ESFPA E-News Volume 2 - Issue 38October 21, 2021A round-up of our interesting stories from the past week. RAH App Available to Download Check out this new App! As outlined during the presentation at our Regional Meeting from earlier this month, the Real American Hardwood App is HERE! This app is an American Hardwoods Species Guide for consumers and professionals with information about the most abundant American hardwood species, availability, physical and working characteristics, strength and mechanical properties and typical applications of each. A stain simulator displays the species in clear, light, medium and dark finishes to help visualize stain combinations of flooring, cabinetry, moulding and furniture. Species profiles include images featuring the wood in finished applications. Real American Hardwood Species App. To view the presentation on the Real American Hardwood program, follow this link! Fostering Overseas Rule of Law and Environmentally Sound Trade Act Last week, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-3) introduced the House companion to Senator Brian Schatz’s (D-HI) FOREST Act—Fostering Overseas Rule of Law and Environmentally Sound Trade Act. As reported last week by American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) and Forest Resources Association (FRA), the FOREST Act restricts access to U.S. markets for commodities originating from illegally deforested land by adding
agricultural commodities such as palm oil, soybeans, cattle, rubber, and cocoa to the list of items covered under the Lacey Act. The bill also establishes a purchasing preference for the federal government for “deforestation-free” products. While the bill’s focus is on the agricultural sector, pulp is also included in the bill’s purview. Webinar TOMORROW onForests and Wood Products as a Natural Solution to Climate ChangeGlyphosate Use on State Lands Recent amendment to Environmental Conservation Law bans any state department, state agency, public benefit corporation or any pesticide applicator employed as a contractor or subcontractor to apply glyphosate on state property. Exemptions to this ban to maintain critical infrastructure, manage roadside vegetation to ensure public safety, for the control of invasive species and pests of significant public health importance, and for research purposes. The law is effective December 31, 2021 and requires the DEC to develop regulations addressing the parameters for glyphosate use by state departments, state agencies, public benefit corporations or any pesticide applicator employed as a contractor or subcontractor to apply glyphosate on state property. ISAC had sent a letter to the Council in 2019 regarding the importance of herbicides for the control of certain invasives. The NYS DEC will hold a webinar on October 27, 2021 from 1-3 PM concerning the pesticide regulations to implement this law. Click here to register. Webinar on Forest Carbon Offsets The Cary Institute is sponsoring a virtual presentation as part of their Cary Science Conversation series entitled: Forest Carbon Offsets: Too Good to be True? The event is scheduled for 7 pm on November 11th and is free and open to all. This event will feature forest ecologist Charles Canham, a distinguished senior scientist
emeritus at Cary Institute who has deep concerns about the true climate benefits of the current forest carbon offset market. Please follow this link to register. Log A Load for Kids Fund Drive in FULL SWING Through October 31, donors can enter a virtual raffle for two professional model chainsaws: a Husqvarna 565 donated by GKS Sales of Rome and a Husqvarna 372 XP donated by C.J. Logging of Boonville. Each entry is $5, but Log-A-Load hopes donors will add a dollar for Dave and make it $6. Donations can be sent by check to the Empire State Forestry Foundation (ESFF) and mail them to: 47 Van Alstyne Dr. Rensselaer, NY 12144. Entries can also be submitted via Venmo @LogALoad-ESFPA with your name and phone number in the subject line so you can be contacted if you win. A winner will be announced on Friday, November 5. FIREWOOD AUCTION FOR LOG-A-LOAD FOR KIDS Log-A-Load is auctioning off three loads of firewood to raise money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across New York State. Firewood has been donated by Gutchess Lumber in Cortland, Greene Lumber of Davenport, and Pat and Karen Regan of the Camden area. All are tri axle loads containing at least 15 face cords of firewood and can be delivered within 50 miles of their place of origin in accordance with New York State firewood regulations. The minimum bid is $500. Bids can be submitted to Mark.Mowrey75@gmail.com by October 31. Submissions should specify which load the bid is for. Winners will also be announced on November 5 and delivery provided within 45 days of payment. |