Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/21
Outputs
Target Audience:The primary audience is the private woodland owners of New York (NY) with 10 or more acres, and Cornell Cooperative Extension educators. Other key audiences include owners with less than 10 acres, maple syrup producers, livestock graziers, agroforestry enterprises, nature conservation organization staff and members, foresters, loggers, and agency staff. All marketing efforts are designed and intended to be broadly distributed, though targeted to specific topical interests. All events and interactions are intended to be accommodating to all people of any background. Changes/Problems:As elsewhere, we were challenged by the pandemic. We increased our use of distance learning technology, mostly via Zoom. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?** In FY2021 7 monthly webinars (omitting December and August) were provided. In an average month there are 249 participants in live sessions (for more than 20 minutes) who own or manage almost 35.3 million acres of forest land. This represents a total of 2472 seat hours. Almost half of participants (45%) requested documentation for CEUs. The primary audiences included foresters (43%), woodland owners (26%), agency personnel (7%), and educators (5%). Twenty-one states were represented in an average month. Monthly exit surveys documented a moderate to significant increase in awareness (81% of respondents) and a moderate to significant increase in knowledge (87% of respondents). Webinars reduce travel with respondents reporting a savings of 10,700 miles/month that they would typically drive to an event of comparable educational quality. Respondents also reported plans to spend, save or earn more than $35,000 (average/month) as a result of the webinars. During this reporting period there were 64,000 views of archived webinars for 17,000 hours and 645 new subscribers. The top viewed archives were "Looking beyond the leaves", "Identification of hardwood trees", "Identification of conifers", "Controlling ferns", and "Slash walls." Over the last five years, 45 webinars delivered 8703 seat hours. The primary participants were foresters (34%), woodland owners (24%), agency staff (9%), educators (7%), natural resource specialists and NGOs. Respondents indicated consistently high levels of increased awareness (75%) and knowledge (81%) as a result of the webinars. Participants stated their plans for changed behavior including an estimated $33,948 per month or $1,344,200 over 5 years of money saved or spent as related to webinar topics. This value seems inflated; while I won't defend its absolute value, it indicates the extent to which people think about how to apply what they learn. **Social media sites are in use and working to help connect owners, managers and specialists to ensure knowledge is shared across all users, researchable questions have a venue, and experience and research findings can be provided to those who need assistance. The silvopasture social media site http://silvopasture.ning.com was developed to connect those interested in silvopasture. There are 526 members on September 30 2021, about 76 this year, from at least 40 states in the US plus Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Hungary, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, and Vietnam. Of the members, 328 (71%) are less than 60 years old. Since the beginning of fy21, 167 of members visited the site. The ForestConnect social media site http://CornellForestConnect.ning.com was developed to share information among the network of professionals and lay audiences via blogging, forums, events, and pictures. This site has 984 total members as of September 30, 2021 who own or manage 4,262,788 forested acres. There are 64 new members. From self-reported data there are 30% female and 70% male subscribers. Members represent at least 40 states and the countries of US, Canada, Spain, South Africa, Ireland, and UK; 45% of members are less than 60 years old, and 51 (5%) are 80 years old or older. 126 of the members visited in FY21. The NY Master Naturalist Volunteer Program Facebook page currently has 962 followers. Seventy four percent of people who like the page are female and 26 percent are male. One percent are 18-24 years of age, 18 percent are 25-34, 21% are 35-44, 20% are 45-54, 20% are 55-64, and 16% are over 65 years of age. Our Instagram site has 497 followers. Seventy three percent of people who follow us on Instagram are female and 27 percent are male. Five percent are 18-24 years of age, 35% are 25-34, 23% are 35-44, 14% are 45-54, 15% are 55-64, and 7% are over 65 years of age. ** The 2020 annual Master Forest Owner volunteer training and all refresher training sessions were canceled due to COVID. The annual training is re-designed as an online-daytrip hybrid that will be offered in Spring 2021. The Master Forest Owner volunteer program received 219 requests from owners in 57 counties owning 9174 acres. During this reporting period, MFO volunteers reported on 46 visits onto 4801 acres. The motivation to request a visit was strongly skewed to general information and guidance on forest management (45%) and less so to forest health and income topics (20-30%). Less interest was shown to wildlife or deer (< ~8%). Volunteers reported ownership objectives that aligned with the ownership objectives given in the visit request. Most owners had stronger interests in recreation, privacy and nature/ecology and less in activities with tangible outputs. Woodland owners seeking assistance stated ownership goals that align as Woodland Retreat (68%) and Working the Land (32%). ** The annual Forest Resources Extension SHaring and Maple In-service was canceled due to COVID. This event is tentatively scheduled for spring 2022, pending COVID concerns and university policy. ** The Cornell Maple Program delivered 15 presentations in webinars and in-person workshops to 449 participants for a total of 545 seat hours. Due to COVID restrictions, outreach efforts included emphasis on delivering programming through online formats. A newly launched podcast titled Sweet Talk: All Things Maple published 7 episodes and garnered 1585 listens. Four new videos were produced and published on the Cornell Maple Program YouTube channel. New and previously published YouTube videos received 1900 views. In total, 2950 maple producers increased their awareness and knowledge of practices to sustainably manage forest health, increase yield from sap collection systems, improve energy efficiency and syrup quality, and develop new maple products. In addition, the Cornell Maple Program website received 24,138 views with 9,240 unique visitors. Website content includes a variety of online calculators, a downloadable notebook series, and fact sheets. The website also features a "contact us" form that directs general maple inquires to program specialists. ** Slash wall results were shared via four field tours with 175 foresters and loggers plus 12 presentations via webinar. More than 300 woodland practitioners and owners are aware of this new technology. Slash walls have been created, parallel to and supported by this project, in NY, RI, NH, CT and MA. ** Three presentations were given at the virtual Northern Hardwoods Conference regarding slash walls, AVID protocol for deer damage assessment and forest vegetation management. There were 213 participants from multiple states and provinces. ** Since 2004, a column "Ask the Professional" has been provided for the NYFOA bi-monthly magazine with approximately 1800 subscriptions; through the Cornell Small Farms Program publication the Small Farms Quarterly, with approximately 24,000 subscriptions; and on the internet formatted as MS Word with pictures and captions, and as a formatted pdf fact sheet. As of November 2021 there are 30 articles/fact sheets available (an increase of 2). Articles can be used freely by any educational outlet assuming the content is not substantively altered and appropriate credit is provided. Articles are available at http://blogs.cornell.edu/cceforestconnect/articles-for-cce-educators/ How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?RREA at Cornell involves 3 campus-based specialists and one administrative assistant who have developed and maintained meaningful connections to approximately a dozen county-based extension educators located throughout NY. Continuing are 5 county-based CCE Educators who serve as regional directors for the Master Forest Owner Volunteer program. This network engages in professional development in-services, workshops, conferences, applied research, demonstration sites, online courses, webinars, peer-peer volunteer training, written publications, and social media. These various venues allow specialists and county educators to deliver the appropriate content through the appropriate channel to the target audience. State and county educators are part of a variety of advisory groups, professional societies, and monitor internet social media. We strive to identify new avenues to communicate, especially to underrepresented audiences. Through these various networks, we work to ensure that we are providing educational resources to communities of interest. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue to provide support to county extension educators and stakeholder groups through traditional venues once COVID restrictions are removed, and more fully develop on online learning and webinar technology. An online course was developed for small-farm woodlot owners, and will be presented each Fall.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
All reporting describes outputs and outcome from fy2021. RREA Goals, Issues, Outputs and Outcomes RREA Goal: Enhance resource management on working forests. Issue: Forest Stewardship. ** Participation among 7 monthly webinars in fy2021 averaged 249 people per month who viewed the live webinar. There were a total of 1989 seat hours. Based on Youtube analytics for fy2021, there are almost 64,000 views totaling over 17,000 hours, and 645 new subscribers. All archived webinars have been viewed more than 486,000 times at the channel www.youtube.com/ForestConnect Monthly participation averages 21 states with owners or managers of 35.3 million forested acres. Webinars reduced travel by almost 10,700 miles per month. Webinar participants in fy2021 reported they will earn, spend or save more than $281,754 based on what they learned in the webinars. ** As a result of 219 visits by an MFO volunteer, more than 48% of woodland owners are likely to identify their ownership objectives, meet with a forester, and become involved in a variety of management activities. **The MFO program documented the motivation to request a visit. Owners were strongly skewed to general information and guidance on forest management (45%) and less so to forest health and income topics (20-30%). Less interest was shown to wildlife or deer (5-11%). Volunteers reported ownership objectives that aligned with the ownership objectives given in the visit request. Most owners had stronger interests in recreation, privacy and nature/ecology and less in activities with tangible outputs. ** The novel practice of building slash walls has continued to grow and be adopted by foresters and owners in multiple states. Research verifying the effectiveness of the walls was published and had been presented in multiple venues. Three different public water authorities in CT and MA have installed 5 slash walls on regeneration harvests. One private owner of NY build a slash wall. Data collection continues for slash walls built at Cornell's Arnot Forest in 2017 and 2019. New slash walls were initiated to test treatment effects of harvest size, wall height and extent of understory clearing as factors that may determine dominance by noncommercial early successional species. Issue: Forest Wildlife Resources. ** Since 2010, we have trained 425 NY Master Naturalist Volunteers. Volunteers learn about issues such as forest health and biodiversity, wildlife conservation and management, invasive species management and control, water resources, the natural history of plants and animals, and more. Collectively, these enthusiastic volunteers reported 4,942 volunteer hours in the past year, reached 44,344 people through outreach, affected 21,937acres of land, and partnered with over 149 agencies, programs, and organizations. The volunteers serve as local resources for over 150 natural resource programs, agencies, and organizations across the state, increasing the local capacity for management and protection of local environmental resources, and maintaining the ecological integrity of their communities. **AVID - Assessing Vegetation Impacts from Deer. We developed a rapid assessment method for volunteers, foresters, and landowners to assess the effects of deer browse on New York forests. Individuals can get involved in this project to document the health of New York forests and track changes over time. Participants learn about the ecology of their land, and learn to identify spring wildflowers and trees. They also develop an eye for recognizing key signs of damage based on the presence or absence of key plant indicator species, and trees and shrubs of many different heights. AVID was implemented on over 126 sites since its inception and data were entered through our web site at www.AVIDdeer.com. AVID has been adopted and implemented on private land, as well as state and NGO properties. A new AVID smartphone app was developed and is now available for both Apple and Android. Issue: Food Production, Safety, and Security. Forest-based Food ** Over the past year CCE has worked with northeastern partners to advance the awareness and knowledge of silvopasture. As a result of COVID-19, the 2021 two-day field tour was postponed until a date TBD in 2022. Full details will be available at silvopasture.ning.com . **An in-service training of agroforestry including silvopasture and forest farming was delivered to 20 SWCD staff. ** Maple producers learned new methods for improving sap yield through the use of antimicrobial plastic technology and alternative tubing fittings. Maple producers also learned enhanced sugarbush management techniques to improve sap yield while also improving habitat quality and forest resilience. Energy efficiency and quality control education included improved use of reverse osmosis, sap handling to prevent flavor defects and management of dissolved oxygen in sap to improve flavor. New product development work included 2 new soda recipes, new maple chocolate research, maple brandy, maple cherry beer, and a new shelf stable marshmallow recipe. RREA Goal: Ensuring Healthy Ecosystems. Issue: Invasive and interfering species. ** Interfering vegetation is one of the dominant barriers restricting the successful regeneration of desirable hardwoods. This initiative integrated applied research and extension from multiple projects to assess barriers, develop methods to control interfering vegetation, and educate users about appropriate and safe techniques. **During fy2021 there were 19 presentations to 1784 stakeholders about management of interfering vegetation, usually in conjunction with regeneration harvesting. IVM presentations were delivered to the Northern Hardwoods Conference virtual conference. Height growth of beech seedlings and sprouts inside slash walls is less than or equal to other species for beech that are clearly of stump origin. II. RREA Goal: Ensuring Healthy Ecosystems Issue: Ensuring Healthy Ecosystem Outputs See previous issues, outputs and outcomes
