January 10 Biomass Meeting

Biomass Energy and Pennsylvania's Forests

The idea of generating energy from biomass or biological material, particularly the byproducts of tree harvesting and thinning is receiving increase attention as an alternative and renewable energy resource to help reduce an over-reliance on imported oil. Communities are discussing biomass as it relates to job creation, sustainable harvesting, heat and energy opportunities, carbon use and storage, community health and economic development. It is a complex issue with a large number of stakeholders and defining traits.  On Thursday, January 10th at the Cumberland Woodland Owners' Association meeting, Dr. Michael Jacobson, Penn State Professor of Forest Resources, will speak on biomass as a renewable energy resource and the impact this may have on Pennsylvania forests. 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.

Pennsylvania's nearly 17 million acres of forest provide an array of values including clean air and water, recreation opportunities, wood products and habitat for thousands of plants and animals.  Forests perform many important environmental functions and contribute to our biological wealth.  Pennsylvania's forests are also an important renewable natural resource and include some of the nation's most commercially valuable hardwood species.  They are not only a source of aesthetic beauty, but also of economic viability and employment for thousands of residents.  Understanding the benefits our forests provide and taking stock of our forest resources is necessary for ensuring its sustainability for future generations.  To learn more about the research going on concerning biomass energy and how it may impact Pennsylvania forests, plan to attend this meeting.

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).

September 13 Cumberland Woodland Owners Meeting

September 13^th - Reptiles in Our Forests

Pennsylvania is home to a diverse population of reptiles that inhabit our woodlands, wetlands and waters. These turtles, lizards and snakes play an important role in helping to sustain a healthy, functioning ecosystem.  On Thursday, September 13^th, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Wildlife Biologist, Aura Stauffer, and Forester, Mike Wright, will present a program on reptiles in our forests at the Cumberland Woodland Owner’s Association.  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.

Reptiles are important predators within the food webs of their habitats. As such, they help keep animals that humans regard as pests under control.  Worldwide, the importance of venomous snakes is being recognized not only for their role as both predator and prey but for their medical value. Recent promising breakthroughs in treatments for hypertension, heart attack, and cancer are attributed to snake venom research.  PA DCNR Bureau of Forestry's 2.1 million acres of State Forest lands provide the largest blocks of timber rattlesnake range remaining in the Northeastern states.

The Cumberland Woodland Owners Association 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 September 13th meeting, contact Fred Peabody at 717/776-3565 (email: fredp5@earthlink.net). 

Invasive Plants and Pests Tour

Invasive Plants and Pests Tour for Woodland Owners

On Saturday, June 9, 2012, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, the Cumberland Woodland Owners’ Association is sponsoring an “Invasive Plants and Pests Tour” at Pine Grove Furnace State Park.  Nathan Fite, Service Forester for the PA DCNR Bureau of Forestry, will lead a walking tour to show how to identify and control invasive plants and pests that threaten our forests.  The group will meet at 1:00 pm on June 9 in Pine Grove Furnace State Park at the Laurel Lake day use parking lot by Cold Spring Road.  Wear appropriate clothing for outdoors including hiking boots.  The tour will take place rain or shine so plan to bring raingear in case weather is marginal.   You do not have to be a member of the Cumberland Woodland Owners Association and there is no cost to attend but registration is requested.  For more information or to register, contact George Hurd, Penn State Extension at 717/263-9226 ext. 225 or by email at grh5@psu.edu.  If you are planning to attend, please register by Thursday, June 7, 2012. 

Invasive insects, plants, and microbes have had and continue to have a significant harmful impact on U.S. forests.  Invasive plants easily colonize the disturbed areas and enter adjacent woodlands.  Invasive plants also can interfere with the growth of new trees.  Competition from invasive plants reduces native plant diversity, and can harm animals that depend on native plants for food and shelter.  Invasive plants threaten the habitat of two-thirds of all threatened and endangered wildlife species.    It is estimated by the U.S. Forest Service that economic damages caused by nonindigenous species and costs for control and management of these species exceed $137 billion per year.  One of the best ways to control these plants is for woodland owners to familiarize themselves with the plants and work with local officials and agencies to start eradication programs.

