vermont woodlands association and vermont tree …€¦ · john buck, waterbury center, vt. ......

Vermont Woodlands Association and Vermont

Tree Farm ProgramMEMBERSHIP NEWSLETTER

Vol. 14, No. 1 March 2018

vermontwoodlands.org

vermonttreefarm.org

Proud Sponsor of the American Tree Farm System in Vermont

A VOICE FOR HEALTHY FORESTS

SEE PAGE 25 FOR ANNUAL MEETING AGENDA AND REGISTRATION

2 | Membership Newsletter: Vermont Woodlands Association and Vermont Tree Farm

VERMONT WOODLANDS ASSOCIATION • VERMONT TREE FARM PROGRAM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Vermont Woodlands Association 2017 Officers and Directors

OFFICERS

Putnam W. Blodgett, President, Hanover, NHTrevor Evans, Treasurer, Newport, VTMarli Rabinowitz, Secretary, Guilford, VTAlan M. Robertson, Secretary, Sheffield, VT

DIRECTORS

John Buck, Waterbury Center, VTCaitlin Cusack, Richmond, VTJamey Fidel, Montpelier, VTSteve Handfield, Poultney, VTLeo Laferriere, Waitsfield, VTDavid Paganelli, So. Strafford, VTWilliam Sayre, Bristol, VTAllan Thompson, Waterbury, VTDavid Wilcox, Berlin, VTStephen Webster, Randolph, VTKeith Thompson, Advisor, VT Forests, Parks & Rec

Vermont Tree Farm Committee MembersAlan Robertson, Co-Chair, Tree Farmer, Sheffield, VTKathy Beland, Co-Chair, Forester, Clarendon, VTJayson Benoit, Forester, South Royalton, VTRichard Bizzozero, Tree Farmer, Brookfield, VTRobert Cowles, Landowner, Derby, VTJock Irons, Tree Farmer, Woodford, VTRyan Kilborn, Forester, W. Topsham, VTIan Martin, Forester, Newfane, VTKyle Mason, Bennington County ForesterMary Sisock, Burlington, VTDave Stoner, Tree Farmer, Craftsbury CommonAllen Yale, Tree Farmer, Derby, VT

Program AdministratorKathleen Wanner, Rutland, VT

2018 Advertising Rates:(per year): member/non-member

Business Card: $150/$180 • 3.625” wide x 2” tall1/4 Page: $225/$325 • 3.625” wide x 4.4” tall

1/2 Page: $390/$530 • 7.5” wide x 4.4” tall

Additional charges for graphic design and printing, if needed. Membership Newsletter is published four times a year.

Send camera-ready ads and payment to VWA,PO Box 6004, Rutland, VT 05702

802-747-7900 • [email protected]

Front Cover Photos: Silvia Cassano, Lynn Coeby, Gerry HawkesBack Cover Photo: Trevor Evans

It’s about the journey ......... 3Forest Birds ............................... 4President’s Column ............... 5Muliflora Rose.......................... 6Silviculture ................................ 7Consulting Foresters ............ 8Reflections................................. 9Welcome & Thank You .......10Star Date 2.15.18 ..................11

Calendar of Events ..............12Book Review ...........................12Current Use Alert .................13Meet Marli Rabinowitz .....14Crop Tree Release ................15SFI Update ...............................15Annual Meeting Info ..........25Warblers ...................................26

Mission Statements:

Vermont Woodlands Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation whose mission is to advocate for the management, sustainability, perpetuation, and enjoyment of forests through the practice of excellent forestry that employs highly integrated management practices that protect and enhance both the tangible and intangible values of forests - including clean air and water, forest products, wildlife habitat, biodiversity, recreation, scenic beauty, and other resources - for this and future generations. VWA objectives are to communicate the benefits of working forests, recognize exemplary actions of woodland owners and managers, provide educational opportunities, and represent its membership before governmental bodies.

The American Tree Farm System, first organized in 1941, is the Nation's oldest certifier of privately owned forestland. Tree Farm members share a unique commitment to protecting watersheds and wildlife habitat, conserving soil, and providing recreation; and at the same time producing wood products on a sustainable basis. The Vermont Woodlands Association strives to educate, train, and support private forest landowners in sound management practices concerning wildlife, water, wood, and recreation. We do this by managing and enhancing the American Tree Farm System® Program in Vermont.

vermontwoodlands.org • vermonttreefarm.org | 3

It’s about the journey…


NEWS FROM VWA

by Kathleen Wanner, Executive Director

I know that you are probably tired of hearing this but … I’m a very lucky woman. Not only do I work for amazing people – landowners and Tree Farmers like you all – but I continually have a chance to learn, grow, and evaluate my basic principles.

I’m not at all knowledgeable about forestry; not something I grew up with as a gal from suburbia. And even after moving to Vermont in 1970 … with 1968 VW Bug, husband, blankets, pillows, 2 kids, and $300… I didn’t learn a lot about the woods. We landed in Chittenden on our arrival and after two decades of moving throughout Rutland County, went back to Chittenden in 1990. Since that time, I have come to appreciate my 18 acres of woods. What once was just the backdrop of everyday life is now a bit of peace and protection. This would make me a “Woodland Retreat” owner who, through my associations with foresters and other landowners has learned that cutting trees can often help enhance the values I cherish. My property is enrolled in Tree Farm and thus managed for wood, wildlife, water, and recreation – the four pillars of the Tree Farm system.

But there is another aspect – and that is about connection to the land. We talk a lot about ethics as it relates to interpersonal relationships but not so much about relationships to the land. In 2014, VWA and the American Forest Foundation offered a Land Ethic Leadership Training presented by the Aldo Leopold Foundation. This training was my introduction. As one

who has never dedicated much time to reflection, I had few expectations – except that it could turn out to be an extended “group hug” followed by a rendition of Kumbaya. Boy was I wrong! To say it was inspirational would be an understatement. Observe, Participate, Reflect – the pillars of Leopold’s approach to engaging people in developing a personal land ethic.

My thinking has evolved over time and I have thought a great deal more about my relationship to the land. My woodland owner heroes talk about leaving the land better than they found it and that, to me, signals a deep ethical connection to the land in their care. As I read through Marli’s profile (prior to printing) on page 14, I was struck by her passion for the land and commitment to its care… a land ethic seemingly born of positive childhood experiences.

I’ve recently been working with Dan Kilborn from VLT, Keith Thompson from VT FPR, and Kim Royar from VT F&W on a land ethic leaders program that we hope to offer again in 2019. Our hope is that we will have a core team of partners invested in helping to advance this thinking within their own spheres of influence and that the end result will be more than just a day or two of reflection. With the many challenges we face in the 21st century, a new way of thinking about relationships to the land could be a powerful opportunity to address those challenges.

If you haven’t already, pick up a copy of Leopold’s Sand County Almanac; visit

the Leopold website (aldoleopold.org) where you can sign up to receive their newsletter; and continue, or begin, your journey to Observe, Participate, Reflect.

I love public radio. It’s my traveling companion and I do a lot of traveling. What does this have to do with VWA, you ask? Well, it’s about those things we value and our commitment to keeping them whole and healthy. VWA is committed to our forests and those who help to keep them whole and healthy. And, you, our members are committed to VWA as evidenced by your ongoing voluntary membership. I’m reminded of Southwest Airlines telling its passengers, “We recognize that you have options and thank you for choosing us.” We too recognize that you have options and we thank you for making the choice to renew annually. In an effort to make things easier for you, we can now take credit card payments over the phone or by mail. We are slowly moving into the 21st century and will soon be able to offer emailed invoices with click through payment options.

VWA also does an annual appeal to support general operating expenses and our various special funds and endowments. The board has worked diligently this past year to develop documentation and spending policies for the various investments. To help you stay informed, we have posted these documents on our website at www.vermontwoodlands.org/support.asp. If you ever have any questions about our investments, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Thank you for all you do to keep us going and growing! It makes a big difference.



Winter’s grip on most of us has usually worn out its welcome by the time March comes around. But for many woodland owners the lingering presence of snow and cold is a harbinger of the impending maple sugaring season. Romanced as the ‘Sweet Season’ by some, it is in reality 8-10 weeks of erratic, fast-paced working hours and intense weather watching to collect, process, and package Vermont’s 1.9 million gallons of maple syrup. Our little Green Mountain State is the country’s largest producer of maple syrup, accounting for about 44% of the nation’s production.

It should be no surprise then to realize the association between bountiful

maple syrup production with forests of bountiful sugar maple trees. With this direct connection it would be tempting to maximize syrup production by managing our forests exclusively for sugar maple trees. However intuitive it may seem, a forest monoculture is actually very counterproductive on a number of levels. Maybe the most important are the lack of resiliency to disease, insect invasion, and extreme weather events. Imagine the feast an invasion of Asian longhorn beetles would have in a monoculture of sugar maples compared to the resistance in finding feeding sites they would encounter in a diverse stand. Putting all of your eggs in one basket is always risky. Second, without tree diversity, wildlife diversity is also lost. The two realms interact exponentially to magnify the forest’s diversity which, in turn, leads to a dynamic and vibrant forest ecosystem more resilient than any monoculture could be.

