Cornell Cooperative Extension

Putnam County
Shiitake log: painting over shiitake spawn in newly innoculated log with food-grade wax; hands on, cultivation,
Image by Jennifer Stengle

Drilling holes in oak logs prior to inoculating with shiitake spawn

"On the Path Through Inwood Hill Park" by Barry Solow
Image by Barry Solow

Putnam's forest are primarily hardwood (Oak, Maple, Ash, Black Cherry, Hickory and more)

"Promise of Heat" by OliBac
Image by OliBac

Firewood, split and stacked

Shiitake Logs in Laying Yard
Image by Steve Gabriel

Shiitake bolts fruiting in laying yard

Forestry

Private forest owners in New York control a dominant portion of the state’s landscape. These forest-owning families and private citizens manage 85% of the forested land in the state and thus approximately 50% of the total land in New York. Private forest owners, through their wise decisions and actions support natural resources, communities, and the economy when they:

• Develop stewardship or forest management plans for long-term forest conservation
• Conduct timber sales using best management practices
• Ensure the long-term maintenance of forest cover
• Enhance wildlife habitat through forest thinning, forest regeneration, or forest
preservation
• Control invasive species that become established on their property
• Work together with members of groups such as the New York Forest Owners, or
other landowner associations, to educate the public about the values and
benefits of owning forest land.

ForestConnect helps forest owners by providing them with educational resources to help make decisions about the management of their property. Forest owners can

• Learn about educational workshops offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension or
partner organizations
• Register on-line for many CCE educational workshops
• Download fact sheets and publications
• Find a trained forest-owner volunteer, a Master Forest Owner, who will make a
free visit to your property
• Review frequently asked questions
• Find a CCE educator near them or their property
• Suggest research topics that can be considered within the research process of the
Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station
• View Powerpoint presentations from many previous workshops
• Subscribe to a controlled email list for announcements and updates

Contact

Jennifer Lerner
Senior Resource Educator
jjs95@cornell.edu
845-278-6738 ext. 216

Last updated November 25, 2019

Natural Resources

Forest Connect

Forest Connect connects forest users to the knowledge and resources needed to ensure sustainable production and ecological function on private forest lands.

You'll find links here to Natural Resource publications and timely resources for Landowners, Foresters and Educators.

 Stay in touch and join the ForestConnect listserv for webinar announcements, program updates and news.

Cornell Sugar Maple Research & Extension Program

Pure maple syrup is a traditional natural product unique to North America. The Cornell Sugar Maple Program exists to improve the production and use of maple products by working with producers, consumers, and others interested in this fascinating local product.

You'll find links here to publications and resources, as well as Information about the yearly Cornell Maple Camp and Maple Conference.

Master Forest Owner Volunteers

Over 140 experienced and highly motivated volunteer Master Forest Owner volunteers (MFOs) are available statewide, ready to assist neighbor forest owners with the information needed to start managing their forests. All MFOs are graduates of a 4-day training program, where they learn about sawtimber and wildlife management, forest economics, and ecology. The MFOs continue to receive information updates, attend refresher classes and maintain contact with natural resource managers from private, public, and academic organizations.

http://www2.dnr.cornell.edu/ext/mfo/

Cornell ForestConnect Interactive Forum

Logo for CCE's Forest Connect program, 400x400px

Growing the Specialty Mushroom Industry in the Northeast:

A Research and Education project funded by Northeast SARE.

In order to propel a new generation of specialty mushroom growers, this grant will compile data on specialty mushroom production. We will support a cohort of start-up growers to model a range of commercial operations in exchange for data on start-up costs, labor, and other key considerations. The comparative data from various scenarios will be compiled and form the basis of outreach materials and enterprise budgets. Booklets introducing the specialty mushroom industry, outlining three systems of cultivation, and grower profiles will be published in the fall of 2019. https://fungially.com/growing-mushrooms/

Shiitake Mushroom Cultivation

Cultivation of shiitake mushrooms is a fairly simple process. These guides, Shiitake Mushroom Cultivation and Best Management Practices for Log-Based Shiitake Cultivation in the NE US,will help you plan for an effective cultivation experience and give you some insight before you start. Includes costs for start-up, selecting a site, securing and inoculating logs, creating a laying yard, shocking and harvesting.