To get to Pine Grove Furnace State Park from the north, take I-81 to Exit 37 and then travel south on PA 233 for eight miles.  Once at Pine Grove Furnace State Park, turn left at the stop sign on Pine Grove Road and go two miles to the Laurel Lake day use area parking lot. To get to Pine Grove Furnace State Park from the south, take Rt. 30 to Caledonia State Park, travel north on PA 233 for fifteen miles.  Once at Pine Grove Furnace State Park, stay to the right at the PA 233 and Pine Grove Road split and then travel two miles on Pine Grove Road to the Laurel Lake day use area parking lot.  The group will meet at the Laurel Lake day use parking lot by Cold Spring Road. 

The Cumberland Woodland Owners Association (CWOA) is an organization of private forestland owners and others interested in forestry issues in south central Pennsylvania.  The CWOA provides information and education and is a forum for the exchange of ideas about the methods and benefits of proper forest management. The association emphasizes the awareness and implementation of best forestry management practices to sustain the forest and meet each landowner's objectives including recreational, economic and forest conservation values.  For more information about the Cumberland Woodland Owners Association, contact Fred Peabody at 717/776-3565 (email: fredp5@earthlink.net).

March 8, 2012 meeting

VERNAL PONDS
Vernal ponds are a significant component of Pennsylvania's natural heritage and provide critical habitat for a unique set of species adapted to seasonal wet and dry periods such as salamanders, frogs, and fairy shrimp. On Thursday, March 8th at the Cumberland Woodland Owners’ Association meeting, Gene Wingert, Environmental Science Instructor at Dickinson College, will give a presentation on Pennsylvania’s vernal ponds and the important role they play in our ecosystem. 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.

Seasonal pool wetland ecosystems, known commonly as "vernal ponds," are isolated from streams, rivers, and other bodies of water and characterized by a seasonally fluctuating water level, often drying out completely for some part of the year. Vernal ponds are often small, seemingly "minor" waterbodies that are particularly important to amphibian populations. Amphibians that breed in vernal ponds produce the greatest vertebrate biomass in the forest. Seasonal pools are beginning to gain recognition as important habitats because of their unique role in the landscape, their valuable wetland function, and the critical habitat they provide for plants and animals of special concern.

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).

Deer Ticks and Lyme Disease

"Deer Ticks and Lyme Disease" is the topic of the Thursday, February 9th meeting of the Cumberland Woodland Owners Association. Norm Conrad is the featured speaker and he will talk about ticks, Lyme Disease, and how to manage your property to reduce tick-human interactions. The meeting will be at 7:00 PM, at the Franklin County Ag Heritage Building which is located at 185 Franklin Farm Lane in Chambersburg. The meeting is open to the public. You do not have to be a member of the association and there is no cost to attend. The workshop is handicap accessible. If you need specific accommodations, please contact Penn State Cooperative Extension in advance at 717-263-9226.

According to Steven Jacobs, senior extension associate in entomology, the majority of Pennsylvania counties have populations of blacklegged ticks, and they often carry and spread Lyme disease. Wooded, brushy places are common blacklegged tick habitats.  Campers, hikers, outdoor workers, and others who frequent wooded, brushy, and grassy places are commonly exposed to ticks, and this may be important in the transmission of Lyme disease in some areas.  Because new homes are often built in wooded areas, transmission of Lyme disease near homes has become an important problem in some areas of the United States.  The risk of exposure to ticks is greatest in the woods and garden fringe areas of properties, but ticks may also be carried by animals into lawns and gardens.

The Cumberland Woodland Owners Association 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 9^th meeting, contact Fred Peabody at 717/776-3565 (email: fredp5@earthlink.net).