and sell sawtimber,periodically.

Al likes to think they have a "workingwoodlot".

Al Roberts authored the "Ask A Forester"column for the NY FOREST OWNER formany years.

IRS Excludes SIPCost Shares

The Internal Revenue Service has. issued Revenue Ruling 94-27 whichdete.nuines that the SIP is substantiallysil11il<U'to the type of program describedin$ection 126 (a)(l)- (9) ofthe InternalRevenue Code with respect to smallwatersheds. The outcome of this rulingis that landownerswho receive SIP cost-shar:epaym eats can exclude the amountsreceived from their gross income for

X purposes. This should be ofinterest to landowners. The de-

ciSIon Came late to help landownerswiti1fillng for 1993; however, becausethis is retroactive they Can submit anadjusted return for past years to exempt

IP payment from being taxed.

14 NY FOREST OWNER

Al and Moira Roberts (above).(Below) Some of the 33 acre Christmas Tree plantation. Photos by Nanci Ludwig.

LANDOWNERSMaples, Cherry & Red Oak are in strong demand, if you areinterested in selling some of your standing Timber consider ...

Each tree to be sold is marked according to YOUR specifications.We send notices to reputable log producers & exportersSealed bid opening determines the highest bidderPayment is made in advance to any harvest operationAll harvest operations are supervised by our forestersWe retain a security deposit until owner is completely satisfied.Guaranteed to net YOU the highest price for your timber.

Write or Call For A Free PamphletRobert Synowiez - Professional Forestry COl)sultants

f~ 7 timbs~lcnd~J Box 498, W. Beecher Hill Rd., Owego, NY 13827

607/687 -0460

NYFOA - 1-800-836-3566 - INFO NOVIDEC 1994

ASK A FORESTERSelling Standing Timber? Mark Each Tree Stump CorrectlyBy Robert Sand

Marked trees, whether for sawlog stump-age or TSI, stems should ALWAYS have astump mark. Recently I became involved ina proposed timber sale that was not stumpmarked. A longtime friend ofmine called meone day and asked some questions regardinga proposed timber sale on their farm. Theywere ready to sign a contract with a reputablelocal lumberman. We talked about a numberof items important to any timber sale andespecially if the stand had been marked inanyway. She knew that itwas butwasn'tsureexactly how. Several days later I met her late.one afternoon and we looked over the salequickly. I was surprised that there was NOstump mark on the painted trees. I recom-mended that before ANY sale, each markedtree be also marked ON THE STUMP withpaint. (This is accomplished by a paint markon a deep crevice at the root collar where itwill remain intact AFTER the tree had beencut and removed from their property.)

Over the past 50 years many changeshave occurred to mark trees designated forcutting. Early on, trees were blazed with an

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NY FOREST OWNER

axe, then branded with a log hammer both atd.b.h. and on the butt swell. This was a verytime consuming chore. Later, foresters usedthe Syracuse timber scribe and marked thebark with a diagonal or vertical slash on thebole of the tree. A small, usually double,scribe mark was made on the stump. Scribingwas both tedious and difficult, especially onold thick barked trees. In the late 40's thehand pumped air pressured oil guns werenozzled specifically for paint use by theDeVilbis Co. They provided foresters with anew tree marking technique, which quicklyfound acceptance by field foresters as a betterway to mark designated standing timber.Trees that had been paint marked are easy tolocate by the logging contractors. Likewise,it provides the forest manager with goodvisibility and quick recognition of the treesmarked for cutting.

Today our acceptance of marked treesusing paint at d.b.h. and on the stump isstandard in all sections of the country whereonly a partial cut is being made. But withouta stump mark you haveno PROOF that itwasamarked tree. It is too late once your tree hasbeen felled and skidded out of your woodlot.Bob Sand, a retired industrial forester andlong time supporter of NYFOA, currentlyserves as NYFOA IS recording secretary.

Ask A ForesterAddenda

We wish to clarify some ideas which mayhave caused some confusion in the Ask aForester column we submitted for the Juiy/August issue.

Group selection is not an even-aged man-agementtechnique. By referring to the groupsas "clearcuts smaller than one acre", impliesit is an even-age management system. Groupselection also changes the area to an un-evenage forest made up of many small groups oftrees which are roughly the same age pergroup.

