16
[i-p- N 615 V. I~ Na.4
[i-p-N 615
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VOL. 16 No.4THE
NEW YORK FOREST OWNERSASSOCIATION
DIRECTORS MEET
The 106the meeting ofthe Board of Directors ofthe New York Forest OwnerAssociation was held inMarshall Hall at SUNY col-lege of ESF in Syracuseon June 3, 1978 with 14Directors presento RobertSand, President presided.
The treasurer's reportshowed a balance at thepresent of $5,267.79.
Membership chairman,Kenneth Eberley, saidthat he would like to a-gain have a display atthe Woodsmen's Field Dayin Boonville on August 19,20, and 21. It was votedto do so.
We will also have a dis-play at the Empire FarmDays in Pompey, New Yorkon August 8, 9, and 10.We will not have a displayat the State Fair this year.year.
The FALL MEETING is to bebe held in Cortland onSeptember 30. We willmeet at the DEC buildingin the morning and have aWOODS WALK on Al RobertsFarm in the afternoon.
The ANNUAL MEETING willbe held in Syracuse inApril 1979.
1.
The next Board Meet-ing will be held at theCollege of ESF in SyracuseJuly 15.
J. Lewis DuMondSecretary
* ~'c *New Members in June
Mr. and Mrs. Robert H.Enderle, R~f2 Caton RoadCorning, New York.
Mr. Charles Kaskey3543 Columbia Dr.Endwell, New York
Rev. Dr. Roger Reger98 Wesley AvenueBuffalo, New York.
* * *THE LEGISLATURE 1978
The legislators onceagain are trying to seewho can submit the mostbills. At the end of Maythe Assembly had intro-duced 13,000 bills andthe Senate's record is10,000 bills in a twoyear period.
Know your issues, andwhere you stand.PROPOSED LICENSING OFFORESTERS
S. 5333 B.C. SmithRequires all practicingForesters to be licensed.
ASSOCIATIONOFFICERS
PresidentROBERT M. SAND
Odessa, NY 14869
First Vice-PresidentGORDON CONKLIN
R~f2, Trumansburg, NY
2nd Vice-PresidentHOWARD WARD
240 Owego St., Candor NY
3rd Vice-PresidentROBERT EDMONDS
R~fl, Marathon, NY
Membership SecretaryHELEN VARIAN
Varian Rd., Peekskill,NY
Recording SecretaryLEWIS DuMOND
Grand St., Cobleskill
TreasurerEMIEL PALMER
S. Salina St., Syracuse
DIRECTORS - 1978Robert Demeree
Kenneth L. EberleyJames p. Lassoie
Fredrick A. UmholtzC. Eugene Farnsworth
David HanaburghRobert M. Sand
* *DIRECTORS - 1979Ronald Baldwin
Gordon L. ConklinRichard C. FassettRobert R. MorrowHardy L. ShirleyEvelyn A. Stock
* *DIRECTORS - 1980Robert Edmonds
Richard LeaBarbara PittengerWilliam S. PowersLloyd G. Strombeck
H.O. WardKenneth Williams
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
First, let me report that N.Y.F.O.A.continues to attract and gain added mem-bers with each passing month. A trendthat I hope will continue far into thefuture. With each new member, our com-mon bond to foster good forestry hasadded impetus. No single group in NewYork State has more potential to shapethe future of our valuLhle forest re-source than a strong membership. Eachof us should actively promote increasedmembership by seeking out and personal-ly encouraging all likely candidates inour daily contacts.
Our membership committee chairman isKen Eberley. An able, affahle and dedi-cated director. and a charter member whohas served our Association with boundlessenergy for many years. He is the one ,)hosingle h8_dedly has advanced this organi-zation by coming up with good promotion-al ideas; he is the one who made our fourfoot N.Y.F.O.A. logo in three colors,red and green on white+now displayed atall our meetings.
Ken is the self-appointed trusteewho carts and transports this labor oflove to all points where its exhibit addsmeaningful credibility to any assemblyof Forest Owners.
Two other Eberley ideas have be-come reality. The N.Y.F.O.A. membershipsign he sells at about cost to anyone inthe Association at either of our t woannual meetings. And the adhesive back-ed logo decal given out w i t h nev member-ships. Our accolades are genuine for Ken,his wife who is frequently in his companyand all of his committee members. Becauseof them, this organization is moving for-wa r'd ,
At our annual meeting in Morrisville,a special GIFT MEMBERSHIP was approved.This is only $5.00 and must be sponsoredand paid for by ~ regular member. Sincethen Helen Varian, our Membership Sec-retary reports that a number of thesegifts have been presented. This is anexample of concerned leadership byHoward O. Ward who first envisioned andadvocated the special N.Y.F.O.A. GiftMembership idea.
