The New York Forest Owner - Volume 45 Number 1

The New YorkForest OwnerA PUBLICATION OF THE NEW YORK FOREST OWNERS ASSOCIATION

January/February 2007

Volume 45 Number 1www.nyfoa.org

Member Profile: John Sullivan

2 The New York Forest Owner 45:1 • January/February 2007

THE NEW YORKFOREST OWNERS

ASSOCIATION

Officers & DirectorsAlan White, President22 Bruce Scudder Rd.Halcott Center, NY 12430; (845) 254-6031

Geff Yancey, Vice President32 Oliver StreetRochester, NY 14607; (585) 271-4567

Kelly Smallidge, Secretary611 County Rd 13Van Etten, NY 14889; (607) 589-7530

Steve Teuscher, Treasurer1392 Lillibridge RdPortville, NY 14770; (716) 933-0370

Peter Smallidge, Chair Editorial Committee andEx-Officio Board MemberCornell University, Fernow HallIthaca, NY 14853; (607) 592 3640

2007Renee Bouplon, Hudson, (518) 822-0613Charles Bove, Bethpage, (914) 644-2330Bob Malmsheimer, Cazenovia, (315) 470-6909Geff Yancey, Rochester, (585) 271-4567

2008Dan Cleveland, Erin, (607) 732-7884Cindy King, Amsterdam, (518) 842-3556Gene Reinshagen, Painted Post, (607) 796-6202Kelly Smallidge, Van Etten, (607) 589-7530

2009Harry Dieter, Honeoye Falls, (585) 533-2085Steve Teuscher, Portville, (716) 933-0370Alan White, Halcott Center, (845) 254-6031Frank Winkler, Andes, (845)676-4825

Chapter-Designated DirectorsDick Patton, Allegheny Foothills; (716) 761-6333Carl Wiedemann, Capital District; (518) 280-8892John Druke, Central New York; (315) 656-2313Anne Osborn, Lower Hudson; (845) 424-3683Steve Graham, Northern Adirondack; (315)788-0281Bob Preston, Niagara Frontier; (716) 632-5862Bob Manning, Southern Adirondack; (518) 251-4638Dana Benjamin, Southern Tier; (607) 723-2958Dick Harrington, Southern Finger Lakes; (607) 657-4480Mike Seager, Western Finger Lakes; (585) 414-6511

The New York Forest Owners Association isa 501(c)3 foundation and tax deductible dona-tions to this organization will advance NYFOA’seducational mission.

In This Issue . . .FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MARY JEANNE PACKER .................................................................................... 3

GROWING AMERICAN LINDEN FROM SEEDJIM ENGEL ..................................................................................................... 5

ASK A PROFESSIONALPETER SMALLIDGE ..............................................................................................6

TIMBER SURVEY .............................................................................................. 8

NYFOA ANNUAL MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT ....................................... 8

KID’S CORNER–THE WINTER FORESTREBECCA HARGRAVE ..........................................................................................9

WILD THINGS IN YOUR WOODLANDKRISTI SULLIVAN .......................................................................................... 10

STORIES FROM THE WOODS: MFO PROGRAM NEWSDAVID WHALEN ............................................................................................ 12

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT NEW YORK’S CONSERVATIONEASEMENT TAX CREDIT

HENRIETTA JORDAN ....................................................................................... 14

CHESTNUT...ELM...WILL ASH BE NEXT??KIM ADAMS ................................................................................................... 16

NYFOA GENERAL DIRECTOR CANDIDATES - ELECTION FORM .......... 18

NEW YORK FARM SHOW ............................................................................. 19

KNOW YOUR TREES – SHAGBARK HICKORY ................................................. 20

MEMBER PROFILE – JOHN SULLIVANALEXANDRA SILVA .......................................................................................... 21

The New York Forest Owner is a bi-monthly publication of The New York ForestOwners Association, P.O. Box 541, Lima, N.Y 14485. Materials submitted forpublication should be sent to: Mary Beth Malmsheimer, Editor, The New YorkForest Owner, 134 Lincklaen Street, Cazenovia, New York 13035. Materials mayalso be e-mailed to [email protected]. Articles, artwork and photos are invited andif requested, are returned after use. The deadline for submission for the March/April issue is February 1, 2007.

Please address all membership fees and change of address requests to P.O. Box 541,Lima, N.Y. 14485. 1-800-836-3566. Cost of family membership/subscription is $35.

COVER:All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproducedwithout prior written permission from the publisher.NYFOA does not necessarily support or approve pro-cedures, products, or opinions presented by authorsor advertisers.

© 2007 New York Forest Owners Association

www.nyfoa.org

Mary Jeanne Packer, Executive DirectorPO Box 210, 124 E. 4th StreetWatkins Glen, NY 14891; (607) [email protected]

Liana Gooding, Office AdministratorP.O. Box 541Lima, N.Y 14485; (800) [email protected]

Photo shows John Sullivan demonstrating the workings of his portable sawmillto fellow woodsmen at his residence in Warren County. Often, he uses thesawmill to produce rustic furniture. For complete member profile, turn to page21. Photo courtesy of John Sullivan.

VOLUME 44, NUMBER 1

This magazine is printed on Accent Opaque paper produced at International Paper’sTiconderoga, New York, mill from working Adirondack forests, managed responsiblyin accordance with the principles of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.

www.nyfoa.org 3

FromTheExecutive Director NYFOA is a not-for-

profit group of NY Statelandowners promotingJoin!

stewardship of private forests for thebenefit of current and future generations.Through local chapters and statewideactivities, NYFOA helps woodlandowners to become responsible stewardsand interested publics to appreciate theimportance of New York’s forests.

Join NYFOA today and begin to receiveits many benefits including: six issues ofThe New York Forest Owner,woodswalks, chapter meetings, andstatewide meetings.

( ) I/We own ______acres of wood-land.( ) I/We do not own woodland butsupport the Association’s objectives.

Name: ________________________Address: ______________________City: _________________________State/ Zip: ____________________Telephone: ____________________Email: _______________________County of Residence: ___________County of Woodlot: _____________Referred by: ___________________

Regular Annual Dues:( ) Student $10(Please provide copy of student ID)( ) Individual $30( ) Family $35

Multi-Year Dues:( ) Individual 2-yr $55 3-yr $80( ) Family 2-yr $65 3-yr $95Additional Contribution:( ) Contributor $50-$99( ) Sponsor $100-$249( ) Benefactor $250-$499( ) Steward $500 or moreNYFOA is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and as such your contribution mybe tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Form of Payment: "Check "Credit Card

Credit Card No.__________________________________

Expiration Date ____________________

Signature: _________________________

Make check payable to NYFOA.Send the completed form to:

NYFOAP.O. Box 541

Lima, New York 144851-800-836-3566www.nyfoa.org

Please share this magazinewith a neighbor and urgethem to join NYFOA. Bygaining more members,NYFOA’s voice will

become stronger!

The mission of the New York Forest Owners Association (NYFOA) is topromote sustainable forestry practices and improved stewardship on pri-vately owned woodlands in New York State. NYFOA is a not-for-profitgroup of landowners and others interested in the thoughtful managementof private forests for the benefit of current and future generations.

Get ready for NYFOA’s 45th AnnualMembership Meeting! The meeting willtake place in conjunction with the NewYork Farm Show at the State Fairgroundsin Syracuse beginning at 1 p.m. onSaturday, February 24. Registration isfree, as is admission to the Farm Show –watch for tickets in your mail. This is abenefit of NYFOA membership. Threegreat days of forestry workshops areplanned as part of the Farm Show. Seestories on pages 8, 18, and 19.

