August 2017
Pennsylvania Forestry Association
News You Can Use
August is the last summer month before schools return, and is certainly a great month to engage with the Pennsylvania Forestry Association. Find us at Ag Progress Days, through a local Walk in Penn's Woods on October 1st, or make plans to join the upcoming Annual Meeting at Seven Springs. Read more about the happenings in Penn's Woods in this edition of News You Can Use. 

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook. Click the link at the bottom of the newsletter, or visit us at www.paforestry.org for more information.

PLEASE NOTE: The Pennsylvania Forestry Office will be closed on August 7-18 for summer travel of the Versant Strategies staff and Ag Progress Days.

VISIT PFA BOOTH AT AG PROGRESS DAYS

PFA will again host its booth at the usual spot in the Joseph Harrington Building during Ag Progress Days August 15th through 17th. Stop by to say hello. Check out all of the events and a map of all exhibits at http://agsci.psu.edu/apd
SAVE THE DATES - PFA’S ANNUAL MEETING – OCTOBER 27 & 28 

PFA’s Annual Meeting is set for Friday and Saturday, October 27 & 28 at the Seven Springs Resort in Champion, PA. Friday afternoon will kick off at 1:00 p.m. with an opportunity to participate in a sporting clay shoot jointly sponsored by PFA and the PA Forest Products Association to benefit the Log A Load for Kids program which supports children’s hospitals. 


Read more on the Log A Load for Kids program.


Congratulations are in order...
Congratulations to Pennsylvania Forestry Association Vice President Richard Lewis who was recently appointed to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission as a Director at Large. This post required an appointment from the Governor and approval by the entire Senate body. Congratulations, Richard!
LAST CHANCE TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS FOR FORESTRY AWARDS

This is the last month to apply/nominate candidates for the PFA awards that recognize individuals/organizations who are doing an outstanding job with forest conservation or forest education. PFA has an awards program that is looking for candidates for the Joseph Trimble Rothrock award and the R. Sandy Cochran award. Send your nominations to the PFA office at thepfa@paforestry.org or mail them to 116 Pine Street, 5th Floor, Harrisburg, PA  17101 marked to the Attention of Robb Piper & Jim Finley for consideration before August 31. These awards will be presented at PFA’s annual meeting in October. For details on the application process for either of these awards read more.

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF FORESTRY ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVES MEETING

Last week, Vice President Richard Lewis and Caleb Wright attended the National Council of Forestry Association Executives Annual Meeting. The event was held in Annapolis, MD and served as a unique opportunity to network and discuss challenges and opportunities for forestry associations with executives from across the country. Next year's meeting is slated for Portland, ME.
Leaving a Legacy... Bob Rumpf
 After the passing of Bob Rumpf, the Pennsylvania Forestry Association was made aware of a generous donation from the estate of Mr. Rumpf. The large donation will be dedicated to the establishment of a memorial forestry education fund. President Gene Odato and Vice President Richard Lewis are working on a Memorial Forestry Education Fund plan that will be proposed to the Board of Directors at the October board meeting. 
American Forest Foundation seeks input from Tree Farmers and landowners on tax discussions
Tax reform discussions are heating up and we want to make sure that Tree Farmers are a part of that discussion. If you haven’t done so yet, please take a few minutes to fill out our tax reform survey. Already filled it out? Share it with your family and friends. 
 
We will use the survey results to shape our advocacy efforts in Washington for the upcoming tax reform debate.   Individual responses will be kept confidential, we will aggregate the responses in the data we share with lawmakers.
 
Please take a moment to help us determine which federal tax issues matter the most to family forest owners
 
Thank you for your help,
 
Rita Hite
Executive Vice President, ATFS, Woodlands and Policy
American Forest Foundation

In Memory of Blaine Linehan

Very recently there was a tragic death in the family of our Association President, Dr. Peter Linehan.  His adult son Blaine unexpectedly passed away.  The officers and board of the Association have voted to have a “memorial tree” planted as a part of the Arboretum on the Mont Alto campus.   As you may know, Peter is a professor in the Forestry program there, and Blaine was a Forest Technician graduate of Mont Alto, and a former employee on the campus.

 

This is not a solicitation of funds; we simply want everyone to know of this situation.  Should you wish to contribute to this cause, please send such contribution to board member ROY SIEFERT, 114 Ally Close Hill Road, Middlebury Center  PA 16935. Make checks payable to “PA Forest Heritage Association.”   Contributors will receive a receipt for tax purposes.

