FOREST OWNERA Publication of the Ne?J York Forest OwriersAssociation

FORESTOWNERTHE NEW YORK

FOREST OWNERVOL. 29, N06

OFFICERS & DIRECTORS

Stuart McCarty. President4300East AvenueRochester. NY 14618(716)381-6373Charles Mowatt. 1st Vice PresidentPOBox 1182Savona. NY 14879Rohert M. Sand. Recording Secretary300Church StreetOdessa. NY 14869- 9703Angus Johnstone. TreasurerPO Box 430East Aurora. NY 14052John C. Marchant. Executive Director45Cambridge CourtFairport. NY 14450(716)377-7906

Deborah Gill. Administrative'secretaryP.O. Box 180Fairport. NY 14450(716)377-6060

1992Robert A. Hellmann, BrockportAlan R. Knight. CandorStuart McCarty. RochesterCharles Mowatt. Savona

1993David J. Colligan. BuffaloVerner C. Hudson. ElbridgeMary S. McCarty. RochesterSanford Vreeland. SpringwaterDonaldJ. Wagner. Utica

1994Norman Richards. SyracuseRobert M. Sand. OdessaAFFILIATE REPRESENTATIVESDonald Colton ,- ThriftKathleen Farnum - Catskill Forest Assoc.CHAPTER REPRESENTATIVESPeter Childs - AHeghenyFoothills'WendeHHatfield - CayugaIrwin King - Capital DistrictThomas L. Ellisen - Central New YorkRobert S. Davis - Lower Hudson.Wes Suhr - Northern AdirondackRobert White - Niagara FrontierErnst Spencer - Southeastern Adirondack:DonaldKellicutt - Southern TierPatrick J. McGlew - TiogaRaymond L. Wager - Western Finger Lakes

Chairman, Editorial CommitteeRichardJ. FoxRD3.Box88Moravia. NY 13118(315)497-1078

EditorKaren KellieuttRD 1.Box 103Lisle. NY 13797

COVER PHOTO:

John and Harriet Hamilton wererecently named the 1991 NationalOutstanding Tree Farmers-Thehighlight of the 50yr. anniversary of theAmerican Forest Council's Tree FarmProgram.

PHOTO-MARK & SUSANKEISTER

A publication of the New York Forest Owners AssociationEditorial Committee: Betty Densmore. Richard Fox. Alan Knight. Mary McCarty

Norm Richards and Dave Taber.Materials submitted for publication should be addressed to: R. Fox, R.D. #3, Box 88,Moravia, New York 13118. Articles, artwork and photos are invited and are normallyreturned after use. The deadline for submission is 30 days prior to publication in January.Please address all memberships and change of address requests to P.O. Box 180"Fairport N.Y. 14450.

NFC Niagara Frontier. 1990AFC Allegheny Foothills. 1989WFL ..Western Finger Lakes. 1988CAY Cayuga.1985TIO Tioga.1986THRIFT..Tug HillResources. Investment for Tomorrow. 1982CNY Central New York. 1991STC Southern Tier. 1985CFA Catskili Forestry ASSOCiation,1982LHC Lower Hudson. 1991CDC Capital District, 1991SAC Southeast Adrlondack, 1991NAC Northeast Adirondack. 1991

NYFOA is growing! Take a look at the chapters and affiliates represented in this map. Notice 5 were

added this year! -C. MowattTable of Contents

President's Message BY Stuart McCarty 3

Letters to Editor 3

Hardwork ••. Hamilton's named Outstanding National Tree Farmers - by Mary McCarty 4

Fall Meeting Reports by Betty Densmore & R. Fox 6

American Ginseng by R. Beyfuss 7

Ask a Forester About black cherry gum balls - by Wes Suhr 8

Species Profile: The racoon - by Paul Curtis 9

Chapter Reports 10

Private Property Rights by Luke Popovich 12

Forest Protection by Douglas Allen 13

Caring for the Woods by Jim Coufal 14

Woodlot Calendar 20

2 FOREST OWNERS

small percentage of the forest ownersof the state. We've enrolled 323 newmembers so far this year, but our netgain because of attrition is only 95!What can we do. to increase ourmembership dramatically? Severalideas are being implemented by ourMembership Committee, chaired byDave Colligan. One is to follow up thedelinquents more aggressively thanwe have in the past. Another is torecognize those members who havebrought in new members. Yet anotheris to distribute our membershipbrochure widely through varioussources. Finally, I have encouragedthe chapters to join in a campaign tosee which chapters can show thegreatest percentage increase inmembership from September 1991through March 1992.My hope is thatthe chapter leadership will use theiringenuity and energy both to attractnew members and to retain thosealready on the rolls. We'll hear moreon this in later issues.

President's Message

STUART McCARTY

In the last five months, several ofus, including Marian and CharlieMowatt, Dick Fox, Mary and me,have attended a number ofwoodswalks and meetings of ourchapters and affiliates. In the processit has become increasingly apparentto us that we have. a very activeassociation made up of many parts ledby many dedicated people from allwalks of life.Not very many years ago we could

almost count on one hand themeetings and woodswalks available toour membership throughout the state.Now with eleven chapters and twoaffiliates the calendar is full withsome activity almost every weekendthis fall. A conservative estimate ofevents for the coming twelve monthsas several of our newer chapters getgoing is that there will be sixty orseventy programs around the state!What is the significance of this

growth in activities? It certainlymeans that many more forest ownersare being exposed first hand to thefundamentals of "forest" standimprovement, our first and primaryobjective. We are hearing a variety ofapproaches to caring for our woodsdepending on our personal objectives.There is no one way as our individualgoals differ, a point I made in mymessage in the September/Octoberissue. The leadership of theassociation is being dispersed withthose volunteers who head thechapters and affiliates bringing adiversity in programing and activitiesthat no one NYFOA committee couldpossibly achieve.I want to express my appreciation

to the leaders of these groups and

their teams. They are carrying asignificant and valuable load in thesuccessful operation of NYFOA. Thechapter heads are Wendell Hatfield ofCayuga, Don Kellicutt of SouthernTier, Pat McGlew of Tioga, RayWager of Western Finger Lakes,Betty Densmore of AlleghenyFoothills, Bob White of NiagaraFrontier, Irwin King of CapitalDistrict, Ernst Spencer of Southeas-tern Adirondacks, Bob Davis of LowerHudson, Tom Ellison of Central NewYork and Wes Suhr of NorthernAdirondacks. In the affiliates we haveDon Colton of THRIFT and KathleenFarnum of the Catskill ForestAssociation. All of us who areinterested in the future of NYFOA owethese people a hearty thanks!At the risk of diluting the positive, in

closing I feel I should express oneconcern; we are still reaching only a

Letters to Editor.Dear Editor:The "Forest Owner" is an excellent

publication that owes its success to anexceptional group of volunteers. Forthis reason it is embarrassing tosuggest something that would involveadditional time and effort on your partbut here goes.Part of each issue would make

excellent reference material butmuch is of contemporary interest onlywith no long range value. This leads toa decision to file the entire issue, tossor cut and try to keep straight in afolder.I would gladly buy a file of articles

like "Ask the Forester" and "EasyTarget" in the July/August 1991issue.Previous articles on clear cutting areabsolutely tops.With each renewal, have a space to

check with a cost added to the dues forthose members that would like a file.This would make it quick and easy tobuy the publication.Maybe I'm an odd ball but it would

be worth the extra cost to get a yearlyfile. Would you consider giving this atry.Thank you again for an excellent

publication.Sincerely,Jim Foster

A Charter (30 yr.) Member, EmielPalmer advises that many members

• •maintain an index. The idea, thencertainly, has merit. Given Emiel, asone odd ball to another, welcome andthank you. Of general and timelyinterest Jim and his ancestors havemanaged an Allegheny Plateauwoodlot for 100 years and expressedhis regrets at missing our fall meeting-Ed.

Dear Editor:The letter to the Editor by Tim

Williams of the Cayuga Chapter, as itappeared in the Sept/Oct issue, isright on. target. As I read issue afterissue I often wonder how many of theNY forest owners do anything in theirforest, and if so what they might bedoing?The most beautiful garden in your

neighborhood came about bysomebody working hard at it inaddition to talking about it. So, what isthe work being done, how is it going,what does it consist of? What are thesuccesses and failures and whatlessons can be passed on?It used to be that we were privileged

to read practical forestry article byNorman Richards, Doug Monteith andother experts and teachers. We hadbook reviews. I really enjoyed thearticle by Robert Demeree aboutclear cutting. I have learned a great

(Continued on Page 18)

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 3

PHOTO/MARK & SUSAN KEISTER

Hard Work, Dedication, AwardByMARY McCARTY

Perhaps some of us are naiveenough to think that the hard work ofnearly sixty years by a devoted familycommited to land stewardship wouldresult in RESTING ON ONE'SLAURELS. Not so! Harriet and JohnHamilton have recently won theNATIONAL OUTSTANDING TREEFARMERS OF THE YEAR Awardfrom the American Tree FarmSystem. Articles in the NY ForestOwner (July/Aug. 1991,) and in TheConservationist (Sept.lOct. 91) TheConservationist gave more details ontheir land, their concerted familyefforts to transform 90 acrespurchased in 1932for a dollar an acreby Art Davis, Harriet's father, to theaward winning 345 Hamilton Treefarm.. Members of NYFOA since 1979Harriet and Jack have been active i~the Western Finger Lakes Chapterincluding hosting woodswalks andserving on a panel for the 1989 FallMeeting in Canandaigua.Mike Virga, Chair of the NYState

Tree Farm Committee wrote toLester DeCoster, V.P. of theAmerican Forest Council: "TheHamiltons have abided by traditionalAmerican values all their lives; theyprove that dedication, hard work, andperseverence payoff. It can be seen inthe way they've lived, worked, andmanaged their tree farm over the pasthalf century ... They blend the ethicsof Muir, Pinchot and Leopold to comeup with a philosophy that is pureHamilton. They have the uniqueability to communicate effectivelywith all environmentalists, regardlessof their focus or view. PEOPLELISTEN TO THEM."Constructive management of a

woodlot is an important aspect of thisaward, but the S H A R I N G of thatexperience is the specific focus oftheir having achieved the award. Toquote further from Mike Virga'sletter: "The Hamiltons were foreststewards long before stewardshipbecame an environmental buzz word.They seized the opportunity grantedby the U. S. F. S. StewardshipInitiative and ran with it. Not onlyhave their experiences enriched theirlives but those who have had thechance to share in their knowledgeand experience."

John Hamilton leads a stewardship tour of the Sierra Club's Rochester Chapter.

Sugar Maple and White Ash sawlogsconducted in 1987.