Publications
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. M. Isselhardt, A. DAmato, G. Graham. (in press) Sugarbush management for syrup production and forest health. Chapter X, pages xx-xx, in the North American Maple Syrup Producers Manual, 4th edition.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Curtis, P. D., K. L. Sullivan, P. Smallidge and J. Hurst. 2021. AVID: A rapid method for assessing deer browsing of hardwood regeneration. Forest Ecology & Management. Volume 497(2021) 119534 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119534
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Chedzoy, B.J. and P.J. Smallidge. In review. Forest vegetation management a matrix of options. Northern Hardwoods Conference 2021 Expanded Abstract.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Smallidge, P., J., B. Chedzoy, J., P. Curtis, D. and K. Sims. 2021. Evaluating the construction and effectiveness of slash walls at the perimeter of regeneration harvests to exclude deer. Forest Ecology & Management. 497 (2021) 119529. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119529
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2021. Interviewed for: Sweet talk about sugarbush management. Via podcast Sweet Talk All Things Maple (A. Wightman host, A. Clyne producer). https://anchor.fm/maple-program/episodes/Episode-4-Sweet-Talk-about-Sugarbush-Management-e112bhg
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Eiseman, D.L., S.B. Allred, and P.J. Smallidge. 2021. Applying service-dominant logic to peer-to-peer experiences between Master Forest Owner Volunteers and woodland owners in New York State. Small-Scale Forestry https://doi.org/10.1007/s11842-021-09485-6 view at https://rdcu.be/claHY
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2021. To cut or not to cut tree selection in a harvest. New York Forest Owner 59(3):6-9
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2021. Managing the risk of windthrow after forest harvesting. New York Forest Owner 59(2):6-11.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Chedzoy, B. J. and Smallidge, P.J. 2021. Assessing woodlands for silvopasture. New York Forest Owner 59(1):7-11.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2020. Double-serrate margins and these trees all look alike as seedlings and saplings. New York Forest Owner 58(6): 6-7, 17-19
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2020. What is tree vigor and why does it matter. New York Forest Owner 58(5): 6-7, 17-19.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Chedzoy, B.J., P.J. Smallidge, R.J. Anderson, and J. Veverka. 2020. Slash walls exclude deer, encourage regeneration, and improve forest diversity. 6:39 minutes. Cornell Cooperative Extension Media Productions, Ithaca, NY. Available on www.youtube.com at https://youtu.be/k3_aDNURj_8
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
P Curtis, P Smallidge, B Blossey, K. Sullivan. 2020. Protecting the Future Health of Forests in New York State. Scientia, 2020, DOI: https://doi.org/10.33548/SCIENTIA501.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Lin, M. and K.L. Sullivan. 2021. Pollinators in the Woods: An Annotated Bibliography. Microsoft Word - Pollinators in the Woods - Annotated Bibliography (cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com)
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Lin, M. and K.L. Sullivan. 2021. Enhancing Habitat for Pollinators: A Checklist for Landowners. Pollinators in the Woods: Companion Checklist (cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com)
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Lin, M. and K.L. Sullivan. 2020. Pollinators in the Woods: Your Guide to Understanding and Creating Forest Pollinator Habitat. Extension Fact Sheet. pollinator-in-woods-fact-sheet-final-edits-1-2021.pdf (cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com)
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Lin, M. and K.L. Sullivan. 2021. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Great-Horned Owl. New York Forest Owner Magazine. January/February. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Lin, M. and K.L. Sullivan. 2020. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Fisher. New York Forest Owner Magazine. November/December. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. and A.D. Wild. 2020. Novel approaches at Cornell. The Pipeline. Fall 2020 1(2): 8-9.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. 2021. Making bucks from the buddy: Cornell finds ways to add value to late season syrup. The Maple News. 20(1). 1.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. 2021 Defeating the drop-off: how to deal with your 3/16 tubing issues. The Maple News. 20(5): 24-27.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. 2021. Producing Intense Flavored Maple Sugar Through Vacuum Boiling. Maple Syrup Digest. 21(3): 27-29.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. 2021 Increased european gypsy moth activity reported in western and central NY sugarbushes. The Pipeline. Spring 2021 1(1): 4-5.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. 2021. Creating pollinator habitat a win-win for sugarmakers. The Maple News. 20(8): 20-21.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Snyder, C. 2021. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Northern Goshawk. New York Forest Owner Magazine. September/October. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Lin, M. and K.L. Sullivan. 2021. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Gray Fox. New York Forest Owner Magazine. July/August. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L. 2021. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: Scarlet Tanager. New York Forest Owner Magazine. May/June. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Ceballos, K. and K.L. Sullivan. 2021. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Wild Turkey. New York Forest Owner Magazine. March/April. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY.
|
Progress 10/01/20 to 09/30/21
Outputs
Target Audience:The primary audience owners of rural woodlands and Cornell Cooperative Extension educators. Other key audiences include maple syrup producers, livestock grazers, nature conservation organization staff and members, foresters, loggers, and agency staff. All marketing efforts are designed and intended to be broadly distributed. All events and interactions are intended to be accommodating to all people of any background. Changes/Problems:As elsewhere, we struggled with program delivery during the pandemic. In-person events were typically cancelled, and more emphasis was placed on remote instruction using Zoom or other interfaces. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?** In FY2021 7 monthly webinars (omitting December and August) were provided. In an average month there are 249 participants in live sessions (for more than 20 minutes) who own or manage almost 35.3 million acres of forest land. This represents a total of 2472 seat hours. Almost half of participants (45%) requested documentation for CEUs. The primary audiences included foresters (43%), woodland owners (26%), agency personnel (7%), and educators (5%). Twenty-one states were represented in an average month. Monthly exit surveys documented a moderate to significant increase in awareness (81% of respondents) and a moderate to significant increase in knowledge (87% of respondents). Webinars reduce travel with respondents reporting a savings of 10,700 miles/month that they would typically drive to an event of comparable educational quality. Respondents also reported plans to spend, save or earn more than $35,000 (average/month) as a result of the webinars. During this reporting period there were 64,000 views of archived webinars for 17,000 hours and 645 new subscribers. The top viewed archives were "Looking beyond the leaves", "Identification of hardwood trees", "Identification of conifers", "Controlling ferns", and "Slash walls." Over the last five years, 45 webinars delivered 8703 seat hours. The primary participants were foresters (34%), woodland owners (24%), agency staff (9%), educators (7%), natural resource specialists and NGOs. Respondents indicated consistently high levels of increased awareness (75%) and knowledge (81%) as a result of the webinars. Participants stated their plans for changed behavior including an estimated $33,948 per month or $1,344,200 over 5 years of money saved or spent as related to webinar topics. This value seems inflated; while I won't defend its absolute value, it indicates the extent to which people think about how to apply what they learn. **Social media sites are in use and working to help connect owners, managers and specialists to ensure knowledge is shared across all users, researchable questions have a venue, and experience and research findings can be provided to those who need assistance. The silvopasture social media site http://silvopasture.ning.com was developed to connect those interested in silvopasture. There are 526 members on September 30 2021, about 76 this year, from at least 40 states in the US plus Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Hungary, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, and Vietnam. Of the members, 328 (71%) are less than 60 years old. Since the beginning of fy21, 167 of members visited the site. The ForestConnect social media site http://CornellForestConnect.ning.com was developed to share information among the network of professionals and lay audiences via blogging, forums, events, and pictures. This site has 984 total members as of September 30, 2021 who own or manage 4,262,788 forested acres. There are 64 new members. From self-reported data there are 30% female and 70% male subscribers. Members represent at least 40 states and the countries of US, Canada, Spain, South Africa, Ireland, and UK; 45% of members are less than 60 years old, and 51 (5%) are 80 years old or older. 126 of the members visited in FY21 The NY Master Naturalist Volunteer Program Facebook page currently has 962 followers. Seventy four percent of people who like the page are female and 26 percent are male. One percent are 18-24 years of age, 18 percent are 25-34, 21% are 35-44, 20% are 45-54, 20% are 55-64, and 16% are over 65 years of age. Our Instagram site has 497 followers. Seventy three percent of people who follow us on Instagram are female and 27 percent are male. Five percent are 18-24 years of age, 35% are 25-34, 23% are 35-44, 14% are 45-54, 15% are 55-64, and 7% are over 65 years of age. ** The 2020 annual Master Forest Owner volunteer training and all refresher training sessions were canceled due to Covid. The annual training is re-designed as an online-daytrip hybrid that will be offered in Spring 2021. The Master Forest Owner volunteer program received 219 requests from owners in 57 counties owning 9174 acres. During this reporting period, MFO volunteers reported on 46 visits onto 4801 acres. The motivation to request a visit was strongly skewed to general information and guidance on forest management (45%) and less so to forest health and income topics (20-30%). Less interest was shown to wildlife or deer (< ~8%). Volunteers reported ownership objectives that aligned with the ownership objectives given in the visit request. Most owners had stronger interests in recreation, privacy and nature/ecology and less in activities with tangible outputs. Woodland owners seeking assistance stated ownership goals that align as Woodland Retreat (68%) and Working the Land (32%). ** The annual Forest Resources Extension SHaring and Maple In-service was canceled due to covid. This event is tentatively scheduled for spring 2022, pending covid concerns and university policy. ** The Cornell Maple Program delivered 15 presentations in webinars and in-person workshops to 449 participants for a total of 545 seat hours. Due to COVID restrictions, outreach efforts included emphasis on delivering programming through online formats. A newly launched podcast titled Sweet Talk: All Things Maple published 7 episodes and garnered 1585 listens. Four new videos were produced and published on the Cornell Maple Program YouTube channel. New and previously published YouTube videos received 1900 views. In total, 2950 maple producers increased their awareness and knowledge of practices to sustainably manage forest health, increase yield from sap collection systems, improve energy efficiency and syrup quality, and develop new maple products. In addition, the Cornell Maple Program website received 24,138 views with 9,240 unique visitors. Website content includes a variety of online calculators, a downloadable notebook series, and fact sheets. The website also features a "contact us" form that directs general maple inquires to program specialists. ** Slash wall results were shared via four field tours with 175 foresters and loggers plus 12 presentations via webinar. More than 300 woodland practitioners and owners are aware of this new technology. Slash walls have been created, parallel to and supported by this project, in NY, RI, NH, CT and MA. ** Three presentations were given at the virtual Northern Hardwoods Conference regarding slash walls, AVID protocol for deer damage assessment and forest vegetation management. There were 213 participants from multiple states and provinces. ** Since 2004, a column "Ask the Professional" has been provided for the NYFOA bi-monthly magazine with approximately 1800 subscriptions; through the Cornell Small Farms Program publication the Small Farms Quarterly, with approximately 24,000 subscriptions; and on the internet formatted as MS Word with pictures and captions, and as a formatted pdf fact sheet. As of November 2021 there are 30 articles/fact sheets available (an increase of 2). Articles can be used freely by any educational outlet assuming the content is not substantively altered and appropriate credit is provided. Articles are available at http://blogs.cornell.edu/cceforestconnect/articles-for-cce-educators/ How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?RREA at Cornell involves 3 campus-based specialists and one administrative assistant who have developed and maintained meaningful connections to approximately a dozen county-based extension educators located throughout NY. Continuing are 5 county-based CCE Educators who serve as regional directors for the Master Forest Owner Volunteer program. This network engages in professional development in-services, workshops, conferences, applied research, demonstration sites, online courses, webinars, peer-peer volunteer training, written publications, and social media. These various venues allow specialists and county educators to deliver the appropriate content through the appropriate channel to the target audience. State and county educators are part of a variety of advisory groups, professional societies, and monitor internet social media. We strive to identify new avenues to communicate, especially to underrepresented audiences. Through these various networks, we work to ensure that we are providing educational resources to communities of interest. