July has been good with enough rain to keep things green and happy. The birds have started to quiet down leaving the Towhees and titmice being the main callers. A whip-poor-will re-commenced calling for several nights late in the month after several weeks of silence. We love the call and find it a great nighttime snooze inducer. Several guests over the years have said they cannot sleep with all the racket. Katydids are starting up and we find them sleep inducing also. That is another sound some guests find disturbing of their sleep. I find it astonishing that people who come from cities and suburbs with the related noise find the sounds of nature disturbing to their sleep. We did not have a cicada hatch here. That was another sound I was looking forward to. I checked the brood map and found that Centre County has brood XIV which is due to emerge in 2025. I had anticipated trying out some recipes with them but will have to wait a few more years. We have been seeing quite a few warblers including black & whites, redstarts, yellows, worm eating and black throated gray. The abundance of birds here is encouraging.

Sadly, we lost another of our dogs, this time to lymphoma. Eight-year-old Rhubarb (Rhu) was a blue tick coonhound who came to us missing his left eye, left ear ripped in half and missing his left rear toenail. His litter mates were quickly adopted out of the shelter, but nobody wanted the one-eyed dog. We had no problem with that. He was struck down too early, but we know he had a great life growing up here. We still have 12-year-old Quince, a black & tan coonhound and have now added 8-year-old Sassafras, apparently a lab/beagle mix. She is smaller, highly active and vocal in a slightly annoying way. David calls her a dingo. She is learning the ropes from Quince and thoroughly enjoying exploring everything around here.

David rented a backhoe to do some foundation drainage work behind his house. We took advantage of it to dig a larger vernal pool near the garden. The original pool had been shallow, scooped out by tractor and dried up before the tadpoles had finished developing. The tadpoles were saved in a tub nearby and were doing great – they love lettuce and spinach leaves. The new, larger and deeper pool filled to a satisfying level. After adding some old leaves and a few sticks and letting things settle, we moved the tadpoles back. They seem pleased with the space. About half had rear legs and some had fully developed to frogs and are hopping around the area. We are suspecting that the ones without legs are bullfrog tadpoles which will need another year to develop, or so I have heard. I also am told that they are not desirable as they bully and eat up many other lesser frogs. 

We have moved the deer stand that blew over to a better location with less wind. It still needs to be set up, but it is in a great spot. The stand is 6’ long x 4’ deep and 8’ tall. Using the tractor with bucket, we temporarily made it into a portable deer stand. It is now sitting on a charcoal flat looking over the edge of the ridge facing north from the Bryans’ 12-acre golden winged warbler cut. The regeneration in the cuts is doing better than I expected and much may reach above the browse line by the end of the growing season. The researchers from the warbler project picked up their recorders. The recordings will be studied over winter, and we should be receiving a listing and some recordings of the bird songs captured over two months of mornings and evenings. They were also hoping to capture the whip-poor-wills which is a side study to see how the habitat improvement works for those birds. Considering that the whip-poor-wills seemed to call mostly around our houses, I am not sure they will capture their calls up on the ridge.

Another benefit of the habitat improvement is the abundance of wild blueberries in the sunny open areas between the trees that were left. We have never had such a great crop here due to the heavy forest canopy. A visiting friend and I picked a large colander full. Some I froze, the rest went into blueberry grunt. That fabulous use of them was new to me. It turned out great and may supplant blueberry pie as my go to blueberry dessert. On a recent webinar on forest regeneration, I learned that blueberries can be as much a deterrent to regeneration as hay scented fern. I have seen this to be the case on a hunting club property in Lycoming County. In our case, the regeneration is doing fine and will be shading out those blueberries in a couple years. For now, I plan to enjoy them. On the same trip up the ridge, we also found a patch of chanterelle mushrooms. When they appear, it is usually in September, usually in large spreading patches and in many locations. This was a smaller patch and the only one I have seen to date. We enjoyed several of them that evening in a stir-fry of garden veggies and burger over rice. Foraging is nice when you know what you are looking at. Be sure you do.

