President Mark Ott mott@beasd.org Ph: (814)625-2741
Vice President (vacant)
Secretary Leslie Demmert  ldemmert@verizon.net
Treasurer Mark Ellenberger
Newsletter and Publicity Kathy Ryba kryba@beasd.org
Board Members Bill and Ruth Park, Jim Walizer, Susan Benedict
Advisors Tim Cole (DCNR); Dave Jackson (Cooperative Extension)

 

Past Programs:

The Central Region Landowners Annual Conference was held in February at Penn State.  Topics of discussion were: Acquiring property maps, boundaries, and attributes with GIS & GPS; insect and disease pests; woodlot safety; enhancing and protecting wildlife habitat; invasive plants and much more.  The programs were very interesting.  Keep watch for this annual event next year.

Chainsaw Workshop was held early April.  The workshop went well and everyone enjoyed working with Lee Stover.  WOCC would like to

hold a chain sharpening session sometime in the future.

On May 5^th, 1 pm – Mark Ott, Tim Cole, Dave Jackson, Jim Walizer, Paul Demmert, and John Buzzell worked with students from the Bald Eagle high school football team in planting about 500 trees.  The school owns woodlands as well as farmland behind the school (Wingate, PA).  The school has a pond in that area and is planning on building an environmental center.  Mark Ott ordered trees from the Howard Nursery and the high school staff mowed a field where the students planted the trees.  Trees planted were: oak, alder, crabapple, white pine, chestnut, and hazelnut and black locust.  The students were shown how to dig a hole, plant the roots properly and close the hole removing as much air as possible.  Tree protectors were put over all but the white pine.  Thanks to everyone that volunteered their time and supplies.  The students had a great lesson in tree planting!

ACORN PLANTING by Ruth Park

For several years I’ve been trying to collect and grow red oak seedlings from acorns.  In the past, planting them in the woods has not been successful, as turkeys, squirrels and other rodents have feasted on them.  Jim Stiehler told us several years ago that the way to tell if acorns were viable was to put them in a pail of water and throw out those that floated.  This year, he mentioned that the guys at Penn Nursery asked him what to do with the floaters last year and he said to just throw them in the flower bed - they will make good mulch.  Later, Jim looked at the bed and said almost all the acorns had sprouted.  So much for checking floaters!  Last fall, we were at Camp Susqua North of Williamsport with the PAFS training, and Jim Finley said, "Ruth, over there is a red oak with a carpet of acorns underneath".  I went to the camp kitchen,  asked for a garbage bag, and filled it with acorns.  At home, I skipped the floating and simply layered the acorns  with sand in an old flowerpot - a 2” layer of acorns and about 1" to 1-1/2” of sand, then another of acorns, etc.  I put an old refrigerator shelf (grate) over the pot as a squirrel barrier then played Mother Nature by keeping them outside, wet sometimes with water and sometimes with snow or leaves.  In April, when I opened them, there were roots and signs of stems.

Bill and our grandson, Andy, lined cardboard boxes with plastic and we filled them with soil.  We put acorns side by side.  The roots were 5-6” long at the top of the pot and only 1” at the bottom.  We had hundreds of baby red oak.  Because of the deer herd, we bought 4’ fencing in 100’ rolls, and daughters Mary & Carol made circles of wire about 8’ in diameter in the woods where the hemlocks are dying. Then the three of us planted the sprouted acorns on about a 6" by 6” grid in the fences.  Time will tell how this experiment works.

 

Upcoming programs:

WOCC Annual Picnic – June 10, 2010 – PSU Ag Progess Grounds – 5:30 pm social time; 6:00 pm  picnic dinner. 

Program:  Treevitalize – A cooperative effort.  This is an evening for WOCC members to come out, enjoy a picnic dinner provided by WOCC, socialize, and enjoy the program. 

