New York Forest Owners Association

Greene Lumber Sawmill Tour
2025-06-26 10:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Greene Lumber Company, 16991 NY Route 23, Davenport, NY, 13750, United States
The Green Lumber sawmill is a quality production facility located amidst some of the finest hardwood timber in Upstate New York and capable of producing thousands of board feet per day. Founded at their Davenport location in 1989, they are a leading producer of many hardwood species, including Hard Maple, Soft Maple, Cherry, Ash, Birch, Red Oak, White Oak, Hickory, Basswood, and Yellow Poplar.
This tour is free and open to the public.
Registration for this event will open on April 1, 2025, on the Catskill Forest Association website, CatskillForest.org. Look under EVENTS. Click on the title.
On Thursday, June 26th, from 10 AM to 1 PM, NYFOA will be teaming up with the Catskill Forest Association with a joint tour of the Greene Lumber Company 16991 NY Route 23, Davenport, NY. 13750

Golden Wing Warbler Habitat Walk
2025-06-21 09:30 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Grand Lakes Reserve, 45701 Burns Road, Redwood, NY, 13679, United States
Join us as NYFOA partners with Audubon NY and Indian River Lakes Conservancy to bring you a woods walk workshop to demonstrate forest bird habitat management in practice. Specifically, this program will focus on the unique habitat required by Golden-winged Warblers. Golden-winged Warblers are a migratory shrubland species that have suffered one of the steepest declines of any North American songbird over the past 50 years. Restoration for golden-winged warblers can be challenging due to their habitat needs, they require a layer of grasses for nest construction, shrubs to provide nest protection and single standing trees to provide a perch for males to sing. During this program we will tour an area of the reserve that has been specifically managed for golden-winged warbler habitat. We will discuss the habitat needs of this species and highlight opportunities for landowners to incorporate this type of management on their own properties. We will also highlight other forest bird species that will benefit from this type of management. Space is limited to 40 participants, pre-registration is required.

June Woods Walk
2025-06-21 09:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Wilson Woods, 4384 Brainard Road, Kennedy, NY, 14747, United States
Wilson Woods Walk Saturday, June 21, 2025 LOCATION: 4384 Brainard Rd Kennedy NY (bounded by US 62 and Brainard Rd), Chautauqua County GPS: 42deg;11’40” N;79deg;05’49” W REGISTRATION: 9:00 – 9:30 AM This will be an opportunity to participate in a “very variable woods walk” in the words of long-time owner and host, Dennis Wilson, a retired professional forester (33 years NYSDEC). You’ll see a 65 acre managed (25 years) property featuring a 2 acre old growth forest, primarily hemlock but also white pine (over 300 years old) and hardwoods. Last sawtimber harvest in 2010. White ash “pre-salvage” 2013; ongoing TSI and fuelwood harvests. In addition, 80 plus year old plantations of larch and white pine; a 4 acre man made pond; and an Osprey nest with the possibility of observing the parents feeding their young at this time of year. As well as a demonstration of an innovative “semipermanent” boundary line and sign attachment method. Variable terrain: a level section with unimproved, unmowed trails and a steep section of old growth with little undergrowth. The reasonably fit 78 year old owner is able to navigate the property…slowly… lol The program will proceed rain or shine unless there is a severe weather warning issued. Please dress for the weather. There is no fee and the event is open to the general public. ADDITIONAL DIRECTIONS: From Kennedy, take US 62 East – toward Ellington; turn right on Little Rd.; turn left on Brainard Rd. Park on shoulder near 4384. A lightly traveled road with narrow shoulders.