The tangible evidence of forest health is in the variety of plants and animals to be seen in the sugarbush. Providing vertical and horizontal layers of trees, shrubs, and succulent plants provides a variety feeding and nesting niches from the forest floor to the very top of the canopy which are occupied by an equal variety of forest birds. In fact, Vermont’s forests host some of the greatest diversity of breeding bird species in North America.

Examples of the species one would expect to hear or see include the ground nesting Ovenbird who’s unforgettable crescendo of Teacher!, Teacher!, Teacher! abounds in June’s forest. Next up on the ladder would be the Wood Thrush and our state bird, the Hermit Thrush. Both species have the tell-tale song of ethereal flute-like notes that trill and trail off. Robert Frost was so captivated by them that he wrote of ‘thrush music’ as an invitation in his seminal poem Come In.

As we look higher into the mid-canopy of the sugarbush we would find the Black-throated Blue Warbler then next, the Black-throated Green Warbler. Both are strikingly colored with their contrasting black throats against a blue and green body, respectively. Their songs can be discerned by the variations in the

NEWS FROM VERMONT FISH & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT

by John Buck, Wildlife Biologist

FOREST BIRDS, continued on pg. 18

Forest Birds and Sugarbush Management- A Perfect Combination

Ovenbird near ground-based nest.



I didn’t start skiing until I was a sophomore in high school—way too late to become a good downhill skier. But I loved skiing, and through strength, stamina and stubbornness, I could achieve mediocre results in cross-country skiing - 21st in the tryouts for the 1952 Olympic Cross-Country Ski Team (the top 3 went to the Olympics).

In my high school days in Bradford we skied in the tracks as best we could and side-straddled hopped the farmers’ fences as we wouldn’t be allowed there next year if we cut the fences. Today there is specialized snow grooming and track setting equipment to prepare race courses. Over years of racing I gained experience on what made good racing tracks and gradually transitioned into preparing race tracks under the mentoring of Chummy Broomhall of Rumford, Maine (‘48 Olympian) and Al Merrill, Dartmouth’s Ski Coach.

I gradually worked up from Dartmouth Relays, Dartmouth Carnivals, 3 NCAA College Championships, Junior and Senior National Championships, and Olympic Tryouts to setting tracks for the 1980 Winter Olympics and the 1987 Biathlon World Championships. (Biathlon is skiing as hard as possible while carrying a rifle and then trying to control breathing and pumping heart while shooting at tiny targets from both standing and prone positions. A missed target requires a penalty loop that adds to the racer’s time. It is surely one of the

most difficult sports. It is very popular in Europe, especially since the Finnish Ski Troops were so effective against the Russian invasion in 1939).

The winter of ‘79-’80 was a disaster as far as snow fall. There was just enough snow in Lake Placid, NY (the site of the Winter Olympics) for a white background for the TV cameras. Snow had to be made and spread by dump trucks and clean manure spreaders on the x-c trails. It had never been done before for cross-country skiing and a huge pyramid was made in preparation. But as the front-end loaders filled the trucks and spreaders the pyramid became a giant mushroom with a narrow stem and an overhanging cap that became too dangerous to work under. Attempts were made to pull it down with cables, but without success. Finally, some brave souls dug a small room in the stem and filled it with dynamite and the resulting explosion brought it down. Thereafter, any snow for x-c was made in a long, low windrow!

But this man-made snow was small ice crystals, not the softer natural snowflakes. Coaches were going wild trying to find enough binder to adhere wax to the bottoms of skis for theseharsher conditions.

We had two prototype snow conditioners. One broke down after grooming half the trails, the other just

as we finished the second half. By the final race, the 50 kilometer (31 miles), the snow had been worked into great condition.

We groomed the snow and set the tracks at night so they would freeze in by dawn. One night we would set race tracks for x-c and practice tracks for biathlon, the next night the opposite. I envied the timers who showed up for the races and spent the rest of the time in town partying. I never had the time to see “The Miracle on Ice” when the Americans beat the Russians in hockey.

In those days the East Germans were rumored to be doping. I gave an East German coach a ride into town one afternoon and queried him about it. He got pretty huffy. Another time I skied up on High Notch, a trail only used for one race. I came upon a Russian coach with a syringe in the arm of one of his athletes. At the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, the American x-c coach accused the Russians of doping and the American Olympic officials chastised him.

Strange that the Russians only won medals at the Olympics that year! The 15 kilometer (9 miles) race is always one of the most exciting. Mieto, the giant Finn— almost 7 feet tall—had a first place going. Then a Swede came up the gradual uphill into the finish stadium—

Put Blodgett

A Few Experienes at the 1980 Winter Olympics

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

By Put Blodgett, President

PRESIDENT, continued on pg. 17



Watch list species highlight: Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora)

NEWS FROM VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS, PARKS & RECREATION

by Elizabeth Spinney, Invasive Plant Coordinator, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & RecreationWhen recalling a drive down a dusty country road, you might remember seeing round green shrubs speckled with small white flowers, in otherwise empty grazing paddocks, or along farm fields. This plant is called multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora) and is a perennial shrub within the Rose family, Rosaceae. The name, multiflora, means “many flowered”, and its nickname, “rambler rose” perhaps comes from it’s tendency to spread from cane or seed.

Originating from eastern Asia, it has been introduced to many countries including South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States. It is believed this species was first brought to the US in the late-19th century as a rootstock for grafting other rose species. In the mid-20th century,

multiflora rose was widely planted as a conservation plant, and was also used for erosion control and as an economic alternative to wire fences on pastureland and farms. During this time, the plant was championed as a food source and habitat for many wildlife species like deer, songbirds, and cottontail rabbit.

Multiflora rose has a habit of growing densely, excluding other plants along forest edges and riparian areas, slowing down forest regeneration, and can reduce forage area for livestock, and impede maintenance of trails or fields. It is a caning plant, and each cane can produce upwards of 100 hips, each with several to a couple dozen seeds inside. Those canes can also resprout if the tips touch the ground. The seeds in each hip have a high germination rate,

which increases their chance of establishing when spread by wildlife that consume them. The seeds are also viable in the soil for 10-20 years. Multiflora rose is now found across much of the eastern United States,

from Texas to Maine, and along the West Coast in California, Oregon, and Washington. This plant can be found in meadows and fields, riparian areas, forest edges, and disturbed areas.

The invasive tendencies of multiflora rose have only recently been understood. Since then, the pervasiveness of this plant, and its ability to escape cultivation, has led to it being banned, prohibited, or labeled a noxious weed in 13 states including New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. In Vermont this species is listed on Vermont’s unofficial invasive plant “watchlist”. To view the unofficial watch list, check out this website: fpr.vermont.gov/forest/forest_health/invasive_plants

Photo: E. Spinney, VT FPRLeaves are arranged alternately, are pinnately compound, and have serrated edges. Here you can see the fringed stipule.

Photo: Nancy Dagley, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org. Multiflora rose overgrowing a field and trees.

WATCH LIST, continued on pg. 19


The Northeast Silviculture Institute for Foresters Online version is now available (www.northeastsilvicultureinstitute.org)

In the comfort of your home or office, you can attend one or all 5 of the 2-day Institute training sessions from 2017. Thanks to all the speakers and attendees in 2017 for allowing everything - including every field trip stop - to be filmed. Now you can experience the tremendous silvicultural learning opportunity that is available at Institute offerings. If you have any questions about the Online or regular Institute just e-mail Charlie at [email protected] or call 603-588-3272.

2018 Sessions:• Pine-Oak-Hemlock, Portsmouth,

NH: May 16-17 (application deadline for private foresters April 16)

• Spruce-Fir, Orono, ME: June 13-14 (application deadline for private foresters May 14)

• Mixed Oak-Hickory, Sturbridge MA & Eastford, CT: July 12-13 (application deadline for private foresters June 12)

• Northern Hardwoods, Bartlett, NH: September 5-6 (application deadline for private foresters August 6)

Applications can be found at www.northeasilviculturalinstitute.org

More on the Silviculture InstituteThrough a grant from the USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry, the North East State Foresters Association (NEFA) offered the Northeast Silviculture Institute for Foresters (Institute) in 2017, a series of five training workshops in graduate level silviculture. NEFA will offer the training again in 2018. The training was delivered through a partnership of all the northeastern universities with silviculture curriculum and coordinated by the Universities of New Hampshire and Vermont.

NEFA chose to pursue this project given significant new knowledge needed by foresters to make silvicultural decisions on the ground. Threats to forests in the northeast United States from fragmentation, invasive plants and insects, high-grading, climate change and shifts in wood utilization and manufacturing capacity have revealed gaps in the knowledge of, and learning opportunities for, working forest managers – especially in silviculture.

