a monthly digest of resources, events, and people in forestry & agroforestry
October 2016
Welcome to the October news from Wellspring Forest Farm and School. Each month, we share useful information about methods for improving forest health and increasing productivity and diversity, along with the happenings of our farm and educational programs.
This month, we have BIG news. Steve is writing another book – this time on the agroforestry practice of Silvopasture, which combines trees, livestock, and pasture. Read more below, and stay tuned for a series of free articles and webinars on various aspects of farm design and management considerations.
For the trees,
Steve & Elizabeth
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In the Woods
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On Working the Woods for Ourselves, and Wildlife
1. It’s best for forest health. As the ground freezes, it protects itself from damage that machinery, foot traffic, and fallen trees can do to the soil and vegetation in the woods. Colder temperatures mean more solid ground and less mud, and sensitive forest plants are dormant and protected underground
2. It keeps us active and warm. When running a chainsaw, safety gear is a must. I can’t tell you how many close calls I’ve experienced in the woods. All that gear is heavy – and hot, if cutting in the warmer months. In winter it’s a welcome layer of protection, and nothing beats doing woods work and breaking a sweat, even on a subzero day.
3. Dormant trees are safer to cut. During the growing season, trees are much more “bendy” and easier to hang up on one another. Thick, leafy vegetation also obscures branches which if dead pose a safety hazard and if alive are easy to get caught on another tree. In winter, trees are more stiff, and one can more easily see the whole tree and calculate risk when felling.
As mentioned last month, Fall is a great time to assess and mark trees in your woodlot, while winter is the best time to cut and move them. Over the next month, make some time to walk you woods and observe which trees appear to be healthiest, and which are less so. Bring a roll of flagging tape to make trees that you can conceive cutting.
This is a BAD IDEA for two reasons; one is that the firewood value is lessened, as fungi and other microbes are decomposing and consuming the lignin in the wood, and the other is that these trees, especially if over 10” in diameter, serve a much more valuble widlife function. They are apartment complexes for woodpeckers, rodents, and insects, which spread seedand fungi spores, fertilize, and support the overall health of the forest.
We call standing deadwood a “snag.” Snags offer a home and food source for many of the forest critters who are critical to enhancing forest health. It is recommended that one maintains 5 – 10 good snags per acre in their woods. Of course, it is wise to remove snags if they are in a place that could cause damage to people or equipment, such as along roads or trails.
READ MORE ABOUT SNAGS: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r6/landmanagement/resourcemanagement/?cid=fsbdev2_026701
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| Source: ecofarming.org |
Trees that are softer and that decay easier make the best ones for widlife, as woodpeckers and insects and easily get into the wood. Some species to favor include basswood, poplar, pines, and red maples among others. Girdled trees can take anywhere from a few years to a few decades to fall over.
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On the Farm
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ANNOUNCING
A NEW BOOK:
SILVOPASTURE: Integrating Trees, Forage, and Animals
in a Farm Ecosystem
by Steve Gabriel
with guest
contributors Eric Toensmeier, Connor Stedman, and more
A new book is in the works by ecologist, author, and
farmer Steve Gabriel. Over the past 14 years, Steve has passionately pursued work that re-connects people to the forested
landscape and supports them to grow their skills in forest and farm
stewardship. He currently works as
Agroforestry Extension Specialist for the Cornell Small Farms Program and
co-operates Wellspring Forest Farm
and School in the Finger Lakes region of New York with his wife
Elizabeth.
Steve is also co-author of Farming the Woods, a book which
explores the cultivation of mushrooms, fruits, nuts, and more, all within the
canopy of an existing forest. The book has been called "exceptionally
useful" and "highly recommended" as a resource for temperature
agroforestry.
READ THE
FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: http://blog.silvopasturebook.com
WATCH
SILVOPASTURE VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeYIlcYWcHUq-bTLGRmIR1k1vmNKQHmAc
“LIKE” OUR
FACEBOOK PAGE:
https://www.facebook.com/silvopasturebook/
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Upcoming Events
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Learn more at: http://www.nebeginningfarmers.org/online-courses/all-courses/woodland-mushroom-cultivation-bf-151/
He will also co-teach an online course in Oyster Production in Barns, High Tunnels, and Greenhouses with Willie Crosby from Fungi Ally in MA, March 1 – April 5 2017:
http://www.nebeginningfarmers.org/online-courses/all-courses/oyster-mushroom-cultivation/
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Quote of the Month:
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“Anyone who has a garden, park or orchard tree has an opportunity to ensure that it offers protection, brings beauty and bears fruit for future generations. In short, every one of us should aspire to be a forester.”
― Gabriel Hemery
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“News from the Woods” is brought to you by:
Wellspring Forest Farm & School
leaving forests in our footsteps
Steve & Elizabeth Gabriel
Mecklenburg, NY
www.WellspringForestFarm.com
farmers@wellspringforestfarmcom
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