In this edition of The Forest Owner, weare continuing the Stories from the Woodscolumn. This section (pages 12-13) isdevoted to providing updates onNYFOA’s partner the NY Master Forest

Owner (MFO)VolunteerProgramactivities. DavidWhalen, aJefferson CountyMFO, offers hisperspective on theprogram in this

edition’s column, “our goal [as MFOvolunteers] is to share the science-basedknowledge taught to us by CornellCooperative Extension. In doing this, Ihave a lot of fun and learn more aboutforestry from my interactions with fellowlandowners and woods walks.” If youwould like to become a MFO, contact theMFO program director, Gary Goff.

Thanks to the leadership of BobCoupal, a volunteer from NYFOA’sNorthern Adirondack Chapter, the newNorthern NY Forest Products UtilizationDatabase and Website project isunderway. This initiative was funded by agrant to NYFOA from the NorthernForest Partnership Program and issupported by NYS DEC and Cornell

Cooperative Extension. NYFOA will bedeveloping and promoting a new website,www.nyforestlink.org, to connect privatenon-industrial forest owners withindividuals and businesses that seekaccess to a variety of primary forestproducts ranging from sawlogs andfirewood to non-timber forest productssuch as maple sap and wild edibles. Ifyou are interested in including theproducts in your forest on the site,download a listing form or complete theform on-line.

It’s not too soon to mark your calendarsfor 2007 Forestry Awareness Day to beheld at the State Capitol on March 19.This year’s format will allow more timefor legislative visits by forest landownersand still include the popular morningissues briefing. Please consider attendingthis important event to discuss forestryconcerns with your local senators andassembly people. Thanks to NYFOAmember Hugh Canham for chairing theForestry Awareness Day committee andthe Empire State Forest ProductsAssociation for providing logisticalsupport.

–Mary Jeanne PackerExecutive Director


NYFOA Southern Adirondack Chapter Woodswalk

Would you like to receive updates viaemail on emerging forestry issues andopportunities for forest owners? If so,please make sure we have your current

email address. Contact Liana in theNYFOA office: [email protected]

The production of maple syrup, and associated value-added products, is an important agricultural industry in New York State.

Maple production contributes to local rural economies and provides supplemental income to farmers and forest land owners. In 2005, there were 1,485 producers with 100 or more taps.

New York State maple production, valued at nearly $7.2 million in 2004, represents about one-sixth of the total production in the U.S.

New York is the third largest maple producer in the nation behind Vermont and Maine.

New York State Maple

The mission of the New York State Maple Producers

Association is to support the maple products industry

in New York State and promote its long-term viability.

Do you own a sugarbush? Join NYSMPA today. Working together we can make things happen.

The SAC conducted a woodswalk on November 4th at the Robert J. Sweet, Inc.Sawmill in Warrensburg. There were more than 30 members in attendance. One of themost interesting parts of the tour was the saw sharpening room and the discussion ofhow the bandsaw blades are sharpened and repaired. The bottom right picture showshow the lumber is stacked for drying in the kiln which is in the background. Photoscourtesy of Robert Manning.

Attention forest landownersin the following counties:

ClintonEssexFranklin

FultonHamiltonHerkimer

JeffersonLewisOneida

OswegoSt. LawrenceWarren

A new on-line database and website for linking forest products sellers and buyers innorthern New York is now being developed. This is a project of NYFOA in coopera-tion with NYS-DEC and Cornell Cooperative Extension funded by a grant from theNorthern Forest Partnership Program of the North East State Foresters Association.

If you would like to list products available (timber, firewood, or non-timber such asmushrooms or boughs/cones) for sale on your land, please go on-line and complete asimple listing form or request a hardcopy from the NYFOA office (PO Box 541, Lima,NY 14485). www.nyforestlink.org

www.nyfoa.org 5

Growing American Lindenfrom Seed

in full sun to partial shade. Lindenseedlings will establish in old fields witha mix of young shrubs and saplings, orsecond growth woodland that hassufficient light and canopy openings. Theseedlings will require some shadingduring the early establishment years butwill then tolerate full sun. Linden treesgrowing in the open are vigorous rootsprouters and will often develop multiplestems. In full sun Linden develops abroad rounded open canopy with heavylow branching. When growing in awoodland setting, Linden will race forthe sunlight and develop a tall, straight,limb free trunk and canopy 70 to 80 feethigh.

Growing Linden from seed is an easyprocess but requires a fair amount ofpatience.

Jim Engel is owner of White Oak Nursery anative plant nursery located in Canandaigua,NY. He is an expert plant propagator and isinvolved in native plant conservation andrestoration activities. www.whiteoaknursery.biz

JIM ENGEL

Bruce E.

Robinson, Inc.

• Forest product marking &marketing

• Timber appraisals

• Access road design &supervision

• Boundary maintenance

• Forest management planning

• Forest recreation planning

• Wildlife management

• Forest taxation planning

• Tree farm management

• Tree planting & tree shelters

• Urban forestry & communitymanagement

1894 Camp Street Ext.

Jamestown, NY 14701-9239

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 716-665-5477

Fax: 716-664-5866

Forestry Consultants

American Linden (Tilia americana) also commonly referred to as

Basswood is a fast growing forest speciesof New York State. American linden isan important timber producing tree as itstendency to self prune its lower limbsproduces a straight-grained knot freelumber that has many uses. The lumberis light, fairly strong and easily workedwithout splintering or splitting. Thecharacteristics of the wood make it thewood of choice for woodcarving,woodturning and detailed wood parts.

Linden grows across a large area of theeastern United States extending well intothe South and Midwest. Linden makes upa small percentage of the canopy trees ofmany forest types in the northeast but isseldom found in high percentages or purestands. Linden develops best on deepmoist, well-drained fertile soils but canbe found on a range of sites from dry,gravelly uplands to heavy clay soils.

In New York State Linden trees flowerin early June. When Linden is in bloomyou will be attracted to the tree as muchby sound as by the fragrant blossoms.Swarms of bees and other insects drawnto the nectar of the blossoms will create aloud buzzing sound that is hard to ignore.

The fruit of Linden is a small hardround nut or kernel, about the size of apea. The fruit consists of a seed coat, awoody pericarp or seed covering enclos-ing the endosperm and a single embryo.The fruits hang in a cluster from the tipsof young branches. Each fruit is attachedto a long narrow bract, which acts as asail and aids in wind dispersal of theseed. Seed is dispersed primarily by windbut is not carried very far from theparent plant because of the size andweight of the seed. Seed is also dispersedby birds and small mammals. Lindentrees usually produce some seed everyyear, but large seed crops are producedevery two to three years. The year(2006) being a very good seed crop year.

Not all seed collected from a tree willbe viable and have the potential togerminate. Often Linden seed will beinfertile or be infested with a seed weevilthat feeds on the endosperm of the seed.This larval feeding destroys the embryo.Pay close attention to the seed covering,a small hole in the seed covering is agood indication of weevil damage.Unfertilized seed will look the same asfertilized seed but the pericarp will behollow instead of containing an embryo.A float test in water can help separate outinfertile seeds, which float, from fertileseeds which should sink.

Linden seed typically will take two ormore years for germination to begin andcomplete germination will be distributedover two to three and as many as fiveyears. Linden seed exhibit delayedgermination because of several factors.The outer seed coat is impermeable towater which is necessary for germina-tion. The hard pericarp prevents theembryo from expanding and the embryoitself exhibits dormancy that delaysgermination.

Early harvest of the seed before it turnsbrown is the most reliable method toshorten the time period to germination.Collect the seed from the tree just as theseed begins to change from green toyellow and immediately place the seed ina moist soil mix. Placing the seed in ablender or food processor to remove theseed coat has also helped to speed upgermination.

For anyone wanting to grow Lindenthere are three easy steps. First collectthe seed when mature, second, place theseed in a moist potting mix to maintainseed moisture until planted, and thirdplant the seed in the soil or seed beds,then wait two or more years for germina-tion. As insurance against poor germina-tion or infertile seeds, collect and sow asurplus of seed.

American Linden seedlings will grow


Ask A Professional

Question:This fall I noticed several instanceswhere ATV riders came onto myproperty without permission. What aremy options to control unauthorizedaccess?