The first four alternatives are not exactlyc1earcutting, but like clearcutting remove allthe trees on a designated area creating acondition which will likely help regeneratethe mix of species which the owner wishes tokeep. Usually, they have similarities toclearcutting, especially the fmal shelterwoodharvest.

The last alternative described does notaddress the issue of regeneration of this ma-ture woodlot. It is only an alternative todiameter limit harvesting discussed in theprevious "Ask a Forester" columns. - Sueand Mark Keister, Wayland

• FOREST PRODUCT MARKING& MARKETING

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. • BOUNDARY MAINTENANCE• CHRISTMAS TREE MANAGEMENT

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IMMATURE STANDS• WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

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(716) 665-54771894 CAMP ST. EXT.

JAMESTOWN NY 14701

Jl!9an.<W •.)£epb~Sr...~.Mr. JulianW. Webb, Sr., 71, of NewBerlin, died Sunday, Sept. 18 inCooperstown.

Mr. Webb was a well-known busi-nessman active in his family's lumberand home center business, Webb &Sons, lnc., which included his father,his brothers, his children and grand-children. He served the lumber indus-try for 48 years on the Forest Practice.Board, was a director of the New YorkState Forest Products Association, andwas an active member of the NorthernLoggers Association. He served as amember of the Morrisville CollegeWood Products Advisory Committeeand the Northeastern Retail LumberDealers Association. He was influen-tial in creating the New YorkLumberman's Healthcare Trust Fund.

NYFOA ·1-800-836-3566 -INFO

Bruce E.Robinson,

Inc.FORESTRY

CONSUL TANTS

NOV/DEC 1994 15

Ecological Management &HumansI look forward to each issue of The New

York Forest Owner for informative and en-joyable reading. Ithought Charlie Mowatt'sAsk A Forester article (Ecological Manage-ment Must Include the Human Element ...) inthe last issue was particularly good and ad-dresses a very real problem. This problemneeds more attention and solutions soon; orall other forest diseases, insect outbreaks, etc.won't really matter.

Thanks for providing a great magazine.- Robert Sykes, Elbridge

LE'!T!'ERS---------Right - The Problem Is Us!

Charlie Mowatt is right. The ecological"bad guys" really are us! (Ask A Forester,Sep/Oct '94, p. 6.)

And, more specifically, they are the "us"of the First World - the "Have" nations - the10% of humanity which consumes, exploitsand pollutes 80% of the world's naturalresources.

We're the ones who foul the air, the landand the water, and demand more and moreoil, gas, electricity, food and fiber to keep ourmachines running, our bodies comfortable,our closets full. You and I probably consumemore resources and create more pollution inadaythan most Third World families with alltheir children do in a year. The impact ofindustrial pollution is far more devastating tothe world environment than the combinedwaste from poor communities scatteredaround the globe.

We're the ones who must be forced tocontrol our "needs," to change our unjustsocial structures and work to eliminate greed,graft, corruption and incompetency.

In spite of dire warnings from modern dayMalthusians and supporters of Ehrlich, theworld is not "already overpopulated" as awhole. Less than one to three percent of theland is inhabited, depending on whose fig-ures you use. Anyone who flies over the earthis immediately struck by this reality anddemographers claim that the world's presentpopulation could move into the state of Texaswith 1500 sq. ft. of space per person - the sizeof an average American home!

However, by concentrating population inurban areas and not meeting their physicalneeds, we create the illusion of overpopula-tion. Even so, many densely populated areassuch as Japan and Holland are very prosper-ous, while underpopulated regions like Bra-zil and Africa are extremely poor. Recentfamines have occurred in some of the mostsparsely populated nations. So density ofpopulation is not the main problem causingscarcity or pollution of resources.

"There is enough in the world foreveryone's need even if not foreveryone's greed." - Gandhi

Nor is human population "uncontrolled."Just as with the rest of nature, we are subjecttonatural controls ofwind, water, fire, quakes,eruptions, heat and cold, along with disease.(The full impact of AIDS is yet on the hori-

16 NY FOREST OWNER

TOMY FRIENDS AT NYFOABy Sam ArgetsingerThank you for the privilege of speaking at your annual fall meeting. And thank you for thewonderful dinner. Ihope we can all be partofforestry that is for-us-trees. Iwrote the followingsong for my children one winter day when I was logging and the bears were hibernating:

When I was just a wee little laddie my daddy did say to me;My son don't you go to the deep dark woods, or a logger you will be."Why, 0' why, my dear daddy, in the deep dark woods can't I stroll?"He said, "My son, there's a spirit and a fever that gets to a working man's soul.So I went in the deep dark woods, and a logger I became.Ever since the sawdust drank my blood, I've never been the same.I cut the table you eat upon, and the chair in which you sit.I cut the paper and the pencils and the houses, and then I cut the toothpicks.I cut the cradle that rocks the little baby, and the floor you walk upon;But you can't grow timber, if you don't cut timber,And that's the reason for this song.