HERE’S WHAT SOME OF THE ATTENDEES HAVE SAID ABOUT

THE TRAINING IN 2017

• “I attended all 5 Institute sessions. Absolutely fantastic experience. It made my year…” - Private consulting forester

• I started adjusting my marking the day after the session. I am doing a better job planning and laying out regeneration harvests based on what species need advance regen or not. I am also thinking much harder about when and how to remove low and intermediate shade.

• All in all the entire workshop, presenters, field trip leaders and field trips were excellent. The material, its quality and content were first rate. It's too bad we didn't have a week (or more) to cover things in greater depth.

• The material covered in the workshop and the input from other foresters made me realize that I do not understand the statistics behind the numbers I use every day in this field. I have become dependent on computer programs to reach conclusions. Understanding the relationships between the stand's condition, the data I collect, and the conclusions of the data will make me a better forester.

• The forest hydrology session was the first time I have ever been exposed to this technical material and research. Great presentations by all and I felt that the presentation skills and climate adaptation were important in my everyday work.

• I thought this workshop was great. It was a TON of information packed into a short time. I will certainly do some follow up reading to learn more about each topic – the readings and references in and of themselves were worth attending for.


Northeast Silviculture Institute for Foresters

by Charles A. Levesque, President, Innovative Natural Resource Solutions, LLC

NEWS FROM VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS, PARKS & RECREATION

SILVICULTURE, continued on pg. 19

Northeast Silviculture Institute for Foresters Online is Here!



VWA CONSULTING FORESTERS

One fall afternoon I went to see Markus Bradley and his crew in action on the property of Alan Calfee. They were tackling an invasive management project for Calfee through the Woods, Wildlife, and Warblers program for southern Vermont landowners. Bradley is a partner in Redstart Forestry, which was founded in 1992 by Virginia Barlow. Both Barlow and Paul Cate are mentors for Bradley who was drawn to the field of forestry because of his interest in the outdoors and wildlife.

Bradley’s role with Redstart is also that of a consulting forester and an invasive species specialist. He received his Associate degree from Paul Smith’s

College and a Bachelor’s in Forest Management from the University of Vermont. He joined Redstart in 1998. Now having been in the field for 20 years, he enjoys being able to work with landowners to make improvements on their property.

His involvement as an Invasive Treatment Specialist with Redstart began when Marsh Billings Rockefeller National Historical Park asked the company if they would be interested in helping them tackle invasive plants at the park. Since that start, he has worked with many landowners throughout Vermont to help them consider managing their property and

paying attention to the negative aspects invasives in their woods can cause in the long-run.

For landowners who are skeptical of chemical treatment, Bradley agrees that it is normal to mistrust chemicals and the companies that make them. “Sometimes people have their mind made up that they don’t want to use chemicals, and you need to respect that opinion.” However, he believes raising awareness and educating landowners is very important, despite any negative opinions on chemical treatment.

The management of invasives in Vermont is a concern, and landowners are being advised by land managers to really be pro-active in observing which invasives may be present in small populations on their property. On this particular day, Calfee noted that this treatment from Redstart was in preparation for a harvest. Many woodland owners in southern Vermont may have larger infestations of invasives and are being advised to treat those before performing a harvest. The issue with heavy infestations could be that there is a persistent seedbank present in the soil. Bradley emphasizes the point

CONSULTING, continued on pg. 20Markus Bradley

Markus Bradley, Redstart Forestry Forester, Partner, and Invasive Treatment Specialistby Silvia Cassano



NEWS FROM THEVERMONT TREE FARM COMMITTEE

Reflections on the 2018 Tree Farm National Leadership Conference

The American Forest Foundation, administrator of the American Tree Farm System, hosts a National Leadership Conference in the late winter each year to bring state committee members the latest in efforts to improve the system, listen to the “field” (That’s us, your state committee representatives), and discuss problems and successes in the program. The conference rotates among the ATFS regions, favoring states without a winter environment. This year we met at the end of January in Albuquerque, NM, and enjoyed a reprieve from our Vermont temps made more enjoyable due to the unusually hot, dry weather being experienced in the west lately (and responsible for their fires and droughts).

The conference has had its “ups” and “downs” over the years due to AFF staff changes and the number of changes that the program has experienced recently, but this year’s NLC was better than most due to the staff ’s effort to listen to the field. Here are some of my “takeaways:”

• Hopefully you read last issue’s “dead horse” article on the various inspections and audits (or assessments) that are conducted by the ATFS. My complaint in the article mentioned the frequency of the audits, last conducted in 2016 in Vermont. Well, they listened! Out next audit won’t be until 2020. That’s a four year cycle and is a nice reprieve from the past 3 year cycle. Vermont did very well and I’m calling this a reward for our effort. We still have the “required” maintenance inspections this year to go through though, and it’s never too late to mention that all of the “required” and “audit” touches we find out about from AFF are RANDOMLY SELECTED, meaning you could be picked again even if you just went through this last time…

• There was a great session on brainstorming fundraising ideas and the session generated about 20 ways the state committees have considered raising money from agencies, industry, non-profits, dealers, and others. I included our recent survey of where you buy and get repaired stuff you use in working in your woodlots. So far about 150 have responded to the survey- a really good response rate- and I’m hoping those of you who have not responded will do so in the next few days. The more hits we get on local dealers and companies the better chance we may have on

persuading them to advertise in our magazine. And we may be able to use a couple of the other ideas other states have used to generate some funding. Stay tuned!

• We found out that the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Forest Resources Division, along with their Tree Farm Committee, has a three year project (www.ForestsForFish.org) bringing together foresters, loggers and fisheries biologists to promote the message that Michigan’s forests provide abundant clean water and quality fish habitat. They are passing out bumper stickers reading, “Forests Keep Rivers Clean,” “Water is a Forest Product,” and “Great Forests make Great Lakes”…. I think we will get on this band wagon in some way, given that we haven’t made a lot of progress with our ANR or legislature convincing them we are the solution, not the problem in cleaning up Lake Champlain.

• We heard from AFF on the critical importance of growing the Tree Farm program, and many stories from other committees on how they are making that happen. In the end it depends on who’s a “true believer” or “born again” into the program, and unabashedly promotes the program for us. In Vermont it’s our

REFLECTIONS, continued on pg. 21

by Alan Robertson, Tree Farm Committee Co-chair

Visit our website at www.vermonttreefarm.org

for information on the Tree Farm program, workshop opportuni-ties, forestry related programs for students and teachers, and

much more.


Information and Guidance to a Successful Timber HarvestTimber harvests come with a lot of questions–some answers you need to know, some you don't. To help you answer those important questions about your woods, the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation has created the Landowner Guides to a Successful Timber Harvest. They’re simple and concise guides that handle topics including: Overview of a timber harvest, Water, Wildlife, Economics, and Working with Foresters and Loggers. Download the series or just the booklets that pertain to you at VTCutwithConfidence.com.


The success of the Tree Farm program is totally dependent on a dedicated corps of inspectors who help us uphold the high standard of excellence. We wish to thank our inspectors who enrolled new tree farms or completed inspections for us in the last three months.

As a membership organization, our strength is in numbers. We welcome many new members who are Tree Farmers, next generation landowners, new to Vermont, or met us at one of our many tours or workshops. Thanks also to Allan Thompson and Meadowsend

Timberlands who have given gift memberships to many of their clients. No matter how you found us, thank you for joining and I hope to meet you all at one of our upcoming events.

Charles Armstrong, Brownsville VTKeith Ballek, Sheffield VT John Barnett, Putney VTArthur Berndt, Sharon VTLars Botzojorns, Concord VTDerrick Calkins, Hinesburg VTSamuel & Bridget Carbonetti, Orleans VTCarpenter Family Trust, Bethesda MDStephen and Wendy Carpenter-Isreal,

Bethesda MDHenry Ralph Carse, Huntington VTCavendish Wildwood Farm, Cavendish VTLance & Christina Chambeau, Pawlet VTZach Cockrum & Kealy Sloan, Northfield VTDouglas Coutts, Derby VTDaniel Davis, W. Burke VT

Phil Doherty, Wolcott VTWilliam Downey, Arlington VTMike and Diane Eramo, Granville VTKurt and Jesse Evans, Henniker NHJeff Fannon, Adamant VTStephen Fowlkes, Winhall VTCaroline Fritzinger, Weston VTRobert Hyams, Hinesburg VTJennifer Jackman, Brookfield VTMarsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP, Woodstock VTRoland Jost, Morrisville VTJay & Virginia Maciejowski, Athens VTStanton & Barbara Maloney, Oak Ridge NJPhilip and Ellen McDuffie, Windham VTGregory Melkonian, Hopkinton NHCurtis Merrow, Shaftsbury VT

Matt Montgomery & Andrea Pearce, Huntington VT

Barry & Mari Mulcahy, Brandon VTJames Mumford, West Rutland VTChris and Jane Murphy, Roseland NJJohn Nininger, Newbury VTJeffrey Nyweide, Manchester Center VTAndrew and Anne Paradee, Stowe VTChristine Pinkham, Northfield VTJustin Quinn, Woodstock VTGeorge Senkler, Carlisle MAJeffrey Snitkin, Newbury NHJosh Steirman, Newtonville MAAjat Tariyal & Komal Dhall, Charlotte VTTown of West Fairlee, West Fairlee VTGregg Trulson, Duxbury VTGeorge Vince, Lincoln VT

Pat BartlettJon Bouton

Robert BradburyBeth Daut

Paul HarwoodRyan Kilborn

Tony Lamberton

1725 Jack Santos, Readsboro1726 Ballard LLC, Woodstock

Thanks to our Tree Farm Inspectors

Welcome New Tree Farmers

Welcome new VWA members



VERMONT TREE FARMINSPECTOR’S LOG

Star Date 2.15.18 – “Second star to the right and straight on ‘til morning.”