Answer:

If your neighbors are using an ATV to skid logs, help them learn about the best managementpractices that protect the soil, residual trees and seedlings, and that keep them safe.

Landowner questions are addressed by foresters and other natural resources professionals.Landowners should be careful when interpreting answers and applying this general advice totheir property because landowner objectives and property conditions will affect specificmanagement options. When in doubt, check with your regional DEC office or other serviceproviders. Landowners are also encouraged to be active participants in Cornell CooperativeExtension and NYFOA programs to gain additional, often site-specific, answers to questions.To submit a question, email to Peter Smallidge at [email protected] with an explicit mentionof “Ask a Professional.” Additional reading on various topics is available atwww.forestconnect.info

PETER SMALLIDGE

Peter Smallidge

A primary reason why many peopleown forest land is to enjoy the privacy itaffords and as a way to protect thenatural resources. In other cases,landowners have invested in efforts toreforest or stabilize soils that would beharmed by uncontrolled vehicle access.Intrusion by ATVs conflicts with theseand other ownership values. Theincreased parcelization of rural proper-ty, and other factors, has resulted inmore people living in “the country” andmany of those people own off-roadvehicles. State governments are comingunder increasing pressure to provideaccess to public lands where ATV userscan recreate.

Dealing with ATV users can becomplicated and onerous. A goodstarting point is to get to know yourneighbors, and let them get to know you.Introduce yourself, explain why you ownyour land, and discuss activities that areinconsistent with your objectives. Learnabout your neighbors and their interests.

If you don’t have ATV access onto yourproperty, work to prevent it by prevent-ing trails or maintaining barriers toexisting trails. By simply knowing yourneighbors you each become a real personto the other and you may eliminate orgreatly reduce ATV activity on yourproperty. If they own ATVs, ask where

they ride. Find out if they use publicATV areas, if any are available. Beprepared to discuss your views of ATVuse on your property. If you trust yourneighbor, consider exchanging the rightto their restricted ATV access to yourproperty if they help prevent others fromusing ATVs on your property.

www.nyfoa.org 7

An ATV can be a valuable tool for many forest owning activities. If you develop a favorablerelationship with your neighbors, you might be able to use their ATV to make your jobs easier.

On the positive side of this issue,recognize the ATV as a tool which isuseful to many forest owner activities.NYS laws govern the ownership andoperation of ATV (http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/broch/c29.htm). First, many forest ownershave an ATV which they or familymembers use for recreation. Second, ifthe forest owner doesn’t have an ATV,a neighbor might and could loan theATV to help with projects, such asstand improvement cutting for firewoodthat would benefit by the horsepowerprovided by an ATV. By involving yourneighbor in the solution and helpingthem appreciate your needs, manyproblems will be averted or resolved.

Sometimes, you will not know yourneighbors or they won’t be the peopleoperating ATVs on your property.There are some legal steps and somepreventative steps you can take. On thelegal side, consider legally posting yourproperty (http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/sportsed/posting.html).In NY, posting will not alter yourliability but will allow you to takeimmediate legal action against trespass-ers if you catch them. Some stateagency conservation law enforcementofficers have ATV squads to aid inapprehension of ATV trespassers. Theunfortunate reality, however, is thepotential for retribution if you presscharges, especially if you are absenteeon the property. Discuss these and otherquestions you have with the law en-forcement officers when you aredeciding how to handle ATV trespassproblems.

Preventative steps warrant specialcaution on the part of the forest ownerbecause some activities may increaseyour personal liability. Before you takeany action, check with your localconservation officer or legal counsel forassistance and guidance (http://www.forestrylaw.com/issues1.htm).Steps might include closing gates whenATV use is most common, redirectingATV traffic away from sensitive areas,or creating barriers to access alongestablished routes. Any effort to create

traps or other structures intended to orcapable of causing personal injury orequipment damage will make thelandowner liable for injuries incurred bythe intruder. Don’t do it.

Finally, if the problem is widespreadin your area, you might work with otherlandowners to develop a community-based solution. Cooperative Extensionhas a history of working with communi-ty groups to solve problems. Onesolution might be to contact the localATV dealers to help create an ATVusers club that has access to some areasand who patrols other areas to con-straint unauthorized use. Alternatively,the community might work with electedofficials to create areas for authorizedATV use on public land or to createnew laws that restrict ATV use.

This response was adapted from a FAQdeveloped for the USDA Forest ServiceNortheastern Area State and Private Forestryweb page. Peter J. Smallidge, NYS ExtensionForester and Director, Arnot Teaching andResearch Forest, Cornell UniversityCooperative Extension, Ithaca, [email protected]; 116 Fernow Hall,Ithaca, NY 14853. To learn about otherfrequently asked questions visit http://www.na.fs.fed.us/stewardship/faq/index.html


Despite new legislation in 2003, timbertheft remains a problem in New YorkState. Several organizations arepartnering to better understand thespecifics of timber theft cases. Findingsof the survey will be useful to groupssupporting sustainable forest manage-ment.

If you know of illegal timber harvestingincidents in New York State please take afew minutes to complete this brief survey.Individual answers will remain confiden-tial. You may download a copy of thesurvey by visiting www.nyfoa.org orrequest a hard copy of the survey fromLiana Gooding at P.O. Box 541, Lima,New York 14485, or by calling 1-800-836-3566.

Organizations partnering on this surveyinclude New York Society of AmericanForesters, Audubon New York, New York Forest Owners Association, CatskillForest Association, Watershed Agricultural Council, Catskill LandownersAssociation, T.H.R.I.F.T., Adirondack Landowners Association, New York StateInstitute of Consulting Foresters, New York State Timber Producers, EmpireState Forest Products Association, Northeastern Loggers Association, New YorkTree Farm System, Farm Bureau, Legislative Commission on Rural Resources,and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Cooperatingorganizations will receive a copy of the report.

Survey results will begin to be compiled at the end of January 2007. Yourprompt response will be greatly appreciated.

Timber Survey

45th Annual NYFOA MeetingThe New York Forest Owners Association is holding its annual mem-bership meeting, in conjunction with the three-day New York FarmShow, on Saturday February 24, 2007, at the New York Fairgrounds inSyracuse.

The annual meeting will begin at 1:00 pm and be held in the MarthaEddy Room, of the Arts and Home Building.

At the meeting the Heiburg Memorial Award, the Outstanding ServiceAward, and NYFOA's Chapter activity awards will all be presented (seesidebar).

For more information, contact Liana Gooding at 1-800-836-3566

NYFOA AwardsAt the annual membership meetingeach year, NYFOA presents severalawards:

The Heiberg Memorial Awardrecognizes outstanding contributions toforestry and conservation in New York.In honor of Professor Svend Heiberg, arenowned Professor of Silviculture whoproposed establishment of a landownergroup, which was to become NYFOA.

The NYFOA Outstanding ServiceAward recognizes outstanding serviceto the NYFOA membership andfurtherance of NYFOA's mission.

NYFOA's Chapter Activity Awardthanks a volunteer individual or couplefrom each chapter for helping theChapter to operate in reaching mem-bers and other private forest owneroutreach in the area. Each Chapter isurged to name one volunteer individualor couple each year for recognition bythe state membership at the annualmeeting in 2007. This is not a competi-tive award. NYFOA wants to recognizesome one from each chapter each year.

Please send the name of your “Chap-ter Activity” awardee, and any sugges-tions on individuals for the statewideawards to Mary Jeanne Packer byJanuary 30, 2007.