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue to provide support to county extension educators and stakeholder groups through traditional venues once COVID restrictions are removed, and more fully develop on online learning and webinar technology. An online course was developed for small-farm woodlot owners, and will be presented each fall.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
RREA Goals, Issues, Outputs and Outcomes RREA Goal: Enhance resource management on working forests. Issue: Forest Stewardship. ** Participation among 7 monthly webinars in fy2021 averaged 249 people per month who viewed the live webinar. There were a total of 1989 seat hours. Based on Youtube analytics for fy2021, there are almost 64,000 views totaling over 17,000 hours, and 645 new subscribers. All archived webinars have been viewed more than 486,000 times at the channel www.youtube.com/ForestConnect Monthly participation averages 21 states with owners or managers of 35.3 million forested acres. Webinars reduced travel by almost 10,700 miles per month. Webinar participants in fy2021 reported they will earn, spend or save more than $281,754 based on what they learned in the webinars. ** As a result of 219 visits by an MFO volunteer, more than 48% of woodland owners are likely to identify their ownership objectives, meet with a forester, and become involved in a variety of management activities. **The MFO program documented the motivation to request a visit. Owners were strongly skewed to general information and guidance on forest management (45%) and less so to forest health and income topics (20-30%). Less interest was shown to wildlife or deer (5-11%). Volunteers reported ownership objectives that aligned with the ownership objectives given in the visit request. Most owners had stronger interests in recreation, privacy and nature/ecology and less in activities with tangible outputs. ** The novel practice of building slash walls has continued to grow and be adopted by foresters and owners in multiple states. Research verifying the effectiveness of the walls was published and had been presented in multiple venues. Three different public water authorities in CT and MA have installed 5 slash walls on regeneration harvests. One private owner of New York (NY) build a slash wall. Data collection continues for slash walls built at Cornell's Arnot Forest in 2017 and 2019. New slash walls were initiated to test treatment effects of harvest size, wall height and extent of understory clearing as factors that may determine dominance by noncommercial early successional species. Issue: Forest Wildlife Resources. ** Since 2010, we have trained 425 NY Master Naturalist Volunteers. Volunteers learn about issues such as forest health and biodiversity, wildlife conservation and management, invasive species management and control, water resources, the natural history of plants and animals, and more. Collectively, these enthusiastic volunteers reported 4,942 volunteer hours in the past year, reached 44,344 people through outreach, affected 21,937acres of land, and partnered with over 149 agencies, programs, and organizations. The volunteers serve as local resources for over 150 natural resource programs, agencies, and organizations across the state, increasing the local capacity for management and protection of local environmental resources, and maintaining the ecological integrity of their communities. **AVID - Assessing Vegetation Impacts from Deer. We developed a rapid assessment method for volunteers, foresters, and landowners to assess the effects of deer browse on New York forests. Individuals can get involved in this project to document the health of New York forests and track changes over time. Participants learn about the ecology of their land, and learn to identify spring wildflowers and trees. They also develop an eye for recognizing key signs of damage based on the presence or absence of key plant indicator species, and trees and shrubs of many different heights. AVID was implemented on over 126 sites since its inception and data were entered through our web site at www.AVIDdeer.com. AVID has been adopted and implemented on private land, as well as state and NGO properties. A new AVID smartphone app was developed and is now available for both Apple and Android. Issue: Food Production, Safety, and Security. Forest-based Food ** Over the past year CCE has worked with northeastern partners to advance the awareness and knowledge of silvopasture. As a result of covid-19, the 2021 two-day field tour was postponed until a date TBD in 2022. Full details will be available at silvopasture.ning.com . **An in-service training of agroforestry including silvopasture and forest farming was delivered to 20 SWCD staff. ** Maple producers learned new methods for improving sap yield through the use of antimicrobial plastic technology and alternative tubing fittings. Maple producers also learned enhanced sugarbush management techniques to improve sap yield while also improving habitat quality and forest resilience. Energy efficiency and quality control education included improved use of reverse osmosis, sap handling to prevent flavor defects and management of dissolved oxygen in sap to improve flavor. New product development work included 2 new soda recipes, new maple chocolate research, maple brandy, maple cherry beer, and a new shelf stable marshmallow recipe. RREA Goal: Ensuring Healthy Ecosystems. Issue: Invasive and interfering species. ** Interfering vegetation is one of the dominant barriers restricting the successful regeneration of desirable hardwoods. This initiative integrated applied research and extension from multiple projects to assess barriers, develop methods to control interfering vegetation, and educate users about appropriate and safe techniques. **During fy2021 there were 19 presentations to 1784 stakeholders about management of interfering vegetation, usually in conjunction with regeneration harvesting. IVM presentations were delivered to the Northern Hardwoods Conference virtual conference. Height growth of beech seedlings and sprouts inside slash walls is less than or equal to other species for beech that are clearly of stump origin. II. RREA Goal: Ensuring Healthy Ecosystems Issue: Ensuring Healthy Ecosystem Outputs See previous issues, outputs and outcomes
Publications
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. M. Isselhardt, A. DAmato, G. Graham. (in press) Sugarbush management for syrup production and forest health. Chapter X, pages xx-xx, in the North American Maple Syrup Producers Manual, 4th edition.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Curtis, P. D., K. L. Sullivan, P. Smallidge and J. Hurst. 2021. AVID: A rapid method for assessing deer browsing of hardwood regeneration. Forest Ecology & Management. Volume 497(2021) 119534 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119534
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Chedzoy, B.J. and P.J. Smallidge. In review. Forest vegetation management a matrix of options. Northern Hardwoods Conference 2021 Expanded Abstract.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Smallidge, P., J., B. Chedzoy, J., P. Curtis, D. and K. Sims. 2021. Evaluating the construction and effectiveness of slash walls at the perimeter of regeneration harvests to exclude deer. Forest Ecology & Management. 497 (2021) 119529. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119529
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2021. Interviewed for: Sweet talk about sugarbush management. Via podcast Sweet Talk All Things Maple (A. Wightman host, A. Clyne producer). https://anchor.fm/maple-program/episodes/Episode-4-Sweet-Talk-about-Sugarbush-Management-e112bhg
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Eiseman, D.L., S.B. Allred, and P.J. Smallidge. 2021. Applying service-dominant logic to peer-to-peer experiences between Master Forest Owner Volunteers and woodland owners in New York State. Small-Scale Forestry https://doi.org/10.1007/s11842-021-09485-6 view at https://rdcu.be/claHY
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2021. To cut or not to cut tree selection in a harvest. New York Forest Owner 59(3):6-9
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Lin, M. and K.L. Sullivan. 2020. Pollinators in the Woods: Your Guide to Understanding and Creating Forest Pollinator Habitat. Extension Fact Sheet. pollinator-in-woods-fact-sheet-final-edits-1-2021.pdf (cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com)
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Snyder, C. 2021. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Northern Goshawk. New York Forest Owner Magazine. September/October. New York Forest Owners Association. Lima, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2021. Managing the risk of windthrow after forest harvesting. New York Forest Owner 59(2):6-11.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Chedzoy, B. J. and Smallidge, P.J. 2021. Assessing woodlands for silvopasture. New York Forest Owner 59(1):7-11.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2020. Double-serrate margins and these trees all look alike as seedlings and saplings. New York Forest Owner 58(6): 6-7, 17-19
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2020. What is tree vigor and why does it matter. New York Forest Owner 58(5): 6-7, 17-19.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Chedzoy, B.J., P.J. Smallidge, R.J. Anderson, and J. Veverka. 2020. Slash walls exclude deer, encourage regeneration, and improve forest diversity. 6:39 minutes. Cornell Cooperative Extension Media Productions, Ithaca, NY. Available on www.youtube.com at https://youtu.be/k3_aDNURj_8
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
P Curtis, P Smallidge, B Blossey, K. Sullivan. 2020. Protecting the Future Health of Forests in New York State. Scientia, 2020, DOI: https://doi.org/10.33548/SCIENTIA501.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Lin, M. and K.L. Sullivan. 2021. Pollinators in the Woods: An Annotated Bibliography. Microsoft Word - Pollinators in the Woods - Annotated Bibliography (cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com)
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Lin, M. and K.L. Sullivan. 2021. Enhancing Habitat for Pollinators: A Checklist for Landowners. Pollinators in the Woods: Companion Checklist (cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com)
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Lin, M. and K.L. Sullivan. 2021. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Gray Fox. New York Forest Owner Magazine. July/August. New York Forest Owners Association. Lima, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L. 2021. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: Scarlet Tanager. New York Forest Owner Magazine. May/June. New York Forest Owners Association. Lima, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Ceballos, K. and K.L. Sullivan. 2021. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Wild Turkey. New York Forest Owner Magazine. March/April. New York Forest Owners Association. Lima, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Lin, M. and K.L. Sullivan. 2021. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Great-Horned Owl. New York Forest Owner Magazine. January/February. New York Forest Owners Association. Lima, NY
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Lin, M. and K.L. Sullivan. 2020. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Fisher. New York Forest Owner Magazine. November/December. New York Forest Owners Association. Lima, NY
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. and A.D. Wild. 2020. Novel approaches at Cornell. The Pipeline. Fall 2020 1(2): 8-9.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. 2021. Making bucks from the buddy: Cornell finds ways to add value to late season syrup. The Maple News. 20(1). 1.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. 2021 Defeating the drop-off: how to deal with your 3/16 tubing issues. The Maple News. 20(5): 24-27.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. 2021. Producing Intense Flavored Maple Sugar Through Vacuum Boiling. Maple Syrup Digest. 21(3): 27-29.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. 2021 Increased european gypsy moth activity reported in western and central NY sugarbushes. The Pipeline. Spring 2021 1(1): 4-5.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. 2021. Creating pollinator habitat a win-win for sugarmakers. The Maple News. 20(8): 20-21.
