Winter Silhouettes

When snow covers our landscape, winter can provide stark contrasts -- black or shades of gray against a background of white. Although not seen as often as they were in earlier generations, silhouettes were a common way of "picturing" a child or ancestor. Every person's silhouette has subtle, yet quickly recognizable differences.

Silhouettes are common in our winter landscapes. Trees stand barren and dark against the snow covered hillsides or open fields. Just like silhouettes of people, trees standing against the snow or winter sky (an alternative as snow has been lacking) provide wonderful, engaging images to explore and serve to enhance identification skills.

To successfully identify trees by their profiles there are few tricks that will enhance your skills. First, it is best if you are seeing the tree as an individual. As more trees crowd your view, it is difficult to discern individual features.

Second, learn where trees naturally occur in your landscape. Some trees are common in fencerows, abandoned fields, stream bottoms, or even our yards.

Third, what do you look for as you study silhouettes? Every part of the "image" provides information. The trunk, branch angles, twig thickness and arrangement (alternate or opposite), seeds and fruits, seed stems, flower buds, and even leaves, which may hang on until spring (for example pin oak and beech), add information to the silhouette.

Maples are common yard trees. In silhouette, they show lots of variation. When you are relatively close, their opposite branching pattern is clear among the twigs. (Relatively few of our native Pennsylvania trees have opposite branching. They include maples, ashes, dogwoods, viburnums, which are mostly shrubs, and horse chestnut and buckeye.) Maple limbs and twigs, for the most, are uplifting, reaching toward the sky; however, box elder, also called ash-leaf maple, tends to have drooping or erratic branching patterns, but these are most often near wetter areas -- another clue. Norway maple, a non-native tree has similar patterns, but twigs are heavier and, often in winter, the stems from last year's seeds remain.

Ash, another opposite-branched tree, sends its twigs at the top of the crown straight toward the sky, and the twigs are clearly coarser. Here, too, you might see the stems from last year's fruit still hanging from twigs, and if it is a male tree (yes there are both genders), the male flowers may appear as clumps on the end of branches. A common tree that shares a profile similar to ash is yellow poplar, whose branches lift up, but the twigs are alternate in arrangement. In this species, the winter crown often retains some conelike structures that held last year's seeds in the canopy pointing straight up.

Using both location and shape is one way to identify a silhouette is sumac, an easy tree to learn, which often stands along field edges. Its twisted stems, along with its few, coarse, uplifting branches topped with large seed heads are very evident. A more difficult tree to discern in the field edge might be black cherry; sometimes its trunk is curved and twisted and often doubles or triples originating from one stump. In this location, it is not like its forest grown cousin. Its branches are fine and very dark; they appear to intertwine and cross back and forth. Those twigs toward the ends of the branches seem to sweep or point toward the ground. Black walnut is also common in fencerows. Its stems, at a distance, might look a bit like those of cherry, but the branches are heavy, thick, and uplifting, giving the tree an open appearance.

Learning trees in the winter landscape is challenging even when you are close to them and have opportunities to study individual tree structures. Many people are content to enjoy the varying shapes and forms of trees silhouetted against the snow. We have all enjoyed seeing that solitary white oak, black walnut, or sugar maple standing alone in a field against the snowy white. Knowing "who" it is, adds another dimension to your understanding and appreciation.

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

Tell Your Woods Story with and to Your Heirs
December 2011

A recent study by the Penn State School of Forest Resources showed that many of the PA's private landowners are thinking about the future of their forest-land. Our state's forest owners express concern over what will happen to their land when they pass it forward to the next generation; however, we see few taking meaningful actions to plan accordingly. In the 2010 Exploring the Private Forestlands of Pennsylvania study, 53% of the current owners said they intend to leave their land to more than one heir. Under this scenario, land that was cared for to meet one or two person's values suddenly becomes subject to many more voices making decisions, and these voices don't often sing the same song.

With the holidays approaching and families and friends gathering, perhaps now is the time for you to take a walk in the woods with your heirs. Talk about your land and what's important to you. Studies show that heirs want to maintain the legacy of previous generations, but often they don't feel included in the cur-rent decision-making and lack preparation for becoming the next forestland owner.

As a forest landowner, talking with your heirs about what's important to you about your land is both challenging and rewarding. Start with what you love. Tell your family why your land is important to you. Relate a funny or moving story. And ask them to do the same. You may find in your conversation that your land is just as important to your heirs as it is to you. And maybe planning for its future becomes a more shared and engaged process for you, your family, and heirs than just wishing them luck when your will is read.

There are many resources available when one is ready to engage the estate or succession planning process. Forest Stewardship Bulletin #13: Estate Planning is one offered by Penn State Renewable Natural Resources Cooperative Extension. Visit http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/uh105.pdf to download a copy. A simple Internet search on forests and estate or succession planning will provide many other resources.

The most important step for the future of your woods is communication and having the gumption to start the conversation. Land is a finite and valuable resource. Its future depends upon the actions and aspirations of the current holders. Tell that story to those who you hope will care for it after you.

Written by Allyson Muth

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Fall Woods Cleaning
September 2011

Fall. What a great time of the year to be in the woods! Whether you go there to hunt, bike, walk, or whatever, the aesthetic appeal of fall flowers, colored leaves, earthy smells, and comfortable temperatures (sometimes) invite you to kick back and enjoy the experience.

Depending on your demeanor and preferences, some woods might look messy -- they might seem to be begging for a cleaning. Your personal tolerance for "messiness" will vary, and as well, your understanding of "messiness" will sway your acceptance. Sometimes woodland mess means health, vigor, and renewal; other times, though, it could mean just the opposite.

Year after year in every woodlot there is a cycle of death and birth. In the autumn, annual plants die and then sprout in the spring to repeat the cycle. Some plants, which are biennial, take two years to cycle through birth and death. Every living thing has a cycle that leads to change and renewal. Trees are perennial; they exist for years, maybe even centuries, but they too die. The plant residue created when soft tissue annual plants die is short-lived; in a year or two it decays and contributes its nutrients to perpetuate cycles.

When trees die their "pieces" can linger for years. It doesn’t matter how the tree died; whether it was cut to make furniture or flooring, died from a wind burst or storm, was killed by insects or disease, or just succumbed to old age, its residue remains and can, depending on your perspective, clutter the woods. The temptation is to "clean it up," to make the woods tidy.

