Volunteering at the PFA Meeting

Last Saturday's meeting of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association was helped by the efforts of Penn State Mont Alto forestry faculty and forest technology students. Among the programs that day were the following presentations:

• Making a map with GPS and Google Earth by Dr. Peter Linehan, assisted by Adam Wentzel, Nick Wingerter, and Hunter Stauffer (alumnus).
• Arboretum walking tour by Dr. Beth Brantley, assisted by Kelly Ketterman, Shane Strommer, and Andy Teets.
• Penn State Mont Alto history walking tour by Mr. Craig Houghton, assited by Dustin Wirt, Mark Long, and Justin Vinglas.

It seemed like all the participants enjoyed the presentations!

Dedication of the Maurice Goddard Marker

On Saturday, September 17, a historical marker was dedicated at Penn State Mont Alto during the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association. Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation, the marker was placed outside the Goddard Cottage on campus.

 

Several speakers discussed the legacy of Dr. Goddard on forest conservation and public recreation in Pennsylvania. In the audience were several Mont Alto Forest Technology students who were volunteering at the meeting.

Click here for more information on the Goddard Legacy Project.

New Honor Society Inductees

Congratulations to Tyler Wakefield and Nate Rosenberg who have been inducted into the CEFTS Forest Technology Honor Society. Membership in the Honor Society is based on a student's academic achievement in forestry courses taken for the Associate degree.

Tyler and Nate were awarded their certificates during the graduation picnic at Mont Alto State Park. Because of the forecast thunderstorms we had pizza, instead of our usual cookout. Thankfully, we have the pavilion, and finished just before the rains hit!

Academic Festival Pictures

Kelly Ketterman demonstrated time laps photography of germinating plants.


Scott Grimm and Derek Furry established permanent sampling plots in the Waynesboro Watershed.


Zach Hetrick and Seth Morris mapped past patterns of land use in the Waynesboro Watershed with historic aerial photos.


Mitch Oswald studied soil conditions to see if Coast Redwoods from California could survive in southern PA.


Jenny Diehl shares insights on living sustainably in Jamaica.


Tyler Wakefield describes his work on saving the eastern hemlock.

Academic Festival Winners

Congratulations to the poster prize winners at the Academic Festival on April 13.

Posters

First Place

Tyler Wakefield

Hope for the Eastern Hemlock?

Second Place

Scott Grimm & Derek Furry

Establishing GIS-based permanent forest inventory plots on the Waynesboro Watershed

Third Place

Zachary Hetrick & Seth Morris

Comparing Past Land use to Current Forest Cover Types

Click here to see all the abstracts from the festival.

Penn State Mont Alto Foresters at the Allegheny SAF conference

The Allegheny Society of American Foresters winter meeting, organized by the Plateau Chapter, was held in Clarion, PA on Feb. 16-18. Six Penn State Mont Alto forestry students attended the conference.

Mont Alto was victorious at the quiz bowl, defeating Allegany College of Maryland and West Virginia University! Congratulations to team members Derek Furry, Shane Strommer, and Mike Trisket for their winning performance.

Among the great presentations at the conference were silvicultural remediation for degraded hardwood sites, managing for liability issues, improving foresters' involvement with the public, and examples of outdoor recreation.

The other Mont Alto participants were Andy Gundlach, Mitch Oswald, and Zach Hetrick, and faculty members Craig Houghton and Peter Linehan. It was great to visit with Mont Alto alumni now at University Park or working in the field. 

Thanks to all the SAF members who sponsored students and the Plateau Chapter for a great meeting! 

New Forest Technology Students at Penn State Mont Alto

Penn State Mont Alto forest technician students gathered for the a picnic at Mont Alto State Park yesterday afternoon. In spite of the heat it was a great time for freshman and sophomore students to meet and greet!

Below are most of the freshmen in front of the pavilion.






And here are more pictures from the gathering.