NEWS YOU CAN USE
On Thursday, January 17, 2019, at 6PM the New York Forest Owners Association will have its annual potluck dinner at the Cornell Cooperative Extension, 840 Upper Front Street, Binghamton, NY. Mike Zagata, NYFOA Director of Organization Development will speak on Managing Your Land for Wildlife. Bring a dish to pass and a table serving. Hot and cold beverages will be available.
Mike Zagata, PhD is the Director of Organizational Development for the New York Forest Owners Association (NYFOA). He is the former Chief Executive Officer of the Ruffed Grouse Society and former Commissioner of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation where he oversaw 4,000 employees and an operating budget in excess of $300 million. He was inducted into the Offshore Energy Industry’s Hall of Fame for pioneering the Wetland Mitigation Banking and Rigs to Reefs programs, and was also recently inducted into the New York State Outdoorsman’s Hall of Fame. Mr. Zagata has also served as Field Director for The Wildlife Society, Director of Federal Relations for the National Audubon Society and Program Development Officer for the National Research Council’s Committee on Agriculture. In addition, he was Director of Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) for Tenneco and Vice-President of EH&S for Transco Energy, and in these capacities was awarded the National Wildlife Federation’s Whooping Crane award and the Conservation Fund’s Alexander Calder award. He is a former Director of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Inc. He has taught and conducted research on the impact of forest harvesting on wildlife while in the School of Forest Resources at the University of Maine, Orono. Born and raised in up-state New York, Mr. Zagata earned a doctorate in wildlife ecology from Iowa State University.
Mike will offer a “PowerPoint” presentation which covers the history of NY Forests, the impact on them as a result of the “preservation” movement, and the recent “Young Forest Initiative” which has been advocated by NYFOA, and other organizations throughout the state in conversations with the DEC, and legislators in Albany. Mike will discuss what it all means to the landowner’s goal of being able to combine managing for wood fiber, and for wildlife at the same time.
Below is a link to a description of the event.
New York Forest Owners Association :: SOT – January Potluck: Managing Your Land for Wildlife
|
Below is a link the the NYFOA Southern Tier Chapter Newsletter.
https://www.nyfoa.org/application/files/6115/4437/0340/SOT_Winter_2018-2019_Newsletter.pdf
Thank you,
Stephen Kutney
Chairman for the Southern Tier Chapter, NYFOA
607-862-9152
Dear Fly Fisher,
BC Flyfishers announces its Annual Fly-Tying Classes for 2019. Don’t miss this event. Everyone always has a great time!
Since we need to order materials, we need to know how many people will be signing up as we must purchase tying materials. It’s extremely important that you let me know if you intend to participate preferably by January 15.
You may sign up by going to our BCflyfishers web site; PayPal Tickets page OR by responding to this e-mail indicating you want to be included.
I need to order material by January 15 so please get back to us so we will have enough material for all the participants.
We will be having our fly tying classes on 4 consecutive Saturdays starting the second Saturday in February ending the first Saturday in March. Class times will be from 9:00 AM until 1:00 PM. Experience shows that getting out of the house on a cold Saturday and tying with a bunch of like-minded fish story liars is just a plain old good time.
Cost for all 4 classes including materials will be $50. You may use PayPal to sign up or e-mail me if you intend to pay at the first class. The instructors will be Kevin Gilroy and John Trainor.
The Schedule for classes follows:
Feb 9; Streamers
Feb 16; Nymphs & Flymphs
Feb 23; Dry Flies
Mar 2; Terrestrials & Topwaters
This year at each class we will be tying 4 flies. All the class materials are supplied but you are encouraged to bring your own tying tools. Anyone needing tying tools may borrow them from us. There will be skilled tyers available to sit with anyone requiring assistance or extra instruction. As always, our classes will involve viewing a video of the fly being tied. This will be followed by a step by step instruction augmented by video projection on a large screen to allow each participant to follow along.
I hope to see you there.
John, Nick
ndinunzio@stny.rr.com
Chesapeake Bay Watershed Grant
Easement and Buffer Overview for Landowners
Contact Dr Anthony Palombaro [apalombaro8457@gmail.com] for more details. Anthony is a member of our organization.
RIPARIAN BUFFER REQUIREMENTS
- Conservation easements or land acquired with funding from this RFA must protect and/or restore a riparian buffer that meets Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) Conservation Practice Standard 391 for Riparian Forested Buffers (http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs143_026098.pdf) or NRCS Conservation Practice Standard 393 for Filter Strips (http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs143_025825.pdf).
- Buffers must be between a minimum of 35 feet in width and a maximum of 180 feet in width, unless otherwise justified by the applicant and approved by DEC.
- For newly restored buffers, the applicant must develop and implement a maintenance plan during the buffer establishment period. Buffers must meet the NRCS Practice Standard referenced above within a 3-5 year period after planting.
CONSERVATION EASEMENT REQUIREMENTS
- All conservation easements must be acquired in perpetuity. Term easements are not eligible for funding through this grant opportunity.
- If the property is used for activities which interfere with the accomplishment of approved purposes, the violating activities must cease and any resulting adverse effects must be remedied.
- The following components must be addressed in every deed of conservation easement agreement:
1) The riparian buffer area must be delineated by width in feet starting from the top of the streambank of an identified waterway and length in feet along the identified waterway.
2) Disturbances that compromise the ecological and functional health of the riparian buffer area under easement, including livestock access to the riparian buffer, wood or timber harvesting, and recreational vehicular use must be prohibited.
3) Only native plants are allowed to be planted within the defined riparian buffer area.
4) Selective cutting of trees, removal of invasive species, or supplemental planting of trees, shrubs, or grasses are allowed provided they improve habitat and function of the riparian buffer or remove, mitigate, or warn against unreasonable harm to people, property or health of native species on or around the defined riparian buffer area.
5) Additional buildings not permitted.
6) Annual property visit to monitor the easement.
- Does not require allowing public access to your property
POTENTIAL FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR:
- Per acre fee to landowner for buffer easement acreage
- Transactions costs = Title report, appraisal, property survey, filing fee. These costs can be for just the riparian buffer portion or for a whole property (or portion of the property) easement beyond just the buffer if desired.
- Stewardship funding – partial to whole
- Fencing installation if needed to exclude livestock
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:
- Lands enrolled in CRP or other federal programs not eligible for funding
- Need to assess the removal of acreage and effect on agricultural tax exemption
- Surface gas leases may limit extent of buffer distance