Dead trees in woodlands, because they do linger for years, provide important structure, habitat, food, and even aesthetic appeal. They are actually pretty remarkable. On the forest floor, at least nineteen kinds of salamanders and twenty-six species of reptiles make some use of logs, stumps, bark, and slash piles in Pennsylvania’s woodlands. Freshly fallen trees, with their odd branches still reaching up, provide hunting perches for insectivorous birds. As a rule of thumb, the bigger the fallen log, the longer it lasts and more benefit it provides over the years. As these logs decay they become increasingly better homes for wildlife as insects and fungi break them down.

Standing dead snags and cavity trees are also critical habitat components. Cavities in live or dead trees are used by thirty-five species of birds and twenty species of mammals in Pennsylvania. While dead standing trees can be hazards, they are important to retain for wildlife. Sometimes, too, they are some of the most interesting trees in the woodlot with their bare skeletal stems and branches, interesting colors, cracks, folds, and cavities. Big dead trees have the potential to develop larger cavities and to stay in the woodlot longer. At least thirty species of birds commonly use standing snags for perches.

As you look at a woodlot, consider it messiness; consider the importance of that mess. Wildlife are an important part of the woodlot ecology. Providing habitat and structure through dead wood on the forest floor, cavities in live trees, and standing dead snags may actually improve woods health.

As you clean up woodlands, maybe by cutting firewood, know that where two types of habitats come together dead wood, snags, and cavity trees are particularly important. These might be where an area of pine trees abut a hardwood woodlot, a woodlot forms a field edge, or along a stream or lake shore. Leave hollow trees and limbs on the ground, and retain existing logs on the ground in varying degrees of decomposition. Sometimes these are the easiest places to "clean up" but should be the places left most messy. Once you clean up a messy place, it might take decades for it to become messy enough for many wildlife species.

So, take the day off. Walk in the woods and celebrate the messiness that is nature. Know that you are doing the right thing by letting those dead trees lay as part of your gift to the wildlife and the future.

To learn more about Dead Wood and Wildlife, request Pennsylvania Woodlands Number 7 from Renewable Natural Resources Cooperative Extension or download it from http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/freepubs/pdfs/XH0030.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, 416 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry and USDA Forest Service, in Partnership with PennState's Forest Resource Extension, sponsor the Forest Stewardship Program in Pennsylvania.

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

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New PA Forest Stewards Website

With the College of Ag Sciences’ move to a new web software, we had the opportunity to update the PA Forest Stewards website. The new site, http://extension. psu.edu/paforeststewards, is just for the volunteer group. The Forest Stewardship information, news releases, and woodland owner associations’ information were all moved to the Private Forests extension webpage, to increase their visibility and help distinguish between the statewide forest stewardship program and the PA Forest Stewards volunteer program. (Click on the blue button, titled, “Private Forests,” to view the new extension page devoted to private forestry resources.)

Please visit the sites and offer your feedback. We hope to make them most useful for you.

March 2011

A list of the newest publications from the Northern Research Station is now available.

The Northern Research Station provides leading-edge forest science and technology applications to serve a wide range of clients in the 20-state region of the Northeast and Midwest.

Check out our this link where you can view and print the online versions or order paper copies of the publications. http://nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/updates/

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International Year of Forests

The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2011 as the International Year of Forests to raise awareness of sustainable management, conservation, and sustainable development of all types of forests. Forests cover 31% of total land area of our earth and are home to 80% of our terrestrial biodiversity. The livelihoods of over 1.6 billion people depend on forests and worldwide trade in forest products was estimated at $327 billion in 2004.

In the U.S., with support from the USDA Forest Service, the National Association of State Foresters has partnered with the American Forest Foundation to develop, guide, and facilitate plans for the International Year of Forests. The U.S. goal is to provide all forestry stakeholders with ideas and resources to participate in the celebration over the next year. From a national day of celebration to community-level actions, the partnership is developing tools and ideas that use the platform of Year of Forests to highlight current forestry issues and the good work being done in the broad forestry community nationwide. Materials and events for celebrating the International Year of Forests are listed at http://www.affoundation.org/international_year_of_forests.html.

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Trail Camera Basics
By Scott Weikert, Forest Resources Extension Educator, Penn State Cooperative Extension

Many landowners enjoy monitoring wildlife on their property. Some just like pictures of wildlife on their property, while others want to learn more about wildlife species they see. Landowners with a wildlife management plan may want to monitor wildlife to learn how their plan is working. Of course, some landowners want to monitor game species habits, such as deer and turkey, to increase their odds during hunting season. Some wildlife species are easily viewed during the day while others are active at night. Trail cameras can help landowners view wildlife day or night at multiple locations. They are an effective tool for monitoring wildlife on your property.

“Trail cams” are not new but the technology they use has improved tremendously. The fi rst trail cameras used 35 mm fi lm and had incandescent fl ashes. The fl ash provided color pictures at night, but used more energy and increased operating cost. They required developing fi lm and often the pictures were not clear or only showed part of the animal. Many of the pictures were of little or no value. Old technology 35 mm cameras are inexpensive but the drawbacks make them cost more over time.

Today most trail cams use digital cameras. Digital cameras have many advantages including: more pictures taken and stored on the camera, unwanted pictures are easily and cheaply deleted, pictures are easily e-mailed, and photo editing is an option. Some digital trail cams can send pictures directly to your mobile phone or a website for viewing.

Trail cams take images when animals “trip” sensors. The passive infrared (PIR), which detects both heat and movement, is the most common type. They sense a rapid change in the amount of heat and trigger the camera. Some trail cams still use incandescent fl ash for night photos. While these work well and provide color night photos, they require more energy and may frighten some wildlife. More commonly trail cams use infrared fl ash for nighttime images. These fl ashes cost more initially, but they are invisible to most wildlife species and they accommodate video recording. All video and images taken with infrared fl ash are black and white, a drawback for some users.

Mentioned earlier some trail cams send images wirelessly to computer base stations up to two miles away, or cell phones. Other options include solar chargers, security boxes, image viewers, and other conveniences. Many cameras can add date, time, moon phase, and temperature to the photos. To learn about available options, do your research before choosing the right one for you.

To capture quality wildlife images, camera placement is obviously very important. Try to place cameras along trails, or near buck rubs, food plots, water sources, bird feeders, and other places you know wildlife frequent. Make sure to aim the camera toward expected approaches. Along trails, do not set the camera perpendicular to the trail; rather set it so it angles along the trail. This will keep the animal in the detection zone for as long as possible. It is important to know that trail cams have a delay of up to 5 seconds after sensing an animal before they “snap” the picture. Doing this you will have fewer images of animal “parts.” Know too, the delay may be longer at night when the fl ash needs time to charge up.

