Pennsylvania Game Commission Offers Tree Seedlings for Sale

It is time to start making your tree planting plans for spring 2012.  The Pennsylvania Game Commission's Howard Nursery is once again offering for sale various kinds of bare root trees and shrubs that benefit wildlife by providing food and cover.  However, it is important to note that the trees are suitable for a variety of other uses as well.  Some of these include: watershed protection, soil erosion control, and reclamation/reforestation of disturbed areas, such as old fields, surface mine sites, and utility rites-of-ways.

The Howard Nursery has been producing and distributing 2.7 to 6 million seedlings annually for wildlife food and cover since 1954.  Landowners who have land open to public hunting and are enrolled in one of the Commission’s public access programs are eligible to receive up to 500 free seedlings annually, as available. Contact your local Wildlife Conservation Officers (WCOs) or Land Management Group Supervisors (LMGS) for details.

To read the PA Game Commissions full news release click here. 

Modern Marvel Series on History Channel Debuts Episode on WOOD

On Monday, December 19, a new episode of the History Channel's Modern Marvels series, "Wood," will debut on History Channel at 10:00 PM EST (9:00 PM CST).  You might want to check your local listings to confirm the time. 

Here is the description of the program that the History Channel provided:
Hundreds of years before steel and plastic, wood was the building block of America. But even today, it touches every aspect of our lives. It's underneath our feet and flying through the sky, propping up skyscrapers and making burgers fry -- from the historical, to the modern, to the timeless, we explore the surprising ways we cannot live without WOOD.

Forest Certification in the US

The number of forested acres that have been certified as sustainable is growing in the US.  Forest2Market recently plotted the acres certified by state and as a percentage of total forested acres under each of the three major certification schemes, Sustainable forestry Initiative (SFI), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and American Tree Farm System (ATFS). 

So how does Pennsylvania stack?

SFI: 0% <= 1%

FSC: 10% <= 20% (2.2 million acres of State Forest land certified)

ATFS: 1% <= 5%

Forest2Market provides forest, wood products and bioenergy industries with business solutions that support decision making and planning. This includes timber prices and cost benchmarks to price forecasts and customized resource studies.

Forest certification identifies forestland that is managed to meet agreed upon standards and to label products originating from those forests.  The goal of forest certification is to promote forest practices that are environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable over the long term.  To read more about Forest Certification in North America.

Report Offers Help in Fight Against Japanese Stiltgrass

Japanese Stiltgrass is a huge problem in Pennsylvania.  Many landowners are dealing with severe infestations.  I have seen the impact stiltgrass has on regeneration and wildlife habitat.  It is spread to new areas very easily on equipment and will quickly invade following logging.  I highly recommend that folks learn to identify this grass and begin implementing control measures immediately if found in their woodlands.

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale (November 22) - The Illinois Department of Natural Resources recently published a white paper that summarizes the many presentations, discussions, and research presented at the 2010 Japanese Stiltgrass summit. The agency hopes the paper will serve as a valuable resource for land managers struggling to turn the tide against this invader.  Click here to read the full news story printed in the Saluki Times.
(Society of American Foresters, E-Forester December 2, 2011)

White Paper: 2011 Stiltgrass Summit.  River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area

Penn State Vegetation Management has a very good practical fact sheet on stiltgrass control.  The factsheet was written by Art Gover, Wildland Weed Management Specialist.  To access the fact sheet click here.