Following the title of this article wecan look now at the "more hard work"part! Today I spoke with both Harrietand Jack to ask how they were doingand how the calendar was shaping upafter this recognition of the Awardand their commitment to educationand sharing their experiences. Anupfront big plus for them has been thenew friendships from this experiencethat have added another dimension totheir lives. (Many of you readers canappreciate that fact as so many of ushave experienced this new network offriends through NYFOA). Thecalendar of late includes the specialparty that was held at the Hamiltonsto meet and greet the honored guestVice President Lester DeCoster ofthe American Forest Council f;omWashington. He was stuck on theplane for six hours due to thatcommunications breakdown in theNew York City area, so a luncheonwas arranged for the following day.

Harriet seems able to cope with thesethings!! Mike Greason and otherswere there, too. There have beeninterviews for newspapers, field daysat Cuylerville, Tree Farmpresentations by .the Hamiltons forfour groups of fifth graders on thevalue of Tree Farms. More meetingsto explain the same values to WesternNY Cooperative Extension Agentsand 4-H agents. A few days later atour for the public to show what theyhad done. Then off to Massachusetts -Tree Farm's 50th Anniversary, toshare their experiences on this specialyear to the organization for thisaward. Then to Arnot Forest for theMaster Forest Owner and COVERTSworkshop. The Webelos Scouts fromSpringwater will be coming to work ontheir Forestry Badge soon.In addition to all the traveling and

entertaining there are two or three(Continued on Page 5)

4 FOREST OWNER

Winners and More Hard Work!people who stop by daily to ask to seethe property, as many can recall as"show and tell" sessions inkindergarten! ! BUT, how wonderfullyimportant the message is and thepeople who are willing to give it.We can appreciate the long time

commitment of the Hamilton family,their son and two daughters, theirgrandchildren; but the whole processwould not have gone the way it haswithout the dedicated assistance ofBilly Morris, Senior Forester of theD.E.C., Mark Keister, D.E.C.Forester, and Susan Keister,consulting forester. It has been afulfilling experience for them, and itwas surely TEAM WORK in the bestsense. We feel honored to be part ofthis successful recognition of ourfellow stewards. Once more,congratulations, and best wishes forthe energy needed to fulfill yourcommitments.

The following are excerts from theHamiltons' remarks at the Albany

Spring Meeting of the Empire StateForest Products Association afterreceipt of the 1990 NY StateOutstanding Tree Farmers, by priorto recognition as the 1991Northeastern Regional Win and theprestigious 1991 National A ward (thesecond for a New Yorker; MikeDemeree, charter member NYFOA,Heiberg A ward in 1969, was NewYork'sfirst in 1985):If you want to know what old feels

like, watch lumber sawn from treesyou have planted being used in theconstruction of buildings and see redpine logs from trees you have plantedbeing hauled off for use as utility polesin Saudi Arabia. You may feel old, butyou'll also feel proud.We live on our Tree Farm which

makes management considerablyeasier; it also brings a myriad ofother benefits. The ponds that havebeen constructed. for fire protectionand wildlife make for great swimmingwhen the work in the woods gets hot.We also hike, hunt, fish, ski,birdwatch, and enjoy the splendidvariety of wildflowers and creatureswith whom we share the property.One must be an optimist to keepplanting trees past the time ofqualifying for Medicare, but the joy ofwatching them take hold and thrive isbeyond compare. Our love of trees is

such that we use them to pay tribute tofamily members and special friendswe have lost. For each, we select aspecies that somehow suggests thepersonality of the individual beingmemorialized. Sadly, our groveenlarges with each passing year.

We are committed to the cause andare prepared to do whatever wecan to promote forest stewardship.Indeed, we're grateful that we havehad this opporunlty to spread thegospel of growing better trees forbetter living.

Our home is heated with our ownfirewood, and we all have goodappetites and sleep well, thanks to theexercise that comes with the job ofmanaging the Tree Farm. Except forone timber sale done under contract,we have done all the planting, TSIharvesting, improvement work, roadbuilding, and maintenance. It hastruly been a family affair, and we areover-joyed that the 4th generationappears to love the place as much aswe do. I must add that without oursonwho is our chief logger, we would findit difficult to keep up with the work aswe grow older. Another bonus is thatwe feast on the bounty of the land.Each spring we make five gallons ofmaple syrup for our own use and asgifts, and I make a minimum of 20varieties of jams and jellies from bothwild and cultivated fruit that almosteveryone enjoys gathering.We are committed to the cause and

are prepared to do whatever we can topromote forest stewardship. Indeed,we're grateful that we have had thisopportunity to spread the gospel ofgrowing better trees for better living.Prepared and delivered by Harriet.

We have lived on our property for 17years, and we have done essentiallyall the work ourselves with amanagement plan stressing multipleuse. Our land isin Livingston County,45miles south of Rochester in an areaof steep hills, valleys, and streams.The upper Cohocton River andanother trout stream run through ourtwo major valleys. There are 125acres of maple, cherry, ash and oakon east-facing slopes, 125 acres of

predominantly red pine, spruce, fir,and larch on west-facing slopes, 50acres of cropland leased to a potatogrower, and another 45 in open land,ponds, waste and riverine land.Our equipment is limited to a John

Deere 30 hp diesel tractor, Farmiwinch, blade, bush hog, 4-wheel drivepickup, log splitter, severalchainsaws, and other small tools. Thegrid of roads is extremely importantsince our hills are steep enough todiscourage use of the tractor on theslopes. Instead, we now have roads. atthe top, bottom, and midway pointswhich allows us to skid logs up ordown with 165' of cable on our Farmiwinch. This also eliminates severecompaction in the woods. Our familyhas done timber stand improvementon over 200 acres of both hard andsoftwood stands, both selectively cutand clearcut mature pine, had onecommercial saw log selective cut,planted over 6,000hard and softwoodsincluding over 150 Americanchestnuts that we grew from seed,reconstructed two ponds, and builtover 1% miles of road, bringing thetotal road grid to over 6miles.In your business, it is important to

show a profit, and I assume you wouldbe interested in the economics of asmall tree farm operation. Until now,I had not had the courage to total ourexpenses and income for the past 17years. We have reported on ScheduleF in the past, and by concentratingexpense in some years, we have beenable to show a profit in other years.We have had income from the sale offirewood, logs for 3 custom log cabins,locust posts and complete split railfences, 36 MBF of saw timber, 20MBF of lumber from a rented

(Continued on Page 18)

Nolan'sSporting Supplies

Outdoor EqUipment Specialist

37 - 47 Genesee StreetAuburn, NY 13021

315/252-7249

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 5

range of sites. Susan Stout conducteda tour which illustrated differentmanagement strategies within what isgenerally described as even oruneven-aged management schemes,and the influence of deer on thedifferent treatments.The third investigator, Steve

Horsley; a plant physiologist, madethe case for forest management whichwas distinguished by the use ofherbicides such as Roundup or Oust,This investigator's arguments ofmanagement plots and teaching aids;and his explanations and evaluationsof the special concerns regarding theeffects on animal and human health ofthese particular herbicides;convinced me of their superiority as amanagement tool where indicated. Tothe question of micromanaging smallpatches of undesirable vegetation inthe understory, by such herbicides(backpack spraying), the responsewas favorable. (See NYFO Nov/Dec.90; Jan/Feb 91; Mar/Apr 91; andreferences therein: Horsley andothers, many references: ForestryScience Lab, PO Box 928,Warren, PA16365)Simply said: hunt the deer harder,

kill some of the plants and wait. Themore detailed and accurate solutionrequires technical knowledge aboutyour particular woodlot. Suchaccuracy characterizes the currentmanagement plans of the AlleghenyNational Forest (NOT New York'sAllegany State Park!) However, aparticular project, the 840 acreCrazy Gray -Project under Hiifmanagement plan as been stayed by-an administrative appeal by anenvironmental group called PreserveAppalachian Wilderness (PAW). Thisgroup has similar appeals regardingprojects in Vermont's Green Moun-

(Continued on Page 19)

Fall Meeting Part I(Or: Wasn't That a Party!)

By BETTY DENSMORE82 NYFOA members spent two fun-

filled, educational days at CampAllegany, Salamanca, NY at ourannual Fall Meeting.The AFC/NFC can take a lot of

pride in having hosted a supermeeting. We had great weather(Charlie Mowatt personally arrangedthat thunderstorm to punctuatespeakers' remarks after dinner. Ihope everyone noticed his superbtiming; it didn't rain till after westarted eating and stopped before weleft the dining hall.) Saturday was thequintessential Fall day with foliage atpeak color. Warm and sunny ... whata pretty day for a drive to theAllegheny National Forest in Kane,Pa.Our speakers: Jim Rich, Allegany

State Park Manager and Susan Stout,National Forest Project Manager;gave interesting slide presentations.Interspersed by Mowatts door prizegiveaways! Billy Morris presentedJohn and Harriet Hamilton withawards and prizes for being NationalTree Farmers of the year. Hisremarks were a mixture ofsuperlatives for their achievementand an unmistakable personalfondness for the winners. Dr. and Mrs.Hamilton's responses underscoredtheir deep love of the land and agenuine pleasure in the stewardship ofit.

And what a great group gatheredfrom all over N.Y.S.! Joan andRichard Regan flew in-from Holbrook,NY, rented a car in Buffalo and droveto the park! So many people enduredlong drives to attend. We wereimpressed by the time and effortexpended by so many. We hope it wasworth it. Charlie Mowatt said it best,"Every time I looked up there wasthis sea of happy faces." This had tobe one of the best natured groups everassembled. Everyone took the fewsnafu's with great good humor. A few(most notably the Bensadouns, DaleSchaefer, Eileen Van Wie and JohnMarchant) neglected to read theinformation and didn't bring beddingor towels. No problem; others foundblankets in their cars, afghans andspare towels for them. TheBensadouns locked their possessionsin their room and themselves out;again no problem, our resident yegg,Don Lawson, took his credit card(and, no doubt, years of experience)and opened the door to re-unite them.Our group somehow missed SusanStout on the Forest tour and spent thattime enjoying the gorgeous day andtalking. I was pleased that theMcCartys brought their dog, Amy.She lent a certain dash and merrimentto the proceedings. You can't have agood get-together without a happydog.

