New York Times bestselling author Doug Tallamy will discuss his acclaimed book, "The Nature of Oaks," on April 22 as part of a weekly Arbor Day webinar series that month coordinated by Rice Creek Field Station.
For the third year in a row, members of the campus community and general public are invited to celebrate National Arbor Day throughout April with the Canal Forest Restoration Project (CFRP) team at SUNY Oswego's Rice Creek Field Station, via a free online webinar series.
The series lineup includes five lunchtime webinars, with one offered every Friday in April from noon to 1 p.m. The last webinar takes place on National Arbor Day itself: Friday, April 29, 2022.
Speakers hailing from as close as the city of Oswego and as far away as the University of Delaware will highlight different projects and perspectives on forests, trees and the environment, from grass-roots reforestation/restoration to climate change forestry, invasive species management to SUNY Oswego’s Centennial Arboretum, and an acclaimed author's view about the importance of oaks.
Interested participants can join the webinar live by visiting the webinar series website (bit.ly/OzArborDay) where Zoom links are available. Recordings will be posted to this same webpage the following week for those unable to join the live events.
The series lineup includes:
April 1: New York State Hemlock Initiative, by Caroline A. Marschner
This session will discuss the importance of eastern hemlock for land and water ecology and how to preserve this species from hemlock woolly adelgid, an invasive forest pest attacking hemlock on the East Coast. Marschner will also talk about the impact and biology of the hemlock woolly adelgid, management options and ongoing research. Learn about volunteer opportunities on your own property or in the larger landscape to help stop the spread of this destructive pest.
April 8: ESF’s Wildflower Restoration Project, by Dr. Gregory McGee
Across the Northeast, herbaceous understory plant diversity is frequently depleted in secondary, post-agricultural forests, and these understories require active restoration to improve landscape-level forest diversity and build resilience to future change. Pilot projects have demonstrated the promise of direct seeding and transplants to restore plant diversity across post-agricultural landscapes, and we will discuss possible approaches to understory restoration in the Canal Forest region.
April 15 (hybrid): The Centennial Arboretum and a Recap for 2021: Canal Forest Restoration Project & the Sustainabilities Office
The 1961 Centennial Arboretum was gifted to the SUNY Oswego campus through donations by community members and businesses to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the institution’s founding. As the campus expanded, the Arboretum was no longer centrally located, leaving it forgotten. In 2021, efforts to revive the arboretum resulted in an addition of 21 new and diverse tree species, planted by community members, student volunteers and campus staff. The future of the Centennial Arboretum includes expansion to support both the ecological and educational connections between the campus community and the local landscape. This webinar will also include updates about other campus tree projects, including success stats from the CFRP 2021 tree giveaways. Note that this is a hybrid presentation, also taking place in Room 121 of the field station.
April 22: Book Talk: "The Nature of Oaks" by New York Times bestselling author Doug Tallamy
Oaks sustain a complex and fascinating web of wildlife. "The Nature of Oaks" reveals what is going on in oak trees month by month, highlighting the seasonal cycles of life, death and renewal. From woodpeckers who collect and store hundreds of acorns for sustenance to the beauty of jewel caterpillars, Tallamy illuminates and celebrates the wonders that occur right in our own yards and restorations. "The Nature of Oaks" aims to inspire readers to treasure these trees and to act to nurture and protect them.
April 29: New York State Climate Change Forestry, by Bryan Ellis
Celebrate National Arbor Day with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Climate Change Forester Ellis and learn about the status of forests and the challenges that arise with the current climate trends. By creating the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, foresters have been able to identify recommendations including avoiding forest conversion and improving forest management along with other strategies that will help combat climate change using forests. Ellis will share information about opportunities for landowners to get involved with current state programs as well.
This series is offered as part of Earth Month at SUNY Oswego, hosted by the campus Sustainability Office. Friday, April 22, marks the 52nd anniversary of Earth Day.
SUNY Oswego’s Rice Creek Field Station is dedicated to being a living laboratory for the advancement of knowledge through ecological research, education and stewardship of the natural world. In 2019, Rice Creek partnered with the Canal Forest Restoration Project to grow and distribute native trees that were heavily logged to support New York’s canal industry, including white oak, swamp white oak, burr oak, and white pine, restoring these trees to the region.
Additional details about the webinar, the Canal Forest Restoration Project and how to support the project can be found on Rice Creek Field Station’s website, oswego.edu/ricecreek.