|
Progress 10/01/19 to 09/30/20
Outputs
Target Audience:The primary audience owners of rural woodlands and Cornell Cooperative Extension educators. Other key audiences include maple syrup producers, livestock graziers, nature conservation organization staff and members, foresters, loggers, and agency staff. All marketing efforts are designed and intended to be broadly distributed. All events and interactions are intended to be accommodating to all people of any background. Changes/Problems:The COVID pandemic significantly limited our ability to deliver in-person programming. However, we adapted to the situation and developed our existing online presence into a more prominent endeavor. Online programming has seemingly expanded our reach to a broader demographic. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?** In FY2020 10 monthly webinars (omitting December and August) were provided. In an average month there are 247 participants in live sessions (for more than 20 minutes) who own or manage almost 17.5 million acres of forest land. This represents a total of 2472 seat hours. Almost half of participants (47%) requested documentation for CEUs. The primary audiences included foresters (38%), woodland owners (27%), agency personnel (10%), and educators (9%). Twenty-four states were represented in an average month. Monthly exit surveys documented a moderate to significant increase in awareness (77% of respondents) and a moderate to significant increase in knowledge (84% of respondents). Webinars reduce travel with respondents reporting a savings of more than 9,000 miles/month that they would typically drive to an event of comparable educational quality. Respondents also reported plans to spend, save or earn more than $35,000 (average/month) as a result of the webinars. During this reporting period there were 60,704 views of archived webinars for 12,800 hours and 566 new subscribers. The top viewed archives were "Identification of hardwood trees", "Slash walls", and "Looking beyond the leaves." Over the last five years, 40 webinars delivered 7124 seat hours. The primary participants were foresters (38%), woodland owners (24%), agency staff (9%), educators (6%), natural resource specialists and NGOs. Respondents indicated consistently high levels of increased awareness (72%) and knowledge (77%) as a result of the webinars. Participants stated their plans for changed behavior including an estimated $32,821 per month or $1.2M over 5 years of money saved or spent as related to webinar topics. This value seems inflated; while I won't defend its absolute value, it indicates the extent to which people think about how to apply what they learn. **Social media sites are in use and working to help connect owners, managers and specialists to ensure knowledge is shared across all users, researchable questions have a venue, and experience and research findings can be provided to those who need assistance. The silvopasture social media site http://silvopasture.ning.com was developed to connect those interested in silvopasture. There are 460 members on September 30 2020, about 46 this year, from at least 40 states in the US plus Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Hungary, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, and Vietnam. Of the members, 328 (71%) are less than 60 years old. During FY20, 118 (26%) of members visited the site. The ForestConnect social media site http://CornellForestConnect.ning.com was developed to share information among the network of professionals and lay audiences via blogging, forums, events, and pictures. This site has 919 total members as of September 30, 2020 who own or manage 3,891,007 forested acres. There are 75 new members. From self-reported data there are 29% female and 71% male subscribers. Members represent at least 40 states and the countries of US, Canada, Spain, South Africa, Ireland, and UK; 45% of members are less than 60 years old, and 38 (4%) are 80 years old or older. 153 of the members visited in FY20. The NY Master Naturalist Volunteer Program Facebook page currently has 720 followers. Our Instagram site has 136 followers. Seventy five percent of people who like the page are female and 25 percent are male. Three percent are 18-24 years of age, 13 percent are 25-34, 16% are 35-44, 46% are 45-54, 14% are 55-64, and 8% are over 65 years of age. ** The 2020 annual Master Forest Owner volunteer training and all refresher training sessions were canceled due to Covid. The annual training is re-designed as an online-daytrip hybrid that will be offered in Spring 2021. The Master Forest Owner volunteer program received 118 requests from owners in 39 counties owning 4112 acres. During this reporting period, MFO volunteers reported on 45 visits onto 2270 acres. Woodland owners seeking assistance stated ownership goals that align as Woodland Retreat (70/118) and Working the Land (37/118). ** The 16th annual Forest Resources Extension SHaring and Maple In-service was canceled due to covid. We alternatively meet via Zoom and shared experiences plus developed a report of our program outputs and activities. The Zoom session included 18 participants from 11 counties and two departments on campus. ** The Cornell Maple Program delivered 62 presentations that involved over 2 dozen workshops and maple schools with 1594 maple producers increasing awareness and 1594 increasing knowledge. Primary topical areas include sugarbush management and health, tap hole sanitation, efficient production of value-added products, improving quality of maple syrup and maple value added products, energy efficiency, and improving maple tubing systems. The Cornell Maple Program coordinates the largest maple conference in the United States each January, with recent attendance exceeding 1000 participants. In response to Covid related restrictions, the Cornell Maple Program developed additional online resources and a webinar series for the fall of 2020. ** RREA supported an online course, hosted and delivered by the Cornell Small Farms Program. The course title was Farm Woodlot Management: Enterprise Opportunities. This 6-week course addressed strategies that beginning and small-acreage farmers could use to evaluate how they could use their woodland as an additional source of income, or to offset farm expenses. Topics included: tree identification, forest ecology and soils, timber management, maple syrup production, use and harvesting of firewood for personal use, silvopasture, mushroom production, and woodlot planning. In FY20 there were 49 farms and 56 students from 14 states. Students were mostly farm and woodlot owners, though a few planned to purchase land. Participation in the live webinars was good early and late in the course, but low for weeks 3-5. Previous experience indicates many students watch the recorded webinar rather than the live webinar. The assignments were linked to weekly discussion forums to allow students to interact. The majority of students participated in the tree picture assignment, but otherwise participation was low. ** Slash wall results were shared via a field tour with 62 foresters and loggers and presentations via webinar and to the Society of American Foresters. More than 300 woodland practitioners and owners are aware of this new technology. Slash walls have been created, parallel to and supported by this project, in NY, RI and NH. Additional walls are planned in NY and CT. ** Since 2004, a column "Ask the Professional" has been provided for the NYFOA bi-monthly magazine with approximately 1800 subscriptions; through the Cornell Small Farms Program publication the Small Farms Quarterly, with approximately 24,000 subscriptions; and on the internet formatted as MS Word with pictures and captions, and as a formatted pdf fact sheet. As of November 2020 there are 28 articles/fact sheets available (an increase of 12). Article titles in 2020 included: "Assessing the adequacy of regeneration", "Features of Trees Useful for Identification", "Recommended Annual Activities for Woodland Owners", "Strategies to Clear Understory Interfering Plants", "Understanding Tree Vigor", and "Identification Features for the Birch Family". Articles can be used freely by any educational outlet assuming the content is not substantively altered and appropriate credit is provided. Articles are available at http://blogs.cornell.edu/cceforestconnect/articles-for-cce-educators/ How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?RREA at Cornell involves 3 campus-based specialists and one administrative assistant who have developed and maintained meaningful connections to approximately a dozen county-based extension educators located throughout NY. Continuing are 5 county-based CCE Educators who serve as regional directors for the Master Forest Owner Volunteer program. This network engages in professional development in-services, workshops, conferences, applied research, demonstration sites, online courses, webinars, peer-peer volunteer training, written publications, and social media. These various venues allow specialists and county educators to deliver the appropriate content through the appropriate channel to the target audience. State and county educators are part of a variety of advisory groups, professional societies, and monitor internet social media. We strive to identify new avenues to communicate, especially to underrepresented audiences. Through these various networks, we work to ensure that we are providing educational resources to communities of interest. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue to provide support to county extension educators and stakeholder groups through traditional venues once COVID restrictions are removed, and more fully develop on online learning and webinar technology. An online course was developed for small-farm woodlot owners, and will be presented each fall.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
RREA Goal: Enhance resource management on working forests. Issue: Forest Stewardship. All reporting describes outputs and outcome from FY2020. ** Participation among 10 monthly webinars in FY2020 averaged 247 people per month who viewed the live webinar. There were a total of 2472 seat hours. Based on Youtube analytics, there are 60,704 views totaling over 12,800 hours. All archived webinars have been viewed 362,000 times at the channel www.youtube.com/ForestConnect The number of subscribers has increased by 566 for a total exceeding 2,500. Monthly participation averages 24 states with owners or managers of 17.5 million forested acres. Webinars reduced travel by almost 9,000 miles per month. Webinar participants reported they will earn, spend or save $35,000/month. ** As a result of visits by an MFO volunteer, woodland owners are more than 56% are likely to identify their ownership objectives, meet with a forester, and become involved in a variety of management activities. **The MFO program documented the motivation to request a visit. Owners were strongly skewed to general information and guidance on forest management (71%) and less so to forest health and income topics (approx.. 31%). Less interest was shown to wildlife or deer (LT 8%). Volunteers reported ownership objectives that aligned with the ownership objectives given in the visit request. Most owners had stronger interests in recreation, privacy and nature/ecology and less in activities with tangible outputs. ** In an effort to accomplish silvicultural needs of aging stands, limit deer impacts to regeneration, and develop research solutions four harvests were initiated in 2017 that required the construction of a 10 ft x 10 ft slash wall around the full perimeter of each harvest. Additional harvests in 2019 increased total area within walls to almost 500 acres and 51,000 feet of perimeter. Wall costs varied with terrain, but averaged $1.47 per foot on more than 25,000 feet of harvest perimeter. Estimates of wood volume and value used in wall construction increase the landowner's actual plus opportunity cost per foot to approximately $2.25. Wall measurements document a 30% slump of wall height and no change in width which averaged 22 ft. In each harvest, all beech > 1" dbh are cut (low-stumping) using a mechanical processor. An added benefit beyond excluding deer is that the need to herbicide beech may be reduced. Due to Covid, in-field presentations were small but targeted to key decision makers. Zoom presentations were delivered to SAF national convention and multiple regional groups. Early adopters have constructed three slash walls, one each in NY, RI and NH. RREA Goal: Enhance resource management on working forests. Issue: Forest Wildlife Resources. ** Since 2010, we have trained 406 NY Master Naturalist Volunteers. Volunteers learn about issues such as forest health and biodiversity, wildlife conservation and management, invasive species management and control, water resources, the natural history of plants and animals, and more. Collectively, these enthusiastic volunteers reported 2,117 volunteer hours in the past year, reached 39,211 people through outreach, affected 33,052 acres of land, and partnered with over 75 agencies and organizations. The volunteers serve as local resources for over 100 natural resource programs, agencies, and organizations across the state, increasing the local capacity for management and protection of local environmental resources, and maintaining the ecological integrity of their communities. **AVID - Assessing Vegetation Impacts from Deer. We developed a rapid assessment method for volunteers, foresters, and landowners to assess the effects of deer browse on New York (NY) forests. Individuals can get involved in this project to document the health of New York forests and track changes over time. Participants learn about the ecology of their land, and learn to identify spring wildflowers and trees. They also develop an eye for recognizing key signs of damage based on the presence or absence of key plant indicator species, and trees and shrubs of many different heights. AVID was implemented on over 36 sites in 2020 and data were entered through our web site at www.AVIDdeer.com. AVID has been adopted and implemented on private land, as well as state and NGO properties. RREA Goal: Enhance resource management on working forests. Issue: Food Production, Safety, and Security. Forest-based Food ** Over the past year CCE has worked with northeastern partners to advance the awareness and knowledge of silvopasture. The 2020 two day field tour was postponed until June 2021. Full details will be available by mid-January at the silvopasture.ning.com forum. ** 2569 maple producers learned about research for increased sap yields through taphole and tubing treatments with a focus on alternative fittings for 3/16 tubing and tubing sanitation treatments, including a 200ppm calcium bleach treatment that increased yields 23%. Research aimed at improved collection system efficiency demonstrated new methods for moving sap uphill and for accelerating sap flow across flat areas using vacuum. New product development research included formulations and safe food production guidelines for maple wine, beer, chocolate and marshmallows. Maple producers also learned 4 new methods for making strong flavored maple sugar from high invert syrup. II. RREA Goal: Ensuring Healthy Ecosystems. Issue: Invasive and interfering species. Invasive and Interfering ** Interfering vegetation is one of the dominant barriers restricting the successful regeneration of desirable hardwoods. This initiative integrated applied research and extension from multiple projects to assess barriers, develop methods to control interfering vegetation, and educate users about appropriate and safe techniques. During FY2020 there were 23 presentation to 1938 stakeholders about management of interfering vegetation. IVM presentations were planned for the postponed Northern Hardwoods Conference (in WI). Height growth of beech seedlings and sprouts inside slash walls is less than or equal to other species. II. RREA Goal: Ensuring Healthy Ecosystems Issue: Ensuring Healthy Ecosystem Outputs See previous goals and issues.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2020. What is tree vigor and why does it matter. New York Forest Owner 58(5): 6-7, 17-19.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2020. Clearing a woodland understory: vegetation management that supports reforestation. New York Forest Owner 58(4):6-17, 18-19.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
P Curtis, P Smallidge, B Blossey, K. Sullivan. 2020. Protecting the Future Health of Forests in New York State. Scientia, 2020, DOI: https://doi.org/10.33548/SCIENTIA501.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2020. Annual activity in support of woodland management. New York Forest Owner 58(3):6-7, 17-19.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2020. Features of trees useful for identification. New York Forest Owner 58(2):6-7, 17-19.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. and B.J. Chedzoy. 2020. How much is enough? Assessing the success of hardwood regeneration. New York Forest Owner 58(1):6-7, 18-19
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. and B.J. Chedzoy. 2019. (abstract) Slash Walls: Effective Limitation of Deer Impacts to Hardwood Regeneration. Society of American Foresters, National Conference Presentation, Louisville, KY, November 3, 2019.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Chedzoy, B.J. and P.J. Smallidge. 2019. (abstract) Slash Walls: Contracts, Costs and Harvesting Systems to Limit Deer Impact to Regeneration. Society of American Foresters, National Conference Presentation, Louisville, KY, November 3, 2019.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2019. Red and white oaks: whats the difference between the two species? Wisconsin Woodlands 40(2):26-28.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2019. The benefit of markets for managing low-grade trees. New York Forest Owner 57(6): 6-7, 18-19. Reprinted in Cornells Small Farms Quarterly winter 2020.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2019. Ash management in the aftermath of emerald ash borer. New York Forest Owner 57(5):6-7, 18-19.
