From The Forest

Old & First Growth with Gary Mead

Every Third Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest-related. This month we'll be discussing Old & First Growth Trees. I'll go a little bit into deciphering the difference between "old growth" from "first growth" forests and where they might exist in the Catskills. Gary will talk more about old trees from around the world, working with old wood, & other unique characteristics too.

Gary is the former owner of Fruitful Furnishings Sawmill & current owner of Gary Mead Gallery in Margaretville, Delaware County. He was born & raised on a dairy farm in New Kingston, Town of Middletown, Delaware County.

August in the Catskills: American Ginseng, Leaf Diseases, and Looking Forward to Fall

On this week’s episode of From the Forest, John and Zane will be chatting about their observations of the trees and forest now that we are close to the middle part of August and Fall is staring us in the face. It might not seem like it, but highs in the 60’s and lows in the 40’s are forecasted, to me this means it’s time to start to stop daydreaming and start actually thinking about the fall and leaving the hot ugly summer weather behind. We will discuss American Ginseng, its use, and how to conserve it. We will also discuss the leaf diseases we are noticing these last couple of weeks, what it means for the trees, and also think forward to what we predict for the fall; food for wildlife, and more.

Painting the Line Between Public & Private Stewardship

On this week's show, we'll decipher the difference between public & private stewardship as well as preservation & conservation. Both have their place within Natural Resources Management, Environmentalism & Forestry. Ryan will discuss how his perception has changed about each when he worked for the State of NY painting boundary lines from age 19 to his last 15 years with the Catskill Forest Association working for forest owners.

Mike’s Trip Across the United States (2nd Half)

Please note: The 2nd half of this show runs from the beginning to half-way of this download.

 

Recently Mike & his wife Becky, traveled across the US and back. We'll ask Mike what he saw, his most favorite & forgettable parts, noteworthy forest aspects, wildlife, and more. We'll also go into how it all compares to the Catskills too.

Mike Porter is the President of the Catskill Forest Association. He is a retired teacher from Margaretville Central School. He taught Earth Science, Environmental Science, Science Research in the High School, Driver Education and several elementary and junior high courses over his 33-year career. In 1988 he was selected as the New York State Conservation Teacher of the Year by the New York State Board of Soil and Water Districts. A life-long resident of Delaware County, Mike is an avid birder and has studied the changes in the avian community over the years. As a small woodlot landowner, he has learned to manage his property to better enhance wildlife, timber quality and maple syrup production. Mike has been an active volunteer Fireman for nearly 45 years and was an Executive officer for most of that time. He was a member of the Town of Middletown Zoning Board of Appeals and, later, a Planning Board member and Chair. Besides birding, Mike gardens, makes Maple syrup, cuts his own firewood and does woodworking. Currently, he is harvesting trees from his property and preparing his own lumber via a bandsaw mill on the property.

Mike’s Trip Across the United States (1st Half)

Unfortunately, this show was cut in half; You'll have to fast-forward to the midway-point to hear beginning.   Recently Mike & his wife Becky, traveled across the US and back. We'll ask Mike what he saw, his most favorite & forgettable parts, noteworthy forest aspects, wildlife, and more. We'll also go into how it all compares to the Catskills too.

Mike Porter is the President of the Catskill Forest Association. He is a retired teacher from Margaretville Central School. He taught Earth Science, Environmental Science, Science Research in the High School, Driver Education and several elementary and junior high courses over his 33-year career. In 1988 he was selected as the New York State Conservation Teacher of the Year by the New York State Board of Soil and Water Districts. A life-long resident of Delaware County, Mike is an avid birder and has studied the changes in the avian community over the years. As a small woodlot landowner, he has learned to manage his property to better enhance wildlife, timber quality and maple syrup production. Mike has been an active volunteer Fireman for nearly 45 years and was an Executive officer for most of that time. He was a member of the Town of Middletown Zoning Board of Appeals and, later, a Planning Board member and Chair. Besides birding, Mike gardens, makes Maple syrup, cuts his own firewood and does woodworking. Currently, he is harvesting trees from his property and preparing his own lumber via a bandsaw mill on the property.

