PA-NJ Chapter Fall Meeting
Saturday, November 9 (8:30 AM to 2:30 PM)
Fort Hunter Centennial Barn
5395 N. Front Street, Harrisburg, PA
Program Schedule
8:30 AM to 9:30 AM – Coffee Social
9:30 AM to 9:40 AM — Welcome and Intro: Rick Hartlieb
9:40 AM to 10:40 AM — Eric Oliver
Mined Land Reforestation Specialist
Green Forests Work
Reforesting Appalachian Mined Land Using the Forestry Reclamation Approach.
Presentation Description: Eric will present on the success of Green Forests Work’s mined land reforestation program. He will provide an overview of the nature of the problem and why special techniques are required for forests to establish on drastically disturbed lands. Many of the projects have incorporated blight-resistant American Chestnuts along with other native species that are common throughout the temperate forest ecosystem of Appalachia.
10:40 AM to 10:55 AM – Morning Break
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM — Sanford S. Smith, Ph.D.
Teaching Professor of Forest Resources and Extension Specialist, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Penn State University
Conducting an Educational Program That You Will Enjoy Attending Too
Presentation Description: Adult learners prefer a supportive environment that respects what they already know and allows them to engage with and learn from their peers. This session will demonstrate and teach the easy “Peers and Pros” method anyone can use to teach others about the American Chestnut. It has been used effectively across the country for teaching numerous natural resources related topics to adults.
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM — Lunch Break
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM — Jesse K. Kreye, PhD
Associate Research Professor
Fire and Natural Resources Management
Department of Ecosystem Science & Management
Penn State University
Prescribed burning on private lands in Pennsylvania.
Presentation Description: Prescribed burning has become more widely used in Pennsylvania as a land management tool. Benefits of burning include providing wildlife habitat, maintaining grasslands, fostering oak regeneration, as well as other ecological and social benefits. The PA Prescribed Burning Practices Act (2009) supports the use of prescribed burning through the recognition of its benefits as well as providing liability protection. While most burning occurs on public lands in PA, there is a strong demand for prescribed fire on private lands. A new PA Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Program should provide more opportunities for private landowners to use prescribed fire in the commonwealth.
After the meeting, if you have time we encourage folks to caravan over to the Big Boyd Tree Preserve, just a few miles away. Near the main parking lot is a fenced enclosure of American chestnut trees which are part of our restoration research.