Fall Meeting Part II(Or: Allegany, Allegheny, Alleghany)

ByR.FOXWhatever the spelling of the early

Native name for this SouthernAppalachan Mountain plateau;whether it is New York's 65,000Allegany State Park or the %-millionacre. area known as the AlleghenyNational Forest in Pennsylvania; thepresent meaning is big Black Cherrytrees, small whitetail deer and many,many ferns. Although human cultureduring the past (up to the 1930's)impacted the area ecosystem in amanner represented by the apparentconfusion in maps, signs, and othersymbols; our program's professionaland scientific guides engaged in thedescription and studying of the

current ecosystem were definitive.The density of white tail deer isgenerally too high and the deer are thedominant determinant of theecosystem.Mesomanagement which would

favor biodiversity would suppressStriped Maple, Hay-scented Fern, andBeech in the understory and wouldemploy special- efforts to managedeer. The three jesearchers of the USForest Service conducted toursSaturday on the Kane ExperimentalForest which made that argument.Rich Ernst provided a tour whichshowed the results of differentthinning and harvest treatments todifferent relative densities on a wide

SANFORD VREELAND. PEe

CONSULTANT • 1-716-669-2250

P.O. Box 185Springwater, N.Y. 14560

6 FOREST OWNER

American Ginseng in NYBy ROBERT L. BEYFUSS

American ginseng (Panaxquinquefolium) has been cultivated inNew York since the early 1900'sprimarily because of the high priceshistorically paid for wild roots whichhave been gathered here since the1700's. In fact; a New Yorker, GeorgeStanton, who lived in Tully, NewYork, about 25 miles south ofSyracuse is recognized as the firstcommercial ginseng grower. In 1904,Liberty Hyde Bailey, then director ofthe Cornell University AgriculturalExperimental Station wrote "NewYork State is one of the leading statesin the growing of ginseng. Consideringthe value of the New York product andthe attention given to the plant, it isnot improbable that New York leadsthe states". Unfortunately,widespread disease problems,particularly Alternaria blight, wipedout most commercial operations by1910. However, in the last few yearsthere has been a renewed interest inherbal medicines, remedies andsubstance that may prevent disease.This has led some growers to onceagain consider commercial ginsengculture.Most of the ginseng grown in North

America is exported to Hong Kong. Apermit is required to export eitherwild or cultivated ginseng from NewYork State. Permits may be obtainedfrom the New York State Departmentof Environmental Conservation.Additional rules and regulationsregarding gathering of wild ginsengare also available from Departmentof Environmental Conservation.The costs associated with ginseng

production are directly proportionalto the intensity of the culture. Theleast expensive way to grow ginsengis to broadcast the seed in a naturalforest in adequate shade. Americanginseng plants must be grown in anarea that is at least 75% shaded. It isimportant to select a suitable site,preferably a moist, but not wet orpoorly-drained, north or north-easternfacing slope. A mature oak, sugarmaple or mixed hardwood forestwithout excessive underbrush is best.Areas to avoid are wet spots or placeswhere shallow rooted trees and shrubsare dominate.The nutritional requirements of

ginseng are not well documented, norare the pH preferences wellunderstood. Many growersincorporate bonemeal or some otherphosphorus source into the growingarea and some may adjust the pH to6.0 or higher.The procedure for planting seed is

not complicated although it isimportant to make sure that the seedhas been properly handled prior tosowing. Ginseng seeds have animmature embryo at the time theberries ripen (usually August in NewYork) and the seeds require a coolstorage period followed by a warmstorage period followed by anothercool treatment before they willgerminate. The seed must also be keptmoist during this 18 monthstratification period and cannot bestored for any appreciable length oftime after the second cold treatment.Some growers simply rake back the

existing ground cover of leaves anddecaying organic matter andbroadcast seed at rates of ten totwenty pounds per acre. There areapproximately 8,000 seeds per pound.The plants are then left to grow ontheir own for a period of seven to tenyears. Other growers form raisedbeds in the forest that are fenced in.Large stones and stumps 'are removedto facilitate harvest and growingoperations.Forest cultivation involves many

risks since the seed and plants may beeaten by rodents, (chipmunks,squirrels, mice, voles, woodchucks"etc.) deer or birds (grouse, turkeys,etc.). Although insect pests are notconsidered a serious problem, slugsoften damage or destroy seedlingplants. Certain diseases, particularlyroot rot caused by Phytophtoracactorum, can wipe out entire bedswithin a few weeks. It is alsoimportant to note that there arevirtually no pesticides registered foruse on American ginseng here in NewYork State.Ginseng may also be cultivated in

well-prepared raised beds in fieldsusing artificial shade, made fromwood lathe or plastic fabric, Costsassociated with this type of intensiveculture may run $10,000 or more anacre for shade structure and land

Illustration by Regina A. hughes fromUSADA Farmers Bulletin #2201"Growing Ginseng. "

preparation alone. These intensiveoperations may use up to 150 lbs. ofseed per acre with average seedprices ranging from $50 - $75 perpound. ,The roots are usuallyharvested after four years of growthat which time individual roots willweigh as much or more than 8 to 10year old forest grown roots. Yieldsfrom intensive, field grown plantsaverage about 2,000lbs. per acre (dryweight). Forest grown roots mayyield 1,400to 1,600lbs. per acre underthe most optimum managementconditions.The prices paid for field cultivated

American' ginseng roots in 1988 inWisconsin (the major growing area inthe U. S.) ranged from $30 to $60 perpound depending upon the shape andgeneral condition of the roots as wellas the prevailing market demand.Prices paid for roots gathered in thewild ranged from $160 to $250 perpound. These prices are all based ondry weight and the large differentialbetween cultivated and wild rootsreflects the time required to grow theplant and perhaps the quantity of theactive ingredients within the root.

(Continued on Page 17)

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 7

Ask a Forester Send Questions to:Wes Suhr, R.R. 1, Box 59BOswegatchie, NY 13670

Black Cherry Gum BallsByWESSUHR

A few forest owners have asked,"Why all the gum or pitch balls on thestems of my black cherry trees?" Myfirst response or answer is, "Oh oh,you've got problems, or your blackcherry do. When I mark a cherrystand for cutting, those stems with alot of gum balls are prime candidatesfor cutting, normally .indicatingphysical damage or an infestation of'bugs', reducing the vigor of the tree."This is somewhat analagous to theveterinarian's answer, "If youhave a sick cow, shoot it!" De-pending on the sickness, this maybe good advice, but says nothing abouthow to reduce the spread of themalady through the rest of the herd(or stand).CauseIf the cherry stem has a large

number of gummy exudations(gummosis) on the bark, and there isno evidence of exterior physicaldamage, the most likely cause is theboring in the cambial/sapwood areaby a bark beetle (probably the nativepeach bark beetle which occursthroughout the range of blackcherry). Physiologically, the tree'sdefense mechanism is to "pitch-out"the intruding attack of the insect, andthis process may prevent certaindiseases from infecting the exposedtissue as well. Normally, there willnot be many stems infested in the.cherry stand unless there has been athinning or harvest of cherry withinthe stand in the past two years. Wherethere has been heavy cutting of cherryand the tops (crowns) remainuntreated, the chances are good forbark beetle build-up and attacks onthe remaining uncut stems.Forest entomologists tell us that the

crowns and smaller stems remainingon the ground serve as breedingmaterial for the bark beetle. If a largevolume of fresh slash remains aftercutting, a high population of adultbeetles may emerge which can attackeven healthy stems remaining in thestand.

ImportanceHealthy trees rarely succumb to

bark beetle attack, but as the treegrows in diameter, the gummysecretions created show up as darkspots or flecks within that beautifulred heartwood. Black cherry grown inthe Adirondacks will rarely produceveneer quality material mainlybecause those dark gum spots are socommon. Premium quality sawlogsused for furniture are also degradedby gum spots. Research indicates (*)it is very likely that bark beetlescause most of thegum spots found inthe firstlog (16') of black cherry.

ControlHow can the source or cause of the

problem be controlled? That is, howcan the land owner reduce bark beetlepopulations to improve the quality ofblack cherry? The same researchreport (*) offers these recommenda-tions:1. Harvest or thin outside of the

growing season. For example, in theAdirondacks, this would be lateAugust through February. This wouldnot eliminate the beetle, but wouldminimize the growth of thepopulation.2. Reduce the volume of slash as

much as possible during the dormantperiod (before the growing seasonbegins). utilize for firewood andpossibly use chippers in high valuecherry stands.3. Maintain vigorous cherry stands

through proper control of stocking.Again, reduce the amount of cutmaterial as much as possible. Do notleave dead trees (stems you girdle orpoison).4. Avoid thinning black cherry after

the stems reach young sawtimber size(11" dbh), especially if you cannotreduce the volume of slash.At this point, I'll add another

recommendation of my own. Practiceeven-aged silviculture rather than theselection system. Most cherry standsregenerated in openings - they enjoya lot of sunlight and are "even-aged"or "one-storied" in structure. While

Only a few "seed trees" remain inthis heavily cut black cherry stand.Gum globs indicated by finger andpencil (above hand); many smallergum balls show as white spots belowhand. Note untreated slash inbackground.

the stems are pole-size (4" to 10"),thin the smallest stems with weakcrowns. Use as much of the cutmaterial for firewood as possible.When the timber is mature and readyfor the final harvest, clear-cut insmall groups in any given year (1 to 5acres in size), making it morepossible for you to control the slash. Ifyou want to retain a shelterwoodovers tory , remove it as soon aspossible, within2 to 3years. And if youwant to leave a few giant seed trees asa standing reminder of what "used-to-be", expect to see a few gum balls ontheir majestic stems.

*Occurrence of Gum Spots in BlackCherry after Partial Cutting byCharles O. Rexrode and H. ClaySmith, Res. Pap. NE-634, NE For.Exp. Sta., Feb. 1990,7 p. Copies maybe obtained from US Forest Service,PO Box 4360,Morgantown, WV 26505,Attn. Helen Wassick.

8 FOREST OWNER

Species Profile - RaccoonBy PAUL CURTIS

The raccoon (Procyon latar) is adistinctively marked mammal with ablack "mask" over the eyes, and a tailwith 5 to 10 black rings. Generally,raccoons have a grizzled salt-and-pepper gray and black fur, althoughsome animals may appear yellowish.Racoons usually weigh 10 to 30pounds.Raccoons are omnivores (eat both

plant and animal food), and their dietcommonly includes fruits, berries,nuts, acorns, corn, melons, crayfish,clams, frogs, fish, snails, insects,turtles, mice, rabbits, muskrats, andthe eggs and young of ground-nestingbirds or reptiles. In urban settings,raccoons frequently consumegarbage, garden vegetables, treeseeds, fruit, and pet food.Foraging takes place at night.