Right after returning from visiting family over the holidays and seeing our son receive his Marine Corps commission, my husband returned to work with frozen and bursting water lines in just about every building on the campus where he works. There were many long days and nights that first week back, and problems just continued to mount with all the damage that was done. To say he was stressed and exhausted was an understatement. I had put off purchasing my airline ticket for the National Leadership Conference, so as I sat looking at the flights, I looked at Tom and said, “Are you sure you wouldn’t like to come along? We could

stay a little longer, rent a car and drive to the Grand Canyon! It’s not that far- like 5ish hours from Albuquerque.” He waited a bit to answer, and then said… “let’s do it.” So – we did.

I like it when an opportunity presents itself and I actually act upon it. Not that we hadn’t talked about Tom coming along, but after the dog encountered the underside of a golf cart, and then followed that up with an impacted tooth, we both were throwing up our hands and wondering what else could possibly go wrong? Oh yeah, and I forgot about my husband’s hospital stay. Needless to say, we really wanted

a break, but were kind of sitting on our heels, waiting for the other shoe to drop. As soon as I clicked “confirm purchase”, I knew it was the right choice. NLC was excellent as usual, and Tom had some much needed peaceful solitary hiking. And then to see the Grand Canyon- I was speechless. We stayed right in the park, and when we left headed to the Petrified Forest, and Painted Desert, then along Route 66, and finally back to Albuquerque. And to top it all off, Tom’s Eagles (much to my Patriots’ dismay), won the Super Bowl. It was a perfect ending to a perfect trip. Maybe my decision making was not necessarily “logical,” however it was one of the best trips, ever!So, how many opportunities are in your path right now that you might be missing? Most foresters are likely working on Use Value Plan updates this time of year. Goodness knows it is easier than expecting that winter will stay for more than two days in a row. As the plan update deadline approaches, there is an opportunity in front of you right now! Make sure that your Tree Farm properties are up to date meeting all the standards. It only takes a little more time to gather information not required on UVA plans, which are required for Tree Farm. “We have the tools. We have the technology. We can rebuild him” (oops, wrong show.) Don’t forget the Management Plan Addendum in the Inspectors Corner

INSPECTOR’S LOG, continued on pg. 21

by Kathy Beland, Co-chair VT Tree Farm Committee and Inspector Trainer

1725 Jack Santos, Readsboro1726 Ballard LLC, Woodstock

Welcome New Tree Farmers


TOURS, MEETINGS,

& WORKSHOPS

CUT WITH CONFIDENCE LANDOWNER

WORKSHOP SERIES

20 ACRE ACTIVE HARVEST WITH CABLE SKIDDER

Saturday, March 3rd, 2018 1PM to 3PM

•5 ACRE ACTIVE HARVEST

WITH A LOCAL HORSE LOGGER Saturday, March 10th, 2018

1PM to 3PM Evans Tree Farm 600 Schuler Road

Derby, VT

RATTLESNAKES IN VERMONT

WITH DOUG BLODGETTThursday, March 8

7 - 8:30pmCCV, 60 West St.

Rutland, VT

WHO GOES THERE? WILDLIFE TRACKING

WORKSHOP WITH ED SHARRON

Saturday, March 10th, 10am-1pm

Shrewsbury Meeting House, Shrewsbury, VT

$10 Suggested Donation

APPLE TREE RELEASE & PRUNING

Saturday April 7 10:00am – 1:30pm

Woodford, VT

VWA ANNUAL MEETING

Saturday, Apr 14, 20188:30am – 3pm

VTC, Randolph, VTSee page 25 for agenda and registration


TREE FARM REWIND

For those of you with sawmills, or who hire someone to do custom sawing for you, sawing is just the first step in turning logs into quality lumber. The boards have to be stickered, dried, and stored under cover. One of the ways to increase the income from sawn lumber, especially hardwood lumber, is to kiln dry it. Jim Birkemeier, a forester and woodland owner from Wisconsin has designed a kiln that is fairly inexpensive and which most saw mill owners could build. In his book, Solar Cycle Lumber Kiln, Jim gives detailed plans for construction of his kiln and explanation of the advantages of his design.

His design is fairly simple. It consists of a shed built on a concrete slab that is 10 feet by 44 feet. The shed is divided into 4 bays of varying widths from 10 to 14 feet wide. Both ends of each bay are open, but each bay is divided from its neighbor by an airtight insulated wall. Each side of the shed has an insulated door as wide as the widest bay. The south facing roof is the solar collector. In Vermont the slope of the collector/roof should be at an angle of about 45 degrees. Birkemeier uses 6 mil UV protected greenhouse poly film. When the sun is shining, the solar collecter produced

hot air that is conducted to the collector room in the attic space. From there a fan blows the hot air down into the chamber being kiln dried. The ideal location for the kiln is so that one of the long walls is facing south so that it gets full sunlight. It would be beneficial if the long side was also exposed to the prevailing wind so that lumber in the other bays could be pre-dried.

Book Reviewby Allen Yale, Tree Farmer

Birkemeier: “Solar Cycle Lumber Kiln”

BOOK continued on pg. 22



VT TREE FARMER PROFILE

Current Use AlertBy Trevor Evans, VWA board member & Tree Farmer

Among the legislative changes in 2015 to Current Use, the “Easy-Out” provision was implemented. However, there was an appraisal change that did not start until April 2016. As in the past, if a landowner wishes to discontinue or to remove part of a parcel from Current Use, a penalty known as the Land Use Change Tax (LUCT) is applied.

The new catch-22 is that the removed parcel is now appraised as a “stand alone parcel” rather than as a portion of the entire parcel. This new legislative wording significantly increased the LUCT. Although an “Easy-Out” option for a three-month period was available, this new appraisal provision did not allow a reasonable time for a landowner to evaluate the financial implications for the long term. The “stand alone parcel” appraisal valuation now not only applies to withdrawn land but also to all pre-existing non-enrolled portions of a parcel/ property under Current Use.

Unfortunately, this change in V.S.A. Title 32, Chapter 124, Section 3756, (d): was not explained or discussed in any testimony or printed information to landowners, foresters, or others.

Before the changes in 2015, the LUCT language read: “The portion of the parcel that is not to be appraised at use value shall be appraised at its fair market value.” The language now reads: “any portion not receiving a use value appraisal shall be valued at its fair market value as a stand alone parcel”. This appraisal change did not commence implementation until April

of 2016. Now as a “stand alone value”, the resulting LUCT is skyrocketing.

Allegedly the Tax Department claims that there are no changes, and this is how they have interpreted the appraisal language all along. Then why the change? They admit that the only training they have held is with the town listers, whom the Tax Department is now auditing for strict compliance with this change. When asked why they provided no information to foresters or landowners, their response was “that would have been up to Forest and Parks.”

So, what are the ramifications to the landowners? First while the change was initially implemented in 2016, many towns are still appraising based on fair market value and it will take several years for the entire state to adopt the “stand alone” appraisal evaluation. Next, this change will have the detrimental effect of increasing fragmentation of forests and accelerate development. Why? It is a non-sequitur to enroll a parcel in high land value towns, as any tax savings on the enrolled portion in current use is nominal due to the increased allocation of value to the excluded portion.

Next, the new legislation appraising any portion not enrolled as a “stand alone” parcel only serves to enroll that land in current use and just remove it later (“parking ‘) as the tax savings accrues rapidly over time when enrolled. Bottom line – the legislature has now turned a perceived problem into a reality.

Worst of all, this legislation will only increase fragmentation of forests and accelerate development since once again it is a non-sequitur to enroll a parcel in high land value towns.

Finally, many landowners have already invoked “easy out” based on misinformation or lack of information regarding the legislative change by the Tax Department. Consult your accountant or tax attorney before either enrolling or non-enrolling in current use.

Note: The contents of this article are based on a presentation and memorandum by Jonathan L. Wood, former Commissioner of Vermont Forest, Parks, and Recreation and former Secretary of Natural Resources, and now Consulting Forester Vermont Forester License #148.0121792 at the AIV Annual Meeting on December 14, 2017.

AN INVITATION TO OUR MEMBERS

We welcome your submissions for the VWA and Tree Farm

newsletter. If you have a story to tell or news of interest to

share with other landowners, please send along so we may consider for future editions.