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. M. Isselhardt, A. DAmato, G. Graham. (in press) Sugarbush management for syrup production and forest health. Chapter X, pages xx-xx, in the North American Maple Syrup Producers Manual, 4th edition.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2019. Treatment of single stems of undesired woody plants. New York Forest Owner 57(4):6-7, 18-19, 23.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Lesser, M.F., M. Dovciak, R. Wheat, P.D. Curtis, P.J. Smallidge, J. Hurst, D. Kramer, M. Roberts, J. Frair. 2019. Modelling white-tailed deer impacts on forest regeneration to inform deer management options at landscape scales. Forest Ecology and Management 448:395-408.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L., P.J. Smallidge and P.D. Curtis. May 2020. AVID Assessing Vegetation Impacts from Deer: A Rapid Assessment Method for Evaluating Deer Impacts to Forest Vegetation. Final.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L. Nature-Themed Booklist, Helpful Smart-phone Apps, and Useful Web sites: Resources While Physical Distancing and Beyond. April 25, 2020 http://blogs.cornell.edu/nymasternaturalist/during-social-distancing-books/
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L. Master Naturalist Training and Volunteer Opportunities During Physical Distancing and Beyond. April 25, 2020. http://blogs.cornell.edu/nymasternaturalist/during-social-distancing-training-volunteer/
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Lin, M. and K.L. Sullivan. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Fisher. New York Forest Owner Magazine. September/October 2020. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Lin, M. and K.L. Sullivan. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Eastern Box Turtle. New York Forest Owner Magazine. July/August 2020. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Vinson, M., and K.L. Sullivan. Wild Things in Your Woodlands. The Black Bear in Summer. New York Forest Owner Magazine. May/June 2020. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: Spotted Salamander. New York Forest Owner Magazine. March/April 2020. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: Bobcat. New York Forest Owner Magazine. January/February 2020. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Snyder, C. and K.L. Sullivan. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Ruffed Grouse. New York Forest Owner Magazine. November/December 2019. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Childs, S. L. (2020). Bleaching and double-tapping part of maple tubing trials on 5/16 lines from Cornell. The Maple News.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Childs, S. L. (2020). 3/16" Replicated Tubing Trials. The Maple News.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Childs, S. L. (2020). 3/16" Replicated Tubing Trials, Part 2. The Maple News.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Childs, S.L., A.B. Clyne, A.R. Wightman. 2020. Unlocking the potential of sugar. The Maple News. 19(3): 1,25.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Childs, S.L., A.B. Clyne, A.R. Wightman. 2020. Unlocking the potential of sugar. The Pipeline. 1(1): 5.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Clyne, A. B. (2020). Maple Kombucha, in Cornell Maple Program. Fermentation Notebook.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. 2020. Tapping maples potential in New York State. Grassroots: The Voice of New York Agriculture. March 2020 Ed.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. 2020. Sweet opportunity in a sour situation. The Maple News. 19(5): 6.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. 2020. Cheers: Cornell working with brewing experts on how best to use maple in making high quality beers. The Maple News. 19(6): 1, 28.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. 2020. Making sugar in a vacuum. The Maple News. 19(8): 18-19.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Clyne, A.B. 2019. Maple Soda Guidelines. Cornell University, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Cornell Maple Program. Fact Sheet. 7 Pages. https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.cornell.edu/dist/7/5773/files/2019/12/Soda-Guidelines-update-2.pdf
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Clyne, A.B. 2019. Maple Kombucha Recipe Instructions. Cornell University, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Cornell Maple Program. Fact Sheet. 2 Pages. https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.cornell.edu/dist/7/5773/files/2020/03/Maple-Kombucha-Instructions.pdf
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Cornell Maple Program (CMP). 2020. Sugarbush Management Notebook. Clyne, A.B., A.R. Wightman, and P.J. Smallidge eds. Cornell University, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Cornell Maple Program. Book. 202 Pages. https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.cornell.edu/dist/7/5773/files/2020/07/Sugarbush-Management-Notebook-1ed.pdf
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Clyne, A.B. 2020. Maple Kombucha. Cornell University, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Cornell Maple Program. Book Chapter. 47 Pages. https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.cornell.edu/dist/7/5773/files/2020/07/Maple-Kombucha-Chapter-ed.1.pdf
|
Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19
Outputs
Target Audience:The primary audience is the private family forest owner and Cornell Cooperative Extension educators. Other key audiences include maple syrup producers, livestock graziers, nature conservation organization staff and members, foresters, loggers, and agency staff. All marketing efforts are designed and intended to be broadly distributed. All events and interactions are intended to be accommodating to all people of any background. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?**Twelve webinars were offered in FY2019. Monthly participation averaged 161 people per month who viewed the live webinar. In FY19 there were a total of 1929 participants. Based on Youtube analytics, there are 47,900 views in FY19 and 8,900 hours of connection time. The number of subscribers has increased by 432 for a total of 2025. All archived webinars have been viewed 362,000 times at the channel www.youtube.com/ForestConnect The participants sort as: 22% woodland owner, 40% forester, 7% educator, 7% natural resource specialist, 1% logger, 10% agency personnel, 4% NGO and 6% other. Average monthly participation includes 21 states among owners or managers of 16.5 million forested acres. A moderate to significant change in awareness is reported by 72% of participants. A moderate to significant change in knowledge is reported by 75% of participants. On average each month, 20% of the participants have not participated in an educational event ever or within the last year, and for 5% of participants this is their first webinar. Webinars reduced travel by almost 51,282 miles per year. Participants reported that as a result of the webinars they would earn, spend or save $321,914 in FY2019. **Social media sites are in use and working to help connect owners, managers and specialists to ensure knowledge is shared across all users, researchable questions have a venue, and experience and research findings can be provided to those who need assistance. The silvopasture social media site http://silvopasture.ning.com was developed to connect those interested in silvopasture. There are 405 members on September 30 2019, about 56 this year, from 40 states in the US plus Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Hungary, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, and Vietnam. Of the members, 304 (74%) are less than 60 years old. During FY19, 119 (29%) of members visited the site. The ForestConnect social media site http://CornellForestConnect.ning.com was developed to share information among the network of professionals and lay audiences via blogging, forums, events, and pictures. This site has 843 total members as of September 30, 2019 who own or manage 3,706,689 forested acres. There are 74 new members. From self-reported data there are 28% female and 72% male subscribers. Members represent 40 states and the countries of US, Canada, Spain, South Africa, Ireland, and UK; 50% of members are less than 60 years old, and 33 are 80 years old or older. 105 of the members visited in FY19. The NY Master Naturalist Volunteer Program Facebook page currently has 648 followers. Seventy five percent of people who like the page are female and 25 percent are male. Three percent are 18-24 years of age, 13 percent are 25-34, 16% are 35-44, 46% are 45-54, 14% are 55-64, and 8% are over 65 years of age. ** The 16th annual Forest Resources Extension SHaring and Maple In-service included 23 county extension educators and campus-based specialists or partners from 10 counties. Topics emphasized in 2019 included sharing of county-based programming successes, county-based needs for faculty support, herbicides to control beech, value-added maple products, deer exclosures and small-scale fencing, and maple tubing installation. ** The 2019 annual Master Forest Owner volunteer training included 14 new volunteers and 3 established volunteers. The total number of active volunteers is stable at approximately 150. The training was conducted at the Arnot Teaching and Research Forest. There were 4 refresher training sessions. The Master Forest Owner volunteer program received 169 requests from owners in 45 counties owning 8035 acres. During this reporting period, MFO volunteers reported on 102 visits in 34 counties onto 5212 acres. Woodland owners seeking assistance stated ownership goals that align as Woodland Retreat (94/169) and Working the Land (57/169). ** The Cornell Maple Program delivered 102 presentations that involved over 2 dozen workshops and maple schools with 3177 maple producers increasing awareness and 3177 increasing knowledge. Primary topical areas include sugarbush management and health, tap hole sanitation, efficient production of value added products, improving quality of maple syrup and maple value added products, energy efficiency, and improving maple tubing systems. The Cornell Maple Program coordinates the largest maple conference in the United States each January, with recent attendance exceeding 1100 participants. Additional maple schools and workshops are offered throughout the state to ensure access for all producers. ** RREA supported an online course, hosted and delivered by the Cornell Small Farms Program. The course title was Farm Woodlot Management: Enterprise Opportunities. This 6-week course addressed strategies that beginning and small-acreage farmers could use to evaluate how they could use their woodland as an additional source of income, or to offset farm expenses. Topics included: tree identification, forest ecology and soils, timber management, maple syrup production, use and harvesting of firewood for personal use, silvopasture, mushroom production, and woodlot planning. In FY19 there were 31 students from 6 states. Students were mostly farm and woodlot owners, though a few planned to purchase land. Participation in the live webinars was good early and late in the course, but low for weeks 3-5. Previous experience indicates many students watch the recorded webinar rather than the live webinar. Students were encouraged to complete assignments such as: pictures of trees to quiz other students, a Google Earth map of their property and soils, an inventory of one section of woods to document forest composition and structure, and an assessment of their woods for silvopasture/maple/mushroom production. The assignments were linked to weekly discussion forums to allow students to interact. The majority of students participated in the tree picture assignment, but otherwise participation was low. About 20% of students provided evidence for completing about 40% of the assignments; about 10% of students completed all the assignments. ** Slash wall results were shared via a field tour with 62 foresters and loggers and presentations via webinar and to the New England Society of American Foresters. More than 300 woodland practitioners and owners are aware of this new technology. Efforts to implement a similar practice have begun in CT, PA and MI. ** Since 2004, a column "Ask the Professional" has been provided for the NYFOA bi-monthly magazine with approximately 1800 subscriptions; through the Cornell Small Farms Program publication the Small Farms Quarterly, with approximately 24,000 subscriptions; and on the internet formatted as MS Word with pictures and captions, and as a formatted pdf fact sheet. As of November 2019 there are 16 dual-formatted articles/fact sheets available. Articles can be used freely by any educational outlet assuming the content is not substantively altered and appropriate credit is provided. Articles are available at http://blogs.cornell.edu/cceforestconnect/articles-for-cce-educators/ How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?RREA at Cornell involves 4 campus-based specialists and one administrative assistant who have developed and maintained meaningful connections to approximately a dozen county-based extension educators located throughout NY. Continuing are 5 county-based CCE Educators who serve as regional directors for the Master Forest Owner Volunteer program. This network engages in professional development in-services, workshops, conferences, applied research, demonstration sites, online courses, webinars, peer-peer volunteer training, written publications, and social media. These various venues allow specialists and county educators to deliver the appropriate content through the appropriate channel to the target audience. State and county educators are part of a variety of advisory groups, professional societies, and monitor internet social media. We strive to identify new avenues to communicate, especially to underrepresented audiences. Through these various networks, we work to ensure that we are providing educational resources to communities of interest. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue to provide support to county extension educators and stakeholder groups through traditional venues as well as continued use of online learning and webinar technology. An online course was developed for small-farm woodlot owners, and will be presented each fall.