ESFPA E-News

Last Chance to Register for the 2022 ESFPA/ARC Fall Forestry Roundtable

When: Thursday, November 3, 2022

Where: Adirondack Community College, Queensbury

• 8:30 a.m. Registration
• 9:15 a.m. Opening Remarks:
• Session 1: 9:30- 10:30 a.m.
  • Viability of the Logger Corp
  • Presenters: Dr. Rene Germain, Dr. Steven Bick, Kris Brown
• Session 2: 10:45 – 11:45 a.m.
  • Bats, Understory Treatment and Green Tree Retention: Biodiversity and Forest Management
  • Presenter: Dr. Vanessa Rojas, Julia Rizzo
• Lunch 11:45 a.m.
• Session 3: Keynote 1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
  • Latest on Forest Inventory & Analysis (FIA) and FIA and Forest Soils
  • Presenter: Dr. Grant Domke, US Forest Service, Team Leader, Research Forester FIA
• Session 4: 2:15 - 3:00
  • NY Climate Smart Commodity Project
  • Presenters: Julie Suarez, CALS, Robert Malmsheimer SUNY ESF
• Session 5: 3:15 – 4:15 p.m.
  • Forest Biometrics Modeling
  • Presenter: John Foppert, Paul Smiths College
• Wrap-up 4:15 – 4:30 p.m.
• Registration Fee: $75

Attendees will be eligible to receive both SAF and NYLT continuing education credits for their time at this event.

ESFPA Meets on Climate Agenda

On Wednesday, October 26th, ESFPA Board members met with DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos and NYSERDA President/CEO Doreen Harris at Sylvamo in Ticonderoga. Sylvamo Plant Manager Tim Stocker (also an ESFPA Board member) hosted a tour of the Sylvamo facility followed by meeting with ESFPA Board members Jennifer DeFrancesco, Michael McLarty, Sean Ross, Tom Gerow, and Larry Richards. 

For over an hour we had a broad discussion of forests and wood products as part of the climate solutions being considered in the Climate Scoping Plan. Topics ranging from the benefits of actively managed forests lands to energy intensive/trade exposed wood product manufacturers to an emerging bioeconomy were discussed in detail. Both Commissioner Seggos and President Harris had questions for our members and dug deep on issues important to our full membership.

The Climate Action Council is meeting every two weeks in a crunch to get a final Scoping Plan done by December 19^th. This was a great opportunity for us to raise our concerns as well as priorities on how forests and wood products are a vital component in addressing climate change in New York. The next meeting of the Climate Action Council will be on Monday, November 7^th.

Kerosene Shortages

This week we have had several reports of possible or real kerosene shortages and the potential impact on both on-road and off-road blending of kerosene with diesel fuel in the coming months. For months we have been experiencing significant price increases in diesel fuel as a result of global demands and reduced refinery capacity, but this is the first we have been hearing of kerosene shortages. We are presently reaching out to other associations and suppliers to see if we can find out exactly what is happening and what, if anything, we might be able to do. 

If anyone hears of anything on this, please let us know.

Natural Carbon Solutions Innovation Challenge

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has recently announced funding is available for a variety of projects aimed at natural solutions to climate change. The Natural Carbon Solutions Innovation Challenge (PON 5180) provides funding for innovative approaches that offer significant impact in reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and advancing New York’s clean energy goals.

NYSERDA is issuing Round 1 of funding for innovative research, development, and/or demonstration approaches in three Challenge Areas:

1. Building materials, designs, and strategies for low- to carbon-negative envelope retrofits and/or new construction   
2. Enabling products, services, and strategies to reduce waste methane, increase carbon sequestration, optimize use of land, energy, natural resources
3. Advancements in measurement, monitoring, reporting and verification (MMRV) of GHG emissions and co-benefits

If anyone is interested in applying for funds, please let us know if there is anything we can do to help.

November 8^th is Election Day

Election Day is just over two weeks away on Tuesday, November 8^th.  Across the nation and across the state there are hotly contested races and important ballot initiatives up for consideration. The state of our economy, inflation, crime, and other issues are becoming major motivators for voters to turn out and vote.  ESFPA does not advocate on individual candidates or initiatives as our members enter the voting booths, but we do encourage all our members to exercise their voting rights and responsibilities. This year there are any number of reasons to vote, but most of all is our civic responsibility to engage. 

ESFPA Regional Meetings Completed for 2022

Last week on October 19th we completed our fifth regional meeting for 2022 at the Fort William Henry Hotel in Lake George. With over 70 people in attendance, this meant that we were able to meet and network with over 1/3 of our membership in total across all five meetings. We would like to thank everyone who attended; we value your participation and input as we move forward and plan for 2023.