Come and join Mike Porter where you will be shown the "art" of wreath-making and build and decorate one for your home. Made of fresh-cut greens of pine and hopefully fir, these wreaths will remain fresh and viable for up to 2 months on your door. We will be outdoors,Continue Reading
So you've picked up a deer during hunting season. Now what? Sending a deer away to be processed may cost you $100 or more. Why not learn how to do it yourself? We'll teach you how to process a deer from start to finish, and provide tips and tricks thatContinue Reading
The Game of Logging (GOL) is widely acknowledged as the premier chainsaw safety and productivity training program in the country, offering hands-on chainsaw safety training in a competitive environment. Top instructors across the country combine demonstration with participation to teach chainsaw safety, productivity, conservation, and cutting techniques. This is aContinue Reading
Learn how to bring back your apple tree to fruition via pruning! It's a necessary practice to ensure the health of fruit trees, helping improve air circulation, sunlight penetration, and more. We'll break down this science step by step. Non-Members: $20 Members: Free
Learn how to make your own maple syrup from beginning to end using a simple operation that can be replicated in any backyard. Non-Members: $10 Members: Free
Do you have an old, neglected apple tree on your property? Or perhaps one on your lawn that does not taste so good? We’ll show you how to bring it back to life through the horticultural technique of grafting. Non-Members: $10 Members: Free Grafting services also available through the Catskill ForestContinue Reading
The Game of Logging (GOL) is widely acknowledged as the premier chainsaw safety and productivity training program in the country, offering hands-on chainsaw safety training in a competitive environment. Top instructors across the country combine demonstration with participation to teach chainsaw safety, productivity, conservation, and cutting techniques. This is aContinue Reading
The Game of Logging (GOL) is widely acknowledged as the premier chainsaw safety and productivity training program in the country, offering hands-on chainsaw safety training in a competitive environment. Top instructors across the country combine demonstration with participation to teach chainsaw safety, productivity, conservation, and cutting techniques. This is aContinue Reading
The chainsaw is a must-have tool for most Catskill Mountain landowners. We’ll show you how to properly sharpen chains, maintain saws to ensure a longer life cycle, and demonstrate proper techniques to safely operate the saw. Feel free to bring along your own saw for the maintenance and sharpening portionContinue Reading
Our backyards, big and small, urban and rural are full of plants that have functional values in our lives. Come learn how to ID plants in your backyard for edibility and medicinal use with Amy Metnick. Non-Members: $10 Members: Free
We'll take a walk to both identify trees as well as figure out why that tree might be growing there using a little forest forensics. Learn about how past land use may have sculpted the diversity of our Catskill forests. Non-Members: $10 Members: Free
The Game of Logging (GOL) is widely acknowledged as the premier chainsaw safety and productivity training program in the country, offering hands-on chainsaw safety training in a competitive environment. Top instructors across the country combine demonstration with participation to teach chainsaw safety, productivity, conservation, and cutting techniques. This is aContinue Reading
What is Structural Pruning? CFA’s Certified Arborists will demonstrate how to structurally prune a small to medium-sized tree using climbing techniques. “Structural Pruning” is the development of a central dominant leader & spacing of “scaffold” or main branches along the stem. Many trees have “poor structure” since they are open-grownContinue Reading
The Game of Logging (GOL) is widely acknowledged as the premier chainsaw safety and productivity training program in the country, offering hands-on chainsaw safety training in a competitive environment. Top instructors across the country combine demonstration with participation to teach chainsaw safety, productivity, conservation, and cutting techniques. This is aContinue Reading
CFA’s Ryan Trapani–Director of Forest Services—will be leading a woods walk to help participants identify one of our mountain’s most famous plants: American ginseng. Indicator plants, forest type, slope, topography, and overall habitat requirements of American ginseng will be shown while out in the field. We will also discuss howContinue Reading
Have you ever wanted to learn how a round log becomes dimensional square lumber? For the novice or more advanced, CFA staff will be demonstrating our portable sawmill and answering any questions you might have on the process of making lumber. We will begin with discussing the log itself, makingContinue Reading
Join ISA Certified Arborist Zane Lawyer for a Tree Planting Demonstration. Zane will give a short lecture on sourcing trees, what to look for in quality nursery stock, and simple site preparation. He will then demonstrate the best practices according to the ANSI Standards for tree planting and installation. ThisContinue Reading
The Game of Logging (GOL) is widely acknowledged as the premier chainsaw safety and productivity training program in the country, offering hands-on chainsaw safety training in a competitive environment. Top instructors across the country combine demonstration with participation to teach chainsaw safety, productivity, conservation, and cutting techniques. This is aContinue Reading
In light of current events, this year's Annual Meeting will be held virtually using the Webex Conference system. You will receive the link to join the meeting when you register. "See" you there! Please note that this is a members-only meeting.