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The intent of the RREA program at Cornell University is to increase the knowledge and awareness of woodland owners, maple producers, foresters and others who make decisions about the management of natural resources. RREA funding in NY supported educational programs that resulted in greater knowledge and awareness among stakeholders who participated. These changes include: An average increase of knowledge among 75% of webinar participants More than 60% of woodland owners visited by a trained Master Forest Owner (MFO) Volunteer reported greater knowledge, awareness or changes in attitudes for subjects related to natural forest regeneration, deer impacts, invasive species management, tree health, and forest thinning. More than 50% of owners reported similar changes related to biodiversity and wildlife habitat enhancement. Within 12 months of the MFO volunteer visit, more than 50% of the owners will contact a professional forester or thin their woodlands. More than 30% will enhance wildlife habitat, enhance their management plan or treat invasive plants. The Master Naturalist program added 38 new volunteers who worked in their communities with 75 different partner organizations to favorably impact the environment on 33,052 acres and the lives of 39,211 people. More than 3,000 maple producers increased knowledge about taphole sanitation, sugarbush management and value added products that improve their profitability. More than 100 loggers and foresters are aware of the potential utility of slash walls to limit deer impacts on forest regeneration and also knowledgeable about the costs and logistics of implementing such a practice. RREA Goal and Issue Outputs and Outcomes RREA Goal: Enhance resource management on working forests. Issue: Forest Stewardship. All reporting describes outputs and outcome from FY2019. ** Webinars monthly participation averaged 161 people per month who viewed the live webinar. In FY19 there were a total of 1791 participants. Based on Youtube analytics, there are 47,900 views over 8,900 hours. All archived webinars have been viewed 362,000 times at the channel www.youtube.com/ForestConnect The number of subscribers has increased by 432 for a total of 2025. Monthly participation averages 21 states with owners or managers of 16.5 million forested acres. Webinars reduced travel by almost 51,282 miles. Webinar participants reported they will earn, spend or save $321,914. ** As a result of visits by an MFO volunteer, woodland owners are more than 50% are likely to identify their ownership objectives, meet with a forester, and become involved in a variety of management activities. **The MFO program conducted a program review for visits made by volunteers between 2009 and 2017. The landowners surveyed indicated overwhelmingly strong support for the value of their experience with the volunteers. More than 90% of respondents indicated they would recommend their volunteer, they would work again with the volunteer, the volunteer was credible, and that the volunteer was a good source of information. The landowners rated highly the ability of the volunteers to possess the necessary knowledge and interact with the owners in a professional manner. Landowners felt the volunteers were trustworthy, anticipated the topics the owner's wanted to discuss, and were not judgmental. The combination of volunteer's and landowners reporting on their experience supports the conclusion that the MFO program is accomplishing its goals. ** In an effort to accomplish silvicultural needs of aging stands, limit deer impacts to regeneration, and develop research solutions four harvests were initiated in 2017 that required the construction of a 10 ft x 10 ft slash wall around the full perimeter of each harvest. Harvest sizes are 76, 15, 11, and 9 acres. An additional harvest of 130 acres was completed in 2019. Wall costs varied with terrain, but averaged $1.47 per foot on more than 25,000 feet of harvest perimeter. Estimates of wood volume and value used in wall construction increase the landowner's actual plus opportunity cost per foot to approximately $2.25. Wall measurements document a 30% slump of wall height and no change in width which averaged 22 ft. Most hardwood seedlings height growth inside vs. outside the walls are growing 50 to 100 each year, though results vary by species. In each harvest, all beech > 1" dbh are cut (low-stumping) using a mechanical processor. An added benefit beyond excluding deer is that the need to herbicide beech may be reduced. RREA Goal: Enhance resource management on working forests. Issue: Forest Wildlife Resources. **The Master Naturalist Program has trained over 360 individuals. Volunteers learn about forest stewardship, wildlife conservation and management, invasive species, and water resources. These volunteers reported 2,117 volunteer hours in the past year that reached 39,211 people, affected 33,052 acres of land, and partnered with over 75 agencies and organizations. **AVID - Assessing Vegetation Impacts from Deer. We developed a rapid assessment method for volunteers, foresters, and landowners to assess the effects of deer browse on New York forests. Participants learn about the ecology of their land, and learn to identify spring wildflowers and trees. They also learn to recognize key signs of damage based on the presence or absence of key plant indicator species and trees and shrubs of many different heights. The deer impact assessment method was implemented on over 40 sites in 2019 and data was entered through our web site at www.AVIDdeer.com. AVID has been adopted and implemented on private land, as well as state and NGO properties. RREA Goal: Enhance resource management on working forests. Issue: Food Production, Safety, and Security. Forest-based Food ** Over the past year CCE has worked with northeastern partners to advance the awareness and knowledge of silvopasture. A key output has been planning for a regional training to showcase recent and established silvopastures in central NY. This two-day event starts August 20, 2020. Full details will be available by mid-January at the silvopasture.ning.com forum. ** Maple producers learned about research for improved sap yields through sanitation of tubing and tapholes. Specific practices being used by producers included a new retap method that produced a 94.5% increase in sap yields over old tubing. Continued investigation into 3/16" tubing has determined clogged T's to be the source of yield loss in 3/16" collection systems and new treatment strategies involving 1/4" T's, antimicrobial T's and sanitizers are installed for testing. New product development research included formulations and safe food production guidelines for maple wine, sports gel and kombucha. II. RREA Goal: Ensuring Healthy Ecosystems. Issue: Invasive and interfering species. Invasive and Interfering ** Interfering vegetation is one of the dominant barriers restricting the successful regeneration of desirable hardwoods. This initiative integrated applied research and extension from multiple projects to assess barriers, develop methods to control interfering vegetation, and educate users about appropriate and safe techniques. A formal network of forest vegetation management practitioners was developed through solicitation of priority topics and a blog documenting the network. Landowner citizen science recruitment began in September 2018 and now includes 6 properties. A matrix of vegetation management methods was created. Participating citizen science landowners were instructed in the options of "drill and fill" with applications in different seasons. The intent was to increase familiarity with the application and assess seasonality of the method. Owners have recorded data on tree condition before treatment and one year post-treatment. II. RREA Goal: Ensuring Healthy Ecosystems Issue: Ensuring Healthy Ecosystem Outputs See previous goals and issues.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: Woodland Pools. New York Forest Owner Magazine. March/April 2019. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: Barred Owl. New York Forest Owner Magazine. January/February 2019. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Black-capped Chickadee. New York Forest Owner Magazine. November/December 2018. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Childs, S.L. 2019. It could be the Ts. The Maple News. 18(7): 1,23.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Clyne, A.B. 2019. Maple kombucha could be the next big thing. The Maple News. 18(8): 1,26.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Childs, S.L., Wightman, A.R. and Clyne, A.B. 2019. Maple Syrup Production Beginners Notebook. Cornell University Department of Natural Resources, Ithaca, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. 2019. Maple wine 101: another path to profits. The Maple News. 18(7): 1, 24.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. 2019. Get it bubbling: dissolved oxygen improves syrup quality. The Maple News. 18(8): 1, 23.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. 2019. Running on maple: maple sports gel could fill growing market niche. The Maple News. 18(9):1,25.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Wightman, A.R. 2019. Maple makes inroads with athletes. The Pipeline. 1(2): 5.
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. M. Isselhardt, A. DAmato, G. Graham. (in editorial review) Sugarbush management for syrup production and forest health. Chapter X, pages xx-xx, in the North American Maple Syrup Producers Manual, 4th edition.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2019. Treatment of single stems of undesired woody plants. New York Forest Owner 57(4):6-7, 18-19, 23.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Lesser, M.F., M. Dovciak, R. Wheat, P.D. Curtis, P.J. Smallidge, J. Hurst, D. Kramer, M. Roberts, J. Frair. 2019. Modelling white-tailed deer impacts on forest regeneration to inform deer management options at landscape scales. Forest Ecology and Management 448:395-408.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2019. Assessing a maple woods for sap and syrup production. New York Forest Owner 57(3):6-7, 18-19.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2019. Promoting healthy tree growth in a young forest. New York Forest Owner 57(2): 6-7, 18-19.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2019. Managing woodlands to improve wildlife habitat. New York Forest Owner 57(1): 6-7, 18-19.
Reprinted in Cornell Small Farms Quarterly
https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/2019/10/managing-woodlands-to-improve-wildlife-habitat/
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2018. Woodland owner profile Jim Baxter and Dorian Hyland. New York Forest Owner 56(6): 21-23.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Skeval, D.A. 2018. Understanding NYS 480-a forest tax law. P.J. Smallidge, column editor. New York Forest Owner 56(6): 6-7,18-19.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2018. Which walnut is it? A comparison of butternut and black walnut. NYFO Magazine, reprinted in Wisconsin Woodland Magazine. 39(3):30-32.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2018. Deer protection options to reduce browse impact. New York Forest Owner 56(5):6-7, 18-19.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2018. Woodland owner profile Dan and Linda Palm, Charles and Cora Palm. New York Forest Owner 56(5): 21-23.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Beaver. New York Forest Owner Magazine. September/October 2019. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L. Wild Things in Your Woodlands. The Black-billed Cuckoo. New York Forest Owner Magazine. May/June 2019. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY.
|
Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18
Outputs
Target Audience:The primary audience is the private family forest owner and Cornell Cooperative Extension educators. Other key audiences include maple syrup producers, livestock graziers, nature conservation organization staff and members, foresters, loggers, and agency staff. All marketing efforts are designed and intended to be broadly distributed. All events and interactions are intended to be accommodating to all people of any background. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Webinars were offered in six months of FY2018. Monthly participation averaged 142 people per month who viewed the live webinar. In FY18 there were a total of 872 participants. All archived webinars have been viewed 312,383 times and the fy18 webinars have been viewed 2373 times. There are 1587 subscribers to the channel www.youtube.com/ForestConnect The participants sort as: 23% woodland owner, 34% forester, 6% educator, 5% natural resource specialist, 0% maple producer, 1% logger, 7% agency personnel, 2% NGO and 5% other. Average monthly participation includes 21 states among owners or managers of 6.6 million forested acres. A moderate to significant change in awareness is reported by 75% of participants. A moderate to significant change in knowledge is reported by 82% of participants. On average each month, 20% of the participants have not participated in an educational event ever or within the last year, and for 4% of participants this is their first webinar. Webinars reduced travel by almost 25,883 miles per year. Participants reported that as a result of the webinars they would earn, spend or save $253,602 in FY2018. **Social media sites are in use and working to help connect owners, managers and specialists to ensure knowledge is shared across all users, researchable questions have a venue, and experience and research findings can be provided to those who need assistance. The silvopasture social media site http://silvopasture.ning.com was developed to connect those interested in silvopasture. There are 350 members on September 30 2018, about 41 this year, from 33 states in the US plus Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Guatemala, and Peru. Of the members, 229 (74%) are less than 60 years old. 31 % of members visited the site in the last 12 months. The ForestConnect social media site http://CornellForestConnect.ning.com was developed to share information among the network of professionals and lay audiences via blogging, forums, events, and pictures. This site has 769 total members as of September 30, 2018 who own or manage 3,349,829 forested acres. There are 42 new members. From self-reported data there are 29% female and 71% male subscribers. Members represent 36 states and 3 countries; 50% of members are less than 60 years old, and 27 are 80 years old or older. Fifteen percent of members visited in the last 12 months. ** The 15th annual Forest Resources Extension SHaring and Maple In-service included 23 county extension educators and campus-based specialists or partners from 10 counties. Topics emphasized in 2018 included sharing of county-based programming successes, county-based needs for faculty support, sugarbush management, control of American beech, and forest regeneration harvests using slash walls. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?RREA at Cornell involves 3 campus-based specialists who have developed and maintained meaningful connections to approximately a dozen county-based extension educators located throughout NY. Continuing are 5 CCE Educators who serve as MFO Regional Directors. This network engages in professional development in-services, workshops, conferences, applied research, demonstration sites, online courses, webinars, peer-peer volunteer training, written publications, and social media. These various venues allow specialists and county educators to deliver the appropriate content through the appropriate channel to the target audience. State and county educators are part of a variety of advisory groups, professional societies, and monitor internet social media. We strive to identify new avenues to communicate, especially to underrepresented audiences. Through these various networks, we work to ensure that we are providing educational resources to communities of interest. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue to provide support to county extension educators and stakeholder groups through traditional venues as well as continued use of online learning and webinar technology. An online course was developed for small-farm woodlot owners, and will be presented each fall. **The MFO program is undergoing a program review for visits made by volunteers between 2009 and 2017. Owners visited by a volunteer will be surveyed to assess their perception of the volunteers as peers, and behavior changes of the owners as a result of the visit. Additional information will be collected to assign owners to a typology that allows for a retroactive assessment of the alignment or mis-alignment of owner:volunteer typology. The program review is part of a broader project to use targeted marketing (i.e., www.engaginglandowners.org) to increase owner awareness of MFO volunteers and thus increase the number of requests for visits. During 2019, visits will be assigned to deliberately align or mis-align the typology of the owner and the volunteer. A subsequent program evaluation will assess this experimental treatment. The targeted marketing will, presumably, increase our understanding of the messages and channels to elicit visit requests among WLT and WR owners.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
