OFFICERS

J. Morgan Heussler, President900 Porterville RoadEast Aurora, NY 14052

Allen F. Horn, rst Vice President3978 Pompey Center Rd.,Manlius, N.Y. 13104

Harold Petrie, 2nd Vice PresidentRD I, Box 117,Parish, NY 13131

.John Marchant, Executive DirectorP.O. Box 360Fairport, NY 14450

Stuart McCarty, Treasurer4300 East AvenueRochester. NY 14618

Howard O. Ward, Assistant Treasurer240 Owego StreetCandor, NY 13743

Alan Knight96 Targosh Rd.Candor, NY 13743

Alec C. Proskine9370 Congress Rd.Trumansburg, NY 14886.

Robert SandCotton-Hanlon, Inc.Cayuta, NY 14824Dean FrostRD 1Box 80Whitney Point, NY 13862

Robert A. HellmannPO Box 231Brockport, NY 14420

Thomas A. Conklin10Artillery LaneBaldwinsville, NY 13027

Richard J. FoxRD 3, Dresserville Rd.Moravia, NY 13118

Affiliaie/Chapter Representatives:Thrift-Donald Colton5595 Trinity AvenueLowville, NY 13367

Catskill Forest Assn.Donald GilbertCatskill Forest AssociationArkville, NY 12406

Cayuga Chapter-Wendell HatfieldRDIMoravia, NY 13118

Tioga Chapter-Howard Ward2400wegoSl.Candor, NY 13743

Southern Tier Chapter-Donald KellicuttRD 1, Box 103Lisle, NY 13797

Western Finger Lakes Chapter-John Marchant45 Cambridge Ct.Fairport, N.Y. 14450

THE NEW YORK

FOREST OWNERPublished for the New York Forest Owners Association by

Karen Kellicutt, Editor

Materials submitted for publication should be addressed to: Editor, N. Y. Forest Owner,RD #1, Box 103, Lisle, New York 13797. Articles, artwork and photos are invitedand are normally returned after use. The deadline for submission is 30 days prior topublication in March.Please address all membership and change of address requests to Executive Director,P.O. Box 360, Fairport, N.Y. 14450.

President's Message

It will be January when you readthis but, as we write it, it is lateNovember and we are getting readyfor Christmas. Here's how:We were fortunate enough to be able

to buy a 180 acre woodlot in Hollandlast February. On Bob Sand'srecommendation (it was more like acommand), we took a consultingforester through it. Before one gets tothe big woods, one passes stands ofred and white pine and a large standof mixed white and Norway spruceand balsam fir. These trees wereplanted about thirty years ago andhave never been thinned. The foresteradvised me to lop the boughs off thefirs as they were desirable forChristmas wreaths. He said the priceI would be paid was 10¢ a pound.Didn't seem like much but being afirewood man, what did I know aboutfir boughs?In the Fall, I asked our DEC

forester if he knew who would buythese boughs. He did - the guyinspected the trees, said they were ofgood quality and that he would pay me8¢a pound. He took 200pounds or so. Iwasn't the price that bothered me, itwas the fact that he left three quartersof the boughs as waste and took onlythe best. That did it. Now I havealways thought foresters were smallgods so, imagine my surprise at whathappened next. I made up severalbundles of boughs using new trees andmixing in what the first guy left on theground. Went to a guy who has a largecut and choose operation as well aswholesaling Christmas trees andwreaths. He looked at my bundles and

J. Morgan Heussler

ordered 500 pounds at 25¢ per pound.He also told me to look up thehorticulture teacher at McKinleyHigh School in Buffalo. He looked atmy boughs and ordered 500pounds at30¢per pound.So, I finally found something

neither the DEC nor the consultingforesters know - where to sell balsamfir boughs by eliminating twomiddlemen. A belated MerryChristmas to you all (including theforesters. )

2 FOREST OWNER

Marchant Named Executive DirectorAs you know, Ruth Thoden, our

dedicated 'and efficient ExecutiveSecretary, resigned effective October15, 1989. Shortly after the Fallmeeting, I named a "SecretarySearch" committee composed ofStuart McCarty, John Marchant andmyself. Most of our conversations andphone interviews centered aroundBoonville since Ruth had alsoresigned her job as Executive VP ofthe NYS Woodsmen's Corp. Wethought we might be able to share thetime of her replacement there andthat of Ruth's secretarial assistant, aswell as the computer.Just prior to our October 21 Board

meeting, John Marchant called with atruly astounding suggestion for Ruth'sreplacement. He offered to becomeour Executive Director with dutiescovering all of what the ExecutiveSecretary did plus heavy emphasis onincreasing our membership,monitoring legislative matters,keeping in close contact with otherforestry related groups and muchmore. He would also communicateclosely with the President, theTreasurer and with Karen, Editor ofthis magazine. He would do all this ona volunteer basis and his wife, Helen,would take minutes and do the otherclerical things, also on a volunteerbasis. John would put ourmembership list into his owncomputer, also at no cost. Needless tosay.-the Board accepted John's offerat our October meeting. The onlyexpense to NYFOA would be phoneand postage and we did vote amaximum of $2,000 for a copier,computer printer and software. Theoffice will be operated out of theMarchant home. The address is POBox 360, Fairport, N.Y. 14450and thephone is 716/377-6060.Who is John Marchant? Most of you

