Planting a tree? Make your trees count!

Posted: Thursday, April 22 2010

Spring is the time when many homeowners and landowners plant trees. In Pennsylvania, most of the trees we see in our forested landscape were not planted -- they grew on their own. Our hardwoods, absent competitive plants that steal away light and animals that eat seeds and seedlings, are pretty easy to grow. Then, too, many of our hardwood trees often sprout from stumps and roots. Face it, we are lucky to have the tree species we have.

Despite the fact we can grow wild trees, there are times when we need to plant trees. Sometimes we lack the desired seed source. Sometimes we need to put trees in a particular place to stabilize soil, shade streams and other water bodies, provide shade and wind protection to our homes and crops, or just to add beauty to the landscape. When we plant trees we enhance aesthetics, and increase property values. Communities plant trees to improve aesthetics (there’s just something about a tree-lined street), clean air, provide shade to cool buildings and paved areas, increase property values, and help control storm water. Trees provide more benefits than many of us consider.

If you've ever planted a tree, you know there it is a satisfying experience! Who doesn’t feel good about helping the environment today and providing something of value to those who will enjoy the tree tomorrow? People who plant trees are forward thinking and giving forward.

Because trees are so important to our environment and improve our quality of life, Pennsylvania has launched a statewide effort to promote and restore tree cover to Pennsylvania's communities. TreeVitalize is a public-private partnership to help restore tree cover, educate citizens about planting trees as an act of caring for our environment, and build capacity among local governments to understand, protect and restore their urban trees. Begun in 2004 in Philadelphia, it was launched statewide in 2009. Now it has the goal of planting 1 million trees across the Commonwealth (and not just in urban areas) by 2012.

So how can you help out? Plant a tree to help reach the 1 million mark, even if you don't live in a TreeVitalize metropolitan area. Count the trees you plant this spring! Log onto www.treevitalize.net and click on Have you planted a tree? Count your tree. It's good for the environment and your community.

If you're thinking about planting a tree but don't know where to start, the website has useful tips for choosing trees, how to plant, the benefits trees provide, how to care for them once they're in the ground, and links to other tools and resources for homeowners, landowners, and communities. And if you live in Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, or Perry counties, look for the coupon that provides $15 off a $75 tree purchase at participating nurseries. This site has a plethora of information and resources!

TreeVitalize partners include DCNR Bureau of Forestry, Penn State Forest Resources Extension; Pennsylvania Horticultural Society; Western Pennsylvania Conservancy; regional, county, and community government offices; local conservation organizations; private foundations and corporate sponsors. Plant a tree today for tomorrow -- you’ll be giving everyone a gift!

The Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Program provides publications on a variety of topics related to woodland management. For a list of free publications, call 800 234 9473 (toll free), send an email to RNRext@psu.edu, or write to Forest Stewardship Program, Forest Resources Extension, The Pennsylvania State University, 416 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry and USDA Forest Service, in Partnership with Penn State's Forest Resource Extension, sponsor the Forest Stewardship Program in Pennsylvania.

Contact: Christine Ticehurst
Phone: 717-346-9583
Email: c-cticehur@state.pa.us

Watershed Assessment Workshop for Teachers

Posted: Monday, February 22 2010

A Watershed Assessment workshop for teachers will be held at Mansfield University June 15th and 16th, 2010. The workshop will focus on conducting a watershed assessment through discussions of water quality, pollution sources and field work showing how an assessment is conducted. The workshop will include basic water chemistry (focusing on acid mine drainage), macroinvertebrates, fish shocking, conducting an actual assessment, the development of restoration or protection plans from the assessment results and remediation strategies. Field work will be an integral part of the workshop in order to demonstrate the use of field equipment, to identify pollution sources, and to learn sampling techniques.
As part of the workshop, each participant will be given equipment to take back to their classroom. It will allow participants to have the necessary equipment to get their students out on their local streams performing watershed assessments. It will allow them to collect baseline data in order to determine what pollution issues are in their watershed. We will provide a coliform test kit, pH/conductivity meter, LaMotte Test Tab Water Investigation Kits, D-frame aquatic nets, and a Water Quality Testing CD. The participants must agree to adopt a local stream and perform a baseline assessment, along with presenting it at a public forum. The forum may be a science fair, service night, or at a local watershed meeting. This task will insure the participating teachers are using the equipment fully.
The workshop will be a combination of lecture, in-class activity and field work and site visits. Specific lectures will include topics such as defining a watershed assessment, discussion of water quality, biological monitoring and physical characteristics. We will follow with discussing protection and restoration plans and how each can be used effectively in reactive and proactive management techniques. We will touch briefly on wetland identification and their importance in watershed management. We will intersperse the lectures with in class assignments dealing with water chemistry, flow calculations, aquatic insect identification, and soil color, texture and structure. Field trips will include walking a segment of a mine drainage impacted stream, identifying discharges and performing water quality tests. We will then visit a healthy stream to identify aquatic insects, conduct fish shocking and discuss the importance of riparian zones. We will then visit mine drainage treatment sites, both active and passive. We will complete the day with a visit to a wetland to talk about field identification. An itinerary will be sent closer to the workshop date.
This dynamic conference will be held at Mansfield University. It will be participant’s responsibility to secure housing. The cost of the conference, $40, will include breakfast and lunch each day, field trip transportation, and all take-home materials. We have limited space available, so please register immediately to secure your spot!
For more information or a copy of the registration form, please email jdemchak@mansfield.edu or phone Dr. Jennifer Demchak at 570-662-4613.

No-Till Incentive Program Offered By District

Posted: Thursday, February 18 2010

provide incentive payments for farmers using no-till as a tillage option for crop land.
This year’s program is limited on funds provided through the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Special Projects Funding. The district will only be able to enroll 150 acres at a rate of $30.00 per acre.
A priority has been established for the program. Acreage to be accepted will be prioritized on proximity to waterways, a farmer trying no-till for the first time, new acreage by an existing no-till user, users compliance with a conservation and/or nutrient management plan, and finally an existing user maintaining no-till as a tillage option.
Farm operators should contact the district office in the near future to sign-up for the program. Once sign-up occurs, district staff will make use of the priority system to evaluate cropland and assign eligible cropland acreage.
The district has set April 9, 2010 as the deadline to sign-up for this program.
For more information or to enroll in the program, contact Corey or Lynn at 570-928-7057 or stop in the office.
The district is also seeking two farming operations to volunteer for Chlorophyll Nitrate testing of corn. Testing would be done by district technicians in early growth and late season at no cost to the operator.

District Encourages Stewardship

Posted: Thursday, February 18 2010

The Sullivan County Conservation District encourages you to think about your personal responsibility to be a good steward of natural resources during its annual Stewardship Week celebration. The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) has proclaimed April 25 – May 2, 2010 as Stewardship Week, marking the 55th year of the national event. The 2010 Stewardship Week is themed “Conservation Habits = Healthy Habitats,” encouraging citizens, schools and communities to develop and maintain habitat areas using good conservation practices.
Jacquelyn Rouse serves as the manager for Sullivan County Conservation District. The District was formed to assist the people of Sullivan County with quality service in providing information and assistance for making decisions the conservation management of natural resources. To celebrate the annual stewardship week, the district will be providing educational booklets to the county head start program, 3rd and 5th grade students in the county schools. Theme based book marks will also be provided to the school libraries and county library. If available, church leader guides will also be distributed to churches throughout the county.
“Being good stewards of our natural resources at home and in our communities is an important task for each citizen. When we think about protecting and managing our natural resources, we can provide healthy habitats for the ecosystems on our planet,” says NACD President Steve Robinson. “Each of us can make a difference by developing habitat areas in our own backyards, our schools or in our communities”.
Sullivan County Conservation District is a member of the National Association of Conservation Districts (www.nacdnet.org) which oversees the Stewardship Week program. Stewardship Week is one of the largest national annual programs to promote conservation. NACD represents the nation’s 3,000 conservation districts, which were established to encourage resource conservation across the country.
For information about Stewardship Week and conservation, contact the district at 570-928-7057 or visit the website at www.sullcon.com. Additional information about Stewardship Week is available on the NACD website at www.nacdnet.org.