It is a good practice to place the cam so it is at least fi ve feet from where you expect the animal to appear. This improves picture quality, getting the entire animal in the frame and reducing fl ash over exposure. When possible, orient the camera in a north or south direction to minimize sun caused quality issues.

Strap the camera to a tree or post that will not move with the wind. Under windy conditions, cameras strapped to small saplings may sense movement and take pictures of nothing. When this happens, your image storage space can fi ll quickly. Clear away vegetation that may interfere with your camera. The camera may take pictures of blowing or moving vegetation. At night, vegetation close to the camera may absorb light from the fl ash. When this happens, the animal may not be lit up enough and the offending vegetation may appear very bright thus decreasing picture quality. Try using baits or lures to attract animals such as fox and coyote.

Camera theft can be a problem. Even on private land, people may take your equipment. I suggest keeping them away from roads, ATV trails, and walking paths to minimize theft.

Trail cams are not just for hunters. They provide a way for landowners to get photos of different wildlife on their property that they may not otherwise see. Try one and you may be surprised at what you fi nd.

“The Basics of Using Remote Cameras to Monitor Wildlife” by Justin Brown and Stanley Gehrt was a reference for this article. You can fi nd the entire reference at: http:// ohioline.osu.edu/w-fact/pdf/0021.pdf
Excerpted from The Woodlander Fall 2010.

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Seasonal Decorations from the Woods

Decorating your home for the winter holidays might start with a walk in the woods. Sounds like a surefire way to procrastinate? Well, maybe it is. But your woods are full of traditional and, perhaps, not so traditional plants that can bring a festive air to your home at no cost. In some cases, you might even help your forest's health.

When harvesting native plants, you should exercise care to not take too many from your woods. If you spread your harvesting activities, you are less likely to affect the plant's overall survival. Know too there may be restrictions on harvesting plants from public land, so check locally before taking anything. If your decorating taste can use exotic invasive or competitive plants, then over harvesting may be to your advantage.

So what might you be looking for? A visit to a garden center at this time of the year often finds many examples of grapevine wreaths. Grapevines are common across the state, easy to identify, and easy to work. Start with one vine, and make the wreath, add more to increase volume. Decorate the wreath with other finds.

A recent walk in a local woodlot found many shades of red and green that could brighten your wreath. Multiflora rose, a commonly found exotic hedgerow shrub, had shiny red rose hips and bright green, albeit heavily armored, canes. Bittersweet is another exotic found in forest edges. Its bright orange fruit with light yellowish-tan seed coats that stick out like wings is an easy vine to add to your decorations. At the end of the season, assign these fruit to the trash rather than spread them outside.

Among our native plants that can add a touch of read are crabapples or hawthorne. And, if you are lucky and live near a low wetland area, you might find winter holly with its bright red fruit on a dark twig.

Cones, from native as well as exotic conifers, are a logical addition to your holiday decorations. Clusters of tiny hemlock cones and groupings of native Eastern white pine are easy to find and to collect. Other cones include the long narrow Norway spruce, or the cones from ornamental Douglas-fir with their forked seed bracts showing from under the scales.

Conifer trees are an easy to gather source of greens. Eastern white pine provides soft foliage that is easy to handle and is quite durable -- lasting through the season. Hemlock with its shorter needles and white bottoms is also an excellent choice. However, it does not retain needles as well as white pine. In some areas, teaberry with its leathery leaves and pink to red fruits can really brighten small decorations. Don't forget about Pennsylvania's state flower; mountain laurel's elongated leaves are relatively easy to find.

A longtime favorite green holiday decoration is Lycopodium, a group of plants related to ferns. In Pennsylvania, Princess Pine is one of the easiest Lycopodium plants to recognize as it looks like a small tree. These plants are ancient, a remnant from long ago, and some of the plants you find in the woods are very old. They spread by surface rhizomes – root like structures that lie on the forest floor – as well as by roots. Be careful not to over harvest your plants and they will be there for generations. You can use Lycopodium for a splash of color, as ropes, or wreaths.

Don't overlook simple twigs. Black birch, one of the most common trees in the state, has long slender twigs that can add structure to your decorations. Their deep purple colored twigs and the prominent lenticels -- breathing structures -- that cross the twig are themselves interesting. Sometimes people "flock" birch twigs to increase their appeal.

So, take a walk in the woods with an eye to brightening your home with festive colors. That walk will pay dividends by providing exercise, an excuse to enjoy the winter landscape, and provide an opportunity to show your artistic talents.

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.

Written by: Jim Finley
Phone: 814-863-0402
Email: fj4@psu.edu

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Take a Kid to the Autumn Woods!

Autumn is a glorious season! Think about those really special times you've spent in the woods at this time of year: cool days; crisp nights; wonderful colors; enticing smells; falling leaves. No bugs! Autumn has so much to offer.

Recall your autumns past. Likely you go back to sometime in your youth, when someone took you into the woods or fields. Perhaps that person took you by the hand or carried you into the outdoors and you reveled in the season and the time you spent together. You might associate autumn with the "skreetch - skreetch" of a rake making piles of leaves to cushion your tumbles. You might recall the cool evenings when a sweater was just the ticket to keep you warm, but you felt the chill on your face as you looked up into a clear sky, full of twinkling stars. There is nothing like walking in woods under a dazzling blue sky, leaves slowly floating like colored snowflakes on a chilled wind, smelling the mold of leaves on the forest floor.

Research repeatedly has shown that we make memories and build affinity to the outdoors through our association with other people who enable the experience. Who took you to the woods? Was it a parent, grandparent, neighbor, or family friend?

The health of our children is frequent fodder in current headlines, news reports, magazines, and books. Research is demonstrating strong links between childhood mental and physical health and time spent in the outdoors connecting with nature. Today's youth spend countless hours engaged in virtual worlds or communicating with "friends" through social media. Where will this leave them in regard to their appreciation and understanding of the outdoors?

There's still time to make a difference, and much cause for hope. You don't have to travel far in Pennsylvania to experience autumn. City parks and streets, local to where you live, can provide an invigorating experience. Or, if you are lucky, there are nearby forested parks or private woodlands you can visit and enjoy. Rather than bemoan the passing of summer, go out and enjoy the changing seasons, and take a young family member or friend with you and introduce them to the outdoors. As you walk, pick up fallen leaves and fruits, see their colors and shapes. Look for autumn flowers; they often come in purples, whites, and yellows.