Sustaining Local Part 2 with Gary Mead

Back in June, we interviewed Catskill Mountain Woodsman--Hoppy Quick--on his perspective of "Sustaining Local." We discussed some of the challenges and conditions people are encountering making a living locally in the forest & outside it in these mountains.

Gary Mead--like Hoppy--is another local who has made his living "from the forest." He was the owner of Fruitful Furnishings Sawmill & is the current owner of Gary Mead Gallery which specializes in one-of-a-kind wood art. We'll get Gary's take on "Sustaining Local."

Bats as Biomonitors of Heavy Metals in Urban Areas with Chris Blume

On this week's show we'll be discussing how bats can be used, sort of like a "canary in a coal mine" in urban areas. College student--Chris Blume--will discuss his research project in Baltimore, Maryland on how bats can be used to detect heavy metals in urban areas. Should be interesting. 

Critters of Interest: Rats, Rabbits, Skunks & Ants

Once in a while we like to check in with the critters and discuss a few we might encounter rarely or more commonly. For this week, we'll go into the Allegheny wood rat, eastern cottontail rabbit, striped skunk, and Allegheny mound ant.

A Forester’s Perspective with Randy Kelly

Randy is a local forester to these Catskill Mountains, spending his life’s work managing timber and aiding landowners to manage their woodlot resources. Randy will discuss with us his perspective on the overall health of the Catskill’s Forests and where our attention should be focused going forward.

Sustaining Local with Hoppy Quick

Catskill Mountain Woodsman & well-known Chainsaw Carver--Hoppy Quick--revisits FROM THE FOREST to discuss his thoughts on "Sustaining Local." A lot has changed in the last 2 years in these mountains. We'll get Hoppy's view of what's been going on, especially the challenges some locals are facing making a living that's "from the forest."

"Hoppy Quick is The Catskill Mountain Woodsman. Born and raised in the mountains of New York State, Hoppy has been chainsaw carving and sculpting wood since 1978 into bears, owls, wolves, eagles and a myriad of other wildlife. No two sculptures are the same, as he creates from his memory of actual creatures he's encountered in the wilds of the Catskills Mountains."

Kiln Drying Lumber with Gary Mead

Every Third Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest-related. This month we'll be discussing how Gary kiln dries lumber of various tree species. 

NYS Wetlands Regulations Update with Ed McTiernan

On this week's show we'll talk to Environmental Litigator---Ed McTiernan. Ed will delve into defining a "wetland", the NYS Freshwater Wetlands Act, Waters of the US, & recent amendments to the NY Environmental Conservation Law.

Ed McTiernan is an environmental litigator who focuses on state and federal regulatory issues including site remediation, Brownfield redevelopment, natural resource damages, energy and infrastructure projects, as well as environmental permitting and due diligence in support of real estate development and energy infrastructure. He represents clients on a wide range of matters under the Clean Water Act and Oil Pollution Control Act, federal and state Superfund programs, emerging contaminants, and the National Environmental Policy Act, as well as the New York Environmental Quality Review Act. In 2011, Mr. McTiernan was appointed to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation by Governor Andrew Cuomo where he served as Deputy Commissioner and General Counsel. In that capacity, he was responsible for enforcement, rulemaking, and major policy initiatives including the review and permitting of transportation and energy projects, Article 78 proceedings challenging agency action, as well as citizen action suits, CERCLA cost recovery claims and permit proceedings. Mr. McTiernan supervised a team of 90 attorneys in nine regional offices, and coordinated with federal agencies and national environmental advocacy groups on a number of controversial projects. In addition, he directly supervised the state's docket of environmental litigation, enforcement proceedings, and policy initiatives.

A Business Owner’s Perspective on Inflation, Supply Chains, & More with Bob Conyea

Bob Conyea is a long-time owner of Ashokan Turf & Timber that services and sells forestry & lawncare equipment in Shokan, Ulster County. COVID-19 may be waning in your purview, but "long-COVID" seems to be lingering for many small business owners in the Catskills. Increasing prices & supply chain issues are a couple of examples that come to mind.