The saying goes “There are old mushroom hunters and there are Bold mushroom hunters, but there are no Old and Bold mushroom hunters.” Don’t be a bold mushroom hunter. Join us at the Rochester Hollow Trailhead at 10 AM – Noon to learn about mushroom identification, best practices, and learnContinue Reading
This outdoor workshop will cover the life cycle, ecological functions of Fungi as well as outdoor cultivation of fungi. We will drill holes in logs, fill them with mushroom spawn, and seal them with wax. You will learn what types of wood are viable sources for the mushroom spawn, howContinue Reading
Come and join Mike Porter where you will be shown the “art” of wreath-making and build and decorate one for your home. Made of fresh-cut greens of pine and hopefully fir, these wreaths will remain fresh and viable for up to 2 months on your door. We will be outdoors,Continue Reading
So, you’ve gotten a deer during hunting season. Good job; Now what? Sending a deer away to be processed may cost you $100 or more. Why not learn how to do it yourself? We’ll teach you how to process a deer from start to finish and provide tips and tricksContinue Reading
Many properties in the Catskills have an apple tree or two, and most of them have long been neglected or never pruned at all. Learn how to bring back your apple tree to fruition via pruning. We will show you firsthand how to prune older apple trees with wild formContinue Reading
The Catskill Region of NYS sits right in the heart of all sugar maple production of the entire world. Why not tap into that resource in your own backyard? We will give a short presentation on how to make maple syrup the simple way at home, then go outside andContinue Reading
What is Forest Therapy? Forest Therapy is a relational practice that brings people into deeper intimacy with natural places. And one of those natural places is our natural self; it’s a practice that holds the possibility of meeting again the kernel of who we are, what we are born toContinue Reading
Do you want to learn hands-on technical conservation skills for useful purposes here in the Catskill Mountains? CFA has designed a seasonal 3-day long, in-person training module series to improve your skills for Catskill Mountain Forest Living. This is a MEMBERS-ONLY EVENT. This is a multi-day course to provide CatskillContinue Reading
Portable Sawmills have grown in popularity in recent years. CFA invested in one back in 2018. Come see it in action as we mill logs from a landowner’s yard into usable lumber for a high-end furniture build. We will discuss the difference between various cuts, the uses of each board,Continue Reading
The Game of Logging (GOL) is widely acknowledged as the premier chainsaw safety and productivity training program in the country, offering hands-on chainsaw safety training in a competitive environment. Top instructors across the country combine demonstration with participation to teach chainsaw safety, productivity, conservation, and cutting techniques. This is aContinue Reading
The Game of Logging (GOL) is widely acknowledged as the premier chainsaw safety and productivity training program in the country, offering hands-on chainsaw safety training in a competitive environment. Top instructors across the country combine demonstration with participation to teach chainsaw safety, productivity, conservation, and cutting techniques. This is aContinue Reading
Have you ever heard of the Emerald Ash Borer or Hemlock Wooly Adelgid? How about the processes of mesophication and densification? Join Zane Lawyer, CFA’s Education Arborist, for a walk-through Frost Valley’s Model Forest. He will discuss the role of pests and disease in a functioning forest and show examplesContinue Reading
A chainsaw is a must-have tool for most Catskill Mountain landowners. We’ll show you how to properly sharpen chains, maintain saws to ensure a longer life cycle, and demonstrate proper techniques to safely operate the saw. Feel free to bring along your own saw for the maintenance and sharpening portionContinue Reading
The Game of Logging (GOL) is widely acknowledged as the premier chainsaw safety and productivity training program in the country, offering hands-on chainsaw safety training in a competitive environment. Top instructors across the country combine demonstration with participation to teach chainsaw safety, productivity, conservation, and cutting techniques. This is aContinue Reading
Our backyards, big and small, urban, and rural are full of plants that have functional values in our lives. Come learn how to ID plants in your backyard for edibility and medicinal use with Amy Metnick. We will walk through a Catskill Mountain backyard and find what there is toContinue Reading
Join Catskill Forest Historian, Dr. Michael Kudish and CFA’s Education Forester, Zahra Bellucci on a hike exploring a patch of old-growth forest on Mill Brook Road in Margaretville, NY. Learn about what old-growth means, old-growth forest characteristics, the history of the local forest, and witness trees over 200 years old—includingContinue Reading