It's more than likely the child you take along will welcome the chance to explore a real world, one that stimulates all the senses: autumn's chilling air, wonderful smells, bright colors, tactile objects, and unpredictable sounds. Ask and encourage them to experience the outdoors with you.

You can be the catalyst to initiate a time of discovery and memory building and become a partner in discovering an autumn day or night this year. Don't miss your opportunity.
Written by Jim Finley and Sandy Smith

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Planting a tree? Make your trees count!

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

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Signs of Spring: Peepers, Ephemerals, and Helicopters

By Jim Finley, Professor, Penn State School of Forest Resources

How do you know when spring is on its way? Three of my signs of spring are: peepers, ephemerals, and helicopters. Likely you have your favorite signs – if not you should.

Peepers are those small, little frogs that announce loudly that winter is over. It is hard to believe something only an inch to inch-anda- half long can raise such a chorus (cacophony?). The chorus starts in March, soon after the ice melts off small, shallow bodies of water, both temporary (vernal) and permanent pools, and signals the beginning of the breeding season that can extend into June. Approaching a pool of peepers, you think you will see thousands of them expanding and contracting as they send forth their song. They are not that easy to see and quickly silence with your approach. When I first heard them, years ago, I was challenged to see my first one and even now marvel at these inconspicuous frogs. As far as peepers are concerned, the more there are in a pond, the happier and louder they seem to be. Listen for them in your woodlot.

Spring ephemerals are those plants and flowers that we see for only a short time, about four to six weeks, before the canopy tree leaves begin to earnestly emerge. It is hard to decide which are most favored – some are showy and others are obscure. Most certainly they are spring harbingers. Early on, the speckled leaves of the trout lilies seem ubiquitous in many woodlots, the yellow flowers soon to follow. The brighter and wider Canadian mayflowers leaves are also early and easy to spot. As the days lengthen, other spring ephemerals grace the forest floor. It is a quick and exciting show.

These plants have to take advantage of the light streaming through the bare tree branches and complete their annual flower show before the light from above dims for the season. To really appreciate the spring flowers, plan on visiting the woods often and take along a good field guide. Because guides usually use flowers for identification, it is helpful to note where you see different plants and pay attention to their leaves and other structures so you can identify them later before they die away until next spring. Also, if you find something special, say a showy orchid or something, note where it is, so you can enjoy its flower next year! I know where there a dozen or so every year!

Now, how do helicopters become part of spring? Every year, the red and yellow flowers of our maples (red and silver, respectively), seem all the more showy. I’ve gotten to the point where I really look forward to seeing their buds swell and burst forth with color in March and early April. Soon after the flowers, the helicopters arrive, as their fruits ripen and fall in late April through June. The seed crops for both these species are pretty consistent and to see the winged samaras spinning down is another sign of spring and the coming of summer. Get out into the woods. Enjoy the spring and think about what you appreciate most about this season in Penn’s Woods.

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The Deer Balancing Act

Wildlife biologists often speak about "balancing" the deer herd. What does this mean? How many of us really know just exactly what it is they are trying to accomplish, how to go about it, or how to know when we have gotten there? Penn State Cooperative Extension is offering several programs this spring on deer and habitat management -- balancing the herd.

Deer populations larger than the habitat can support pose serious problems for homeowners, agricultural producers, woodland owners, and the public. Safety is one issue affecting many people -- from Lyme disease to deer-vehicle collisions. A recent Maryland survey found that 1 out of 6 citizens knows someone who hit a deer with a car. Deer browsing reduces farm crop yields, damages landscape plantings, and reduces forest plant diversity. Managing deer populations so they are in balance with the available habitat is essential.

Research has repeatedly documented deer impacts on tree regeneration and forest herbaceous plant diversity. The ability of a forest to support deer is a function of both deer density and forage availability. By selectively browsing preferred palatable plants, deer influence tree seedling numbers, species composition, and seedling height growth. Because deer are free to move, it is important to consider their management at a landscape level and to understand how concentrated preferential feeding can shift plant communities. As deer feed on one species, another species that is not preferred can become increasingly common. Research findings indicate that when deer numbers exceed what the land is capable of supporting, deer can severely impact the forest’s ability to regenerate itself following natural or man-made disturbances.

Landscape level forage availability relates directly to the ability to support a healthy deer population. When deer populations are out of balance with available habitat, preferred forage species decline and subsequent foraging is even more detrimental to preferred plant species. Preferred plants continue to decline in abundance and may even be locally eliminated from the landscape. In regions where over-browsing for decades has severely depleted food species, even very few deer have major impact and the habitat can only support very few animals. In landscapes with little preferred forage, deer numbers in balance with available habitat must be kept low. To sustainably increase the number of healthy deer the habitat can support, landscape forage availability must increase. It is possible to increase desirable forage through management activities such as controlling undesirable vegetation and harvesting trees.

When deer numbers are out of balance with their habitat, look for obvious browse lines, evidence of severe browsing on non-preferred species such as American beech, striped maple, and black cherry, and forest understories dominated by species deer avoid (e.g., hayscented fern, striped maple, American beech, hophornbeam, mountain laurel, blueberry, spicebush). Across Pennsylvania it is relatively easy to recognize areas where the deer-habitat balance has been upset for years: non preferred plant species, such as hayscented fern, cover the forest floor. Many Pennsylvanians have never seen a healthy forest understory. Can these habitats recover over time? How do we move them from undesirable species to create better deer habitat? What kinds of management decisions will lead to the best solutions? Resource managers have some of the knowledge and tools necessary to improve conditions, but sometimes the answers are evasive.

Web seminars and hands-on workshops offered this spring by Penn State Educators and partners will answer some of your questions. The first webinar entitled "Regenerating Hardwood Forests; Managing Competition, Deer, and Light," is on February 9 at noon and 7 p.m. The second webinar, entitled "Deer Habitat Management," is on March 9 at noon and 7 p.m. For webinar details or to register to participate, visit: http://rnrext.cas.psu.edu/PaForestWeb.html.

Penn State will also offer several hands-on workshops entitled "Deer Density and Carrying Capacity Workshops." These workshops are open to landowners, hunters, and anyone interested in learning more about deer and their habitat. During the session participants learn how to evaluate a given habitat, how its condition relates to deer biology, density, and carrying capacity. For a listing of dates and locations for these workshops, visit the Renewable Natural Resources Extension webpage at: http://rnrext.cas.psu.edu, and click on the "Calendar" Quick Link on the right hand side of the page.

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.