The State of Pennsylvania's Forest Economy

Posted: Thursday, September 17 2009

Forests are not exempt from the ongoing financial crisis. Pennsylvania's forest products industry clearly links to the general state of the economy as lumber, furniture, components, and cabinets depend on housing starts. Most wood-related mills in Pennsylvania have reduced or closed operations.

As an indicator of how bad things are, visit Penn State's Timber Market Report at http://www.sfr.cas.psu.edu/TMR/TMR.htm. Stumpage prices for most species are less than half what they were a few years ago. Across the US and globally, the state of the forest products industry is similar. The good news is that there are signs of recovery -- albeit slow. Experts predict a year or so before we are, pardon the pun, out of the woods.

Fortunately, forest landowners have the option of waiting until markets for their trees rebound. Unlike like annual crops or dairy farmers, forest landowners do not have to harvest their product at any specific time. However, growing hardwood timber takes eighty or more years in Pennsylvania, and many of our forests are at that age. Therefore, some landowners may be facing planning harvest and regeneration decisions for their forest at a time when market prices are down. Because it takes so long to grow a forest and landowners have incurred carrying costs, it makes sense for landowners to do a little analysis to understand financially optimal harvest decisions.

While the economy is down there are emerging opportunities such as bioenergy, natural gas, and carbon offsets. High energy prices in 2007/2008 sparked interests in renewable energy and the potential of woody biomass as a viable alternative for heating, power, and ultimately ethanol (gas). The newfound interest in the Marcellus natural gas shale formation, underlying two-thirds of Pennsylvania, is another income opportunity for thousands of forest landowners. As the US Congress is poised to address the climate bill, forest landowners are in line to capture income from selling carbon credits to polluters. These emerging opportunities are not without risk, and caution is the operative word as these alternatives evolve.

Any decision a landowner makes, whether it is harvesting, reforesting, fencing, selling carbon credits, or gas leasing, has tax implications. As most people are pinching pennies, every taxable dollar saved from Uncle Sam is a dollar earned. With little effort, there are numerous ways forest landowners can take advantage of incentives and deductions provided by the IRS. Every forest landowner should know about concepts such capitalization (establishing basis), deductions/expenses, capital gains, reforestation tax incentives, cost share programs exclusions, and conservation easements.

In addition to tax planning, since the average age of forest landowners in Pennsylvania is about sixty, it is critical to consider a succession plan for the property. Federal estate taxes are still important for many landowners, especially if Congress doesn’t act soon. It is important for landowners to understand when to gift or pass on land to heirs. The wrong decision could have unintended consequences. Opportunities that may reduce consequences include stepped up basis, estate tax credits, marital deduction, extensions and deferrals and special use valuation.

What does the current economic outlook and emerging markets mean for forest owners, forestry professionals, and industry? First it suggests landowners need good timely advice on their options so as to make wise decisions about their property and resources. Forestry professionals and their advisors (e.g., accountants, financial advisers, attorneys, etc.) need up-to-date information about the forest economy.

In October and early November, Penn State Natural Resources Extension is offering workshops throughout the state on forest taxes, forest finance, and estate planning. All the above mentioned issues and more will be discussed. You can find information on the forest taxes and finance meetings at: http://rnrext.cas.psu.edu/pdfs/TaxFinance2009.pdf. Information on the estate planning sessions in Mercer County can be found at: http://rnrext.cas.psu.edu/pdfs/2009ForestEstatePlanningFinal.pdf.

The Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Program provides publications on a variety of topics related to woodland management. For a list of free publications, call 800 234 9473 (toll free), send an email to RNRext@psu.edu, or write to Forest Stewardship Program, Forest Resources Extension, The Pennsylvania State University, 320 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry and USDA Forest Service, in Partnership with Penn State's Forest Resource Extension, sponsor the Forest Stewardship Program in Pennsylvania.

Written by: Michael Jacobson
Email: mgj2@psu.edu
Phone: 814-865-3994

Woodlots and Boundary Lines

Posted: Monday, August 31 2009

To put up a fence, I recently had my house lot surveyed. Now, I'm thinking a lot about the boundary lines delimiting what I own. My boundary lines weren't readily apparent; so, to prevent encroachment on my neighbors, I hired a professional surveyor to locate corners and help me identify my spot. On a larger scale, the property lines that define what a forest landowner owns are just as important. These lines define the acreage and are critically important at times of sale, timber harvest, easement development, and impact trespass and encroachment.

In the eastern United States, property boundaries were laid out on the metes and bounds system, relying on geologic and other natural features to define boundary lines and to serve as markers. A "metes" is a boundary determined by a straight line, specified by a distance and orientation between end points. "Bounds" indicates a more general boundary description such as along a watercourse or an existing roadway. Corners are permanent markers indicating a convergence of property lines. These are often iron pipes, rebar, rock piles, or monuments of other sorts. In the forested landscape, witness trees, most usually three, point to the corner marker with three vertical painted blazes indicating the direction to the monument. Sometimes a tree located directly on the corner will be painted with a large X.

With large (and small) acreages of forestland, corners are thousands of feet apart and not within line of sight. As a forest landowner, maintaining boundary lines is the best form of protection from trespass, encroachment, and sometimes timber theft, especially when activities are occurring on adjacent landowners’ properties.

As summer rolls on into fall, and forest landowners are looking for projects that don’t entail harvesting timber in a depressed market, boundary line maintenance is an annual or, at a minimum, every five years project.

The best time to start maintaining your property lines is just after completing a survey, usually at the time of property acquisition, but this is not always practical. Other options may be to identify/maintain a line along a recently surveyed or harvested adjoining property (assuming they know where the boundary is). If there is no recent survey, a landowner can find the location of property corners from a deed description, and then seek historic evidence (old fences, old blazes on trees) to re-identify lines. In the absence of clear indication of property lines, the best alternative is to retain a surveyor to identify and/or establish corners and mark lines for you. Always seek professional surveying advice if there are any doubts about a line’s location.

Blazes are the marks on trees that point to the property line. It involves scoring the bark with a machete or axe at eye level and painting. The score is deep enough to impact bark growth, but not so deep as to penetrate the cambial layer and cause a wound. The blaze is then painted to enhance visibility. Proper blazes last many decades and are common across forested landscapes. If ever you are repainting blazes, do not paint over old blazes -- repaint only the outer edges to make them more visible. Leave old blazes as supporting evidence of the original location of the property line.

Blazed trees should be close enough that the line is visible to the next tree along the line of sight in each direction, but not overly apparent (i.e., every tree on or close to the line does not need a blaze). For trees, just off the property line, a single painted blaze on the side facing the line is common. Trees occurring directly on line receive two blazes -- one of each side where the line goes "into" and "out of" the tree. Avoid marking any trees further than three feet from the line.

Some landowners like to leave a trail cleared of brush around their property lines. This facilitates the walking of the boundaries and maintenance of lines. Others prefer to draw less attention for aesthetic reasons. Regardless… Get to know your boundaries. It’s all part of being a good steward of your land.

The Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Program provides publications on a variety of topics related to woodland management. For a list of free publications, call 800 234 9473 (toll free), send an email to RNRext@psu.edu, or write to Forest Stewardship Program, Forest Resources Extension, The Pennsylvania State University, 320 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry and USDA Forest Service, in Partnership with Penn State's Forest Resource Extension, sponsor the Forest Stewardship Program in Pennsylvania.

Contact: Allyson Muth
Phone: 814-865-3208
Email: abm173@psu.edu

Enhancing the Experience of Your Woods

Posted: Friday, June 26 2009

What do you like best about being in the woods? What do you remember? Think about it for a moment. You might enjoy the quiet, the peacefulness, the calm of nature. You might enjoy surprises -- the tree you did not see before, the little red toadstool, the glint of water on an unfolding fern frond. After thinking about what you like best, think about memorable forest walks or a special day afield. Do they often involve the unexpected, the glimpse of a fleeing animal, the quiet place, or a view that looks different today than yesterday?

Likely when you are in the woods, you are really looking for the unexpected, the little surprises of beauty, difference, and change. Understanding this, it is possible to manage for and emphasize the unexpected.

Woods have many dimensions. They vary from the ground level to the tops of the trees. They vary from here to there, as you walk through the landscape. And, they vary by time, throughout the day and across the seasons. All this change has the potential to add variety and discovery to the woods.

Can you create a level of discovery? Yes, as you walk down a forest path or woods road, you look ahead, almost anticipating the unexpected. The turn in the path or the bend in the road often obscures our view of what is ahead. What is around the corner? What might be there that will be suddenly seen? The simple act of building a path or aligning a woods road carefully today can provide years of enjoyment tomorrow. Building roads and paths to include turns, places to crest little rises, or using obstructions to block views can create interest and build in surprises. Have you ever taken the turn and seen that fleeing animal, the bird resting on the limb, or the change in light?

Forests inspire grandeur. Entering a woods, our eyes often lift to the forest ceiling. Looking up we marvel at the height; we enjoy the swaying and dancing canopy, the flickering light. Everyone seems to enjoy big trees -- they inspire. However, the solitude of a woods is also enjoyed when the trees close in around you. There is sanctuary in the feeling of protection, a grotto where the ceiling closes in and the walls are closer. One of my favorite places is a tight little stand of white pine and hemlock where trees are young, short, and close. It is a dark place on the edges, but in the center, the light enters from above. In gardens, we often create such places under the sweeping low branches of trees or under arbors of vines. Cutting an opening in the woods and allowing it to fill with small trees can create a special quiet place.

While we love to see the tall big trees reaching to the sky -- they represent growth; however, that giant lying on the forest floor can provide hours of inspection and discovery. In a forest dead trees and plants represent a reserve of nutrients -- unique habitat for many species of insects, fungi, amphibians, reptiles, animals and plants. Many of our woods do not have sufficient large, dead, and standing or down woody debris. Ecologists are learning big dead trees add to biodiversity and a careful observer learns they add to the interest of forests. A log torn asunder by a passing bear looking for a spring snack might stop you in your tracks, but also bring excitement and anticipation to the next walk in the woods. Maybe the next time, you will see something exciting near the log. Woods are often more interesting if we can leave them a bit more messy -- not everything needs to produce products.

A diversity of plants in the woods adds to the experience. Learning the names of plants and other components in the woods adds interest and leads to discovery. Psychologists tell us we appreciate things more when we know what they are called. When you find an unexpected plant in the woods, making the effort to learn its name is fun and rewarding. The unique and unfamiliar plants are often very special. When you walk in the woods look up, down, and all around to learn how the woods changes in the seasons – just a few weeks ago, the spring flowers were in bloom and in full leaf. Now, the flowers are gone, the leaves are dying, and the fruit may be apparent. Knowing how things change heightens our interest in the woods.

As you walk through your woods or the woods of others, take the time to walk slowly, look for the interesting things that surround you. Share your discoveries with others -- especially kids; open your eyes to see the surprises. If you care for the woods, think about how careful stewardship will conserve opportunities for those who follow to enjoy the place as you have enjoyed.

To learn more about discovery in your woods, request Forest Stewardship Bulletin No. 8, Planning for Beauty and Enjoyment, from the Forest Resources Extension Office.

The Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Program provides publications on a variety of topics related to woodland management. For a list of free publications, call 800 234 9473 (toll free), send an email to RNRext@psu.edu, or write to Forest Stewardship Program, Forest Resources Extension, The Pennsylvania State University, 320 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry and USDA Forest Service, in Partnership with Penn State's Forest Resource Extension, sponsor the Forest Stewardship Program in Pennsylvania.



Written by: Jim Finley
Phone: 814-863-0401
Email: fj4@psu.edu

Tree Flowers: Spring Color in the Landscape

Posted: Monday, April 20 2009

At this time of year, vegetation is bursting in to bloom. We notice the bright colors of showy flowers, watch busy pollinators, and pay attention to the changing landscape as everything softens from winter’s hard edges. We tend to notice the "big" and the "bright," but what about the less showy flowers?
Trees have such a dominant place in our landscape - their trunks present a solid maze as we peer across a forest stand; their height inspires; their girth impresses. What about their flowers? Have you ever taken the time to notice the subtleties of the largest vegetation?
Tree flowers come in different shapes and sizes from the large, showy, and perfect (more on this in a minute) flowers to the miniscule and drab. Most often an appreciation of tree flowers requires a hand lens or magnifying glass.
Right now, in central Pennsylvania, we’re seeing the red maples and the aspen in bloom. Soon redbud and dogwood will make themselves known. Oaks and hickories flower when their leaves are beginning to unfurl. Others wait until their leaves are fully formed before flowering.
Some species have "perfect" flowers with both male (stamen) and female (pistil) parts. The stamens shed pollen and the pistils receive it to fertilize an egg which develops into seed. These self-pollinators don't require much outside "help" to get to seed.
Other tree species have both male and female flowers on the same tree. Pollen must be carried from one to the other to fertilize the eggs. Trees that have both genders of flower on the same tree are monoecious - a Latin word meaning same house. Other species such as willows, aspen, and sassafras are dioecious - another Latin word meaning two houses - with only male flowers or female flowers on a given tree. When pollen must travel far, or to ensure cross-fertilization (instead of self-fertilization), it needs either an efficient delivery mechanism or ample quantities to ensure the production of seed offspring.
Most trees are wind pollinated and have flowers that don't last very long. These wind pollinated species produce pollen in great abundance, have smaller flowers, and tend to flower in early spring before leaves appear, thus ensuring maximum airflow among the trees and flowering branches. Most of these abundant pollen producers, such as oak, hickory, and alder, can cause allergenic reactions to humans.
Most of the conifers found in the Pennsylvania are monecious. If you look carefully, the male flowers are often lower in the crown and the females up higher where the cones form. This flower arrangement helps reduce self-pollination. Thus when the wind blows, it has to lift the pollen to the female flowers, which are most often in another tree as the wind seldom lifts the pollen straight up. It also puts the seeds up high where they disperse more easily over a larger area.
Others, trees with more showy flowers, depend on insect pollinators - flies, bees, and beetles. These flowers are generally aromatic (think of the linden tree) or showy, have smaller amounts of sticky pollen, and usually produce nectar as well. These flower characteristics attract pollinators that move from flower to flower as they feed or collect nectar. Tulip poplar, which produces flowers after leafing out, has a very pretty flower designed to attract pollinators. Some trees rely on birds to pollinate their flowers. Like insect pollinated trees, these trees have showier flowers, but are most often yellow or red in color to attract specific bird species.
So as you're, perhaps, blowing your nose, examine the tree flowers in your neighborhood more closely. Most people tend to focus on the larger more showy flowers. However if you take the time and look there are some amazing things happening in the forest. Whole hillsides of tree flowers are appearing across the state. Their color, although subtle, can rival the autumn splashes in our landscapes. And when you look closely, the detail and beauty of many of our tree flowers are absolutely amazing. From their tiny flowers, great trees can grow.
The Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Program provides publications on a variety of topics related to woodland management. For a list of free publications, call 800 234 9473 (toll free), send an email to RNRext@psu.edu, or write to Forest Stewardship Program, Forest Resources Extension, The Pennsylvania State University, 320 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry and USDA Forest Service, in Partnership with Penn State's Forest Resource Extension, sponsor the Forest Stewardship Program in Pennsylvania.


