carolina mountain land conservancy landowner connection newsletter

CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LAND
CONSERVANCY
LANDOWNER
CONNECTION NEWSLETTER
Forest Management Issue | Summer 2014
phone 828.697.5777 | fax 828.697.2602 | email [email protected] |
website carolinamountain.org | address 847 Case St. Hendersonville NC 28792
CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LAND CONSERVANCY
Stewardship Committee:
STAFF
Tom Davis (Chair), Laurel Park
Diana Richards, Lake Lure
Kieran Roe Executive Director
Sarah Fraser Stewardship Director
Tom Fanslow Land Protection Director
Lynn Killian Development Director
Julianne Johnson Administrative Director
Rebekah Robinson Administrative Director
Peter Barr Trails & Outreach Coordinator
Mary Ann Hailey Administrative & IT Coordinator
*Kathryn Godbold
Financial Director
Bonnie Millar Monitoring Coordinator
Amy Stout AmeriCorps Program Director
*CMLC welcomes a new addition to its staff
Greg Greiner, Arden
Jack Drost, Hendersonville
Luther Smith, Turkey Pen
Patrick Horan, Sapphire
Rick Waggoner, Flat Rock
Ryck Caplan, Asheville
Steve Melton, Asheville
Amos Dawson, Saluda
Mark Robson, Etowah
PROJECT CONSERVE
AMERICORPS
Cheryl Bolton Stewardship Associate
Matt Kirk Trails & Outreach Associate
David Lee Hickory Nut Gorge Steward
Kristen Todd Volunteer Program Associate
Jenn Wood Land Protection Associate
CMLC says Thank You to its 5 departing AmeriCorps members!
Good Luck as you all move on to your next adventures!
Julianne Johnson
Administrative Director
[email protected]
Lynn Killian
Development Director
[email protected]
Kathryn Godbold
*New* Financial Director
[email protected]
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Watch Forest Farming Videos on Goldenseal (top),
Ramps (bottom), and more at Extension.org YouTube Channel Demostration Series!
Forest Farming:
Putting Mountain Trees to Work
As the population of western North Carolina continues
to grow, so does the demand for high quality, local
food and other resources. Farmers young and old are
digging into locally rich soils and bring the bounties of
woodlands into our homes and onto our plates at an
ever increasing rate. Treats such as maple syrup, culinary
mushrooms, and decorative ferns are just a few of the
possibilities forest cultivation can provide. The land
management system responsible for these wood-grown
wares is known as forest farming, a type of
agroforestry. This multi-story cropping method has us
taking a second look at the value of timber stands, not
only for the price the mature board feet will fetch, but
also the economic and environmental possibilities that
can come from the leaf litter below.
Forest farming combines conventional forest practices
with small scale farming or gardening, resulting in a
sustainable land use system that just about anyone
with a tree stand can implement. The process allows
the woodland farmer to produce high-quality, specialty
crops and livestock under the protection of a managed
forest canopy while sheltering trees mature into their
own wood product. The system diversifies a farmer’s
products, markets, and income. On the landscape,
trees break the wind thus protecting nearby field crops,
livestock, and soil. A working forest also provides wildlife
habitat and aesthetic benefits many people seek in a
place to call home.
Photo: Ginseng. Yahoo Photos
Conservation motives for encouraging forest farming are
abundant, but perhaps no reason is more important than
the protection of unique and rare species from overexploitation. Special forest products, such as ginseng, club
fern, mushrooms, and pitcher plants, are over-harvested
every year from their limited habitat, destroying wild
populations and reducing overall biological diversity. The
practice of woods cultivating specialty forest products such
as goldenseal and sword fern relieves pressure on wild
populations, allowing them to recover from overharvesting. The overall concept of forest farming offers a
type of co-habitation between people and nature where we
sustainably cultivate and harvest beneficial products from
the woodlands while providing protection to the limited
natural resources and quality of habitat found there.