know that he founded the WesternFinger Lakes chapter in 1987 afterhaving been a member of NYFOAonly a year. That gives you an idea ofhis drive and intensity. John was bornin Kalamazoo, Mich., grew up on afarm in Lewisburg, Ohio and took hisBachelor's and Master's degrees fromMiami Univ. of Ohio. He taughtPhysics there for one year.John began his career at Eastman

Kodak Co. in the ResearchLaboratory in 1955.While working as

John Marchanta photographic scientist, he developeda photographic plate for astronomicalphotography which gave him theopportunity to work at MountPalomar on the 48" and 200"telescopes. Impressive?His work as Director of Color

Photography led to new color filmsand papers ... John ended up asAssociate Director of Kodak'sPhotographic Research Laboratorywhich was composed of 800 scientistsand technicians. He retired in 1987at ayoung age.In 1970 John and Helen bought 160

acres in Wheeler, N.Y., 100 of whichare wooded. They put up a log cabinkit and built a pole barn to storehardwood cabinet stock cut off theproperty. Just this past summer, Johnhosted a woods walk on his propertyand I don't ever remember seeingmore people in attendance. It's alovely property and is certified as anAmerican Tree Farm.

MARCHANT FARMMANAGEMENT PLAN

1. Leave the entire property inbetter condition than when I acquiredit in 1971. -

2. Provide a life style which is asself sufficient as possible in thefollowing characteristics.

A. ShelterB. FuelC. Building materials

3. Achieve the above by a multipleuse management program, with abalanced emphasis. Most materials tocome from TSI thinnings.4. Emphasize wood products with

add on value compared to rawmaterial for external sales.

A. Produce smaller sizes andtypes of high grade cabinet ma-terials for specialty markets.L Quarter sawn cabinet lumber2. Turning squares. (Hornbeammallets)

3. Carving blocksB. Real (1/16" to 1/4") veneersfrom local hardwoods.

C. Excess firewood.We must stress that John has taken

on the Executive Directorship on atrial basis for one year. We hope it willlast much longer, not just becausehe's working gratis, but because weneed people of John's character,ability and dedication. He's alreadyfeeling some work overload. Onemight say his head is bloody butunboughed. Go to it, John, we're withyou!

MagazineDeadline

Materials submitted for theMar.! Apr. issue should besent to:

THE FOREST OWNERBOX 103

LISLE, N.Y. 13797NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 10

WE SPECIALIZE IN LOGGINGAND ALL YOUR FORESTRYWORKBuyers of Standing Timber

A A PEPPETimber ProductsLOGGING AND FIREWOOD

Dept. FMoravia, NY 315/497-1760

JANUARY IFEBRUARY 3

Chapter Reports:Western Finger Lakes Chapter

The Western Finger Lakes Chapterheld its first general meeting of thecurrent season on November 15, witha record turn out of 59 attendees. Theprogram was presented by Mark andSusan Keister who are bothprofessional foresters and membersof the local chapter. The Keistersvisited Germany and Scandinavia thispast summer and gave an enjoyable,informative review of their "TrekAcross Europe" with a collection ofbeautiful slides.Their talk emphasized a strong

commitment in Europe to total woodutilization which comes fromshortages in timber resources datingas far back as 1600 AD. Therecognition of such shortages gaverise to many of the modern forestrymethods practiced today on both

continents. It also accounts for thepublic recognition of the value offorest resources. The public supportsand expects their forests to bemanaged well and available for manyrecreational purposes.About half of the forests in Germany

are privately owned and managed.These holdings tend to stay in a givenfamily for generations. Most familiestake lots of pride in their stewardshipresponsibilities; so consequently,there is much less turnover ofownership or breaking up of largerparcels into smaller ones. Thereseems to be strong governmentsupport for well implemented woodlotmanagement programs. Mark andSusan pointed out that we are nowapproaching the same situation theEuropeans found themselves in

Allegheny Foothills ChapterThe Allegheny Foothills Chapter

was cordially treated to a visit at Boband Edna Johnson's Christmas treefarm south of Franklinville. TheJohnsons are not just in the businessof growing and selling Christmastrees; rather, the choose-and-cut partof their business is best described as"offering a Christmas experience" totheir customers. In addition to about80 acres devoted to Christmas treeproduction, the Johnsons run a shopstocked with homemade Christmascrafts and gifts. A portion of the craftbuilding is devoted to customercreature comforts ... coffee, cocoa,munchies, a warming fire and, justoutside, portable sanitary facilities.The Johnsons consider themselvesretired.Neighbors, NYFOA members and

fellow Christmas tree growers, Danand Carol Cash, led the tour ofJohnson's field operations. Dan'sthorough planning, written agenda,and other organiza tional efforts(including a tractor and wagon)contributed, in no small measure, toour maximum exposure to every facetof the Johnsons' very professionaloperation ... from site preparation tobaling and merchandising.