SEDA-Council of Governments (COG) has been awarded a TreeVitalize Program grant in the amount of $25,500 to fund tree planting in Centre County and $22,950 in Lycoming County.  The program will include introduction to this program and the opportunities WOCC members have in community outreach. 

 

The grant program will be carried out with trained staff from SEDA-COG’s Community Resource Center who hold degrees in landscape architecture and who are knowledgeable about plant selection, planting design, and tree planting and who are also experienced working with local governments, community organizations and community volunteers.

 

Volunteers are needed to assist in this program.  A highly popular educational program called “Tree Tenders” educates volunteers on basic tree biology; proper selection, planting and pruning practices and the responsibility of early care of the trees so critical to their survival.   See TreeVitalize, Tree Planting as a Means to Sustainable Urban Forests, by Ellen A. Roane,  Pennsylvania Forest Magazine, Volume 101, No. 1, Spring 2010, page 13 for a detailed description of this program.

Send reservation to:  Kathy Ryba, 868 Ulrich Road, Julian, PA 16844; Phone: 814)355-5949; email: kryba@beasd.org

 

Name ___________________________________ Phone ________________

Number attending ______________  Special diet _____________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________

 

Saturday, September 18, 2010 – 8:00 am to 4 pm; Beartown Field Day – Susan Benedict’s Family Property in Snow Shoe. Following submission and acceptance of a Field Day Grant, WOCC and Cooperative Extension (Dave Jackson) will host this day-long event.  Lunch will be provided.  Fee is $20/person.  There will be programs on the tree farm and the history of the property, plus a walking tour and a driving tour to various sites.  More information will come from Cooperative Extension.   Mark your calendar.  Thanks to Leslie Demmert, Susan Benedict and Dave Jackson for writing the grant application. This will be an informative outing in the great outdoors.

 

Wednesday, October 6^th – 7 pm – Foxdale Auditorium – Marcia & Bruce Bonta and son Dave will share their beliefs and knowledge of forest management, such as keeping the deer herd under control, the natural forest, critters, wildflowers and shrubs.  Marcia writes the column Naturalist's Eye in the PA Game News.  See:

http://plummershollow.wordpress.com/ and

http://marciabonta.wordpress.com

 

Other Activities:
PaFS Annual Meeting and Inservice.
Friday and Saturday, July 23-24, 2010. Rock Springs.

 

Webinars:  

To participate in the live seminars you must register and have ID.  The register now page on the website will help you through the process.

First Monday of the Month: Wildlife and plants series: June 7^th – Rabbit resistant plants – Noon.

(http://rnrext.cas.psu.edu/PAForestWeb/default.html)    

((

Check out Dave Jackson’s Blog: http://centralpaforest.blogspot.com/

 

Ag Progress Days – August 17-19, 2010

 

2010 WOCC membership dues

WOCC dues are for the calendar year January 1 – December 31.

Associate Membership (no forest land owned) is $15

 

Full Membership is $20

 

Sponsor Membership is $50

Make checks payable to WOCC and send to:  WOCC, Box 1156, State College, PA 16804.  Include mailing address; phone number (optional); and email address.   NOTE:  Dues can be paid at the annual picnic in June.

 

Note:  If you prefer to receive the WOCC newsletter by email rather than paper, please email me at:

kryba@beasd.org

Save a tree!! The digital newsletter (.doc or .pdf file – please specify which) also comes with color photos!......which you can enlarge!  You can't pass on a deal like this!

