Yale Forests News Issue 14 February 2014 YALE FORESTS NEWS Brought to you by the Yale School Forests 2013 ANNUAL REPORT Mark S. Ashton Director of School Forests, MF‘85, Ph.D.‘90 Dr. Ashton in action. Photo by Chung-Leong Chan. Another year has gone by like a flash. This year we have a new dormitory and classroom, a tree house and multiple courses that have greatly enhanced the education of our students and continued to engage the forest with the surrounding community. The Year Behind Our Forest Manager, Alex Barrett (MF ’12) is in his second year of commanding and organizing the troops. And gosh the army is bigger and more diverse than ever. The researchers are ever more productive, our extension landowner outreach program, The Quiet Corner Initiative, ever more engaged and we now have nascent agricultural and energy programs. The apprenticeship program was the biggest ever… hmm. I think I have been saying this every year like a broken record! Well, yet again we broke all records with 12 young professionals from 20 applicants. What a handful! I remember rattling around (Continued on page 2) AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN LAUREL HIGH ENOUGH Summer Crew Report 2013 Claire Nowak, Assistant Forest Manager, MF’14 An impromptu red pine perplexes Connecticut foresters. Photo by Alex Barrett. 2013 was another record year for Forest Crew with no less than 12 students moving to Yale-Myers to hone their field skills. Tori Lockhart, Mik McKee, Monte Kawahara, Jocelyn Mahone, Spenser Shadle, Jon Sullivan, Patrick Hook, Klaus Geiger, Mark Woloszyn, Julius Pasay, Jen Milikowsky and Claire Nowak made up a cohort large enough to sustain legions of ticks through the summer. This monoculture of MF students, with a touch of financial optimization provided by SOM joint degrees, hailed the return to an active management style in the Morse Division under the patient mentorship of Alex Barrett and Dr. Mark Ashton. The last time the Morse Division was attended to was in 2006 with a Crew comprising “young” Richard Campbell, Markelle Smith, Ali Macalady, Hannah Murray, Linda Kramme and Chris Craig. Crew was a family affair this year, with the Barretts–including a young seedling appropriately named Rowan–taking over the Morse House while Julius Pasay’s brother Marcus masterfully manned the kitchen. The season started with road and boundary work, with new waterbars swiftly put to the test by torrential rain that would become a daily routine. We had the opportunity to become all too intimately familiar with local hydrology patterns when an unfortunate encounter with a stream stole a GPS unit from a Crew member; it was found intact, floating and still functioning in the Morse reservoir a few weeks later, although the forester’s dignity still remains missing. Moving on to marking, we soon came across a red pine plantation on one of the best sites of the division (compartment 42 of the 1945 map). The trees, planted under the supervision of Forest Manager Basil (Continued on page 3) 1 Yale Forests News (Continued from page 1) the forest as a member of the Crew with 2 other students under the wise tutelage of David Kittredge (MF ’80, PhD ’86)… and that was it. Of the 6 apprentice foresters that graduated this year, all secured the jobs they desired with EcoPlanet Bamboo, the Sierra Institute, Conservation Forestry, New Island Capital, Resources Management Group Inc, and the Forest Department, State of Michigan. The program not only grew in size but also in substance with more faculty and professional teachers than ever. Our framework of lectures, exercises and then application for each topic area becomes ever more intense. Professor Gregoire mentored students in sampling design and measurements; Professors Schmitz, Skelly and Bradford mentored students in the community ecology of wildlife, aquatic systems, and soils respectively. Dr. Ann Camp and Dr. Talbot Trotter (USFS Research Scientist) provided a great workshop on invasives, pathogens and insects. Lastly, hats off to Mike Ferrucci who helped mentor the students in prescriptions, marking and operations. This year was the Morse Division. The students marked 72 acres of crown thinning and developed some very innovative irregular shelterwoods on 65 acres, some of which were some of the most 2 Issue 14 February 2014 complex we have developed in terms of structure and arrangement. renewable energy with the local towns and farms. Our extension program continued to prosper with a new environmental film series for citizens of the