Bob sells and services a lot of forestry equipment (i.e. chainsaws) to Arborists, Foresters, Loggers, and Forest Owners. Bob not only provides a crucial service for these professionals, but remains engaged of what others are feeling out in the woods economically. We'll talk to Bob about what's going on both inside & outside his shop.

Clear-Cutting vs. Land-Clearing

All too often we hear these two terms being used interchangeably--"clear-cutting" & "land-clearing." We'll compare & contrast the two as well as their benefits & costs. We'll also bring into the discussion "selective cutting" as well. Spoiler alert: One of these terms is a legitimate silvicultural practice. 

Flowering Trees with Gary Mead

Every Third Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest related. This month we'll be discussing flowering trees that stand out to Gary.

Trees Near Your Home

Lots of time, labor, money, and energy are devoted to many trees near people's homes. Still, we often find trees suffering or not meeting expectations.

On this week's show Ryan & John will discuss “Trees Near Your Home.” Topics covered will be: (1) What Makes a Healthy Tree; (2) Are You & Your Tree a Good Match; (3) Residual Tree Maintenance; (4) New Trees; & (5) CFA Programs for You.

Portable & At-Home Sawmilling with Mike Porter

Sometimes Mike Porter and John get together to discuss this and that. This time we will be discussing milling lumber from small scale sawmills. Mike has a small sawmill at his property in Andes NY and John runs the Catskill Forest Association’s Portable Sawmill Program bringing a similar sized unit to landowner’s houses to mill. We will discuss what these sawmills are useful for and what enjoyment they may provide a small landowner. Mike Porter is the President of the Board of Directors of the Catskill Forest Association and a life-long local of these Catskill Mountains.

Alternative Food From the Forest Roundtable Discussion

Everyone loves the "backstrap" or "tenderloins" on a deer. But, what about the heart? Or the liver? Deer are the more commonly eaten wildlife species, but what about woodchuck, rabbit, or squirrel? On this week's show, we'll talk to Anne Bloomfield and Julia Priolo about how they prepare and cook some of these "alternative" meals from the forest. We might even go a little bit into domesticated livestock too and their less commonly eaten parts.

Anne Bloomfield is a wildlife biologist with a focus on birds. One of her main professional interests includes how the management of private lands, such as farmland, influences bird populations. Outside of her professional life, Anne enjoys wandering the local forests and fields. She is passionate about getting people excited about birds, hunting and fishing, particularly those historically underrepresented in these areas. Through a desire to eat good food, live in relationship with the land and avoid supermarkets as much as possible Anne fishes, hunts, forages and enjoys cooking meals from common and less common ingredients found in the forest. She also holds a wild mushroom food safety certificate, serves on the board of her local trout unlimited chapter and is a longtime volunteer for the Vermont Center for Ecostudies. Anne lives in Olivebridge with her partner Malcolm where they raise chickens, appreciate good firewood and grow fruits, vegetables and herbs.

Julia is John's wife; She is originally from the Finger Lakes Region. Julia graduated from SUNY Cobleskill in Wildlife Management, has worked in nuisance wildlife management and currently works at the NYS DEC in inland fisheries. She now lives in the Delhi area.

Tree Bark with Gary Mead

Tree Bark with Gary Mead. Every Third Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest related. This month we'll be discussing the bark of particular trees & their unique uses.

Meet Whitetail Landscape’s Jon Teater

On this week's show, we'll talk to Whitetail Expert & Founder--Jon Teater--from Whitetail Landscapes (WL). WL designs hunting properties for those that want to improve whitetail deer habitat. WL "primarily focus on developing solutions that attract and retain quality deer" for forest owners & hunters in New York State. We'll get Jon's perspective on how to "design" better habitat and his view on the "state of NY's deer herd."