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Northeast PA (Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Montour, Monroe, Northumberland, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wayne, and Wyoming Counties)
Saturday, June 13. Lycoming Woodland Owners Association: Results of Fern Spraying Field Trip, 2 p.m. Correll Property, Deer Lake Road. Contact Chalmer Van Horn, ccvanhorn@windstream.net, 570-546-5548, for more information.
Saturday, June 26. Delaware State Forest Open House and Botany Walk, 9 a.m. – Noon, Westfall Township (Pike). Register by contacting the Delaware Highlands Conservancy, 570-226-3164 or conserve@delawarehighlands.org.
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Southeast PA (Adams, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, and York Counties)
Thursday, June 10. Cumberland Woodland Owners Association: Lehman’s Sawmill Field Trip, 7 p.m. Contact Fred Peabody, 717-776-3565.
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Southwest PA (Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties)
Friday, June 11. Southwestern Pennsylvania Woodland Owners: Tour of the Keystone Cooperage Barrel Manufacturing Plant, 1 p.m. Meet at 12:30 p.m. at Building #10, Greene County Fairgrounds, Waynesburg. Visit http://www.cs.pitt.edu/~daley/swpwo for the most up to date information.
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PA FORESTS WEB SEMINAR CENTER (http://rnrext.cas.psu.edu/PAForestWeb/)
To participate in one of these online seminars, you must be registered and have a “Friend of Penn State” user ID and password. Visit the website to register, see the list of upcoming seminars with descriptions, and to view recordings of previously held seminars. Seminars are held the second Tuesday of every month at noon and 7 p.m. Participants need to have a high speed internet connection and speakers to attend.

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From: Ballard, Benjamin [ mailto:ballarbd@MORRISVILLE.EDU]
Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2010 12:37 PM

We are running a workshop through the Morrisville State College Renewable Energy training Center (RETC) on Building a Solar Wood Drying Kiln from June 14-18, 2010, in Morrisville, NY. If you know of any individuals or organizations that might be interested, could you please share this workshop announcement? We would greatly appreciate it! Thank you.
 

Building a Solar Wood Drying Kiln - RETC S585 - Monday, June 14, 2010 - Friday, June 18, 2010

Description: Come learn how to use the power of the sun to kiln-dry lumber. During this 5-day workshop, we will be building a wood frame 700-board-foot capacity solar kiln using passive solar to heat the kiln and solar panels to power the air circulation system. Once constructed, the kiln will operate at 40-50 degrees F above the ambient temperature. In a solar kiln wood dries from 30-45 days depending on the species. We will provide a brief overview of assessing the solar resources, siting the kiln for optimal solar access, as well as drying schedules, monitoring, and determination of wood moisture calculations. This workshop will focus primarily on kiln construction. Operation of the kiln will be demonstrated at a later date (TBA, Fall 2010). Bring your own tools to facilitate the construction (hammer, sharp utility knife, screw gun and bits, etc. and suitable clothing). We will be painting the inside of the kiln black and installing foam insulation, glazing, ventilation, and monitoring equipment.

Jim Costello, former Chemical Engineer with Oneida Silversmiths. Mr. Costello is currently teaching Wood Technology at Morrisville State College including kiln drying (WOOD 231, Lumber seasoning and wood preservation). Jim owns and operates his own sawmill and dehumidification dry kiln.

Number of Days: 5
Price: $900 (Most participants qualify for a scholarship reducing course fees to $450 for employed and $45 for unemployed)
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                       Contact: Molly McDonough

                                                                                                                                                (717)237-2208

NRCS to Provide $1.1 Million to Protect

Private Forest Land in Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG, PA, May 27, 2010- USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is now accepting applications in Adams, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Huntingdon, Mifflin, Snyder and York Counties for approximately $1.1 million available to protect Pennsylvania’s forest land through the Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP). 

In Pennsylvania, HFRP funding will be utilized to protect and improve critical habitat for the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), a federally listed endangered species.  Indiana bats frequent wooded areas near streams, roosting in crevices under tree bark or in hollow trees. 

The HFRP program offers 99-year and 30-year conservation easements and/or 10-year cost share agreements supported with habitat improvement through the implementation of selected conservation practices and supporting activities. 

