Another Reason to Control Japanese Barberry

Japanese barberry, an invasive low growing shrub found throughout much of Pennsylvania has now been linked to an increase prevelance of ticks and tick borne diseases such as Lyme disease.  Tom Worthley, assistant extension professor in the Department of Extension in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Connecticut, has found that controlling barberry will also help control the spread of the tick-borne diseases.

To read the full story click here.  (By Sheila Foran, UConn Today, February 22, 2012)

New Edition of Timber Tax Publication Now Available

Good news from the Forest Service!  The US Forest Service has released the 2011 edition of Federal Income Tax on Timber: A Key to Your Most Frequently Asked Questions, a quick-reference guide to timber tax laws impacting woodland owners. Complete with the new tax law updates, this publication provides a timely tax reporting information for the 2011 return filing season.

Linda Wang
National Timber Tax Specialist
USDA Forest Service

Keeping Forests as Forests

Cornell and Penn State are cooperating to offer three workshops aimed at Keeping Forests as Forests by conveying skills and resources for peer volunteers, foresters, extension educators, and others to help forest landowners think about the future of the forest beyond their tenure.

Planning for the future of forestland beyond a landowner’s tenure is often one of the more difficult aspects of land ownership. Yet, the definition of good forest stewardship includes a concern for land sustainability into the future. Landowners, extension educators, and service foresters are invited to come learn more about the tools available for forestland succession planning, and how to reach out and encourage landowners to consider their land’s future.

Three Location Options:
- April 11, Agroforestry Resource Center, Acra, NY (Catskill Region). Register by April 1
- April 25, Clarion Holiday Inn Conference Center, Clarion, PA (Northwest PA). Register by April 15
- May 2, Owego Conference Center, Owego, NY (Southern Tier NY). Register by April 22

Who is invited:
PA Forest Stewards, NY Master Forest Owner Volunteers, PA DCNR Bureau of Forestry Service Foresters, NYS DEC Foresters, Cornell Cooperative Extension Educators, Penn State Cooperative Extension Educators, and others interested in private forestland stewardship

To Register:
- Pennsylvania participants, contact Allyson Muth, abm173@psu.edu, 814-865-3208.
- New York participants, contact Maureen Mullen, mlm394@cornell.edu, 607-254-6556

USDA Releases New Plant Hardiness Zone Map

The USDA, Agricultural Research Service has released an updated plant hardiness zone map.  The 2012 Zone Map is the standard by which gardeners and growers can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location.  The map is based on the average annual minimum winter temperature, divided into 10-degree F zones. 

The site is specifically designed to be Internet-friendly and incorporates a "find your zone by ZIP code" function, leaving nothing to interpretation.  It also allows you to look at a detailed map of each state.