VOLUME LXV • WINTER 2019 Planting, Protecting and Caring for our Region’s Trees and ForestsThomas D. Saunders PRESIDENT AND CEO Message from the President Pennsylvania’s trees and forests are majestic, beautiful and essential to our region’s landscape. And at the same time, trees are environmental workhorses. They help improve air quality, enhance habitats, reduce stormwater runoff and sequester carbon. Trees and forests are crucial to many of today’s environmental and conservation challenges, and to other species in nature with whom trees have a symbiotic relationship. The Conservancy works on many of the issues facing Pennsylvania’s trees and forests: invasive species that threaten our native forests; forest fragmentation from development of many types; tree canopy decline; habitat loss and warming climates. In this issue of Conserve, we’re highlighting the ways the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s work benefits trees, which in turn provide so many benefits to people, wildlife and the environment. Since 2008, the Conservancy has planted almost 100,000 trees across our region – along streets, on trails, in parks, along rivers and streams, and on our nature reserves. This issue is dedicated to where and why we plant trees, how we care for trees and forests, and the environmental benefits of and threats to our trees and forests. Spring and fall are busy planting times for many staff members in the Conservancy’s gardens and greenspace, watershed conservation and land stewardship programs. Planting during fall is ideal since newly planted trees can establish themselves before winter, or in the spring before foliage growth occurs. But planting is just the start; there are many months of planning, community engagement and caring for the trees we plant across the region. These efforts involve many landowners, community residents and volunteers. Our tree planting partners are essential to our work. We appreciate the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Tree Pittsburgh and all the many tree commissions, tree planters and tenders, and so many funding partners and donors for their generous time and support. On Conservancy-owned properties, trees are a significant part of many restoration projects. Just as one example, the Pennsylvania state tree, the Eastern hemlock, is threatened because of an invasive pest called hemlock woolly adelgid. At our Bear Run Nature Reserve, we are experimenting with approaches to help hemlocks resist this invasive threat. This work is part of a collective partnership of conservationists and scientists across the state working to help save at least some of our hemlocks. Thank you for your membership and for being an important partner in our work. We can’t do this work without you. Please join us as a volunteer at our tree-planting events. And thank you to all of our volunteers, members and partners for appreciating Pennsylvania’s trees and forests as we do. Cover: Aerial view of the Bennett Branch watershed from WPC’s 1,500-acre Bennett Branch Forest CONTENTS Planting Trees and Reforesting Our Region – One Tree at a Time Forests and Trees of Our Region Forest Management at WPC Requires Strategic, Focused Practices Painting Invites Visitors to Step into the Woods Former Inmates Could Help Fill Shortage in Tree Management Workforce Donation Memorializes a Daughter's Love for Trees WPC Establishes Vital Community Forestry Model for the Region Fallingwater’s Fallen Trees: Good for the Ecosystem and Décor Forest Expert Shares Conservation Options with Forest Landowners A Gift in Memory of Forest Landowners to Support Water Quality in the Allegheny National Forest Plant a Native Tree at Home Field Notes: The Worth of Trees: Seeing the Trees and the Forest For information on WPC and membership: 412-288-2777 Toll Free: 1-866-564-6972 info@paconserve.org WaterLandLife.org Visit WaterLandLife.org/Get-Involved Find more information about WPC and Fallingwater by visiting us on: 3 6 8 9 10 11 12 14 16 18 19 CONSERVE 2Trees provide breathtaking beauty across Western Pennsylvania. Trees have the ability to captivate and fascinate us – just drive or hike the Laurel Highlands or the Pennsylvania Wilds, especially during fall. Experiencing some of our region’s oldest and tallest trees at the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s Tryon-Weber Woods Natural Area in Crawford County can be transformative. Trees in this natural area are tall and ancient. Pennsylvania’s state tree, the Eastern hemlock, can be found on many of our properties; one of the tallest in our region, at more than 127 feet, is located on the grounds of Fallingwater. Trees and forests are – and have always been – at the center of the Conservancy’s work. In fact, the Conservancy’s first project was the landscaping of a hillside along Pittsburgh's Bigelow Boulevard using trees, shrubs and flowers. And in 1945, our first land acquisition protected hundreds of acres of forest in Lawrence County at McConnells Mill and the Slippery Rock Creek Gorge. This protection helped establish McConnells Mill State Park, and the gorge later became a National Natural Landmark. Today, our work with trees and forests continues – in every