 

Please direct and questions to me (jatogr@embarqmail.com) or to Roy Siefert (rsiefert2@juno.com).   

  

Jack Graham                         

Past President, PFHA

WALK IN PENN’S WOODS – OCTOBER 1ST

PFA is a lead partner in the team for WALK IN PENN’S WOODS, the public working woods walks to be held in every county across the state on October 1, 2017. The new informal partnership for Penn’s Woods, Working for You, announces the statewide Walk in Penn’s Woods when rural, urban and suburban woods, state and national forests and parks, municipal watersheds, conserved areas, private lands and industry in the state’s 67 counties will hold open houses and guided woods walks showcasing the multiple values and diverse uses of our state’s priceless forest resources.

 

As the fall season arrives this year, the first Sunday in October will feature mentored woods walks across the state, providing entrée to land that is not always open to the public along with easy access to expert forest and wildlife professionals. A Walk in Penn’s Woods may also schedule children’s activities, showcase management for wildlife or watersheds, exhibit the results of harvesting or planting, demonstrate the results of urban tree cover, showcase riparian buffers or reveal the fascinating innards of a local sawmill.

 

The partnership coordinating the events includes the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, the Penn State Center for Private Forests, Penn State Natural Resources Extension, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Pennsylvania Forest Stewards, and the Pennsylvania Sustainable Forestry Initiative. These partners, along with a number of additional supporters, are working energetically to fashion a group of diverse, informative, and exciting events to entice individuals, families, friends and neighbors, out into Penn’s Woods for an enjoyable experience.

Mini Grant Application - Walk in Penn's Woods
 The Pennsylvania Forestry Association is offering approximately twenty-five “mini” grants of $100 each to defray the expenses of forest landowners who conduct educational walks for youth groups, government officials, clubs/associations, or the general public on their (or other) forestlands as part of the October 1, 2017 “Walk in Penn’s Woods” Program. The grant funds can be used to defray your educational walk event expenses (food and beverage, signage, advertising/promotion/ publicity, porta potty rental, etc.) Grant awards will be on a “first come, first served” basis based on the date the grant application is received. Send in your application TODAY!

GRANT PROGRAMS/OPPORTUNITIES

The following grant programs are being offered:
Lloyd Casey Memorial Fund – second round of grants
  • In honor of Lloyd Casey’s many contributions to forestry, a memorial fund was established by the Pennsylvania Forestry Association (PFA), the Allegheny Society of American Foresters (ANSAF), and the National Woodland Owners Association (NWOA). The purpose of the Fund is to provide assistance for educational programs for forest landowners, as well as for local government officials, tax consultants, realtors, and other interested individuals on specific topics contributing to sustainable forestry on private forestlands. Interested organizations or agencies are invited to submit proposals for forestry related projects. Applications for this round of grants for 2018 must be received in the Pennsylvania Forestry Association’s office by close of business on December 1, 2017. For application details, read more.


Wessel Seedling Fund – Henry Wessel Seedling Planting on PA State Forest Land
  • In honor of Henry Wessel’s many contributions to forestry, a memorial fund was established by the Pennsylvania Forestry Association (PFA). The purpose of the Fund is to provide assistance to plan and complete seedling planting projects on State Forest Land. Public agencies and non-profit organizations are invited to submit proposals for forest regeneration, forest replacement or forest diversity projects. The deadline for proposal submissions for the 2017 calendar year is September 1, 2017. Proposals for 2018 must reach the administrative office of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association by close of business on December 1, 2017. For application details read more .


DCNR TreeVitalize Grants
  • DCNR announced three funding categories – tree planting, urban riparian buffers, and community forestry management -  for this year’s applications for TreeVitalize grants designed to help restore tree cover across Pennsylvania. An applicant can seek a grant in all three categories but can only be awarded one grant per grant term.  Applications are being accepted through 4 p.m. Aug. 15, and must be submitted via email to Development and Grants Coordinator Jessica Cavey, c-jcavey@pa.gov. To apply for a grant or learn more about the application process, visit https://treepennsylvania.org/. For more information and a grant application, read the press release and application. 

In spite of every precaution, occasionally a tree is felled that contains a bird nest.  Such was the case on August 20th at Beartown. While working in an area with a particularly dense canopy, our loggers accidentally cut down a tree that contained a hawk nest containing three babies.  Although they were beginning to get their adult feathers, none of them were flying yet.  The loggers immediately called Centre Wildlife Care to see what could be done.  They were informed by Ms. Grabowski, the owner that they should put a wicker basket with the babies in it as close to the original nest as was possible and that the mother would most likely continue to care for them.  In any event Centre Wildlife Care was full up and could not take them if the rescue effort was unsuccessful. 