Non-timber forest agriculture has become a revitalized
source of culinary delicacies, medicinal goods, and local
income in our region, and is continually moving forward
to promote sustainability on a global scale. The benefits of
utilizing this and other comprehensive land
management practices are countless as they become
increasingly important to preserving the health of our
natural spaces and resources. So the next time you are
considering harvesting your timber stand or wondering
how to help a farming friend, take a look at the possibilities
of non-timber forest products growing plentiful in your
woods, providing useful, delicious products for your friends
and neighbors while protecting natural spaces for us all.
For more information follow the
Forest Farming Links!
USDA National Agroforestry Center:
www.nac.unl.edu/forestfarming.htm
Photo: Shiitake Mushroom Logs. Extension.org
Extension - Forest Farming:
www.extension.org/forest_farming
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FOREST PESTS OF OUR EASTERN WOODLANDS
Our forests are changing. One has only to look over
a sweeping vista or walk among the trees to realize
something is awry. No longer do we see mighty
American chestnuts towering in the sky or fully
branched hemlocks sweeping out over the
forest floor. In place of a bourgeoning forest, the
world now looks upon the shells of these once
proud trees breaking lush mountainsides in the
wake of their decay. What is this change and where
is it coming from? The answer lies in the smallest of
places, just beneath our feet and barely visible to
the eye: insects and disease.
Insects and diseases have a natural place in the
cycle of forest regeneration; in fact our forests
could not exist without them. Microorganisms play
beneficial roles by breaking down and recycling
nutrients from canopy to forest floor, as well as by
providing food for birds and other animals.
However, certain insects and diseases pose a serious
threat to forest health. “When insects (and disease)
attack valuable trees, killing or weakening them so
that other insects or diseases can attack, they are
considered pests.”1 The USDA Forest Service lists
22 insect pests attacking America’s eastern forests
including Southern Pine Beetle, Cankerworms, and
Emerald Ash Borer. Additionally, 19 problematic
forest diseases have been identified including
Chestnut Blight, Beech Bark Disease, and
Dogwood Anthracnose. Due to the globalization
of today’s society the introduction of these foreign
pests has become substantial. Some pests, such
as the Gypsy Moth, were brought to the United
States intentionally while others, such as Hemlock
Woolly Adelgid, arrived accidently on contaminated
nursery stock. These pests continue to spread
across our eastern forests from foreign and locally
infected sources such as packing material, nursery
stock, and firewood.
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Pests of Western North Carolina
Gypsy Moth
Southern Pine Beetle
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
Chestnut Blight
Emerald Ash Borer
With the damage to our forests having potential to be
severe, control measures have become necessary to
protect valuable forest resources. Early detection and
diagnosis of pests is an important first step in the
recovery of our forests. Currently, researchers at the
USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station are
developing and implementing strategies aimed at early
detection, control, and management of forest pests.
“Control measures must address the type of insect, the
forest type, infestation severity, environmental factors,
and cultural concerns.”1 Approaches such as integrated
pest management and the backcrossing of chestnuts
with blight resistant species are at the forefront of
preserving forest diversity and combating voracious
woodland pests.
Private landowners have a part to play as well, but what
can you do? To start, familiarize yourself with what pests
exist in your surrounding forests. (See Resource Tool
Box) Learn to recognize abnormal tree appearances and
begin to understand what other signs and symptoms
occur when forest pests are around. Most importantly,
find out what treatments and preventative measures are
available to control these forests pests and form a plan
of action to implement in the overall management of
your land. Treatment options can include biological and
chemical control as well as mechanical management.
If we all pitch in and do a little to save the health of our
forests, together we can change the fate of the mountain
woodlands and preserve their beauty for generations to
come.
