REGISTRATION (BY MAY 8, 2024):

Members - $43.00
Non-Members - $53.00
Non-Member Guests of Members - $25.00 Students - $25.00

Printed registration forms may be mailed to: PO Box 644, Naples, NY 14512
To request the form be sent by mail, please contact the NYFOA office: info@nyfoa.org or 607-365-2214.

MEETING LOCATION:

Tupper Lake High School: 25 Chaney Ave, Tupper Lake, NY 12986 Building: Main Building
Rooms: Cafeteria
Parking: Back of school off Park Street past bus garage

Campus maps are provided with the other statewide meeting documents from the NYFOA website.

RAFFLE & SILENT AUCTION FUNDRAISER

We will be holding a raffle and silent auction at the conference to raise funds for NYFOA, so make sure you bring a little cash or your check book to buy a ticket or two or be ready to place a bid for that special item you just can’t live without.

We would also greatly appreciate any items you would be willing to donate for the raffle. Items could include: a bottle of wine or liquor, a local delicacy (non-perishable), forestry/nature books, woodworking or other hand-crafted items, applicably themed garments/hats, outdoorsman products, applicably themed coffee or travel mugs, gift cards from chain stores, applicably themed vintage/collectible item, or other items you think might be of interest to your fellow landowners.

If you have an item you would like to donate a raffle item, please contact Scott Bono by email: glenmeal@yahoo.com

Thank you in advance for your donation and continued support of your NYFOA.

SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FORESTERS CONTINUING FORESTRY EDUCATION CREDIT CFE’s pending approval.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2024

8:30 am – 9:00 am

Registration & refreshments

9:00 am – 9:15 am

Welcome

9:15 am – 10:00 am

Session #1: Invasive Plants and Pests: Threats to Our Forests and Opportunities for Action – Zachary Simek. This presentation will provide information on and explore the effects of invasive species on forest ecosystems and highlight actionable strategies to mitigate their impacts. An overview of high-threat invasive species present in the Adirondack region will be provided, along with best management practices for prevention and control.

Zack Simek is the Conservation and GIS Analyst with The Nature Conservancy’s Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP) through the Adirondack Partnership for Regional Invasive Species (PRISM). Zack has a bachelor’s degree in wildlife science from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and a master’s degree in Forest and Natural Resource Management from the University of Georgia. He is also a NY certified commercial pesticide applicator with nearly a decade of hands-on experience controlling invasive plants and pests. Zack coordinates remote sensing, GIS, and data analysis activities to inform invasive species survey and management work across northern New York for APIPP and the St. Lawerence-Eastern Lake Ontario PRISM. Before this Zack was the Terrestrial Invasive Species Project Coordinator for The Nature Conservancy managing terrestrial invasive species survey and management work throughout the Adirondacks; was a Big Game Biologist for the NYS DEC in the northern Adirondack Counties; and was a biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Service. Zack grew up in Essex County, NY.

10:00am - 10:15am

Break

10:15AM - 11:00am

Session#2:Ruffed Grouse, American Woodcock and the Important Roles of New York’s Private Landowners and Sustainable Forest Management – Todd Waldron. This presentation will provide information on the ecology and habitat needs of ruffed grouse and American woodcock. It will also include information about related NRCS cost share programs and how to navigate them.

Todd Waldron is the Northeast Forest Conservation Director for the Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society, where he is responsible for overseeing partnerships, conservation delivery, and programs. Todd has a masters degree in Natural Resource Management from Virginia Tech University, a bachelors degree in Forest Resource Management from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and an associate’s degree in Forest Technology from SUNY ESF’s Ranger School. His career spans nearly 30 years working in several forest conservation roles in private landowner consulting, forest industry, non-profit leadership, and forestland valuation and transaction management.