Following lunch in the warm craftshop, this two-for-one Woodswalkcrossed the road onto the property ofDan and Carol Cash. First weobserved an integrated hardwoodsawlog and fuelwood sale being

several hundred years ago. We wouldbe wise to learn from their successesand mistakes.

The membership committeepresented a roster of new officers andsteering committee members whichwere unanimously accepted by themembership. They are:Chairman - Ray WagerTreasurer - Stuart McCartyProgram Director - John KrebsNominations Committee-

George AppletonGary Buchanan

Publicity Committee-Robert Goodrich

New Steering Committee members-Susan KeisterWalter Schuchardt

conducted by an operator who useshorses to bunch logs and fuelwoodlengths at the skidway. This processsubstantially reduces skiddingdamage to residual trees.

(Continued on Page 5)

Left to right: Host, Bob Johnson; tour leader, Dan Cash; AFC members GraceMowatt and Bob Nagle.

4 FOREST OWNER

Allegheny Chapter -(Continued from Page 4)

The Cashes have also begun a fish-rearing project in their recentlyconstructed ponds. Carol gave a veryeffecti ve "trou t-callingdemonstration". Coupled with ascattering of trout chow, the callingresulted in a close-range observationof a trout feeding frenzy.Our chapter is looking forward to a

January 27th meeting at CattaraugusCooperative Extension Center at 10:00AM. NYFOA President, J. MorganHenssler, and Executive Director,John Marchant, will fill AFCmembers in on NYFOA history andaspirations. Also at that meeting,AFC member, Rex Anderson, willprovide a history of charcoal use anda demonstration of how hemanufactures charcoal on a smallscale.

The tractor and wagon was a very effective means of showing this largeoperation. Dan Cash driving tractor; Carol Cash at left.

into paper told the story of LewisCounty's largest industry, where 210-225 tons of paper are produced eachday and shipped to customers as farwest as the Mississippi River and asfar south as Texas!The group then moved to the Gould

Mansion for its business meeting andrefreshments.

(Continued on Page 11)

Weather Moves Woodswalk IndoorsOctober 19th was rainy in the

afternoon. By woodswalk time it had.cleared, but the grass and trees werestill dripping when THRIFT membersgathered at the Lyons Falls Pulp andPaper Company's scaling shack.Alan Scouten invited us inside to the

mill's training center to take thewoodswalk by way of a video tape hehad made.Members were impressed by the

work done and the park-likeappearance of the 203 acre parcel ofvillage woodlands in which LFP&Phad completed a timber standimprovement.Alan Scouten is acting resource

manager for LFP&P and isresponsible for managing over 53,000acres of company forestland.Most of that land is growing beech,

birch, hard and soft maple and ash.These resources are utilized for thehighest possible use: veneer logs aresold to veneer mills, sawlogs to areasawmills, pulp goes into the LFP&P'spaper making process, and diseasedtrees, tops, and other junk wood arechipped for use as hog fuel in thecompany's furnaces.LFP&P often leases recreation

rights to others.The operations of Lyons Falls Pulp

and Paper Co. were shown in anothervideo, filmed by Al for use at theWoodsmen's Field Days. Picturesof scaling, unloading, debarking,chipping, screening and processing

PORTABLEBANDSAWMILLING

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TIM ROBERSONRR3, Box 218, Dept. FMoravia, NY 13118

315/496-2253

TREGASKISSaw MillsLoggers

Skidders log Trucks

Fire liability

315-497-0410day

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AGENCYDAVID W. TREGASKIS

All forms of insuranceDept. F

10 Central StreetMoravia, N.Y. 13118

315-497'-0410

INSURANCEMember Cayuga Chapter - NYFOA

JANUARY IFEBRUARY 5

Ask a ForesterSend Questions to: Wes Suhr, R.R. -1, Box 59B Oswegatchie, NY 13670

If you have been following thiscolumn, we're back on the originaltack - SILVICULTURE - which Iwill define again as: the art andscience of regenerating and culturinga stand of trees for the ultimateobjective of the forest owner, whilemaintaining or enhancing theproductivity of the forest site for thatobjective. So we are eitherregenerating (harvesting followed bynatural or artificial seeding/planting)or culturing (tending the crop) a standoftrees.In past articles, I have defined

