Would you like to learn more about the woodlands and wildlife of the region, or learn what you can do to take care of your land for future generations? Whether you own forested land for recreation or a place to “get away from it all,” to grow timber, or because you enjoy wildlife, this workshop will provide you with the information and tools you need to understand and deal with some of the issues facing woodland owners today.
“Making the Most of Your Woods”, a day-long workshop for woodland owners on or near the Rensselaer Plateau, will take place at the Poestenkill Fire Hall, on Saturday, October 17, 2015. The program begins at 8:30 am, and participants can register online until October 10th at workshop registration. There will be expert presentations on a variety of topics in the morning, followed by a woods walk in the afternoon. Speakers from NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and Rensselaer Land Trust will explain how you can manage and create natural habitat for wildlife, grow the next forest for future generations, do your part to keep local streams and lakes healthy, develop a plan for your forest land, and get the most from a sustainable timber harvest. In the afternoon participants will tour the new Rensselaer Plateau Community Forest and a recent timber harvest site at the Capital District Wildlife Management Area. The woods walks will illustrate stewardship concepts from the morning sessions and how attendees can make a difference in their woods. The workshop is sponsored by the NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program and Cornell University Cooperative Extension, in partnership with the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Albany County, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rensselaer County, Audubon New York, the Capital District Chapter of the NY Forest Owners Association, and the Rensselaer Land Trust.
The Poestenkill fire hall is located at 182 Main Street (also known as Rt.355), Poestenkill, NY 12140.
A $20 fee covers refreshments, lunch and an information packet. Register on-line by October 10th at workshop registration. For more information contact Kristi Sullivan kls20@cornell.edu.
This program is funded by the Environmental Protection Fund through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Hudson River Estuary Program.
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Agenda
8:30 Registration, Refreshments
9:00 Welcome, Introductions | Jim Bonesteel, Rensselaer Plateau Alliance
9:15 The Rensselaer Plateau and Your Land | Ingrid Haeckel, NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program
9:30 Your Woodland as a Source of Wildlife Habitat and Biodiversity | Kristi Sullivan, Cornell University Dept. of Natural Resources
10:15 Sustainable Forest Management | Peter Smallidge, State Extension Forester, Cornell University
11:00 Break
11:15 Creating a Plan for Your Forest | TBD, NYSDEC forester
11:45 Protecting Your Land with Conservation Easements | Nick Conrad, Rensselaer Land Trust
12:00 Maps, Tools and Other Resources to Help you Make Decisions on Your Land | Ingrid Haeckel
12:15 Lunch
1:00 Field Trip
This program is presented in partnership with: Rensselaer Plateau Alliance, Cornell Cooperative Extension Albany County, Cornell Cooperative Extension Rensselaer County, Audubon New York, Capital District Chapter of the New York Forest Owners Association, Rensselaer Land Trust.
