Ironmaster's Mansion Meeting

Ironmaster's Mansion Meeting

On Thursday, May 12^th, the Cumberland Woodland Owners Association will meet at 7:00 PM in the Ironmaster's Mansion located at Pine Grove Furnace State Park.  Debra Bowman, Executive Director of the Central Pennsylvania Conservancy, will be the featured speaker.  She will be speaking about the Ironmaster Mansion Restoration Project and the Conservancy's educational effort to help communities called "ReVisionPA."  She will also be giving a tour of the mansion.  The meeting is open to the public and there is no cost to attend.  The address for Pine Grove Furnace State Park is:  1212 Pine Grove Road, Gardners, PA 17324.  The park is easily reached from I-81. Visitors should take Exit 37 to PA 233 south then travel for eight miles.  To reach the park from the south, at the intersection of Route 30 and PA 233, take PA 233 north for 13 miles.  Pine Grove Furnace State Park website is: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/pinegrovefurnace/pinegrovefurnace_mini.pdf. 

The Central Pennsylvania Conservancy is restoring the Ironmaster's Mansion at Pine Grove Furnace State Park.  This building, a longstanding historical structure, is an important landmark in our local history and through volunteer efforts will remain a viable community center into the future.  For years it has served as a hostel and has been frequented by many Appalachian Trail hikers as a famed half-way resting area. 

The Ironmaster's Mansion, registered in 1977 with the National Register of Historical Places, holds stories tracing back to 1827 when the bricks to construct the building were made on site.  It is the location of not only the Pine Grove Furnace, but an Underground Railroad site, the half way point of the Appalachian Trail, and home to many famous families in Pennsylvania's history. 

ReVisionPA is an education initiative of the Central Pennsylvania Conservancy that focuses on three approaches to help citizens and leaders become more experienced and informed decision-makers — visioning services, workshops, and programs.  The concept behind ReVisionPA is that the more people experience the role natural resource assets play in their community, the more in-tune they will be with opportunities to protect and enhance them.  Conservancy experts help communities examine how different zoning, planning, and management strategies can help to maintain the balance between natural, human, and economic resource assets. 

The Cumberland Woodland Owners Association (CWOA) is an organization of private forestland owners and others interested in forestry issues in south central Pennsylvania. For more information about the Cumberland Woodland Owners Association and the April 16^th meeting, contact Fred Peabody at 717/776-3565 (email: fredp5@earthlink.net).

Rivers Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp

Rivers Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp

The Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited is offering its 17th Rivers Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp in June to educate students in the importance of coldwater conservation.  The camp is co-ed for youth ages 14 to 17 and up to 32 students will be selected.  It is hosted by the Cumberland Valley chapter of Trout Unlimited and held at the Allenberry Resort on the Yellow Breeches in Boiling Springs, PA, Sunday through Friday, June 19-24, 2011. Cost is $350 which includes tuition, room and board. Financial aid is available. The deadline for the early acceptance period is March 31, 2011.  If any vacancies remain, there will be an extended acceptance period until April 30, 2011.  Applications and additional information are available on-line at:  http://www.riverscamp.com/. 

The Camp provides a balance of instructional material and hands-on learning.  Classes include principles of ecology, hydrogeology, wetlands, trout stream entomology, aquatic invertebrates, hydrology, watersheds, the biology of pollution, trout behavior, reptiles and amphibians, acid deposition, the politics of conservation, and the effects of humans on the Chesapeake Bay. Even though this is the learning experience of a lifetime, it is not all work. Instructors lead streamside programs to collect aquatic invertebrates, review angling history and the evolution of an angler, conduct field identification of riparian corridors, and demonstrate wader safety and survival. Sessions include beginner and advanced casting, knot tying, fly tying, and advanced fishing.

Camp faculty are leaders in their respective fields. They come from all walks of life and have an intense interest in conservation. State agencies such as the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources provide some of the faculty. Leading experts in the fly fishing community also volunteer their time and talents to provide a faculty that is well rounded.

If you have any questions about the camp, send an email to: riverscamp@gmail.com.  You may also contact the camp by mail at:  Rivers Conservation & Fly Fishing Youth Camp, PO Box 71,Boiling Springs, PA 17007.

Deer Density and Carrying Capacity Workshop

Deer Density and Carrying Capacity Workshop

 

On Saturday, April 9^th, Penn State Extension will host a Deer Density and Carrying Capacity workshop at the Adams County Fish and Game Association.  The workshop will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Adams County Fish and Game clubhouse located at 110 Moritz Road, Orrtanna, PA 17353. The cost to attend is $20 per person and includes lunch.  Available seating is limited and pre-registration is required.   

            Participants in the workshop will spend the first half of the day indoors learning about deer habitat, reproduction, and food preferences.  The afternoon session will be spent in the field collecting deer population and habitat data to determine an estimate of deer numbers and the carrying capacity of the land. 