I continue to find this opportunityto serve N.Y.F.O.A. as your Presidenta privilege. The people involved withme are a concerned group, willing ~ndable to provide direction and give theirpersonal energy to make the ForestOwners a viable organization in 1978and beyond.
CURRENT TREE PROBLEMS
According to Dr. Howard Miller,State Entomologist people are concern-ed about their maple trees because theylook as tho they are about to die. Theleaves on many are not growing. ThiS,he assures us, is due to the unusuallyheavy seed growth.
Under normal conditions if the treeshave been healthy they will put out asecond crop of leaves as soon as theseeds fall off.
This is also true where tent cater-pillars have defoliated the trees. Heexpects that there will continue to bean epidemic of tent caterpillars forthe next two or three years as theymove about the state from Canada toPennsylvania.
The anticipated cankerworm epidemiccollapsed probably due to parasites andpredators.
2.
FIVE WOODS WALKS PLANNED FOR 1978
Here is your opportunity to enjoy a Woods Walk in your area or make an ex-cursion of it and visit another part of the State to see how forest managementis different yet the same. Come and enjoy. For all trips, please bring yourown lunch; beverages 'lill be provided.
I. Saturday, July 22nd-Harvard, BlackRock Forest-Cornwall-On-Hudson
This 3600 acre forest, operatedby Harvard University is in thescenic Hudson Highlands adjacent toWest Point. In an area of intenseuse it has a multitude of uses andpressures.
Jack Karnig Forest Manager isour Host for the day and has askedthat ,,,egather at the Co rnwa ll. TownHall parking lot at 10:00 a.m. forthe trip, whi.ch should last untilmid-afternoon.
Jack asks that if you plan toattend send a stamped self-address-ed envelope to Mr. Jack KarnigHarvard Black Rock Forest P.O. Box483 Cornwall, New York 12528.
Please wr L te WOODS WALK on thelower left corner of the envelope.
II. Saturday August 12 - Ward TreeFarm, Candor, New York
The Ward Certified Tree Farm em-phasizes quality Christmas trees.Howard Ward, the OHner, and our Hostfor the day has arranged for theWalk on his tree farm and a StateForest, which is next door.
The details of this ',lalkare elsewhe re in this issue.
If you plan to attend send a noteto Mr. Howard O. Ward, 240 Owego St.R.D.#2. Candor New York 13743
3.
III. Saturday, September l6-ChatauquaCounty - Cherry Creek New York
A 200 acre "'foodlotunder manage-ment for more than 70 years contain-ing a wide variety of forest con-ditions.
There are stands of excellentha rdcood s in this .iork-fores t ina range of sizes under unevenagedmanagement with cyclic cutting.
There is a Christmas tree oper-ation, conifer plantations, somefine pole ha rdwoorls, wa rer and openareas and good rernrds on all of it.
The Hoodlot is due west ofCherry Creek, New York on BoutwellHill, and Curtis Bauer the ForesterOwner and our Hos t for the day \"i11meet us at the '"oodlot at 10:00 a.m.
Curt asks that you send him astamped self-addressed envelope ifyou plan to attend and he will senda map of the planned day.
His address is Curtis Bauer,Forecon, Inc. Crown Building, 100East Second Street, Jamesville,New York 14701. and print WOODSWALK in the 101,Jerleft corner ofthe envelope.
IV. Saturday, September 30 -
Al Roberts Woodlot - Cortland
A 60 acre woodlot under intensivemanagement for fun and profit. AlRoberts, the owner and a retired forest-er, claims personal acquaintanceshipwith each tree. He practices hardwoodtimber management with a business offirewood from thinnings and has a Christ-mas tree operation. In addition he hassome interesting experimental areas es-tablished. The Fall coloration shouldbe underway at this time •
This woodswalk will be held in con-junction with the Annual Fall Meeting.The members will meet at the Regionaloffice of the New York State Departmentof Environmental Conservation for themorning session and ~ill go from thereto Al Roberts farm in the afternoon.
Al Roberts would like a note from youif you plan to attend. His address isR.F.D. #3, Cortland, New York. 13045
The D.E.C. office is on Fisher Avenuein Cortland, New York.