During the day, animals may den inhollow trees, brush piles, muskratlodges, ground burrows, rockcrevices, barns, attics, and chimneys.The breeding season may extend

from December through June,depending upon latitude, but mostmatings occur during February andMarch. Litters are usually born inApril or May after a 63-day gestationperiod. Average litter size is 3 to 5,and only one litter is raised each year.Young animals usually becomeindependent during the fall followingtheir birth in New York State.Raccoons do not truly hibernate, but

they may become inactive duringextended periods of severe weatherduring winter. Animals may lose halftheir fall body weight as they live ontheir stored fat reserves.Raccoons are protected furbearers

in most states, with establishedhunting and trapping seasons. Section11-0523 of the NYS EnvironmentalConservation Law states that "In theSouthern Zone, raccoons injuringprivate property may be taken by theowner or lessee thereof, or by amember of his family, at any time, inany manner. In either the Northern orSouthern Zone, raccoons injuringproperty on occupied farms or landsmay be taken on such lands at anytime, by trapping or by aid of firearm,by the owners or occupants of thelands or by persons - authorized inwriting by them ... animals taken

pursuant to this section in the closedseason shall be immediately buried orcremated." All local laws orordinances must still be followed.Raccoons can be easily captured in

traps. Live-traps at least 10 x 12 x 32inches in size, and constructed ofsturdy metal, can be baited withsardines, chicken, or canned fish-flavored cat food. NYSEnvironmental Conservation Lawpermits only licensed NuisanceWildlife Control persons or WildlifeRehabilitators to transport live-captured animals, so the -landownermust euthanize raccoon caught incage traps, or release them at the siteof capture. Raccoons may also becaptured in No.1 & half leg-hold traps,and Conibear-type body-grippingtraps can effectively catch raccoonsin bait boxes. Conibear-style traps aredesigned to kill quickly, and shouldnot be used in areas where there is achance of catching nontarget animals.

Raccoon hunting or trapping duringopen seasons will provide recreationalopportunities. The 1985 NationalSurvey of Fishing, Hunting, andWildlife Associated Recreation notedthat more than 20.8 million raccoonhunting days occurred in the United

States annually. In 1977-78,raccoonswere the most valuable furbearer forhunters and trappers. An estimated3.8 million raccoons worth $88.5million were harvested.

Health ConcernsThe mid-Atlantic raccoon rabies

outbreak entered NYS in spring of1990. The current rabies situation inNYS requires surveillance and publiceducation. Thirty-one counties in NYSrequire rabies vaccination to obtaindog licenses under Section 2145of thePublic Health Law. Eight of the 31counties implemented a mandatorydog vaccination program whenthreatened by raccoon rabies. Anemergency amendment to the NYSSanitary Code adopted in October1990, requires compulsory catvaccination in counties withconfirmed rabies cases.If a person is bitten by a raccoon or

other animal suspected of havingrabies, consult with your local healthdepartment, the NYS Bureau ofCommunicable Disease Control (518-474-3186),the NYS Rabies Laboratory(518-869-4527), and during eveningsand weekends, the NYS Departmentof Health Duty Officer (518-465- 9720).Each _decision concerningpostexposure rabies treatment restswith the patient and attendingphysician.Raccoons also carry large intestinal

roundworms (Baylisascarispracyonis). Larval stages of thisascarid nematode are infectious andinjurious for a variety of birds andmammals, including humans. _Eggsare shed in the feces of infectedraccoons, and contain larvae. Iflarvae are consumed by species otherthan raccoons, they migrate throughthe intestinal tract and invade otherorgans in the body, or the centralnervous system. Two humanfatalities, and several nonfatal cases

(Continued on Page 19)

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 9

Chapter ReportsTHRIFT AFFILIATEBy BONNIE COLTON

THRIFT members were busy inAugust setting up and manning abooth at Woodsmen's Field Days.Forest Stewardship was the theme,and we featured a brochuredescribing the Federal StewardshipIncentive Program (SIP). It wastargeted to Tug Hill landowners, butgave information pertinent to alllocalities. We also handed outTHRIFT and NYFOA membershipbrochures.September saw us lay the ground

work for an expanded form of"government" to include moremembers in active participation.Rather than business and programplanning being done by an executivecommittee, we are developing aCoordinating Council, which will havethree members elected from each ofthe four Tug Hill counties. The Councilwill meet quarterly and will includemore focus on networking with otherresource stewardship groups and onlong range planning,THRIFT's main focus always has

been educational and will continue tobe. Members see the newsletter as amajor service, particularly whereage, distance, and involvement inother interests prevent so many fromattending meetings regularly.

NIAGARA FRONTIERBy BOB WHITE

Sept. 21: 20Members toured BeaverMeadow Audubon Center led by ourown knowledgeable Earl Pfarner.Beaver Meadow is a paradise forwaterfowl, .beavers and all othernative NY flora and fauna. After ashort business meeting we drove toEarl's property and took aninteresting walk through his woodlot.All of us admired the way Earl cutsand splits wood for himself and to sell.Oct. 19 at 10 a.m. a woodswalk will

be held on Don Messinger's propertyat 9621 Vermont Hill Road, Holland,N.Y. Tour features will be a Boy ScoutCamp, old-stand forest and plantingsof non-native species.Nov. 9: A tour of American Lumber

Company in Holland, N.Y., Vermont

(Photo: Mary McCarty)

LOWER HUDSON CHAPTER WOODSWALK-Left to right: Hal Griswold,Jane and John Geisten, Bamber Marshall, Bob Davis, (Chapter Chairman),Stuart McCarty (NYFOA President).

Street at 10a.m. Here are some of thelargest dry kilns in the Eastern U.S.After lunch we will drive about 3milesto Pine Acres on Partridge Road towalk through the Fran WroblewskiChristmas tree Plantation. There is agift shop on the grounds.Jan. 11: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. an AFTER

HOLIDAYS, START THE YEAR OFFRIGHT party. At Harry and RitaHassey's, 2800Rt. 98, Varysburg, NY.Bring a dish (cookies, favorite dish,whatever); drinks will be supplied byGerry Lazarczyk of 3255Sodom Road,Grand Island.

WESTERN FINGER LAKESBy RAY WAGER

The. 91 - 92 WFL chapter meetingdates are: 11/6/91, 1/15/92, 3/18/92and 5/20/92. Meetings are in theCooperative Extension Bldg.,Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY.Due to the popular response last year.on I.R. S. rules governing CasualtyLosses, we hope to have an expandedpresentation this November.On Sept. 14 Bruce Penrod, DEC

Wildlife Biologist, conducted a veryinformative woodswalk on a portion ofHi Tor recreation and wildlifemanagement area. 22 peopleresponded very positively to theemphasis on managing woodlands for

wildlife. Program Chairman, GeorgeAppleton is arranging a presentationby Bruce at one of our generalmeetings.On Sept. 28 we had our second

annual TSI workshoo. 16 membersparticipated in this event hosted bymember Gary Evans. This is a veryvaluable experience for people whohave never done a management planon their land. We are indebted to SueKeister (ex.DEC Forester) and DECForesters Mark Keister and BillyMorris for their expert leadershipthroughout the day. These people aretruly public servants in every sense ofthe word.In December, three of our steering

committee members' terms of officewill expire', including the chairperson.

(Contined on Page 11)

-- VOSS SignsDept. NYF. Box 553. Manlius. N,Y. 13104

Ph. (315) 682-6418(Mon.-Fn. 9-5)

F'lmily Owned & Operated for over 25 years

10 FOREST OWNER

I am anxious that three interested andwilling members volunteer for thesepositions. If you feel you cannot serveplease nominate someone whom wemay contact.

CAYGUABy WENDELL HATFIELD

On Oct. 16 at 6 p.m. a meeting willbe held at the north end of Lake Comoat the woodworking shop of Floyd andKathy Fuller. This awesome littleshop is overcoming the obstacles ofmarketing and exporting woodcrafteditems.Then we go just down the road to the

Lake Como Rod & Gun Club whereDick and Patricia Hemmings willserve refreshments.

TIOGA

By PAT McGLEWA political awareness workshop was

held on Sept. 28 in the Tioga CountyOffice Bldg., Owego, NY. The meetingwas interesting and informative. BillBrunner, of Endicott Lumber and BoxCo. presented the workshop, which issponsored by the American ForestResource Alliance. The main focus ofthe workshop is to make people awareof the importance of expressing theirviews to those who hold political officeand are involved with policydecisions. The Alliance will keepinterested parties up to date oncurrent issues that will, or could,influence forest management in anegative way.We plan to call a meeting of those

individuals who have indicated thatthey would help in building a soundorganizational structure for theChapter. Those interested pleasecontact Pat McGlew at 607-699-3846.

CENTRAL NEW YORKBy TOM ELLISON

Our first meeting - woodswalk washeld Sept. 7 at Heiberg MemorialForest, named after Dr. SvendHeiberg, the founder of NYFOA. Itwas a beautiful summer day with nearperfect weather. Eighteen peopleattended, including NYFOA PresidentStuart McCarty and his wife Mary;the Editorial Committee Chairman,Dick Fox, and Dr. Allen Horn. We alsohad several people who are notNYFOA members, because of ads inthe newspaper and an article done onour local chapter. The walk was led by

Dr. Norm Richards, a member of theNYFOA Board of Directors.We toured a stand of red pine that

was thinned by Dr. Richards and Dr.Heiberg. We saw four clearcut standsin the same woodlot that showed howdramatically different regenerationcould be. The determining factorswere elevation, soil conditioning,water table and the types of plantsthat were growing on the forest floor.Berry patches still suppressed treeregeneration in several areas. Afterthe walk we had a meeting and lunchat the E.S.F. Alumni Picnic Pavilion.On Oct. 5 a woodswalk was held at

Beaver Lake Nature Center where we.discussed. the management ofwoodlands for wildlife.It is hoped that we can plan future

meetings, woodswalks and lecturesfurther in advance for ourmembership. Being a new chapter weare just getting the bugs worked out.We have an excellent group ofmembers to draw from, but wouldalways like to see more.

NORTHERN ADIRONDACKByWESSUHR

Dave Daut, resource manager forFountain Forestry, Inc., led our firstwoodswalk over his woodlot nearTupper Lake on Saturday, September21. I apologize to FOREST OWNERSand the membership for not announc-ing this affair in the September/Octo-ber issue, but we were in a rush to getthis chapter rolling and didn't plan formuch' 'lead-time" .We enjoyed a sunny, yet "nippy"

fall day with 25 forest enthusiasts andfour resource managers who fieldedthe questions. Main topics includedDave Daut's improvement of skidtrails for recreational access, his useof Roundup for successfully treatingdense fern growth, the pros and consof logging sales, and boundary linemaintenance. Don Brown, from theDEC Office in Canton, led thediscussion on the enhancement ofhabitat for deer, grouse and songbirds, and how this can be achievedwith logging. Dave Forness, from thesame office, portrayed the marking offorest stands for thinning or logging.And Bob Howard, manager of HowardLand and Forestry Consultants(Canton, NY), emphasized theimportance of contract bidding andmarket timing of logging sales foroptimizing landowner benefits. We

even shared a little dendrology,separating red and sugar maple andthe three cherries (black, fire, choke).

