2017 Cumberland Woodland Owners Association April thru Oct. Meetings

2017 Cumberland Woodland Owners Association April thru Oct. Meetings

(NOTE:  The Location for the Saturday, May 13 Timber Harvest Overview Part Two Woodlot Tour has been changed to State Forest Land near Pine Grove Furnace State Park. The Location for the Saturday, Sept. 16 Alaskan Sawmill Demo and Solar Dry Kiln Demonstration has been changed to Tony Montoy's property, 10189 Mentzer Gap Road, Waynesboro PA)

 

Thursday, April 13 - Woods in Your Backyard Meeting

On Thursday, April 13, Dr. James Finley, Penn State Professor of Forest Resources, will speak on how owners of even just a few acres can make a positive difference in their environment through planning and implementing simple “Woods in Your Backyard” stewardship practices.  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 meeting is handicap accessible.  Directions are available at:  http://extension.psu.edu/franklin/directions.

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.  Owners of even the smallest landscapes can make a positive difference in their environment through planning and implementing simple stewardship practices. 

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 Mike Waldron, at 717-677-7317 (email:  mdwald57@yahoo.com).

 

Saturday, May 13 - Timber Harvest Overview Part Two Woodlot Tour in State Forest Land near Pine Grove Furnace State Park -

*****NOTE:  CHANGE IN LOCATION TO PINE GROVE FURNACE STATE PARK*****

On Saturday, May 13, John Schwartzer, PA DCNR Bureau of Forestry Service Forester, will lead a tour to look at timber harvest and forest management practices in State Forest land near Pine Grove Furnace State Park.   This workshop/tour will encompass “before the sale, during the sale, and after the sale” aspects of sustainable forest management.  Those participating will meet at 12:30 pm at Pine Grove Furnace State Park Fuller Lake “day use” parking lot.  This is the big lot on the little lane just off Pine Grove Road used to access the day use/swimming area on Fuller Lake. 

The group will then carpool to 4 stops within a 12 mile loop then return to the parking area at 3:30 pm.  Driving will all be primarily on unpaved State Forest Roads open to the public. Turning around may be required in a grassy retired log landing.  Those driving low profile cars or cars with low profile “street” tires may want to consider carpooling into larger/higher vehicles.  There will be minimal walking at each stop with approximately 300 feet at the farthest. This walking will be over possibly rough forest haul roads/trails with very little through the woods.  Hiking boots and long pants are always advised.  Workshop is "rain or shine" unless dangerous weather conditions or heavy rain is forecast.  If the weather is questionable, contact Mike Waldron 698-8046 (cell) 677-7317 (home) for updates.  You do not have to be a member and there is no cost to attend. 

Pine Grove Furnace State Park is at 1100 Pine Grove Road, Gardners, PA 17324. Directions to Pine Grove Furnace State Park:  From I-81, take Exit 37 to PA 233 south then travel for eight miles.  -OR- From Rt. 30, turn onto Pine Grove Rd/PA-233 N for 13.5 miles.  A map of the park is available at: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/pinegrovefurnace/.

The tour will show the steps of a sustainable timber harvest and what a harvest based on regeneration following a silvicultural prescription (vs. high grading) can do for a timber sale’s success rate.  The first stop will be a marked and sold yet unharvested section of a sale. We will look at the regeneration data and look at the marking guidelines and how the stand is marked for harvest.   The second stop will be a recently or currently being harvested sale block and maybe the log landing of a sale to see the harvesting in action. The logger may even be on site when we are there.  Third stop will be a sale a few years post-harvest. We will talk about planting, fencing, herbicide/invasives, prescribed burning.  Fourth stop will be a sale 5-15 years after harvesting to see what the regeneration of a prescription based sale turns into with a little time. We will talk about the new forest’s tending steps to continue it to conditions similar to stop #1. 

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 Mike Waldron, at 717-677-7317 (email:  mdwald57@yahoo.com).

 

Saturday, September 16 - 9:00 to 11:30 A.M.:  Alaskan Sawmill Demo and Solar Dry Kiln Demonstration at Tony Montoy's property, 10189 Mentzer Gap Road, Waynesboro PA, 17268.  ***NOTE:  CHANGE IN START TIME AND LOCATION***

Dave Myers will demo his large Alaskan sawmill.  He will demonstrate an inexpensive way to turn a chainsaw into a lumber making machine that is used by one or two operators to mill logs into lumber for use in furniture, construction and other uses.  John Schwartzer, PA DCNR Bureau of Forestry Service Forester, and Scott Weikert,  Penn State Extension Forest Resources Educator, will present dry kilns. John may also mill a small log with his small Alaskan mill.   The workshop will not be rescheduled if the weather is very bad.  Planning on "rain or shine" - at the discretion of the presenters.

Directions :  Mentzer Gap Road starts in Quincy - off Rt. 997 ( north of Waynesboro) and runs east - ending on Rt. 16, (east of Waynesboro)  From Quincy to Tony's place is 3.4 miles and from the Route 16 end it is 3.6 miles.  NOTE:  While Tony's property fronts on Mentzer Gap Rd., his access lane is off Tomara Drive.  Turn into Tomara Drive and go 80 yards - first lane on the left.  You can see Tony's workshop & log piles from Mentzer Gap Rd.  We will have a "CWOA" sign out along the road.  For questions - Mike Waldron at (717) 677-7317 home # (717) 698-8046 cell # or email - mdwald57@yahoo.com.

 

Saturday, October 14 - 9:30 A.M. to Noon:  Penn State Mont Alto Woodsman Team Demonstration and Campus Tour.  The PSU-MAC Timbersports team will demonstrate some of the events they do in competition and relate them to the “real world” use in forestry – now and in the past.  Followed by a tour of the campus.   LOCATION:  Penn State Mont Alto, 1 Campus Drive Mont Alto, PA 17237.  Directions:  http://montalto.psu.edu/information/directions.