IMPROVEMENT CUTTING andCOMMERCIAL THINNING(July/August 89) as the mostimportant and common culturalpractices on my woodlot, and it isnecessary to make a STANDANALYSIS to determine adequatetreatment for any stand(September/October 89). So whatprocedure or analysis did I use todetermine these practices were thebest in some stands? How many cordswere cut (YIELD), and how does theresidual stand look after followingthese practices? Let's answer thesequestions now.We'U take one of my stands as an

actual example of the process,showing the real data used to makethe thinning decision. And in my case,since I signed up for the ForestryIncentives Program-FIP-in 1976 for"woodland improvement" (thinning),the local D.E.C. forester consideredthe kind of information collected orobserved under "basic ingredients" todecide the level or intensity ofthinning or the number and nature oftrees to be marked (cut) under thisfederal cost-sharing program:

BASIC INGREDIENTS FORSILVICULTURAL TREATMENT

STAND #/NAME SM/BeTYPE/SPECIES %: S. Maple 80/Beech 20

ACRES: 50OWNER: W.E.S.DATE 9/87STAND AGE/ORIGIN: 40NEVEN/UNEVEN-AGED: ESTORIES(#): 2DBH 10.5"

STOCKING: BA/RD 120/100TREES/ ACRE: 200+CROWNQUALITY: LCR 30+%/EXPANDING OR DECLINING "/DEAD5%

STEM GRADE (% OF STEMS):GRADE 1, 50 2,20 3,30

AGS/UGS: 70/30%SITE QUALITY: HT. OF DOMI-NANTS60FT., MED INDEX 70

ADVANCE REGENERATION:STEMS/ AC low, HT 1FT.

INSECTS/DISEASES (PRESENTANDANTICIPATED): P:s. Mapleborer, maple decline, beech bark di-sease, A: Saddled prominent, tentcaterpillar

PREFERREDANDTARGETSPE-CIES: Sugar Maple

STAND OBJECTIVE/PRESCRIP-TION: Sawlogs, grade 1& 2/release

best trees or AGS with improvementcut & comm. thinning, taking all UGS& most beech. Cut 113 of BA, leavingresidual 80 BA & about 130 trees/ac.(cut lout of every 3 trees).TREATMENT YIELD: Cut 70 stems/ac. = lOs.Cord/Ac.

EXPLANATION OF TABLESTAND ORIGIN: natural or planta-

tion.STORIES: if there is a distinct

separation of crown levels and age,indicate for even-aged stands (in thiscase, a two-storied stand); uneven-aged stands are "all" -storied.DBH: diameter (at breast height)

of tree of average basal area(computed by dividing BA byTREES/ ACRE and finding thediamter corresponding to that square-foot area (BA) in a table). orDBH(in,) = avg.BA x 13.54.

STOCKING: BA/RD: BA (basalarea) is the sum of the cross-sectionsat breast height of all stems on theaverage acre in a stand (expressed assquare-feet per acre); usuallymeasured with a prism; RD: the"relative density" of the stand,relative to what the site can produceat "full" stocking (a "fully-stocked"stand has an RD of 100%) - basically,an estimate.CROWN QUALITY: LCR: live

crown ratio - the % of total stemheight occupied by living crown.EXPANDING/DECLINING/DEAD

referring to crown growth - activelyexpanding into open area; decliningindicated by branch die-back; deadrefers to % of crown with deadbranches.STEM GRADE: generally

determined from the basal 16' logwhich is considered to have 4 outsidefaces - grade 1 has at least 3 facesclear of branch stubs, bumps or otherdefects; grade 2 has at least 2 facesclear or clean, etc.AGS/UGS: acceptable growing

stock/unacceptable growing stock -the latter is a tree showing stemdamage or defect (scars, conks, frostcracks, etc.) or crown with 25%+dead branches; generally, UGS aredeclining, low-vigor trees.SITE QUALITY: estimated by the

average height of dominant/codomi-nant trees in stand (trees with crownsin the upper-most layer or level of thestand, that is, the taller trees that areAGS) at 50-years old. Stand heightover age curves are necessary toestimate "index".

(Continued on Page 10)

CRAIG JOCHUM139AE S. Apalachin RoadApalachin, N.Y. 13732(607) 687-1598

Mountain Top Wildlife Consultants

6 FOREST OWNER

Quality Deer ManagementHabitatlmprovementsAll Forestry ServicesPonds and Pond Layouts

FarmWoodlots Can Supplement IncomeBy DAVID W. TABER,

Department of Natural Resources,New York State College of Agriculture

and Life Sciences, CornellFarmers sometimes depend on

their woodlots for supplementalincome. The cash may be plannedwell ahead of when needed, or it maysimply be recognized as availableduring a period of economicconstraint.True stories about New York

farmers whose woodlands have giventhem financial benefits include thefollowing.In the early 1980swhen beef prices

were low, a Steuben County farmeraugmented his income by managedharvesting based on a NYS DECforester's recommendations. Inone year, 10 percent of thecattleman's income came from thesale of stumpage (standing timber)which not only provided the neededcash flow, but improved his woodlotby thinning part of it and establishing

a clearcut regeneration area forshade-intolerant oaks.In the mid 1980sa Schuyler county

