Event: Forest Management: Wildlife, Ecology, and Timber Harvesting

Date/Time: April 27, 2017; 8:30 - late afternoon

Location: Vernon National Shooting Preserve. 3291 Burns Road, Vernon Center, NY. 13477 315-829-2529. Web site: vernonnational.com has directions!

Sponsors: Society of American Foresters, Iroquois Chapter. Daniel Zimmerman Chair

Central New York Chapter, New York Forest Owners Association. Daniel Zimmerman, Chair

Please register via email for Lunch purposes: danielzimmerman57@yahoo.com

Portions of this program are outdoors and may include muddy conditions, please dress appropriately.

8:30 am. Welcome: Daniel Zimmerman, Chief Forester & MBA McDonough Hardwoods. Chapter Chair Society of American Foresters and New York Forest Owners Association

8:40-8:50 Welcome: Mr. Ron Acee, Owner Vernon National Shooting Preserve

8:50-9:50. Stephen R. Heerkins.Wildlife Biologist 1 Division of Fish and Wildlife, NYS DEC. Herkimer sub office. New York has had moose for the last three plus decades and they generate a lot of public interest when encountered in places like the Adirondacks. DEC is asked often “How many moose are in NY?”, however until recently DEC has not attempted specific surveys to ascertain moose abundance and distribution across the Adirondack Park. In 2013 DEC and research partners sat down to develop a survey protocol that would help determine moose abundance in NY as well as identify preferred habitats. DEC also discussed the need to establish reproductive rates, adult and calf survival and health issues associated with NY’s population. With moose populations challenged in other parts of the Northeast and the country, gathering baseline information about moose in NY is critical for identify future management strategies.

9:50 -10:10 Coffee Break

10:10-11:00 Andy Weik Regional wildlife biologist for the Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society. The talk will cover the ecology and habitat needs of grouse and woodcock, and forest management strategies that can be employed to sustain habitat for these two popular upland game birds as well as numerous other native wildlife species.

11:00 – 12:00pm Allen Nichols President of the NY chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation. Mr. Nichols will go over the history of the American chestnut, the impact the death of the trees had on people in the early 1900th century and what we have been doing to develop a blight resistant tree. Ending up with how people can help us restore the American chestnut back into the forest, now that we have a blight resistant tree. Will handout nuts-seeds

12:00-1:00. Lunch. Prime rib or cut n grill your own steak - need to know in advance by registration- $25 per person includes sides’ dessert etc.

1:00-1:30. Scott Crocoll. Wildlife Biologist 1, NYSDEC. Forest Raptor Biology.

1:30-2:30. John K. Bartow, Jr. Executive Director Empire State Forest Products Association.

Mr. Bartow will speak on three items: 1. New York Logger Training and “Trained logger Certification”. What this entails, how it is working in NY and what we are working on to improve it. 2 The Governor’s Empire Forest for the Future Initiative and what this may mean for NY’s forests, forest landowners and forest products industry. 3 The American Forest Foundation’s recent report “In Plain Sight” and the condition of North Eastern Appalachian (Hemlock) Hardwood forest for landowners, forest products industry and ecosystem benefits in NY.

2:30- 4:00 pm. Daniel Zimmerman, Chief Forester, McDonough Hardwoods. Tour of Vernon National Shooting Preserve northern hardwood forest stand that was recently harvested in the winter of 2016 by McDonough Hardwoods Certified timber harvester/Logger. Various subjects covered including but not limited to harvesting techniques, ownership goals and objectives, silviculture, wildlife, and ecology.

Times noted in this schedule are an approximation and along with speakers and subject can change without prior notice!