We can accept articles, photos, or news tidbits via email to

[email protected].


Marli Rabinowitz grew up in Massachusetts and learned the idea of land management by following her father around as he reclaimed stone walls from poison ivy, made paths, and brought in firewood. She learned the appropriate vocabulary, lurking near him as he brush- hogged with his walk-behind, rock throwing, often broke down… Gravely.

When he bought land in Vermont in 1964, she went along as he walked the property lines through the woods with the previous owner. In retrospect, she can see that no one else in the family did. So maybe it is not a surprise that she moved from Alaska, back to that land in Guilford, with her baby.

In 1993 she worked with forester Lynn Levine to get a forest management plan. She recalled upon first receiving it that, “it took a few years to connect with it. I have a degree in botany and ecology, but am not used to viewing the forest as a product. Where is the information I need to understand this plan? It’s a lot to absorb-wow, I don’t know what is going on out there.”

Rabinowitz believes that there is no better way to get experience in

the woods and its interdependent interactions than getting yourself outside, learning from peers and those with more knowledge. She has learned so much by attending forest tours where she can learn about the plants, see the harvest sites, equipment, techniques, and learn about the history. “Books are a great resource, but they can’t replace the multifaceted experience of being out with trees and local, experienced people” who live and work in the forests for their profession.

With her Guilford property she had support of the County Forester and her local Windham Regional Woodlands Association (WRWA). Bill Guenther, who is the Windham County Forester writes for the WRWA newsletter. Outreach is a big part of his job and he and his co-worker Sam Schneski have been helpful to engage landowners in her area. When asked how WRWA compares to the Vermont Woodlands Association(VWA), she emphasizes that WRWA is local, and non-political. The mutual support between the county, state and their organization gets landowners, foresters, and loggers a lot of the networking and education they are seeking. She values all of the woodland tours she has been able to attend as a VWA and WRWA member. From 1997 to about 2007, she and her then partner, Joe Earle, purchased parcels of forestland in Eden, Vermont which all together now total 534 acres. Joe was from Eden and he was able to buy some adjacent parcels before they went off to the market. Their concern was forest fragmentation, restoring

soils, and protecting a kettle pond from motor vehicle use. The parcel has many different forest types and ponds, and is something Rabinowitz is quite proud of and happy to be a steward of. “It is large enough that a good harvest can actually provide some income,” she says.

She and Joe worked for years with the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) that the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offers, on both her properties. NRCS looked at the land and outlined habitat improvements and provided cost-sharing for the work. Through working with their foresters she has seen both forests improve a lot, noting that being enrolled in Use Value Appraisal (UVA) has been helpful during this process. When speaking of her background in botany, of changes in the landscape historically, and the increasing battle with invasive species, she speaks to the point that, “we are really watching the flora of the future: our grandchildren’s forests aren’t going to be our forests. From farms to houses, the forests have changed quite a lot in my time.” She moved away from her Guilford property for a few years, and when she came back


TREE FARMER & VWA MEMBER PROFILE

Meet Marli Rabinowitz

PROFILE continued on pg. 23

by Silvia Cassano



Vermont SFI® Update

NEWS FROM SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY INITIATIVE

by Bill Sayre, Chair, Vermont SFI and Ed Larson, SFI VT Coordinator

Close to 60 people involved in the forest products industry came to Montpelier to attend the fall/winter meeting of the SFI-AIV Forest Policy Task Force. Several topics were on the agenda and a great amount of high quality conversations took place addressing concerns and challenges of forestry in Vermont. Business owners and managers of sawmills, consulting foresters, loggers, biomass plants and officials came together for this biannual event.

The meeting began with an in-depth conversation on the Workers’ Compensation (WC) System in Vermont. Two Directors from the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation were guest presenters describing their work on a Legislative directed study on pooling high-risk job classifications. The concept, to create a larger pool, would spread the risk and reduce premiums. Phil Keller, Director of Insurance Regulation and Kevin Gaffney, Director of Rates & Forms and Market Regulation provided a very thorough report and an analysis of the work on the study and what they see in the final report. One conclusion they noted is that the rate determination by the rating entity NCCI is based on history of losses and claims. Their remarks also compared Vermont WC law to that of neighboring states finding Vermont benefits for injured workers are at least 10% more generous than Maine or New Hampshire. Both commented that the best chance to reduce rates for Vermont loggers is a solid safety training

program that includes third party surprise field audits. Another key is addressing the independent contractor law so it is clear and employees, not regarded as independent contractors, are in the WC pool.

Deputy Commissioner of Forests, Parks and Recreation, Sam Lincoln who has been working on the WC issue for over two years and has gathered lots of data and information, was next to speak at the meeting. His remarks focused on independent contractors. He has created a decision tree to be used by landowners, foresters and logging contractors as a guide to determine if an individual on a job is an independent contractor or an employee.

Associated Industries of Vermont (AIV) Vice President William Driscoll highlighted Legislative challenges addressing both the inequities in benefits and arriving at a sound resolution defining an independent contractor.

A new national effort to address trucking challenges was introduced to the attendees by Wayne Majuri of International Paper Co. Wayne described this initiative named Team Safe Trucking through a power-point presentation of a new website: www.teamsafetrucking.com, to educate everyone involved in the forest products industry to recognize what has happened to the forest industry transportation sector. The organization’s mission is to offer

quality safety training to reduce accident rates and a recruitment tool to find more safety minded truck drivers. Driver retention and recruitment is an increasing problem in our sector. Workers’ compensation costs have also skyrocketed, tripled in some states due to the high-risk nature of the occupation. Wayne encouraged attendees to visit the site and work together to build in a Vermont specific page to assist Vermont businesses in addressing trucking challenges. SFI is a lead sponsor of this national and regional initiative.

Jeff Tilley, Forestry Leader at the Green Mountain National Forest (GMNF) was the next presenter providing an update on the forestry program in our 400,000 + acre national forest. Jeff brought news that the volume of timber harvested in the GMNF during 2017 is forecasted to be 15% more than 2016. Jeff stated that new United States Forest Service Chief Tony Tooke has directed all national forest supervisors to increase revenues from timber harvests by $3.4 to 4 Billion this new year. Attendees were pleased with the progression of these increases recalling the days in the early 2000’s when no timber harvests took place on the GMNF.

Consulting Forester and former ANR Secretary Jonathan Wood presented a report analyzing the most recent change

SFI, continued on pg. 16



SFI, continued from pg. 15

in Vermont’s Use Value Appraisal Program. In 2015 the Legislature increased the Use Change Tax and how it is calculated. They also made a change, that was unnoticed and with no testimony, that directs town listers on how to appraise excluded portions of enrolled land. The change increases the appraisal of the excluded portion to be at a value as if it was a stand-alone parcel rather than a portion of the whole parcel. This greatly increases the valuation and tax on that portion that in many instances, makes enrollment unattractive. His concern is that landowners may not bother to enroll, therefore reduce participation in sustainable forest management.

SFI Coordinator and Executive Director of the Vermont Traditions Coalition, Ed Larson provided a brief update on his activities and preparations for the upcoming Legislative Session. Larson asked attendees to focus on the current public comment period pertaining the Camel’s Hump Forest Management Unit Long Range Management Plan. Larson referenced the fact that this 26,300-acre forest is located nearby Chittenden County has garnered interests from many, more urban type citizens and

we need to be more involved in the process. He also cited an opinion letter that has appeared in a number of local publications by a Massachusetts extreme environmentalist representing, Massachusetts Forest Watch. The letter seeks to shut down all timber harvesting on state owned forest lands. His letter seems to have gathered interest from other Vermont based conservation groups, therefore it is important that we step up and provide comments to counter this misinformed letter. Larson added that the plan draft is a fairly good plan with an arguably well-balanced set of goals and prescriptions. If anything, we should be asking for more timber harvests than called for in the draft and a much larger goal of increasing early successional forest stands from a 1-2% of area to an increase of close to 15%.

Secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources Julie Moore presented an update on a number of issues ANR is addressing including the Clean Water Fund, Act 250 and environmental permit reforms. She spoke eloquently about the importance of working forests for Vermont’s rural economy and the ability of ANR to manage the many uses of state owned forest lands.

Dave Wilcox, Watershed Forester for Vermont presented details of a new proposed rule change to Vermont’s Acceptable Management Practices, (AMP) program. He said this is to adjust changes made when the rule was last updated in 2015. These changes include new definitions and a different chart for culvert sizing. Attendees asked several questions about the changes and the process. There will be a new AMP manual created just after the new rule is finalized.

Paul Frederick, Program Leader for Wood Utilization and Energy offered an excellent, detailed volume and economic report on timber harvesting and wood flows in Vermont. His report showed timber harvesting in fiscal year 2018 is projected to be way up from the last few years and predicts things will continue to progress now that more long-range management plans are in place.