dairy farmer sold 50 oak trees behindhis hay fields, in a 5-acre patch ofwoods, and he received not only$12,000for the stumpage sale but somehemlock and pine logs which be. thenhad sawn by a small local mill intolumber for use in expanding his dairybarn.In 1989 a Cayuga County farm

operation that had just phased out itsdairy operation in favor of field cropsincreased its income by $28,000fromthe stumpage sale of some 122 trees,mostly red oak, but also white ash andAmerican beech.Obviously, there can be good money

made from the sale of quality treesthat are in demand by the timberindustry to produce valuableconsumer products.But most farmers do not really

know the market prices for different

One load of valuable logs moves from the farm woodlot past the barn andmachine sheds that are highlighted by ornamental trees which provide shade andbeauty. The 90- to 100-year-old harvested trees (now being transported to asawmill) grew in a small (12-acre) path of woods on good soil, as an even-agedstand of mostly shade-intolerant trees (oaks), surrounded by alfalfa fields. Andthe farmer received $28,000 for fewer than 125 trees - more than $200 per tree.Lower bids by different timber buyers were about $13,000 to $18,000 and $24,000.

(RREP Photo by Taber)

species of trees and the quality of logsthey will yield. Also, because ofsupply and demand changes fortimber products, as well as needs oflocal timber-harvesting firms andwood-product manufacturers, onlythose who are keenly involved dailywith the wood (log) procurementbusiness can have the best estimate ofstumpage values.In addition, farmers need to

understand the variety of contracts(forms) used by the buyers ofstumpage, and know what to expect toavoid disappointment. Farmers alsomust know the volume and value oftheir standing timber, and haveforesters to look out for their welfareduring negotiations of timber salecontracts and actual logging.If a woodland owner forgets about

the long-term benefit of protecting afarm woodlot from genetic and logquality degradation and focuses onlyon the short-term economic cash flow,it usully is still beneficial to employthe services of a NYS DEC forester ora private consulting forester,especially when the timber isvaluable. When high-value timber isinvolved, what a farmer thinks is"good money" for stumpage is oftenbased on that farmer's lack ofinformation. Oh yes, the farmer mayhave some knowledge, but maybe notquite enough to obtain the maximumcash return for the stumpage sale.Options exist to gain knowledge that

will result in increased income andsatisfaction from a timber sale. Hereare three:1. Ask your Cornell Cooperative

Extension county office for a copy of"Woodland Owner's Guide to SellingTimber and Timber Sale Contracts,"a 13-page Department of NaturalResources publication (147V21#1).2. Talk with your local NYS DEC

forester about forester services, theCoopera ting Consultant ForesterProgram, and the CooperatingTimber Harvester Program.'3. Ask your Cornell -Cooperative

Extension agent to schedule aneduca tional meeting (includingsawmill and/or logging operationtour) to bring in the experts that canshow and tell you how to make moneyand be satisfied afterward whenselling stumpage.

JANUARY IFEBRUARY 7

________________________________________________________________ l

Hunting LeasesBy DAVE DONOVAN,

Department of Natural Resources,New York State College of Agriculture

and Life Sciences, CornellThis is the second part of a two-part

series. Part 1 described huntingleases; pointed out the pros and consof having a hunting lease operation;and explained how to establish abusiness plan, identify yourresources, know your market, decidewhat services to offer, and set prices.Developing the LeaseAfter you have identified the

market and services to be offered andhave determined that your product isneeded, the actual hunting lease orcontract should be developed. Workclosely with your insurance agent andlawyer during this step to helpprevent disagreements withcustomers in the future.Although this step may be the

largest in the business plan, it isprobably the most straightforward.You must include some very basicmaterial such as the following:- The type of lease; that is, one-

day, seasonal, year-long, or multi-year lease. Each has advantages anddisadvantages concerning time,controllability, and marginal profit.- What you are actually selling

(for example, the entry rights to theland where the hunting will be done).- A description of the area covered

by the lease. Usually a legaldescription with the size, majorlandmarks, and the method used toidentify the boundaries will besufficient.

A video cassette covering importantissues on hunting lease developmentis available from Cornell'sDepartment of Natural Resources.Legal and liability information can beobtained from your lawyer andinsurance agent.Local information on the viability of

a hunting lease operation is veryimportant. A phone call to yourregional DEC environmentalconservation officer and wildlifebiologist, local Fish and Game or Rodand Gun Club officers, NYSConservation Council representative,or an officer of the NY chapter of TheWildlife Society should help youanswer some key questions: Whatwildlife species are in demandlocally? Who might be your clients?