Contact: Allyson Muth
Phone: 814-863-0402
Email: abm173@psu.edu

A Thief in the Woods at Night

Posted: Tuesday, January 20 2009

Many forest owners already know what it's like to lose trees to theft. Usually we come across the evidence long after the fact and can do little about it other than make a report to local or state police. Too often nothing is ever done about it. This article is about finding one thief still at work and what you can do about it.

The porcupine is North America's 2nd largest rodent and can do an amazing amount of damage in both coniferous and deciduous forests. Many of us have seen porcupines, if only their remains along roadsides. Few get to see them active; mostly we just see the results of their activities. Porcupines are easy to recognize. They have dark brown fur, covered with as many as 30,000 thick barbed quills! The tip of each quill has microscopic barbs or hooks that drive ever increasingly deeper into the flesh of unlucky predators. Porcupines eat the inner bark of many types of trees and bushes and have large orange teeth and strong jaws, just right for their rough, fibrous diet. They also munch on foliage, twigs, fruits, nuts, berries, and flowers. They even gnaw on deer and elk antlers to get calcium. Porcupines can do a lot of damage in forested stands as their munching can girdle trees and ultimately kill them. They are mostly nocturnal but will forage in the day, and under the right conditions can live between 10 and 20 years

Porcupines love wood piles left around log landings and gas wells. These piles of stumps, logs, limbs and dirt are considered excellent den sites, making the “porkers” hard to find or remove from fortified dens. Keep this in mind when negotiating contracts for gas well drilling or logging on your property. Plan to minimize or eliminate these potential future homes to prevent extensive damage to your trees. These sites are especially favored during winter when the cold weather isn’t as appealing as hanging in the trees throughout the day. Because of their slow methodical movement at night, they don’t venture far from chosen den sites.

In the mid-1990s, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, working with Penn State's School of Forest Resources, undertook a research project to reintroduce fisher to our forests. Fishers are the second largest North American member of the weasel family and are one of the few natural enemies of porcupine. The successful reintroduction of the extirpated fisher could help reduce some "porker" damage.

There are a few things you can do to control porcupine damage. If only a few trees are targeted, sheet metal sleeves placed around the trunks prevent porcupines from climbing. The sheet metal should fully enclose the tree base and extend up the tree about 20-30 inches. To avoid causing further damage to the tree, be sure to remove this metal guard as soon as the animal has moved on. It is possible to live trap and remove porcupines. Be sure to use large size live traps to accommodate their large body size. Apples are good bait. Put apple wedges inside and outside the trap to lure them into the trap. If you catch one, move it at least 10 miles away to frustrate its return. While trapping seems very humane, you may well be passing your problem on to another forest owner who will have to deal with the new resident. The last resort is to destroy the animal to prevent tree and crop damage.

Many forest owners grow trees as a "nest egg" for their future; perhaps, to finance their retirement, to build a "dream home" later in life or as a legacy to their children. We know many forest owners produce and conserve wildlife habitat. Having a renewable resource growing on your own land can be a good feeling as it is increasing in value over time. Those with timber stands and those who work to manage timber already know it takes time to grow forest value.

Porcupine damage can be extensive. To resolve the problem takes time and effort. Consider "porkers" part of your forest environment. Tolerate some damage, but when it exceeds your tolerance, know there are things you can do to stop the theft of your forest's future value.

The Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Program provides publications on a variety of topics related to woodland management for private landowners. For a list of free publications, call 1-800-235-9473 (toll-free), send e-mail to rnrext@psu.edu, or write to: Forest Stewardship Program, Forest Resources Extension, The Pennsylvania State University, 320 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry and USDA Forest Service, in partnership with the Penn State's Forest Resources Extension, sponsor the Forest Stewardship Program in Pennsylvania.

Written by: Denny Nebgen
Email: dennybob@windstream.net

Your Forest's Future: Regeneration Is the Next Woods!

Posted: Thursday, December 11 2008

Winter is great season to be afield. We'll all admit, sometimes it is difficult to give up the comfort inside for the chilly winds of winter. When you do, however, there are often some real benefits gleaned during a winter woods walk. You can learn much about a wood's condition and future by observing it when the foliage is missing. An important observation focus this time of the year is the next woods.

Looking to the future of the next woods may take a bit of effort. But when the non-woody plants are browned by the cold, it is often easier to look for the next crop of trees. When the leaves have fallen from the woody shrubs and understory trees, it is, again, sometimes easier to look for the next forest without vegetative interference.

Why should you care about the next crop of trees growing in your woods? Most of the things Pennsylvanians value about woods depend on the aesthetics, recreation, habitat, and income related to healthy, productive trees and woods. As our current forest matures and we harvest from it, it is critical we learn how to find the next forest.

Inventory data generated by the USDA Forest Service for all forests in the commonwealth find the next forest is not doing well. On two of three acres where harvesting, natural tree mortality, or other disturbances should have created excellent conditions for establishing the next woods, the desired regeneration is missing. Even when they relax the standards, we only have sufficient commercial trees on one of two acres to ensure a level of forest cover in the future.

The challenges are many. We can relate the failure to many issues: loss of seed sources, competing understory plants such as ferns or mountain laurel, too many poor quality trees and wrong species left after harvesting, and excessive deer populations. The latter issue is very controversial, but if there are only a few seedlings or stump sprouts of desirable browse in the woods, even a few deer can have a major effect.

To learn more about your wood's future as you walk through the winter landscape, look for young trees on the forest floor. Are they poking up through flattened ferns? Are they extending above the snow? Is there a general layer of shrubs that deer apparently don’t eat? Are deer stopping to browse on the seedlings you do see? Do you see evidence of deer, turkey, and squirrel digging and scraping for seeds in the forest litter? There are many questions to consider in understanding the potential of your woods to provide future benefits.

Research studies repeatedly find that if you fail to have regeneration in place before harvesting, you will struggle to get regeneration in the future. Other competing plants will have the advantage over young trees trying to establish themselves. Seedlings already on the site, that are tall and strong, can compete successfully with other plants. If repeated browsing has created misshapen seedlings with multiple tops, their ability to develop into quality stems may be frustrated. The evidence of wildlife looking for seeds clearly suggests your overstory trees are fruiting, but if none of the seed ever sprouts, there could be too much competition for mast, or light conditions either in the canopy or close to the ground may not be ideal.

You may not yet have the skills to identify the seedlings you see on your winter walk. With time and a decent book or some time afield with a resource professional, you can learn to identify most important tree species from their winter twigs -- look at the buds, leaf scars, and branching patterns -- the species are unique. Working in a forest to create adequate regeneration of preferred tree species is not easy. To be successful, you have to consider many things such as light, competition, and the impact of deer. Getting it all correct takes planning and luck. You can create the right conditions, but if, unluckily, overstory does not produce seed, you may not obtain desired outcomes for several years. For example, this year there has been much discussion about the lack of acorns across Pennsylvania.