region. We had plenty of school groups, conservation officials, and environmental groups visit our demonstration areas, led and organized by our students. We also led courses and field trips for universities and professional groups – Paul Smith’s College, University of New Hampshire, the Technical University of Munich and the Indian Forest Service. In the 2nd year of USFS State and Private funding of the Quiet Corner Initiative, students organized workshops on legacy planning, silvopasture, horse logging and portable sawmill operations. Courses on Management Plans and River Processes and Restoration covered 150 acres and 11 miles of river reach. We have now completed 1,200 acres to date with 74 landowners in our partnership, and 15 plans finished. We have a long way to go to complete 10,000 acres of neighborhood forest under student stewardship! In the Forest Operations course, a prescription was implemented on one property and students are working on large (~1,000 acres) conservation easement projects with the State in the Conservation Strategies course. We have started working on a smallholder agriculture program and on Research is going full tilt as usual. We had 36 projects throughout the School Forests system, with 23 faculty members, associate researchers, masters, doctoral and undergraduate students working on a variety of projects. Marlyse Duguid (MF ’10, PhD ’16) our research coordinator, has been doing a marvelous job and Kris Covey (MF ’10, PhD ’15) received a national award from the American Geophysical Union. Thanks to Molly Roske (MFS ’14) we now have an electronic bulletin on research results “hot off the press” and “hot out of the forest” that will be sent out to professionals. Let us know if you would like to receive these. The Year Ahead This coming year our strategic plan moves into high gear focusing on the development of a research campus that includes a lab for field ecology and experimental space, securing funds for research fellowships, the development of an endowed field naturalist program, and seeking core funding to build the QCI to expand out of the forest and into agriculture and renewable energy. Hydrological research is building up, with the upcoming installation of a gauging station and collection of hydrological monitoring data. A slight feeling of déjà vu? The 1930 classroom is back at Camp (middle) but new solar panels (right) are proof this picture is to-date. Photo by Alex Barrett. Yale Forests News Issue 14 February 2014 One of the Crew of 2013’s rare displays of joy. Photo by Monte Kawahara. (Continued from page 1) Plusnin (MF ’31) in the 1940s, were on their way out. After a debate on cultural legacy, financial value, and bird habitat, the decision was made to leave the plantation to its fate as a reserve. It earned the sale the name “Better Dead Than Red” in honor of Basil Plusnin. The rest of the stand was thinned to promote a black cherry grove. By the end of July, five thinnings and two shelterwoods brought the tally to a whopping 458 MBF on 138 acres, setting the stage for the Morse Timber Famine of 2020. Forest Operations teacher and Crew alum Mike Ferrucci, upon visiting the completed shelterwood “Slam Show” with his class, remarked that it indeed looked “very open... almost a seed tree”. At the end of busy days spent securing oak regeneration, the Crew enjoyed visits to the Ashton Villa, a memorable pig roast, and kayak adventures on (and sometimes in) the Morse Reservoir. We demonstrated our carpentry skills with the construction of outdoor showers and benches, while Alex “Blue Stone” Barrett supervised the paving of multiple paths. Current projections estimate that 80% of all skid trails will be paved in blue stone by 2025. In August, we headed north to Toumey where we spent the best of the last weeks wandering helplessly around the infamous Humane Division, struggling to decipher enigmatic deeds and notes left by past foresters on pink flagging in the middle of swamps. The comfort of Keene’s pool bars gave us the strength to carry on and, somehow, still get a lot done. Our inventory allowed us to plan the harvests that we are now marking this winter. We ended the summer with a trip to Maine and stayed with David Cromwell (SOM Professor in Entrepreneural Investment) for our last weekend, enjoying great hiking and a cool dip in one of the best swimming holes in the region. The Crew parted after 3 months of hard work and perhaps harder play, the graduating cohort leaving to take exciting new jobs while the remaining 