Gathering Growth Foundation - Preserving Significant Trees and Forests
2025-06-14 11:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Lawson Lake County Park, 293 Lawson Lake Rd., Fuera Bush, NY, 12067, United States
Please join us on Saturday June 14 at 11am for a program by Brian Kelley of the Gathering Growth Foundation, highlighting the efforts of the foundation in New York State. The event will be held at
Lawson Lake County Park
293 Lawson Lake Rd.
Fuera Bush NY 12067
The Foundation was founded in 2019 by photographer Brian Kelley with a mission to visually preserve the legacy of significant trees and forests across the United States. Through powerful, archival-style photography, the foundation seeks to inspire a deeper appreciation for the ancient trees and forests that still stand today- encouraging education, awareness, and stewardship for future generations.
We encourage you to bring a bag lunch; drinks and dessert goodies will be provided by the chapter. Following our repast, take a short walk with Brian on the park grounds, and interact with him about his educational work, and with other attendees about their woodlot experiences.
Please RSVP to Carol at happyinthehollow@gmail.com by the 7th of June.
The parking areas are marked; use either the lot near Waldman Lodge where the program is held or, overflow – further out in the lot just off Lawson Lake Rd.
To learn more about the organization, visit the Gathering Growth Foundation’s website https://www.gatheringgrowth.org/ or check out an interesting TimesUnion article found at this link:
https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/outdoors/article/gathering-growth-trees-new-york-20171761.php
We hope to see you! If walking in the woods, dress appropriately and remember it is bug season.

Michigan State University Forest Carbon and Climate Program
2025-06-05 | NYS DEC, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY, 12233, United States
The Michigan State University Forest Carbon and Climate Program will be hosting a series of Voluntary Forest Carbon Market Workshops across the eastern US this summer. Participants will have the opportunity to learn directly from extension educators and practitioners working in the field about online tools and resources to understand existing carbon market opportunities. Over the course of 1-day, participants will also visit a nearby forest carbon offset project site for an in-depth look at what project management looks like. Click here to learn more about the workshops.
Forestland owners of all parcel sizes are encouraged to attend. Other forestry professions and extension professions are encouraged to attend. There is no cost to attend a workshop. Food will be provided during the workshop. Participants are eligible for travel reimbursements up to $150.
REGISTER
Support for these workshops were provided in part by a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Renewable Resources Extension Act Capacity Grant

New Baltimore Antique Machinery & Agricultural Festival
2025-05-31 09:00 - 2025-06-01 17:00 (America/New_York) | Van Etten Farm, 1314 Saw Mill Rd., Raena, NY, 12143, United States
Click on the following link for more information: New Baltimore Antique Machinery & Agricultural Festival

Future of Private Forest Lands
2025-05-03 09:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Northwest Bay Conference Center, 640 Bay Road, Queensbury, NY, 12804, United States
The Adirondack Landowners Association will be having a very useful Conference centering on the Future of Private Forest Lands on Saturday May 3 at the Northwest Bay Conference Center at SUNY Adirondack, Queensbury NY. This event is open to all interested persons and will be a one-day set of panel discussions and round table discussions. One set of 45-minute sessions will focus on planning for the long term management of your forest and woodlands, different financial tools such as tax relief, easements and transferring property to heirs. A second group of topics will focus on challenges to private forest owners, impacts of climate change, and invasive species management with examples of landowner actions. A third session will deal with the relationship between private forests and the local community. This topic is of particular importance to Adirondack region landowners but affects forest owners anywhere in New York.
Tying all things together is a keynote talk by Kim Ellman, former CEO of the Open Space Institute. The conference runs from 9 AM to 4 PM and lunch is included in the registration fee. Here is the link to the event website which can then get you to the registration page. Early bird registration is $65 until April 14, later registration is $75. This event should be very useful to all our NYFOA members and the Adirondack Landowners Association has extended a welcome to all.

CHRISTMAS TREE FARM & MANAGED FOREST WOODS WALK
2025-04-26 10:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York) | Scott Brady Christmas Tree Farm, 1165 County Highway 34 (Elk Creek Road), Schenevus, NY, 12155, United States
Several members have expressed interest in seeing an operating Christmas tree farm. This one has been in operation for over thirty years as a choose and cut operation. The Christmas tree plantation includes spruce and fir trees. The property has been in the family since 1946. Scott also manages the property as a managed forest. He did his first Timber Stand Improvement (TSI) project in 1978 on five acres. Over time the TSI project expanded to 83 acres. In 2024, The Upper Susquehanna River Basin funded a 14-member crew to plant a diversified forest of 900 trees using tree tubes. Scott has been working on forest regeneration for ten years. Scott Brady and his wife, Stephanie Brunetta, were featured in a member profile in the May-June 2020 issue of the New York Forest Owner Magazine.