Beech Bark Disease
Dogwood Anthracnose
LANDOWNER RESOURCE TOOL BOX
1. http://ncforestservice.gov/forest_health/forest_health.htm (1)
2. http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/
3. http://www.forestpests.org/
4. http://www.atlas.keystone.edu/edu/virtual/stewardship/diseases.htm (2)
5. http://www.acf.org
6. http://emeraldashborer.info
*All Photos accessed from CMLC, Yahoo Photos, and Univeristy of Georgia Online Photographs
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CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LAND CONSERVANCY
HEMLOCK PROTECTION AND RESTORATION INITIATIVE
In April and May of 2014, Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy and conservation landowner
Patrick Horan teamed up to save hemlocks and combat Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) in
the Hickory Nut Gorge. The hemlock team acquired USDA approved predatory Sasajiscymnus
tsugae (Sasi or St) beetles from a lab in Pennsylvania for dispersal in western North Carolina to
treat populations of HWA. These beetles have been used over many miles of eastern
forests and are continuously monitored for effectiveness by both federal and community
based programs. Pending grant funding, this hemlock saving program will continue in 2015
with the goal to expand release locations to other areas conserved by CMLC.
Thank You to the participating landowners in the
Hickory Nut Gorge
for your efforts to save our hemlocks!
For more information on hemlock treatment please visit: www.savinghemlocks.org
CONSERVATION EASEMENT REMINDER!
If you have plans to exercise a reserved right please consult your
Deed of Conservation Easement
and contact CMLC with any questions or necessary updates.
And, as always, please let us know if your easement property is on the
market or has changed ownership, even to other family members. THANK YOU!
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Coming September, 2014...
CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LAND CONSERVANCY’S
WHITE SQUIRREL HIKING CHALLENGE 3.0
Featuring eight new hikes, including two brand new trails in the
Upper Hickory Nut Gorge!
What You Do: Complete 8 Hikes on Conserved Lands
What You Get: White Squirrel Hiking Patch (v. 3.0), Free Hiking Gear
Why You Should Do It: Have Fun, Support Land Conservation in WNC
Enroll today to receive more information: http://goo.gl/qlJZg3
VOLUNTEER WITH CMLC!
We are currently looking for volunteers to:
• Create a CMLC Press Scrapbook
• Create a new brochure
(must have graphic design experience)
• Join our Adopt-a-Preserve Volunteer Corps
• Assist with non-native invasive plant
management projects
For more information about volunteering at CMLC visit our website at www.carolinamountain.org
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GET INVOLVED WITH CMLC!
SAVE THE DATE
Join CMLC for our 14th Annual Conservation
Celebration on September 27, 2014. The event
will be held at The Cabin Ridge, a beautiful and
historical homestead on an extraordinary
80-acre property conserved by CMLC in 2011
and located just outside of Hendersonville.
Come celebrate our achievements in
conservation and become a part of the legacy
of land protection in western North Carolina!
THE HOLLER
The Holler is a monthly e-mail sent to our
members filled with beautiful photos and news
of upcoming events. If you aren’t receiving it
and would like to, let us know!
www.carolinamountain.org/subscribe
A RECORD YEAR!
In 2013, Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy,
with the help of its many partners and
outstanding landowners, protected over 4,000
acres of wild and scenic land in western North
Carolina. In total, 19 new properties were
conserved with the Conservancy, expanding
the preservation of natural resources even
farther into our region. CMLC is grateful for the
opportunity to collaborate with so many
amazing entities to make 2013 a record year
for land conservation! THANK YOU!
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For more information about contributing to
CMLC contact:
Lynn Killian, Development Director
828.697-5777 ext. 202
[email protected]
BOOK OF THE SEASON
Sustainable Success, A Simple Way
By Jacob Barrocas
CMLC Landowner at Ben’s Ridge, Buncombe County
“Success is achieved in many ways, yet the
crucial factor is sustainability. In Sustainable
Success, Jacob Barrocas synthesises the
experiences of his life’s journey into universally
relatable messages that serve as guidposts for
igniting the wisdom (to succeed) unique in each
of us. Every step of the way the book shows us
A Simple Way to have success endure as a way
of life - all the while instilling in us the certainty
that each of us serves a noble purpose.”
-Dianne Collins, Author