From The Forest

Every Third Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest-related. This month we'll be discussing the black cherry tree. Gary is the former owner of Fruitful Furnishings Sawmill & current owner of Gary Mead Gallery in Margaretville, Delaware County. He was born & raised on a dairy farm in New Kingston, Town of Middletown, Delaware C...

Occasionally, we like to "talk shop" with field staff of Catskill Forest Association on what's going on in the forest. We'll also introduce CFA's new Forest Technician--Jen Betz.     CFA Field Staff Ryan Trapani, Director of Forest Services Zane Lawyer, Forest Program Manager Giovanna D'Angelo, Education Forester Jen Betz, Forest Technician

On this weeks' show, we'll have "mushroom guy" & Owner of Catskill Fungi--John Michelotti along with CFA's Education Forester, Giovanna D'Angelo. We'll get into what being a beginning 'mushroomer' is like, what we've been seeing out in the woods fungi-wise, cultivation, fungi firsts, and more. Catskill Fungi is founded and cultivated by mycologist John Michelotti and friends. As former Preside...

On this week's show we'll be talking about "Oath Soil Life with Arborist Andrew Freeman. Oath Soil Life is "a product designed to restore and enhance the soil microbiome, which is crucial for healthy plant growth. It focuses on replenishing the microbial communities in degraded soils, thereby improving soil health and plant vitality." Owner and Operator Andrew Freeman has over 30 years of experien...

Every Third Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest-related. This month we'll be discussing the linden or basswood tree. Gary is the former owner of Fruitful Furnishings Sawmill & current owner of Gary Mead Gallery in Margaretville, Delaware County. He was born & raised on a dairy farm in New Kingston, Town of Middletown, Dela...

On this week's show, we'll be talking to Paul Steely from Parks & Trails New York. We'll see how New York State's vast network of parks and trails are doing. Mission: Parks & Trails New York works to expand, protect and promote a network of parks, trails, and open spaces throughout our state for use and enjoyment by all. Former Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives, an organiza...

It's been 5 years since we last talked to Mike Porter about what's on his mind pertaining to forest issues. We'll see what Mike has been up to: From firewood, birding, preparing for maple sugaring, outdoor education, changes in the forest & people's perspectives, and more.  Mike is a retired teacher from Margaretville Central School. He taught Earth Science, Environmental Science, Science Rese...

On this week's show we'll be talking to Taylor Moyer from the LandTrust Recreation Access Network. LandTrust is a 2-Way marketplace for "Connecting farmers, ranchers, and landowners to people that want to recreate in the outdoors." Choose an activity: Hunting, fishing, bird-watching, mushroom picking, camping, etc. LandTrust can then find a willing landowner throughout the US. Sounds like a great...

Every Third Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest-related. This month we'll be discussing the sycamore tree. Gary is the former owner of Fruitful Furnishings Sawmill & current owner of Gary Mead Gallery in Margaretville, Delaware County. He was born & raised on a dairy farm in New Kingston, Town of Middletown, Delaware Count...

Occasionally, we like to "talk shop" with field staff of Catskill Forest Association on what's going on in the forest. We'll also go into Ryan's recent 3-Day trip in the woods over the 4th of July weekend.   CFA Field Staff Ryan Trapani, Director of Forest Services Zane Lawyer, Forest Program Manager

On this week's show, we're grabbing a seat with Katie Grove, full-time artist, wild basket maker and soon-to-be author. We'll get into the unique challenges and delights the wild weaving process presents and discuss how active forest management intersects with the legacy craft that is basketry. How does a tree go from forest to basket? What kinds of plants can be utilized? Can basketry be another...

On this week's show we'll be discussing the role and responsibility of active forest management with Ethan Tapper - an internationally recognized forester, bestselling author, and content creator from Vermont.  Join us as we get into his book and all that active land management entails - reimagining what acts of compassion in the woods can look like, choosing imperfect action over the comfort of d...