6 of us returned to school for another year in less vegetated and more conventional classrooms. But wind-dispersed as we may be, it is safe to say we will never forget the woods that we got to call, just for a summer, a place of our own. NEWS FROM THE FOREST MANAGER Alex Barrett, MF’12 We have had another booming year at the School Forests filled with forestry, bluestone, new buildings, and general productive merriment. With a 12 member Crew, we got a lot done and Camp is getting better and better. I think we are doing a nice job of adding amenities while staying true to our rustic roots. Everyone appreciates the facilities and the place shines as a demonstration forest. The other contributors to this newsletter have done a great job highlighting the achievements of this past year and detailing the current goings-ons. Here, I will bring up a few tid-bits that deserve mention and don’t get much attention. At Yale-Myers The Lau Tree House (left), built by Griffin Collier (Yale College ’12) and associates, is now complete. It is a gorgeous work of art made out of aluminum and sassafras and provides arguably the most beautiful forestviewing experience around. Sassafras is clearly an under-appreciated wood. (Continued on page 4) 3 Yale Forests News Issue 14 (Continued from page 3) As we begin to lay the groundwork for the research campus, we built a storage barn just east of the French House that now houses all the Bradford, Schmitz and Skelly lab equipment. The barn is mostly built from local wood and is already well-stocked. Since the inauguration of the new classroom, the old classroom has been repurposed into a living area. Thanks to Matt Fried (MF ’13) and the Class of 1980, we have a woodstove that provides heat while the fireplace continues to provide ambiance. SAF wreath-making and forest audits are much merrier events now that the room is easily heated with firewood cut and split by the Crew. The Class of 1980 also funded improvements to the Morse Reservoir lean-to which now has a deck overlooking the water and provides a quiet refuge from the bustle of Camp. We received an old ship’s bell from Mark Ashton’s parents that we use to announce the start of dinners and seminars. However, by the 3rd Module, Rob Buchowski became a little too attached to it. This summer, Mik McKee (MF ’13) led a team to build an outdoor shower system by the bathhouse. Powered by a propane 4 heater, the showers provide a great outdoor bathing experience. Thanks to Mik and his helpers. Last year we finished up sales in the Turkey Hill division with Hull Forest Products. The most impressive is “Richard’s Last Stand”, a lovely irregular shelterwood with a southern aspect where we appear to have secured a lot of oak regeneration. We have also started removing overstories from our successfully regenerated shelterwoods. “The Woodshed,” marked by the Crew of 2005, was finished this year and many of the trees came out as veneer logs. Timber markets continue to strengthen since their collapse in 2007. In the Northern Forests The year 2013 saw some nice work in New Hampshire at Goss Woods, in Richmond, and at the Toumey forest in Swanzey. At Goss Woods, we used timber revenue to invest in the access road and treated 25 acres. The views from a nice little shelterwood there (dubbed “The Tubby Turkey” in honor of Luke McKay’s (MF ’13) favorite Winchester gas station sandwich) are worth a visit. Crowell Ravine and Cross Woods are getting updated Current Use management February 2014 plans and we hope to send the Crew to Crowell Ravine for some TSI work this summer. And maybe a little fly-fishing as well. At Toumey, we did a nice crop-tree thinning in some poorer quality pine off of Sawyer’s Crossing and are working on a few timber sales for this spring. Most importantly, the Crew did amazing work sorting out the boundaries of the Humane Society Division. Smartphones linking students in the Land Records vault with students in the field turned up some nice results. The old headquarters got a new stove and trails around there continue to be enjoyed extensively by Keene Staters, mountain bikers, dogwalkers and many others. All in all, 2013 was another productive and successful year. As I write this, we are wrapping up the irregular shelterwood harvests the Crew marked and shifting focus to next summer. Since it is 2014, we will be conducting our ten year continuous forest inventory this summer as well as tackling the Still River and Boston Hollow Divisions. If you find yourself in the area, please stop on by - especially if you remember your time battling the laurel in either of these Divisions. Jeff Stoike, Charlie Bettigole, and Kris Covey enjoy the Fall dusk after a day of work on the Morse lean-to. Photo by Monte Kawahara. Yale Forests News Issue 14 February 2014 RESEARCH NEWS AND NOTES Marlyse Duguid, School Forests Research Coordinator, MF ‘10, Ph.D.