aspect of the Conservancy’s work. Our watershed conservation staff has planted more than 42,000 native trees in riparian areas along local rivers and streams since 2013. PLANTING TREES AND REFORESTING OUR REGION - ONE TREE AT A TIME Since 2008, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has Planted Almost 100,000 Trees Across Western Pennsylvania Continued on page 4 Trees are among the oldest living organisms on Earth and the dominant natural feature in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As the most recognizable, important and beneficial species in nature, trees contribute to our lives each day by providing the oxygen we need to breathe and absorbing excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Trees also cool our rivers and streams, provide habitat, preserve soil and support wildlife, among myriad other environmental, social, economic and public health benefits. WPC protected 17,000 acres of northern hardwood forest in McKean County in 2015, which is now part of Elk State Forest. 33And to restore areas on WPC-owned nature reserves, our land stewardship staff and volunteers have planted more than 20,000 trees and shrubs to reestablish natural habitats. Through our community gardens and greenspace program, we have planted approximately 37,000 native street and landscape trees in cities and towns across the region since 2008. “Thanks to hundreds of volunteers and our many funders and planning partners, we have been able to plant a variety of trees in many communities across the region,” says Cynthia Carrow, the Conservancy’s vice president of government and community relations. “People love trees and we are committed to ensuring the good heath of the trees we have planted to help protect and restore the tree canopy. Given the many ecological benefits of trees, it is also important for us to continue planting trees – not only because it’s important to our mission – but to increase the tree canopy in communities where it is particularly low." Protecting Forestland and Saving Trees When Pennsylvania was established more than 200 years ago, its landscape was almost completely forested, dominated by hemlock, white pine, oaks, maples, hickories and more than 100 other species, which gave rise to the name “Penn’s Woods.” Over time, population growth, industrialization and development diminished forestland. Today, 56 percent of Pennsylvania – nearly 17 million acres – remains forested, of which 2.2 million acres is part of the state forest system. The Conservancy has a history of protecting large intact working forests. Many state forests, including Buchanan and Forbes, have benefited from our protection work. In 2015, WPC conserved more than 17,000 acres of forestland in McKean County, adding this land to Elk State Forest. Our region’s dense forests not only provide wildlife habitat and recreation, but beautify and cool the region. In addition to protecting forests, we study them, too. From 2013 to 2017, our conservation science staff conducted terrestrial and aquatic monitoring to help determine forest impacts from shale gas development. Because our forests vary in composition and quality, we also recently studied forest quality and habitat characteristics for forest interior birds. Capturing Carbon Dioxide The Conservancy’s Senior Director of Conservation Science Charles Bier says reducing carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions and planting more trees are important defenses against our warming climate. Trees sequester and store CO 2 , decreasing its concentration in the atmosphere – a mature tree can absorb approximately 48 pounds of CO 2 a year. He also notes a lesser known fact: “Soil, the organic matter supporting plant life, also captures CO 2 .” So, the work the Conservancy undertakes to plant trees and protect forests – and keep these areas intact – is important in the fight against climate change. Planting Beautiful Landscape and Street Trees More than 37,000 trees have been planted in public parks, along community trails and community streets in neighborhoods and downtowns through the Conservancy’s TreeVitalize Pittsburgh partnership, Pittsburgh Redbud Project and community forestry program that engages communities outside of Allegheny County. Community residents and partners help plan, plant and care for these trees that provide so many benefits for our lives, local communities and the region. Read more on pages 14-15. Continued from page 3 Each year, hundreds of volunteers help WPC plant trees across the region, such as this group that helped plant at South Side Park in Pittsburgh. CONSERVE 4Restoring Waterways with Riparian Trees Our local rivers and streams greatly benefit when they are clean and cool. The streambanks and areas near rivers and streams, called riparian buffers, work best when they contain plenty of trees and shrubs. These trees and shrubs, which also enrich the soils, help filter nitrogen and other pollutants through their root systems before these contaminates enter our waterways. These trees and shrubs also help to stabilize eroding streambanks and provide many other benefits for fish and aquatic ecosystems. Our watershed conservation team helps