Mary Jeanne PackerNew York Forest Owners Association

PO Box 210, 124 E. 4th St.Watkins Glen, NY 14891

Email: [email protected](607)535-9790, fax (607)535-9794

RICHARD CIPPERLYNORTH COUNTRY FORESTRY LLC

- HARVEST PLANNING

- MANAGEMENT PLANS

- LOSS AND TRESPASS APPRAISAL

- CHRISTMAS TREE MANAGEMENT

8 Stonehurst DriveQueensbury, NY 12804(518) 793-3545 or 1-800-862-3451 SINCE 1964

www.nyfoa.org 9

Activity Three — TreeAromatherapyThe winter woodland is filled withmany smells and many come fromtrees. Some trees known for smellinggood in the winter are balsam fir,juniper, white pine, and spruce.Compare the different scents of theneedles. Do any smell sweet or likecitrus or musk? See how many differentscents you can pick up from each tree.

Activity Four — Sounds of theWinter WoodsWe often think of winter as a time ofyear when everything is asleep, but weknow that’s not true. While on your hikefind a good spot to sit, close your eyesand listen. Spend five minutes listeningto the sounds of birds singing, animalsmoving, and trees swaying. What else doyou hear? Do you think any of thesesounds only happen in the winter? Makea list of all the sounds you hear on yourhike today, and try your hike again in acouple of weeks, you can keep track ofthe changes the forest makes through theseasons just by listening.

Don’t let the winter chill keep youindoors, get out there and enjoy theforest!

The Winter Forest

REBECCA HARGRAVE

Kid'sCorner

Rebecca Hargrave is the CommunityHorticulture and Natural ResourcesEducator at Cornell University CooperativeExtension in Chenango County.

Do you have a photo of youand your kids or grandkids in

your forest? If so, The New YorkForest Owner would like

to see it! Send an electronicor hard copy to

Forest Owner editor,MaryBeth Malmsheimer,

(address on page 22)and it may end up

on this page!

James A. Hart submitted this photograph. The picture shows James teaching his grandchildrenhow to tell the age of a Norway Spruce.

Even though our trees aren’t thatactive in the wintertime, there still aremany activities we can engage in. Picka calm winter day to take a hike andhave some fun with trees.

Materials5 blank pieces of paper5 different colored crayons or

pencilsA Tree ID bookKitchen Shears or Pruners (and an

adult)Your Five Senses

Activity One — Bark RubbingsEach species of tree looks differentfrom another, and one of the easiestways to tell trees apart in the winter isby their bark. Beech are smooth andgray, black cherries are flakey anddark.

How many different types of barkdo you see on your hike? Feel eachbark. Do they feel rough, smooth,hard or soft?

Make a bark rubbing of five differenttrees: Take a piece of blank paper andlay it on the bark — using the side of acrayon, gently rub over the paper topick up the texture of the bark.Compare your paper to the bark, doesit look similar? Compare all yourrubbings, can you pick out exfoliating

(birch), scaly (tamarack), or platy bark(red oak)? Or bark that has parallel(basswood) or interlacing ridges (ash)?

If you know the species of the tree,write it on your rubbing; you can evenadd the rubbings to your leaf collection.

Activity Two — Twig TastingMany trees and shrubs are known fortheir edible qualities; maple syrup fromsugar maples, nuts from hickories, andfruits from cherries. But, did you knowthat the twigs and stems of some of ourtrees and shrubs can be as flavorful?The best example is the black (sweet)and yellow birches: have an adult usethe shears, cut off a 4-5 inch piece of asmall twig and chew on it. What do youtaste? It should be a nice wintergreenflavor. In fact often wintergreen oil isprocessed from the bark of thesebirches. You can chew on it or make atea from it by steeping the twigs in hotwater.

Try chewing on a cherry, you won’tget a cherry flavor, but one that isdistinct to the cherry group. Try todescribe this flavor. Just a taste is allyou’ll need of cherry! A couple othertwigs to chew on are sassafras andjuniper.

You can also make teas from thetwigs of spicebush, juniper, pine andhemlock.


Wild Thingsin Your Woodlands

Two species of cottontails are present in New Yorkand both are very similar in appearance. The firstis the Eastern cottontail (Silvilagus floridanus),which is abundant throughout much of New YorkState except the central Adirondacks. In contrast,the New England cottontail (Silvilagustransitionalis) is uncommon and occurs only east ofthe Hudson River. The New England cottontail is aspecies of special concern in New York Statebecause its distribution and abundance havedeclined significantly over the last 40 years.

Both of these rabbits are mostly gray-brown incolor, with white undersides and a small white tailthat looks like a cotton ball and is most visible asthey bound away. They are about 14 ½ to 18inches in length, and weigh about two to threepounds.

COTTONTAIL RABBIT

KRISTI SULLIVAN

As you walk along a woods edge in the winter, the sights and sounds

of wildlife activity are not as obviousas in other seasons. The tracks of thecottontail rabbit, or the occasionalglimpse of a rabbit bounding for cover,remind us that some of New York'smammals are still active. The woodsare quiet and peaceful during winter,and the lure of finding tracks, scat, orother signs of wildlife is addedincentive to venture outdoors and enjoywhat nature has to offer.

Like tracks and droppings, shrubsand seedlings with cleanly nipped twigsabout 2 feet off the ground areevidence that rabbits are nearby.Rabbits are herbivores, feeding onbark and twigs of species such assumac, oak, dogwood, maple, willow,apple, and raspberry during the winter.In the spring and summer rabbits feedon goldenrod, clover, chickweed,dandelions, and many other plants,

eating the more succulent vegetationparts such as leaves, shoots andflowers. Rabbits are crepuscular,meaning that they feed most actively atdawn and dusk.

As the weather starts to warm in lateFebruary or March, rabbits entertainus with their wild, leaping courtshipantics prior to breeding. Breedingstarts in February and continues intoSeptember. After a gestation period ofabout 28 days, from three to sevenyoung are born. The young, hairlesswith eyes closed, are born in a nestconsisting of a shallow depression inthe ground lined with hair pulled fromthe female's belly and dead grasses.They nurse and require parental carefor about 20 days after birth. Amature, healthy female can have asmany as five litters per breedingseason. Although a single female couldcontribute as many as 35 young to thepopulation each year, only about 20 -

25 percent of the young survive a fullyear. Predators, weather, disease,parasites, and social factors keeppopulations in check.

Male cottontails are territorial anddominant males maintain territories ofabout eight to 25 acres. Other malescan remain in the area as long as theyremain subordinate, and respect thesocial hierarchy. Females defend aterritory of about two acres in thenesting season. When local densitiesare high, frequent social interactionscan increase stress and lead toreductions in litter sizes and survivalrates.

Creating habitat for rabbits isrelatively easy. Rabbits need nestingcover in the spring and summer, andfood and escape cover throughout thewinter. By leaving the tops of trees cutfor firewood or during a timberharvest, you can provide food atground level as well as cover. Crooked

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or forked evergreens can be partially cut through and toppledover to provide "living brush piles". After the holidays, considerplacing your Christmas tree out in the woods instead of sending itto the landfill. Create clusters of old Christmas trees byoverlapping this year's tree with last year's tree. You can alsocreate brush piles by placing large rocks or logs on the ground,and adding progressively smaller pieces of wood as you build up.By criss-crossing larger logs on the bottom, you create hidingspaces and prevent the pile from decaying to quickly. Old rockwalls and stumps left in the ground are also beneficial. With justa few small habitat improvement projects, you can satisfy thefood and cover needs for cottontail rabbits and enjoy both thespringtime antics and the winter signs that are the hallmark of thethis animal.

Kristi Sullivan coordinates the Conservation Education Program atCornell's Arnot Forest. More information on managing habitat for wildlife,as well as upcoming educational programs at the Arnot Forest can be foundby visiting the Arnot Conservation Education Program web site atwww.dnr.cornell.edu/arnot/acep/

NEWS &NOTES

Concerned about development and access to private lands in theNorthern Forest?

UVM, UNH, UMaine, and Cornell are cooperatively conducting astudy to better understand changes in land tenure and access to privatelands throughout the Northern Forest. If you own land, recreate onprivate land, or care about the future of the Northern Forest, yourinput is needed!

Visit www.uvm.edu/tourismresearch/survey.htm to share yourconcerns and suggestions.