Are they local or more distant? Whattype of hunt is desirable - archery orfirearms? What has been the historyof leasing locally and who are yourcurrent competitors? And finally, howshould you advertise and what is areasonable hunting lease fee?SummaryThe development of a hunting lease

operation will probably not make yourich. But it can provide additionalincome to farmers looking for ways toimprove the economic efficiency of allparts of their operation. It will alsoprovide interim returns to forestowners who are implementing amanagement plan that will notprovide a return for several years.The development of a hunting lease

operation will probably requireinvestment of time and money. It willnot take long to lose a customer if youcannot provide an enjoyableexperience. Do not overprice yourproduct. Although you may get thehigher price a couple of times, thispolicy will catch up with youeventually in the form of lost clients.Finally, know what you're selling,whom your market is, and what thecustomer expects. The best way to dothis is to get to know your clients. Talkwith them about what was wrong -and right - with the hunt. Closecommunication will contribute to the

success of your hunting leaseoperation.- The terms of payment; that is,

how much do you want up front andhow much the day the person arrivesto hunt.- The species of wildlife to be

harvested and acceptable huntingmethods (for example, tree-standversus drive methods for deer). Theactual period the contract will be ineffect is important to include. Be sureto include a paragraph in the leasestating all local, state, and federalhunting laws must be obeyed.- Provisions stating the

responsibilities of the landowner andthe hunter. Include such items aspenalties for damage to fences and theactivities that will result incancellation of the least agreement.- The names of the people who will

be allowed to hunt under the leaseagreement and the maximum numberof hunters to be allowed on the land atanyone time. This is especiallyimportant when leasing to huntingclubs.- Names of witnesses (i.e., a

notary public), and the date it wassigned.Other things could be included in the

lease agreement, such as rights oftransfer or sublet, option for

(Continued on Page 11)

Do you need a multiple-useconservation plan for 5 acres ofopen land -- or even 500? I canprepare one that is ecologicallysound, compatible with nativevegetation, beneficial to wild-life, aesthetically appealing.Call or write to arrange a freeinitial consultation.

ROBERT A. HELLMANN, Environmental ConsultantPO Box 231, Brockport, NY 14420 716-637-5983

8 FOREST OWNER

Woodland Stands Regenerate

Gerald N. Gotsch points out the serious consequences of overbrowsing by adeer herd that won't allow trees to grow above a foot high in the small opening(clear cutting) in his woodland. Gotsch, an associate forester with the Division ofLands and Forests, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, gains first-hand experience and studies the impact of white-tail deer on his tree farm which iscertified by the American Tree Farm System and won the Outstanding Tree FarmA ward of 1982 in New York when his father Herman owned the Sullivan Countyproperty in Grahamsville. Because of deer browsing, the land in this forest-foliageopening is covered with grasses, ferns, and browsed hardwood twigs from treesthat otherwise could form a new even-aged class of fast-growing hardwoods.

(RREP Photo by Taber)

It's Cabin Fever Festival TimeWHAT: Two fun-filled days of exciting woodsman exhibits, chain saw safety

techniques, logging demonstrations featuring skidding and fallingwith horses and oxen; antique logging machines, maple syrupdemonstrations and an assortment of crafts: free sleigh rides forchildren and a petting zoo.

WHEN: February 10and 11from 10a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE: Fillmore Glen State Park, Moravia, N.Y.

WHO: Sponsored by the Cayuga Woodsmen and Finger lakes Draft AnimalAssociation.

Demonstrations are operated continuously throughout both days. Familiesare invited to spend the day(s) in the spacious setting of Fillmore Glen StatePark and see just exactly what happens in the life of a woodsman.

For more information contact Tom Hewitt at 315/497 -1266.

By DAVID W. TABER,Department of Natural Resources,

New York State College of Agricultureand Life Sciences, Cornell

Ninety-five percent of New York'sforest landscapes were naturallyregenerated to trees by germinationof tree seeds, sprouting of buds onstumps, and growth of buds on roots.Most, if not all, of these stands (groupof trees with similar attributes thatdistinguish them from adjacentstands) came into existence in the late1800sand early 1900safter harvestingleft former land without any trees.In more recent years, especially

since the economic recession of theearly 1930s,cropland left permanentlyidle from intensive agriculturalactivity became seeded into newforests. All of these types of foreststands are described as being even-aged because most of the trees in themain canopy are within an age span of20 years. And because of favorablepast environmental conditions, thesenaturally regenerated forests haveprovided us with beauty, woodproducts, wildlife, and watershedprotection.The remaining 5 percent of New

York's forest land was established byhumans through tree planting. Thiskind of agricultural activity alsocreated even-aged forests. It wasinitiated on relatively large acreagesin the 1930s when the CivilianConservation Corps was establishingnew forests to employ people, protectsoil from erosion, and produce woodproducts. Conifers, or cone-bearingtrees, including spruces, pines, andlarches were commonly planted withlittle knowledge about geneticattributes of the seedlings and the siterequirements for best growth over along period (50to 100years or more).In the last three decades, major

environmental changes haveoccurred that affect the establishmentand growth of forest in New York.These include a proliferation of white-tail deer in some areas. The deer feedon tree buds, twigs, tiny seedlings,and root/stump sprouts. The resultcan be little or no growth of new trees,including a new even-aged foreststand (or age class under the canopyof an existing stand) .