Commissioner of Forests, Parks and Recreation, Mike Snyder provided a number of reports on activities in his Department including the most recent outdoor recreation initiative directed by Governor Scott. The Vermont Outdoor

Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC) has just completed a series of public meetings and his report will be delivered to the Governor in a few days. He felt there were several good ideas generated from that process that uses Vermont’s outdoor recreation resources as a tool for economic growth. Snyder also spoke about the Department’s Legislative Agenda for the upcoming session including right to practice forestry, purchase and use tax exemption and current use. Deputy Commissioner

SFI, continued on pg. 17

Growing Tomorrow's Forests Today®

www.aboutsfi.org

In Vermont, call William Driscoll,SFI Coordinator, at Associated Industries of Vermont, 802-223-3441.


Sam Lincoln joined Snyder and talked about how they are implementing the skidder bridge program that received a $50,000 appropriation by the Legislature last May. Steve Agius is the Refuge Manager for the Silvio Conte National Wildlife Refuge. He provided a thorough update on activities in the refuge. The recently finalized Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) is currently under review by Interior Secretary Zinke, and it is uncertain if or when it will be formally adopted. Agius plans to finish the Habitat Management Plan this winter and has plans to increase timber harvesting to enhance wildlife habitats, he acknowledges that not enough forest management work has occurred in past years. He added that his staff is limited and he cautioned that timber sales will

increase, but not be overly robust. He is also busy on road, bridge and culvert improvements. Agius added that he is looking into aligning refuge policies pertaining hunting and trapping with Vermont regulations in response to requests by the Vermont Traditions Coalition and others.

The final segment involved Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife Dept., Louis Porter and its Director of Wildlife, Mark Scott discussing fish and wildlife issues. This included deer and moose meetings are upcoming and encouraged attendees to participate. They spoke about the declining health of the moose herd and the early preliminary reports that the deer rifle season was very successful. They both spoke to the public comment process related to Camel’s Hump encouraging

thoughtful comments from attendees. They announced plans to hold a fourth public meeting because the first three were in or too close to deer rifle season. Director Scott also passed out a white paper draft on educating landowners that have threatened, rare or endangered species on their property on how to protect and care for them.

The day-long meeting ended just after 3:30 PM. SAF and LEAP continuing education credits were made available to attendees.


SFI, continued from pg. 16

PRESIDENT, continued from pg. 5

his coaches were screaming at him and he was almost leaping out of his racing suit he was trying so hard. He finished some hundreds of a second faster than Mieto and I was standing near enough to hear what I assume was a Finnish oath from the giant. After that, timing to hundreds of a second was dropped.

The original Olympic layout had a large culvert under the road to the parking area to provide access from the racing trails to the finish stadium, but two problems appeared. One was that the Finnish giant would be decapitated and the other was the difficulty of getting snow for the ski tracks into a long culvert. The solution was to push snow across the parking lot road after all the busses had arrived so the tracks would be above ground.

Came the relay race between the nations. My piston bully driver and I were parked ready to push the snow and set the tracks across the parking lot road and up into the stadium, but the tourist busses were late. The race was underway, the Russians were leading and this was during the Cold War. Over the radio—the only time I heard him during the entire Olympics— came Al Merrill, the chief of the x-c races, “THIS IS X-1, GET THOSE TRACKS IN!” We pushed the snow across the road and headed for the finish stadium. My driver’s hands were shaking on the steering levers, I was peering out the back window to see if the Russians were coming. We made it ahead of the Russians and I remained friends with Al Merrill.



way they use the phrase ‘Zeee.’ It takes a little practice but very easy to master.

At the top of the canopy is where the Scarlet Tanager will be found. One of the most vivid birds to be seen in the forest, he is decorated as his name implies with a brilliant scarlet red body sharply contrasting with his jet-black wings. He has a melodic song like a robin but sounds as though he is singing with a scratchy throat. Nevertheless, classical composer Antonin Dvorak was so possessed by the song and appearance of the tanager that, while on a visit to the United States, he included the bird in his famous American Quartet as represented by a unique series of stringed notes.

There isn’t space enough to describe the dozens and dozens of bird species to be found in a diverse sugarbush. If these six species can be observed nesting in your sugarbush, or that of your neighbor’s, chances are good habitat abounds. With attentive forest management planning, goals to achieve horizontal and vertical structure, good numbers of cavity trees and fallen stems, and all the components that

comprise a healthy forest, this can easily be accomplished. Doing so will not only provide habitat for these essential and precious residents of our woodlands but will ensure good and sustained crops of maple syrup for years to come as well.

For more information about forest birds and sugarbush management a free consultation with Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department biologists (www.vtfishandwildlife.com/get_involved/partner_in_conservation/eqip_for_wildlife_habitat/) and VWA foresters (www.vermontwoodlands.org/) can help greatly with decision making. Vermont Audubon also can provide assistance through their Bird Friendly Sugarbush program. Follow this link to their website on the subject: (www.vt.audubon.org/conservation/working-lands/landing/bird-friendly-maple-project).

FOREST BIRDS, continued from pg. 4

Scarlet tanager

Hermit thrush nest and eggs

Black-throated blue warbler

Prize winning syrup from a bird-friendly sugarbush

Singing wood thrush Perching hermit thrush (note ‘rusty’ tail) Black-throated green warbler



Field foresters need updated and accurate information regarding new and emerging forest science to assure their silvicultural decisions made are as informed as possible.

The Institute workshops are designed to provide northeast U.S. foresters with the appropriate knowledge to make sound, science-based decisions for forest ecosystem management, harvests and regeneration. This project is designed so it can be used in the USDA Forest Service’s National Advanced Silviculture Program (NASP) to provide landscape-specific materials for northeast forests. Prior to the Institute, such a curriculum had not existed for the northeast under NASP.

The Institute workshops or five distinct modules covered the following: • NASP New England and Northern

New York Overview (2 days) • Spruce – Fir Forest Type (2 days) • Pine, Oak and Hemlock Forest Type

(2 days) • Northern Hardwood Forest Type

(2 days) • Mixed Oak Hickory Forest Type

2 days)

Each of the forest type workshops covers: 1) Silvics of individual species & stand

dynamics including land use history 2) Silvicultural systems and practices

including growth, yield, quality and regeneration

3) Economics, utilization & markets 4) Forest health 5) Wildlife considerations specific to

forest type 6) Soils 7) Site quality and productivity 8) Sample prescriptions & work

assignment 9) Legal, landowner objectives &

carbon considerations 10) Field Trip into forest type (1 day)

SILVICULTURE, continued from pg. 7

Multiflora rose will leaf out in early to mid-April. This makes April a good time to survey your land, as multiflora rose will be one of the only plants showing sprays of green. You can look for stout, downward turned thorns, but the most effective way to tell whether you are looking at a multiflora rose plant is to look at the base of the leaf stalk. There will be a pair of “leaf-like” appendages at the base of each leaf stalk, called “stipules”. In multiflora rose, the stipules are fringed.

There is a similar, native species—Rosa blanda (smooth rose) but the stipules of this species are not fringed, and the flowers are pink.

To learn more about Multiflora rose, check out www.VTinvasives.org and these additional resources:www.gobotany.newenglandwild.org/species/rosa/multiflora/

www.maine.gov/dacf/mnap/features/invasive_plants/rosa_multiflora.htm

www.nyis.info/index.php?action=invasive_detail&id=33

www.docs.dcnr.pa.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_010245.pdf

www.plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=romu

www.ecolandscaping.org/07/invasive-plants/multiflora-rose-an-exotic-invasive-plant-fact-sheet/

www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/weedguide/single_weed.php?id=87

www.norcrosswildlife.org/wildlife-sanctuary/flora-fauna/invasive-plants/multiflora-rose/

www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/47824

WATCHLIST, continued from pg. 6

Using our skills and market knowledge

to help you meet YOUR objectives.

JEFF LANGMAID

Montpelier, [email protected]

802.223.8644

fountainsland.comfwforestry.net

TIMBER SALES, FOREST MANAGEMENT, & CONSULTING...



that when carrying out a controlled disturbance, a landowner can actually set up a condition where invasives will get worse over time.

When asked about trends in invasives, Bradley noted that much of Vermont is still relatively free of invasive plants while other portions have been infested for a very long time. “In these settings, invasive plant control should probably focus when logging or when trying to protect rare plants or habitats. Eventually, a fungus or an insect will develop a taste for these things, but the time scale is the problem.” Clearly, it takes less effort to control small populations so early action by landowners is key to success.

For those that don’t want to use chemicals, mechanical control is an option but it can be more laborious and expensive. Bradley notes that many careers expose workers to substances that may be toxic. It’s valuable to research the toxicity of many everyday substances and compare them to the most commonly used herbicides.

Bradley enjoys most aspects of his work, and despite that some days he is in thickets of Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), Glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula), and Multi-flora rose (Rosa multiflora), he said working with invasives has made him a better botanist. When he goes to a property that has invasive plants as a dominant species, he says he comes home

with “even more vigor to conserve and protect my landscape.” Some of his favorite and more rewarding experiences have been riparian planting projects where at a number of sites they’ve been able to control the knotweed and other invasives, and planted trees.