Bring appropriate footwear, your lunch, and a drink if you wish to the woods walk. This event is free and open to the public.
At 10 AM on Saturday, April 26, 2025, NYFOA will host a woods walk on the property of Scott Brady, 1165 County Highway 34 (Elk Creek Road), Schenevus, NY. 12155.

SAC Spring Event
2025-04-26 09:30 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | SUNY ESF Pack Demonstration Forest, 136 Pack Forest Road, Chestertown, NY, 12817, United States
Arrival: 9:30—10:00 am (walk will begin at 10am)
Lunch: approximately 12:00pm (please bring a bag lunch and your own beverage
At SUNY ESF’s Pack Demonstration Forest in Warrensburg, NY we will tour recently completed timber harvests for white pine, red oak, hemlock and northern hardwood management. We will also visit marked timber sales specializing in hemlock resiliency as hemlock wooly adelgid approaches and climate adaptive silviculture.

Tioga County Woods Walk - Sweetrees Maple Products
2025-04-12 10:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Sweetrees Maple Products, 761 Glen Road,, Berkshire, NY, 13736, United States
We will start the day with an introduction to SweeTrees by the farm family, followed by presentations about NY Tree Farm and Tioga SWCD’s conservation work that promotes healthy watersheds and forests. After lunch, we will tour a newly completed Tioga SWCD project that created climate resiliency for the future and reduced large gully erosion that was impacting the farm’s sugarbush. Tioga SWCD was able to complete the project with state funds from the Climate Resilient Farms grant and landowner match. This will be a free event with lunch provided. Please RSVP so we can plan ahead for refreshments. You can use the QR code on the flyer, give our office a call (607) 972-2365 or use this link https://forms.gle/f1DBkYxEFmEhXJxr5 to RSVP.

Controlling Unwanted Vegetation, With and Without Chemicals
2025-03-29 13:30 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Broome County Cooperative Extension, 840 Front Street, Binghamton, NY, 13901, United States
A panel discussion featuring Consulting Forester and Certified Pesticide Applicator Mike Blasko, plus four Southern Tier Chapter members who have had considerable experience with controlling invasive and interfering vegetation on their own properties.
In our recent survey, several SOT Chapter members expressed their interest in a program on this subject. Mike Blasko has provided consulting services on numerous stewardship projects involving unwanted vegetation control, some with cost-sharing under the NRCS EQIP program. Jerry Michael and Steve Kutney have decades of experience with chemical control of invasive vegetation in their woodlots, while Darryl Wood and John Knapp have enjoyed success with non-chemical means of control. Each panel member will take a few minutes to describe their experiences, and there will be time for questions and additional sharing from other attendees.
March 29, 2025, 1:30 – 3:30, in the auditorium at Cornell Cooperative Extension, 840 Upper Front Street, Binghamton, N.Y. This meeting is free and open to the public.

SAC Annual Meeting
2025-01-25 10:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Warren County Cooperative Extension, 377 Schroon River Road, Warrensburg, NY, 12885, United States
10:00 am – Business meeting begins
11:30 am – Pot luck lunch (please bring a dish to share)
1:00 pm – Presentation by Ryan Robinson, Why Knot Services LLC
Ryan has experienced and dealt with many different types of plant base and insect based invasive species. He will present solutions (if available) to combat invasives. Ryan is a licensed commercial applicator with NYSDEC and performs science-based treatment plans compliant with state, local and federal regulations.

Annual Potluck Dinner (Lunch)
2025-01-18 13:30 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Broome County Cooperative Extension, 840 Front Street, Binghamton, NY, 13901, United States
Ed Nizalowski will speak at our annual Potluck Dinner (lunch) on his many observations and items found in the woods. Ed Nizalowski is a director at the Bement-Billings Farmstead in Newark Valley, NY. Doors will open at 1:30 PM with the meal starting at 2 PM. The meeting will be held at the Broome County Cooperative Extension, 840 Front Street, Binghamton, NY. Bring a dish to pass and your table service. We will provide beverages and a sheet pizza to supplement your gourmet offerings. Please call Steve at (607) 902-4090 to let us know you will attend. This will allow us to plan for seating and beverages.