‘17 This past summer’s research seminars boast some of the largest turnouts we have ever seen. We learned about the history of the old Connecticut path, the ecology of vernal pools, and the risks associated with tick borne disease and emerald ash borer; fascinating research seminars in our beautiful new classroom building. Even the stormy weather couldn’t keep folks away. Stay tuned for another exciting line up of speakers for this summer’s series. The publications resulting from research conducted at Yale-Myers were particularly impressive this year. We got to read the results from former master’s researchers: Kevin Barrett (MESc ’12) published his research with Os Schmitz on the effects of deer density on regeneration in the International Journal of Forestry Research. Also from the Schmitz lab, Judith Ament (MESc ’13) and Jennie Miller (PhD ’15) have a new paper on grasshopper response to spider behavior in the Journal of Animal Ecology, “Fear on the move: predator hunting mode predicts variation in prey mortality and plasticity in prey spatial response”. Another interesting paper from the Schmitz and Bradford collaboration examines trophic cascades on ecosystem function. Check out Strickland et al. ‘‘Trophic cascade alters ecosystem carbon exchange’’ in PNAS. expression in response to roads and runoff.” David Skelly, Kealoha Freidenburg and Susan Rodrigues recently published the results of their experimental canopy removal on vernal pools, and interestingly found enhanced diversity of amphibians. Check out their paper in Ecological Applications. Last, but hopefully not least, Mark Ashton (MF ’85, PhD ‘90) and I published a couple of papers. The first was a meta-analysis of the effect of forest management for timber on understory plant species diversity in temperate forests, in Forest Ecology and Management. The second was with former research coordinators Dave Ellum (MF ’01, PhD ‘07) and Brent Frey (PhD ’11), and with Matt Kelty (PhD ’84), Professor of Forest Ecology and Silviculture at the University of Massachusetts, in Forest Ecology and Management. “The influence of ground disturbance and gap position on understory plant diversity in upland forests of southern New England” deals with understory plant species response to forest harvesting across a series of experimental gaps throughout Yale-Myers and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. This past summer was a busy one for research. The weather was challenging with abnormally high rainfall in June, making field collection difficult at best. Yet, science motivates through adversity and researchers toiled on. The vernal pools were “hopping” with not just the usual amphibian subjects, but also with researchers: Skelly lab students Meredith Atwood (PhD ’16) and Max Lambert (MESc 13’ PhD ’18) could regularly be found battling the epic mosquito populations for their love of science. University of Connecticut researchers were also focused on vernal pools this summer. Jonathan Richardson and Mark Urban continued working on amphibians, while Louise Lewis’s lab was sampling those same ponds for green algae to be used in a phylogenetic study. Visiting researcher Emily Hall from Washington State University took an extended road trip to the east coast to examine the deadly ranavirus and its effect on wood frogs. We last saw her heading west with a car full of water and amphibian samples. Lastly, undergraduate Emily Farr took a look at the role of ponds in carbon cycling by determining gas transfer (Continued on page 6) The Skelly lab had a number of publications as well. Jonathan Richardson (PhD ’12), who shared his knowledge of vernal pool ecology at our summer seminar this past summer, has a paper in Evolution on his doctoral research, “Strong selection barriers explain microgeographic adaptation in wild salamander populations”. Another former lab member Steve Brady (MESc ’07, PhD ’12) published some of his doctoral work: “Microgeographic maladaptive performance and deme This rare bee (Calliopsis nebraskensis) was collected by Kassie this summer. Photo by Sam Droege, USGS. 5 Yale Forests News velocity from vernal pools, which implied a lot of propane and a