V. Saturday, October 14 -
Hardy Shirley-Elizabethtown
This is a chance to visit or revisit(a Woods Walk two years ago) a lovelyAdirondack estate under management for23 years. Hardy and Mary Shirley willbe our Hosts for the Walk.
They plan to feature two lots whichhave been cut OVet heavily in the past,one on good soil and one on poor soilto show the difficulties of tree markingin reconditioning such stands.
The Fall coloration should be at itsheight at this time of year to disputethe Adirondack saying that for ninemonths snow flies and for three monthsblack flies.
As the road entrance is poorly markedDr. Shirley wants us to meet in thevillage.
He would appreciate it if you wouldtell him if you are coming so that hecan send you a map of the details.
His address is Hardy L. Shirley, StarRoute, Elizabethtown, New York, 13207
RICHARD V. LEAWOODS WALK CHAIRMAN
P.S. please send a stamped selfaddressed envelope.
FIREWOOD FROM STATE FORESTS
Hardwood for fireplaces and woodburning stoves can now be cut on stateowned forest lands outside of theForest Preserve.
Surplus trees may be purchased asthey stand in the forest. The buyermust agree to cut at least one stand-ard cord at $1.50 a cord. Individualsor wood dealers may contact the D.E.C.regional forester's office.
The wood should be allowed to seasonfor a year -- it will be lighter, havemore heat value, and be less likely toform creosote. Stack firewood in loosepiles that are raised off the ground.
* *Vacation Reminders
Sign posted outside a Red Cross build-ing: "Before going on vacation donateblood. Mosquitoes don't give coffeeand donuts - we do!; Reader's Digest
4.
WOODS WALK
What is a "Woods Walk"? It is a conducted walking tour throughprivate and State forest lands.
Why? To observe timber production on local lands and to learnthe why's of various forest practices.
When will it be? Saturday, August 12, 1978 at 10:00 A.M.Assemble between 9:15 and 9:30 A.M.
Where will it be? Assemble along the highways at the junctionof Routes 96 and 9613 and Honeypot Road in Candor. Thereis an Arco Station on the corner. From there, Mr. HowardWard will conduct the assembled group in their cars to histree farm on Newman Road, Lower Fairfield, Town of Candor.The walk will also cover a portion of State Forest adjoin-ing his property.
Who is invited?
~fnowill be explaining what's being done?Invitation is extended to everyone (male and female) who ownsa woodlot, who would like to own a woodlot, who owns bareland that they would like to turn into a woodlot, or anyonewho just likes to walk in the woods.
Resource persons who will attend are:
Howard o. Hard of Canclor, the Owner,Carl llaischer, the State Forester covering this area,Stanley Hinnick of Owego Contracting of Candor who is
a professional tir~er buyer and harvester,John Lacey, Executive Director of the Tioga County Soil
& Water Conservation District,John Lounsberry, Director of the Tioga County office of
the Agricultural Stabilizatio~ and ConservationService through whose office is administered theTimber Stand Improvement and reforestation programsof the Federal Government.
How do we provide for lunch? Bring your own bag lunch andbeer, if you like. Other drinks will be provided. It's"out in the boondocks" so catering service is notavailable.
How do He dress? In whatever is cornfo rt.ab l,eand durable aridwith goocl walking shoes. In the event of inclement weather,rain gear is advised unless you don't mind getting wet. Thewalk will be held regardless of weather conditions. Acoating of insect repellent on bare skin is also advised.
COME, EaJOY, & LEARN
(An activity of Education by the New York Forest Owners Ass'n)
5.
HID 0 W M A K E R
By DAVE TABERCooperative Extension Specialist
"WIDOW MAKERS" are dangerous.Whenever felling trees for firewood
always evaluate the tree first by lookingat the crown and branches of adjacent trees.
Look for old dead branches which maybe loose in the tree tops or deadbranches which may break when they fall.
Loose branches hanging in the tree-tops are called "widow-makers" becauseso often they have killed the chain sawoperator who is harvesting them. When"widoly-makers" become dislodged duringthe felling of a tree and hit a personbelow, the force can be tremendouslydevastating from even a small branch.
Therefore when about to harvest atree one must first evaluate it. Con-sider all trees which will be affectedby the felling of a particular tree.Look for branches which may become dis-lodged or break during the felling pro-cess.
Be alert to danger and be preparedto escape if necessary. These are im-portant techniques for the "profession-al firewood" gatherer.
