Woodland Owners Conference 2011

The 2011 Woodland Owners Conference will be held Saturday, March 5 in Penn’s Inn, Bush Student Center on the campus of the Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport. The tentative agenda for the conference is:

9:00 – 9:15 Welcome/ Information

9:15 – 10:00 “Cost Share Programs Available for Woodland Owners”, Andy Duncan, PA DCNR, Bureau of Forestry

10:00 – 10:15 Break

10:15 – 11:15 “Regenerating Penn's Woods”, David Jackson, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Centre County

11:15 – 11:30 Break

11:30 – 12:15 “Drill Pad/Pipeline Revegetation Options for Landowners”, TBA

12:15 – 1:15 Lunch

1:15 – 1:30 WOA updates/Jack Murray Award

1:30 – 2:30 “Dealing with Emerald Ash Borer Threats to Woodlands and Communities”, Amy Stone and Kathy Smith, Ohio State University Extension

2:30 – 3:15 “Woodland Beneficial Insects and Pest Outlook 2011”, Tim Marasco, PA DCNR, Bureau of Forestry

3:15 – 3:30 Closing Remarks/Evaluations/Dismiss

The cost for this year’s conference is again $30/person or $25 each for a couple from the same property. Registration will be different this year. It will be online through CVENT. Registering through CVENT will allow you the additional option of paying by credit card. If you don't have internet access you will still be able to register by phone or send in your registration and your check.  Further registration details will be included in your brochure or in the instructions you will receive by email. Registrations will be due Friday, February 25. Registrations after this date will be assessed a $5 late fee and the couple discount will no longer be in effect. If you have any questions about the conference, please contact me at rsh7@psu.edu, 570-265-2896, or 570-724-9120.

Pennsylvania Energy Impacts Assessment

The Nature Conservancy-Pennsylvania Chapter, The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and Audubon Pennsylvania recently released an assessment of energy exploration and development in Pennsylvania. The assessment was funded with support from Heinz Endowments, RK Mellon Foundation and William Penn Foundation. Highlights of the report are below. For the complete report go to http://www.nature.org/media/pa/tnc_energy_analysis.pdf.
 * About 60,000 new Marcellus wells are projected by 2030 in Pennsylvania with a range of 6,000 to 15,000 well pads, depending on the number of wells per pad;

 * Wells are likely to be developed in at least 30 counties, with the greatest number concentrated in 15 southwestern, north central, and northeastern counties;

* Nearly two thirds of well pads are projected to be in forest areas, with forest clearing projected to range between 34,000 and 83,000 acres depending on the number of number of well pads that are developed. An additional range of 80,000 to 200,000 acres of forest interior habitat impacts are projected due to new forest edges created by well pads and associated infrastructure (roads, water impoundments);
* On a statewide basis, the projected forest clearing from well pad development would affect less than one percent of the state's forests, but forest clearing and fragmentation could be much more pronounced in areas with intensive Marcellus development;
* Approximately one third of Pennsylvania's largest forest patches (greater than 5,000 acres) are projected to have a range of between 1 and 17 well pads in the medium scenario;
* Impacts on forest interior breeding bird habitats vary with the range and population densities of the species. The widely-distributed scarlet tanager would see relatively modest impacts to its statewide population while black-throated blue warblers, with a Pennsylvania range that largely overlaps with Marcellus development area, could see more significant population impacts;
* Watersheds with healthy eastern brook trout populations substantially overlap with projected Marcellus development sites. The state's watersheds ranked as "intact" by the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture are concentrated in north central Pennsylvania, where most of these small watersheds are projected to have between two and three dozen well pads;
* Nearly a third of the species tracked by the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program are found in areas projected to have a high probability of Marcellus well development, with 132 considered to be globally rare or critically endangered or imperiled in Pennsylvania. Several of these species have all or most of their known populations in Pennsylvania in high probability Marcellus gas development areas.
* Marcellus gas development is projected to be extensive across Pennsylvania's 4.5 million acres of public lands, including State Parks, State Forests, and State Game Lands. Just over 10 percent of these lands are legally protected from surface development.
* Integration of conservation features into the planning and development of Marcellus gas well fields can significantly reduce impacts. For example, relocating projected wells to open areas or toward the edge of large forest patches in high probability gas development pixels in the southern Laurel Highlands reduces forest clearing by 40 percent and forest interior impacts by over a third.

PDA Secretary Urges Hunters to Share the Harvest

Harrisburg – Hunters can help food banks, soup kitchens and pantries feed Pennsylvanians in need by donating deer meat to a statewide distribution network, said Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding today.

Redding visited Diller’s Custom Deer Processing in Enola, Cumberland County, to promote Hunters Sharing the Harvest, a program that encourages hunters to donate deer for processing into ground venison for the state’s hungry residents.

“With more than 1.3 million Pennsylvanians at-risk for hunger, it’s important for everyone to lend a hand,” said Redding. “I encourage hunters to do their part by donating to the Hunters Sharing the Harvest program.”