Many people just assume if they harvest or trees die naturally in their woods new ones will come along. It isn't that easy. Getting a healthy productive forest is not something that just happens; it takes planning, care, and time. Growing the next forest is not an event, it is a process. By looking now and every time you walk in your woods, you are taking an important step toward ensuring you pass forward the next forest. If you don’t see the next forest, ask why. Talk to your forester or wildlife professional. Start asking questions which will lead to a legacy of healthy trees in your woods.

For further information about issues impacting forest regeneration, call the Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Program to request your free copy of Regenerating Hardwood Forests: Managing Competing Plants, Deer and Light. The publication is available as a PDF at http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/freepubs/pdfs/UH181.pdf.

The Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Program provides publications on a variety of topics related to woodland management. For a list of free publications, call 800 234 9473 (toll free), send an email to RNRext@psu.edu, or write to Forest Stewardship Program, Forest Resources Extension, The Pennsylvania State University, 320 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry and USDA Forest Service, in Partnership with Penn State's Forest Resource Extension, sponsor the Forest Stewardship Program in Pennsylvania.

Written by: Jim Finley
Phone: 814-863-0401
Email: fj4@psu.edu

Fire in the Forest!

Posted: Thursday, May 1 2008

As you read this article, Pennsylvania’s spring fire season is coming to an end. You may have heard a forester say, "Pennsylvania has an asbestos forest." This means that wildfire is not normally common, except for two times a year -- in the spring and fall.

Why do we consider this an asbestos forest? In the winter and summer, wildfire -- a fire that was accidentally or purposely started and runs wild without constraint -- is uncommon. During these seasons, fuels on the forest floor are too damp to burn easily and in most of our forests the fuel is not continuous and any fire that does start will often burn out.

However, in the early spring after the snows are gone and before spring rains bring out canopy leaves, wildfire can happen. Days become increasingly warmer as the sun rises higher into the spring sky and its angle with the earth increases, becoming closer to its summer zenith. You can feel this warming as you walk through the spring woods. As the sun warms the leaf and small twig litter on the forest floor, it quickly dries. You may have noticed that the leaves become crunchy, sometimes even seeming to "fluff" up. This light and dry fuel is easy to ignite and it will easily carry fire across the forest floor. Also, some understory plants, such as mountain laurel and white pine will easily burn under these conditions.

As we progress into summer, Pennsylvania's forest fuels under the shady, leafy canopy become moister with an increase in humidity and lower temperatures near the forest floor than in the sun. During our summer months, understory plants are actively growing and their foliage is green and moist -- it is harder to ignite forest fuels under these conditions. Clearly, the conditions in our hardwood forests are much different from those encountered in the Western conifer forests or the chaparral forests in California.

In the fall, as the leaves drop and we move into October, our driest month, the sun again penetrates the canopy and warms the forest floor, drying the newly fallen leaves. Opposite to the spring, the sun each day reaches its daily zenith lower in the sky, and each day it becomes a bit cooler. Depending on when the leaves fall and how much rain we receive, fall can bring wildfire to our forest.

In the winter, cooler air temperatures and the availability of moisture from rain and snow, keep the understory much wetter. You may have noticed that the leaves that fell in the fall in the winter appear matted on the forest floor. It is really hard to have wildfire under these conditions.

While nearly everyone dislikes wildfire and the damage it causes, fire is important to our forests and can be an effective management tool. In the next few years, forest landowners, government, conservancies and others are hoping to reintroduce fire to our forests. These "prescribed" fires will differ from wildfires as resource professionals will plan their intensity and location to stimulate forest regeneration, control invasive plants, and encourage some plant species that depend on fire to create conditions suitable for their growth and renewal.

Fire in Pennsylvania is both a tool and a threat. Using tools correctly and safely takes learning and planning. Enjoy your time afield in Pennsylvania's forests and be careful to protect them from "wildfire."

The Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Program provides publications on a variety of topics related to woodland management. For a list of free publications, call 800 234 9473 (toll free), send an email to RNRext@psu.edu, or write to Forest Stewardship Program, Forest Resources Extension, The Pennsylvania State University, 320 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry and USDA Forest Service, in Partnership with Penn State’s Forest Resource Extension, sponsor the Forest Stewardship Program in Pennsylvania.

Written by:

Jim Finley
Professor of Forest Resources
Penn State University

Mulching: How to do it Right

Posted: Monday, April 2 2007

Mulching trees, shrubs, and other plants in your landscape is very beneficial. It provides an excellent interface for roots to grow. Mulch holds moisture, especially during dry conditions, decreases competition of weeds for valuable nutrients, maintains even soil temperatures, provides cover for beneficial insects, and keeps your lawnmower and weedwacker away from the trunk thus preventing what many arborists call weedwacker and lawnmower disease. Mulching is probably the best thing you can do for your landscape because it provides benefits for plants without any adverse effects as long as it is done correctly. Before you mulch here are few rules that will help your plants stay healthy:

1. Never pile mulch around plants. Mulch should be 2-3 inches in thickness. Over mulching can starve roots of oxygen. Also deep mulches encourage vole feeding during the winter months.
2. Mulch around trees and shrubs to the drip line or as far out from the trunk or stem as possible. The more mulch, the more area beneficial to roots, the healthier the landscape.
3. Mulch should never touch the bark of trees. Keep mulch away from the base of the tree at least 6-8 inches. A general rule on larger trees is to keep the root flare visible. This is area at the base of the tree where you can see the trunk widen toward the roots. If this is covered in mulch it may cause disease or rot due to the continuously wet conditions. This is probably the most common mistake in the landscape.
4. Bark mulch vs. wood chips: I usually recommend bark mulch over wood chips because fresh wood chips can bring disease and may attract insects but it depends on cost and where the mulches come from. On the other hand wood chips break down slower than conventional bark mulches and often you can get them free from a utility company or tree trimmer. Either work well but be sure to ask questions no matter where you get your mulch.
5. If mulching over established grass or weeds, lay down brown corrugated cardboard (be sure it is free of adhesives and/or dyes) then apply mulch. The card board will prevent the grass and weeds from penetrating the mulch and the cardboard will eventually breakdown.
6. To maintain mulch, each year turn the mulch over with a hoe or rake, replace thickness to 2-3 inches, and if weeds persist, I use cardboard or newspaper as stated above.

If you have any other questions about mulching plants in your landscape call Jay Bagley at 928-7057.

Pruning Old Apple Trees

Posted: Monday, April 2 2007

It is the second week of spring and that means its time to prune those old overgrown apple trees. Apple trees which have never been pruned (or worse have been pruned once or twice with a chainsaw) usually have a very dense canopy and produce small fruit on the outside of the canopy. To remedy this and strike a balance between the energy used for fruiting and the trees energy used for growth, it is necessary to thin the canopy to allow sunlight and air movement in the center of the tree. The sunlight and air penetration increases the health of the tree, increases fruit size, and the sunlight promotes fruit bud growth throughout the tree, even in the center. The tree is then maintained by removing vegetative growth (non-fruiting) each year which grows in response to the removal of living wood and the penetrating sunlight. This process can take many years. Think of a tree as a garden for fruit buds, if left open to sunlight they will grow and mature providing fruit year after year throughout the tree. Although without consistent sunlight, fruit buds will not grow or mature and may even die back. This is why it is important to prune every year. Also, this is why it may take a few years to begin to see the results of apple tree renovation. Remember, older trees respond negatively to over pruning by producing significant vegetative growth. It is best to prune a little, year after year, than to prune allot in only one year. To avoid stressing apple trees, especially older trees, here are a few tips to help you get started.