This is when I got involved.  Our logger Don called to see if I had a wicker basket.  I didn’t, but was on my way home and was able to find the perfect baskets at a local craft store.  I bought two!  I took a basket to the nest site and with some effort we got all three babies in it.  Logger Bruce, at some danger to himself, walked the boom of his feller buncher with a basket of baby hawks to tie it into the tree he had prepared.  The babies were calling and their mother was in a nearby tree answering, so it was fortunate she did not attack! 


Once we had the babies in their new tree house, we all left the area and prayed that Momma Hawk would accept the new nest and care for her very distressed babies.  When Don checked the next day he reported that the mother hawk flew from the nest when he walked up to it, so we knew she was caring for them.  A check a week later showed that the two bigger babies were flying from the nest, but returning to sit on the edge.  When I checked on Saturday July 29 the smaller baby was sitting on the edge of the nest and flew off like he knew what he was doing.  He called and was answered by another hawk with the same call so his mother must still be feeding him.


The moral of this story is to keep a wicker basket handy for the rare instance a nest is accidentally cut down.  Bruce reported this was the first time in 40 years of logging this had happened to him.  He was almost as distressed as the hawks.


I want to personally thank Bruce and Don Christine, of Christine Logging and Firewood for taking the time to save three baby hawks.  It took several hours to find out how to handle the situation, for me to deliver a basket and to get the babies and their basket secured in a tree.  No one would have known if they had left them to die, but they were determined to save them.  The birds turned out to be broad winged hawks.  While they are not rare, they are not common in our area so it is exciting that we were able to save this family.


Susan Benedict, Beartown Family LP Tree Farm


EVENTS - MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
HELP NEEDED AT DISCOVERY CENTER IN CALEDONIA STATE PARK

The Pennsylvania Forest Heritage Association runs a small museum at the old headquarters building of Caledonia State Park. Our Forest Heritage Discovery Center has displays on wildfire in Pennsylvania, the history of forestry in PA, fire towers and Smokey the Bear. It is open from noon to 5 on Saturdays and Sundays during the summer. The Associatiton needs volunteers to work those days. Send and email to info@paforestheritage.org or sign up on our website, http://paforestheritage.org/160. This is a great way to educate the public about the forests of Pennsylvania! Thank you.

University of Maryland Extension's Woodland Stewardship Education

The University of Maryland Extension's Woodland Stewardship Education program offers a variety of webinars, workshops, publications and educational programs for woodland owners, natural resource professionals, and interested citizens across Maryland. Please consider attending one of these offerings. Following are three events. Additional events are listed on the Event Calendar at http://extension.umd.edu/woodland .


The Woods in Your Backyard online course - Fall 2017
Wednesday, August 30 to Sunday, December 3, 2017 - Online

Registration is now open for the Fall session of "The Woods in Your Backyard" online course. Our self-paced, non-credit course runs 12 weeks from August 30th to December 3rd, 2017. The course will help landowners convert lawn to natural areas and enhance stewardship of existing natural areas. Based on the guide of the same name, the course provides strategies to landowners of small parcels of land (1-10 acres) that improve the stewardship of their property for personal enjoyment and environmental quality. It uses a hands-on learning approach to help participants develop and implement a plan for their property. Activities include how to map habitat areas, understand basic ecological principles about woodland and wildlife, choose and implement a few habitat management projects, and how to set a timetable and record your progress. Online discussion groups will allow participants to interact with others taking the course.  A certificate of completion is awarded when all assignments are completed. The course costs $85.00 per person, which includes the 108-page “Woods In Your Backyard” guide, workbook, and a tree identification guide. For more information, go to https://extension.umd.edu/woodland/woods-your-backyard/online-course. To register through Eventbrite, go to https://wiyb_online_fall2017.eventbrite.com


The General Forestry Course - Fall 2017
Thursday, September 1 to Friday, December 15, 2017 - Online

The University of Maryland Extension will offer the General Forestry Course for the Fall 2017 semester. Both the paper and online version will be offered. The course begins September 1 and runs until December 15, 2017. Registration is now open. To register, go to our website at http://extension.umd.edu/forestry-course.