For those of you out there who are looking for information on your forest, management training, tours of practices and their affects and like-minded forest landowners, there are 20 forest landowner organizations in the State. These are listed in the PFA’s quarterly magazine “Pennsylvania Forests” along with contact information. The listing is usually inside the front cover. I encourage you to investigate joining a group near you. Our Centre County group provided me with many years of programs, knowledge, tours and fellowship. Unfortunately, that group was disbanded due to the plethora of local programs from Penn State Extension, SFI, DCNR, etc. that are held in our area. We found ourselves repeating the same programs with a resulting low attendance. Our annual picnic was always well attended. Food tends to bring people out. So, despite not having a local woodland owners’ group to be a part of here, I again encourage you to seek out yours and join up. It will greatly build your woodland management confidence.

PFA has been quiet this month. The one meeting to wrap up preparations for the Annual Symposium was cancelled due to the preparations being essentially complete. I expect things will get busier in August and take off in September. Be sure to sign up for the Annual Symposium, consider joining us at Shenecoy Sportsmen’s club for the annual Log a Load for Kids sporting clays shoot. Plan your Walk in Penn’s Woods and get it registered. Nominate someone for the Rothrock, Dock and Cochran awards if you know of a worthy individual.

Enjoy the summer and be safe,

Mark Ott

Rebecca Trigger and son, Mark Foley, 2020 Tree Farmers of the Year, invite you for a guided tour to view their forest-ry work on their tree farm. The tree farm is 140 acres with about 100 acres of woodland and 25 acres of pollinator fields in various stages of growth. The tour includes hands on demonstration of tools, techniques and resources to establish and maintain a healthy forest.

The farm was established in the 1880’s when Benjamin Craft was given a land grant for fighting in the Civil War. The barn, cookhouse and main house were built between 1882 and 1891. During that time much of the land had been cleared for pastures and apple orchards. In 1950’s the buildings, fencing, and land began to fall into disrepair, the farm was eventually abandoned. The forest regrew into a tangled mass of vines and invasive plants. The canopy of vines were so thick it was difficult to see and identify desirable trees struggling to grow.

Rebecca purchased the farm in 1994 and has been renovating the buildings and working to re-establish a healthy for-est. The “educated” forestry work began in 2014 when Rebecca met the DCNR Service Forester. In partnership with her son Mark, they have attended the Penn State Forest Stewards Program, Game of Logging, joined the local land-owners association, and attend numerous Conferences to learn all they can.

As a result, they have developed miles of access roads, hired a forester to write a plan, planted nearly 500 trees, developed a pollinator field, participated in studies with WVU on bio-controls and mason bees. Work continues with ongoing thinning, crop tree release, and overall maintenance of roads and trails. Rebecca and her son have learned ways to “work smarter, not harder.”

The results have yielded an explosion of forest growth and an abundant return of wildlife in a short period of time.

They appreciate all those who have taught them so very much and most of all sharing with others who love the forest and nature as they do.

Descriptions of Tour Stops:

1. Invasive Plant Identification and Control: Learn to identify Tree of Heaven and learn control using hack and squirt technique. Also includes other invasive plants, such as mile-a-minute vine, along with results of recent study done with West Virginia University using biological control of mile-a-minute. A demonstration on "invasive plant survey and management with drones" will be provided.

2. Hardwood Tree Planting: This stop will show areas planted with hardwood tree seedlings. Includes how to use a dibble to plant seedlings, the use of Plantra tree tubes to protect from deer browse and enhance growth, weed control, tips on funding programs and assistance with planting from local high school youth.

3. Grapevine Control: Demonstration of how to use a light weight battery pole saw to cut and control grape vines and system to track work. Shade keeps vine growth in check and the deer do the rest by browsing the re-sprouts.

4. Crop Tree Management: Tour the forestry work of the woodlands from areas worked on compared with areas not yet worked on. Includes areas that have been thinned, crop tree release, and vine control.

5. Pollinator Plots: View plots and discover how they are established and what the recovery plan is for monarch butterfly habitat establishment.