If you have questions about the study, feel free to contact ShawnGeoffroy at the Vermont Tourism Data Center, Telephone: (802) 656-0623, E-mail: [email protected], Website: www.uvm.edu/tourismresearch


Stories

The goal of the MFO/COVERTS Program is to provide private forest owners with the information and encouragementnecessary to manage their forests to enhance ownership satisfaction.

The frost crack in this apple tree originatedfrom a wound that occurred many years ago.(Photo courtesy of Colorado State Univ. Coop.Extension)

DAVID WHALEN

from the Woods

This “stories from the woods” articleis the second in a series written byMaster Forest Owner Volunteerstelling of one of their visits. Thevolunteers truly enjoy theinteractions with the forest ownersthey visit. We hope you too enjoy thestories and learn a bit from themalso!

I had met local forest owner TedBrockett, at the Farm Pride store inBellville, NY. While we enjoyedcoffee, a breakfast ‘Jimbo’ andconversation, I mentioned the

Master Forest Owner (MFO)Volunteer program and explainedhow it worked and that I was avolunteer. Ted explained he hadjust been contacted by a locallogger and agreed to have histrees marked for possible cuttingusing the “18-inch and up”diameter-limit cutting method. Tedinvited me to do a woods walkwith him. The 25-acre woodlotconsisted mostly of clean,towering hard maple in the 14 to25 inch DBH (diameter breastheight) range with fewer cherry,oak, hemlock, hickory, beech, ashand tulip poplar. Tucked in theback of this woodlot was a 5-acremixture of mature hemlock, ash,hickory and oak bordered by ascenic section of South SandyCreek.

Ted explained he would like tomanage his timber harvest toinsure both maximum value andfuture growth for his woodlot whileretaining the natural beauty of hisforest. It appeared that theprevious logging job many yearsago, as was the norm for the time,had strictly followed the diameter-limit cutting method — whichtakes the best and leaves the rest— and had left many justundersized trees, which now hadreached their financial maturitylevel. However, we also sawexamples in Ted’s forest where alow-value competing tree was left

at the last cutting to the detriment ofa more valued tree and if cut asmarked this would be happeningagain! We discussed how thegrowth of high value trees could besignificantly increased if they werefully released by harvesting thelower value trees whose crownswere growing in direct competition.For example, provided a tree hasnot reached biological maturity andis on a good growing site, an 18-inch tree left to grow for 10 moreyears would grow to 20 inches DBH.This extra DBH calculates to a 27%increase (a relatively conservativeestimate) in board foot yield! If thelog quality grade also improvedwith size (a good possibility), thenthe dollar value of the tree wouldincrease perhaps up to 50%. At thispoint Ted’s wheels were turning infull gear as he deduced that adiameter-limit cut would result incutting trees prematurely from afinancial standpoint. I furtherexplained that diameter limit cutstends to take the best trees andleave the ones that for a variety ofreasons are not doing so well andare not likely to respond well tobeing released from competition. Tocut the “winners” and leave the“losers” is a high-grade harvest thatseverely lessens the futureproductivity of a woodlot.

The bottom line regarding Ted’ssituation, as I explained to him, wasthat he would benefit from further

www.nyfoa.org 13

Sponsors of the MFO Program include: The Ruffed GrouseSociety, NY Forest Owners Association, NYS-DEC Div. ofLands & Forests, The Robert H. Wentorf, Jr. Foundation,USDA Renewable Resources Extension Program, and CornellCooperative Extension

The white ash on the left and the sugar mapleon the right are competing for growing spacefor their crowns. A couple of options heremight be to release the more valuable sawtimbersugar maple by cutting the ash, or leave themboth and release both crowns by cuttingadjacent trees.

investigation into crop treemanagement and selling using thebidding process and that a foresterwas the best qualified to putting thesale out to bid to get offers fromseveral different timber harvesters.There was a lot of current value inthe woodlot and it was very unlikelythat a diameter-limit cut was goingto help him achieve his manage-ment objective.

Because Ted is of the nature to beinvolved in the actual managementof his woodlot, I also left him withsome information on Crop TreeManagement. We met a few dayslater after Ted had read the materialI gave him. He was pretty wellconvinced that he could get someutility out of crop tree management.I then provided Ted with the DECco-operative foresters list. He isnow much more confident that hewill be able to put together a forestmanagement plan that will bettermaintain his current forest diversityand natural beauty over thediameter-limit harvest plan used asa basis for marking the trees.

Our goal as MFOs is to share thescientific-based knowledge taught tous by Cornell CooperativeExtension. In doing this I have a lotof fun and learn more aboutforestry from my interactions withfellow landowners on woods walks.As another example during my walkwith Ted, he asked me what causedbark splits on some of the mapletrunks? I had no idea, so I askedGary Goff at Cornell and found thatthe splits are likely “frost cracks”caused by freezing of bark,commonly over previous wounds.Smooth barked trees areparticularly susceptible to the

For more information on:

The MFO Volunteer Program—contact your county CornellCooperative Extension Office orwww.cornellmfo.info

Contacting a forester—contactyour regional NYS DEC officeor http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dlf/lfoffice.html

Diameter-Limit Cutting— http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/ext/info/pubs/index.htm (pdf fileavailable)

Crop Tree Management— http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/ext/info/pubs/index.htm (pdf fileavailable)

Frost Cracks — http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/FactSheets/winterinjury/winterinjury.htm

problem after a quick nighttimedrop in temperature in late winterafter sap had flowed during the day.The splits typically remain on thetree trunks and may get worse overtime because the callas and healthybark continues to expand andcontract at different rates. Over timedisease, fungi, insects, and animalsmay invade and widen the wound.

I am glad to be involved in theMaster Forest Owner programbecause I find the woods walks arehelpful to the landowners andequally as valuable to me.

David Whalen, is an ‘04 MFOvolunteer from Jefferson County.

MFO volunteer Dave Whalen is pointing out asevere defect (due to skidder damage or fire?) inthe butt log of a sugar maple. The cavity makesit a prime tree to cull from this stand ifsawtimber is an ownership objective and it iscrowding out other valuable trees. Otherwise, ithas potential value as a den tree for wildlife.

14 The New York Forest Owner 44:6 • November/December 2006

Frequently Asked Questions AboutNY’s Conservation Easement Tax Credit

HENRIETTA JORDAN

In 2006, New York State enacted a new conservation easement tax credit

(CETC). The CETC offers taxpayerswhose land is restricted by a conservationeasement an annual New York Stateincome tax credit of up to 25% of theschool district, county, and town realestate taxes paid on the restricted land, upto an annual maximum of $5,000 pertaxpayer. Landowners will be able to claimthis credit for the taxes they paid incalendar year 2006 when they file their2006 New York State income tax formsand annually thereafter.

What’s a tax credit?Unlike a tax deduction, which is anadjustment to taxable income, a tax creditoffsets a taxpayer’s tax liability on adollar-for-dollar basis. Having a tax creditis as if someone were writing a check forpart of your taxes. The CETC is arefundable income tax credit, which meansthat if a landowner’s tax credit exceeds theamount he or she owes in state incometaxes, the landowner gets a check for thedifference.

Who is eligible for the CETC?The Conservation Easement Tax Credit isavailable to individual landowners and alsoto estates and trusts (including beneficiariesof an estate or trust), partners in a partner-ship (including a limited liability corpora-tion that is treated as a partnership forfederal income tax purposes), and businesscorporations taxed under Article 9-A of theTax Law. It is not available to SubchapterS corporations, not-for-profit corporations,or other kinds of corporations.

Are landowners who do not reside inNew York State eligible for the CETC?Yes, as long as the land restricted by theconservation easement is located in NewYork State.

How much will I get under the CETC?If you are eligible for the Conservation

Easement Tax Credit, you will receive25% of the county, town, and schooldistrict property taxes paid on youreasement-restricted land, up to an annualmaximum of $5,000. Note that village andcity taxes cannot be used to compute thecredit; nor can special assessments forwater, sewer, or fire protection, etc.

