October 9, 2020
There are many myths and misperceptions about forests and forestry in Pennsylvania. Before we examine them, we need to define what a “forest” is. Simply put, a forest is an area of land characterized by extensive tree cover and other associated resources such as meadows, streams, and wildlife. We often use other names to describe forested land including woods, woodland, and woodlot. We also have “urban” or “community” forests located within our cities. Pennsylvania‘s very name means “Penn’s Woods,” “Penn” after Quaker William Penn’s father, and “Sylvania” meaning woodland.
October 9, 2020
A carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere because of one’s own energy needs. The choices we make every day and how we decide to live affect our carbon footprint. When determining one’s carbon footprint, transportation, electricity, food, clothing, and many other everyday products need to be considered.
October 8, 2020
As for everyone, it’s been an interesting time at the Center for Private Forests at Penn State during COVID restrictions. Fortunately, we’ve been able to complete much of our work remotely and continue to engage at the intersection of people and forests.
October 8, 2020
August has been hot and dry. The last few days of the month brought some relief after eight weeks of zero rain. We recorded 1.8 inches of nice gentle rain over the past few days, allowing it to soak in rather than run off. Each spring, we pull 600 gallons of water from the stream and store it in totes on the hill above our house for emergencies such as this. We are using those to keep this spring’s tree plantings alive. So far, only two of 40 have died. One of those had been ripped out by a bear and was too far gone when we discovered the damage; the other never took off.
October 8, 2020
Sustainable Forestry Initiative Label Identifies Sustainable Packaging Millennials are changing the way we look at the world in many ways—including how we package the food and beverages we eat and drink every day. The EcoFocus Worldwide 2019 US Trends Survey shows millennials place a much higher value on sustainability than previous generations, and packaging is no exception.
October 8, 2020
Programs that pay small acreage forest landowners for carbon sequestration are coming down the pike. The state of Maine is developing a program to pay forestland owners for managing their forests to increase carbon sequestration. In the US Congress, many bipartisan bills have been introduced to address carbon sequestration.
October 8, 2020
Penn State Extension’s team of Forestry and Wildlife experts has launched a new e-newsletter, Woods and Wildlife News and Notes, a curated list of the most recent information, events, demonstrations, partnerships, and activities coming from the team. Forest Leaves will share the title and a thumbnail of these articles with you each quarter.
September 30, 2020
This year, the entire month of October is to celebrate Walk in Penn's Woods. Wear your blaze orange and get outside to experience all the the woods has to offer you.
August 27, 2020
Much research has sought to predict masting years when big acorn crops occur and shed light on what leads to poor years or early acorn abortion (or abscission) like you may have seen this season.
August 18, 2020
With recent efforts to combat the threat of invasive plants in woodlands, Penn State Extension has released new resources to help with identification and control. A total of 14 invasive plant fact sheets are now up on the Penn State Extension web site. Art Gover, Penn State Wildland Weed Management Specialist, David Jackson, and Sarah Wurzbacher both Penn State Forest Resources Educators, and Sky Templeton, graduate of the Penn State Forest Biology program prepared the fact sheet.
August 18, 2020
This summer the bureau celebrates a true milestone, our 125-year anniversary! Known as a ‘’quasquicentennial”, 125 years is a long existence for any organization.
August 17, 2020
Registration is now open for the Fall session of "The Woods in Your Backyard" online course. Our self-paced, non-credit course runs 10 weeks from August 31st to November 9th, 2020. The course will help landowners convert lawn to natural areas and enhance stewardship of existing natural areas.
July 31, 2020
Many areas across the northeastern US are experiencing dry and drought conditions, Pennsylvania included. The soil is dry, and plants (and trees) are starting to suffer.
July 13, 2020
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) expanded the Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) quarantine from 14 to 26 counties in March 2020. The 12 new counties are not completely infested, but rather have a few municipalities with a known infestation which led to a quarantine being placed on the entire county. Current quarantined counties are: Allegheny, Beaver, Berks, Blair, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, and York.
July 13, 2020
When beech leaf disease (BLD) was first detected and described in a Cleveland park in 2012, it left a lot of experts who quickly partnered to begin researching the disease from federal and state agencies, private labs, and universities all scratching their heads.