6. Family Forest Carbon Program: Discussion and information on new American Forest Foundation carbon program.

Tour Guides/Speakers: Russell Gibbs, Service Forester, PA Bureau of Forestry, Tony Quadro, Private Consulting For-ester, Sarah Hall-Bagdonas, Landowner Assistance Manager, Family Forest Carbon Program, American Forest Foundation, Richard Reardon, Entomologist, USDA Forest Service (retired), Yong-Lak Park, Professor of Entomology, West Virginia University, and Jose Taracido, Wildlife Conservation Specialist, California University.

The Pennsylvania Forestry Association is seeking nominations for the 2020 Sandy Cochran Award for Excellence in Natural Resources Education. This award honors individuals or programs designing, developing, and implementing educational programs focused on the conservation and management of Pennsylvania’s natural resources. Nominations are by letter of support and include background information on the nominee, such as would be included in a vita. As well, the nominator should provide information on program focus (e.g., water, forests, recreation, wildlife), principle audiences affected (e.g., adults, students, youth programs, resource professionals), geographic area targeted (e.g., statewide, region, county, school district), and, if possible, behavior or impact changes linked to the program. Each nomination must also include three letters of support for the nominee. Deadline for application is September 1, 2021.

For more information or to submit a nomination, contact the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, Attention: Cochran Award Chairman, 300 North Second Street, Suite 1002, Harrisburg, PA 17101 or email: thePFA@paforestry.org.

Celebrating the value of the contributions of women to Pennsylvania’s natural resources, the Pennsylvania Forestry Association is pleased to announce the Mira Lloyd Dock Award. Mira Lloyd Dock is recognized as the first Pennsylvania woman to lead the way in forest conservation. In order to honor her outstanding contributions to the foundation of forest conservation in the Commonwealth, her skills as an advocate for Penn’s Woods, and her diligence as a “Friend of the Forest,” it is only appropriate that PFA names this award for her. Ms. Dock’s character and motivation set the example for future women of conservation, who PFA wishes to recognize for their professional and/or personal commitment with this award.

Award Criteria

Nominations shall be made in the form of a letter, not more than two typed pages long, with content based on the following criteria:

1.   Forest Conservation Activities

2.   Effective Outreach

3.   Engagement with others/building collaborative relationships

4.   Commitment to learning/resource-based knowledge

5.   Additional Recognition related to Natural Resource Conservation

The award will be announced at the Pennsylvania Forestry Association Annual Symposium.

The deadline for nominations is September 1, 2021. Nominations are welcome from any interested individual or group. Membership in the PFA is not a requirement for the nominee or those submitting a nomination. For more information or to submit a nomination, contact the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, Attention: PFA Awards Committee, 300 North Second Street, Suite 1002, Harrisburg, PA 17101 or email: thePFA@paforestry.org.

Mira Lloyd Dock (1853-1945), pictured above, was a botanist, educator, author, civic leader, conservationist, and activist.

Each year at its annual meeting, the Pennsylvania Forestry Association (PFA) recognizes an individual, organization or group’s significant contributions to the public recognition of the importance of Pennsylvania’s forest resources in the same tradition and spirit of Dr. Joseph T. Rothrock. Dr. Rothrock served as the first president of PFA and earned the title, “Father of Forestry in Pennsylvania,” through his untiring efforts to promote the forest conservation movement in Pennsylvania.

NOMINEES FOR THE AWARD WILL BE EVALUATED ACCORDING TO THREE SELECTION CRITERIA

1.   Value of contributions to the continued conservation of Pennsylvania’s forest resource. (60%)

2.   Public recognition and stature of the individual in the field of resource conservation. (30%)

3.   Other Unique or special considerations which demonstrate a long term commitment to conservation. (10%)

Nominations for the award should address these three criteria in appropriate detail.

Nominations are welcome from any interested individual or group. The deadline for nominations is September 1, 2021. Membership in the PFA is not a requirement for the nominee or those submitting a nomination. For more information or to submit a nomination, contact the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, Attention: Rothrock Award Chairman, 300 North Second Street, Suite1002, Harrisburg, PA 17101 or email: thePFA@paforestry.org.

The achievements of Ms. Dock in pursuit of urban beautification and forest conservation are worthy of celebration on their own merits. That she accomplished these things as a woman in a time when women were expected to remain out of public discourse is no less significant. The Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, provides an important opportunity to retell this story, calling Pennsylvania to respond to leadership in its own history and continue this important work. In so doing, Ms. Dock's contributions can be appropriately honored and the public embraces the shared values and sense of ownership necessary to achieve the Partnership's ambitious goals.