A bunch of "die-hards" had a toughtime calling it "quits" - we sothoroughly enjoyed communicatingour love of the land and our pursuitswith it that we didn't care howlate itwas getting. It was a good start for ourChapter, and I want to thank all theparticipants and resource managersfor making it possible.The steering committee

(provisional officers) will be meetingsoon to plan another woodswalk,develop membership and anewsletter, and assure that ourChapter is responsive to the needs ofNAC members. If anyone out therehas advice for us, we want to hear it.Contact Wes Suhr, RR 1, Box 59B,Oswegatchie, NY, 13670.

ALLEGHENY FOOTHILLSBy BETTY DENSMORE

Aug. 25: 14 members showed up atMrs. Edith Mowatt's property togather Balsam cones. We managed 12bushels which translates into $288.00for the treasury. Our thanks to Mrs.Mowatt who donated her share of theproceeds to the AFC.Sept. 28: 25 people attended a very

educational slide presentation andwoodswalk at Beth and DavidBuckey's property in West Valley,NY. The Buckley's are professionalphotographers and writers so theshow was worth paying admission to(though they didn't charge us l), Wetoured their property to see the effectsof 25 years of careful planning andplanting for wildlife. A great tour.At the above meeting we elected the

officers for the 91 - 92 year. They arePeter Childs, Chairperson; Nick

(Continued on Page 19)

CATSKILL FOREST ASSOC.

On August 17th a small groupattended a woodswalk held at BobCruickshank's property in Glenford,NY, Bob is CFA'S Treasurer and hasbeen involved in promoting forestryfor many years. Among Bob's majorconcerns is Wildlife HabitatImprovment and the timbercut inprogress reflected this. The 20 acreparcel is being opened up toencourage new growth. He is

(Continued on Page 19)

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 11

Private Property Rights,And Other Quaint Notions

BY LUKE POPOVICHLet's begin with an assumption, a

fairly safe one under the circumstan-ces: I assume that you are among thatprivileged class of people that wasonce the most hated but is now themost envied in certain social systemsall over the world. I'm assuming thatyou're a private property owner.And I'll bet that private property

rights is a subject in which you havemore than a passing interest.Ironically, just when the rest of the

world seems te "be demanding theright to own property, we in thiscountry seem to be tiring of it.At least that's what I conclude from

a host of environmental laws and theway federal agencies are choosing toimplement them. From the pineflatland of Florida to the Douglas firof Washington state, timberlandowners - big and small - are losingcontrol.

the problem is with the grow-ing American appetite for

curbing existing freedoms inthe name of some rarefiedgood or ill-defined benefit.

Increasingly, the federal govern-ment is. running roughshod over therights of landowners (a minority) inits haste to secure supposed environ-mental and other benefits for the restof us (a majority). The evidence forthis claim is both familiar anddisturbing.First, all governments enjoy regula-

ting private activity. In 1990alone, thefederal government churned out63,000 pages of fine print regulationson the use of private property. And,you're clever enough to guess thatthese regulations didn't exactlyexpand that use.In print these regulations can be

menacing; in practice they are some-times confiscatory. The preservationof the Northern Spotted Owl may costsome private landowners free use ofapproximately 3 million acres offorestland. Private landowners whoown an estimated one third of all thewetlands left in the country may face

12

protracted struggles with federalagencies over the use of their land orfind its market value greatlydiminished due to governmentregulations.The same loud voices heard in

Oregon demanding restrictions onprivate timberlands are now heardbraying in the Northeast, this timedemanding federal acquisition ofprivate lands for new parks and stillmore wilderness. That these northernwoodlands have been well managedfor generations by private landowners- or that the landowners may haveprerogatives and wishes of their own:- means little to those who alwaysfeel that what's yours is really theirs.Then there's the evidence of federal

takings. In the past 25 years thefederal government has spent $3.7billion to acquire 4 million acres ofrecreation lands. Yet it has a backlogof unpaid bills for lands alreadycondemned in excess of $6 billion. Ofcourse the Constitution protectsunfair "taking" of private propertywithout just compensation. ButSupreme Court rulings have narrowedthe definition of what a taking is toexclude actions which certainlydevalue private property.The problem isn't environmental

legislation like the EndangeredSpecies Act or Clean Water Act, or theadmirable objectives behind them. In

my book, species preservation anddrinkable water rank right up therewith strong black coffee and theSunday New York Times as essentialto health and happiness.The problem is with the growing

American appetite for curbingexisting freedoms in the name ofsome rarefied good or ill-definedbenefit. We can't smoke in publicplaces because some government-funded study at Kalamazoo Instituteof Epidemiology found thatNorwegian rats developed nosebleedswhen exposed to the equivalent of 25cartons of Camels in two days.We can't use aerosol sprays to smite

insects because Citizens AgainstGreenhouse Gases have determinedthat at present rates of gassification,in 10 years our atmosphere will lackthe oxygen required to burn a match.Often, these appeals to curb freedomsare delivered in voices quavering withintolerance and self-righteousness,usually by the sorts of people whoseproperty isn't at risk, who don'tsmoke, and don't use hair spray.As private property goes, maybe

this trend isn't surprising in a countrynow estimated to be 82 percent"urban." The relatively few of youwho own sizeable chunks of land -bigger than a lawn - are out of sightof most Americans, hence out of mind.Match this with the slightly larger

(Continued on Page 19)

J

1. Tree Farm Survival Handbook - $30.2. Tree Farm Services and Membership

h~------------------------------------------------~FOREST OWNER

Contact: NYSTree Farm Committeec/o Empire State Forest Products Assoc.123State StreetAlbany, NY 12207518/463-1297

For information on:

Forest Protection - An IngredientFor Good Stewardship

A NETHER WORLDProfessor Allen has

graciously alfered to helpreaders of NYFOenter a sortof nether worldof the Forest.This indroductory article willbe followed by others whichwill require a sharper focusof the senses and the useof rulers other than the prismor log tape. The adventureshould excite an interest orenrich a current awarenessof this important part of theforest ecosystem. - Ed.

By DOUGLAS C. ALLENAs an owner of forest land, at some

point you will be confronted by aninsect pest and, as a result, may findyourself in a quandary. The finaldecision as to whether or not theproblem can be ignored or should beaddressed in the form of somedeliberate action on your part isdetermined by your managementobjectives, economic factors relatedto these objectives, and a myriad ofless tangible social andenvironmental attitudes.Regardless of how you approach the

problem, you should bear in mind thatgood forest stewardship (in my view,synonymous), by definition, includesan element of protection.

In order to develop and maintain ahealthy and productive forest, onemust be cognizant of potential pestproblems and often take steps toameliorate them. I view"productivity" in the broadest sense,determined basically by yourmanagement objectives. It makeslittle difference whether your primaryreason for owning forest land is tomaximize timber production, toproduce wildlife habitat, is solely toprovide you and yours with amenablesurroundings, or a combination of theabove. In order to attain any of thesemeasures of productivity, oneoccasionally must deal with the threatof insect damage.Economic Considerations .For many owners of forest land,

knowing what to expect in terms of thepotential immediate and long-term

economic consequences of thedamage that may be caused by' aparticular pest will have a majorinfluence on their decision. Actually,this knowledge is. fundamental todetermining if, in fact, you have, a:"problem" to begin with. Generally,the more intensively you managedyour forested land, the less damageyou are likely to tolerate. Forexample, usually weare less likely toabide insect damage in a christmastree plantation that required severalhundred dollars per acre to establishand tend, and where the appearanceof the final product directlydetermines its value, than in anaturally established forest that wehold solely for recreational purposes.Similarly, a northern hardwood standthat is managed passively for hunting,may not warrant the same protectioninvestment it would if it weredeveloped into a commercialsugarbush.What is a Pest?Any animal, disease-ca using

organism or weed that prevents youfrom optimizing your managementobjective(s) is a pest. By definition,then, what one woodlot ownerperceives as a "pest" may seemunimportant and be tolerated by aneighbor. Following the same line ofthought, the term "outbreak" refersto a situation where the abundance ofan organism attains a level (density)that causes damage which isintolerable to the land owner;otherwise, populations of the pest aresaid to be "sparse". So, here again,landowner views may differ in termsof what constitutes an outbreak. Thereason for this disparity is that thetwo owners may have totally differentvalues and management objectives.

Chemical use Is not necessarilybad and, In fact, often can be partof good stewardship. To take noaction and let the problem "run Itscourse" may result In anyunhealthy and unproductive forest.In many Instances, pest problemsthat go unattended for ostensiblyvarid "environmental" concerns,create sltutatlons that detract fromthe environmental and economicquality of forested land fordecades.

Preventative MaintenanceDeliberate forest management is

often the most effective means bywhich we can develop and maintainforests that are less susceptible topest outbreaks and/or less vulnerableto damage if an outbreak occurs.Under most conditions, forest pestproblems can be minimized byencouraging the right tree specieis)on a given site (soil, expos~re,microclimate, etc.), removingseverely damaged or low-vigor trees,and minimizing between-treecompetition for water and nutrientsby thinning the stand at appropriateintervals. Also, history has taught usthat under most circumstances abiologically diverse forest communityis often less susceptible to outbreaksor more resilient to disturbance than arelatively simple community. Unlessyour management objectives demanda single species condition (as in asugarbush,' for example), encouragemultiple species. In a sugarbush (orany Single species situation), one canenhance structural diversity bymaintaining a mixture of age classes,Generally, different age classes oftrees (e.g., seedling, sapling, pole,sawtimber) are subject to differenttypes of problems. The key is to makeit as difficult as possible for a pest toreproduce, disperse, and becomeestablished in a suitable host. Anotherthing that we have learned fromhindsight, is that many of our mostserious pest problems are created byhuman activities that inadverentlyfashion ideal conditions for an insector disease. This suggests that humanintervention, in turn, should be aneffective way to obviate or minimizemany problems.Chemical Control- a Necessary ToolA large number of pest problems,

however, materialize because ofnatural conditions that are favorableto the pest and over which landownershave no control. Weather that favorspest survival (e.g., a mild winter thatenhances survival of gypsy motheggs), drought that renders treesmore susceptible to invasion bycertain inner-bark pests such as pine

(Continued on Page 15)

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER13

Caring for the Woods: Something a Little Differentimmediate crisis where a single bluewhale is in need of rescue, and at thesame time 40 sperm whales arealso inneed of rescue. They are in differentlocations, so you can effect one andonly one rescue - either the singleblue whale or the 40 sperm whales.You can't call upon anyone else; youhave no other choices. Which wouldyou choose to rescue and why?