What qualifies as a conservation ease-ment?To qualify a landowner for the Conserva-tion Easement Tax Credit, an easementmust meet several requirements:• It must be a perpetual and permanentconservation easement as defined in Article49 of New York’s Environmental Conser-vation Law.• The land subject to the easement must belocated in New York State.• The easement must be held by a public orprivate conservation agency.

- Public conservation agencies includeany agency of federal, state, and localgovernments.- Private conservation agencies includenon-profit land trusts and any other non-profit organizations whose charitablepurposes include the protection of openspace, scenic, natural, agricultural, orhistoric resources, and that have thepower to acquire interests in realproperty.

• The easement must serve to protect open

space, biodiversity, or scenic, natural,agricultural, watershed, or historic preserva-tion resources by limiting or restrictingdevelopment, management, and/or use ofthe property.• The easement must be filed with theDepartment of Environmental Conservation.• The easement must comply with Section170 (h) of the Internal Revenue Code; i.e. itwas donated or partially donated (sold forless than fair market value) to a public orprivate conservation agency.

Does it matter when the easement wascreated?No. The Conservation Easement Tax Creditapplies to all conservation easements,regardless of when they were created,provided that they meet the criteria listedabove.

Are there easements that don’t qualify forthe credit?Yes. The Conservation Easement Tax Creditdoes not apply to non-conservation ease-ments, such as utility or transportation rightsof way, etc. Nor does it apply to conserva-tion easements that were created for thepurpose of obtaining subdivision or buildingpermits or to easements that were requiredas mitigation. (These easements do notcomply with IRC Section 170 (h)). Similar-ly, deed restrictions that do not conform tothe definition of “conservation easement” inArticle 49, Title 3 do not qualify for thecredit, even if they have a conservationpurpose.

What if there is more than one easementon my land?You can claim a tax credit for each of theeasements on your land, up to a total of$5,000 per year for all of them.

[email protected]

[email protected]

Where can I get more information?Contact the Land Trust Alliance (tel: 518-587-0774 or e-mail: [email protected]).

Important Note:The information about the New York StateConservation Easement Tax Creditcontained in this document is furnished asa tool to assist land trusts and landowners.It is provided with the understanding thatthe Land Trust Alliance is not engaged inrendering legal, accounting, tax, or othercounsel. If legal advice or other expertassistance is required, the services of acompetent professional should be sought.This document is not a substitute for legal,accounting, or tax advice and should notbe relied on as such.

Henrietta Jordan’s is the Northeast Policy &Assessments Manager for the Land TrustAlliance. She is based out of their SaratogaSprings, NY office.

your assessment that applies to the landonly. Then you can calculate how much ofyour taxes were paid on only the ease-ment-restricted land. No structures—noteven structures with historic value—areeligible for the conservation easement taxcredit.

Can a landowner get the CETC if he orshe is also receiving the Farmer’sSchool Tax Credit or other property taxcredits?Yes, but only for that portion of theproperty taxes on the easement-restrictedland that is not rebated by the other taxcredits. The tax forms for claiming thecredit (IT-242 and CT-242) and accom-panying instructions will help youdetermine whether there is any unrebatedportion.

Can a landowner get the CETC if theproperty is enrolled in an agricultural orforestry assessment program?Yes. Conservation easement properties thatare enrolled in agricultural or forestryassessment programs are eligible for thetax credit.

What happens when I sell my land? WillI still be able to claim the CETC?No. Entitlement to the conservation taxcredit runs with the land. That is, the newowner will be able to apply for it providedhe or she meets the eligibility criteria.

www.nyfoa.org 15

How does a landowner claim the CETC?The landowner claims the ConservationEasement Tax Credit when filing his orher state income tax returns. The landown-er will file the new Form IT-242 or CT-242 with his or her usual state income taxforms.

What if the land is owned by more thanone person, partnership, or corpora-tion? Can they all claim the credit?Yes, but each individual, partnership, orcorporation can only claim credit for taxesit has actually paid, up to a maximum of$5,000 a year.

What if the easement covers only part ofmy land? How do I allocate the taxes?The credit applies only to that portion ofyour land that is protected by the ease-ment. Ask your local assessor to calculatethe fraction of your assessment that appliesto your land (and not to buildings andother structures). Then calculate thefraction of the land that is protected by theeasement. Multiplying these numbers timesthe total property taxes will give you theallocated taxes.

What if the easement-restricted land hasbuildings or other structures on it? CanI claim credit for taxes paid on them?No, the credit applies only to the landprotected by a conservation easement. Askyour assessor to calculate the percentage of

What is a conservation easement?What is a conservation easement?What is a conservation easement?What is a conservation easement?What is a conservation easement?

A conservation easement is a tool thatallows a landowner to permanently protecthis/her land through a legal agreement,written in the form of a deed. Through theconservation easement, a landownerdonates the majority, or entirety, of theproperty's development rights to a qualifiednonprofit land trust or governmental entity.The landowner retains ownership of theproperty and may sell, lease, bequeath ormortgage land protected by a conservationeasement. The terms of the easement aretailored to the landowner's vision, theconservation attributes of the propertybeing protected and the mission and goalsof the easement holder.

For donated easements, landownersoften qualify for significant state andfederal income tax deductions. A land-owner may be able to deduct the value ofthe easement against 30 percent (andsome cases 50 percent) of their adjustedgross income for up to six years, beginningin the year the easement is donated.Currently, there are enhanced tax incen-tives for easements donated in 2006 and2007 in which landowners may be able todeduct 50 percent (and some cases 100percent) of their adjusted gross income forup to 16 years.

For more information on conservationeasements or to locate a land trust in yourarea, contact the Land Trust Alliance at 518-587-0774 or email: [email protected]


Chestnut … Elm … Will Ash be next??KIM ADAMS

Figure 2. Emerald ash borer larva.

Figure 1. Emerald ash borer adult

About a decade ago there were a lot of sickly looking or even dead ash trees

in the Detroit, Michigan area. Ash issusceptible to a number of insects anddiseases, some not easily diagnosed. Ashyellows, caused by a tiny organism called aphytoplasma, produces symptoms similar tothose observed and, in the early 90s,widespread ash decline occurred across theUpper Midwest and Northeast. Multiplestressing factors were blamed. Not until2002 was a beetle native to eastern Asiaidentified as the culprit. We know now itarrived at least ten years before beingdetected.

Emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis,probably entered the country in ash used inshipping crates or pallets. It infests onlyash, Fraxinus spp., and resistance has notbeen observed in any of our native species.Although it seems counterintuitive for aforest insect to become established in anurban area, it is these areas along our coastsand the Great Lakes that receive goodstransported from around the world. Organ-isms that infest solid wood packing materialconstitute an ongoing threat for introductionof nonindigenous and potentially invasiveinsect pests. At least eleven forest insectsidentified in the United States and Canadasince 1990 are believed to have arrived thisway.

Roughly one half inch long, the shiny,emerald green insect belongs to a group ofbeetles known as metallic wood-borers (Fig.1). Adults emerge from the trees they fed in

primarily during June and July. Emer-gence produces one sure sign of infesta-tion, a small, one-eighth inch hole flat-tened on one side, or D-shaped. Sunloving, the beetles feed on ash foliage for aweek or more before mating and layingeggs. Females produce fifty or more eggs,and lay them individually in bark cracksand crevices. They hatch within twoweeks. Immature beetles or larvae arecalled flatheaded borers distinguishingthem from roundheaded borers, cylindricallarvae of a different beetle group that oftenutilize the same food resource. The insectduring this stage is flattened, whitish, andwith distinct segmentation, tapeworm-like(Fig. 2). They feed on inner bark orphloem tissue. Phloem is living tissueresponsible for moving the products ofphotosynthesis around the tree. Larvalfeeding tunnels called galleries curve andwind under the bark much like mountainroads until the tree’s translocation systemis effectively severed (Fig. 3). When thetree is girdled, it dies, often in as little astwo or three years following the first beetlebite.