This award will recognize a diverse conservationist within the Keystone 10 Million Tree Partnership with the context of local history, courage, leadership, and purpose.

AWARD CRITERIA

The partnership award recipient should use these trees and supplies in a project in a diverse, equitable, and under-represented community. If the awardee cannot accept this project on their behalf, they may name a project to which the grant should be applied. This award will be given along with the PFA Dock Award at their October virtual event.

Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership Dock Award Nomination Period Open 5/3/21 – 9/3/21

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State Extension is offering two Managing Invasive Plant Workshops in September. These workshops will provide participants with the knowledge and skills to properly identify common invasive plants and develop strategies for treatment and control primarily using herbicide application methods.

Invasive Plants are a major threat to our natural and cultivated landscapes, spreading quickly and displacing or killing native plants. Invasive species (plants, insects, and animals) are costing the United States more than $138 billion each year, due to their economic impact on agriculture, forestry, fisheries, waterways, wildlife, and ornamental landscapes. Ecologists now rank invasion by exotic plants, animals, and pathogens second only to habitat loss as a major threat to local biodiversity. 

This workshop provides in-depth practical presentations and outdoor demonstrations to help municipalities, landowners, green industry, and natural resource professionals identify and treat invasive plants commonly found in landscapes, forests, and natural areas. The morning presents an introduction to invasive plants, invasive plant profiles, herbicide application methods and equipment, and calibration. The afternoon will provide in-field plant identification, herbicide application demonstrations, and control strategies. Participants will earn pesticide recertification credits from PDA in categories 5, 6, 10, 18, 23, Core, and Private.

Two Locations:

• 1889 Park, 132 Park Road, South Fork, PA (Cambria County), September 1, 2021, 8:30 – 3:00 PM

• Max M. Brown Memorial Park, 1700 W. 4th St., Williamsport, PA (Lycoming County), September 8, 2021, 8:30 – 3:00 PM

Cost is $35 and includes lunch. For more information and to register go to: https://extension.psu.edu/managing-invasive-plants or call 877-345-0691.

Penn State Extension is dedicated to translating scientific research into real-world applications to drive progress. In support of Penn State's land-grant mission, extension programs serve individuals, businesses and communities, while promoting a vibrant food and fiber system, a clean environment, and a healthier population in Pennsylvania and beyond. With support from federal, state and county governments, the organization has a tradition of bringing unbiased information and support to the citizens of Pennsylvania for more than 100 years

Designed to increase working tree knowledge and professional arborist skills, successful completion of the four-day Arborist Short Course will prepare participants for the ISA Certified Arborist exam, as well as improve their marketability. This certification designates a level of professionalism that most arborists do not have.

Day 1: Tue., Sep. 28, 2021

(9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET)

Day 2: Thu., Oct. 7, 2021

(9:00 AM - 4:00 PM ET)

Day 3: Fri., Oct. 8, 2021

(9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET)

Day 4: Tue., Oct. 12, 2021

(9:00 AM - 4:00 PM ET)

Penn State Extension York County

2401 Pleasant Valley Rd.

York, PA 17402

Spring is often considered a time for renewal. At the end of winter, people have the urge to charge outside, role up their sleeves, and plant their gardens. This same spring fever often grips and mobilizes professional and volunteer riparian buffer planting groups. When you drive past streams in Pennsylvania in spring, it is not an uncommon site to see groups of people with shovels, potted trees and shrubs, wooden stakes, and green plastic tree tubes. These people are planting a riparian buffer that will eventually grow into a mature forested buffer zone to help protect the stream from nutrient and erosion runoff, as well as provide streambank stabilization, wildlife habitat, flood mitigation, and carbon sequestration.

Recently, a group from Penn State University including Jennifer Fetter (Penn State University Extension Educator out of Dauphin County), Tyler Groh (Penn State University Assistant Research Professor), and Jason Kaye (Penn State University Distinguished Professor) teamed up to establish a long-term research and education buffer. Jennifer, Tyler, and Jason received a Science-to-Practice grant for Fiscal Year 2021 to establish and start monitoring a research and education riparian buffer along Spring Creek in Dauphin County. This Science-to-Practice grant was funded through Penn State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences with Hatch and Smith-Lever funds.

