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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Well, this might be the largest sugar maple I’ve ever seen in the Catskills, or top 3; That’s for sure. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a diameter tape, but I’d say it’s well over 55″ in diameter at breast height. This behemoth was found growingContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? I’m not sure you can tell or not from the photo, but one ash tree is looking healthier than the other. The ash on the right was treated 2 years ago, while the one on the left was untreated. This area in Sullivan County–forContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Last week, I treated 2 large hemlocks at a member’s property against hemlock woolly adelgid. After finishing, I was talking with the member near his porch, and he said, “Oh look a fawn.” I looked out into the field, but saw none. “No,” heContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Here’s the first ginseng I spotted this year. I didn’t expect it, since it was literally one foot from a hiking trail where you might think it would get picked. In the background is blue cohosh, a good “indicator plant” that ginseng might beContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? USDA Biologist–Tom Rawinski–once stated at the “Growing Deer Debate Conference” years back that if native plants are “given an equal playing field” in regards to deer browse, they will outcompete non-native and interfering plants. This deer exclosure installed jointly by NY Forest Owners AssociationContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? While puttering around the house, a few of these flowers caught my attention, as they do each year: Flowering dogwood, horsechestnut, azalea, and lilac. The horsechestnut seemed to be a bee favorite as a loud hum from bees could be heard all around itsContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? The flowers of this small tree that finally appeared belong to North America’s largest tree fruit–pawpaw (Asimina triloba). It is the only local northeastern member of the mainly tropical family–Annonaceae. The flower forms a fruit that resembles a small green potato. The taste isContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Well, guess who’s back out in the woods after his winter sleep? That’s right. The black bears are back in full-force. I noticed a line of garbage pales knocked over in Accord a couple of days ago. The bear in the photo I sawContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Here is one tree that really has caught my attention the last 2 springs–flowering cherry. This tree seems to do really well at the lower elevations of the Catskills. Between their wide-spreading branches and form and beautiful white flowers, they are ornamentally hard toContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? And the newest additions to the family are my daughter Magnolia Marie and this magnolia tree planted last fall. The magnolia tree was purchased from Manza’s Family Farm in Montgomery, Orange County. Let’s see how they both do this spring. Hopefully the site isContinue Reading