When the tree has actually been cutfrom the stump along a predetermined"escape routell which is at an angleto the direction of the fall ratherthan directly behind it so that if thetree jumps backward as the crown bouncesoff adjacent tree tops the harvesterwill not be hit by the tree bole.
As the tree is falling one mustcontinually glance upward to see ifany "widow-makers II or dead brancheshave become flying missiles.
Not until all possible branches ofthe tree come to rest on the groundcan vigilance be relaxed.
* * *ESTATE MANAGEMENT, by Elwyn Voss 8p.
Available upon request from theAMERICAN AGRICULTURISTP.O. Box 370Ithaca, New York 14850
6.
FIR E WOO D
Sell it by the ton
Robert M. Sand, president of theNew York Forest Owners Association,is also supervisor of logging andforestland management for Cotton-Hanlon, Inc. at odessa, New York. Hereports a brisk business in sellingf Lrewood by the ton. Timber standimprovement (TSI) activities requireremoval of crooked, defective treesthat are not salable as timber, butyet make good firewood, or raw mater-ial for flakeboard.
Sand reports selling more than10,000 tons of cull trees from C-Hland in 1977 ••• with about half ofthat now going to Masonite and theother half for firewood.
"we've even diverted some logsfrom sales to Masonite for firewooddelivery." he says. "Trucking atabout $1.25 per mile is expensive,and firewood sales often mean shorterhauls."
Cull hardwood logs are deliveredto homeowners in random lengths from6 to 20 feet, averaging 13 to 14 feet.Diameters range from 4 to 24 inches.average 10 to 12 inches.
A hydraulic boom loader on thetruck can set logs down with a velvettouch, and truckers pile 'em so theyare not dangerous to the family. Thepurchaser cuts up and splits his ownfirewood after delivery of the logs.
The minimum load is 15 tons, andloads range upward from that figure.C-H has a platform scale so loadweights can be accurately determined.
The price depends on distancehauled, but varies from $16 to $18
per ton, averaging $16.50 per ton.They'll haul within a radius of 50miles of the TSI site.
"There are about 2.5 tons in astandard cord ••• 4 x 4 x 8 feet •••which would make three face cords ofwood with sticks 16 inches 10ng,"Sandsays. "That f Lgure s out to $41.25 forthree l6-inch cords.
"Its takes about five full cords •••15 face cords of l6-inch sticks ••• toheat the average house for a year, as-suming a really efficient stove. Sixfull cords is an average Cotton-Hanloncord. One full cord of air-dried wood(beech, birch or maple) is equivalentin heating value to 200 gallons offuel oil.
'~ne pound of dry wood has thesame BTU heating value as any otherpound of dry wood , That's the beautyof selling firewood by weight ••• thecustomer gets his money's worth whetherthe species vary, or even if there arewome hollow logs •••he doesn't pay forany air!
Sand reports that 60% of the fire-wood he sells is beech. "Within fiveyears, II he says, "I'LL bet there won I tbe a beech sawlog in the entire stateof New York •••except for isolatedpockets here and there. The beech-barkdisease is wiping beech out very rapid-ly••• a scale insect often injures thebark, and a deadly fungus invades thosewounds. The tree deteriorates rapidlyafter getting the disease ••• anyoneowning some beech woodLand should sellit as quickly as possible."
Cotton-Hanlon started small in thefirewood business back in 1975, sellinga couple of thousand dollars worth ofit that year. The next year, the fig-ure jumped ten times •••doubled again thenext year, and the target for 1978 isfor even greater growth. ~here is aburning interest in wood, no doubt.
7.
CLINTON COUNTYTREE FARMER HONORED
Michael J. Sullivan, Rmfo2, peru, NewYork, was honored Thursday, May 25, inAlbany as Tree Farmer of the year by theNew York Tree Farm Committee of the Em-pire State Forest Products Association.
As one of over 30,000 certified treefarmers in the United States, Sullivanhas practiced multiple-use forestry onhis 1,095 acre woo~land in Peru since awritten forest management plan was pre-pered i~ 1~57. Conservation, recreationand timber are the multiple-use conceptsincorporated by Sullivan and his TreeFarm during 22 years of woodland owner-ship.
Mike Sullivan's land has never beenposted against trespassing; and exceptfor periods of high fire danger his woodshave always been open for public hunting,fishing, hiking and snowmobiling as re-creational activities in a working forest.