On all but the smallest trees, beetlesinitially infest the upper portion of the treewithin the canopy where evidence is verydifficult to see. While the ash is vigorous, itresponds by producing callus. This pushesthe bark out causing vertical splits. Follow-ing heavier attack, branches die back and asthey do, buds may break further down thetrunk and at the base producing dense

clusters of leafy branches.There will be no sawdustbecause larvae pack theirexcrement mixed withsawdust-like wood chipsbehind them in the gallery.Woodpeckers are efficientpredators of all insectsfeeding under the bark.Increased woodpeckeractivity should precipitateinspection of unhealthylooking ash. A year afterattack the first generation

of beetles exit through their D-shapedemergence holes. Within a year or two, inall likelihood, the tree will be dead (Fig. 4).

In the core area, that region of south-eastern Michigan where the beetle was firstdiscovered, 20 million trees are dead. Forthose who remember the now eclipsedAsian longhorn beetle and the alarmexpressed by residents of New York Cityand Chicago at the prospect of losingcherished trees, that eradication effort hasinvolved the removal of about 20,000infested and high-risk trees thus far andhas great hopes for success. The 290,000ash trees removed since 2002 in the fightagainst emerald ash borer represent only adent in the infestaton.

North central Illinois, southern Indianaperhaps into Kentucky and eastern Ohiocurrently delimit emerald ash borer frontlines. On December 1, 2006, the federalquarantine expanded to cover the entirestates of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois inaddition to the already covered lowerpeninsula of Michigan. Maryland, whichreceived the beetle in nursery stockshipped illegally from Michigan in 2003,is not currently under quarantine. This fall,however, after an eradication effort andtwo years without a beetle find, that statefound three sites with emergence holes andplans a second eradication effort to include

www.nyfoa.org 17

Figure 3. Serpentine larval galleries.

email [email protected]

a one and one-half to two mile radiusaround the confirmed sites. The morelikely avenues of beetle movement inaddition to nursery stock, include greenlumber and firewood. Because of difficul-ties with identification, movement of allhardwood firewood is regulated as arewood chips, whether composted or not.

States with infestations, as well as acouple not yet infested, are conductingsurveys for the insect. Visual inspections

have proved ineffectual and states haveturned to a system of trap trees for detec-tion. Last year, New York used trap treesat about thirty sites. Emerald ash borerprefers to attack stressed trees, attracted bythe chemicals produced, but will readilyattack healthy ones as populations build.The creation of a trap tree involves girdlinga healthy ash in the spring. Green ash,Fraxinus pennsylvanica, is used mostoften. This provides the beetle with idealhost material. Tree placement occurs on agrid with about seven trees per township orthirty-six square miles. Trap density isincreased around higher risk areas such assawmills, campgrounds, and tree nurseries.Trees are peeled during the winter andexamined for evidence of beetle larvae orgalleries. The procedure works. It hasresulted in the identification of well oversixty infested sites or outliers outside thecore area. The trap tree method is alsoproblematic. Suitable host material is notalways available. With 10,000 trap trees inboth Michigan and Ohio, however, of fargreater concern is the time and cost.Protocol calls for the removal, chippingand burning of all ash within half a mile ofany identified beetle tree. Costs per siteare between $500,000 and $1,000,000.Only eight outlying sites have been treatedto date, leaving dozens of these infestationsuntreated and growing. The beetle fliesmuch farther than the half-mile treatmentboundary although it probably will not ifsuitable host material remains nearer. Asthe circle enlarges, the costs, already toogreat, become unimaginable. Failure of

eradication efforts however, leads tomounting removal expenses.

The threat to our ash resource cannot beoverstated. Research is underway toidentify effective lures to simplify detec-tion. Control agents from areas where theinsect is native have been identified.Resistance mechanisms are being investi-gated. All of these will take time todevelop and incorporate into a manage-ment program. For now, when the beetlearrives, the landowner has few options.Individual, high value trees can beprotected with an insecticide. Thesetreatments have to be repeated regularlyand should a beetle tree be located within adesignated area and an eradication cutperformed, the treated tree would beremoved. Removal and utilization of ash,particularly larger diameter ash fromwoodlots retards population buildupbecause the larger the tree, the morebeetles that tree is capable of feeding. Ashvalue, already diminished, will probablycontinue to shrink. The picture is bleak.Emerald ash borer continues to devastateash in this country and it is headed ourway.

For the reader interested in additional informa-tion, the websites at www.emeraldashborer.info/and na.fs.fed.us/fhp/eab/index.shtm providelinks to information put out by states withinfestations.

Kim Adams is an Extension Specialist at theSUNY College of Environmental Science &Forestry. She wishes to thank Therese Polandof the USFS for all her help and for supplyingimages.

Figure 4. Ash dieback due to emerald ashborer infestation


Show your support for the Association! All items display the NYFOA logo.

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All shirts are heavy weight cotton withwhite lettering on the green and greenlettering on the grey.

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Make check payable to NYFOA. Send thecompleted form to: NYFOA, P.O. Box 541,Lima, New York 14485. Questions? Call800-836-3566

NYFOA STORE

www.nyfoa.org 19

1890 E. Main Street, Falconer, NY 14733 716-664-560220½ Groton Avenue, Cortland, NY 13045 607-753-311390 East Front Street, Hancock, NY 13783 607-637-4466

Visit Our Website: www.foreconinc.com

New York Farm Show

The New York Farm Show exhibits include equipment used by woodlot owners, chainsaws, wood splitters, and woodharvesters in addition to equipment used by agricultural producers. The Farm Show takes place at the NYS Fairgrounds in Syracuse, NY. Free seminars and a forestry education booth arebeing co-sponsored by NYFOA, the Department of Environmental Conservation, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and SUNYCollege of Environmental Science and Forestry. Hours for the forestry information booth: 8:30 am - 4:00 pm February 22, 23,and 24 in the International Building. Allseminar presentations will take place in the DEC Log Cabin.

Schedule of SeminarsThursday, February 22 1:00 pm Timber Value: The Timber Market Present and Future

2:00 pm Options for the Forest Tent Caterpillar Outbreak3:00 pm Tax Relief: Section 480-a, The Forest Tax Law

Friday, February 23 10:00 am Improving Maple Sap Quality through Forestry11:00 am Selling Your Timber: Getting it Right the First Time1:00 pm How to Improve Timber Health and Productivity2:00 pm Alert: Threats to the Health of Our Forests, New and Old3:00 pm Restoring the American Chestnut

Saturday, February 24 10:00 am Wood and Willow Energy Crops: Bioenergy and Bioproduct Feedstocks11:00 am Update: Real Property Tax Law and Other Issues Affecting Your Forest1:00 pm Wild Edible Plants and Mushrooms

There is no registration fee. Free admission tickets to the Farm Show will be mailed to NYFOA members.


after heavy autumn frosts. Kernel—large, sweet.Outstanding features—large terminalbud; from 5 to 7 leaflets, outer 3 muchlarger; bark peeling in long plates.