RREA Goal: Enhance resource management on working forests. Issue: Forest Stewardship. All reporting describes outputs and outcome from fy2018. ** Webinars were offered in all months except August. Monthly participation averaged 130 people per month who viewed the live webinar. In FY18 there were a total of 872 participants. All archived webinars have been viewed 312,383 times and the fy18 webinars have been viewed 2373 times. There are 1587 subscribers to the channel www.youtube.com/ForestConnectAverage monthly participation includes 21 states among owners or managers of 6.6 million forested acres. A moderate to significant change in awareness is reported by 75% of participants. A moderate to significant change in knowledge is reported by 82% of participants. On average each month, 20% of the participants have not participated in an educational event ever or within the last year, and for 4% of participants this is their first webinar. Webinars reduced travel by almost 25,883 miles per year. Participants reported that as a result of the webinars they would earn, spend or save $253,602 in FY2018. ** The Master Forest Owner volunteer program received 159 requests from owners in 44 counties owning 8189 acres. During this reporting period, MFO volunteers reported on 107 visits in 35 counties onto 5348 acres. Most landowners learned about the MFO program through CCE or NYFOA. Woodland owners seeking assistance stated ownership goals that included privacy/property (74%), recreation (65%), wildlife viewing (47%), and timber (37%) (Table 3). As a result of visits by an MFO volunteer these woodland owners are more likely to identify their ownership objectives, meet with a forester, and become involved in a variety of management activities.The 2018 annual training included 13 new volunteers. ** For more than a dozen years, regeneration harvests at the Cornell Arnot Teaching and Research Forest have been stalled because of difficulty in preventing deer impacts to seedlings. In an effort to accomplish silvicultural needs of aging stands, limit deer impacts to regeneration, and develop research solutions five harvests were initiated (4 complete as of September 2017, 2 in progress in 2018) that required the construction of a 10 ft x 10 ft slash wall around the full perimeter of each harvest. Workshops have involved CCE educators, foresters, loggers and woodland owners and described the benefits, challenges, costs and logistics to operationalize this treatment. Wall costs varied with terrain, but averaged $1.40 per foot on more than 16,000 feet of harvest perimeter. In each harvest, all beech > 1" dbh are cut (low-stumping) using a mechanical processor. An added benefit beyond excluding deer is that the need to herbicide beech may be reduced. Early indications are positive. ** Since 2004, a column "Ask the Professional" has been provided for the NYFOA bi-monthly magazine with approximately 1800 subscriptions. Continuing into 2018, these articles became available on the internet in multiple formats that include: MS Word with pictures and captions, and as a formatted pdf fact sheet. Articles can be used freely by any educational outlet assuming the content is not substantively altered and appropriate credit is provided. Articles are available at http://blogs.cornell.edu/cceforestconnect/articles-for-cce-educators/ RREA Goal: Enhance resource management on working forests. Issue: Forest Wildlife Resources. **The Master Naturalist Program has trained over 332 individuals, with over 250 people actively volunteering in 2018. Volunteers learn about forest stewardship, wildlife conservation and management, invasive species, and water resources. Collectively, these enthusiastic volunteers reported over 1,072 volunteer hours in the past year and partnered with over 88 agencies and organizations. **AVID - Assessing Vegetation Impacts from Deer. We developed a rapid assessment method for volunteers, foresters, and landowners to assess the effects of deer browse on New York forests.Participants learn about the ecology of their land, anddevelop an eye for recognizing key signs of damage based on the presence or absence of key plant indicator species and trees and shrubs of many different heights. The deer impact assessment method was tested and our web site was completed (www.AVIDdeer.com). AVID has been adopted and implemented on state and NGO property to document the impacts of deer. RREA Goal: Enhance resource management on working forests. Issue: Food Production, Safety, and Security. Forest-based Food ** Silvopasture, as a land management system that integrates the sciences of forestry, forage production, and animal husbandary, is internationally recognized but under-utilized in NY and the Northeast. A group of applied research and extension specialists from Cornell and UVM worked with a private corporation to submit two extension and applied research grant applications. These build upon prior work that developed a silvopasture road map and a silvopasture plan template. ** The Cornell Maple Program delivered eighty-nine presentations that involved over 2 dozen workshops and maple schools with 3616 maple producers increasing awareness and 3616 increasing knowledge. Primary topical areas include sugarbush management and health, tap hole sanitation, efficient production of value added products, improving quality of maple syrup and maple value added products, energy efficiency, and improving maple tubing systems. The Cornell Maple Program coordinates the largest maple conference in the United States each January, with recent attendance exceeding 1000 participants. Additional maple schools and workshops are offered throughout the state to ensure access for all producers. A second year of research was conducted this year at the Cornell Arnot Forest looking at the influence of oxygen levels in sap on the flavor of maple syrup. New research on methods to keep top production with 3/16" tubing in the second and third year of use was conducted with significant improvements demonstrated. Research was conducted on the best mix for maple milk and a marketing survey showed great interest on the part of the public. II. RREA Goal: Ensuring Healthy Ecosystems. Issue: Invasive and interfering species. Invasive and Interfering ** Interfering vegetation is one of the dominant barriers restricting the successful regeneration of desirable hardwoods. This initiative integrated applied research and extension from multiple projects to assess barriers, develop methods to control interfering vegetation, and educate users about appropriate and safe techniques. A formal network was developed through solicitation of priority topics and a blog documenting the network. Landowner recruitment began in September 2018 and includes 6 properties. A matrix of vegetation management methods was created. **Five presentations and webinars reached over 318 owners and managers and more than 354 seat hours addressing invasive insects, plants and related interfering species. II. RREA Goal: Ensuring Healthy Ecosystems Issue: Ensuring Healthy Ecosystem Outputs See previous goals and issues.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2018. Deer protection options to reduce browse impact. New York Forest Owner 56(5):6-7, 18-19.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2018. Woodland owner profile Dan and Linda Palm, Charles and Cora Palm. New York Forest Owner 56(5): 21-23.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Binkerd-Dale, B.J. 2017. Woodland owner profile Jonathan Farber. P.J. Smallidge, column editor. NY Forest Owner 55(5):21-23.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Ceballos, K., and K.L. Sullivan. Jumping Worms. Cornell Cooperative Extension NY Master Naturalist Volunteer Program Fact Sheet. November 2017. Ithaca, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Snyder, C. and K.L. Sullivan. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Cedar Waxwing. New York Forest Owner Magazine. November/December 2017. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Ceballos, K., and K.L. Sullivan. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: Porcupine. Conservancy Currents: The Edward L. Rose Conservancy Newsletter. Fall 2017. Edward L. Rose Conservancy. Montrose, PA.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: Flying Squirrels. New York Forest Owner Magazine. January/February 2018. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Saw-whet Owl. New York Forest Owner Magazine. March/April 2018. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Faklis, D. and P.J. Smallidge. 2018. Northeast timber growing contest 2017 contest results. National Woodlands 41(2): 39-41.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2018. Managing small woodlot parcels. Small Farms Quarterly Summer 2018. Pp 18-19.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Atiyeh, D. 2018. Woodland owner profile Rich Taber. P.J. Smallidge, column editor. NY Forest Owner 56 (3): 21 23.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2018. Seasonal strategies to control American beech. NY Forest Owner 56 (3): 6-7, 18-19.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2018. Which walnut is it? A comparison of butternut and black walnut. NY Forest Owner 56 (2): 6-7-18.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Binkerd-Dale, B.J. 2017. Woodland owner profile Tracey Lamanec. P.J. Smallidge, column editor. NY Forest Owner 55(6):21-23.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Scarlet Tanager. The Edward L. Rose Conservancy Newsletter. May/June 2018. Edward L. Rose Conservancy. Montrose, PA.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: Identifying Salamander and Frog Eggs in Your Pond. New York Forest Owner Magazine. May/June 2018. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Eastern Newt. New York Forest Owner Magazine. July/August 2018. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Eastern Screech Owl. New York Forest Owner Magazine. September/October 2018. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Stephen Childs, Working with little Ros for syrup production, Maple News April 2017, 16, 4, 1+36, editor, Peter Gregg
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Stephen Childs, Cornell Maple Camp, Maple News, August/September 2017, 16, 7, 28, editor, Peter Gregg
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Stephen Childs, Aaron Wightman, Cornell Maple Program Update, Maple News, August/September 2017, 16, 7, 29, editor, Peter Gregg
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Stephen Childs, 2017-2018 New York Calendar of Upcoming Maple Schools and Workshops, Maple Digest, 56, 3, 49, editor, Winton Pitcoff
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Stephen Childs, Working with little Ros for syrup production, Small Farms Quarterly, Oct-17, , 10 and 11, editor, Steve Gabriel
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Stephen Childs, Tap hole sanitation research in the 2017 Season, Maple News, November 2017, 16, 9, 8 and 9, editor, Peter Gregg
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Stephen Childs, Calendar of NY Maple Schools and Workshops, Maple Digest, 56, 4, 54, editor, Winton Pitcoff
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Stephen Childs, Maple producers Winter Conference, Country Folks, 45, 1, A15, editor, Joan Kark-Wren
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Stephen Childs, 2018 New York Maple Tour, Maple News, February 2018, 17, 2, C12, editor, Peter Gregg
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Stephen Childs, 2018 New York Maple Tour, Maple News, March 2018, 17, 3, C13, editor, Peter Gregg
|
Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17
Outputs
Target Audience:The primary audience is the private family forest owner and Cornell Cooperative Extension educators. Other key audiences include maple syrup producers, livestock graziers, nature conservation organization staff and members, foresters, loggers, and agency staff. All marketing efforts are designed and intended to be broadly distributed. All events and interactions are designed and intended to be accommodating to all people of any background. Changes/Problems:Online reporting by volunteers about visits to owners will be modified to standardize the information provided by volunteers about the nature of their visit and the expected actions of the owners. Currently volunteers report in narrative format, but this requires coding that may incorrectly classify actions. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Webinars were offered in all months except August and October. Monthly participation averaged 130 people per month who viewed the live webinar. In FY17 there were a total of 1334 participants. The archived webinars for fy2017 have been viewed 2419 times. There are 123 archived webinars that have been viewed 235,341 times; there are 1186 subscribers to the channel www.youtube.com/ForestConnect The participants sort as: 18% woodland owner, 35% forester, 5% educator, 4% natural resource specialist, 0% maple producer, 3% logger, 7% agency personnel, 3% NGO and 6% other. Average monthly participation includes 16 states among owners or managers of 7.1 million forested acres. A moderate to significant change in awareness is reported by 66% of participants. A moderate to significant change in knowledge is reported by 70% of participants. Participants reported that as a result of the webinars they would earn, spend or save $205,967 in FY2017. CEU were requested by 681 webinar participants. **Social media sites are in use and working to help connect owners, managers and specialists to ensure knowledge is shared across all users, researchable questions have a venue, and experience and research findings can be provided to those who need assistance. The silvopasture social media site http://silvopasture.ning.com was developed to connect those interested in silvopasture. There were 309 members on September 30 2017, increased by42 since lastyear, from 33 states in the US plus Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Guatemala, and Peru. Of the members, 229 (74%) are less than 60 years old. Twenty-four percent of members visited the site in the last 12 months. The ForestConnect social media site http://CornellForestConnect.ning.com was developed to share information among the network of professionals and lay audiences via blogging, forums, events, and pictures. This site has 720 total members as of September 30, 2017 who own or manage 3,286,531 forested acres. There are 134 new members. From self-reported data there are 27% female and 73% male subscribers. Members represent 36 states and 3 countries; 50% of members are less than 60 years old, and 27 are 80 years old or older. Sixteen percent of members visited in the last 12 months. ** The fourteenth annual FRESH - Forest Resources Extension Sharing and Maple In-service included 23 county extension educators and campus-based specialists or partners from 10 counties. Topics emphasized in 2017 included sharing of county-based programming successes, estimating maple taps per acre using point sampling, correct installation of mainline, control of American beech, and forest regeneration harvests using slash walls. The development of the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid Initiative was presented. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?RREA at Cornell involves 3 campus-based specialists who have developed and maintained meaningful connections to approximately a dozen county-based extension educators located throughout NY. Continuing are 5 CCE Educators who serve as MFO Regional Directors. This network engages in professional development in-services, workshops, conferences, applied research, demonstration sites, online courses, webinars, peer-peer volunteer training, written publications, and social media. These various venues allow specialists and county educators to deliver the appropriate content through the appropriate channel to the target audience. State and county educators are part of a variety of advisory groups, professional societies, and monitor internet social media. We strive to identify new avenues to communicate, especially to underrepresented audiences. Through these various networks, we work to ensure that we are providing educational resources to communities of interest. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue to provide support to county extension educators and stakeholder groups through traditional venues as well as continued use of online learning and webinar technology. An online course was developed for small-farm woodlot owners, and will be presented each fall. **The MFO program is undergoing a program review for visits made by volunteers between 2009 and 2017. Owners visited by a volunteer will be surveyed to assess their perception of the volunteers as peers, and behavior changes of the owners as a result of the visit. Additional information will be collected to assign owners to a typology that allows for a retroactive assessment of the alignment or mis-alignment of owner: volunteer typology. The program review is part of a broader project to use targeted marketing (i.e., www.engaginglandowners.org) to increase owner awareness of MFO volunteers and thus increase the number of requests for visits. During 2018, visits will be assigned to deliberately align or mis-align the typology of the owner and the volunteer. A subsequent program evaluation will assess this experimental treatment. The targeted marketing will, presumably, increase our understanding of the messages and channels to elicit visit requests among WLT and WR owners.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