PartB:There are 240 lowland gorillas left in

the world, all found on a 35,000 acrerefuge in Africa. This refuge is undergreat pressure, being in the countrywith the fastest growing population ofany in Africa. The country involved isalso the poorest one on the Africancontinent. If converted to agriculturaluse, the 35,000 acres could supportabout 30,000 people - about 25% ofone year's population growth of thecountry - at a subistence level. If youwere in the position of making policyfor management of this land, wherethe two extreme choices were toeither convert the land to agricultureand see the lowland gorillaexterminated, or enforce strongprotection for the gorillas despite thiscountry's enormous humanpopulation growth, what would youchoose to do and why?

(See answer on Page 17)

judgments, and taking differentactions, and these differences comeabout because things (objects orbeings) are valued differently.Philosophers think much about such

ideas and ideals, and eventually theirthoughts trickle down to us non-philo-sophers. But all of us, landowners andland-users alike, have a land ethicwhether it is well thought out or a setof knee-jerk reactions based upon ourpersonal odyssey through life. As heoften did, Aldo Leopold said this somuch better over 50 years ago whenhe wrote, "As a land-user thinketh, sois he."The rest of this brief article

provides a test that might help youthink anew or again on your own landethic.As you read the cases below and

"take the test," it would be easy toget hung up on "What ifs." Relax; dothe best you can with the material asgiven, and think about what otherinformation you would like to have ifyou could (in itself, this may help youunderstand your land ethic).PartA:For our purposes assume that there

are two species - blue and spermwhales - that are identical in all waysbut one. That is, the blue whale is aseverely endangered species while thesperm whale is not. There is an

By JIM COUFALIn the September/October 1991

issue of "Forest Owner," NYFOAPresident Stuart McCarty wondered". . . if NYFOA should review whatappears to be an emphasis on timberproduction in the Forest Owner and inour association's objectives;" a verygood question indeed. In the sameissue, Tim Williams presented theopinion that, in the Forest Owner,articles devoted to forestry politicalissues tended to. reflect a singleposition - that of the commercialforest industry. He went on to say that"A more reasoned presentation ofconflicting opinion . .. . would addsome perspective." This brief piecedoes not directly address either ofthese comments, but was inspired bythem. It does go beyond foreststewardship simply for timberproduction, and it talks about thefoundations of different perspectiveson human/nature relationships. At theleast it might be considered"something a little different."Forest stewardship does, as

President McCarty said, meanaccepting a responsibility to care forthe woods, and this is a much biggerand broader task than caring fortimber production. Stewardship is onetheme of the movement dealing withenvironmental or land ethics. Ethicshas been defined in several ways, andin a broad sense means any valuesystem used to judge the rightness orwrongness. and the desirability orwisdom of one's objectives. andactions. Ethics has also been definedas the disciplined reasoning requiredto be able to set objectives, makejudgments, and take action. A landethic thus is the disciplined reflectionsleading to a value system that causesus to take certain actions and to avoidothers in relation to the land."Land," as used in the phrase the landethic, means the soil, water, rocks,air, plants and animals- individuallyand collectively.

Put another way, a land ethic isecological; it deals with humanity'srelationship with, and moralobligations to the earth community.Forest stewardship is one expressionof a land ethic, and therein lies theproblem. The various perspectives ona land ethic can lead to settingdifferent objectives, making different

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ForestryAdvisoryBoardActive"New York's forests are growing

and expanding," said R. Dean Frostof Whitney Point, NY, an advisor toNYS DEC Commissioner Thomas C.Jorling, through the (State) ForestPractice Board (FPB) which metOctober 1 - 3 at a meeting in LakeLuzerne. Frost is chairman of theState FPB and a member of one of 9regional boards that comprise it.The FPB is a legislatively

mandated advisory group to theCommissionerof the New York StateDepartment of Environmental Con-servation regarding current issues.With representatives from

throughout .the State, the FPB passeda number of resolutions, including oneto urge inclusion of cost sharing forforest road improvements as anincentive in the Forest StewardshipProgram."People and Trees - Partners in

rime" is a slogan in vogue. DECforestry staff promote its acceptanceas a management concept forprivately owned forestland since itsymbolizes the continuingrelationship and dependency betweenhumans and forests. It is a complexconcept that was discussed at the FPBmeeting by Robert H. Bathrick, StateForester, NYS DEC. Beingcomprehensive in nature the "ethic"relates comprehensively to biological,economic, environmental, and socialaspects of New York's 15million acresof privately owned forests, that areheld by % million landowners."Open space," its protection,

preservation, and use, wasemphasized by Mr. Bathrick as acurrent issue that DEC and others areevaluating relative to providingpeople and their communities withopen space landscapes and environ-mental qualities, that will be valuableassets for years to come.People interested in alerting the

Forest Practice Board to their NewYork forestry concerns may contact alocal board member (whose name isavailable from the nearest DECoffice), or by writing to FPB, R. DeanFrost, Chair, RD 1, Box 80, WhitneyPoint, NY 13862.

With Robert H. Bathrick, State Forester, NYS DEC (far right) are New YorkState Forest Practice Board members at October 2 - 4, 1991 board meeting at LakeLuzerne, NY (from left) Earl Cardot, Fredonia (Chautauqua Co.); Dean Ryder,Carmel (Putnam Co.); Willard Ives, Troy (Rensselaer Co.); Tim Napper,Saranac (Clinton Co.); Chester Paprocki, Vernon (Oneida Co.); Gary Nichols,Gasport (Niagara Co.); George G. Gardner, Penn Yan (Yates Co.); Vern Hudson,Elbridge (Onondaga Co.); William Rutherford, Bloomingdale (Essex Co.);Everett Hopper, Horseheads (Chemung Co.); Charles Boone, Westerlo (AlbanyCo.); Margaret Warren, Napanoch (Ulster); Chairman R. Dean Frost, WhitneyPoint (Broome Co.); Nancy A. Wolf, Brooklyn (Kings Co.); Darrel D. Rippeteau,Alexandria Bay (Jefferson); Jim Rossi, Staten Island (Richmond).

(Forest Stewardship Photo by Taber)

Forest Protection-(Continued from Page 13)

bark beetles, or conditions that maybe detrimental to populations of thepest's natural enemies are examplesof events over which the landownerhas little influence. We are often leftwith no choice but to intervenedirectly with a chemical insecticide.

Chemical use is not necessarily badand, in fact, often can be part of goodstewardship. To take no action and letthe problem "run its course" mayresult in an unhealthy andunproductive forest. In manyinstances, pest problems that gounattended for ostensibly varid"environmental" concerns, createsituations that detract from theenvironmentalkand economic qualityof forested land for decades.If you as a landowner are willing to

accept the possibility of this outcomerather than apply a chemical, that isyour right. However, before makingthis decision one should be aware ofthe potential consequences. Similarly,one should use a little common sense.Pesticides - Good News Bad News, aBalancing ActFirst, I think it is important to

realize that region-wide annually weapply very little insecticide to veryfew acres of land. In the northeast,these control efforts generally areaimed at defoliators with the intent of

saving foliage. Loss of foliage reducestree growth or weakens the tree to thepoint where it is unable to defend itselfagainst potential mortality-causingagents such as root diseases, or inner-bark feeding insects that girdle theplant. We often refer to these as"secondary" agents, becausetypically they flourish only. on theheels of other agents that affect thetree when it is in a relatively vigorouscondition. Secondary agents are socalled, because ordinarily they areunable to become established inhealthy trees. They are secondaryonly in an ecological sense but,indeed, they are important becausefrequently they are the ultimate causeof tree mortality.Severe defoliation also may kill a

tree outright, as usually happensfollowing a single defoliation ofconifers, or when broadleaved treesare affected for several years in arow.Now for the common sense part!

Every action that we take to managea: forest can have adverse ecologicalconsequences, some of which aremore long lasting than others. Evenmany of the so called "biologicalcontrol" methods, can adverselyaffect life systems other than that ofthe target pest. I am convinced thatthere are many situations where

(Continued on Page 16)

NOVEMBERIDECEMBER 15

professionals and obtain theinformation required to makeinformed decisions about potentialpests in your region and acquaintyourself with the menu ofpreventative and _direct controlstrategies available for dealing withthem. Do not neglect thisresponsibility to protect the economicintegrity and ecological welfare ofyour woodlands. This responsibility isan indispensable ingredient of goodstewardship.

Forest Protection-(Continued from Page 15)

complete defoliation of a forestcommunity, will be no less disruptivethan a properly applied insecticide.Will defoliation affect organismsother than the tree? Yes indeed!Think of the birds that require foliatedcrowns in which to build nests. Whatabout ground-nesting birds thatdepend on the shade from defoliatedovers tory trees? Many trees andplants can be stressed by increasedsoil temperatures that often occurwhen the shade provided by foliage isremoved, Shading that trees provideis often a critical part of theenvironment of vertebrates andinvertebrates that inhabit smallstreams. And so forth.It is not my intent to encourage

chemical use. I try to convince alandowner to apply a "hard"chemical only when I know that it isacceptable both from an economicand ecological_ standpoint, and theconsequences of not treating will in alllikelihood prevent that person fromattaining management objectives. Ifproperly applied; to include anassessment of need and_selecting thecorrect material, - formulation,dosage, method of application, andtiming, chemical insecticides are aprudent and appropriate stewardshiptool.

Biological Options - There Are SomeDuring the past twenty years or so,

a significant amount of research anddevelopment supported byinnumerable federal agencies,industry and certain stateorganizations has resulted in a varietyof more ecologically sound directcontrol methods. In a broad sense,this arena is referred to as "biologicalinsect pest suppression", and includestechniques that range from classicalbiological control (manipulation ofparasitoids and predators) to genetic,engineering methods, For example, ifwe go back to the defoliator situationthat was posed above, in the northeastwe have two "biological" options thatmay be appropriate for manysituations; a bacterium known as B. t.(a much easier handle than thetongue-twisting name for thisbacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis!)and a molting inhibitor calledDimilin. The former affects a widerange of nontarget lepidopterancaterpillars that inadvertently

consume the spores. The latter has a_wider spectrum of influence. It maykill any insect that is in the process ofmolting, _and it is thought to have amajor effect on populations of aquaticinsects. There are additional caveatsassociated with these biologicals, butif applied properly under appropriateconditions, they may be options thatare more compatible ecologicallythan a hard chemical. On balance,both biologicals effect a narrowspectrum of organisms relative tomost chemical insecticides - andthis, of course, is their appeal.Tough DecisionsSound forest management requires

many decisions and you, thelandowner, must be the decisionmaker. Seek guidance from

Dr. Allen is a Forest Entomologistand Professor of the Faculty ofEcology and Forest Biology at theCollege of Environmental Science andForestry SUNY, 146 Illick Hall CESFSUNY, Syracuse, NY 13210.