July 13, 2020
At the 2020 Pennsylvania Farm Show, the Hardwoods Development Council (HDC) hosted the Pennsylvania Hardwoods exhibit. The exhibit’s theme was Imagine the Opportunities of a Smaller Carbon Footprint. The exhibit was made possible by a collaboration between the HDC and the three Pennsylvania Hardwood Utilization Groups: Allegheny Hardwood Utilization Group, Keystone Wood Products Association, and the Northern Tier Hardwood Association.
July 13, 2020
The PA Tree Farm Committee announces a new opportunity for PA forestland owners. The American Forest Foundation (AFF) in partnership with The Nature Conservancy has launched a pilot carbon sequestration incentive program in selected areas of Pennsylvania. It is called the Family Forest Carbon Program. A map of the eligible forestland is shown below. The partnership has plans to extend the area to include all of PA private forestlands by year's end.
July 13, 2020
As spring transitions to summer, the forests are bursting with renewed growth. We are enjoying hearing and seeing the variety of birds.
July 13, 2020
A single home containing 2,000 square feet of external impervious surface can produce 1,246 gallons of stormwater runoff in a typical rainstorm. When we see this downpour racing off house roofs, overflowing from roof gutters, and rapidly traversing driveways, lawns, and walkways, have we ever considered where it goes and what damage it might be doing along the way?
July 10, 2020
The Penn State Extension Forestry and Wildlife Team is thrilled to welcome two new members to its ranks. Katie Schmidt and Calvin Norman join three other fellow county based educators and eight university-based experts who do statewide extension work in forestry and wildlife sciences in Pennsylvania. Katie and Calvin bring fresh perspectives and new expertise, and their addition greatly enhances the capacity of this team to serve you, our stakeholders. We hope you share your stories with them, put their skills to work for you, and welcome them into your woods.
July 10, 2020
Forest landowners and aspiring landowners from across the mid-Atlantic region are invited to attend the Women and Their Woods 2020 Virtual Educational Retreat to learn more about managing their forestland and connecting with other forest landowners.
June 29, 2020
If you have never enjoyed a day afield collecting berries, this is the year you should try it. Nothing like socially distancing in a berry patch.
May 28, 2020
“If the land mechanism as a whole is good then every part is good, whether we understand it or not…To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering.” Aldo Leopold, Round River.
April 8, 2020
The Penn State Extension Renewable Natural Resources team would like to announce two upcoming webinars about the Paycheck Protection Program which is a federal stimulus benefit available for small businesses affected by the novel Coronavirus.
April 6, 2020
An early spring brings warmth, daffodils and outside play. It also signals — to the chagrin of many property owners across Pennsylvania and beyond — the next generation of spotted lanternflies.
April 6, 2020
Many factors affect our ability to successfully regenerate and sustain forests. Competing vegetation, high deer impact, and light reaching the forest floor, referred to as C-D-L.
April 6, 2020
The PA Tree Farm Committee announces a new opportunity for Pennsylvania forest landowners. The American Forest Foundation (AFF), in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, has launched a pilot carbon sequestration incentive program in selected areas of Pennsylvania in spring 2020.
April 6, 2020
As you read this, you know that the COVID-19 epidemic has thrown a “monkey wrench” into Earth Day plans as well as the everyday activities of 330 million Americans.
April 6, 2020
Project Learning Tree (PLT), an award-winning environmental education initiative of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), has developed new supplementary educational materials to help young people discover careers in sustainable forestry and conservation.
April 6, 2020
Brushpiles is the opinion page of Forest Leaves. It’s a place for you to write in and share your reactions and thoughts. The following piece was excerpted from an article in the PA Forest Stewards newsletter by Mike and Laura Jackson, PA Forest Stewards, in response to questions received about glyphosate after the article by Jonathan Kays appeared in the Winter 2020 issue.
James C. Finley Center for Private Forests
Address
416 Forest Resources BuildingUniversity Park, PA 16802
- Email PrivateForests@psu.edu
- Office 814-863-0401
- Fax 814-865-6275
James C. Finley Center for Private Forests
Address
416 Forest Resources BuildingUniversity Park, PA 16802
- Email PrivateForests@psu.edu
- Office 814-863-0401
- Fax 814-865-6275