Jon lives on 50 acres in central NYS. He has been published in Arrowtrade Magazine, Archery World Magazine, Bow & Arrow Magazine, Crossbow Revolution, Game & Fish Magazine and North American Deer Hunter. His particular experience and knowledge of how to manipulate the landscape is enhanced with his Quality Deer Management (QDMA) Deer Steward II certification.

2022 Backyard Maple Sugaring Report & Grafting Wild Apple Trees

The sap buckets have been pulled from the trees, cleaned, and stacked back in the sugarhouse. My 2022 maple season is over; We'll report on how it boiled down and stacked up against prior years.

While the maple sugaring season may have ended, warmer temperatures lead to "bark-slip" or where a tree's bark can be peeled back. April & May is the season for grafting apple trees, & we'll discuss CFA's APPLE TREE GRAFTING PROGRAM for its members.

Carbon Markets for Small Landowners with Finite Carbon’s Matt Smith

Carbon credits for climate mitigation seems to be gaining popularity. Most of us are aware that trees "soak" up a lot of carbon through photosynthesis. Will carbon credits be something forest owners might take advantage of in the future in NYS? We'll ask Finite Carbon's Matt Smith.

Matt Smith has a B.S. in Forest Resource Management, SUNY ESF. Matt oversees the implementation of Finite's forest carbon inventory and project verification work and has led more successful forest offset project verifications than anyone in the industry. For two decades Matt was a forest operations specialist and management director for Forecon's TIMO clients.

"Finite Carbon is North America's leading developer and supplier of forest carbon offsets. We value forest landowners as full project partners and deliver the industry's highest quality forest offset project financing and development services. We take on all project issuance risk and expense and manage all development phases in-house."

Meet TimberWorks Forest Management’s Nathan Waterfield

On this week, we'll talk to owner of TimberWorks Forest Management's Nathan Waterfield. I graduated with Nathan in 2004 from the NYS Ranger School in Wanakena, NY. Since then, Nathan (a.k.a. "Bucket") has gone on to compete both nationally & internationally in "TimberSports." Nathan is top-ranked at the "springboard chop."

Nathan now lives in Cherry Valley, Otsego County. His company--TimberWorks Forest Management--includes services such as forest management, logging, and custom sawmilling. Between family and competition, Nathan has managed to build his new home from lumber he sawed himself. We'll catch up with "Bucket" and see what his take is on making a living from the forest.

The Age of Wood with Gary Mead

The Age of Wood – With Gary Mead. Every Third Wednesday we have of Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest related. This month Gary and I each just read the book “The Age of Wood” by Roland Ennos. In this book the author explores how wood is the single most influential material that shaped mankind’s evolution, technological advancements, and overall the key to our success as a species. Gary and I will discuss our thoughts on the book and further the discussion into the Catskill regional ‘Age of Wood’.

Forest Improvement for Deer & Wildlife with Gary Graham

On this week's show, we'll talk to Gary Graham about how he has drastically improved his forest for wildlife. A few years back I visited Gary's land in Ulster County on a Forest Consultation through the Catskill Forest Association. His forest had some potential but was extremely dense with very little cover or structure on the forest floor, among other things. We'll talk to Gary about how he has made his forest more "fruitful" for wildlife through a lot of his own hard work with the chainsaw. 

Backyard Maple Sugaring

It's been cold out there, but the first signs of spring are in the air and inside the trees too. Rising temperatures into the 40s along with freezing nights are what causes maple sap to run. The 2022 maple season has begun in the Catskills. We'll discuss how we make the sweet stuff, on a small-scale.

Smoky Bear, Climate Change & Projected Maple Decline

On this week's show, we'll discuss two of the most resonating messages by the USDA Forest Service. Although climate change projections on tree species are fairly new, Smoky Bear has been at it since 1944. The Forest Service's Smoky Bear is well-known for "preventing wildfires." In more recent decades, the USFS is now messaging or projecting the loss of our sacred maple trees. We'll discuss the roots of these two messages, their merit, and how they fit into our experiences in the Catskill Mountains. Should be fun.