Step One: You need to have the proper tools: sharp hand pruners, loppers, and a hand saw. If you need a ladder then you need to invite a friend. Chainsaws lead to over pruning and are not recommended.

Step Two: Prune out dead, diseased, broken, and rubbing branches. Be sure to cut outside the branch collar (flare where the branch is attached) when removing limbs. Flush cuts significantly injure the tree. It is better to cut a few inches from the trunk than to cut against it. Contrary to popular belief, pruning paints have not been found to help in disease prevention. Again, the older the tree, the less significant cuts you want to make which puts stress on the tree. If you are renovating an old apple tree for the first time (over 10 years old) stop here. Start over with step two next year.

Step Three: Thinning is the next step in the renovation of an old apple tree. In my experience, a ten year old tree can be thinned out by 25% in one year using reduction and thinning cuts. It is counterproductive to remove 25% of the living canopy of a 50 year old tree in the first year. The tree will be overcome with vegetative growth and may decline rapidly. Again, the goal is to gradually thin the tree branches to let sunlight penetrate into the center of the tree. Once this is accomplished, usually by removing 50% of the canopy in 2-5 years, the tree must be maintained. Hint: I was told that once you can throw a basketball through the tree with out it getting caught, thinning is complete.

Step Four: Maintenance of a renovated apple trees requires yearly removal of vegetative growth. Vegetative growth is the new growth that emerges from the roots, trunk, and branches. They usually grow straight up. These branches will not produce fruit.

For more information on pruning old apple trees visit the Sullivan County Conservation District located in the Agricultural Resources Center on Route 487 in Dushore or call Jay Bagley at 928-7057.

In the forest: Thinning and pruning for wildlife

Posted: Monday, February 5 2007

By JASON SMITH DCNR-Bureau of Forestry Service Forester Tiadaghton State Forest


It is that time of year again, where a lot of people head outside to prune that old apple tree or pear tree. Whether you are removing old storm damage from the previous year or cutting away newly formed sucker sprouts, you realize this work is vital for the upcoming year for that particular apple or pear tree. Doing this work with apple, pear, and other trees has been around for a very long time. However, often overlooked, is the same kind of work that could be done this time of year to a multitude of tree and shrub species.

Actually, an oak tree or a flowering dogwood, does not really differ that much from apple or pear, when it comes to pruning and overall maintenance of the species. The acorn that the oak produces, is basically the equivalent to the apple that the apple tree produces. The same can be said for almost every species of tree and shrub in Pennsylvania. The main emphasis is trying to get that particular tree or shrub to ultimately produce more food for a vast array of wildlife species.

There are numerous terms used to describe techniques for enhancing wildlife food supply. One simple term I like to use, is a thinning, which can mean several different things. However, keeping it simple, it is really no more than a technique used to decrease the amount of surrounding competition of a particular tree or shrub you are trying to aid. For example, you wander into an old apple orchard that has been left go for many years and numerous other trees have surrounded those old apple trees and overrun their canopies. Apples do not like competition very much and when that happens, their ability to flower and fruit is greatly diminished. A little work with the chain saw and a couple of hand pruners and you know you could bring these old apple trees back to life again.

Releasing trees and shrubs from surrounding competition can greatly increase the local food supply for many species of wildlife. Generally, crowns should be released on at least three sides. As individuals are released, food will become available by improving the growth of individual plants.

Trees and shrubs should be selected for thinning based on their abundance on the property, wildlife benefits they provide, wildlife present on the property, and landowner objectives and long term goals for the property. The best trees and shrubs to release are those that are of high value to wildlife. In some cases these will be species that are low in abundance or rare on the property. In other cases, where the goal is seed production, several individuals of the same species should be released simultaneously.

Careful planning should be undertaken so that one species or individual is not released at the expense of another species or individual that also provides benefits to wildlife or is rare. For example, people often ask me about cutting grape vines on their property, thus aiding the tree that they are hanging in. If the tree they are trying to assist is a white oak, hickory, black walnut, or other nut producing tree then I often times feel that is fine. However, if the grape entanglement has completely engulfed several sweet birch or red maple trees, then I would say do nothing and let the grapes alone, providing a great source of food for wildlife, while the trees they are smashing down do not contain the same degree of food supply for our wildlife species. You always need to keep the “trade-offs” in mind when doing forestry practices to benefit wildlife food supply.

Winter is a great time of year to work outside! Most people think that I may be crazy, until you consider that rattlesnakes are not watching me, deer ticks are not burrowing into me, black flies are not carrying my ear away, and the legendary humidity of a Pennsylvania summer is not beating down.

Dead Trees Alive With Wildlife

Posted: Thursday, December 21 2006

By JASON SMITH
DCNR-Bureau of Forestry
Service Forester
Tiadaghton State Forest



Many species of woodland wildlife benefit from the presence of “den trees.” Den trees, or snags, are those standing trees that are used by animals for nesting, roosting, cover, food supply and other critical functions of basic survival.

These trees are often over-mature with many defects and no financial value from a forestry standpoint. However, from a wildlife standpoint, their value is life itself.

Wildlife that inhabit these den trees, such as woodpeckers, nuthatches, bluebirds, squirrels, and raccoons, are called cavity nesters. The type of wildlife that utilize these den trees will also depend on the kind, size, and location of the den tree.

There are two basic kinds of den trees: hard or soft. Hard den trees have rotten centers with a solid exterior and a few limbs. These usually make the best den trees because the center can be easily excavated to form a home. Trees that usually form good cavities are large hardwoods that decay slowly; such as sugar maple, beech, white oak, hickory and sycamore. These trees are normally quite old and may look totally healthy, but with close inspection, in and around the base of the tree a cavity, will indicate its hollow nature.

Soft den trees have softer exterior wood, and usually have no limbs. These den trees usually make good foraging sites for insect-eating birds, as well as nesting sites for woodpeckers, chickadees and nuthatches. These trees often have short life spans and rot quickly. Aspen would be a perfect example of this type of tree.

Evergreen den trees do not usually last as long as hardwoods, and are usually not utilized for a den tree. However, eastern white pine makes an excellent nest and perch site for bald eagles and osprey when located next to water.

In general, regardless of the kind of den tree, the larger it is the more wildlife it can support. The best den trees, live or dead, are over 20-inches diameter at breast height (DBH) with a den opening of four inches or more. Keep an eye out for trees that appear to be potential den trees and you may get a chance to view an owl looking out at you or flying squirrels running around. Often times, these trees have large, sprawling branches, and often are fruit and nut producers. Missing or bare branches, fungal growth, wounds, and discolored bark are all signs of a dying tree. Also, look for woodpecker holes, which usually indicate a rotting core.

Fallen logs in the forest are snags that have toppled over or healthy trees that fell, usually by a great windstorm like we had last week around here. Once these trees fall to the ground, they do not lose their value to wildlife. Fallen logs in or near water provide cover for various species of fish. Male ruffed grouse use fallen logs in their attempts to attract females with their springtime courtship drumming.Hollow logs will be used by a number of species for dens, especially in winter. If the log is big enough, foxes and even black bears will use it for this purpose. As the log becomes more decayed it becomes home to salamanders, moles, shrews, and many kinds of insects. Eventually, these fallen logs will regenerate the forest as they return to the soil, providing rich nutrients for new plants to grow.

Many times, den trees may be difficult to locate during your hike through the forest, but once you start learning what to look for, your chance of viewing wildlife greatly increases. Of course, you never have your camera when you need it!