Conservation EasementsBy JOHN KREBS

What is a conservation easement?A conservation easement is a legal

agreement between a landowner anda public agency or a qualified non-profit conservation organizationwhich permanently restricts the type,location and amount of developmentof a property in the future. Aconservation easement does NOThave to restrict ALL development.The property remains in private

ownership and continues on the taxrolls with the restrictions of the con-servation easement protecting thosescenic and natural areas which havebeen designated as protected. Aconservation easement can betailored to meet the current andfuture needs of the donor and his orher heirs and assigns. The_easementis filed in the county offices andbecomes a permanent part of the titleto the land regardless of futureownership.BENEFITS OF ACONSERVATION

EASEMENTConservation easements give the

property owner the peace of mind thathis or her land will be affordedpermanent protection. Neighboringproperty owners can work together toestablish easements therebyenhancing specific areas.Conservation easements provide away for property owners to protect thefuture quality of their region throughvoluntary agreements rather thangovernment regulation.In addition, conservation easements

generally provide EST ATE TAXBENEFITS by reducing the

appraised value of the landowner'staxable estate, thus reducinginheritance taxes for _heirs.Frequently when the familyhomestead IS passed on to the childrenor other heirs, it must be broken upand sold in order to pay inheritancetaxes. Conservation easements canhelp avoid that tragedy. In this waythe heirs inherit the land, but becausemuch of it is placed under easement,the estate taxes are greatly reduced.The heirs will own the land, can sell it,pass it on to their heirs, etc., but arerelieved of exorbitant inheritancetaxes - because the developmentvalue of the land has been given upunder the easement.Simply stated, if your estate

(including real estate, cash, stocks,etc.) is greater than $600,000, thefederal estate tax could be as high as55% of the amount greater than$600,000. New York State has agraduated tax on amounts greaterthan $108,333.OTHER BENEFITS ARE:• Federal and state income taxadvantagesA conservation easement donated in

perpetuity may qualify for a federaland state deduction. Here's how itworks

Appraised value of land before theconservation easement minus -appraised value of land after theconservation easement equals theamount of charitable contribution =tax deduction to you

(Continued on Page 17)

16 FOREST OWNER

Ginseng-(Continued from Page 9)

A fourteen page production guideentitled "American GinsengProduction in New York State" byRobert L. Beyfuss, is available for$1.00 from Cornell CooperativeExtension of Greene County, HCR #3,Box 906, Cairo, New York 12413. Thispublication contains an appendix ofginseng supplies sources.It should also be noted that there is a

New York State Ginseng Association.The president is Steve Roth, BridgeSt., Roxbury, NY 12474 (607) 326-7906.The main contact person for ginsengrules and regulations at DEC is DougSchmid, DEC, Room 406, 50 WolfRoad, Albany, NY 12233.

Conservation -(Continued from Page 16)

The value of the property given upby the easement, which is the value ofthe charitable gift, must bedetermined by a qualified appraisaldone by a qualified appraiser .. Theappraiser determines the value of theproperty first without restrictions atits highest and best use pursuant torelevant governmental land useregulations and then later the value ofthe property with the restrictionsspecified in the conservationeasement. The difference between thetwo values constitutes the charitablegift.

• Local real property tax advan-tagesWhen municipalities assess

properties for real property taxes, themarket value of the property, whichmay include both current andpotential uses is the basis. Byrestricting a property to its currentuse or limiting its potential use, thatproperty should not be affected by thetendency to tax properties at theirhighest use potential. Thus, one couldappeal a town assessment by statingthat their restricted property does nothave the development value of othersimilar properties.By organizing neighbors and using

conservation easements on adjacentproperties, entire neighborhoods ortowns can be protected. This affordsproperty owners the assurance thatland which borders them will not besurprisingly developed. As more and

more property owners restrict the~rland to protect its natural and scemcqualities, protected areas will retaintheir spacious rural character, thusenhancing our quality of life.For information on conservation

land trusts in your area write ortelephone the Land Trust Alliance, 900Seventeenth Street NW, Suite 410,Washington, DC 20006.(202) 785-1410.

John W. Krebs and his wife, Carol,own a 434 acre farm in the town ofSpringwater, NY. For 27 years theyhave practiced forest and wildlifemanagement on the property.Questions can be addressed to him at1239 W. Bloomfield Road, HoneoyeFalls, NY 14472.

Caring for the Woods-(Continued from Page 14)

ANSWERThe answer is, of course, that there

is no single, simple, best answer ineither case. What you choose to do willdepend upon what you value most;what any society chooses to do willdepend upon what it values most. Butyour answers should be illustrative ofwhat you value and where this fits inthe three broad perspectives of a landethic.If, in Part A, you would save the

sperm whales because you wouldaffect the life and suffering of 40individuals as compared to the oneblue whale, you might be coming fromwhat is called the biocentric perspec-tive. Biocentrists put great value onindividuals, especially. sentientindividuals (those capable of pain andsuffering). Animal rightists or animalwelfarists are biocentrists.If you chose to save the single blue

whale because it was a member of anendangered species, you might becoming from what is called theecocentric or holistic perspective.Ecocentrists value the stability anddiversity of populations, species, andecosystems, and they expect theindividual members of a bioticcommunity - human or otherwise -to subordinate their interests to thoseof the community.In Part B there is a direct clash

between the interests of humans (inthis case, a potential population ofhumans) and those of an endangeredspecies of great interest. If you havean antropocentric perspective-a

human-centered one - where humaninterests always take precedence,then you likely chose to convert therefuge to agricultural land. Ourcurrent U. S. version of anthropocen-trism puts great value on individuals(human individuals), but there havebeen times in history, and currentplaces in the world, where there wasand is more of a valuing of the humancommunity.In Case B, both biocentrists and

ecocentrists could find strongarguments for favoring the lowlandgorilla, an animal that has a highlydeveloped social life,. a level ofintelligence, and one that can bestudied to teach humans about theirown evolution, to say nothing of itsvalues as an attraction for tourismdollars.The above is, of course,

oversimplified. None of us has asingle, one-and-only perspective thatoperates all conditions. And nothingwas said about the differencesbetween instrumental values (wherean object or entity only has value as ameans to serve human interests) andintrinsic values (where the object orentity is seen to have value unto itself,without any reference to human needsor wants). If, for example, thelowland gorilla has intrinsic valuethere is a stronger case for saving itthan if it is only another means tohuman ends.Further, nothing has been said to

this point about how such exoticexamples might transfer to your day-to-day activities as forest stewards,whether as landowners or as land-users. How do the anthropocentric,biocentric and ecocentric perspec-tives bear on old-growth, spotted owls,rural development, land taxes,wetlands, pesticides, clearcutting,biodiversity and all the other thingsthat we ate called upon to deal with?How do your perspectives fit intothese hotly debated views? -The basic question becomes, "What

do you think?"Professor Coufal serves Forestry atthe Col. of Env. Sci. and For.,SUNY asas Coordinator of UndergraduateEducation.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 17

Letters-(Continued from Page 3)

deal from DEC foresters over theyears. In addition to global concerns,could we get more details? Could youpersuade the experts in DEC to sharesome of their practical lessons (Ialmost said tricks) with us?

Come on, Editorial Committee,let's put the meat on the table! Let'shear FROM WITHIN THE FOREST!

Respectfully and sincerely,Peter S. Levatich,

Tioga ChapterFrom communicataions and letters tomembers of the Editorial Committee:. . . Your tribute to Evelyn Stock and

Howard Ward brought back fondmemories . . . it appears Stuart'smessage recognizes some problems.Allied to it is the letter from TimWilliams . . . his point that not allowners are deeply interested inharvesting and products . . . nice toknow there is an industry market ...to raise the money for taxes or buythat new pickup. In view of this variedinterest it might be prudent tosectionalize the FO and place items ofcertain interests in the same place ineach issue. No reason why shortletters to the editor could not be afterlead editorial . . . How about allChapter and other organization newsin the back . . . following the letters,tree growing articles, insects,diseases, equipment hints ... Michi-gan and New York forest ownersmight have to take up the slack to fillthe void left by the upheavals beingwrought on our western forests . . .Maybe now is the time to get into theNew York schools and educate thestudents to what good forestmanagement is all about.

Harold Kollmeyer,E. Lansing, Michigan

A number of others have expressedsimilar sentiments and similarworthy suggestions. - Ed.

HardWork-(Continued from Page 5)

portable mill, 12540 - 51' utility poles,1200 25' cabin poles, and TSI cost-sharing as well as rent from leasedcropland. Our expenses have mainlybeen for equipment, repair andmaintenance, and capitalimprovements on roads and pondsand a survey which resulted in anadditional 25 acres on which we hadnot paid taxes.18

Our figures showed what I feared:in round figures, income of $45,000,expenses of $50,000,and land taxes of$29,000for a loss of $34,000.However,when I thought about it a bit more anddid some creative accounting toinclude the savings from income taxdeductions, lumber for severalprojects, and heating of our homesolely with wood as well as heating thehomes of our two daughters, I wasable to convince myself that we notonly broke even but made a profit of$3,000 not including our capitalimprovements, timber volumeincrease and the vast enjoyment wehave had in performing the work andseeing the amazing results of ourefforts .

On the down side, we naturally havehad some other problems, too. Ourtaxes have increased to over $9/acreincluding a school tax increase of345% in the past 12 years. Theincrease in the deer population sinceour TSI has limited regeneration inour hardwoods. A hybrid poplajguaranteed to grow 5 feet/year whichwas put in for screening has managedto achieve a height of 2 feet in 10years, and the deer take duringhunting season has increased from 2to 10 each year. We have learned,however, that leaving some brush inthe hardwoods reduces browsing andfosters rapid regeneration. So far, wehave had only two accidents, onebroken arm and one dented helmetfrom a widowmaker. At least we arenot required to pay workmen'scompensation insurance.One other discouraging aspect is

that every time I skid 50or 60year oldsoftwoods to the roadside for pickupafter thinning, felling, and trimming Iwonder why we didn't cut andwholesale them 40 years ago asChristmas trees for the same or agreater price than we now receive.Our distance from some markets, ourmarketing inexperience, and relative-ly infrequent small sales are anotherproblem for smaller tree farms. suchas ours. Other negative aspects of treefarming that should be mentioned arethe weight limits posted on roads fromtime to time that can and do interferewith the transport of products. Theincreasing tendency of manymunicipalities to regulate logging canalso interfere with a tree farmer'sgoals. So far, our town and countyhave not imposed such restrictions.Prepared and delivered at the

meeting by Jack.