Written by: Dave Jackson, Extension Forester
Phone: 814-355-4897
Email: drj11@psu.edu

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Exploring Your Woods: Thinning Stump Sprouts
By Jim Finley, Pennsylvania Extension Forester

This question is from William Krellner, who wanted to know how to thin stump sprouts, especially black cherry and red maple. This is an important question, as many of our stands, young and old, have many trees that originated from stumps. Knowing when and how to thin these clumps is challenging, maybe even unnerving.

Every forester probably has rules of thumb for dealing with this situation. Some of what they profess comes from research and some from experience. Wanting to get the response right, I delved into the literature and was surprised by the paucity of documentation.

Most of the literature focuses on how sprouts form, how they contribute to stand structure, and how to work with them when they are still relatively small. The process by which they form is fascinating and merits a future article in Forest Leaves. Fortunately, many of our hardwood species (e.g., red and white oaks, red and sugar maple, yellow poplar, black cherry, basswood, ash) will sprout. Many foresters would prefer to have seed origin trees over sprouts, but understand sprouts do contribute significantly to regeneration.

Why thin stump sprouts? Why thin any trees? We thin to reallocate the growth on a given area of forest onto the best trees available. There is only so much growth on an acre. If there are too many trees competing for growing space, individual tree growth is slowed. Therefore, thinning early is advantageous; delays result in lost growth. Some studies have found there are advantages to thinning when the sprouts are 5 years old or less. However, economists caution investing too much time and money too early in the stand’s development will not pay dividends; they suggest waiting long enough that the thinned sprouts provide a product. You have to make this decision for you and your woodlot.

When you are selecting trees to retain, favor those on opposite sides of the stump and having the lowest origin on the stump. As these trees continue to grow, they will form a “U-shaped” crotch. If you choose high origin sprouts, the trees will form a “V-shaped” crotch. If you wait too long and thin “V” crotch trees, the face between them, which is much more prone to rot, will become exposed, and decay may become an issue.

As you evaluate the sprout(s) to retain, consider their straightness, signs of decay, poorly pruned branch stubs, which often introduce rot and decay, evidence of epicormic branches (i.e., those feathery branches that emerge along the stem), and a lack of forks in the first 17 feet or so. Always consider the crown; look to open it so it can expand and become balanced and round. If the decision is to leave two stems, thin them as if they are one – they will compete at their interface but should have room to grow on their individual outer edges. Thinning will slow natural pruning of any stem. While not generally done in commercial operations, consider pruning side branches to a height of 17 feet.

In the process of researching this response, Susan Stout, US Forest Service, Irvine, PA, shared a paper by Jim Redding, retired from the Northern Area Lab, entitled Trees of Stump Sprout Origin. This short paper contains a wealth of information and if you would like to receive a copy, please contact the Stewardship Office at Penn State. We will either email or mail it to you.

Among other things, Jim Redding’s paper specifically addressed maple and black cherry and used science-based research by Alex Shigo, another US Forest Service researcher, to explain how decay affects trees and stump sprouts. Shigo’s work determined trees compartmentalize injuries by building barriers to contain decay and rot. Redding concluded, “In other words, trees do not repair tissue injured by wounds: they wall off invaded tissues, rather than repair and replace them.” The other linkage Redding made from Shigo was that the dark central core found in some northern hardwoods is not true heartwood, but is wound-initiated discoloration, which does not spread unless the tree is further injured. Further, species with ringporous structure, such as oaks, hickory, and ash differ in their susceptibility to decay from diffuse-porous species such as maple and black cherry.

Redding, based on his readings, concluded, “. . . defects in red maple clumps originate from poorly-healed branch stubs 4 to 12 feet above the sprout base. These defects did not pass through the base from one sprout to another, but ended abruptly as they entered the root collar zone.” He continues, “. . . poorer sprouts in red maple clumps can be cut without resulting damage to the remaining sprouts. Even in oak sprout clumps, the potential for spread of decayed wood from sprout to sprout is generally less than was commonly believed.”

In his conclusions, Redding suggests: 1) there is support in the literature to thin clumps to one or two better stems; 2) Shigo’s work sheds new light on decay and rot associated with clump thinning; 3) when thinning clumps take care to avoid splitting when felling trees in clumps (use an undercut); and 4) when initially harvesting, make sure stumps are cut low to ensure low origin sprouts.

Stump sprouts are an important component of a hardwood forest’s natural regeneration. As with all forest management, allocating resources (particularly light) speeds up or slows down the natural process of stand development. Thinning stump sprouts concentrates growth on better stems – improving form, enhancing mast production, and retaining species in the mix. Whenever you are removing any trees in your woodlot, always consider species diversity and your objectives for those trees left behind, be they wildlife, timber, aesthetics. The goal, as with all forest management practices, is to move the forest to a more sustainable place.

As you explore your woods, what questions do you encounter?
Send them to the Allyson Muth, Forest Leaves editor,
abm173@psu.edu. Others may share your curiosity

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Woodlots and Boundary Lines

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

Release No. 0369.09

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Enhancing the Experience of Your Woods

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

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A Thief in the Woods at Night

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

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Trees from Cuttings
By Ty Ryen
Service Forester
DCNR, Bureau of Forestry

It is that time of year again. Landowner’s should have made and started to put into action their plans for spring tree planting. Over the last couple months I have received some interesting questions that reflect the influences of these challenging economic times. Where is a good place to gather tree seeds? How do I start my trees from seed? What is stratification? People are trying to cut their planting costs and still practice good forestry. It was surprising to me how many people had no idea what I was talking about when I asked them if they had ever considered doing cuttings instead.

As a youth I can remember thinking of my grandmother as amazing doing her annual spring ritual of taking rose cuttings and placing them under a mason jar to create an entirely new rose bush. I guess being reared on a small Pennsylvania farm and being exposed to practices like grafting fruit trees and growing cuttings from flowers and fruit trees left me with the notion that everyone has been exposed to those practices.

Most people are familiar with growing new plants from seeds, but new plants can also be created by cutting off a portion of an established plant. Propagation from cuttings involves removing certain parts of a living plant and putting them into a growing medium that encourages the “parts” to form new roots or foliage. Cuttings are a good way to obtain new plants, and often create usable plants more rapidly than from seeds.

Cuttings can offer several advantages over planting from seed. Propagating a new plant using cuttings avoids some of the difficulties of propagating by seed. For example, some seeds are difficult to germinate, often take a couple years for the seedling to appear. A new plant grown from a cutting will often mature faster and flower sooner than a plant grown from a seed.