Willow with Gary Mead

Every Third Wednesday of the Month we speak with Gary Mead of Gary Mead Gallery in Margaretville NY. Gary has a long career of milling trees in these Catskill Mountains and working with wood to create unique pieces of furniture and art.

This week we will be discussing the willow tree that occupies many of our stream-sides and swampy areas.

Firewood Roundtable Discussion

On this week's show, John & I will discuss with Tom Lindtveit how we get through the winter with firewood. There is no one way to cut a tree and burn it for heat, but we'll go around and get each other's take on how we use the woody stuff to stay warm. Should be fun.

Tom is the owner of Woodsman Forest Products and was on the show back in October. He serves small forest owners to get started. Tom is a retired EMT & still is an EMT (volunteer). He has decades in the woods that is supplanted by field training in Silviculture; Tree Logger Certified; Best Management Practices; Timber Stand Improvement; & Wildlife Habitat Improvement.

Moose in NY with Cornell’s Jen Grauer

Graduate Student from Cornell University's Department of Natural Resources & Environment--Jen Grauer--will discuss her most recent research with moose in New York State.

Moose (Alces alces) first returned to the Adirondack region of New York in the 1980s after being absent from the state for over 120 years. Despite adequate habitat and high rates of successful reproduction, the moose population has not increased as expected. Moose across New England have experienced declines from winter ticks and deer brainworm, and Cornell has detected these parasites, among others, in New York.

Cornell's Wildlife Health Lab began in 2021 to investigate impacts from local parasites on moose with collaboration from NYS DEC and SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry.

Gary’s History in New Kingston--Part 2

On this week's show, we'll continue our conversation with Gary Mead and his upbringing/life in New Kingston--a small mountain hamlet located in Delaware County. Gary grew up on a dairy farm there, and later on would find himself making his living from wood, or the many species of trees that surround these mountains.

Every Third Wednesday of the Month we speak with Gary Mead of Gary Mead Gallery in Margaretville NY. Gary has a long career of milling trees in these Catskill Mountains and working with wood to create unique pieces of furniture and art.

Making Baseball Bats with Leatherstocking Hand-Split Billet Company

On this week's show will be speaking with the Director of Sales--David Rama--from the Leatherstocking Hand-Split Billet Company based out of Oneonta, Otsego County.

Leatherstocking Hand-Split Billet Co. has been part of the international timber market since 1994 and has been providing high quality hand-split bat blanks to premium bat makers since 2008. From timber selection to product processing, they have worked through the years to master the craft of hand-splitting wood while streamlining their operations to be able to provide the highest quality bat blanks on the market, including Hard Maple, White Ash, Birch and Soft Maple.

All About Firewood

Winter is setting in & that means the heating season is in full-swing. Since this is "From the Forest", we'll cover firewood--from start to finish. In other words, we'll cover from selecting "the right" trees to cut for firewood, to seasoning, burning, and tips John & I have learned along the way that might work for you.

Why Deer Numbers in the Northeast Remain Low

Yes, another show on deer, but this will be the last of the year. Anecdotally, it seems that deer numbers were fewer where I hunted in Ulster County this year. However, it seems that other states are experiencing a similar downward trend in deer numbers too.

We'll discuss an interesting article from the state of Minnesota explaining their downward trend in deer numbers, especially in the northern zones. This area seems to mirror what is occurring in the higher elevations of the Catskill Mountains. Both are large, highly forested areas, with extremely low deer densities, but yet, include high deer browse pressure or impacts on forest regeneration. Deer browse or feeding can negatively impact forest ecology. What to do?  If time permits, John & I will recap what we found interesting in the woods in 2021.