restore rivers and streams by planting riparian areas with tree species like silver maples and elderberry bushes that favor wet soils. With the help of many partners and volunteers, we’ve helped restore waterways by planting more than 42,000 riparian trees since 2013. Read more on pages 8-9. Saving Trees and our Natural Heritage Have you ever personally observed or touched – or maybe even hugged – an ancient tree? If you haven’t, you should. The Conservancy’s 120-acre Tryon-Weber Woods Natural Area in Crawford County is one of the most ecologically important forested areas in the region due to the diversity of tree species located there. A mature 40-acre beech-sugar maple stand within the natural area, where some trees are around 100 feet tall and at least 90 to 120 years old, is thought to be the last remaining of its kind in Western Pennsylvania and the easternmost stand in the national range for this type of forest. Tryon-Weber Woods Natural Area is about a two-hour drive from Pittsburgh. And at some state-owned natural areas, also open to the public, you can appreciate ancient trees that are more than 300 years old within old-growth forests. Advancing the Pittsburgh Redbud Project The Pittsburgh Redbud Project launched in 2016 with the goal of planting thousands of flowering Eastern redbuds and complementary native trees on trails, hillsides and open spaces in downtown Pittsburgh in view of the city’s riverfronts. To date, volunteers and staff with our community gardens and greenspace program have helped the Conservancy plant and care for nearly 3,800 new trees through this exciting initiative. These trees introduce bursts of spring color to downtown Pittsburgh’s three rivers, and as they mature and the canopy grows, the area transforms with even more native beauty. Through this project, the Conservancy has also given away more than 2,000 redbud tree saplings or seeds to volunteers and community members. Trees or shrubs planted along streams, also called riparian plantings, are especially important on farms like this one in Indiana County. These trees filter and absorb excess nutrients and fertilizers to help prevent pollutants from entering our waterways. Volunteers are hard at work planting a budding Eastern redbud tree along the North Shore Trail across from downtown Pittsburgh. 55oer Cameron Mcen Elk TiTioga o Sq Waa M Lu luia Uion C sonJeers Indian Armtrtron uBtler Beaver Lawreencece eeMcrrere Venanngo Clarioi Forest Warren Crawford Erie Camb Blaiiirrr Huntinntingdgddonoon Miin Juniatatata PeP p Lebanon hylkll Carbon Leg ck Montgomery Cr De a as Cumberrlandnd Adams FrFrankl FuFltltoono Bedfforord Somerset Fayyeette Waashshington WWestmomrelaand AlAleggheny Greeeene SnSnydr Moo Nohbeld Norn e LaLckawanna WyWomooooiningg Suuivan Lyycocing Cl n wr rr L er acka ng ar WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA CONSERVANCY'S TREE PLANTINGS American beech Fagus grandifolia Eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensis Red oak Quercus rubra Big-tooth aspen Populus grandidentata Tulip tree Liriodendron tulipifera American sycamore Platanus occidentalis Red maple Acer rubrum Black cherry Prunus serotina Shagbark hickory Carya ovata White oak Quercus alba 10 NATIVE TREES in Western Pennsylvania that you'll see on your outdoor adventure Pennsylvania is home to 17 million acres of forests, which contain cold-water streams and thousands of plant and animal species, including a myriad of native tree species. This map shows Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s important work over the past 18 years to plant almost 100,000 trees in public places across the region. The trees on the map indicate places where WPC planted trees and the forest types list describes the characteristics that make our region’s forests unique. WPC Riparian Tree Plantings 42,000 since 2013 WPC Community Forestry Tree Plantings 400 trees since 2008 TreeVitalize Pittsburgh Tree Plantings 33,000 trees since 2008 Forests and Trees of Our Region CONSERVE 6Due to excessive agricultural runoff, abandoned mine drainage and stormwater runoff, which are found throughout the Chesapeake Bay, it is listed among the nation’s impaired waters. Streamside trees and plants, called riparian forest buffers, can reduce the amount of nutrient pollution entering waterways by up to 90 percent, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Planting more than a million trees is a bold plan, but maintaining them presents an even bigger challenge. “After riparian trees are planted, they need three to five years of close care,” says Teddi Stark, riparian forest buffer coordinator at the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. “But there is a huge shortage of people trained to maintain the trees.” That’s where prisoners serving time at State Correctional Institution-Huntingdon come in. In 2017, the Conservancy’s TreeVitalize Coordinator Shea Zwerver contacted the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections with the idea to train inmates who are nearing release in tree care and tree management. The program was implemented at SCI- Huntingdon and its success prompted Teddi to suggest that riparian buffer instruction would be