This is a non-credit course. As there are no formal classes, you work from the comfort of your home using your own woodlot, a friend's or a public forest. You will learn how to protect your trees from insects, diseases and fire; step-by-step procedures will walk you through a forest inventory and stand analysis; and the details of the forestry business are presented, including tax nuances and the sale and harvest of forest products. Ultimately, the course exercises help you develop the framework for a stewardship plan for your forest.

The cost for this forestry course is $150. Included in the cost are copies of the supplemental readings (A Sand County Almanac, The Woodland Steward, American Forests: A History of Resiliency and Recovery, a small pamphlet entitled What Tree Is That? and Common Native Trees of Virginia Tree Identification Guide). The paper version text and appendices are in binder form. Online users receive a flash drive of the paper version of the text and appendices. A certificate of completion is awarded when all assignments are completed.


Invasive Plant ID Workshop

Saturday, September 16, 2017, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Calvert County Extension Office, Prince Frederick MD

 

Join us for this workshop in the 2017 Master Gardener Garden Smarter program. Learn how to identify invasive plant species found growing in landscaped and natural areas by using cut samples from live plants. Following the presentation we will apply our new skill-set by searching for wild growing invasive plants while we walk a short distance on a paved path that meanders through a natural area located between the Community Resources Building and the Phillips House.

 

If you own a mobile computing device, please install the Mid-Atlantic Early Detection Network (MAEDN) smart phone app prior to the workshop. Download the MAEDN smart app:  https://www.eddmaps.org/midatlantic/.

 

Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress appropriately for the weather. Snacks and beverages will be provided. For more information, go to http://extension.umd.edu/events/sat-2017-09-16-1000-invasive-plant-id

 

If you have any questions on the above three courses, contact Andrew Kling, Agent Associate for University of Maryland Extension at (301) 432-2767 x307 or akling1@umd.edu

UPCOMING PENNSYLVANIA TREE FARM EVENTS

TF Committee Quarterly Meeting
Thursday, September 7, 2017   10:00-2:00
Sunset West Restaurant   Pleasant Gap, PA

2016 PA Tree Farmer of the Year Celebration
Saturday, October 7, 2017
Jim and Jan Kessler's 43 acre Tree Farm located in Susquehanna County

PATF Program Informational Meeting
Join us for the final " New Face of PA Tree Farm" meeting!
Tuesday, September 19, 2017    6:30-8:00
Cambria County   Ebensburg Borough Building   
300 West High Street   Ebensburg, PA   15931

Have you completed the New Online Inspector Training Course?

In addition to the online inspector training refresher available through the ATFS Database, Inspectors can now access the newest learning module of the inspector training on the Inspection (004) Form. Lessons in this module cover proper use of the inspection (004) form and how to submit the form. One (1) CFE credit is available for completing this course and the first 100 inspectors to complete the course by the end of this quarter will receive an Amazon.com gift card. For questions about the new Inspection (004) Form Course, the online inspector training refresher, or the ATFS Database, please contact Nephtali Chavez


In the news
  07-27-2017 DCNR launching new study for state parks
HARRISBURG — Offi­cials are launching a public review of the basic mission of the Pennsylvania state parks for the first time in 25 years. The study of the 121-park system by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources comes with a number of parks in urban areas drawing... - Altoona Mirror

 

07-24-2017 Rapp’s new forest bill becomes law
On Thursday, state Rep. Kathy Rapp saw her Act 25 signed into law by Governor Wolf. The bill will enter the state into a “Good Neighbor Agreement” with the federal government, allowing both parties to work together to manage the Allegheny National Forest. “I could not be more pleased with the enactment of this new... - Titusville Herald

 

07-21-2017 Penn State News: Shale Gas Development Spurring Spread of Invasive Plants...
  (Press Release)

 

07-18-2017 Mutual management
A bill designed to enhance state and federal cooperation on the Allegheny National Forest has been signed into law by Gov. Tom Wolf. The measure was put forth by State Representative Kathy Rapp (R-65) and signed into law on July 14. According to the text of the bill, the measure permits the state to... - Warren Times Observer

 

07-09-2017 Frye: Trees offer a look to our past
The devastation must have been stunning. I was looking at some old photos recently (see them at everybodyadventures.com) showing what Pennsylvania's state “forests” looked like a century ago. One is almost comical. It shows a car — complete with spoked wheels and... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review  
The Pennsylvania Foresty Association | 1( 800) 835-8065 | thePFA@paforestry.org | www.paforestry.org