Annual Meeting & Holiday Christmas Party - CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER
2024-12-07 10:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York) | Randolph Community Center, 72 Main Street, Randolph, NY, 14772, United States
10:00 am Annual Meeting
Agenda
Vote on the 2025 Slate of Officers (This is a general membership meeting.)
Chair -Dick Brennan, Vice Chair – Greg Michalak, Sec. – Fran Michalak, Treasurer – Tony Pingitore
10:30 am Holiday Christmas Party
For the party please bring a dish to pass, we will provide coffee/hot water, paper products, and cutlery. A fun gift exchange event will be facilitated by Fran Michalak. If you would like to participate, please bring a “forest” related gift to exchange.
Door Prizes: Dwarf Alberta Spruce (live tree); Alpaca wool socks
We hope to see you there.

CDC Woodswalk
2024-10-06 12:00 - 15:00 UTC | NY
Join us on our WOODS WALK
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, NOON TO 3:00 pm
at 13 Coonradt Road, Cropseyville, NY 12052
The 60 acre property of Ellen Graf and Zhong-hua Lu is located on the Rensselaer Plateau about ¼ mile North of the conserved Valentino Community Forest on Stuffle Street.
Joined by a forester and Ellen as guides, we will concentrate on the upper part of the property which includes pasture being pioneered by young trees of several species, 2003 and 2004 plantings for wildlife food, and many acres of woodland. We will look at the results of several methods of controlling invasive species, consider the impacts of a 2020 timberland improvement cutting, have a look at some diseased areas, and, if we are lucky, have the experts talk mushrooms. The walk includes a view of Tomhannock Reservoir to the north. We will mainly use existing lumber roads that are not difficult to walk.
These landowners are very active on the wooded property they love, and there is much to learn from their experience.
There is plenty of parking in front of the house and on the grass to the sides. We will gather early and aim to begin the walk by NOON. Some chairs will be provided for those who want to sit (some of us are getting older, you know) and people are welcome to use the bathroom inside.
To RSVP, please contact Carol at happyinthehollow@gmail.com by October 4th.

WFL Annual Dinner
2024-10-01 18:00 - 22:00 UTC | NY
SAVE THE DATE!
We have tentatively set the date for the 2024 WFL Annual dinner
Please save the date
Tuesday, OCTOBER 1st

CDC Woodswalk
2024-09-21 10:00 - 17:00 UTC | NY
The Capital District Chapter of the New York Forest Owners Association inviteS you to a walk at the Rheinstrom Hill Audubon Sanctuary and Center, a 1039-acre forest in southeastern Columbia County, that provides habitat for many at-risk climate-threatened bird species, such as Wood Thrush, Veery, Scarlet Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Blue-headed Vireo, and warblers such as Ovenbird, Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Blue, Black and White, and Blackburnian. The address for the woodswalk is 225 Cambridge Rd, Hillsdale, NY 12529
Eric Lind, Director of Center Programs and Education at the Sanctuary, will discuss land use and history at Rheinstrom Hill and how Audubon is managing the forest to improve diversity, habitat, health, and resiliency. By Demonstrating their successes to the public, Audubon is educating foresters, loggers and landowners on forestry techniques that benefit woodland bird species.
There will be discussion regarding the negative impacts deer can have on forest regeneration and the natural diversity of forest tree, shrub and wildflower species, which in turn affect native bird and mammal populations. Rheinstrom Hill has three demonstration areas with small clearcuts for habitat improvement. These cuts were done 8, 6 and 4 year(s) ago and half of each area has a deer exclosure. A fourth area with open canopy and existing oak saplings was recently fenced to demonstrate how wildlife habitat can be improved once deer browsing pressure is removed. The difference in regeneration within and without the deer exclosure is something you have to see to believe, and will be very informative to folks interested in healthy forests and wildlife habitat.
Audubon has an interesting magazine article that can be found at https://www.audubon.org/magazine/surging-deer-popu…. Thiselaborates on the deer problem in eastern forests and what they and Cornell University have been working on for solutions.
To register please email NYFOA member Carol at happyinthehollow@gmail.com by September 19.
Please park in the lots near the old nature center, with overflow along the gravel roadway leading into the sanctuary.
The event is limited to 40 participants to ensure a quality experience and facilitate group discussion.