lot of wading. SUMMER SEMINARS 2014 June 12th June 26th July 10th July 24th FILM SERIES 2014 July 15th July 29th Refreshments 7 pm, seminars and movies 7:30 pm. Speakers and movies to be determined. The Schmitz lab also had a large presence this summer. Brian Crowley (MESc ’14) spent the summer driving grasshoppers around New England to examine local adaptation patterns. Rob Buchowski (MESc ’14) examined nutrient cycling in response to insect community composition change. Rob’s enthusiasm is contagious: he (almost) makes digging up isopods seem exciting. Doctoral candidate Karin Burghardt continued her work looking at goldenrod and soil nutrients. Undergraduate Kassie 6 Issue 14 Urban-Mead surveyed wild pollinator populations in our “old field” systems in and around Yale-Myers. I am a little surprised she didn’t go blind identifying differences between all the little bees and flies she collected, but she put together a stunning collection of our insect wildlife. We were busy in the Ashton lab as well. Recent graduates Karen Petersen (MEM ’13) and Angela Whitney (MESc ’13) joined me in the decadal collection of vegetation data on the 420 “deer transect” plots spread throughout Yale-Myers. I will be back this summer to sample environmental conditions influencing the understory plant populations at these plots. Doctoral candidate Kris Covey (MF ’10, PhD 15) continues his studies of tree methane. After his successful publications last year he is “building up gas” at the forest yet again with a variety of night time exploits incubating the boles of trees within cylinders in the middle of the forest. You can guess he was the talk of the town as all the local kids surmised that he was part of the Discovery Channel’s “Moonshiners”. All jokes aside, Kris was awarded the best graduate student presentation award at the American Geophysical Union this year. February 2014 Dr. Talbot Trotter and the USFS Insect and Disease Lab continues to monitor his study of the effects of wooly adelgid on species of hemlock. We should expect his first publications on this work this coming year. Botanical research spread to some of the more northern Yale forests this year: Brian Park, a doctoral student in Yale EEB working with Michael Donoghue, is looking at floral morphology of Witch Hobble (Viburnum lantanoides) at the Crowell forest in Vermont. Yale forest historian Phil Marshall (PhD ’12) continued his botanical inventory on our Bowen forest in Mt. Holly, Vermont. We have also seen an increase in research projects focused around Yale-Myers, but less ecological in nature. Drew Vesey (MESc ’14) was busy interviewing local landowners all summer for his work on small scale renewable energy use in northeast Connecticut. Also Jenn Hoyle (MEM ’10 PhD ’17), Molly Roske (MFS ’14), and Ben Hayes (MF ’15) have been working on a watershed assessment by gauging streams under the advice of Professors Saiers and Raymond. We look forward to more of this research that bridges QCI outreach and our formal research programs. Science in the making! Kris Covey (left) and Rob Buchowski (right) pose with the tools of their trade. Photos by Klaus Nusslein and Alex Barrett. Yale Forests News Issue 14 February 2014 NEWS FROM THE QUIET CORNER Jeff Stoike, Quiet Corner Initiative Coordinator, PhD ‘14 The Quiet Corner Initiative staff is excited to continue working with the landowners neighboring Yale-Myers Forest. We want to take this opportunity to share a few examples of how the QCI continues to develop its strong suite of activities supporting woodlands conservation and management while looking to expand its engagement with landowners on issues related to smallscale agriculture and renewable energy. This summer, the QCI maintained its tradition of seminars at Yale-Myers on a wide variety of topics detailed in the Research News and Notes (page 5). We also started an environmental film series with viewings of “King Corn” and “The City Dark”, both films directed by Ian Cheney (MEM ‘03). The fall saw the “Management Plans for Protected Areas” class work with landowners in the Mt. Hope watershed and thereby complete its first rotation through the three subwatersheds of the Quiet Corner. Next year, the class will cycle back to the Bigelow Brook watershed to work with new landowners and add to the Management Plans done there three years ago. The consideration of watershed function underpins the broad vision of our work in the Quiet Corner. Because of this, we are conducting stream assessments in conjunction with our