The main types of stem cutting are herbaceous, softwood, and hardwood. Dogwoods, willows, and aspen are good examples of hardwood cuttings. Hardwood cuttings should be taken from dormant, mature stems in late fall, winter or very early spring before any growth has started. Plants need to be completely dormant for this practice to be successful. This does not happen until you’ve experienced a good hard freeze with temperatures have dipped down below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Here in Northwestern Pennsylvania this generally occurs after mid-November.

Make all cuts just above a leaf node (where the leaf comes out of the stem) so you don’t get a lot of stem dieback. The stem should be about the thickness of a pencil. Hardwood cuttings tend to be long, about 6-12 inches, compared to softwood cuttings, about 3 inches. Cut the bottom of the hardwood cutting at a 45-degree angle just below a leaf node. To avoid confusing the bottom with the top of your cutting, cut the top straight across at a 90 degree angle. If you don’t make sure to keep the cutting the right side up, it will not root or survive if it goes in upside-down.

If you collect cuttings in the early spring and decide to plant them at that time; treating them with rooting hormone will increase your chances of success. Before planting, treat the bottom inch or the cutting with rooting hormone. Rooting hormone can be obtained at most garden centers. Always be sure to carefully read and follow label directions. Some species, such as willows, do not require rooting hormone. The success rate for a lot of species will improve with rooting hormone and some species just don’t seem to root without it.

If you are doing hardwood cuttings that you are not going to plant right away; you’ll have to store them for winter to keep them alive. Store the cuttings, bundled together and fastened with rubber bands, in a container (box/pot/cold frame) and cover with slightly moist vermiculite, sawdust, or sand. Avoid placing them in direct sunlight and keep the cuttings cool. Be sure to plant the cuttings with the top or straight-cut ends up, deep enough so that only one or two of the nodes stick out above the rooting medium.

Rooting time varies with the species being rooted as well as environmental conditions. Once rooted, the cuttings may be left in the rooting structure until spring. Over winter the buds will begin to develop and will be quite tender when you dig them up. It is best to wait till the threat of frost has passed before moving them. Newly rooting cuttings should not get transplanted directly into the landscape. Instead you will want to transplant them to outside containers or into an outside bed that is protected from wind and direct sunlight.

Water them on a regular basis; be careful not to over water them. About 1 inch per week is usually sufficient, unless the summer weather is extremely hot and dry. By fall, the cuttings that have survived should be well rooted. They will be ready to transplant into the landscape on your property early next spring before they break dormancy.

When transplanting into the landscape remember, that as with more traditional planting, weed control and maintenance is still essential for good survival and growth. Work with your county service forester or consultant for the best method. Site preparation is just as essential for planting cuttings as it is for conventional plantings. Weeds and grass must be controlled prior to planting and must be maintained for several years after planting. If you are transplanting certain species of hardwood cuttings you will need to use tree shelters or fencing to protect your new transplants from deer and other animal browse. This will call for a certain amount of maintenance to get the most effective protection.

As with many concerns in natural resources management, the decision to plant seedlings, direct seed, or use cuttings is a decision based solely on the landowner’s objectives, time, and available resources. The choice to establish new plantings either by using cuttings or direct seeding may be a desirable and economically attractive alternative to traditional seedling planting. To make this decision, you must carefully evaluate your options and educate yourself so that you can make the best decision to reach your woodlot goals. Ultimately, the decision is yours to make. Since there are so many challenges and options, you will want to seek professional advice and carefully base your decisions on your own individual situation.

For Further Reading

• Bryant, G. 2003. Plant Propagation A to Z-Growing Plants for Free. Firefly Books: Buffalo, New York.
• Dirr, M.A. and C.W. Heuser, Jr. 1987. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation: from Seed to Tissue Culture. Varsity Press: Athens, Georgia.
• Hartmann, H.T., D.E. Kester, F.T. Davies Jr., and R.L. Geneve. 2002. Hartmann and Kester’s plant propagation: principles and practices. Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.
• Toogood, A. 1999. American Horticultural society Plant Propagation: The Fully Illustrated Plant-by-Plant Manual of Practical Techniques. DK Publishing: New York, New York.

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Managing Forest Vegetation

June 2008

There is a lot of work involved with properly managing your woodlot. Maintaining roads, controlling grape vines, timber stand improvement operations, etc. all require a strong commitment of time and resources from the landowner to make sure the tasks get done. One of the most important tasks is also one that is often overlooked or gets pushed to the bottom of list. That is controlling unwanted forest vegetation.

Often times people do not think of certain species as being unwanted. Unwanted forest vegetation can come in many forms. Many native plants of Pennsylvania can become unwanted vegetation in a forest setting. A few examples of native plants that can create forest management nightmares include: mountain laurel, ferns, striped maple, and even grasses. These are all native plants and can become a hindrance to forest regeneration if not controlled.

Mountain laurel can form very dense thickets that will shade any regeneration that may be attempting to grow on the forest floor. While this can provide some very good escape cover for animals like deer and grouse, it can become a real problem if forest regeneration is your goal. Striped maple grows very well in the shady understory conditions of forests and deer do not browse on it much. The result is an undesirable tree species with little wildlife value that shades out regeneration on the forest floor.

Ferns can be come a serious problem seemingly over night, especially if there has been a thinning operation in your forest. The hay-scented fern is the most common problem fern in Pennsylvania. This plant is not eaten by deer and not only spreads by spores but also by sending up fronds from their extensive root system causing it to spread even faster. These ferns can form a very dense cover virtually eliminating light from the forest floor and severely hindering regeneration.

There are many non-native invasive plant species as well. A few examples of these include: Ailanthus, Japanese barberry, multiflora rose, and mile-a-minute vine. There are many more non-native invasive plants invading Pennsylvania as well. As good stewards of the forest, attention should be given to these plants to prevent them from becoming a bigger problem than they already are.

If you do not currently have a problem with unwanted forest vegetation, your job will be a little easier. The key is to catch these invasive plants early and deal with them as soon as possible.

On a recent hunting trip to my property in Adams County, I found one Japanese barberry bush growing. On my next trip down I plan to make time to address that issue before it spreads any further. As is often the case, we found several plants on an adjacent property which is most likely where my plant came from. I will be notifying the foresters for that property and hopefully they will address the issue. The point is that I caught it early and it will be no problem getting rid of one plant.

Educate yourself on properly identifying these plants. This can seem like a daunting task when you look at the list of invasive plants in Pennsylvania. Familiarize yourself with a few of the more common plants first. Multiflora rose, ailanthus, Japanese barberry, Russian olive, etc may be a good place to start.