Winter Habitat: Seeing Your Woodlot through Snow-Covered Lenses

Posted: Monday, December 4 2006

The winter snows will soon be falling across Pennsylvania. When they do fall, the woods change. New fallen snow puts a different face on forests: the contrast of dark and white, the quiet and calmness, and evidence of who visits your woodlot and where they go.

Not all snows are equal. Wet heavy snow shows the tracks of the heavier and larger species – it is relatively easy to see tracks by your larger visitors – rabbits, deer, turkey, fox, and even bear. Crusty snow, which comes in wet and freezes hard, can obscure many tracks; even deer, in some cases, can move around secretly. A light fluffy snow, especially when the winds are calm, shows the tracks of lighter species, but sometimes obscures details. The right snow is light, but moist and holds details of even the lightest visitor’s tracks. In these snows, you can see the prints of squirrel, mice, and over wintering birds.

Where do you see the most tracks? Where do you see one species? Where do you see mixed species? By answering these questions and keying them to the forest cover and positions in the landscape, you can find clues for managing your woodlot. Or, you might use the information for planning future walks, anticipating what you might see and where.

Cover is an important wildlife component in the winter landscape. What species show up in different cover? Conifer cover is important for providing protection from wind and reducing snow loads by capturing flakes on the boughs to sublimate later. Conifers with limbs reaching closer to the ground provide more cover than towering pines with their limbs in the upper canopy. In the low conifers, tracks from the mice, squirrel, rabbits, game birds and over wintering birds are likely obvious. Are the tracks throughout the cover or only in patches? Do they congregate near food, spring seeps, in the middle or on the edge?

If the tracks leave the conifer cover, where do they go? This is an important story to learn from tracks. Where do the critters walk when they go? Sometimes there is nowhere to go; the patch of cover is alone, isolated in the landscape. In the future, as you manage the woodlot, can you create linkages? Perhaps, a landowner can plant some understory plants, reforest a field, or when cutting firewood, create brush piles that link pieces of cover.

Many people enjoy building brush piles. Many of the publications for forest owners suggest building brush piles as winter and escape cover for small animals. Visit some brush piles; can you determine what species are using them? Mouse tracks might be common around the edges and if there is appropriate cover nearby you might see the little pathways that connect the mouse’s world. You might even see the tracks of some local predators working the area. If one brush pile shows use and another does not, you might consider how they differ. The locations might be different, or the construction varies. Consider it and learn.

Spring seeps and snow often tell interesting stories. Spring seeps, those places where ground water makes it to the surface, are special for many wildlife species. Because this ground water is warmer, snow depth is less, and insects, seeds, and even small plants might be available to wildlife all winter. By looking at the tracks, you will learn who uses the seep and how. From what direction do they habitually approach the water? From what cover are they coming and where do they go. Oftentimes, it is useful to create cover near spring seeps. A top from a fallen tree, a constructed brush pile, or plantings of native shrubs may increase the value of a seep for wildlife. The story in the snow may help guide these management activities.

It helps to know your tracks. The best way to learn them is to observe what species makes them. Watch how them move as they make tracks, and then take the time, after they leave, to read the signs in the snow. One time a cousin of mine became very excited as he observed “grouse” tracks in the snow. This grouse, when we looked, did not walk – it hopped. For many years, we talked about the hopping grouse, which was really the loping movement of a squirrel. Many books are available to help identify tracks. Most show clear impressions as you would see them in mud. In snow, they will be fuzzier, but still distinct.

Take a walk this winter and look down at the snow. Think about who made them, where they were going, what they were looking for in the winter landscape. Follow the tracks and create a story about their lives in the winter landscape. You will enjoy the winter woods more and see it in different ways every time you visit.

If you would like information on wildlife habitat, visit Management Practices for Enhancing Wildlife Habitat at: http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/uh107.pdf or contact us for a hard copy.

The Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Program provides publications on a variety of topics related to woodland management for private landowners. For a list of free publications, call 1-800-235-9473 (toll-free), send e-mail to RNRext@psu.edu, or write to: Forest Stewardship Program, Forest Resources Extension, The Pennsylvania State University, 320 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry and USDA Forest Service, in partnership with the Penn State's Forest Resources Extension, sponsor the Forest Stewardship Program in Pennsylvania.

Written by: Jim Finley
Phone: 814-863-0401
E-mail: fj4@psu.edu

Tips for Winter Tree Identification

Posted: Monday, December 4 2006

By JASON SMITH, service forester, DCNR and Bureau of Forestry, Tiadaghton State Forest



To most otherwise “forest-minded” people, the approach of autumn with its showers of many-colored leaves spells the end of the season’s activities in the identification of deciduous trees and shrubs. Without leaves, the members of the forest community (unless they are conifer species) seem to lose much of their summer’s identity and may even descend to the level of “brush.” This is in reality not the case, as may be easily discovered by examining any leafless twig with a 10X pocket lens, or even with the naked eye. You can master winter tree and shrub identification almost as easily as summer identification if you learn the basic skills.

Buds are structures which are plainly visible on most twigs and are brought on by climactic conditions unfavorable to continued growth.

Basically, a bud is an embryonic branch and as such bears a number of miniature leaves or flowers which in many cases are clearly recognizable when the bud is carefully dissected. Certain woody plants seem to lack buds; in such instances, however, they are usually embedded in the twig and emerge when growth begins in the spring.

A marked difference in the size and form of individual buds is often observable on the same twig.

The larger ones frequently prove to be flower buds, since they contain the rudiments of flowers, while the smaller and usually more numerous buds enclose only embryonic leaves, or leaf buds.

Buds, like leaves, can be memorized over and over again, until you learn it and never forget it. Many tree species are very easy to learn, as the winter buds are huge, while others are quite small and almost non-existent. One of the easiest to tell in winter is the hickory tree. The buds of most hickories are larger than that of any other hardwood tree in Pennsylvania. On the other hand, the buds of sugar maple are small and pointed like a pencil point.

Another helpful tip for winter tree identification is location itself. Just where exactly are you in the forest? If you are up high in elevation around here, you greatly diminish the overall number of tree species that you are looking at.

Our ridgetops around here are dominated with the oak species, red maple, pignut hickory, serviceberry and a few others. So, you can almost throw out trees like sycamore, elm, black walnut and others that simply do not tend to grow there, but prefer the richer bottomlands.

Many times, trees leave clues either on the tree or on the ground next to that tree. There are almost always leftover walnut husks lying below a walnut tree or hickory cases long since been left behind by the gray squirrel.

The fruit of the flowering dogwood often persists through the winter months on the branches and the same for the hawthorns.

The bark of hardwood trees is highly overlooked and can be used to help you identify also.

For example, the beech tree has one of the smoothest barks in the forest, while the chestnut oak is very rough and deeply grooved. However, many species bark changes greatly with age. The bark of birch and cherry starts smooth in life and becomes ridged and platy through time.

The paper birch, found in a few isolated pockets around here, sticks out like a sore thumb at anytime during the year with its beautiful white bark.

Surely, leaves are probably still the easiest way to identify tree species, but using the other parts of the tree and clues left behind, wintertime tree identification doesn’t have to be impossible.

Old growth trees a rare find on rugged terrain

Posted: Monday, November 20 2006

By JASON SMITH Service Forester DCNR-Bureau of Forestry Tiadaghton State Forest

In a previous position I had with The Bureau of Forestry, I was fortunate to travel across Pennsylvania examining the different old-growth forest reserves that remain.

From the Sweet Root Natural Area in the Buchanan State Forest of southern Bedford County to the Forrest H. Dutlinger Natural Area in remote, northwestern Clinton County, I got to see the overwhelming majority of old-growth left behind from the lumber era.