The American Forest Foundation (AFF), the national conservation organization that works to empower family forest owners to make a meaningful conservation impact, today announced the retirement of President and CEO Tom Martin after 12 years of service, effective December 31, 2021. 

 

During Tom’s tenure, AFF has more than quadrupled its conservation work through collaboration with family forest owners, conservation partners, corporations and policymakers from across the United States. 

 

His legacy includes the unprecedented growth of a national portfolio of landscape conservation programs designed to increase forest owner engagement and overcome the barriers to active forest management. He was instrumental in building collaborative partnerships that continue to be critical in watershed restoration along the Gulf Coast, the sustainability of America’s white oak trees, biodiversity initiatives, the cross-jurisdictional response to catastrophic wildfires in the West and the creation of the forest sector effort #forestproud. He also led the organization’s efforts to develop the Family Forest Carbon Program, a new initiative that brings together family forest owners and partners to improve forest health and address climate change.

 

As a tree farmer himself, Tom understood intimately the challenges and joys of family forest stewardship. This perspective has been a core driver of his leadership at AFF. I hope you will join me in congratulating Tom on his retirement, which will allow him to spend more time on his family’s land in Wisconsin and with his son, daughter and foster grandkids. We encourage you to share your thoughts and well wishes for Tom on the AFF Facebook page.

 

AFF will remain in familiar and capable hands. After a thorough evaluation process, AFF’s board of trustees has unanimously selected Rita Hite, who currently serves as AFF’s executive vice president of external relations and policy, to succeed Tom. 

 

Since 2008, Rita has played a pivotal role in developing and leading the organization’s conservation agenda and market-based strategies. In her 20-year career in forest conservation, she has staffed congressional leaders on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, built and curated coalitions and partnerships, including the Forest Climate Working Group and the Women’s Forest Congress, and served as a nonprofit innovator. She has shaped strategy, programs and policies that have unlocked billions of dollars in support of family forest stewardship that has had a significant impact on climate change, wildfire resilience, and forest sustainability across the United States.

 

Rita felt the call to champion natural resource conservation, and the families that own and care for the land, having grown up making hay, harvesting firewood, and herding cattle on a farm in upstate New York. She finds energy in tackling complex conservation challenges and bringing together diverse teams, coalitions and resources to create market-relevant solutions. 

 

AFF will carry out a collaborative and seamless transition process beginning this August through the end of the year. We will also continue to celebrate Tom and his many accomplishments as well as highlight the many qualities that make Rita the perfect candidate to fill Tom’s shoes. 

WASHINGTON, July 20, 2021 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing up to $200 million to provide relief to timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses that have experienced losses due to COVID-19 as part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. Loggers and truckers can apply for assistance through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) July 22 through Oct. 15, 2021. The Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers program (PATHH) is administered by FSA in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, authorized this critical assistance for the timber industry. Timber harvesting and hauling businesses that have experienced a gross revenue loss of at least 10% during the period of Jan. 1 and Dec. 1, 2020, compared to the period of Jan. 1 and Dec. 1, 2019, are encouraged to apply.

“USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative promised to get financial assistance to a broader set of producers and today’s announcement delivers on that promise,” said Secretary Vilsack. “On top of the existing challenges associated with natural disasters and trade, the pandemic caused a major disruption for loggers and timber haulers including lack of access to wood processing mills. This industry plays a critical role in our nation’s economy and we are proud to support these hard-working loggers and truckers as they get back on track.”

“Like many facets of the agriculture industry, the logging industry has experienced its share of financial hardships throughout the pandemic,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “We’re happy to work with the U.S. Forest Service to develop this new program to provide critically needed support.”

“We’ve heard from loggers and truckers whose livelihoods were significantly impacted this past year by the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are pleased that USDA can help alleviate some of the financial burden,” said Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen. “I encourage those logging and log-hauling businesses hardest hit by the pandemic to learn more about the assistance offered through this new program.”