More importantly is to get to know your woods intimately. Take the time to learn how to identify the plants that are currently on your property. When something different shows up make the effort to properly ID that plant as well. If it turns out to be an invasive plant, you will have caught it early.

If you find out you have a major problem with an invasive plant, you will have more work and possibly money involved to alleviate the problem. You may not be able to get rid of it all in one season. You may need to hire professional help to get rid of the problem but it will be worth the time and effort for the long term health of your woods. Applying herbicides is one way to effectively control a large outbreak of unwanted plant species.

Here are a few guidelines to be considered when using herbicides.

1. Make sure you have the proper license to apply the chemical if it is needed.

2. Use the herbicide that is most effective at controlling the target species.

3. Use the herbicide at the lowest labeled rate that will give optimum control.

4. Follow prescribed application methods on label.

5. Apply herbicide at optimum time of year.

6. Follow all label precautions.

Be patient; allow time for the herbicide to work. Results may not be evident until the following growing season.

Penn State has a publication titled “Herbicide and Forest Management: Controlling unwanted trees, Brush, and Other Competing Forest Vegetation”. It provides information on choosing the right forestry herbicide and application methods as well as safety considerations that must be taken into account. You can get a copy by contacting your local extension office. Penn State also has a forest vegetation management website that contains a wealth of information and links to many other sources of information. That website is: http://fvm.cas.psu.edu/

For a list of the many invasive species in Pennsylvania go to the following DCNR web page: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/invasivetutorial/List.htm. This web page includes recommendations for control as well as fact sheets with pictures of the plants to help with identification.

By Scott Weikert Forest County Extension Educator

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Chain Saw Safety: Choose Well, Prepare Well, Use Well

It may not be lions, tigers and bears one needs to have a healthy fear of when venturing out to the forests and fields to harvest wood. Folks create their own dangers with inappropriate use of chain saws and tractors for cutting, pulling, and hauling. There are plenty of dangers associated with chain saws and tractors. To truly commit to not risking your own limbs and life or anyone else’s, read equipment manuals. In the mean time, here are some reminders.

Chain saws are grouped into three general sizes based on the weight and the length of the guidebar (the guide tract for the cutting chain). If felling trees 12 to 18 inches in diameter and cutting logs, choose a mid-weight saw with a guide bar of 14 – 20 inches. Make sure it feels balanced in your hands. It should go without saying (but it seems we have to anyway) that choosing a saw with all the safety features (and maintaining them) is in everyone’s best interests. A blue label on newer chain saws indicates that they meet low kickback standards.

Choosing a good saw is not the only choice to make. Buy and use good personal protective equipment as well. There are pants, chaps, gloves and boots made with chain saw protective fabric. Steel-toed boots are a must. Non-skid material is useful on the bottom of boots as well as on the palms of the gloves. Complete your gear with a hardhat, safety glasses with side shields and earplugs or muffs (unless using an electric saw), and you are set to go.

Actually, you are set to go only if you have properly prepared the saw and the site. A smooth running saw is a safer saw. Maintain, maintain, maintain. Most machines need to be well lubricated to run well. Know if your chain saw has an automatic oiler and how to use it. Never use reclaimed oil as it doesn’t lubricate well and corrodes the pump. Loose chains fall off; tight chains bind and over heat. Dull chains make a burned smell, crooked cuts and sawdust rather than chips. Learn how to correctly sharpen the saw and carry extra chains into the field. While you are preparing for the field, think about what to take with you beside lunch. A good first aid kit, tool kit, and fire extinguisher are important.

Preparing at the site entails looking for the hazards. Attached vines, leaning trees, young trees pinned by a fallen tree (these can spring when the weight is released), obstacles in the area if you have to get out of the way, utility lines, and heavy branches in the crown are just the beginning. Dead trees lack structural integrity causing pieces to break off. Examine any tree under pressure to get a fix on the direction of that pressure. With care, you can make small cuts to release pressure in a section. “Widow-maker” isn’t just a quaint and clever term for dead branches in the crown of a tree; these pose real danger. Finally, you may need to check for nails and wire in some trees to avoid kickback. Preplan an escape route that is 45 degrees from the direction of the falling tree with no hazards in your path. Have any other people move to at least two tree lengths distance away before you cut.

Always carry the chain saw with the engine turned off. Start it with two hands on the ground. Do not “drop start” a chain saw as you can not maintain control of the machine.

Keep your cuts below shoulder height; it is too difficult to keep full control of the machine with it raised high Working with sharp implements sometimes seems to dull one’s commonsense— otherwise folks wouldn’t stand on the log they are cutting, hold the chainsaw between their legs to make a cut, or straddle limbs while making a cut. Always stand completely to the side of where you are cutting.

The kickback from a chain saw can cut through skin, muscle, and bone, in a matter of seconds, enough to put you in the hospital or the morgue. Kick back is caused when the tip of the guide bar touches an object, by incorrectly starting a bore cut by using the tip of the saw, when the blade nose or tip catches the bottom or side of a saw cut during reinsertion, and when a chain saw gets pinched while cutting. While tip guards, chainbreaks and kickback guards are valuable in controlling kickback, the most important precaution is to know how to use the saw correctly and to take your time.

Tractors in the Woods

Gathering wood might seem like an ideal time for using that old tractor without a ROPS (rollover protection structure) and poorly adjusted brakes. But it’s not! Every year we have one or more fatalities in Pennsylvania involving a tractor in the woods. Trees or large limbs have crushed operators sitting in the tractor seat because the operator was trying to pull or push a tree, tractors have gone out of control while descending hills and slopes because of poor brakes, and tractors have flipped over backwards while pulling a tree down or dragging logs that catch and stop moving. If you have to use a farm tractor in the woods, it should have an enclosed ROPS cab, and safety practices such as using a seat belt, hitching only to the drawbar, and no extra riders should be strictly followed.

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Top Ten Timber Harvesting Mistakes
By Dan Snyder, DCNR Bureau of Forestry

#1 Diameter Limit Cutting (High Grading)!
Diameter limit harvests (i.e., cutting all trees above a set diameter) are common because they provide an easy way to describe trees for cutting. Because they tend to remove the larger, more valuable trees, they also provide a high (albeit one-time) economic gain. Diameter limit harvests are a form of high-grading that “takes the best and leaves the rest.” Cutting using these approaches is particularly damaging in the hardwood-dominated forests like those in Pennsylvania. Diameter limit cutting seems to make sense as way to remove the larger “older” trees, and leave the smaller “younger” trees to grow. However, in even-aged stands (which we have a lot of in Pennsylvania due to historic cutting patterns), the smaller trees are not necessarily younger, just slower growing. Frequently these smaller trees are genetically inferior, damaged, or less vigorous species. They are often not the trees you want growing into the next generation. For example: a suppressed hemlock sapling, one inch in diameter, may be 60-80 years old. A healthy black cherry, 16 inches in diameter, may be the same age. Which “young” tree do you want left growing in your woods?