Owners of forest land in select areas of the twelve counties listed above are eligible to enroll in HFRP.    The land must be capable of supporting Indiana bat habitat, and must be located in proximity to where known Indiana bat hibernation areas and maternity colonies exist:

Adams County – Central and South Central areas

Armstrong County –West and North West areas

Beaver County – Northern area

Bedford County – Central Western area bordering Somerset County

Berks County – Central area

Blair County – Central and Eastern areas

Cambria County – Eastern area

Centre County – Eastern half of the county

Huntingdon County – Central Western area bordering Blair County

Mifflin County – Eastern half of the county

Snyder County– Western area of the county

York County – Northwest area

Easement applicants must be able to convey clear title to the land.  In addition, the landowner must provide documentation for NRCS to determine if the landowner is eligible to participate in the program. 

Applications for the HFRP program will be accepted on a continuous basis until funding is exhausted.  Applicants can submit their applications to their local NRCS County field office or to the Pennsylvania NRCS State Office at One Credit Union Place, Suite 340, Harrisburg, PA 17110-2993. 

For more information on HFRP and other conservation programs provided by NRCS, please visit our website at www.pa.nrcs.usda.gov/programs. #

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Molly McDonough      

Public Affairs Specialist

USDA-NRCS

One Credit Union Place, Ste. 340

Harrisburg, PA  17110-2993

molly.mcdonough@pa.usda.gov

Ph. (717)237-2208   Fax (717)237-2238

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1. FREE WORKSHOP: Creating Wildlife Habitat at Home
Learn how you can create a more wildlife-friendly landscape whether you own half an acre or 100 acres. This workshop will provide an overview of techniques for managing invasive plants, establishing and maintaining stream buffers, and creating wildlife habitat. Find out how these practices will benefit you and the environment!
JUNE 26TH 9 AM CHEST SPRINGS, PA (NORTHERN CAMBRIA COUNTY)
This free workshop is sponsored by Natural Resources Conservation Services and the PA Agricultural Ombudsman Program. This workshop is organized by Southern Alleghenies RC&D Council, Natural Biodiversity, and the PA Agricultural Ombudsman Program.
Natural Biodiversity ~ 501 15th Street, Windber, PA 15963~ www.naturalbiodiversity.org
WORKSHOP TOPICS
Creating Wildlife Habitats
Riparian Buffer Establishment and Maintenance
Dealing with Invasive Plants
Field Session in Invasive Plant Identification
Keynote Presenters include: Dr. Thomas Dick, Allegheny Plateau Audubon; Dr. Eric Burkhart, Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center

Lunch and Take-home materials provided.
Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Deadline for Registration is June 23.
Call the Natural Biodiversity office at 814-509-6036 to register and for directions.
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2. Global Garlic Mustard Field Survey
Do you want to be part of the world’s largest scientific research project on invasive species? The ‘Global Garlic Mustard Field Survey’ is an international collaboration aimed at obtaining much-needed data on the abundance and distribution of Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) across its native and introduced ranges. In our first field season last year, we received measurements and seed samples from 65 populations, with a majority from Europe – already one of the largest systematic field surveys of an invasive species. Our goal for this summer is 150 or more, with a stronger emphasis on the southern and mid-west to western United States.

This year we are hoping to increase participation among educators, as well as land managers and ‘citizen-scientists’ who may not have much formal science training. The survey involves a simple protocol that can be followed directly or incorporated into field courses and nature surveys. A population takes two people about 2-4 hours to measure. We are also planning to develop internet-based teaching modules and tools to aid with monitoring and managing this invasive plant. The sampling protocol, along with contact information is available at the Global Garlic Mustard Field Survey website: www.GarlicMustard.org (note that you do not need to log in to the site to participate).

Ideal sampling time is 2-4 weeks after flowering finishes and ranges from early June in southern states (e.g. OK, AR, AL, GA, SC) and lower altitudes to mid to late July in northern states (e.g. OR, WA, ID, ND, MN, WI, MI, VT, ME), higher altitudes and Canada.

Please contact:
North American Coordinator
Dr. Robert Colautti
Biology Department
Duke University
rob.colautti@duke.edu