Know Your Trees

Information originally appeared in “Know Your Trees” by J.A. Cope and Fred E. Winch, Jr. and is distributed through Cornell CooperativeExtension. It may also be accessed via their web site at http://bhort.bh.cornell.edu/tree/trees.htm

SHAGBARK HICKORY (Carya ovata K. Koch)

Shagbark Hickory is the best knownand most valuable of the hickories inthis state. It is common in deep, moistsoils throughout New York though rarein the higher Catskills andAdirondacks, and is not reported fromthe pine barrens of Long Island. In theforest it is a tall straight-branched treebut in open fields and along hedgerowswhere it often grows it usually forksnear the ground into stout ascendinglimbs. The wood is very heavy, tough,elastic, close-grained, and is usedchiefly for handles, vehicles, agricul-tural implements, and fuel. The fruit isimportant for wildlife.Bark—light gray in color, smooth andseamy, becoming shaggy with age andpeeling off into long strips which areloose at both ends and attached in the

www.futureforestinc.com

HERBICIDE APPLICATIONS

Phone: 585-374-2799FAX: 585-374-2595

middle, thus giving rise to thename “shagbark hickory.”Twigs—covered with numerouslight dots, extremely tough andpliable, reddish brown to gray incolor.Winter buds—large, ovate, blunt-pointed, with papery, darkbrown, loose bud scales, theouter scales much darker,persistent through the winter;terminal bud usually more than½ inch long.Leaves—alternate compound,from 8 to 14 inches long, with from 5to 7 leaflets, the three upper ones beingby far the largest.Fruit—a smooth, white, 4-angled nut,enclosed in a thick, round husk thatsplits into 4 sections as the nut falls

www.nyfoa.org 21

Member Profile:John Sullivan

ALEXANDRA SILVA

continued on page 22John Sullivan standing in front of his solar wood kiln. While empty at the moment, John hashad mixed success with the kiln, stating that it works better during the summer months.

Not long after the world celebratedthe beginning of the new

millennium, John Sullivan’s KippMountain Tree Farm in Chestertownmarked 50 years of forestmanagement and successful timberproduction. In that time there havebeen eight harvests of the 350 acrewoodlot, a couple of thinnings, onewhite pine planting and recognition asNew York’s 2006 Tree Farm of theyear.

The story started well over acentury ago, in 1875, when WarrenCounty was mainly farmland andJohn’s great-grandparents, Thomasand Mary Callahan, bought the land.After 35 years eking out a living onthe area’s rocky soil, they quitfarming and moved away; the fieldsbegan their reversion to woodland.

Now jump forward to the early1950s, when John’s parents, Bob andChristina Sullivan, bought the landfrom other members of the family.

“My father was a town and cityboy,” says John, “but he figured ifthey were going to own the land theyshould make it productive, and thatmeant he needed to learn aboutwoods. So he contacted the DEC andsoon we were working with PhilCapone, then a service forester out ofWarrensburg.”

Under Capone’s guidance — andothers over the next 20-some years —John and his father planted white pineseedlings, conducted other timberstand improvements and contracted forseveral limited harvests of white pine,hardwoods and hemlock. In 1975 hisfather turned the land over to John.

Thinking it might be time for moreformal management, John sought helpin developing a forest managementplan from the International PaperCompany. At the time, IP and otherlarge corporations maintainedlandowner assistance programs thatwould create management plans andprovide other help to land owners inreturn for the right of first refusal onany harvests. John’s plan helpedplace the land under New York’s 480-A forest management program, whichprovided John a substantial reductionin real property taxes of the forestedacres. While he receives the taxbreak, John commits his land to forestproduction for the next 10 years.“Many people think this is too muchof a commitment, but it works for mebecause I intend to keep the land inthe family, as forest, forever.”

Another management move madesense when, in 2002, the Residents’Committee to Protect the Adirondackslaunched its Sustainable Forestryprogram, through which participatinglandowners receive certification fromthe Forest Stewardship Council. TheFSC certification confirms that theland is managed according to strictstandards of sustainable growth andenvironmental responsibility. NewYork’s state forests, as well asInternational Paper and Finch, Pruynand Company lands in theAdirondacks are FSC certified.

John has worked with two forestersfor most of the 30 years he has ownedthe Kipp Mountain Tree Farm: SteveWarne, now retired from DEC, andChris Gearwar of Lake GeorgeForestry. “The Tree Farm would nothave been successful without thosetwo men,” he says.

Recent successes include a thinningof a 15-acre sugar maple stand thatyielded a couple of years of firewoodfor two homes, and a 2006 harvest ofa 20-acre white pine stand that yielded113,000 board feet of pine, plus smallamounts of other species.

John lived in New Jersey and laterfor 30 years in the Washington, DC,area and came to live on his property


full-time about 10 years ago. He hadbuilt a log cabin – with logs cut on hisland – in 1981 and after manyimprovements made it our permanenthome.

John’s wife, Gretchen McHugh, is aphotographer, writer, and treasurer ofthe Southern Adirondack Chapter ofNYFOA, and a Tree Farmer in herown right. She owns a 118-acrewoodlot in Washington County thatincludes a 200-year-old farmhouse, sothe pair commute between the twoproperties.

John has always considered owningthe Kipp Mountain Tree Farm as amajor influence in his life. “It is anever-ending challenge; you think youknow something and then it wakes youup and reminds you that you’re juststarting to learn.” John tries to spendsome part of every day in the woods,which leads his neighbors to joke thathe has a name for every tree. Heconcedes this may be true, butmaintains that it isn’t just the treesthat he enjoys, but the wildlife aswell.

While the tree farm grows whitepine, red oak, white ash, hemlock,white cedar and several other species,it is also home to deer, bear, coyote,fox, fisher, the occasional moose and— to John’s surprise and delight onemorning about 3 years ago — a cougarthat he saw as it crossed the road.

Alexandra Silva is a Forest ResourcesExtension Program Assistant at CornellUniversity, Department of NaturalResources, Ithaca, NY 14853.

Above: John Sullivan, along with Bert Morehouse and Joe Tennyson, during a NYFOAwoods walk in 2005. Below: John Sullivan’s property includes part of Kipp Mountain, locatedat the north end of Loon Lake, depicted here.

SAF Certified

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5476 Cauterskill RoadCatskill, NY 12414

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Per diem based fee structure for bid sales = no commissionsNYS-DEC Cooperating Consulting Forester SAF Certified, WBE

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7025 Harpers Ferry Road • Wayland, N.Y. 14572585-728-3044/ph • 585-728-2786 / fax • [email protected]

Damage Appraisals-Strategy and Advice-Valuations & Stump Cruises

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-Analysis and Prescription-Non-Commercial Timber Stand Improvement Work

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Management Plans-FLEP-480a

Commercial Timber Harvests/Valuations-High Quality Hardwoods-Low Grade Hardwoods-Softwoods

Timber Stand Improvement-Marking & Treatment

www.nyfoa.org 23

©2003 International Paper

As a leader in the Sustainable Forestry

Initiative® program, International Paper

ensures the perpetual planting, growing and

harvesting of trees while protecting

biodiversity, wildlife, plants, soil, water and

air quality. Each time you purchase paper,

packaging or wood products, you help us to

grow more trees. Together, we can ensure a

bright future for the next generation.

Visit us at www.internationalpaper.com

Caring for the Next Generation

Membership in Farm Bureau isn’t just for farmers. It is for anyone who caresabout or lives in rural New York. Join now. Send your membership check

for $65 to N.Y. Farm Bureau, Box 5330, Albany, NY 12205-0330

OR sign up at www.nyfb.org / 800-342-4143

■ Grassroots action to protect farmland and the rural landscape.■ Fighting to advance family farm businesses for coming generations.■ Affordable and dependable workers comp and insurance programs.■ Farm education programs for schools, PR messages to public.■ Big savings on Dodge trucks, Grainger supplies, and more.

“Nobody speaks up for land owners better than Farm Bureau. That’s why I am a member. You should be, too.”

–BOB O’BRIEN, FOREST MANAGER, COTTON-HANLON, INC., CAYUTA, N.Y.

IF YOU CARE ABOUT FARMS, YOU NEED TO BE, TOO.

“I AM FARM BUREAU.”

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For More Information Contact:Mary Beth Malmsheimer, Editor

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MAGAZINEDEADLINE

Materials submitted for the March/April Issue issue should besent to Mary Beth Malmsheimer, Editor, The New York ForestOwner, 134 Lincklaen Street, Cazenovia, NY 13035, (315) 655-4110 or via e-mail at mmalmshe @syr.edu Articles, artwork andphotos are invited and if requested, are returned after use.

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The New York Forest Owner - Volume 45 Number 1

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