Hunters can take their deer to one of 125 participating meat processors throughout the state and identify how much of the venison – from several pounds to the whole animal – they wish to donate. Anyone donating an entire deer is asked to make a minimum $15 tax-deductible contribution to help cover processing costs. The program covers all remaining fees.

The Department of Agriculture, through the federal Emergency Food Assistance Program, contributes $0.85 per pound of venison donated towards reimbursing meat processors.

Established in 1991, Hunters Sharing the Harvest today covers 53 participating counties and provides more than 750,000 meals annually to food banks, churches and social service feeding programs. Last year, hunters donated nearly 100,000 pounds of venison to more than 4,000 emergency food assistance agencies through the state’s 21 regional food banks.

“Across Pennsylvania, the number of citizens at risk for hunger increases every year,” said Kendall Hanna, executive director of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. “Hunters Sharing the Harvest provides food that is high in protein and lean. We are extremely grateful for hunters’ participation in the program and for their support of Pennsylvanians in need.”

To learn more about the program or to obtain a list of participating meat processors, visit www.sharedeer.org or call, toll-free, 866-474-2141.

Pennsylvanians Urged to Heed Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine When Hauling Firewood During Winter Months

Harrisburg – Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding reminded Pennsylvanians—particularly those that heat their homes using wood—that the Emerald Ash Borer quarantine remains in effect in 43 counties. The quarantine is designed to restrict the movement of ash materials and all hardwood firewood and wood chips.
“Consumers who use wood to heat their homes and businesses are urged to burn local firewood only and heed the restrictions on moving firewood from within the quarantined area,” said Redding. “By obeying the quarantine, we can help limit the further spread of the beetle.”
The Emerald Ash Borer is an invasive, ash tree-killing beetle that threatens the state’s $25 billion hardwoods industry.
This summer, the department’s Emerald Ash Borer survey crews collected nearly 6,900 samples and tested 500,000 specimens from among 6,000 purple panel traps from ash trees in 21 counties.
The beetle has been found in 18 counties, including Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Butler, Centre, Clarion, Cumberland, Fulton, Indiana, Juniata, Lawrence, Mercer, Mifflin, Somerset, Union, Washington and Westmoreland.
As a result, the Agriculture department expanded its quarantine to include counties where the beetle was found this year, as well as in the contiguous counties of Blair, Cambria, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Cumberland, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Potter, Snyder, Somerset, Tioga, Union, Venango and Warren.
The quarantine is intended to restrict the movement of ash nursery, green lumber, and any other ash material, including logs, stumps, roots and branches, from the quarantine area. Because it is difficult to distinguish between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood and wood chips—including ash, oak, maple and hickory—are considered quarantined.
The wood-boring beetle is native to China and eastern Asia. The pest likely arrived in North America in wooden shipping crates. It was first detected in July 2002 in southeastern Michigan and neighboring Windsor, Ontario, Canada. In addition to Pennsylvania, the beetle is attacking ash trees in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Emerald ash borer galleries in infested ash tree

Introduction to Woodland Management Opportunity

Penn State Cooperative Extension, in partnership with Penn State School of Forest Resources, PPL and the local woodland owner associations are proud to provide you with an opportunity to learn about sustainable forestry through our Introduction to Forest Management course.
The course will be at the PPL Montour Preserve, near Washingtonville, PA on Saturday, October 30 from 10:00 a.m until 3:30 p.m. This course is designed for private forest landowners, professional timber harvesters, and sportsmen and women who are interested in learning more about sustainable forest management. This is an opportunity to talk to natural resource management professionals who have experience in managing forest resources.

Pennsylvania has nearly 17 million acres of forests covering 60% of the state’s land area. The largest share of Pennsylvania’s forest is privately owned, accounting for more than 70% of the forested acres (12.5 million acres). Estimates put the number of private forest owners at more than 750,000. Families own forests for diverse reasons including values such as aesthetics, wildlife, privacy, and family legacy.

The course will cover such topics as forest history, ecology, management techniques, and best management practices. It includes both indoor lecture and outdoor discussions. This course will strengthen your knowledge of sustainable forest management. Without sustainable management forests will not provide future generations with the same quality resources we have today. A follow-up course entitled SF-II, Advanced Forest Management will be offered in the near future.
To register or for more information the Penn State Cooperative Extension office in Tioga County at 570-724-9120 or the Penn State Cooperative Extension office in Bradford County at 570-265-2896 e-mail rsh7@psu.edu. The registration fee is $10.00 per person and includes refreshments and educational materials. The deadline for registration is Thursday, October 28. Participants must be pre-registered.

Emerald Ash Borer and Your Woods

Over the past couple of weeks I have received numerous calls from landowners concerning the status of their woods and emerald ash borer. A number of these calls were from landowners who have been approached by individuals telling them they need to cut their timber because the emerald ash borer will kill it all (including maple, oak and cherry). First off, if you are approached by an individual using this line I would recommend caution on how you proceed. Emerald ash borer (EAB), from our knowledge and experience in other states, attacks and kills only species of ash (green, black, white and blue). EAB will not attack and kill other species!