Management Plans and had students from the River Processes and Restoration course working in Bigelow Brook to inform a regional stream assessment protocol in Connecticut. This class also did a series of stream assessments this fall, covering over 10 miles of stream and laying the streamwork for a long-term monitoring program. As an additional note on our Management Plans, we are proud to report that 5 of 14 Plans are already being actively implemented by landowners. The recommendations being followed include small-scale timber harvests, maple sugaring, improved boundaries, trail construction, and potiential grants to create a silvopasture operations. It is very gratifying for us to see our students’ hard work be of assistance to landowners as they make important decisions about managing their land. Three more Plans will serve as the base for students to design Harvest Plans with instructor Mike Ferrucci this spring. In a fall workshop, Brett Chedzoy from the Cornell Extension Cooperative shared his knowledge on silvopasture. Silvopasturing is becoming more popular in the northeastern United States as a means of integrating livestock production into forest management. Animals also showed their value in another capacity at our second draftlogging and bandsaw mill workshop. In January, we had Sam Rich and Erika Marczak of Abington thinning a white pine stand, using their horses and oxen to haul the logs to a landing where Denis Day of Eastford milled them into boards that were used to make flowerboxes for all attendees to take home. Thanks to the efforts of Drew Veysey (MESc ‘14), we now also have a demonstration solar power array on the roof at Camp: working with a local contractor, Drew set up a workshop for students to help with the installation and you can now watch our production via our website- check it out. Looking forward, we have many exciting events coming up. In April we Steers take a break while Percheron horses Maude and Molly haul white pine in the background. Photo by Monte Kawahara. 7 Yale Forests News Issue 14 will be holding two workshops; one on conservation easements and another on the inoculation of logs for shiitake mushroom production. Also, this year we plan to have our annual summer seminars culminate in a September harvest festival to be held at Yale-Myers where neighbors can come together to celebrate the season and learn about the kinds of agricultural products coming from their local properties. In the arena of renewable energy, we are exploring the possibility of working with local schools to contemplate a transition from heating oil to biomass-based heating sources in our version of a “Fuels for Schools” project. We will be sure to keep you posted as this develops further. Lastly, I am proud to announce that our membership has passed the century mark, with over 100 landowners as February 2014 Drew Veysey (bottom left) with the concrete result of his research in the Quiet Corner. Photo by Tom Shippee, a local contractor who installed the panels. dedicated partners of the QCI. We look forward to growing those numbers and seeing you at upcoming events. As always, feel free to be in touch at jeffrey. [email protected] with any questions or thoughts about QCI work. “TREES GROW.” - David M. Smith, Morris K. Jesup Professor Emeritus of Silviculture There are some great remarks, turns of phrase, words of wisdom, and scathing critiques of silvicultural choices that many remember from their time in the woods with Professors and others at the School Forests. If you have one that you particularly like, please send it along: [email protected]. We are looking for some gems to make a part of Camp. Students from Paul Smith’s College visit “Richard’s Last Stand” at Myers. Photo by Joe Orefice (MF ‘09), Assistant Professor of Silviculture at Paul Smith’s. 8 Yale Forests News Issue 14 February 2014 THANK YOU This year, we would again like to thank the “Class of 1980” for supporting our facilities development. We would also like to thank Kris Covey who has yet again been laboriously creating new additions and who helped oversee the construction of our “tree house” created and developed by architecture student Griffin Collier (YC ’13). Top: The Pasay Brothers and Pat Hook with the Crew’s daily nutritional intake. Left: When in doubt, lay more blue stone. Right: Professor Ashton demonstrates that silviculture is an art, a science, and a sport while editing an overzealous prescription. Bottom: The Discount Rate Duo cleans up the shop. All pictures by Alex Barrett. 9