The Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute (www.FingerLakesPermaculture.org) and Wellspring Forest Farm (www.WellspringForestFarm.com) are offering a Forestry and Agroforestry Short Course from Sept 11 - 15.
Begin each day at Wellspring Forest Farm (www.WellspringForestFarm.com) learning basic concepts in
ecology and management and spend each
afternoon traveling to many local sites with some of the most
remarkable trees and forest ecosystems in the Finger Lakes Region of New
York. As we visit local old growth and heritage forests and farms we will practice tree ID, stand assessment, marking, and felling techniques. We will also visit Angus Glen Farm where Brett Chedzoy manages cows, sheep, and goats who graze amidst the trees (silvopasture) and inoculate and harvest woodland mushrooms at Wellspring Forest Farm.
The course will be co-taught by co-author of Farming the Woods, Steve Gabriel and renowned Finger Lakes forester Mike Demunn.
The experience is designed for woodland owners, famers, extension professionals, permaculture practitioners and homesteaders who seek a better understanding of the intricacies of management in northeastern woodlands. Come build your skills in forest mapping, stand assessment, tree selection, and low-impact tree removal.
Video and Audio
LISTEN to STEVE talking about Forestry and Farming the Woods on the Permaculture Voices Podcast:
WATCH STEVE talking about Farming Mushrooms and Permaculture:
INHABIT: "Farming the Woods" with Steve Gabriel from Costa on Vimeo.
LISTEN to MIKE talking about Forest Ecology and Management:
About the Instructors
Steve Gabriel is an ecologist, educator, author, and
forest farmer who has lived most of his life in the Finger Lakes region
of New York. His work reconnects people of all ages to the natural
world while offering strategies for sound management and restoration of
productive landscapes. With over a decade of experience in environmental
education, forest management, and farming, he co-founded the Finger
Lakes Permaculture Institute and currently works for the Cornell Small
Farms Program on agroforestry research and education. Along with wife
Elizabeth, he operates Wellspring Forest Farm in Mecklenburg NY, where they produce shiitake mushrooms, duck eggs, and maple syrup. He has co-authored a book called “Farming the Woods” with Cornell University professor Ken Mudge.
Michael DeMunn is a widely recognized forester and
conservationist in the Finger Lakes region. He has been practicing
ecological forestry for three decades and has worked for the U.S. Forest
Service, National Park Service and the Soil and Water District, and for
industry as head forester for a large lumber company. Michael is also a
founding member of the Finger Lakes Land Trust and is their forestry
adviser. He has been involved with establishing numerous nature
preserves and has done forest improvement through timber management on
thousands of acres and with countless landowners in the area. He was
given the name Da’ Ha’ da’ nyah meaning “he protects the forest” by his Seneca Hawk Clan mother when she adopted him as her son.Register for the course
The base tuition for the course is $450, which includes instruction, materials, and local, organic lunch for each day of the workshop. You can stay in a local hotel or B&B (look for accommodations in Watkins Glen, Trumansburg, or Ithaca) or camp onsite for $10/night ($50 for the course). Camping facilities at Wellspring Forest Farm include a simple camp kitchen, compost toilet, outdoor shower, and pond for swimming.To register, please email name, phone, and number attending to farmers@wellspringforestfarm.com
