the voice of 255,000 forest owners in New York- representing an ownership of 11 million acres'

"No one can walk the soft carpeted aisles of the forest with adventure at every turnor paddle a canoe over the winding waterways of a forest wilderness, without feeling anew grandeur in living and a stronger heartbeat. "

T3ST WOODS WALK__3.ESOUNDING SUCCESS

ontinued from last month)

Up the ·hill and at the top of thee two of the young Kernan boysed out in hard woodsmen's hats

ze carrying on timber stand rm-ovement - one using an ax to cut. around the trunks of trees mark-. with red paint by a professionalester for chemical killing. The otb -Kernan boy applied a chemical so-'on to the frill. Undesirable, poor-formed or diseased trees can thusreadily killed to make room fore promising young trees held back

the competition of the less desirableees. County Boards of Supervisorsblish just what cost sharing pro-in forestry may be done - such

planting trees, improving woodds , through releasing, thinning,. g and the like under provisionse Agricultural Stabilization andervation Service.

Right at the top of the ridge a moist,s covered flat, offered an idealtionfor a new red spruce planting.

0Dl here an old farm road took theWalkers to the far end of a 16

e lake, that attracts geese, ducksother water birds as well as musk-

maple and hemlock was a truespot. Then turning left to where

er hemlock stands had grown,y Kernan pointed to a pile of bark,

of a forest harvest of some

then used for its termin in theleather for

s and harness back in the dayse horse and buggy. One pile of

Gurth Whipple

BOYS IMPROVE TIMBER STANDS

the hemlock bark almost 5' high andnearly 6' long was almost entirely in-tact, with little evidence of decay.

Crossing a narrow rocky strewnditch that may have been a small millrace supplied by water from the laketo operate what may have been a sawmill at a lower elevation, the hikers'came upon a flat that Henry said hadbeen formerly usedfor growing pota-toes. Now woods and other nativevegetation was returning. Includedwere numerous bushes which supplya blueberry harvest. In the marshplaces there were s orne lush patchesof cowslips or marsh marigold, gleam-ing a fresh mellow yellow.

Next stop was at a not too wellhandled pulpwood operation in redspruce. Here Henry Kernan broughtout the serious need for capable tim-ber harvesting-crews and the continu-ing shortage of dependable woods la-bor.

Incomplete contrast to the rest ofthe trip, the Woods Walkers now en-

(cont'd next page)

PRESIDENT'S COLUMNControversy is a sign of interest

and a stimulant to action.The NYFOA is becoming involved

in the forestry planning for New YorkState, in regional planning that mightaffectforestlandowners, in the con-servation activities of groups of youngpeople, in policy and legislation af-fecting the conduct of forest opera-tions, in the local problems of assess-ment and taxation, and in many otherareas of public as well as forest own-er interest.

The various interests within theNYFOA that express themselves pro-vide a great service to the regulatorsof our society in the development ofwell balanced and equitable programsfor the greatest benefit of the majorityand the least inconvenience to the min-ority.

Our channels of communication arebecoming strong enough to influenceaction at the highest administrativeand legislative levels in the State.

When any membert,hinks somethingshould or should not be done by theNYFOA, write a letter to the ForestOwner.

David H. HanaburghPresident

WOOD SHAVINGS"An increasing demand for hard-

wood products coupled with a grow-ing scarcity of good commercial hard-wood land and timber, can and prob-ably will spell trouble for the hard-wood industry. Therefore, it is veryimportant that a greater effort bemade through an expanded programof r eae ar ch , toincrease the per acregrowth and quality of hardwood timber.

WOODCHUCK UP A TREE!CAUSE? - BARKING DOG BELOW.

WOODSWALK (cont'd)tered a cool, densely shaded grove ofred spruce. Several pole sized young-er trees had been pruned and showedexcellent promise for quality timber.

Red spruce is a special pride ofHenry Kernan. Red spruce was thesubject of his master's forestry the-sis at Yale. He explained that redspruce has two outstanding uses. Be-caus e of its long fiber it is exception-ally well suited to pulpwood for usein paper making, and red spruce hashigh resonance qualities that make itin demand for sounding boards of pi-anos and in the construction of violins.

The dimly lighted spruce grovewas heavily carpeted with a springymat of spruce needles. Strewn aboutwere many twig tips of new sprucegrowth. Henry attributed this cuttingto the work of porcupine. The 1-1/2to 2" lengths of the tiny spruce twigshowever suggests this is likely thework of a red squirrel nibbling on thetender buds of the red spruce. Weheard the clatter of a red squirrel aswe approached the spruce stand. Clos-er examination of the surface sur-rounding the red spruce would prob-ably reveal red squirrel burrows andpiles of midden from feeding on redspruce cones.

