Forestry Meeting and Tour At Penn State Mont Alto

Forestry Meeting and Tour At Penn State Mont Alto

On Saturday, May 18, 2013, there will be a combined meeting between the Dauphin County Woodland Owners Association and the Cumberland Woodland Owners Association at Penn State Mont Alto.  Penn State Mont Alto Forestry Department staff including Dr. Beth Brantley, Craig Houghton and Dr. Peter Linehan will be conducting tours of the campus and the arboretum.  They will also be presenting information on the history of arboretum and forestry education in Pennsylvania. The meeting will be from 9:30 am to noon on May 18.  Participants will meet on campus at the Mill Café. Penn State Mont Alto directions including a campus map showing the location of the Mill Café and parking are available at: http://www.ma.psu.edu/Information/map.htm. 

The Penn State Mont Alto Arboretum was established on Arbor Day in 1905, just two years after the founding of the Pennsylvania State Forestry Academy in Mont Alto. According to the college, on that day students searched for native tree species not present on campus, and brought back more than 400 specimens (30 species). These original plantings were then augmented by seeds from other trees native to the United States. A number of trees in the arboretum are currently listed as Pennsylvania "Champion Trees." A champion tree represents the largest of each species of tree found in the state.The campus recently created an Arboretum Masterplan to outline the growth and maintenance of the campus arboretum.

The Dauphin and the Cumberland Woodland Owners Associations are organizations of private forestland owners and others interested in forestry issues in south central Pennsylvania. The mission of the associations 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 information about the Dauphin County Woodland Owners Association, contact Matt Weir at 717/534-1235 (email:  DCWOA@live.com).  For more information about the Cumberland Woodland Owners Association and the meeting, contact Fred Peabody at 717/776-3565 (email: fredp5@earthlink.net).