We’ll take a walk to identify local Catskill Mountain trees as well as figure out why that tree might be growing there using a little forest forensics. Learn about how past land use may have sculpted the diversity of today’s Catskill forests. Non-Members: $10 Members: Free We would likeContinue Reading
Cultivating Cognitive Agility With Plant and Tree Allies Did you know plants and trees are extraordinary agents of change who by the way, choreograph just about every facet of our life? Join Marguerite Uhlmann-Bower, a traditional plant medicine person, for an outdoor Plant and Tree lecture on cultivating intermediary sensoryContinue Reading
The Catskill Region’s forests have been shaped immensely by the land use history of our recent, and also very distant past. Some trees only grew here because of the actions of the people who came before us. We will walk through a forest describing the trees around us and pointContinue Reading
The Game of Logging (GOL) is widely acknowledged as the premier chainsaw safety and productivity training program in the country, offering hands-on chainsaw safety training in a competitive environment. Top instructors across the country combine demonstration with participation to teach chainsaw safety, productivity, conservation, and cutting techniques. This is aContinue Reading
What is Structural Pruning? CFA’s Certified Arborists will demonstrate how to structurally prune a small to medium-sized tree using climbing techniques. “Structural Pruning” is the development of a central dominant leader & spacing of “scaffold” or main branches along the stem. Many trees have “poor structure” since they are open-grownContinue Reading
The Game of Logging (GOL) is widely acknowledged as the premier chainsaw safety and productivity training program in the country, offering hands-on chainsaw safety training in a competitive environment. Top instructors across the country combine demonstration with participation to teach chainsaw safety, productivity, conservation, and cutting techniques. This is aContinue Reading
CFA will be leading a hike to help participants identify one of our mountain’s most famous plants: American ginseng. Indicator plants, forest type, slope, topography, and overall habitat requirements of American ginseng will be shown while out in the field. We will also discuss how to conserve this important plantContinue Reading
Join ISA Certified Arborist Zane Lawyer for a Tree Planting Demonstration. Zane will give a short lecture on sourcing trees, what to look for in quality nursery stock, and simple site preparation. He will then demonstrate the best practices according to the ANSI Standards for tree planting and installation. ThisContinue Reading
The Game of Logging (GOL) is widely acknowledged as the premier chainsaw safety and productivity training program in the country, offering hands-on chainsaw safety training in a competitive environment. Top instructors across the country combine demonstration with participation to teach chainsaw safety, productivity, conservation, and cutting techniques. This is aContinue Reading
We’re excited to announce that CFA’s Annual Membership Meeting will be in-person this year! Please join us for the meeting on Saturday, October 14th. This is a MEMBERS ONLY event and we hope you will join us for this special event. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. The meeting will beContinue Reading
The saying goes “There are old mushroom hunters and there are Bold mushroom hunters, but there are no Old and Bold mushroom hunters.” Don’t be a bold mushroom hunter. Join us at the Rider Hollow Trailhead at 10 AM – Noon to learn about mushroom identification, best practices, and learnContinue Reading
Learn the best practices for feeding birds in the backyard with CFA board of director president, Mike Porter. Mike is a lifetime birder and has kept extensive record on bird sightings and migrations from outside his window over the decades. He has observed a lot and has a lot toContinue Reading
This outdoor workshop will cover the life cycle, ecological functions of Fungi, as well as outdoor cultivation of fungi. We will drill holes in logs, fill them with mushroom spawn, and seal them with wax. You will learn what types of wood are viable sources for the mushroom spawn, howContinue Reading
The Game of Logging (GOL) is widely acknowledged as the premier chainsaw safety and productivity training program in the country, offering hands-on chainsaw safety training in a competitive environment. Top instructors across the country combine demonstration with participation to teach chainsaw safety, productivity, conservation, and cutting techniques. This is aContinue Reading
Do you want to learn the simplistic, basic processes of building a log cabin with simple tools? This class will give you from A to Z steps to build a cabin like this from your own trees or ones you purchase and process if you don’t have your own. ThisContinue Reading