Markus recommends landowners be proactive by reviewing the invasive plant fact sheets on VT Invasives.org. Also, try to attend any invasive plant workshops that VWA and others sponsor. If you are more advanced in identifying invasives, consider helping an organization in your community teach residents what to look for, or help organize something like a Garlic Mustard Pull.

CONSULTING, continued from pg. 8

Vermont Woodlands Consulting ForestersCommitted to promoting and strengthening the long-term conservation and management of Vermont’s natural resources.

PO Box 6004, Rutland, VT 05702-6004802.747.7900

Visit the website for complete forester contact information: www.vermontwoodlands.org

Addison KasmarekGreenleaf ForestryWestford, VT802-849-6629

Ryan KilbornMeadowsend Timber-lands LTDWashington, VT802-323-3593

VWA Consulting Foresters are licensed by the State of Vermont and meet all continuing education requirements.

Dan AdamsDan Adams Forestry SvcBrattleboro, VT802-254-3502

Patrick Bartlett, TSPBartlett Forestry & Wildlife Woodstock, VT802-291-0179

Kathy BelandNot Just TreesW. Rutland, VT802-438-5495

Markus BradleyRedstart ForestryBradford, VT802-439-5252

Alan CalfeeCalfee Woodland Mgmt.Dorset, VT802-231-2555

Ben CampbellE.B. Campbell Forest Land Mgmt.Starksboro, VT802-453-5591

Richard CarbonettiLandVest TimberlandNewport, VT802-334-8402

Beth DautM.D. Forestland ConsultingBerlin, VT802-272-5547

Edward DenhamNE Woodland Mgmt.Stockbridge, MA413-232-4000

Peter EvertsEverts Forest Mgmt.Barnet, VT802-592-3088

Charlie HancockNorth Woods ForestryMontgomery Ctr, VT802-326-2093

Steve HandfieldPoultney, VT802-342-6751

Luke HardtHardt ForestryHardwick, VT 802-673-7769

Paul HarwoodHarwood Forestry SvcsTunbridge, VT802-889-5500

How Can a Consulting Forester Help You?

Consulting foresters assist private landowners in identifying and achiev-

ing goals for their woodlands, including managing for forest products, wildlife

habitat, recreation, water resources, and aesthetics. VWA Consulting Foresters

can help you meet your management objectives.

Frank HudsonNot Just TreesW. Rutland, VT802-483-2397

Andrew HutchisonHutchison ForestryLeicester, VT802-247-3117

Kevin LemireLandVest TimberlandNewport, VT802-334-8402

Lynn LevineForest*CareDummerston, VT802-254-4717

Ben MachinRedstart ForestryBradford, VT802-439-5252

John McClainNE Forestry ConsultantsRandolph, VT802-728-3742

Len MiraldiTamarack Forestry ServicesNorwich, VT802-649-1564

Scott MoreauGreenleaf ForestryWestford, VT802-849-6629

Ross Morgan, Northern For-est Conservation ServicesCraftsbury Common VT802-586-9697

Tyler PellandLandVest TimberlandNewport, VT802-334-8402

Josef PetersonTimbercraft ForestryN. Clarendon, VT802-773-0370

Russell ReayCuttingsville, VT802-492-3323

Harris RoenLong Meadow Resource Mgt.Burlington, VT802-658-2368

Allan ThompsonNorthern Stewards Waterbury, VT802-244-8131

Tucker WestenfeldBartlett Forestry & Wildlife LLCWoodstock, VT 802-291-0179



Tree Farm members, our county foresters, and our consulting forester partners who spend time doing the paperwork. It’s not an easy sell for many as the program, at present, doesn’t return any additional income for the work. It does establish a Tree Farmer as the gold standard for forest stewardship, and the holder of the moral high ground, ethics-wise, leaving the forest in a better way than it was. Actually, the ethic is the only reason you should want to be in the program, either as a forest land owner, or as a consulting forester. Think about how you can help grow the program.

• As is present at all conferences, we had a few vendors. One is Bob Faulkner and his company, “Raise the Bar Designs,” which specialize in personalizing clothing and other promotional items- either yours or stuff he’ll sell to you. Bob is a past TFOY and is pretty reasonable. VWA has done the setup and associated costs for the VWA logo and the Tree Farm logo with Vermont across the top. If you want either on a vest, or shirt you would only pay for the actual effort. Bob may be contacted at (360)789-1265 or [email protected]; site is www.treefarmpromos.com.

• Finally, there were several opportunities during the NLC for the field to talk to the staff, and the staff to listen. This hasn’t always been the case. But it was refreshing and leaves one with the hope that the result will be a more understanding approach to our issues and problems. It left a very optimistic feeling for the coming year.

There will be other articles on the content and results of the conference in coming issues; I was one of five attendees from Vermont and I’m guessing the other four have even more to relate. It was a good conference.

REFLECTIONS, continued from pg. 9

of the ATFS website. Vermont has also worked on its own addendum, so feel free to contact myself or Kathleen for that information.

Along with getting your plans complete, this is an opportune time to complete an 004 for a Tree Farm Inspection. You likely have been on the property in the past 180 days, so here is your chance! It may seem like you just completed one, but I can tell you than many of you likely completed it prior to the 2015 changes in the standards. Many of you may have been using the 004 APP on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device. As of February 1st, that option is no longer viable. I am heartbroken. I loved the APP, but also know it had its glitches. Please file your 004 digitally using the PDF uploader. If you file a handwritten 004 inspection form, someone has to enter all of that information by hand. It provides a lot of room for error for the person entering the data, but also leaves the opportunity for you to omit something as well.

And finally, on April 14th is the VWA and Tree Farm Annual Meeting. If you have never attended this event, set your course to Randolph that day. It is always a reminder to me that what makes Tree Farm work are the people. On that day, you may have the opportunity to sit and have a conversation with some of the finest people in Vermont, all with a common goal of growing trees, providing habitat,

protecting water quality and enjoying recreational opportunities on their land. And finally, we all get a ton of email, but pay attention to your Inbox! You never know what opportunities await the Tree Farm Inspectors of Vermont. “Course heading?... Second star to the right and straight on ‘til morning.”, or as Buzz Lightyear says; “To Infinity and Beyond!”

INSPECTOR’S LOG, continued from pg. 11

Serving Vermont Woodland Owners Since 1968Full Service Forestry Consulting & Surveying Firm

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Use Value, Timber Sales, Recreation & Wildlife ManagementVT Licensed Forestry Staff (4), Licensed Surveyor & Licensed Real Estate Sales

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www.landvest.com



When I considered building a kiln, one of the factors that discouraged me was that, with many kilns, the lumber becomes case hardened and needs to be conditioned by adding moisture at the end of the process. This just seemed too complicated. Birkemeier claims that since his kiln works intermittently, drying only during daylight hours, it allows the lumber to acclimate during the night, preventing this problem.

I have cut some nice hardwood lumber and stickered it under cover. When I went to use it, there was hardly a board that wasn’t warped or cupped. I realized that I had not provided sufficient weight on top of my stacked lumber to keep the

lumber straight as it dried. Because of that experience, I pretty much gave up sawing hardwood lumber. Birkemeier had a surprisingly simple solution, as he wrote: “the top 15-20 layers of the pile are strapped with 2” nylon straps to keep the entire stack flat as it dries.” [Four straps per pile] (p.8)

One of the nice features of the solar cycle kiln is the reduction of handling. The green lumber is stacked and stickered in one of the bays, about 3.5 MBF of lumber per bay. With the bay open to the air and wind, the lumber is air dried to about 12% moisture content in about three months. After air drying, the insulated sliding doors are closed

on that bay and the hot air from the solar collector are directed into that bay. After about two weeks, the wood should have reached about 6% moisture content. Once dried, the lumber should be stored in a humidity-controlled environment, otherwise the ambient humidity would eventually return the lumber to about 12 % humidity. Birkemeier also has several plans for smaller solar kilns.

For anyone considering a kiln, I strongly recommend they take a look at Birkemeier’s book. The book is available at www.TimbergreenForestry.com.