Some of these state forest natural areas were relatively easy to find and were not too far to hike, while others tested your physical toughness to get the chance to see trees that are 300 to 500 years old.

There are various reasons these old-growth reserves were spared during the lumber era of the late 1800s. Often, the rugged terrain made harvesting the trees almost impossible. Other areas were the beneficiaries of land disputes between different lumber outfits.

When companies couldn’t agree to whom the trees belonged, but were unwilling to go to court, the trees were left untouched.

Our beloved state tree, the eastern hemlock, is the species that remains predominantly in old-growth tracts. There are not too many places where one can find old-growth eastern white pine. White pine was the species that fell first, during what many people consider the first wave of the lumber era.

Eastern hemlock was not harvested until years later, after the white pine was nearly eliminated from most mountains. Furthermore, eastern hemlock grows and thrives in very rugged places, making it very difficult to extract.

If we could go back and walk into a virgin forest in Pennsylvania, it would not only contain ancient white pine and hemlock, but American chestnut and several oak species as well.

White pine, hemlock, American chestnut, and oak all can attain a very old age, with hemlock having the potential to become the oldest due to its ability to grow seemingly forever in a shaded environment.

By 1920, most of the original white pine and hemlock had been removed from the forest. Around the same time, American chestnut was being ravaged by blight, and soon would also be gone.

However, what about old-growth oak?

Oaks were definitely a component the original forest in Pennsylvania. However, oaks greatly expanded their niche after the pine, hemlock, and chestnut were removed.

Chestnut oak is the oak species we see dominating the higher elevations in our region, where the soil sustains almost nothing else but mountain laurel and blueberry.

Chestnut oak has deep ridges in the bark and chestnut-like leaves. It can be found from Maine to Georgia on almost any ridgetop.

Generally, weather and soil conditions keep it from attaining enormous height and size. However, just like the hemlock, a few pockets of old-growth chestnut oak exist statewide and several specimens exist that are every bit as big around as their hemlock neighbors.

Chestnut oaks can attain great diameter, but usually only on good soil. Very rarely do we find large-diameter chestnut oaks growing on a rugged landscape.

However, a small tract of these ancient giants exists on the Bald Eagle Mountain chain, overlooking Big Pine Creek.

This rocky, rugged ridge with its Tuscarora quartzite deposits is exposed to prevailing northwest winds and storms. Soil is non-existent, or thin, rocky and poor. Water is scarce, and seasonally intermittent.

As a result, vegetation is sparse and stunted. Most trees are knobby, gnarled and diminished in size. This hardly seems the place to search for an ancient forest.

However, this harsh, difficult growing environment harbors some truly ancient trees, perhaps the oldest living things in the Ridge and Valley Province of Pennsylvania. Several oaks are up in the 44-inch diameter range, the same size as the largest old-growth hemlock growing on the same ridge.

The exact ages of the old-growth chestnut oak and hemlock found on this site have yet to be determined, but I remain confident that they are between 350 and 500 years old.

Most of the hemlocks have been hollowed out, probably from fires that must have swept up the Bald Eagle Mountain. Although they are still alive, their condition makes it difficult to do exact age counts with growth rings.

However, recently one of the monster-sized chestnut oaks finally fell to the forest floor. It turned out to be solid throughout, which should make an exact age count possible.

What happened to the chestnut?

Posted: Monday, November 6 2006

Article by:
JASON SMITH DCNR-Bureau of Forestry
Tiadaghton State Forest


The American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was once the most important hardwood tree in our Eastern forests. It thrived from Maine to Georgia, often making up 33 percent of the forest. In the Appalachian Mountains, the ridges were nearly pure chestnut. During the summer, the chestnut trees were covered with long, creamy flowers, which made the mountains look as though they were covered with snow.

Most of us in Pennsylvania, when trying to envision the original Eastern forest, start by conjuring enormous Eastern white pines and Eastern hemlock trees. Indeed, those two species did comprise a large portion of the forest early settlers discovered. However, we very rarely imagine the enormous American chestnut trees that were found with the pine and hemlock.

In the virgin forest, American chestnut trees typically were 4 to 5 feet in diameter, 80 to 130 feet in height and upward of 600 years old. Many specimens were 8 to 10 feet in diameter, and legendary accounts persist of trees bigger.

As a forester, I cannot fathom what the earliest settlers came across in Lycoming County. It had to be absolutely remarkable. Still today, I occasionally come across stumps of American chestnut that probably met their fate around World War II, which was near the end of the epidemic.

The hallmark of the American chestnut was, of course, the chestnut. The nuts were prized for their flavor, and though not as large as their European or Asian relatives, demand was extremely high. Railroad cars loaded full from the “inner” mountainous regions were transported east to New York City, Boston and other major cities for the holidays.

Street vendors sold them freshly roasted, and they were a traditional ingredient for stuffing that holiday goose or turkey. Unlike their very close relatives, the oaks and beeches, chestnut trees usually produced banner crops every year, and they were counted on by many families as a major cash crop.

The wildlife of the early Eastern forest cherished the trees’ nuts as well. Black bears, deer, squirrels, wild turkey and even the once tremendous flocks of passenger pigeons all benefited from the heavy nut crop.

In addition to the commercial and survival value the nuts produced, the American chestnut tree was one of the more desirable hardwood timber species.

The trunk of a chestnut grew straight and thick. Lighter than oak but just as strong, the wood split easily down the grain. Furthermore, it had terrific rot resistance, which made it ideal for telephone poles, fencing, flooring and just about any piece of furniture you could think of. All of those wonderful features, for man and wildlife alike, would soon come to a crashing halt, in what many regarded as the greatest single loss in the history of eastern North American forests.

The discovery of dying American chestnut trees at The Bronx Zoo in New York City in 1904 signaled the beginning of a horrific epidemic. Symptoms included wilting leaves, large cankers with rupturing bark, sprouts below the cankered area and, shortly thereafter, death of the tree’s trunk and upper limbs.

Before anyone knew what was happening, the mysterious infection spread by unknown means to chestnuts throughout New England, destroying entire forests in a few short years. By 1910, the infamous chestnut blight had spread throughout New York, New Jersey, Maryland and well into Pennsylvania.

By the time the blight reached Pennsylvania, the federal and state government were determined to stop it through quarantine measures. Control lines were implemented and great effort was made to stop the march of death. Unfortunately, nothing worked. By 1940, the prominent American chestnut had been reduced to stump sprouts.

The blight that decimated the American chestnut trees was discovered to be caused by a fungus, accidentally brought to the United States around 1900 on Asian chestnut tree nursery stock. The chestnut blight fungus is native to Asia, where it usually does not cause severe damage on Chinese and Japanese chestnuts. However, the American chestnut had little resistance to the fungus.

The fungus enters the trees through any wound in which the spores are deposited and germinate. The fungus grows, penetrates the bark and outer wood tissues and causes their death. This area of affected bark, called a canker, eventually girdles the tree, and all parts of the tree above that point die.

Root systems usually survive the death of the stem and new sprouts are produced. However, being genetically identical to the killed parent, the sprouts have little resistance to the blight and also are girdled eventually, time and time again.

This process of killing and resprouting continues throughout Pennsylvania today. Some of these sprouts can grow to become small trees, but inevitably succumb to the fungus.

Plant biologists throughout the United States have been working on a cure for chestnut blight fungus almost since it was discovered, to no avail. However, recent technology with plant genetics has produced some optimistic results that indicate a cure may be within reach.

Every time I come across one that has attained decent size in the forest and may even be producing nuts, I wonder, could this be the one that begins the comeback?