Incidentally the red spruce gets itsname from its red cones and was sonamed by the German botanist JohannLink, who according to Harris Colling-wood, author of Knowing Your Treesstates that Link was responsible forits scientific name Picea rubra, asearly as 1841.

On question as to how he obtainedred spruce seedlings for planting,Henryreferredtothe ease with whichred spruce seedlings with roots nearthe surface could be readily plucked,and if planted immediately gave ex-cellent survival.

On leaving the red spruce standwe followed an abandoned county road

back to the present county road. Atone point we noticed where a farmhous e had been established. That thishad been a home site was emphasizedbyamass of lemon-yellow lilies, andsome remaInIng over mature lilacbushes. Henry stated that three farmfamilies had once occupied the gen-eral area.

At one point, in contrast to the al-der thickets which had taken over aformer hay field, the other side of theroad showed a thrifty red pine planta-tion up to 20' high. The red pines hadovercome weeds and brush presentlyoccupying the former ly cultiv_ated areaon the opposite side of the road. Redalder does have value for game foodand cover.

After passing several other planta-tions, the Woods Walkers came out tothe county road, the clear sky afford-ing an excellent view across the val-ley of Charlotte Creek.

HOST OF NYFOA'S FIRST WOODSWALK HENRY KERNAN is pleasedby vigorous young sugar maples.

Dropping down to the two parkedcars the Woods Walkers willingly re-turned to lunches, chairs and tablesin the poplar grove in the back yardof HenryKernan's home across Char-lotte Creek the view of Quaker Hillwhere the three hour Woods Walk oc-curred.

Those enjoying the Woods Walkwere John J. Ahern of nearby Wor-cester. He rode with his neighbor,NYFOAmember Harold Tyler, RD 2,Worcester, N. Y., who operates adairy farm with 75milking cows, owns200 acres of woods including a largesugar bush from which he gathers sapfor an expanding maple sugar business.With two tank trucks he collects sapfor processing from other sugar bushowners in the general area.

Then there was Steve Kutney, abarber from Binghamton. His soncame along bringing fishing tackle andwaders. Steve Kutney has forest pro-perty where he grows Christmas treesand has built a pool for fishing andswimming.

Nicholas Annato of Utica is em-ployed by a tar ge manufacturer of con-structionequipment. Likewise Nicho-las owns a forest near Lowville andgoes there nearly every weekend. Hereally likes his woods!

Coming from the furthest diswere Abbie Anna Royce, M. D. ofBrooklyn, and co-owner of their 25acre forest in Westchester County,Miss Beatrice Larsen also of Brook-lyn, who works with MetropolitanLife Insurance Company.

In addition to Henry Kernan, thehost, Floyd and Helen Carlson werepresent, Floyd representing the Boardof Directors and Henry himself theprofessional forester. Both a directorand professional are required to bepresent to meet the needs of a WoodsWalk.

The hostess, Jody Kernan, hadmade hot coffee for those who wishedit. Lemonade was on hand for the noncoffee drinkers.

Refreshedbythe lunch, the WoodsWalk was concluded with a half hourdiscussion that provided a fine ex--change of personal experience andoutlook that revealed great enthusi-asm about the pleasure of living andworking with forests and woodlands.

The first Woods Walk had indeedbeen a resounding success!

BOATER9,. BEWARE;DON'T LITTER WATER

Litterbugging ofthe navigable wat-e-rs of New York State, although manyboatmen may not be aware of it, isnow an offense that carries a fine of$50 under a new law to which statesources call attention.

The boaters are breaking a newlaw every time they toss a paper cup,beer can or other type of litter over-board. The law makes no distinctioneven ifholes are punched in both endsof the can so that it sinks. It is stillclassed as littering.

encouraged by chemical removalof undesirable competing tree.

FIFTH FALL MEETINGFEATURES ARNOT FOREST

Professor Henry G. Willia.ms, Jr.,Program Chairman for the Fall Meet-ing, has announced that the program

the Fifth Fall Meeting will focusthe theme, Century of Change:

orest-Farm-Forest. The meeting tobeheld from 1 PM, on September 22,

ough lunch on September 23, willbeheld at Cornell University's ArnotForest. Features of the Fall programwill include a tour of the Arnot For-est, with distinguished Cornell Scien-

o ts; a visit to a successful privatecampground operation; a tour of theCotton-Hanlon Mill at Cayuta; and ar-sit to the forest of a FOA member.

addition, members who attend theFall meeting will have the unique op-rtunity to spend the night in a wood-

land setting in the Arnot Forest.The program has been planned to

enable FOA members to travel to theArnot Forest in the morning of theZZnd, and return to their homes fol-

ing the conclusion of the pr-ogr-amthe 23rd. This arrangement will

equire members to spend only oneI!:ight away from home. A continental

eakfast will be provided for thoseo choos e to stay in the cabins at the

Arnot Forest, and there are several-notels at Alpine Junction, nearby. No

ch is planned for Friday noon, thed.This program promises to be a

eal reward for Forest Owners be-cause it will enable them to see the

earch diversity that exists attheot Forest, and to witness addition-ways in which the forest lands of

- w York State are being utilized. Ailed pr ogram for the Fall meeting

:n be presented in the August issueForest Owner.