BOOK, continued from pg. 12



she was alarmed at how certain invasives had taken over. “Stewardship is not a passive activity. You do have to put your body up against it- it’s a lot of work, but it’s really satisfying to see the work done, to see the beneficial plants rebounding.” She takes photos of the changes and progress on her land, and keeps a notebook of the yearly tasks that have to be done- from apple tree pruning to invasive root pulling in spring, and seed control in the fall- which future landowners would benefit from reading after she is gone. Continuing invasive control is one of the recommendations of Vermont Audubon’s, Steve Hagenbuch, who visited Rabinowitz’s Guilford property in 2016 as part of the Woods, Wildlife and Warblers (WWW) program. In case you haven’t heard, the Woods, Wildlife and Warblers Program, is a partnership program VWA is involved with that is geared toward reaching landowners in southern Vermont and offering them a free visit from a woodland professional with the goals of getting landowners to become more engaged with managing their woodlands for migrating bird habitat. The recommendations Hagenbuch gave Rabinowitz were helpful for her in considering how to update her management plan to reflect more ways she could help wildlife, and additionally provide her with recommendations on what she can do in between harvests. She is working to develop more understory and midstory on her Guilford property, and through WHIP was able to do a patch clearing that was highlighted on the front of the September VWA Newsletter. Not only did Marli participate in WWW, but she also trained as a peer leader. If interested landowners in her area contact VWA with interest

in WWW, a peer landowner may be the best first-contact to visit their property. This role she plays reflects the successful peer-to-peer Coverts model that WWW peer landowners value. Rabinowitz has also enjoyed her participation in a few Women Owning Woodlands workshops, which VWA organizes with partners. At these workshops she had the chance to refresh her tree identification skills, and listen to knowledgeable speakers ranging from foresters, to landowners of all kinds, to lawyers. Seeing the women professionals there was very inspiring and she has noticed that a lot more women landowners and professionals are more visible now in forest management, than in the past.

Rabinowitz has been on the VWA Board of Directors since 2013 after receiving an invitation from consulting forester, Kathy Beland. That convinced her to also enroll her land in the VWA managed Tree Farm program! About a year later she joined the Board of the WRWA. She recognizes the value of being on these boards as an important tool to her learning and engagement in her own land, as well as having the ability to connect with other landowners and forest stewards. She says that, “being on these boards helps you learn the larger context of forests in the ecology and economy, how passionate the foresters and other landowners are. So many landowners and forest professionals know their forests really well and know they’re doing something for the whole state, beyond their own benefit.” She cites that sometimes it’s hard to acknowledge how important the legislature is to forestland that one may own, but it is important when you begin to recognize and see our forests in a global context. It is an “incredible

lesson into seeing how interconnected the world really is,” she affirms. When asked what she would do if she didn’t have her woodlands, she had a lot to say because she, like many of you, is deeply connected to her woodlands. Since her answer was so genuine, and many of you may feel the same way, we decided to let her thoughts resonate with you: “If I didn’t have woodlands I would have a lot less worries, expense, and back soreness. I would worry instead about where to get firewood and where to forage. I don’t know where I would go when I want to be alone, wordless and roaming, but I would find public forests. Without the trees I would hear my neighbors a lot more and see a lot fewer animals, or just go and live in town. I would feel awkward at woodland gatherings but could still go on lots of hikes and snowshoes and tracking events all over the state. I might travel more in the summers. I would lose a lot of my own history: seeing changes over 50 years in the same spot teaches many things. Many of the places and trees on my land (and neighbor’s lands) are so familiar, and hold memories of the many times I have walked by them. The people that cared about them too, that are now gone; the trees and I see and remember the results of what they did. Some of the changes are from what I have done too, harvests and such, and watching the progression of the forest gives a real sense of “forest time,” and how short our lives are compared to the continuity of natural processes.”

Rabinowitz ultimately feels that a land steward who gets involved in managing land for one reason or another, is doing something powerful because they are taking the initiative to learn about the systems involved in what makes up a forest and this “land underlies our whole nation and economy, and we are the stewards of it- it’s amazing!”

PROFILE, continued from pg. 14



As a benefit of membership, the Vermont Woodlands Association offers a free subscription to Northern Woodlands, a quarterly magazine that offers readers a “new way of looking at the forest.” Northern Woodlands mission is to encourage a culture of for-

est stewardship in the Northeast by increasing understanding of and appreciation for the natural wonders, economic productiv-ity, and ecological integrity of the region’s forests. Members also receive the VWA newsletter published quarterly and E-News,

offering articles of interest and educational opportunities for woodland owners.

MEMBERSHIP BONUS!

NEW MEMBER APPLICATIONVermont Woodlands Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation whose mission is to advocate for the management, sustainability, perpetuation, and enjoyment of forests through the practice of excellent forestry that employs highly integrated management practices that protect and enhance both the tangible and intangible values of forests–including clean air and water, forest products, wildlife habitat, biodiversity, recreation, scenic beauty, and other resources–for this and future generations.

(Note: existing members will receive an invoice)

northernwoodlands.org

ANNUAL DUES INVESTMENT (check one)

Landowners☐ 0 -100 acres ............................................................................ $40 ☐ 101-200 acres ......................................................................... $50☐ 201-500 acres ......................................................................... $60☐ 501-1,000 acres...................................................................... $70☐ 1,001-5000 acres ................................................................. $100☐ Over 5,000 acres ................................................................. $250☐ Friend/Supporter .................................................................. $40

Natural resource professionals☐ Individuals ............................................................................. $50☐ Firms and crews .................................................................. $100

Wood products companies & equipment suppliers ☐ Individuals ............................................................................. $50☐ Firms and crews .................................................................. $100

☐ VWA Accredited Consulting Foresters ...................... $160 (Subject to VWA acceptance. Call for details.)

Name _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address _______________________________________________________________________________________________

Town ____________________________________ State __________________________________ Zip __________________

Telephone _________________________ FAX ________________________ Email __________________________________

Woodland town(s) __________________________________County(ies) _______________________

Woodland acres _________________ Tree Farm member? _________ Enrolled in the Value Appraisal Program? _________

Forester _______________________________________________________________________________________________Please make checks payable to Vermont Woodlands Association and mail with the completed form to: VWA Treasurer, PO Box 6004, Rutland, VT 05702-6004.



Directions to VTC: I-89 to Exit 4. From ramp, turn onto Route 66 heading uphill (East). Go ¾ mile to the intersection at the top of the hill. Drive straight through the intersection to access the campus main entrance. Parking is to the right.

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Please complete & return with your payment of $35 per person (members) or $45 per person (non-members) to VWA, PO Box 6004, Rutland, VT 05702-6004

Registration deadline: April 5, 2018

Name: ______________________________________________ Additional Name: ___________________________________

Address: ____________________________________ City: ________________________ State: __________Zip: ___________

Organization: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Phone: _______________________________ Email : __________________________________________________________

Dietary restrictions: _____________________________________________________________________________________

Charge my credit card : # __________________________________________Exp : _____________ CVE code : ___________

Check enclosed : __________ Amount : $_____________________

☐ I would like to have space for a table top display (first come, first serve)

PO Box 6004, Rutland, VT 05702 802 747 7900 • FAX 802 747 7989

www.vermontwoodlands.org

ANNUAL MEETING AGENDA & REGISTRATIONSaturday, April 14, 2018 from 8:30AM – 3:00PM

Judd Hall, Vermont Technical College, Randolph Center, VT

8:30-9:00 Coffee and registration in Judd Hall (on the left past Old Dorm)9:00-10:15 FPR news and legislative action —FPR Commissioner Michael Snyder, Deputy Commissioner Sam Lincoln,

and State Forester Steve Sinclair10:15-10:30 Coffee Break10:30-11:00 Break10:30-11:00 American Forest Foundation Trip to the Black Forest – Alan Robertson11:00-11:30 Our Vermont Woods – overview by Kate Forrer, Urban & Community Forestry Program, UVM Extension11:30-11:45 Report on the Forest Sector marketing survey & Forest Industry Summit - Christine McGowan, Forest

Products Program Director, VT Sustainable Jobs Fund11:45-12:00 VWA membership meeting12:00- 1:00 Lunch Buffet— VTC catering1:00-1:15 Kathleen Wanner, VWA Executive Director’s report1:15-2:00 Tree Farm awards: 50 and 25 year Tree Farm awards 2018 Vermont Tree Farm Inspector of the Year 2018 Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year presentation2:00-3:00 Log Drives on the Connecticut River- video from Orford Historical Society (Jere Daniell, retired Dartmouth

College history professor no longer travels)


Can you tell that we love alliteration? The photos you see here begin a wildlife habitat story on the property of Dan and Pat Stone in Wallingford that has quite an impact on Vermont’s forest economy. The Stones signed up for a bird assessment that was completed more than a year ago. Audubon and foresters Kathy Beland and Frank Hudson offered a tour in December 2016 to talk about the timber marking and how the subsequent harvest would benefit birds. Fast forward to February 2018 and the timber harvest… As part of the WWW program and a project called Habitat for Heat, low-grade pine will go to the Vermont Pellet Mill in Clarendon where it will be converted to pellets and shipped in bulk to an assisted living facility in Rutland County. So, we start by creating habitat for birds and along the way benefit the landowner, forester, logger, trucker, mill, and end user… all within about a 30 mile radius.


Woods, Wildlife, and Warblers: Habitat for Heat

Put in envelope and mail with your payment to:Vermont Woodlands Association

PO Box 6004Rutland, VT 05702

Or visit the website for online registration.

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110 Merchants Row, Suite 101PO Box 6004Rutland, VT 05702-6004

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDRUTLAND, VT 05702

PERMIT NO.144

Photo by Trevor Evans. Erin Lorentz at 2018 Farm Show. Note the ribbon in upper left for Best in Show educational exhibit.

vermont woodlands association and vermont tree …€¦ · john buck, waterbury center, vt. ......

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