Sam Argetsinger, a timber harvester for some 14 years, recited the above song at HulbertHouse in Boonville, after the dinner. By general acclaim that evening, Sam agreed torepresenting the song in the NY FOREST OWNER.

zon.) Added to this are man-made disasters-Chernobyl, Bophal, planes, trains, cars, fer-ries and our never ending wars.

As with other animal populations, hu-mans have a natural ebb and flow, and ourshas been stabilizing for the past30 years. Thetwo most significant factors which naturallyreduce population growth are economic wellbeing and education. Just as a tree which isdying will often produce aheavy seed crop asa natural response to stress, so perhaps hu-mans whose lives are marginal tend to pro-duce more offspring.

As stress and strain to survive are re-moved, populations tend to level off natu-rally. This isthe goal we should work toward,not resurrecting the scare tactics of Malthusand Ehrlich by suggesting we pursue animperialism which would "eliminate" otherpeople's religious and cultural beliefs andvalues - their respect for life, their prayerfulreverence of the divinity.

- Carol & Wes Suhr, Oswegatchie

Monogamy & EducationThis is to inform you I am incorrectly

listed on the mailing label as Mary; and thecorrect name should be Laura. My husbandsays he does not have another wife namedMary; but another wife, by any name, surewould come in handy for all the laundry andhousework and especially those telephonesales calls.

Anyway, Iwould also like to point outthatmanyfamilies suchas.eurs fla,v.e,decidedto teach our children at home. We don'tbelieve the public schools provide a bal-anced approach, especially towards scienceand conservation such as wildlife and forestmanagement. If NYFOA would be inter-ested in pursuing some form of uncompli-cated curriculum, please contact us at 90Bailor Road, Brooktondale 148I7-9728.

- Toebe & Laura McDonald

NYFOA - 1·800-836-3566 - INFO NOVIDEC 1994

AT HOME IN THE WILDERNESS - A Book ReviewBy Betty Densmore

When Beth Buckley first called me to say,"We're writing a book.", I needed to ask:"About what." The Buckleys have been writ-ing for a long time and I knew that canoeingwas their first love, still they are remarkablyexpert at many things.

They have run a successful lumber busi-ness, produced several audio-visual showson canoeing and wild life, instructed at manycanoe symposia (including L.L. Bean), con-ducted a successful Wildlife Land Surveybusiness, written dozens of articles on theiradventures on wild rivers, restored their own106 acres to a wildlife paradise; the list goeson. They might have written a book on manysubjects. They chose to putthe wisdom accu-mulated over years (and miles) of canoeinginto a little volume of canoe tripping tech-niques.

While the 102 pages are packed withpractical, sensible techniques it is also full ofhumor, good writing, a lyric sense of thebeauty of canoeing anda deep love of wilder-ness and its value to each and every one of us;whether we spend our summers on wildYukon rivers, or in our own forests. Spend afew hours with Beth and David on their land,as many of us in the Allegheny FoothillsChapter did at a woods walk that they hosteda few years back, and you get a sense of theirenormous commitment to forestry and wild-life. They have actually done so many of the

The Shapes Of Earth-By Dorothy Darling

Clouds hung low like bulging pockets,Holding wares from the season's store

While mountains crouched, cold and starkWith jagged peaks piercing the dark.

As though impaled upon the spiny ridge,The sagging clouds burst and spilled

Their hoardings in wave after waveUntil all the sky was flurried and filled

With millions of fragile, blue-white flakes,Settling softly down upon windowsills,

Outlining fences, bowing the evergreens,With added stature for the humble hills.

Lightened clouds strolled across the skyAs their generous offeringsmounted below,

And when morning had brought its light,The shapes of earth were deep in snow.

