Forestry Successes in Central New York Result in Positive Impacts for State and Local Residents - A New DEC Press Release

Forestry Successes in Central New York Result in Positive Impacts for State and Local Residents

Highlights for the Region Include Recreational Upgrades and Stewardship Programs

State Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) 2014 forestry achievements in Central New York were significant. The DEC Sherburne office finished 2014 with a series of accomplishments that provide services, funding, and environmental stewardship for residents in the Chenango/Madison area and for the state.

Achievements include:

• Completing 92 timber sales resulting in 1,804,000 board feet and $1,746,305 in revenue, which goes back into the state's Natural Resources Account.
• Issuing 286 camping permits issued for Stoney Pond State Forest and 133 camping permits for Hunt's Pond State Forest during the May-October season.
• Visiting 28 landowners to review their woodlands and discuss the potential for forest management options; this resulted in 10 forest stewardship plans which will help to protect 1779 acres of private forest lands.
• Issuing more than 200 Deer Management Assistance Permits for Beaver Meadows State Forest where 55 antlerless deer were harvested during the regular and bow season.
• Responding rapidly to the July 3 microburst that caused extensive damage in the Brookfield Unit. DEC staff spent more than 1,000 man hours opening the road, clearing blocked trails and camping areas and marking salvage timber sales. This massive team effort enable the trails and campgrounds to open for full use by the end of August.
• Offering three separate local sale bid packages, totaling 16 salvage sales and 130 acres, from the Brookfield unit as a result of the storm damage. Revenues from these sales totaled $96,176.
• Posting an additional three separate expedited revenue salvage sales on an additional 90 acres of land in the Brookfield Unit resulting in $135,202.
• Received a donation of $2,173 from the New York State Plantation Walking Horse Club to help with trail repairs and maintenance to the equestrian facilities at Charles E. Baker State Forest.
• Co-writing and administering the NYS Envirothon exam for Forestry at SUNY Morrisville in May.
• Presenting a booth at the Syracuse Farm Show in February and at the State Fair in August.

"This impressive list of accomplishments brings significant revenue to the state while engaging citizens and improving outdoor education and recreational pursuits for the public," noted DEC Regional Director Ken Lynch. "Residents are fortunate to have a vast number of recreational opportunities available in our state forests in the region. The diligent work of both the Lands & Forest and Operations staff enabled the public to access several of these facilities quickly after serious destruction as a result of the microburst of July 3."

Additional work was successfully completed by the DEC Sherburne Operations Office as part of its partnership work with DEC's Division of Lands & Forests:

• Rebuilt Balsam Road and repairing the campsites at Balsam Swamp State Forest in the town of Pharsalia.
• Resurfaced Glendenning Road in Beaver Flow State Forest in the town of Coventry.
• Constructed an accessible trail at Parker Hill Road in Morrow Mountain State Forest.
• Constructed of an accessible parking lots at Long Pond State Forest and Balsam Pond State Forest.
• Painted more than 150 miles of boundary lines in various state forests.
• Demolished and removed surplus buildings at the former Camp Pharsalia property.
• Provided more than 2,250 man hours of work at the Brookfield Unit. This included the time dedicated to trail maintenance, signage needs, trash pickup, tree removal, campground maintenance and specialty work orders.

These efforts contribute significant financial resources to the state's Natural Resources Account and provide quality timber for the state and regional markets. Maintenance of the forests' recreational facilities enables the public to have free, accessible places to hunt, fish, hike, camp, horseback ride and cross country ski. Collectively this cooperative work provides the region and the state with positive benefits for all people.