#2 No management plan!
A forest management plan can supply you with the information you need to make sound forest management decisions. Plans vary in detail, ranging from very detailed plans to short and concise. The Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Program can provide cost-share support for you to develop a plan. You must have at least five acres or less than 1,000 acres of forestland. Waivers for larger owners (up to 5,000 acres) are available through the USDA Forest Service. Developing a plan with the assistance of a Bureau of Forestry service forester and at least one Forest Stewardshiptrained natural resource professional will help you learn about your forest’s resources and how you can maintain and improve them. You can learn how to manage for wildlife, recreation, aesthetics, or timber production. At a minimum, your management plan should contain detailed property descriptions (including property history), map(s), and management activity prescriptions specific for your property. Only after a careful review and analysis of your property can you make sustainable decisions about managing or selling your trees. NEVER be pressured into making quick cutting choices. From a tree’s perspective, there is usually no rush to make a quick decision.

#3 Not using a forester to represent the landowner!
Studies show that 80% of the timber harvests on private forests do not involve a forester representing the forest owner in the sale. Failure to involve a forester in your timber sale decisions can have consequences. Often times, the decision can result in less income and potentially unsustainable outcomes.

Consulting foresters representing the landowner work for a fee, and studies show that they can increase sale income by marking and marketing your trees – their services can greatly help simplify timber selling. A professional forester’s knowledge can help to retain or improve your woodland’s productivity, as well as maintain wildlife habitats, and control erosion by planning logging road and trail layout.

#4 Trees to be sold are not marked! Marking the trees you want to sell or retain would seem like an obvious step in selling timber. Surprisingly, many sales occur without marking or a clear understanding of which trees will be cut. Setting a diameter limit, as discussed in #1 above, is not a good way to designate trees to cut. Without a clear understanding of what to take or leave, it is nearly impossible to establish a fair price, as you have no way of knowing how much volume, and thus value, you are selling. A timber harvesting plan and the resulting prospectus advertising trees for sale should indicate the species, diameter, and number of 16-foot logs offered. This information allows prospective buyers to estimate the timber volume for sale and make appropriate bids.

#5 No knowledge of timber value! Unless you are intimately acquainted with timber markets (both overseas and domestic), with experience in timber scaling, including defect estimation, it is very unlikely you can estimate the value of your standing timber yourself. Timber prices vary with furniture, housing, and overseas markets. In addition, it is unlikely that many forest owners can understand logging costs, access issues, and local competition for standing timber. A professional forester will be your biggest ally in determining timber value.

#6 No competitive bidding! If you talk to only one person about selling your timber, will you know whether or not you are getting a true representation of value? Studies show that knowing what you have to sell and offering it through a competitive bidding process will often secure the best price. Who would sell a house or car without knowing the value and trying to find the buyer willing to pay the price? Taking the time to find the right buyer can pay dividends. If people are approaching you to buy, you likely have something to sell.

#7 No erosion and sedimentation plan or provisions! In Pennsylvania, all earthmoving or earth disturbing activities must have an Erosion and Sedimentation (E&S) Control Plan. By law the plan must be implemented and effective. Soil cannot leave the property. Ultimately landowners have the responsibility to ensure that activities on their property do not degrade water quality.

An E&S plan must identify threats to water quality and describe specific steps to address these issues. As part of the timber sale contract, responsibility for developing and implementing the E&S Plan can be transferred to the buyer. The buyer, the landowner, or a designee can prepare the plan.

#8 Selling on “percentage” or “shares” (For example, 50/50 or 60/40)! Unless you or your designee can follow every truckload of logs that leaves your property, and can assure that the buyer tallies and pays for the volume, you are at risk. Ideally, you should know what you are selling, bid it competitively, and receive payment before cutting any trees. However, there may be tax advantages to retaining economic interest in your trees until they are cut and removed from the property. Check with your forester or tax advisor about this tax issue.

#9 No reimbursement for excessive timber damage! Your contract with the buyer should clearly state penalties for excessive damage to standing residual trees and other property. It is often a good idea to require a performance deposit to ensure that contract terms and requirements are met. The performance deposit is a payment over and above the selling price, held in escrow until sale termination. A certain amount of residual stand damage is to be expected during the harvest. Trained and responsible loggers will take care to minimize such damage.

#10 No contract! A contract is one of the most important elements leading to a successful and profitable timber sale. The contract describes the who, what, where, when, how, and for how long language relating to your sale. The contract does not have to be long or technical, merely thorough and accurate. The contract should name the seller, the buyer, the location of the sale, how much is sold, and the length of the agreement. It should cover the seller’s responsibilities such as guarantee of ownership, rightof- way across the property to the buyer and his agents, and a clause for changing the contract elements if the modification does not alter the basic principles of the contract. The buyer’s responsibilities are more involved and include: payment schedule, excessive residual stand damage penalties, fire protection (prevention and suppression), repair to existing fences damaged during the harvest, bridges, culverts, and roads, operating sequence, performance deposit, road construction, landing construction, voluntary shut down, mandatory shut down, and implementation of the Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan. Landowners must also realize that should they instruct the buyer to leave stream crossing measures in place, they (the landowners) are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep.

Things to Remember When Selling Your Timber
Don’t be hasty to sell your timber. Take the time to collect and analyze as much information as you can. As far as trees are concerned there is usually no rush to make a quick decision, so don’t be pressured into doing so. Know what you are selling, bid it out to determine the market value, and negotiate a contract that protects your interests.

The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry has field offices responsible for all of Pennsylvania. Service Foresters can offer advice about selling your timber, and provide additional information. They cannot, except in uncommon circumstances, mark your timber.

If you have timber you want to sell, consider contacting a consulting forester. These professional foresters will help you determine your objectives and mark timber in accordance with your objectives. They have experience, lists of potential buyers, and can negotiate and prepare a good sale contract. Consulting foresters most often work on a commission when selling timber.

One last thought, when you are selling timber, you want the best advice you can obtain, and you can benefit by having a representative concerned about your objectives and the longterm sustainability of your forest working with you.

Taken from Summer 2007 Forest Leaves.