NY FOREST OWNER

Beth & David Buckley

things that most of us would like to do withour properties. It seems that every squareinch has been surveyed and thought aboutand a plan made and implemented, encour-aging wildlife and establishing good forestmanagement practices. I often wonder howthey find time to keep the whole of it in suchexcellent condition, get their winter's wood,go on many canoe trips (often to the YukonortheNorthwestTerritories), write dozens ofarticles, produce slide shows, lead canoeexpeditions and instruct in canoe tripping atvarious outfitters. They are, like so manyNYFOANs, exhausting people.

The book's eight chapters deal with suchthings as: staying dry, useful knots, camp-fires, bears and portaging. Even the table ofcontents gets your interest with such titles as"Why Knot?", "The Pirates of Eden Island",and "Twixt Landing & Launching" to men-tion three. This book is packed with solidinformation aimed at the canoeist with atleast one trip in their past and the hope ofmany more in the future. It gives informationin a manner that lets the reader know that theBuckleys weren't born knowing all this theylearned much of it the hard way and theyaren't afraid to share some oftheir mistakesand hard lessons with the reader. This abilityto laugh at themselves makes the book veryreader friendly. Equipment that has provenitselfis listed by name; and an appendix givesnames and addresses of sources of products,and books and magazines of interest to ca-noeists. The book is full of excellent line

NYFOA -1-800-836-3566 -INFO

drawings that illustrate knots and beautifulblack and white photos that graphically de-pictnotonlyvarioustechniques butthe beautyof the wilderness as well.

This is the first of three or four books oncanoeing that Beth and David intend to write.Ifthe others offer the solid ideas, experienceand usefulness that the first does, no canoetripper will want to be without the completelibrary.

To secure a copy of the book send $10.00to: Ashford Outdoor Media, 6478 AshfordHollow Rd. West Valley, N.Y. 14171-9612and the Buckleys will send you a copy.

Custom Signs

-- VOSS SignslkJJt- NYY.Box 553. Manlius. N.Y. 13104

Ph.. (315) 882-6418(M••••.·Fr!. 9-51

NOV/DEC 1994· 17

skin, zits, bruises, sores and hot hair oil.These are also the oils I make for clients tosoothe joint pain, for scar repair, and otherproblems i deal with as an OccupationalTherapist.

Aromatic oils can be made with canolaoil, too .... but you need to filter out and addnew material six or seven times to get a strongenough smell. This is the way perfumed oilswere made before electricity and distillation.This year I made costrnary, melissa, rue,lavender, hyssop, clary sage, angelica, andsweet grass. I was pleased with the resultsand will mix them into my potions, wearthem, or use them in a water scent diffuser. Iparticularly like the costmary because itcamefrom the Cloisters medieval herb garden.The herbalist was cutting back the costmarythe last time Iwas there, and let me take a bagfull of the cuttings! We exchanged informa-tion on using plants, her interest being dyesand mine herbal oils. I feel pleased about theexchange .... not only did I hold my own, butwas able to give her new information.

Most amusing to me, though, were thethoughts that drifted through my fantasy thatsunny day in the medieval castle. "How canI get into sorcerer's school?"

Bubble, Bubble, Toil and TroubleBy Jane Sorensen Lord, PhD, OTR, ND

In mid-September, perennial herbs seemto have a growth spurt. My reaction used tobe,

"Gordon will kill me if I hang any moreherbs out to dry in the kitchen or closets!"

Now I make concentrated herb waterswith five or six herbs groups for purpose andfreeze them in zip lock baggies for future use.

I collect and group the herb leaves; forskin, for cooking, for scent. I use a gallonglass sauce pan, filled with the crushed herbscovered with water and simmered until halfthe liquid is gone. After filtering the herbsout, about a quart and a half is left which Ipour into a dozen zip locked sandwich bagsand freeze. When later thawed, double theamount of water and use! They are greatspritzed as an air freshener or a skin astrin-gent. You can use them as a potpourri, or ifadded to an equal amount of glycerin, as askin moisturizer.

Herbal vinegars use a lot of herbs, singly,or in combination. They make great hostessgifts, too. Buy white (or your preferred)vinegar and pour off about a third. Put inwhole leaves and stems of the plants (I do forthe gifts, anyway) until the bottle is topped.Label and put away. My favorites are mintand basil (separately). I have made somegood combinations, too, but it is tricky to hitthe proper balance. For instance, garlic over-whelms everything and should only be used

-t

18 NY FOREST OWNER

alone. For fat free diets, the herbal vinegarsare salad dressings without the oil.

