FORESTRY GOALS:

• Provide information & education for improved forest management, increased economic return and protection of land and timber resources.

• Assist the forest industry with projects and research which encourage the production and marketing of sustainable, value added products.

• Help foresters and timber harvesters achieve a higher level of business and technical skill.

• Increase public awareness of the importance of forests to health, climate, the economy and a more beautiful world.

Important workshops on the forest tent caterpillar were held over the last two years, after a serious outbreak afflicted Northern New York forests. Of particular interest to maple producers and timber producers, these workshops were very well attended.

Outbreaks of forest tent caterpillars are cyclic, occurring every 10-20 years. Most outbreaks last about 3 years, causing severe damage, followed by a decline in caterpillar population. Caterpillars feed on foliage and weaken trees by defoliation. Several years of defoliation can stress trees and trees may die.

The use of chemical or microbial sprays gives good control. Formulations based on the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) can be used to protect weakened trees or to cover large areas where populations have remained high for consecutive years. It is not a contact insecticide and needs to be swallowed to be effective, so is best used in the springtime when caterpillars are still small. Cost of aerial spraying was about $25 per acre.

The decision of whether to spray or not to spray is quite complex. In terms of pure economics, when the cost of spraying is less than the loss of income from not spraying, spraying is justified. For maple syrup producers, campground operators, arboreta, resorts and others whose income depends on having leaves on their trees the economic justification is easily achieved. For forested landowners who are managing their forest for timber production, the cost of spraying is also easily achieved since the loss of even a few timber trees per acre (which is likely in outbreak situations) exceeds the cost of spraying. Fountain Forestry reported seeing significant mortality and crown dieback in sugar maple stands on client lands just west of Tupper Lake. They conducted salvage operations after trees did not leaf out. Most of these lands received one year of heavy defoliation (2006). With very dry conditions the following summer, an additional stress, they expect to see greater mortality and will subsequently salvage as appropriate.

Also covered was an overview of spraying in the Adirondack Park. BRSL RC&D attended the next Adirondack Park Agency meeting and did a presentation on the forest tent caterpillar as well as other pests which may invade this area.

Held in Oct. in Camden, Harrisville & Moira and geared toward small sawmill operators, code enforcement, municipal building inspectors and other officials, and received a good response. Thanks to Al DeBonis for being our instructor.

The RC&D Council is interested in sponsoring future lumber grading seminars, if the interest is there.  People can contact the our secretary, Rebecca Hare, at 315-782-7289, extension 5, to express interest and for more information.

CHAINSAW SAFETY WORKSHOPS

Dan Tilton instructed our courses at Herkimer County BOCES and at the Ranger School in Wanakena in conjunction with New York Logger Training. These were well attended, as was the one held in December at the request of St. Lawrence County Snowmobile Assoc., since certification is a requirement for those volunteers working on State land under the NYS Adopt-a-Natural-Resource Program.

GPS TRAINING

Training was conducted at the Ranger School in Wanakena through

NY Logger Training and was highly successful.

NRCS provided two people to facilitate the training.

The popularity and usefulness of GPS is growing by leaps and bounds.

The Forestry Committee would like to coordinate a “Best Burn Practice” workshop for Outdoor Wood Furnaces addressing outdoor furnace issues and the necessity to educate the public on safe and legal use. We could possibly hold two sessions this year, based on interest reflected after our presentation at the Woodsmen’s Field Days. Walt Friebel gave an update on the responses received there. We will be contacting Hudson Equipment to see if this is something they would be interested in hosting.

The Sirex woodwasp (Sirex noctilio) is considered a major pest, as it will attack living trees and can cause up to 80% mortality, typically building up in stressed trees and then spreading to more vigorous trees. It has been rated a “very high risk” pest and has the potential to cause significant tree mortality in stressed or weakened pine plantations and natural forests. All pine species are believed to be at risk, particularly stressed Scotch pine and red pine, as well as Eastern white pine. Literature indicates the Sirex woodwasp will also attack virtually all our other native softwood species. There is potential for serious losses to softwood stands in New York and we urge you to visit the NYS DEC website and learn more about this threat to our forests.

WATCH FOR MORE IMPORTANT INVASIVE SPECIES INFORMATION AND PROGRAMS COMING SOON!

14 COUNTY BIOMASS PROJECT

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation has secured a grant to study ways that the million tons of green energy rotting on the Adirondack forest floor could be converted into a woody biomass fuel. The $64,000 grant from the U.S. Forest Service will allow DEC to look for materials that municipal facilities could convert to woody biomass fuel instead of using oil, offering the potential for facility energy cost savings and improved forest management and timber product utilization in the North Country. The RC&D Forestry Committee will assist with disseminating this information to local schools, municipalities, etc.

The DEC woody biomass fuel study is being carried out in 14 counties, including Clinton, Franklin, St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Lewis, Herkimer, Hamilton, Fulton, Essex, Warren, Saratoga and Washington.