REST FIRES IN NEW YORKNG 1966

The Cons ervation Dept. has thesizable responsibility of giving

jor protection to some 12,600,000es of forest land. This past yeare were 1131 forest fires averag-about 5.2 acres. The total ar eaned was 5,856 acres, a decrease3% below the average for the pre-. g five years.Of the acres burned I, 104 acrese grass and wasteland. The re-

o der 4,752 acres forest land.The cause? Human carelessnessto smoking and due to brush burn-

There is still a job to do--one thatalways be with us, namely:

NEW YORK GREEN.

NYFOA CHARTER MEMBER AUTHORS BOOK ON CATSKILLSAllmembers of the New York Forest Owners Association and particularly

those of us who recently spent a fall weekend in the Catskills view with spec-ial pride and interest the publication of The Catskill Mountain House, writtenby Roland Van Zandt, a charter member of the NYFOA.

Reviewed by the New York Times February 5, this ambitious work (Rut-gers University Press) tells the nostalgic story of the famed Catskill Moun-tainHouse built in 1823 on a shelf of rock a half mile above the Hudson Valley.Ina setting of romantic elegance, the Greek Revival hotel with its impressivefacade of Corinthian columns quickly became a "must-stop" for both Ameri-can and European travelers on the Hudson. Wilderness and luxury, such afascinating combination to the romantic tastes of the 19th Century, were thekeys to the success of this unusual resort, located so far from the centers ofpopulation.

Using the Catskill Mountain House as the focal point for his book, Mr. VanZandt has recreated the fascinating history of the upper Catskills to give abroad and illuminating view of America's 19th Century cultural, social andeconomic growth. Fashionable society soon discovered this luxurious retreatina setting which was described by James Fenimore Cooper as "the greatestwonder of the American landscape."

Following the Civil War, the Catskill Mountain House faced the competi-tion of many new hotels, the cleaving of the lands cape by the railroad, the in-flux into the mountains of thousands of tourists, but retained always its su-premacy as the most elegant and luxurious, the most beautiful, and the mostunusual in its wilderness setting high above the river; for where else couldone find a magnificent white-columned Greek structure, accessible not onlyby road but also by its almost vertical funicular railway which rose breath-takingly from the valley floor, gradually bringing into view the vast sweep ofthe broad Hudson River far below.

With the upheaval of World War II, the famed structure gave way to neweconomic and social forces and its gracious doors were finally closed. Thevast acreage became a part of the New York State Park System. Curious sight-seers and vandals invaded the partly dismantled structure until its skeletonbecame a hazard. At 6 a. rn , on January 25, 1963, the state burned down whatwas left, ending the life of a building, but in no way impairing the memory ofa romantic era in a setting of great natural beauty.

In a letter to Mrs. Luella Palmer (Membership Secretary, NYFOA) Mr.Van Zandt has written:

"The book grew out of my interest in, and love of the Catskill wildernessand its past history (I own with my wife, about 900 acres of wilderness inShandaken Township). As I say toward the end of the book, the one good thingthat came out of the demise and destruction of the great hotel was the retire-ment of its vast landed-domain, 3,000 acres of beautiful forests --as a per-petual wilderness for public enjoyment. "

We salute Mr. Van Zandt on his achievement; and recommend his book,The Catskill Mountain House to the NYFOA. It is a living history of a greatsection of the magnificent wilderness of New York State written with deep lovefor the natural grandeur we all seek to restore and preserve.

D. WertheimerNote by D. W.

I have written the above with particular personal interest as the MountainHouse was a part of my childhood. Our family knew it well, visiting it everyyear until I was in my teens. I remember going part way by auto- -an opentouringcar--childrenonthe jump seats and ladies protected by veils and dust-ers. We would change to horse and wagon part way up the hilly road.

"My father onfoot always 'raced' the horses on the final stretch. He couldjog along at a steady pace while the horses had to stop every few hundredyarts at the 'Thank- You-Mams" to take a breather. Then Dad would pass usand be waiting victoriously at the top.

"On our last trip to the Mountain House, we were saddened to see it aban-donedand to see the dismantling of the daring funicular railway we had riddenfrom the valley floor to the landing house high on the side of the mountain.