Program Details

To be eligible for payments, individuals or legal entities must be a timber harvesting or timber hauling business where 50% or more of its gross revenue is derived from one or more of the following:

Cutting timber.

Transporting timber.

Processing of wood on-site on the forest land (chipping, grinding, converting to biochar, cutting to smaller lengths, etc.).

Payments will be based on the applicant’s gross revenue received from Jan. 1, 2019, through Dec. 1, 2019, minus gross revenue received from Jan. 1, 2020, through Dec. 1, 2020, multiplied by 80%. FSA will issue an initial payment equal to the lesser of the calculated payment amount or $2,000 as applications are approved. A second payment will be made after the signup period has ended based upon remaining PATHH funds.

The maximum amount that a person or legal entity may receive directly is $125,000.

Loggers and truckers can apply for PATHH beginning on July 22 by completing form FSA-1118, Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers Program application, and certifying to their gross revenue for 2019 and 2020 on the application. Additional documentation may be required. Visit farmers.gov/pathh for more information on how to apply.

Applications can be submitted to the FSA office at any USDA Service Center nationwide by mail, fax, hand delivery, or via electronic means. To find a local FSA office, loggers and truckers can visit farmers.gov/service-locator. They can also call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer assistance.

FSA will host a stakeholder webinar on Wednesday, July 21 at 3 p.m. Eastern. Interested participants must register for the webinar.

As USDA looks to long-term solutions to build back a better food system, the Department is committed to delivering financial assistance to farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers and businesses who have been impacted by COVID-19 market disruptions. Since USDA rolled out the Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative in March, the Department has announced over $7 billion in assistance to producers and agriculture entities. For more details, please visit www.farmers.gov/pandemic-assistance.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

Harrisburg, PA – Today, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) announced new conservation measures in certain state forests where federally threatened and endangered bats are found.

The new conservation measures address traditional firewood collection and cutting of standing dead trees to help protect and maintain habitats for the federally threatened northern long-eared bat and the federally endangered Indiana bat.

Standing dead trees along roads provide important habitat for the bats, which roost and rear their young in the cavities and loose bark.

“It is critical we work to protect bats because of their importance in maintaining a healthy ecosystem,” said State Forester Ellen Shultzabarger. “DCNR understands that firewood is an important source of fuel for locals. We are providing this guidance to help ensure those who rely on firewood are able to collect it without disturbing the habitats of these bats at critical times during their life cycles.”

Bats are vulnerable in April and at certain points throughout the year because they are still waking up or require dead trees as habitats to rear flightless young bats.

To protect the bats during critical points in their life cycles, firewood cutting and harvesting will be limited on designated roads in Bald Eagle, Buchanan, Elk, Forbes, Gallitzin, Loyalsock, Michaux, Moshannon, Pinchot, Rothrock, Sproul, Tiadaghton, Tioga Tuscarora, and William Penn state forests now through August 31.

Cutting also will be limited on designated roads in Bald Eagle, Pinchot, and Rothrock state forest districts between Sept. 1 through Nov. 1 and between April 1 and May 14, 2022.

Roads in these districts were chosen because they had the highest quality habitat for the bats that were vulnerable to firewood cutting.

Bats are essential in managing insect pests and contribute to forest health. In Pennsylvania, bats are insectivores eating at up to 1,000 mosquito-sized insects in an hour and consuming as much as 25 percent of their body mass in a single feeding event. Pregnant or nursing females can consume their body weight in insects each night.

The conservation measures are included in a Bat Habitat Conservation Plan prepared by DCNR and the Pennsylvania Game Commission and approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service which identifies activities that may impact bats and presents avoidance strategies.

Those with questions are encouraged to contact their local district forest office for specific details for how these conservation measures are applied in your area and for detailed maps of areas where firewood harvesting is limited.

More information about firewood cutting is found in an FAQ. Visit DCNR’s website for more information about bat conservation efforts.

A new series of educational videos from Penn State Extension is now available to assist natural resource professionals and landowners in the identification of fourteen common invasive plant species. These videos join a larger portfolio of available resources related to invasive forest plant identification and control.

Both the video series and factsheet series can be found at the button below!