Conservation practices implemented bySullivan include Timber Stand Improve-ment (TSI) on 105 acres to benefit thewoods by eli~inating inferior qualitytrees which compete with crop trees;hand planting 50 acres with 50,000 pinetrees; and commercially harvesting near-ly two million board feet of timber,mostly white pine, used for consumer pro-ducts.
In addition his property was improv-ed by adding an intricate system of woodsroads wh Lch are continually maintainedfor multiple purposes as fire breaks,access avenues for recreation, and log-ging roads for timber harvesting.
Disease control practices are anactive part of Sullivan's managementtechniques for growing healthy trees.So whenever an area is commerciallyharvested or the inferior trees are re-moved during non-profit Timber StandImprovement (TSI) practices, the goose-berry and current bushes which are known
8.
as Ribes plants are destroyed.Ribes are an alternate host, necessaryto complete the life cycle of the whitepine blister rust disease. This fungusdisease deforms and kills pine treesby girdling them with a canker.
For 22 years Mike Sullivan, arecently semi-retired sav~ill operatorand timber harvester, has been a Coop-erator under the State Forest PracticeAct Program, administered to promoteprofessional forest management prac-tices by the New York State Depart-ment of Environmental Conservation(DEC), Division of Land Resourcesand Forest Resources subdivision.
State Senator Ronald B. Stafford,in his May 10 letter of testimony con-cerning Michael J. Sullivan, statedthat "He is one of the finest citizensin the North Country and his commit-ment to and continued interest in theforestry program is an inspiration toall." And Stafford elaborated by ex-plaining that Sullivan "is dedicatedto forestry management and is a con-servationist in the true sense of theword ," "He has woven the idea Is offorestry management into his everydaylife and occupation." Stafford said.
Regarding tree farming and theAmerican Tree Farm System, Michael J.Sullivan emphasizes a unique conserv-ation philosophy which is very impor-tant. He says,"! like to leave thewoodland in a better condition than
<continued on page 12)
TOWARDS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING
OF FOREST SOILS
By Gregory Baker
with help from James Lassoie
The importance of forest soils is notwidely recognized by woodlot owners.Soil and its various biological andphysical properties need to be under-stood if woodlots are to be managedeffectively. Forest soils are notsimply dirt.
The interactions of climate, geology,organisms, relief and time provide for acomplex of activity. More productivetree growth, a common objective of wood-lot owne rs , and a knowledge of forestsoils should be sought simultaneously.
This paper will initially presentbackground information regarding soils.Secondly, the paper examines the need togather soil information for proper siteevaluation and determination of thesoil's potentiality for growth. Thirdlyaspects of the tree and soil relation~ship will be discussed. Tree harvestingand its effects are then explained.Lastly, recent information and knowledgeabout fertilization will be mentioned.
In order to use soil information ef-fectively, one must know something aboutthe distribution of soils in New YorkState (or wherever you happen to live).Basically, soil is composed of air, water,inorganic and organic matter.
Origin and age of a soil help determinethe combinations of elements containedin the soil. New York, for instance,contains young soils of glacial origin.The highland region of the Adirondackscontains very sandy soils which are lowin fertility.
The organic matter represents theaccumulation of partially decayed andpartially resynthesized plant and ani-mal residue. It is the source of nitro-gen, phosphorous, and potassium. Organ-ic matter is the main source of energyof microorganisms which help facilitatethe transport and breakdown of nutrients.
The concern is not with the amount ofnutrients but with the ease with whichtransfer is made to simpler forms. Itis these simpler forms that are more a-vailable to plants. The transfer ofnutrients to plants can also be slowedwhen the soil is excessively cold or wet.
About 45% of the soil is inorganicmatter. Sandy soils are usually lowerin pH. Pines, oaks and red maple areusually better adapted to such soils.(This does not mean these species wouldnot grow better on heavier soils. Thecompetition on better soils would simplybe greater.)
SITE EVALUATION
Proper site evaluation will help thelandowner understand the respective area'scapacity to grow trees. Such an evaluNation helps one predict future growth ofan area, as well as providing infor-mation helping to explain the stand'spresent makeup.
Let me begin by emphasizing that manydifferent characteristics go into identi-fying a soil type. Among these factorsare the soil texture, pH, soil drainage,
9.
and moisture holding capacity. Vari-ations within each soil type and theoverlapping of different soils makethe identification of explicit soilboundaries impossible.