(Continued on Page 12)

9JANUARY IFEBRUARY

Ask a Forester -(Continued from Page 6)

ADVANCE REGENERATION:refers to natural seedlings/saplings inthe understory.PREFERRED SPECIES: the

species doing best in the stand - thelargest, most vigorous, highestquality trees.TARGET SPECIES: landowner or

management objective for culturing,final harvest and regen era ting ;usually the same as "preferred", butnot always.The information indicates my sugar

maple-beech stand was in dire need ofthinning in 1987. Most trees werelarger poles to young sawtimber(DBH of 10.5"), over-stocked withcrown decline and mortalityoccurring (proper stocking at thisstage for sawtimber production isbetween 70 and 90BA), 1J3 of the treesUGS with low-grade stems and manybeech diseased.Sugar maple is obviously the

preferred and target species,considering all natural factors andmarket value. Since most of the stemsare larger poles/young sawtimber insize, and UGS occur throughout thesize-classes, improvement cutting(removing lower-quality stems fromthe main or upper canopy) andcommercial thinning the poles aredemanded. Northern hardwoods inthis size-class should not be thinnedtoo drastically, so the prescriptioncalls for not over a 1/3 reduction instocking to about 80 BA and 130trees/acre (around 65% RD),removing mostly UGS (most of thebeech>.The residual stand will contain

mostly grade 1and 2 sugar maple witha few grade 1 beech, about 130trees/acre, as evenly distributed asthe thinning allowed. On the average,7 cut stems will yield about one

EASTERN DIVISIONP.o. Box 14020, Dept. F

Albany, NY 12212(518) 869-2131MAIL ORDER

Logger's and Woodcutter's Suppliesat Discounted Prices

Call or Write for Free Catalog

standard cord and with 70 stemscut/acre, this will yield 10 cords/acreor 500 cords for the treated stand.

Firewood or pulpwood is the normalproduct to expect from this low-quality yield.

Landowners -TIMBERLAND Forestry Consultants

offer the following services:* Timber Marking & Sales - highest prices guaranteed* Timber Stand Improvement - both marking & cutting* Timber Inventories & Appraisals* Firewood Marking & Sales* Free Estimates

Call or Write for Free Brochure

timbe~landPROFESSIONAL FORESTRY CONSULTANTS

Box 498, W. Beecher Hill Rd.Owego, NY 13827, 607/687-0460Robert Synowiez

FOREST OWNER10

Chapter Reports(Cantinuedjrom Page 5)

Thrift to Stay with NYFOAAt the executive committee

meeting on November 6, THRIFT'sofficers decided to continue theaffiliation with New York ForestOwners Association at least for theforeseeable future. The decision wasbased on the recent growth in theNYFOA board in sensitivity to theneeds of chapters and affiliates, andits increasing potential for vision andaction.STUDIES APPEAR TO COLLIDEThe Northern Forest Lands Study,

financed by a Congressional grant,seems to be obscured by argumentsagainst the current land buy-ups bythe state government in theAdirondack Park.These acquisitions, apparently, are

in tune with the intents of theGovernor's Commission on the Ad-irondacks in the 21st Century, and

many Adirondack residents are not atall happy with the implications. TheGovernor's intention seems to be tobuy all the large tracts of forestland inthe Adirondacks and add them to the"forever wild" State Forest Preserve.THRIFT member Vincent Vaccaro

is one of the irate landowru rs affectedby the state's voracious la. d buying.Unwilling to sell, he and his forestland"confiscated" by right of eminentdomain, which he, and many others,consider an improper andunconstitutional use of that power.Vaccaro plans to carry his fight all theway to the Supreme Court if neces-sary, to get the decision reversed.At a recent meeting sponsored by

the Bolton Landing Chamber ofCommerce, residents voiced fears"that the commission has made up itsmind on many issues already and thatthe residents will be ignored."The same sort of mindset seems to

be the case where Vaccaro's land isconcerned. And as he warnedTHRIFT earlier, "If they can do it tomy land, they can do it to yours."Meanwhile, the Northern Forest

Lands Study, conducted by the U.S.Forest Service, is recommending thattax incentives be used to encourageprivate landowners to manage forproduction, and keep timberlands outof the hands of developers.The study now has come to the stage

of public hearings. Two such hearingsare due to be held in this state inJanuary, one in Albany and one inWatertown.We owe it to ourselves as individual

landowners to become informed, andto make our opinions known. We can'tafford to sit idly by and let thedownsta te "environmentalevangelists", as Mike Virkler callsthem, dictate the future of ourforestlands.Your comments are invited. Signed

letters will be quoted (with writer'spermission) in this newsletter.