'91 ProfessionalTimber HarvesterAwardThe New York State Timber

Producers Association has promotedthe interests and well being of the. timber harvester since its formationin 1970. The Professional TimberHarvester Award is presented once ayear to commend a timber harvester·for outstanding practices in areas of:management, safety performances,condition and appearance of loggingequipment and woodlot, and history inthe logging industry.This years award for PROFES-

SIONAL HARVESTER of 1991goes toRalph A. Hotaling, Jr., of WestCoxsackie. Ralph was nominated byNYS DEC, senior forester, GeraldAndritz.For someone starting out in timber

business Ralph says the first thing todo is to find someone with someknowledge of the business, talk tothem and learn all you can. When youaccept work on a woodlot, talk withthe landowner and agree on how thelot will be done and stick to it. Mostimportant, treat the land as if it wereyour own.

-w.CLEAR CREEK":"~~ CONSULTING

Professional Forastry Services

TImber Appraisals • TImber Marking •TImber Trespasses • Forest Management Plans

And Other Forestry Services

PATRICK J. McGLEW(607) 699-3846

P.O. Box 104Nichols, NY 13812

WANTEDVENEER TREES- R.O., W.O.,

H.M., Ash, Cherry and Walnut

* Any Amount of Trees* Low Impact* High Profit* Free Appraisals* Anywhere in NY and PA

CRAIG JOCHUM2668 South Apalachin RoadApalachin, New York 13732

607/687 -1598

FOREST OWNER

Thomas Jefferson. It was Jefferson ofall people who deleted "privateproperty" from the Declaration ofIndependence after it had survived inthe Bill of Rights of both Virginia andMassachusetts, and in the FifthAmendment, where it joined "life"and "liberty" as the triad of absolutehuman rights. Jefferson laterexplained that "pursuit ofhappiness", his delightful substitute,embraced private property becausewithout the right to one's propertyhappiness was, in his mind,unthinkable. Those mostcontemptuous of the concept are, notsurprisingly, environmental hyper-activists. They seem to ignore theoverwhelming evidence thatenvironmental degradation is mostcommonly found, and usually in themost severe forms, in socialistcountries. without private propertyrights of any kind. Isn't therecorrelation between stewardship ofproperty and the formal recognition ofthe rights and obligations of those whoown it? There is, for those with eyesthat see.Reproduced from Tree Farmer, Fall91

FallMeeting-Part 11-(Continued from Page 6)

tain National Forests (6) and in NewHampshire's National Forests (2). Allsuch appeals are still in the reviewprocess by their respective ForestSupervisors.The significant argument on PAW's

side for "no action" on these projectssupports a biodiversity that would befavored by an uninterrupted canopyfor areas in excess of 100,000acres.(That must be macromanagement orNOmanagement at all.)

Chapters-(Continued from Page 11)

Ratti, Treasurer; and Jan Lawson,Secretary.Oct. 4 & 5th: Fall Meeting see

Forest Owner.Upcoming events: Dec. 14, 1 p.m.

Jan Lawson and Audrey Childs willco-hostess our Annual ChristmasParty at the Childses home, 3208Cooper Hill Road, Hinsdale, NY.Bring a dish to pass (cookies, favoritedish, whatever); drinks provided byour hosts. This event is a DO NOTMISS!!!

Catskill-(Continued from Page 11)

providing an excellent habitat forgrouse and deer. He did actually see acouple of deer shoot through duringour walk. BOQ built a small pen toexclude wildlife to demonstrate justhow much the wildlife eat. Thevegetation was very thick inside thepen and around the outside looked asthrough a lawnmower had gonethrough!Jack McShane, CFA President,

hosted a Pond building workshop onhis 240acre property in Andes, NY onSeptember 14. The turnout wastremendous, over 100attended givingJack a super onnortunitv to explainCFA's goals and philsophies to manynon-members.Jack has already had 3 ponds

installed and is contemplating addingtwo more. After picking some ofJacks apples and viewing a shortvideo on pond building, the groupfollowed John Lafever of LafeverExcavating to each pond. Heexplained the entire process and thevarious types of ponds. Then weproceeded to the proposed sites tolearn how an estimate is done.Some stayed on to tour Jack's

woodlots. There isn't a lot of timer onthe property so Jack has concentratedon Wildlife Hatitat Improvement.Bird boxes were found all over his cuttrails led through fields where heavyfawning takes place. Brush pilesencouraging rabbits to move in werealso found. The group spent a goodthree hours in the woods. It was along, most enjoyable day with perfectweather. Another positive outcome isthat CFA's membership shoudincrease from this time.One last not, the CFA board would

like to announce the addition of a 12thboard member, John Dunbar.

Raccoon-(Continued from Page 9)

involving eye damage have beenconfirmed. Humans should avoid allcontact with raccoon feces. Huntersand trappers should wear gloves, andwash their hands with a disinfectantsoap after handling raccoons.Usually 10% or less of the raccoons

in a given area are infected withTrichinella spiralis, the causativeagent for trichinosis in humans.Consequently, raccoon meat shouldalways be cooked thoroughly beforehuman consumption.Many raccoons also are infected

with canine distemper and raccoonparvovirus. Animals with distempermay exhibit rabies-like symptoms,and distemper can only be confirmedthrough serologic tests, histolgicdemonstration, or by virus isolation.Raccoons with parvovirus oftenexhibit severe diarrhea, dehydration,and depression. These diseases haveno known public health implications.

Paul CurtisExtension AssociateCornell Cooperative Extension109Fernow HallCornell UniversityIthaca, New York 14853607/255-2835

From Wildlife Damage News, Vol. 3,Summer 1991

Private Property-(Continued from Page 12)

percentage who describe themselvesas "environmentalists" and it's easyto see how environmental regulatorsfeel endowed with an olympianmandate beyond the reach of usmortals.The growing number of Americans

living off a service and informationeconomy probably explains why thedebate today over property rightsusually involves intellectual propertyrather than land and naturalresources. The fervor and the logicnow employed by pro-choiceadvocates in defending a woman'sbody as the ultimate private propertyto do with as the owner wishes, wasonce also used in defense oflandowners' rights to work their land.Curiously, a case can be made for

hanging part of the blame for theerosion of private property rights onthat champion of the little landowner,

Vice President - Real Estate

JOHN GIFFORD 716/664-5604 (8)Broker 716/487-9709 (R)

Crown Building, 100 E. Second StreetJamestown, NY 14701

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 19

R.D. #1, Box 103lisle, N.Y. 13797

New York'sVital SignsThe New York State Department of

Environmental Conservation Divisionof Lands and Forests has some extracopies of THE STATE OF FOREST·HEALTH IN NEW YORK by Michael,Birmingham available by requestfrom 50Wolf Road, Albany, NY 12233-4253. The 34 page document providesan overview of health problemsindexed by both host and agent andarranged by region. The material ispresented in a highly readable formand general to the question.

the NATIONAL WOODLANDOWNERS ASSOCIATION

JOIN TODAY AND RECEIVE• NATIONAL WOODLANDS MAGAZINE (quarterly)• Elghllssues 01WOODLAND REPORT• Plus other benellis.

';E;:';E;;H; - - - - - - - ;a;o~a~;~~~~~;:~::I;';n-APPLICATION 374 Maple Avenue Eo". Sull8 210

Vienna. VA 22180 (703)255·2700Name: _

Addt8SS: _

Phone: (

DUES: $15 for. one year, or $28 for two yearsPayable to NWOA or National Woodland Owner. Association.

ARE YOU A WOODLAND OWNER?" ),8S,how many acres do you own?Have you participated In FIP Of olher"'lnce"-:-:-:nUv:-e-pr-og-ram-.-=?-y.-.-n-oDo you have a forest management plan for your property? yes no

yes no

Non-Profit Org.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDMarathon, N.Y.

13803Permit No.2

IWFLTOM & DEBBIE GILL22 HUNTERS DRIVE NORTHFAIRPORT, NY 14450

9111

WOODLOT CALENDARNov. 6 - WFLCasualty Losses; Co-

op Ext. Bldg., Elmwood Ave.,Rochester, Ray Wager (716) 924-2589Nov. 7 - Empire State Forest

Products Assoc. Annual Fall MeetingAuburn, NY (518) 463-1297. 'Nov. 9 - NFC, 10 AM American

Lumber Co. Tour, Holland, NY,Wroblewski Xmas Tree Tour (716)537-2803.Nov. 20 -12:15 PM, Federal Income

TAX STRATEGIES, National VideoTeleconference; Norwich, NY (607)334-5841Dec. 14 - AFC 1 PM Annual Xmas

Party, the Childses; Hinsdale; (716)942-6600.Jan. 11 - NFC 1 PM, Start the Year

Right Party; The Hassey's;Varysburg; (716) 537-2803Jan. 15 - WFL, To Be Announced.

Co-op Ex. Bldg. (716) 924-2589. .April 25 - NYFOA Annual Spring

Meeting (tentative); "Case Studies ofManagement Plans"; MarshallAuditorium Syracuse.Jan. 18 CDC; 6 p.m.

Dinner /Meeting wi th MikeBirmingham, DEC Forest HealthSpecialist; Mike Greason (518)457-7370

Right toHarvest LawThe NYS DEC Region 7 Forest

Practice Board on September 24, 1991at the Fall meeting in the Danby TownHall in. Danby, Tompkins Countyunanimously moved to promote thedevelopment and enactment of aRight to Harvest Law. (See NYFO'Mar IApr 91;, 9, 12). A total of ihirty~one members, guests, anddepartment employees from the 9county region were in attendance.

The NATIONAL WOODLAND OWNERS ASSOCIATION isa nationwide organization of non-Industrial private woodlandowners wilh oHices In Ihe Washington. D.C. area. Member-ship Includes landowners In all 50 states. NWOA Is affiliatedwilh state and county woodland owner assoclauonsthroughout Ihe Uniled Stales.

Founded by non-Induslrlal prlvale woodland owners In1983. NWOA Is Independenl of Ihe forest producls Induslryand Iorestry agencies. We work wilh all organlzalions IDpromote non-Induslrlal forestry and the best Inleresls otwoodland owners. Member' of: National Council on PrivaleForesls, Nalural Resources Council of America andNational Foreslry Network. •

Members receive 4 Issues of NATIONAL WOODLANDSMAGAZINE and 8 Issues of WOODLAND REPORT withlale-breaking news from Washlnglon. D.C. and stale capl-tals. An Inlroductory vis II trom a cerlified professionalforester Is available In most slates (for holdings of 20 acresor larger). plus olher member benefits.

- Keith A. Argow. Publisher"INFORMED WOODLAND OWNERS - OUR BEST PROTECTION"

20 FOREST OWNER