Soil type is named by the series name(the area in which it is found) plusthe particular soil texture class.Soil texture is determined by the pro-portion of sand, silt, and clay pre-
sent. Texture is important because ofits effects on water holding capacity,nutrient supply and aeration of thesoil profile. Medium textured soilshave fewer biological limitations thancoarser or finer soils.
High soil acLdLt y d.s one of themost important problems of crop pro-duction in New York State. Soil pHmay influence nutrient absorption andplant growth in two ways: 1) Thedirect effect of hydrogen ions, 2)through its influence on nutrient a-vailability and the presence of toxicions.l For example, acid soils makephosphorous unavailable; in addition,these soils contain high levels ofsoluble iron and aluminum which aretoxic to many trees.
Soil drainage is measured in arange from well drained to very poorlydrained. Soils on hilltops are usuallywell drained and soils found on shallowdepressions are usually poorly drained.The color of the plow layer and thepresence of mottling are used asmeasurers of drainage. Drainage caneffect tree rooting and aeration ofthe soil. Insufficient rooting and alack of air will su~e1y effect treegrowth. In addition, greater equip-ment restrictions while logging willoccur on poorly drained soils.
A soils ~h3lity to hold water untilit is needed is called its moistureholding capacity. The soil acts as areserve mechanism. During drier peri~ods, the stored water must supplement
the limited rainfall ta insure contin-uous plant activity. Moisture holdingcapacity is largely a function oftexture and depth of rooting.
I. K~ts to determine pH can be obtainedby writing directly to: The Depart-ment of Agronomy, Bradford HallCornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850(a small fee may be required)
* * *WANT NEW YORK STATE FORESTRY INFORMATION?
To receive briefs of research reportsdone by the Applied Forestry ResearchInstitute (AFRI) you must be on theirmailing list. There is no charge forthis service. You only need to drop apost card to AFRI with your name andaddress asking to be on their mailinglist.
~FRI REPORTS you may be interested in:
Tree-Length Volume Tables for Hardwoodin New York State;
Logging damage to Partially cut HardwoodStands in New York State;
A Time Study of Felling Cull Trees inthe Southeastern Adirondacks;
Forest Resources and Wood-Using Indus-tries of the Catskill Region;
Hardwood Lumber Recovery and SawmillEfficiency in New York.
To get on the mailing list, to obtaina list of AFRI publications, or to getthe above mentioned reports, write:AFRI, SUNY College of EnvironmentalScience and Forestry, Syracuse,New York, 13210. •
* * *
10,
TREES AND THE SOIL
All the site factors above help ex-plain the response of different treespecies to different soil types. Thecommon understanding is that soil placeslimitations on tree growth. For instancecertain species prefer certain soils, theregenerative ability differs on eachsoil, and some soils encourage morecompetition from •.ceeds and weed trees.
A less understood process is howcertain trees influence the soilo Blacklocust (~ia pseudoac~a)and pincherry (?runus pennsylvanica)are twosoecies having uniaue characteristic3~;Gulting in soil improvement. Thesesuccessional species affect the soil~eyond the normal activity of returningnutrients to the soil through death anddecay. For example, black locust is anitrogen fixer, a root characteristic,which will improve soil fertility. Thehigh nitrogen content of the litteroftentimes enhances tree growth. A netgain of 45 kg./ha./yr. of fixed nitrogenwas reported in a stand containing blacklocust. With time, the improved soilconditions will make growth of more val-uable hardwoods favorable to these sites.
The process through which treesactually improve the soil should be ofconcern to woodlot owners. Much of theabandoned agricultural land now woodedwas originally left due to the poor soilconditions. Many of these coils arecompacted and deteriorated. Recoveryof soil productivity includes cessationof erosion, development of litter cover(organic matter), improved soil porosityand increased infiltration.
The tree soil relationship must in-clude a discussion of the roots function.Tree growth is largely determined by theease with which the transport of waterand nutrients via the roots take place.A knowledge of the root soil relation-ship will help to better understandtree growth
This soil root relationship is notpassive. Roots give off large amountsof carbon dioxide and other acid form-ing substances which help speed up theuptake of nutrients from the soil intothe tree. In addition, organic ex-cretions from the plant roots provide foodfood and energy for microorganismswhich effect soil fertility.
NUTRIENT CYCLING AND CtITTING PRACTICES
The soil does not have a finiteamount of nutrients. The availabilityis changing and always being replenish-ed. It has been found that monthlyvariations in the release patterns ofnutrients occur in soils. The greatestrelease of nitrogen has been £oundduring the fall and early winter.Rather than steady state, unsteadystate is the rule.