            Registration can be done online by going to the following website: http://guest.cvent.com/d/bdqb65 or by calling our toll-free number at 877-489-1398.  To receive more information about the workshop, contact George Hurd by phone at 717-263-9226 or by email at grh5@psu.edu.  Deadline for registrations is March 31th.  This event will take place rain or shine.  Come prepared to walk in the woods rain or shine.  In the event of snow, the workshop will have to be canceled and your money will be returned. 

            Program partners for this workshop include the Pennsylvania Game Commission, DCNR Bureau of Forestry, Quality Deer Management Association, and the Adams County Fish and Game Association.

Penn State encourages individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities.  If you anticipate needing special accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact George Hurd at 717-263-9226 in advance of your visit. Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce.

Woods in Your Backyard

Woods in Your Backyard

On Thursday, March 10th at the Cumberland Woodland Owners' Association meeting, Dr. James Finley, Penn State Professor of Forest Resources, will speak on how you can help create a healthy, environmentally-friendly backyard living area that you and your family can enjoy for years to come. Owners of even the smallest landscapes can make a positive difference in their environment through planning and implementing simple stewardship practices. The meeting will be held at 7:00 P.M. at the Cumberland County Extension Office which is located at 310 Allen Road in Carlisle. You do not have to be a member and there is no cost to attend.

The vast majority of Pennsylvania's landowners have less than 10 acres. This land has many important resources such as soil, water, trees, wildlife and plants. Many benefits can be gained from any one of these resources. Adding new trees and shrubs, managing insects and diseases, harvesting products and controlling invasive species can help create and preserve a beneficial natural area.  Creating and caring for your backyard woodlot may not take as much time or money as one might expect.

The Cumberland Woodland Owners Association is an organization of forestland owners and others interested in forestry issues in south central Pennsylvania. For more information about the meeting or the Cumberland Woodland Owners Association, contact Fred Peabody at 717/776-3565 (email: fredp5@earthlink.net).

Cumberland Woodland Owners Association Hat Order

Cumberland Woodland Owners Association Hat Order

 

The Cumberland Woodland Owners Association is taking hat orders for 'baseball cap' style hats with the association logo.  The bill of the cap is dark green and the rest of the cap is khaki color.  The Association initials "CWOA" are stitched on the front along with a pine tree and a deciduous tree.  The Association is asking $12.00 for each hat and would like to have their first order in by 3/1/11.  To order a hat, contact Fred Peabody by email at fredp5@earthlink.net or by phone at 717/776-3565.

 

 

Community Supported Forest Guide

Community Supported Forest Guide

A new local guide, "South Mountain Community Supported Forests," is now available. This 32-page publication has listings of forest consultants, cabinet makers, millworks, lumber suppliers, wood working companies and many other diverse economies that utilize our local forest resources.   Like small farms, small forest product operations serve a vital role in our communities. When you buy locally, your money stays within the community, bolstering the local economy.  Community Supported Forests in the South Mountain landscape is an effort to build a region-wide focus on forests and the role they play in our quality of life.

This new publication is a project of the Central Pennsylvania Conservancy in partnership with Penn State School of Forest Resources, PA DCNR Department of Forestry, Capital Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Area Council, and the South Mountain Partnership. The publication is available through the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau, Franklin County Visitors Bureau, Appalachian Trail Office in Boiling Springs, Pine Grove Furnace State Park, and Central PA Conservancy office as well as some of the local mills and woodworking shops. You can also get a copy by downloading it at the Central PA Conservancy website (www.CentralPaConservancy.org) or by contacting CPC at info@centralpaconservancy.org (phone: 717-241-4360).

Woodlots and Wildlife

Woodlots and Wildlife

Wildlife is an integral part of any healthy forest community. Forests provide food and shelter for numerous wildlife species. In return, many of these species aid in seed dispersal, forest pest control, and many other ecological tasks that perpetuate healthy forests. On Thursday, February 10th, at the Cumberland Woodland Owners' Association meeting, Jay Livziey, Pennsylvania Forest Stewards Volunteer, will speak on wildlife management and creating animal habitat in your woodland. Jay Livziey has implemented many different wildlife habitat projects and will share his experiences at the meeting. The meeting will start at 7:00 pm at the Cumberland County Extension Office which is located at 310 Allen Road in Carlisle. You do not have to be a member and there is no cost to attend.

Stewardship involves managing your forest so that populations of native species of wildlife persist for future generations. No matter how large or small your forest is, you can make a difference. Various forest management activities may be implemented to help ensure the perpetuation of a diversity of native wildlife populations. If improving your property for wildlife is one of your management objectives, then plan to attend the February 10^th "Woodlots and Wildlife" program.

The Cumberland Woodland Owners Association (CWOA) is an organization of private forestland owners and others interested in forestry issues in south central Pennsylvania. The mission of the association is to provide information, education and an exchange of ideas to its members and others about the methods and benefits of proper forest management.
For more information about the Cumberland Woodland Owners Association and the February 10^th meeting, contact Fred Peabody at 717/776-3565 (email: fredp5@earthlink.net).