Every Third Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest-related. This month we'll be discussing the hickory tree. Gary is the former owner of Fruitful Furnishings Sawmill & current owner of Gary Mead Gallery in Margaretville, Delaware County. He was born & raised on a dairy farm in New Kingston, Town of Middletown, Delaware County...

Occasionally, we like to "talk shop" with field staff of Catskill Forest Association on what's going on in the forest. We'll also go into Ryan's recent 3-Day trip in the woods over the 4th of July weekend.   CFA Field Staff Ryan Trapani, Director of Forest Services Zane Lawyer, Forest Program Manager Giovanna D'Angelo, Education Forester John Unverzagt, Education Arborist

On this week's show we'll be discussing American chestnut with Vasiliy Lakoba from the national organization--The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF). As many of you know, American chestnut has been made "functionally extinct" from the devastating chestnut blight brought in from Asia in the last century. We'll discuss how TACF plans to bring back the tree as well as their recent parting with SUNY...

On this Wednesday's show, we'll be talking to Nick Dietschler at the Hemlock Initiative to see how things are going with combatting the devastating hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). HWA is an exotic insect that has wreaked havoc on the eastern US's hemlock trees beginning in the mid-1900s. Nick grew up in the Finger Lakes Region of New York, and moved to Ithaca in 2014. He received an Associates in Na...

Every Third Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest-related. This month we'll be discussing the yellow poplar tree.   Gary is the former owner of Fruitful Furnishings Sawmill & current owner of Gary Mead Gallery in Margaretville, Delaware County. He was born & raised on a dairy farm in New Kingston, Town of Middletown, Delawar...

On this week's show, we'll be talking to Allen Nichols, President of the recently created American Chestnut Restoration (ACR). Allen was previously the President of the NYS Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation (NY-TACF). In December of '23, the national TACF decided to discontinue its support of SUNY College of Enviornmental Science & Forestry's Darling 54/58 transgenic chestnut program...

On this week's show we'll be discussing how one company is seeking to bring back the American chestnut tree. A pathogenic fungus introduced from Asia knocked out the mighty American chestnut early on in the last century and represents one of the greatest losses to North America's forests. We'll see if SilvaBio has a solution. Michael Bloom is a serial entrepreneur and avid outdoorsman, having succ...

On this week's show, we'll be discussing Open Space Institute's (OSI) new land acquisition in the Town of Neversink of 3,100 acres. Known as "Blue Hill", this purchase represents the largest potential addition to the NYS DEC forest preserve in 25 years. OSI plans to turn over this property to the DEC in the future.  "The Open Space Institute protects scenic, natural and historic landscapes to prov...

Every Third Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest-related. This month we'll be discussing the amazing process of water uptake by trees. Gary is the former owner of Fruitful Furnishings Sawmill & current owner of Gary Mead Gallery in Margaretville, Delaware County. He was born & raised on a dairy farm in New Kingston, Town of...

Occasionally, each 1st Wednesday, we like to "talk shop" with field staff of Catskill Forest Association on what's going on in the forest.     CFA Field Staff Ryan Trapani, Director of Forest Services Zane Lawyer, Forest Program Manager Giovanna D'Angelo, Education Forester John Unverzagt, Education Arborist

On this week's show we'll talk to John Bartow & Jennifer DeFrancesco from Empire State Forest Products Association (ESFPA) about pressing policy issues impacting New York State's forests and forest products economy. John Bartow was appointed Executive Director of the Empire State Forest Products Association on July 18, 2015.  The Empire State Forest Products Association (ESFPA), a non-profit o...

Heritage means passing something down from preceding generations. Both trees and humans rely upon deep roots to pass their role in the forest down to the next generation. Some of our heritage in the forest has disappeared and some has not. On this week's show, we'll discuss some heritage in the Catskills that is "from the forest."

On this week's show we'll interviewing Food Forest Farm's Owner & Operator--Jonathan Bates. Forest Food Farm operates in Ithaca, NY and "creates low maintenance, regenerative food systems. They grow, supply, and teach about perennial vegetables and other multipurpose plants. Forest Food Farm works with clients to design landscapes, and lives, that are sustaining and nourishing for people and p...