Fire Suppression & Mesophication of Upland Oak Landscapes with Dr. Heather Alexander

Dr. Heather Alexander, Assistant Professor of Forest Ecology, Auburn University

"Historically pyrophytic and open-canopied upland oak landscapes across the central and eastern U.S. are shifting to closed-canopied forests dominated by shade-tolerant, often fire-sensitive species. Mesophication, a hypothesized process initiated by intentional fire exclusion by which these encroaching species progressively create conditions favorable for their own persistence at the expense of pyrophytic species, is commonly cited as causing this structural and compositional transition. While many forest ecologists and land managers accept the mesophication hypothesis as evidence for these shifts, the reason for these changes is not clear and many questions remain. In this presentation, we will consider current evidence for mesophication plus knowledge gaps and potential future research that considers which tree species and tree traits create self-perpetuating conditions and under what conditions tree-level processes might affect forest flammability at broader scales. The goal is to promote research that can better inform restoration and conservation of oak ecosystems experiencing structural and compositional shifts across the region."

The Potential of Regulated Commercial Hunting as a Management Tool to Help Regenerate NY Forests with Dr. Paul Curtis

Last week's show discussed "The Myth of the Market Hunting Boogeyman." We don't necessarily believe that markets did not have a negative impact upon wildlife, but that habitat destruction (agricultural expansion) & the lack of property rights may have had more impact. Is market hunting an opportunity in the 21st century, or should it be left in the 20th century's dustbin? Let's get another's perspective.

On this week's show, we'll move to Dr. Paul Curtis's recent article in the NY Forest Owners Association magazine entitled: "The Potential of Regulated Commercial Hunting as a Management Tool to Help Regenerate NY Forests." Dr. Curtis will discuss arguments both for and against developing such a program.

With a PhD in Zoology from North Carolina State University, Dr. Paul Curtis is now a Professor in the Department of Natural Resources at Cornell University. He has coordinated the Wildlife Damage Management Program at Cornell for the past 30 years, which focuses on reducing conflicts, economic losses and human health and safety concerns caused by wildlife in both rural and suburban landscapes. His work includes wildlife fertility control and population management, community-based wildlife management issues and public education. Dr. Curtis is also testing novel methods for reducing wildlife damage to agricultural crops and forest regeneration.

Gary‘s History in New Kingston--Part 1

Gary Mead - Gary’s Property in New Kingston. Normally we have Gary Mead on every third Wednesday of the month, but this December he will be on the second Wednesday. We will be discussing with Gary the history of how he became the owner of his property in New Kingston, the story of building his cabin on the land, and the joy that landownership has brought him over the years. 

The Myth of the Market Hunting Bogeyman

Wildlife in the US is managed under the paradigm of the North American Model for Wildlife Conservation (NAMWC). Accolades of this program include notable American icons like former President Teddy Roosevelt and the "Father of Forestry's" Gifford Pinchot. Roosevelt and Pinchot led the early 20th Century's Progressive Conservation Movement. Roosevelt believed open markets in logging and hunting were greatly exploiting natural resources and must be preserved by divorcing scarce natural resources from "market forces."

To this day both hunters and non-hunters mention in publications and magazines that market hunting was most responsible for the demise of wildlife populations in the 19th Century. Although market forces impacted wildlife greatly, habitat and private property rights are under-emphasized. We'll discuss how forest loss and regrowth has impacted wildlife resources over time. We'll also go into the impacts of "ownership" or lack thereof on wildlife too.

Lastly, we'll briefly cover how wildlife might be managed going forward into the 21st Century.

Why Hunt in 2021

With better access to broad-band internet & more technology than anyone could dream about in the 1980s at our fingertips, why hunt in 2021? We'll discuss what makes us go out & access the hunting opportunities our forests offer, today. 

Hazelnut with Gary Mead

Every Third Wednesday of the Month we speak with Gary Mead of Gary Mead Gallery in Margaretville NY. Gary has a long career of milling trees in these Catskill Mountains and working with wood to create unique pieces of furniture and art.

This week we will be discussing American hazelnut.

EHD‘s Impacts on NY‘s Deer Herd

On this week's show we'll discuss Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) that is impacting portions of New York State's deer herd. We'll also differentiate this disease from Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)--that is mainly out west--as well. 

Fire in the South with Kurt Kottemann

On this week's show we'll discuss fire management down south with someone who makes their living, burning the woods. Kurt Kottemann is a Prescribed Fire Manager in Louisiana & Mississippi. We'll talk about the importance of fire throughout history, and why people burn today.