As well as microorganisms mentionedabove, tree removal alters nutrientcycling within the forest. Let us firstfirst consider the nutrient content ofa stand. Actually, the nutrient con-tent of the tree material is a rela-tively small portion of the total nutri-ent supply within the soil. Nutrientdeficiency as a result of harvestingon a 50-100 year rotation is unlikely.Basically, stand age, species compo-sition and stage of succession influ-ence the stands nutrient content.
Shorter rotations and a move towardswhole tree cutting in the northeastmake the danger of nutrient lossesmore likely. Shorter rotations bringabout increased disturbance of thesoil as well as greater nutrient loss-es due to leaching.
Whole tree cutting means the utili-zation of branchwood, thinnings andcull which are normally left in thewoods. The U.S. Forest Service indi-cates that one-third of the tree"snutrients are in the harvested stem-wood and two-thirds is contained inbranches, leaves, and roots.
11.
branches, roots and leaves. Clearlythen, whole tree removal may pose aproblem of harmful nutrient losses.
Of all forest practices, clear-cut-ting affects the forest the most.When practiced properly, clearcuttingmay be an ecologically acceptablepractice in the northeast. Severalsuggestions are that a clearcut should1) be on a good site, 2) be small inarea, 3) minimize harm to the forestfloor (impact of equipment and loca-tion of roads can be more harmful thanthe cutting itself), 4) allow forsufficient rotation time.
FERTILIZATION
Fertilizers provide a possiblemeans by which to meet the problem ofnutrient losses due to harvesting. Ec-onomic feasibility, environmental inter-actions and impacts have limited forestfertilization in the past. The initialinvestment for fertilizer must be com-pared to the marginal revenue resultingfrom its application. Poorer sites re-spond quite differently to fertilizersthan better sites. One also needs toknow the different species nutrientdemands in order to predict fertili-zation impact.
The long term effects of fertili-zation are not yet clear. What arethe adverse effects such as increasedleaching losses and animal uptake?Fertilization can also alter the soilpH. Will this change be temporary orpermanent?
Our understanding of fertilizationand its feasibility are far from com-plete. Fertilization is not widelypracticed in the northeast. As wemove towards the possibility of wholetree cutting in the future, fertili-zation may find greater attention.
CONCLUSIONA knowledge of tree growth must
be combined with an understanding of
forest soils. Soil origin and soiltype help, to a large extent in deter-mining species present and variousother stand characteristics. The nu:·trient cycling within the stand isever changing. These changes occurnaturally and through the efforts ofman from cutting. Our job should beto monitor these changes in order tokeep a check on detrimental impactsthat might result, whether they beshort or long-term.
* * *Clinton County Tree Farmer Honored, ..
CCountinued from page 8)when I received it." And he stressesthe fact that poor forestry practicesin the past, namely high grading orcutting the best and leaving theworst, result in a woods of poorquality trees and a big job torecti.fy.
Mr. Sul1Lvan is also a member ofthe Nev]York Forest Oemer Association
WOOD CHIPS MAKE ELECTRICITY CHEAP
The cost of producing electricitydth 2 mixture of 75 percent wood chipsand 25 percent oil in Vermont was a re-markably low rate of 2.1 cents per kilo-watt hour. In contrast, the cost ofelectrtcity with coal and fuel oil was3 cents per kilowatt hour according toRobert Young, General Manager of Burling-ton Electric Department in Vermont.
The cost of conversion of the 10-mega-watt boiler to wood chip burning capabili-ty was $25,000. Wood chips are pur-chased for $12 per ton from an experi-mental harvesting project. The electricgeneration plant burns nearly 1000 tonsof wood chips per week during thewinter, according to Robert Young.
* * *12.
TO MEET ITS OBJECTIVESTHE ASSOCIATION:
The NEW YORK FOREST OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
Invites YOUTo join with us in a program of rebuilding the forestwealth of the Empire State.
YOUR MEMBERSHIP
Can bring you returns in the satisfaction of growingquality timber, stabilizing forest industries andmarkets, providing permanent jobs, increasing the valueof your woods, enlarging areas of natural beauty acrossthe State, and leaving behind a monument in living treesto bless the tomorrows for the boys and girls today.