Hunting Leases -(Cantin ued jrom Page 8)

automatic renewal by the hunter,continuation of existing useagreement, how guests wil~ betreated, and if other recreationalactivities will be allowed. But theseand many other issues are morespecific to individual situations andshould be included if they are ofconcern to you. Note that the morerestrictive a hunting lease becomes,the more difficult it may be to find acustomer. You want to protectyourself without being too restrictiveto the customer.Talk with your insurance agent and

lawyer about the liability issues ofhunting leases before developing theactual lease agreement. This is anarea of risk and a potential expensethat must be addressed beforedeveloping a hunting lease enterprise.Administering the LeaseThe hunting lease enterprise does

not just manage for wildlife habitat,increase the population or speciesdiversity, sell leases, and collect themoney. The manager also mustadminister the lease. This includeswelcoming hunters, checking onpotential hazards, transportinghunters to and from the hunting site,checking on damages to fences,constructing hunting blinds, enforcingall aspects of the lease agreement,and recording number, species, andquality of animals harv~st~d. Thistakes time and must fit into themanager's other farming or naturalresource management activities. If,for any reason, the hunting lease andthe farming or forestry activities donot mesh, the fee-hunting enterprisemay become a burden and be doomedto failure.More InformationA lot of general information on

hunting leases has been presentedhere. By no means is it complete.Your situation is unique, requiringspecial attention. To date,. litt~especific data have been compiled mNew York. Preliminary studies areunder way, however, by CornellUniversity's Department of NaturalResources. Additional informationcan be obtained from publicationsproduced by the following institutions.

Florida Cooperative ExtensionService

Institute of Food

Agricultural SciencesUniversity of FloridaGainesville, FL 32611(904) 392-5420

Delaware Cooperative ExtensionService

Townsend HallUniversity of DelawareNewark, DE 19717(302) 451-2504

Ohio Cooperative Extension ServiceSouth DistrictP.O. Box 95817Standpipe Rd.Jackson, OH 45640(216) 286-2177

West Virginia Cooperative ExtensionService

Percival HallWest Virginia UniversityMorgantown, WV26506(304) 269-6681

11JANUARY IFEBRUARY

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

LMystery Fungus That KilledGypsy Moths Is from Japan

The mystery fungus that bumpedoff multitudes of gypsy moths in theNortheast this year has now beenidentified by scientists at CornellUniversity and USDA's lab in Ithaca,N.Y.Remarkably, it is the same

Japanese species released in fieldtests around the Boston area in 1910 to1911- tests that were thought to have

. failed, said microbiologist Richard A.Humber of USDA's AgriculturalResearch Service in Ithaca."The mystery fungus is

Entomophaga maimaiga," he said. Itsecretes enzymes to invade a gypsymoth caterpillar's skin; then thefungus multiplies, devouring the leaf-eating pest's insides. Maimaiga, henoted, is Japanese for gypsy moth.While no concrete plans have been

made to test the North Americanversion of E. mairnaiga as abiological control agent, "it'scertainly worth looking into as anaddition to our arsenal against gypsymoths," said Humber."In 1909," he said, "scientists

imported two gypsy moth larvaeinfected with this fungus from Japanfor tests. "Over the next 80 years thefungus adapted beautifully, but no onerealized it until now."

On June 19, 1989, a fungus was foundin dead gypsy caterpillars in westernConnecticut.Entomologist Anne E. Hajek of the

Ithaca lab found the fungusthroughout Massachusetts and inparts of New Hampshire, Vermont,New York, Pennsylvania, and NewJersey. Scientists scrambled toidentify it.Bernard May of Cornell's

Department of Natural Resourcesperformed a biochemical test calledelectrophoresis, which revealed thatpatterns of enzymes in the mysteryfungus matched known patterns in E.maimaiga.

Resource: USDA

Woodlands Regenerate-(Continued from Page 9)

Valuable tree species that requireconsiderable sunlight to grow fromseedlings to maturity (80-100 feet tall)include the following: white ash,white pine, white birch, white oak, redoak, and black cherry. These species,which are relatively shade intolerant,

Non-Profit Org.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDMarathon, N.Y.

•3803Permit No.2

-I

_Iwill never grow under an overs tory(dense canopy of large trees) fromseedling to healthy maturity.Therefore, they depend on thecreation of relatively large openings,free of dense tree shade, which can becrea ted by clearcutting orshelterwood cutting methods ofregenerating even-aged forest standsof shade-intolerant species.Even trees that can grow in shaded

areas will not regenerate under thedense canopy of closely spacedspruces and pines which have a"closed canopy" of foliage thatexcludes sunlight. This phenomenoncan be observed in spruce and pineplantations that are stagnating ingrowth (growing very slowly and evendying) due to crowns that are shadingeach other out while keeping theground in a constant shadow.A professional forester can help you

evaluate woodland sites to determinehow well the trees are growing, thehealth of the forest stand, when andhow to regenerate a new age class,and how to improve the vigor andhealth of the trees by a harvest-removal of weed trees and low-valuetrees to provide growing space for thedesirable ones. Your stewardshipaffects the future and present of theforest land you own, albeit for only arelatively few years in the life of theforest, with its stand after stand,century after century.

12 FOREST OWNER