Kurt has his B.S. in Forestry from Louisiana State University. He is a Licensed Arborist and a Louisiana & Mississippi Prescribed Fire Manager. He is a "Practitioner of Common Sense" as well.

Kurt was a Fire Specialist with The Nature Conservancy where he restored longleaf pine in Louisiana & Mississippi. He was the Operations Foreman for a commercial tree care company. He was the Assistant District Forester with a Timber Company too. Today, he is the Owner of Kottemann Tree & Timber Services.

ArborMaster with Ken Palmer

On this week's show, we'll be talking to the President of ArborMaster--Ken Palmer. For 25 years, ArborMaster has been educating & training people "who work in trees." "Since 1995, ArborMaster has been the leader in innovative safety, skill training, and workforce development, and is the premier provider of in-house customized training programs and regional open-enrollment courses for people and organizations who work with, in, and around trees." Ken's knowledge of "tree work" is immense and his positive influence over the industry cannot be overstated. Ken has been instrumental in how arborists safely work in trees--from climbing, rigging , and cutting/felling methods; to the technology they use (i.e. rope, harnesses, etc.); or the written safety standards arborists work beneath.

With over 30 years of experience Ken is a well-known instructor, coach, speaker, author, researcher and workforce development consultant for the tree care industry. Ken is also President of International Champion Techniques, Inc., a company devoted to the development of equipment and technologies for safer and more efficient tree climbing, cutting and rigging systems. Ken specializes in chain saw safety and handling, precision tree felling operations, tree climbing and climbing systems, arborist rigging, rescue systems, trainer training and much more. He is a member of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA), the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD), a member of the ANSI Z133.1 Approved Standards Committee for 20 years and a member of the Utility Arborist Association’s National Safety Committee. Ken is also a three-time International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) International Tree Climbing Champion. He has instructed, coached and trained thousands of individuals in best practice methods and techniques throughout North America, Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Ken is a former chairman and co-founder of the ISA’s International Safety Committee, former Chairman of the ISA’s International Tree Climbing Championships and co-founder of the Tree Fund’s Arborist Safety and Techniques Fund. Ken was also one of the lead developers and instructors in the training DVD’s ArborMaster developed with the International Society of Arboriculture, which are viewed extensively around the world.  In 2018, Ken was awarded the ISA Alex L Shigo Award for Excellence in Arboricultural Education.

Trees that Bear Nuts with Gary Mead

Every Third Wednesday of the Month we speak with Gary Mead of Gary Mead Gallery in Margaretville NY. Gary has a long career of milling trees in these Catskill Mountains and working with wood to create unique pieces of furniture and art.

This week we will be discussing Trees that Bear Nuts in these Catskill Mountains.

Woodsman Forest Products with Tom Lindtveit

Tom is the Owner of Woodsman Forest Products and offers services for smaller forest owners in the southern Catskills. His services include (1) Sawmilling; (2) Furnishings; (3) Consultations; & (4) Mushroom Logs. We will focus mostly on Tom's service surrounding Mushroom Logs. Mushroom Logs are used to inoculate and grow mushrooms for edible or medicinal benefits.

VALUES OF WOODSMAN FOREST PRODUCTS  Utilize trees that would otherwise go to rot or firewood to make useful things. Find the beauty nature has hidden within trees and share it with others. Help to open the eyes of children & adults to what is often unseen.  ABOUT TOM Tom is a retired EMT & still is an EMT (volunteer). He serves small forest owners to get started. He has decades in the woods that is supplanted by field training in Silviculture, Tree Logger Certified; Best Management Practices; Timber Stand Improvement; & wildlife habitat improvement Tom is using this “last 3rd of his life to do things he enjoys, make some folks happy along the path, learn new things, and enjoy family, friends, and music. Hopefully, he will make a few bucks along the way to buy food.”