Emerald ash borer is headed this way. We don’t know exactly when it will get here. We do know that about 2/3 of the state is under a quarantine that doesn’t allow the movement of ash logs, chips and lumber into non-quarantined counties unless the logs/lumber/chips meet certain requirements. Bradford County is not yet under the quarantine. We also know that ash that is attacked will die. It may take two or three years but a successful attack is fatal to the attacked ash tree.

Here are some suggestions that may help a landowner deal with the certainties of EAB.

1. Don’t move firewood of any species. Use local firewood

2. Be alert to the condition of your ash component (a good publication to identify EAB is “Symptoms and Signs of the Emerald Ash Borer”, Extension Bulletin EAB – 2938-PSU, by Mary Wilson, MSU Extension and Eric Rebek, MSU, Dept. of Entomology).

3. Contact Cooperative Extension, DCNR Bureau of Forestry or Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture if you think you have EAB in your woods.

4. Determine the amount of ash in your woods. If you have an ash component that is greater than 10 – 15% of merchantable ash you may need to consider a harvest. At the same time you may carry out a timber stand improvement cut in the other species (“selective” cutting and only cutting trees above a certain diameter does not qualify as timber stand improvement)!

5. Learn all you can about EAB and your options by visiting websites, attending conferences and meetings, and reading material from creditable sources.

6. Contact your Bureau of Forestry service forester or your own forester and obtain his/her advice about managing your woods.

7. Obtain a forest management/stewardship plan or update your current plan with the appropriate EAB contingencies.

Even though emerald ash borer will likely have a large impact on the woodlands in Pennsylvania, it is not the time to panic. It is the time to obtain professional assistance and make knowledgeable decisions that will help you deal with this insect.

Evidence of woodpecker activity is a good sign of EAB infestation.

Quarantine for Emerald Ash Borer Expanded

Aug. 10, 2010
Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine Expanded to 43 Counties; Tree-Killing Pest Found in Cumberland, Union Counties

Harrisburg – Forty-three counties are now under a quarantine that is intended to prevent the spread of the invasive, tree-killing Emerald Ash Borer, Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding said today while reminding travelers not to haul firewood between counties.

Redding also said that the pest has been found in two additional counties. Beetles were found in Cumberland County at the Pennsylvania Turnpike mile marker 226 near Carlisle, and in Union County at the intersection of State Gameland and Matthew Brown roads in Gregg Township.

The Emerald Ash Borer has now been found in 17 counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Butler, Centre, Cumberland, Fulton, Indiana, Juniata, Lawrence, Mercer, Mifflin, Somerset, Union, Washington and Westmoreland.

The Agriculture Department has expanded its quarantine to include 31 counties, including the six where the beetle has been found this year and others that are contiguous. Those counties are: Blair, Cambria, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Cumberland, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Potter, Snyder, Somerset, Tioga, Union, Venango and Warren.

“The considerable quarantine expansion was based on the new detections, coupled with new detections and quarantines in neighboring states,” said Redding. “As we head into the final months of summer travel, we remind campers and travelers to follow the quarantine within the 43 counties and across the state to help limit the further spread of the beetle.”

The quarantine is intended to restrict the movement of ash nursery, green lumber, and any other ash material, including logs, stumps, roots and branches, from the quarantine area. Because it is difficult to distinguish between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood and wood chips—including ash, oak, maple and hickory—are considered quarantined.

Redding said Emerald Ash Borer poses a serious threat to Pennsylvania’s nation-leading hardwoods industry, which contributes nearly $25 billion to the economy.

The wood-boring beetle is native to China and eastern Asia. The pest likely arrived in North America in wooden shipping crates. It was first detected in July 2002 in southeastern Michigan and neighboring Windsor, Ontario, Canada. In addition to Pennsylvania, the beetle is attacking ash trees in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Typically, the Emerald Ash Borer beetles will kill an ash tree within three years of the initial infestation. Adults are dark green, one-half inch in length and one-eighth inch wide, and fly only from early May until September. Larvae spend the rest of the year beneath the bark of ash trees. When they emerge as adults, they leave D-shaped holes in the bark about one-eighth inch wide.

People who suspect they have seen Emerald Ash Borer should call the department’s toll-free pest hotline at 1-866-253-7189. For more information about the quarantine, contact Walt Blosser at 717-772-5205, and for more information about Emerald Ash Borer, contact Sven-Erik Spichiger at 717-772-5229.

The Agriculture department’s Emerald Ash Borer survey crews began hanging nearly 6,000 purple panel traps from ash trees in 21 counties on May 21. The traps are designed to attract flying adult beetles to help detect further spread.

The national survey is conducted in cooperation with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the United States Forest Service, and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Bureau of Forestry.

Information is also available at www.agriculture.state.pa.us by searching “Emerald Ash Borer.”