RREA Goal and Issue Outputs and Outcomes RREA Goal: Enhance resource management on working forests. Issue: Forest Stewardship. All reporting describes outputs and outcome from fy2017. ** Webinars were offered in all months except August. Monthly participation averaged 130 people per month who viewed the live webinar. In FY17 there were a total of 1334 participants. The archived webinars have been viewed 2419 times. There are 123 archived webinars that have been viewed 235,341 times; there are 1186 subscribers to the channelwww.youtube.com/ForestConnect Average monthly participation in live webinars includes 16 states among owners or managers of 7.1 million forested acres. A moderate to significant change in awareness is reported by 66% of participants. A moderate to significant change in knowledge is reported by 70% of participants. Participants reported that as a result of the webinars they would earn, spend or save $205,967 in FY2017. ** The Master Forest Owner volunteer program received 138 requests from owners in 46 counties owning 8055 acres. Reports were filed for 92 visits over 5808 acres. Owners requesting a visit had listed timber, firewood and basic informational needs as the basis of the visit. The 2017 annual training included 13 new volunteers. The training was conducted at the Arnot Teaching and Research Forest. ** For more than a dozen years, regeneration harvests at the Cornell Arnot Teaching and Research Forest have been stalled because of difficulty in preventing deer impacts to seedlings. In an effort to accomplish silvicultural needs of aging stands, limit deer impacts to regeneration, and develop applied research solutions five harvests were initiated (4 complete as of September 2017) that required the construction of a 10 ft x 10 ft slash wall around the full perimeter of each harvest.Two workshops in 2016 and 2017 have involved approximately 100 forester, loggers and owners and described the benefits, challenges, costs and logistics to operationalize this treatment. Wall costs varied with terrain, but averaged $1.40 per foot.An added benefit beyond excluding deer is that the need to herbicide beech may be reduced. Early indications are positive. ** The NY Forest Owners Association and Cornell's ForestConnect program have developed and implemented the Northeast Timber Growing Contest. Woodland owners are encouraged to measure either basal area increment or board foot increment annually and report changes in growth standardized by site index. More than 30 woodland owners are participating as the contest completes its third year of data collection. Two NYFOA members have provided training workshops to other woodland owners. More information is available atwww.timbercontest.com RREA Goal: Enhance resource management on working forests. Issue: Forest Wildlife Resources. (Kristi) **The Master Naturalist Program has trained over 332 individuals, with over 75 people actively volunteering in 2017. Volunteers learn about forest stewardship, wildlife conservation and management, invasive species, and water resources. Collectively, these enthusiastic volunteers reported over 1,700 volunteer hours in the past year, affecting 47,956 acres and reaching 119, 935 individuals through outreach. Volunteers partnered with over 66 agencies and organizations. **AVID - Assessing Vegetation Impacts from Deer. We developed a rapid assessment methodto assess the effects of deer browse on New York forests. The deer impact assessment method was tested in 2016, and in 2017 our web site was completed (www.AVIDdeer.com).Smartphone apps for AVID data collection are in the beta testing stage for both Android and Apple operating systems, and are expected to be fully functional by spring 2018. RREA Goal: Enhance resource management on working forests. Issue: Food Production, Safety, and Security. Forest-based Food (Steve and Aaron) **Sixty-six presentations among more than 2 dozen workshops with 2562 maple producers increasing awareness and 2562 increasing knowledge. Primary topical areas include sugarbush management and health, tap hole sanitation, efficient production of value added products, energy efficiency, and improving maple tubing systems. The Cornell Maple Program coordinates the largest maple school in the United States each January, with recent attendance exceeding 1000 participants. Additional maple schools are offered throughout the state to ensure access for all producers. This year two new maple value added products, both maple soft drinks, received approval and were brought into production and sold in the New York City Green Markets and at the NYS Fair. New ground breaking research was started this year at the Cornell Arnot Forest looking at the influence of oxygen levels in sap on the flavor of maple syrup. **Two state and one regional specialist from Cornell worked with colleagues from Vermont to develop a Silvopasture Management Plan template. The template will support farmers, woodland owners, and land managers who want to implement a silvopasture system on their property. The next step is to estimate costs and feasibility for several representative livestock farming operations as examples for silvopasture adopters. Cornell staff also participated in a field tour and indoor session on silvopasture at the national Grassfed Conference, in Albany, NY that reached approximately 250 people. Maintenance of a social network included a forum and resource section for silvopasture graziers (http://silvopasture.ning.com). **The 2017 Cornell Maple Camp involved 11 producers, and was based at the Cornell Arnot Forest. The CMC provided a four-day training for maple syrup producers with no to moderate amounts of experience. The training covered all aspects of production and marketing. Cornell Maple Camp is 4 days of in-depth and hands on training for individuals planning to start or further develop a commercial maple business. The Cornell Maple Program working in conjunction with the New York State Maple Producers Association, and the Arnot Forest has successfully conducted 7 years of the Cornell Maple Camp. To date over 160 have attended the camp each looking to become a new commercial maple producer or expand an existing maple operation. Attendees have come from as from nine different states as well as Canada. Many have started completely new maple operations. While other attendees have made improvements to sap collection systems, sap concentration operations and marketing those who have attended from New York have added over 50,000 taps. Others have added new product lines including maple cotton, maple granulated sugar, maple cream, and maple sugar candy. Many communities now benefit from now having access to these natural and delightful products. II. RREA Goal: Ensuring Healthy Ecosystems. Issue: Invasive and interfering species. Invasive and Interfering ** A network of private and public foresters was developed to provide interaction and dialogue on strategies to control undesirable woody vegetation. Foresters described problems with standard treatments and applied research projects were developed to identify solutions. Three workshops involving approximately 80 foresters, loggers, owners and agency staff reviewed research-demonstration trials and discussed control strategies. **Three webinars and 7 presentations reach over 450 owners and managers and more than 600 seat hours addressing invasive insects, plants and related interfering species. II. RREA Goal: Ensuring Healthy Ecosystems Issue: Ensuring Healthy Ecosystem Outputs See previous goals and issues.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J., B.J. Chedzoy, E. Staychock. 2017. Low-cost fence designs to reduce the impacts of deer in woodlands. Cornell ForestConnect Fact Sheet. 6 p. https://goo.gl/YmBqnE
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Smallidge, P. J. 2017. Harvesting aesthetics and forest sustainability. NY Forest Owner 55(4): 6-7, 18.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2017. Ecology and management to control invasive buckthorn. NY Forest Owner 55(3): 6-7, 18.
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2017. How to use Google Earth Pro and Web Soil Survey to assess woodland soil properties. Social media blog on http://CornellForestConnect.ning.com direct link at https://goo.gl/UXSNzj
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2017. How to use soils information for woodlot management. Cornell ForestConnect Fact Sheet https://goo.gl/mgh3VS
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2017. How to use soils information for woodlot management. NY Forest Owner 55(2): 6-7, 18.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2017. How to use soils information for woodlot management. (reprinted with permission Farming Magazine https://goo.gl/vmHhmG )
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2017. Maintaining a healthy sugarbush. Small Farms Quarterly. Spring 2017. http://smallfarms.cornell.edu/2017/04/03/healthy-sugarbush/
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2017.Management options on small parcels. NY Forest Owner 55(1): 6-7,18.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2017. Management options for small parcels. Cornell ForestConnect Fact Sheet https://goo.gl/g2m4Ep
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Smallidge, P.J. 2016. Maintaining a healthy sugarbush. NY Forest Owner 54(6):6-7, 18
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
ForestConnect Webinar. Archived on Youtube. Hosted by P.J. Smallidge. November 16, 2016. Hemlock Woolly Adelgid and the Ecosystem Risk of Insecticides. Presented by Dr. Elizabeth Benton, University of Georgia. https://youtu.be/1XAA9yfUKOI
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
ForestConnect Webinar. Archived on Youtube. Hosted by P.J. Smallidge. December 21, 2016. Small-scale logging and tree felling. Presented by Tom Worthley, University of Connecticut. https://youtu.be/YooIAuknqFg
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
ForestConnect Webinar. Archived on Youtube. Hosted by P.J. Smallidge. February 15, 2017. Improving Bird Habitat Through Forestry. Presented by Suzanne Treyger, Audubon, NY. https://youtu.be/agxSqRWf-UA
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
ForestConnect Webinar. Archived on Youtube. Hosted by P.J. Smallidge. March 15, 2017. Are Deer Eating Your Woodlands? Presented by Kristi Sullivan, Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsNXNos27IM
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
ForestConnect Webinar. Archived on Youtube. Hosted by P.J. Smallidge. May 17, 2017. Regenerating Hardwood Forests: Managing Competition, Deer, and Light. Presented by Dave Jackson, Penn State University Cooperative Extension. https://youtu.be/iqbL2HLbRu0
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
ForestConnect Webinar. Archived on Youtube. Hosted by P.J. Smallidge. June 21, 2017. Controlling Thinning: Some Concepts and Methods. Presented by Dr. Ralph Nyland, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. https://youtu.be/m3d78foxcp8
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
ForestConnect Webinar. Archived on Youtube. Hosted by P.J. Smallidge. July 19, 2017. Logistics, Economics and Marketing for Harvesting and Selling Small Diameter Wood for Mushroom Production. Presented by Steve Gabriel, Cornell University Small Farms Program. https://youtu.be/qT7le8vMl1U
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
ForestConnect Webinar. Archived on Youtube. Hosted by P.J. Smallidge. September 20, 2017. Increasing Forest Resiliency for an Uncertain Future. Presented by Paul Catanzaro. University of Massachusetts, Amherst. https://youtu.be/KkMzaZ-5xu8
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Childs, S. 2017 Results in from 2017 3/16 tubing research, The Maple News 16(summer)
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Childs, S. 2017 Working with Little Reverse Osmosis Units for Syrup Production, Small Farm Quarterly, October 2, 2017, 10-11
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Ceballos, K., and K.L. Sullivan. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: Porcupine. Conservancy Currents: The Edward L. Rose Conservancy Newsletter. Fall 2017. Edward L. Rose Conservancy. Montrose, PA.
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
ForestConnect Webinar. Archived on Youtube. Hosted by P.J. Smallidge. April 19, 2017. Gypsy Moth: A Persistent Invasive Forest Pest in North America. Presented by Dr. Andrew Liebhold, USDA Forest Service. https://youtu.be/Wk2M_koHDzA
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Ceballos, K., and K.L. Sullivan. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Porcupine. New York Forest Owner Magazine. September/October 2017. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Ceballos, K., and K.L. Sullivan. Wild Things in Your Woodlands. Northern Water Snake. New York Forest Owner Magazine. July/August 2017. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: The Ring-Necked Snake. New York Forest Owner Magazine. May/June 2017. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Sullivan, K.L. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: American Woodcock. New York Forest Owner Magazine. March/April 2017. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Ceballos, K., and K.L. Sullivan. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: Gray Fox. New York Forest Owner Magazine. January/February 2017. New York Forest Owners Association. Albany, NY
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
K.L. Sullivan. Wild Things in Your Woodlands: Barred Owl. Conservancy Currents: The Edward L. Rose Conservancy Newsletter. Winter 2017. Edward L. Rose Conservancy. Montrose, PA.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
K.L. Sullivan. The New York Master Naturalist Volunteer Program: Making a Difference for People and the Environment. Pathways Magazine. Official Publication of the New York State Outdoor Educators Association. Solicited article. Summer 2017.
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