11:15am - 11:30am

Break

11:30am - 12:15pm

Session #3: NY Real Property Tax Law: An Overview – Nick Jensen. This presentation will provide information about New York’s Real Property Tax Law (RPTL), covering the importance of property taxes, the organizational structure of RPTL and its governance, how property taxes are calculated, and several of the exemptions that are of importance to property owners. Including STAR, Veterans, Disability, Senior Citizens, Agricultural, Solar & Wind, and of course Forestland.

Nick Jensen is a Wealth Advisor with Mercer Advisors in Rochester, NY. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Financial Planner. Nick has 30 years of experience in public accounting, corporate finance, and wealth advisory services, specializing in helping landowners. He has a bachelor’s degree from Rochester Institute of Technology and holds a JSM degree from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Nick is a NYFOA member and currently serves on the Board of Directors, also serving as Treasurer on the Executive Committee. He owns a farm and forest in the Finger Lakes.

12:15pm - 1:15pm

Session #4: Forestry 101 – Frequently Asked Questions – Tom Gilman. This presentation will provide information and answers to often asked questions by forest owners like: What is a forester and why should I work with one? What is a logger? What is a forest management plan and why should I have one? What terms are important in a timber sale contract? And other frequently asked questions.

Tom Gilman is the Northeast Operations Manager for F&W Forestry Services. Tom has a Bachelors degree in Environmental and Forest Biology and Resource Management from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Tom was raised in the Hudson Valley. Following his first job working for a large landowner in Orange County, Tom has been a consulting forester in the Adirondacks since 1997 when he moved to Tupper Lake to work for Fountains Forestry who was later acquired by F&W Forestry Services. Tom is an SAF Certified Forester and a Registered Professional Forester in the State of Vermont.

2:00pm - 2:15pm

Break and End of Raffle & Silent Auction

2:15pm - 4:30pm

Session #5: Forest Health Tool/Resiliency Scorecard Field Demonstration – Chris Zimmerman and Jack Lampman. There will be a brief indoor presentation followed by a field demonstration that will provide information on: the Forest Health Tool and instruction on how to use it in your woodlot. They will discuss practices to address forest health challenges that can be applied through the Family Forest Carbon Program and other support programs. The Forest Health Tool is designed to help landowners assess and evaluate their woodlot’s health and level of risk based on a forest conditions and characteristics. This tool is meant to guide conversations about forest management, not to provide a comprehensive woodlot inventory. It is a starting point to make observations and facilitate conversations about forest health. The Family Forest Carbon Program provides family forest owners with resources and payments to manage their land with climate-friendly sustainable practices that help grow more resilient forests, conserve wildlife, and mitigate climate impacts. They will discuss how FFCP and additional practices can be implemented to address forest health issues.

The field portion of this session will be held on the property of the Tupper Lake Sportsman’s Club Archery Range located on the shoulder of nearby Mount Morris. The terrain is generally uphill but undulating with level stretches and accessible by a good system of walking trails. The hike will not be too challenging and will not be very lengthy. Please be prepared with proper footwear and clothing and be able to walk on uneven ground on uphill terrain. Unless there are extreme or dangerous weather conditions, this will be held rain or shine.

Chris Zimmerman is a Forest Restoration Strategy Lead with the Nature Conservancy in New York. He has been an ecologist with The Nature Conservancy for over twenty years and currently works on natural climate solution strategies. Chris has a bachelors degree from Evergreen State College and a Masters degree from Wright State University with a focus in forest ecology and forestry. The Nature Conservancy together with the American Forest Foundation developed the carbon accounting methodology used by the Family Forest Carbon Program; Chris coordinates this program in NY.

Jack Lampman is an Outreach Forester with the Nature Conservancy in New York. Jack has a bachelors degree in Natural Resources Management from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Growing up in the Capital Region, Jack spent much of his childhood visiting the Adirondacks, where he developed a love for Northeastern forests. He worked previously for the Adirondack Mountain Club and the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

4:30pm

Adjourn

Tupper Lake High School Map

Program Info & Schedule

Downloadable Registration Form