a natural fit: the prison wanted more outdoors-based vocational training programs and the SCI-Huntingdon owns farmland with a stream, perfect for riparian plantings. The Riparian Forest Buffer Vocational Training Program was piloted at SCI-Huntingdon from July through October of this year. Twenty prisoners from the prison’s community work program participated. “After learning about tree selection and riparian forest buffer design, the men selected the tree species, paced out where to plant the seedlings along the stream, then planted them,” Shea says. “They saw their learning come to fruition.” Teddi, who taught some of the classes, says most participants had little or no conservation knowledge. “Some participants planted something for the first time in their lives. One is excited that he can recognize invasive weeds,” she says. “The knowledge they’ve gained will make a difference, whether they plant in their own yard or work in arboriculture.” Conservation professionals from the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, local County Conservation districts, WPC and other groups volunteered to teach. Classes were held weekly in classrooms and outside. Participants learned about watersheds, water pollution, riparian buffers, stream ecology, aquatic macroinvertebrates, tree planting and more. Alysha Trexler, Conservancy watershed projects manager, provided an early overview of riparian buffers and farms and explained how agriculture and conservation fit together. “I explained how to be a good, safe farm visitor and why water quality is important.” To reduce pollution in and improve the health of Pennsylvania waterways and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, the Commonwealth has an ambitious goal: plant roughly 200 riparian trees per acre on 86,000 acres along streams by 2025. FORMER INMATES COULD HELP FILL SHORTAGE IN TREE MANAGEMENT WORKFORCE Riparian buffer trees help mitigate pollution runoff and streambank erosion, such as that pictured here on Trout Run in Erie County. CONSERVE 8When Colleen Morris Cashell was growing up on a 120-acre cattle farm in Zelienople, Pa., “She loved animals and nature,” recalls her dad, Ray Morris, so he wasn’t surprised that Colleen pursued a career working with farmers. But it wasn’t until Colleen died unexpectedly in March 2019 that Ray understood that her work and love for the environment intersected. At her funeral, Ray says, “Several farmers and people from the Maryland and U.S. Forestry departments talked about how Colleen was a key player in instituting riparian forest buffer plantings on farms.” When planted along streams on farms, riparian trees help reduce agricultural pollution runoff such as animal waste and chemicals, leading to a healthier watershed. After graduating from college, Colleen moved to Gettysburg, Pa., to work on a dairy farm. “She bought property along a stream and planted a meadow of 200 to 300 trees,” Ray says. Eventually, Colleen became the county executive director of the Washington County, Md., office of the USDA Farm Service Agency, where she was instrumental in structuring the current farm bill for riparian plantings. Meanwhile, Ray volunteered for the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and other conservation organizations, including the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources where he took classes on riparian plantings and advised more than 100 property owners on tree care. “I never realized Colleen’s tree activity was parallel with mine,” Ray says. “I came away from her funeral service wishing I’d been more aware of the significant time and effort of working with farmers on planting riparian trees,” Ray says. Ray recently donated $5,000 to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy in her name to memorialize Colleen’s work and support the Conservancy’s efforts to plant riparian trees. “That was Colleen’s life,” Ray says, “and that’s what she would want.” Donation Memorializes a Daughter's Love for Trees Several employers with tree-planting businesses visited to discuss work opportunities. The prisoners received packets containing employers’ contact information and resume-writing and job-search resources. Because the riparian tree maintenance industry is not yet established and job access can be difficult for those recently released from prison, the program incorporated entrepreneurship and business-basics classes. If more prisons adopt the program and the riparian buffer job pipeline addresses job access difficulties faced by recently released prisoners, Shea says, the state could see an increase in the number of people planting and maintaining buffer trees and helping Pennsylvania meet its aggressive 86,000-acre goal. “If we’re going to achieve these goals,” Shea says, “we need to educate people and get them into nature. When people value our natural resources, they’ll be open to implementing the goals.” Inmates at State Correctional Institute - Huntingdon learn to care for riparian forest buffer trees in preparation for possible jobs in the industry after their release. Colleen Morris Cashell’s father Ray Morris donated to WPC in her memory. Colleen loved trees, including dogwoods. 99Next >