Mushrooms with Catskill Fungi‘s John Michelotti_2021

On this weeks' show, we'll have "mushroom guy" & Owner of Catskill Fungi--John Michelotti. John will discuss why mushrooms are important, where they grow, both edible & medicinal types, and how you might cultivate them.

"Catskill Fungi (CF) has a foundation of permaculture principles. The core of our business is about helping people and improving the planet through their work with fungi. CF practices and educates about sustainable harvesting, leave-no-trace principles, and compassion for the environment. They aim to empower people to grow edible mushrooms as a fun source of fresh food, to heal themselves through utilizing health properties of fungi, and to explore the historical uses and present day innovations of this essential kingdom/queendom." "Catskill Fungi is founded and cultivated by mycologist John Michelotti and friends. As former President of the Mid-Hudson Mycological Association (MHMA), John co-founded the Catskill Regional Mycoflora Project as well as the Gary Lincoff Memorial Scholarship. He served on the Mushroom Advisory Panel for Certified Naturally Grown to develop ecological standards in mushroom production. John has presented at the New York Botanical Gardens, Telluride Mushroom Festival, and North American Mycological Association Annual Foray, as well as several colleges and universities. His goal is to educate and inspire people to work with fungi to improve their health, communities, and the environment."

Forest Density & Health

Recently, I attended the NYS Arborists Fall Conference near Syracuse. One of the presentations focused on the many "declines" associated with particular tree species in NYS. A few days later, I was assessing some sickly Norway spruce trees that also were experiencing "decline" from insect/fungal issues?  What's the connection? What's making these trees sick?

Although it's probably a combination of factors creating problems with these trees, there does seem to be a common thread or cause that I'm noticing, and the good thing is that it's reversible. We'll discuss how density may be impacting your tree(s), and what might be done.

Healthy Trees with Vern Rist

Vern Rist is the owner of Healthy Trees and has been taking care of people's trees in the southeastern Catskills, Woodstock and mid-Hudson Valley for over 25 years. Whether you want to protect your cherished trees, turn your property into an estate, or just learn about the things already living and growing on your property, Vern provides answers and solutions that are "environmentally aware, practical, and aesthetically unparalleled." Vern seeks to (1) Preserve cherished trees whenever possible; (2) Build keepsake quality plantings and orchards destined to become family heirlooms; (3) Devise customized maintenance plans so that clients can have carefree plantings and orchards with the only time commitment being the time to reflect and enjoy; & (4) Combine a friendly, down-to-earth, common sense approach with an extensive education in environmental science, including a PhD in plant pathology.

In the early 1980’s, while completing his Ph.D. In Plant Pathology at Cornell University, Vern visited Woodstock in the southeastern Catskills. It was love at first sight. Following his newly kindled dream to live in that area, Vern moved to Saugerties in 1986. On a hope and a prayer, he placed an add in the Woodstock Times, offering consultations to people interested in the health of their trees and plants in general. To his amazement, he received three phone calls from that first add, and Healthy Plants, Consultation & Service, was born. Since shortly after that, Vern has been able to rely completely on "word of mouth" to build the business, which has evolved into a full scale tree and shrub service and a sought after consultation service. EDUCATION B.S. in Forest Biology, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1976 M.S. In Plant Pathology and Air Pollution Studies, Pennsylvania State University, 1978 Ph.D. In Plant Pathology, Cornell University, 1981

Apples with Gary Mead_2021

Every Third Wednesday of the Month we speak with Gary Mead of Gary Mead Gallery in Margaretville NY. Gary has a long career of milling trees in these Catskill Mountains and working with wood to create unique pieces of furniture and art.

This week we will be discussing the APPLE TREE and its unique properties, characteristics, and all that juice and vinegar Gary makes each year from it.

Forest Diseases, Diagnosis, & Impacts

This week we will be speaking with Catskill Forest Association’s Forest Program Technician, Zane Lawyer about common tree diseases in our forests, how they can be identified and what impacts they might have on individual trees and the forest health overall. We will also discuss some cultural mitigation techniques you can do as a landowner to prevent some of these issues.