Many people use the scented vinegars asa skin astringent. They are supposed to re-plenish the skin's acid mantle. I imagine thisis true, but I don't like the strong vinegarsmell.

For cooking, cram your favorite herbsinto a Ball jar and cover with vodka. Shake it50 times and let sit for three or four weeks.Use the flavored vodka in cooking and youget the taste of fresh herbs. The herbs can becovered with the vodka a few times more, sodon't throw them out right away. As with thevinegars, you can use the herbs singly or incombination.

You can also make "over-the-counter"tinctures with vodka, too. Coltsfoot, hore-hound, mullein for sore throats. Valerianroot, melissa, mint, chamomile for sleep orcalming. Take these by the tablespoon, not ajigger.

My Italian neighbor crams basil leavesinto ajar and covers them with olive oil forthe taste of fresh basil throughout the winter.They turn dark, but in cooking they do tastefresh. This works with most of the kitchenherbs. Use only leaves because the stemscannot soak up the oil.

I make single oils using canola, VitaminE, and an herb. I later make potions in com-binations as needed for sunburn, chapped

\ C)~

NYFOA - 1-800-836-3566 -INFO

Dr. Jane is an occupational therapist and anaturopathic doctor who with her husband,Gordon, owns a treefarm in Orange County .:

--.-~.

NOV/DEC 1994

The MarketplaceATTENTION small woodlot owners/part time loggers - ForFARMI winches, VALBY chippers, choker chains, hand tools,or equipment you have always wanted and did not know whereto find, write Hewitt's Hill Haven, Locke, NY 13092 or call(315) 497-1266 (Before 8AM or after 6PM).

For Sale - A well-managed timberland tract in Ellenburg,NY consisting of 191 acres near Upper Chateau guy Lake.Asking $100,000. For more details contact Ben Hudson atWagner Woodlands and Co., P.O. Box 128, Lyme, NH 03768(603) 795-2165

MEADOWVIEW NURSERYQUALITY FIELD GROWN SEEDLINGS AND TRANS-PLANTS for reforrestation and establishing wildlife habitat.SPECIALIZING INNUT TREE &WETLAND VARIETIES.P.O. Box 241, Byron, NY 14422 (716) 548-2207 FAX (716)548-9014

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Per Insert:Display: $210 - perfull page or 30 col. in.;$7 per col. in.Marketplace: $10minimum for 25 wordsor less, 10c each ad-ditional word.Contact: R.J. Fox, Editor

RD 3, Box 88,Moravia, NY13118FaX/Phone:

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Circulation 1850.

FORECON, INC.

JAMESTOWN, NY OFFICE100 East Second StreetJamestown, New York 14701(716) 664-5602(716) 664-6648 Facsim ile

SPECIALIZING IN:CORTLAND, NY OFFICE11 North Main StreetSuite 202Cortland, NY 13045(607) 753-3113(607) 753-9170 Facsimile

• Timber Sale Administration

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TIMBERLAND REALTY OFFICE100 East Second StreetJamestown, NY 14701(716) 664-5602(716) 664-6648 Facsimile

• Timber & Timberland Appraisals

• Timber Taxation Planning

FOrestry - Recreation - Ecology - CONservationNY FOREST OWNER NYFOA - 1-800-836-3566 - INFO NOVIDEC 1994· 19

RJ. Fox, EditorRD#3, Box 88Moravia, NY 13118FaxIPhone (315) 497-1078

WFLJOHN & HELEN MARCHANT45 CAMBRIDGE COURTFAIRPORT, NY 14450

For Information OnACP, FIP, SIP, ASCS, SWCD, 480A,

CCE, DEC, FPB, FWMA .Call our FREE information Database

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WOODLOTCALENDARNov 1: WFL; 7:30 PM; TreeIdentification; Jim Peek; Exten-sion Center; Rochester; (716)367-2849

Nov 12: WFL; lOAM; TreeIdentification - Part II; MendonPonds Park; (716) 367-2849

Nov 15: STC; 7:30 PM; GypsyMoths & Other Pests of South-ern Tier Woodlots; Dr. JulianShepherd; Extension Center,Binghamton

Nov 19: NFC; 10 AM; ValorLumber Co. Plant Tour;Sandusky; (716) 632-5862Apr29: NYFOA Spring Meet-iog, Syracuse

NOV/DEC 1994