ARE YOU PLANNING TO MOVE?You will not receive New York

Forest Owner Association mailingsif you do not send in your new ad-

dress. Third Class mail is not for-wardable.

Mrs. Luella B. PalmerMembership Secretary

NO POLICY ON ADIRONDACK ORCATSKILL PARKS

The Board of Directors of the NewYork Forest Owners Association, Inc.at its meeting in Syracuse onMay 131967 stated it is taking no polistand with regard to questions ccerning the Adirondack or CatskillForest Preserve.

DAVID H. Hanaburgh, reelectedPresident of the New York ForestOwners Association by the Board ofDirectors, stated that one of the val-ues of NYFOAis that it encourages avariety of opinions regarding forest-ry in New York State, that it is thepolicy of the Association to encoura-age its membership to express a var-iety of views so that the Associationmay serve as a forum for forestrydiscussions.

In other areas the Ass ociation hastaken positive positions: 1) It standssquarely behind the Tree Farm move-ment and encourages its members toqualify for certification as Tree Farm-ers. 2) It is actively supporting theKeep New York Green program. 3)It supports the further strengtheningof the Forest Practice Act programto more adequately meet the needsof the 255,000 forest owners of NewYorkState. 4)Itis backing the devel-opment of a progressive, reliaprivately operated timber harvestiservice in New York State. 5) It rec-ognizes the necessity for and the needto maintain competitive permanentforest industries .within New YorkState and is working toward an econ-omic climate favorable to their main-tenance.

FRANCIS M. LA DUC CHAIRMANNEW COMMITTEE ON FORESTINDUSTRIES

Following his appointment by Pres-ident Hanaburgh and the secretary'srequest for biodata, Francis wrote asfollows:Dear Floyd:

The following is a short history a- ,bout me, as requested for the ForestOwner.

I am a native of northern New YorkState, born in Lewis County, and re-ceivedmy early education there. Up-on graduation from high school, Iserved in the Armed Forces duringWorld War II with the 10th MountainDivision in Colorado, Texas and over-seas in Italy.

My formal education was resumedin 1946 at the New York State RangerSchool. Following graduation, Classof 1947, I was employed by the NewYork State Conservation Departmentand the Virginia Forest Service untilI entered the University of Michicanin the fall of 1949. I received a Bach-elor of Science degree in Forestry(BSF) inFebruary 1952, and immedi-ately entered the employ of St. RegisPaper Companyv- Stnce that date Ihavecontinued with St. Regis as a Forester,and at various times my work hastaken me to Vermont, NewHampshire,Maine, and the Canadian P r ovinc es ofQuebec and Alberta.

As an Industrial Forester my du-ties and responsibilities have varied,but generally my experience has beenin the. field of forest management,with considerable emphasis on forestrecreation since 1962.

At present I am Superintendent ofthe Waddington (St. Law~ence Co.)Pulpwood Terminal, working under

President: David H. HanaburghCraft Lane, Buchanan, N. Y. 10511

Treasurer-Membership Secretary:Mrs. Luella B. Palmer157 Ballantyne Rd.Syracuse, N. Y. 13205

Editor-Secretary: Floyd E. CarlsonCollege of ForestrySyracuse, N. Y. 13210

the direction of Mr. H. D. Phillips,Manager, New York Department,Northern Timberlands, Forestry &Timberlands Division, St. Regis Pa-per Company.

I am a member of the Society ofAmerican Foresters (New York Sec-tion), New York State Ranger SchoolAlumni Association, and New YorkForest Owners Association.

Sincerely,F. M. La Duc, ForesterNew York DepartmentNORTHERN TIMBERLANDS

RETIRED TEACHERIMPROVES FOREST

Miles Jacobs was a teacher up un-til the time he retired. Wishing to .move into the Niobe area to be nearrelatives, he purchased a home witha beautiful view on the Hassam Road.

Two hundred sixty acres of landwent with the view and 203 of theseare classed as woodlands.

Thr ough the efforts of John Nellis,.FPA Forester, Mr. Jacobs becameinterestedinimprovingsome of theseacres.

John worked up a management planfor Mr. Jacobs. The plan is being putinto operation with 20 acres improvedin 1965 and 70 acres improved thisyear. The woods were marked andthe trees that should be removed werepoisoned.

Thecroptreesthathavebeensavedare now ready to start growing. It willbe a few years before any are market-ed but when they are, they will beworth much more than they would havebeen if no managing had been done.

By Glenn W. ClineCooperative Extension Agent.

(Source: Chautauqua County)United States produces about 27

percent of world lumber.

SYRACUSE. N. Y.

MAY 29 I:':i '

YIj1'iY cou F.GE0"C; ':";~ ..~I::;\:-··:'1 (~ J,\ _ENV "V, .,.i~l" 1",- vCIE. let::/-\ND FORESTRY