THE NEW YORK FOREST OWNERS ASSOCIATIONis dedicated to serving forest owners
OUR OBJECTIVES ARE:
1. To represent the 255,000 forest own-ers in New York State in forestryprograms, planning and policy.
2. To unite the forest owners of NewYork in a cornmon cause of improvingtheir forest resources and forestopportunities.
3. To join with and support private,state and federal programs thatstrengthen forestry, such as the NewYork Forest Practice Act and TreeFarm Program.
4. To help make ownership of forestlandmore attractive as an investment.
5. To work toward an economic climatefavorable to permanent forest industry.
6. To maintain a balance between timbergrowth and cut to assure raw materialsfor industry and steady employment inforest communities and rural areas.
7. To encourage education and researchin forest management, marketing anduse of forest products and services.
8. To manage forest land to enhance itsnatural beauty for the benefit of the
Publishes six issues of the ForestOwner each year, providing free andfriendly exchange of experience, outlook and opinion among our members.
Holds Annual and Fall meetings, toursand field trips to inform and inspire.
Mails members helpful and instructivematerials furnished by the NYFOA, stateand federal agencies, and individuals.
Promotes standards for timber harvest-ers that protect forest owners in thesale of timber and during logging op-erations.
Fosters the training of skilled timberharvesters and forest workers.
Works for the classification of forestlands into: timber ~rowing, recreation,wa tershed , wildlife, summer home sites.
Works for a forest land tax adaptableto conditions of timber harvesting.
Recognizes and acclaims meritoriuseffort in the field of forestry, con-servation and outdoor recreation.
Conducts "Woods Walks" to stimulateemthusiasm for: growing timber, enjoy-ment of outdoor living and getting ac-
owner, motorist, tourist and recreation. quainted with NYFOA members.13.
LOGGER, FOREST OWNER, MILL
SCALER
Log Scaling and Log GradingWorkshop
Your participation in a forthcoming Log Scaling, and LogGrading Workshop is earnestlysolicited:
WHEN: Saturday, August 269 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
WHERE: BEFT Timber ProductsRoute 104, Sodus, N.Y.
WHY PAR TIC I PAT E
To gain additional understand-ing of --
The role of harvesting in themanagement of the hardwoodforest.
the fundamentals and tech-niques of log scaling andgrading and actual practiceln
Log scales being used andvariations in log volume asdependent upon scaled used.
the effects of log grades onquality of lumber output.
live sawing demonstration
C 0 S T: $10 (fee includes boxlunch) per participant
Cooperators: Applied ForestryResearch Institute & theSchool of Continuing EducationState University of New YorkCollege of Environmental
Science and Forestry, SyracuseNew York
New York Timber Producers Assoc.
New York Forest Owners Assoc.
Make $10 registration checkpayable to the Research Found-ation of SUNY. (If you have alog scale stick, please bring it.
THE FRONT COVER
This is a picture taken in theBlack Forest near Innsbruck.
The Black Forest extends fromSwitzerland down throuBh Germanyand Austria and is a vital partof the life in those countries.
The trees are so dense thatthey seem black from a distance.
This forest has been undermanagement for several hundredyears. (to be a forester is tobe highly trained and have considerable status ), and the treesare so tall and straight.Beautiful!
A DIAMOND is a chunk of coal thathas been under severe pressure.
Next time there will be anEditorial. In the mean time if
you have anything interesting forthe Forest Owner send it to
Evelyn Stock, Ike Dixon Rd.Camillus, New York 13031
14.
Non profit arg.bulk rate
U.S. POSTAGEPAID
Nedrow, N.Y.13120
Permit No. 37
Evelyn A. StockEditor
5756 Ike Dixon Rd.Camillus, N.Y. 13031
Bring a Friend!There are 255,000 other forest owners in New York.
Why not invite them to join NYFOA today?
APPLICATION FOR MfMBfRSHIP IN THf NEWYORK FORH'~ ~ , ICO(' 1\('(' r:IATlON, INC.
(Please send to:)
Mrs. Helen Varian, Membership Secretary204 Varian Rd., Peekskill, N.Y. 10566
I would like to help advance forestry in New York State.I enclose my check payable to the New York ForestOwners Association, Inc.
I own acres for.est land InCounty, N.Y.I do not own forest land but I support Associa-tion's objectives.
ANNUAL DUES(Please underline choice)
Junior Member (Under 21) $1
Regular Member ' $7
Family Membership $12(husband, wife)
Contributing Member $12 - $29
. Sustaining Member $30 - $99
Supporting. Member , . $100 - $499
Sponsoring Member $500 and upName ~----------------
Address _
______________ Zip Code _
