From The Forest

By fromtheforestBusiness Education Non-Profit

From The Forest episodes

January 15 Sustaining Vegetation Management
On this week's From the Forest radio show, we'll be discussing the "sustainability" of managing vegetation, the tools or methods used (i.e. livestock, chemicals, and mechanical), as well as future options like fire.
1 hr
January 01 Forestry Check-In
Occasionally, we like to "talk shop" with field staff of Catskill Forest Association on what's going on in the forest. This week Zane, Jen, and Giovanna will dive into what they've been up to and what their plans are for Winter.

CFA Field Staff
Ryan Trapani, Director of Forest Services
Zane Lawyer, Forest Program Manager
Giovanna D'Angelo, Education Forester
Jen Betz, Forest Technician
1 hr
January 01 Deer Hunting in the Catskills with Jen Betz
On this week's show we'll have 4th generation deer hunter--Jen Betz--on to discuss this important forest heritage in the Catskill Mountains.
Jen was hired at the Catskill Forest Association (CFA) in August of 2025 and oversees their Legacy Tree Program and helps support their IT & business systems. Prior to this she served a short stint on the CFA Board of Directors, before taking a leave of absence to work as a contractor, then transitioned to staff. She has an A.A.S degree in Park and Recreation Management from SUNY Delhi and a bachelor’s in business administration, as well as Green Belt and Agile Project Management Certifications from Villanova University. She has over 20 years’ customer service and business systems knowledge. She is a lifelong resident of the Catskill Mountains. When not working, Jen gardens and enjoys the trails on her family farm.
1 hr
December 04, 2025 New York Farm Bureau with Todd Heyn
On this week's show, we'll be talking to Todd Heyn from the New York Farm Bureau about how they advocate for and promote farming & forestry in New York State.
The mission of New York Farm Bureau is "Supporting today’s agricultural needs and creating member opportunities for tomorrow through advocacy and education."

Todd lives in East Meredith and has 120 acres that he manages himself. His background is an AAS degree in Pre-Professional Forestry from Paul Smith’s College ('89) and a BS degree in Environmental and Forest Biology from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science & Forestry ('91). Todd has worked for the New York Farm Bureau for the past 12 years after leaving the Boy Scouts of America and an 18-year career there.
1 hr
December 04, 2025 Birch Trees with Gary Mead
Every Third Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest-related. This month we'll be discussing birch trees.
Gary is the former owner of Fruitful Furnishings Sawmill & current owner of Gary Mead Gallery in Margaretville, Delaware County. He was born & raised on a dairy farm in New Kingston, Town of Middletown, Delaware County.
1 hr
November 21, 2025 Hortus Arboretum & Botanical Garden
On this week's show we'll be talking to Allyson Levy of Hortus Arboretum about all the plants they grow and educate others about near Stone Ridge, Ulster County. Allyson & Scott Serrano are co-Founders of Hortus Arboretum, which traces back to 2001. They are also co-Authors of their book, "Cold Hardy Fruits & Nuts."
Mission
"Located in the Mid-Hudson Valley countryside of Stone Ridge, New York, Hortus Arboretum and Botanical Gardens is a family-run arboretum and botanic garden whose mission is to sustain the native, unusual, and historic plant life of our area and serve as a vital educational resource for the public. We are also focused on saving rare and endangered plants worldwide to ensure that species diversity lives on.
We welcome garden groups and individuals to come to visit Hortus Arboretum and Botanical Gardens! The gardens have been growing for over 20 years, with several specific collections such as the Chinese Garden, Native Woodland Garden and Japanese shade garden, in addition to a large collection of unusual edibles and hardy cacti.
We have the most diverse selection of plants in Ulster County! Hortus Arboretum exists as a ‘Living Textbook’ of plants that can be grown in the Hudson Valley."
1 hr
November 13, 2025 Forests Lacking Humanity
Recently, a reader of CFA's column--From the Forest--in the Shawangunk Journal asked what the forest would look like if humans didn't exist. We'll talk about what that forest might look like, the possible advantages and disadvantages too.
1 hr
November 06, 2025 Catskill Mountain Club with Peter Manning
On this week's show, we'll be talking about the State of the Catskill Mountain's hiking trails and outdoor recreation with Peter Manning, Executive Director of the Catskill Mountain Club.

The Catskill Mountain Club is a member-directed, not-for-profit organization formed to promote sustainable and safe outdoor recreation within the Catskill Park and on public lands throughout the Catskill Mountain Region.
Peter has been visiting the Catskills since the 1960s and lives in Bovina with his wife and two sons. He has 25 years’ experience in municipal planning and land use training at the local, county, regional, and statewide levels. He’s worked in the public, private, and non-profit sectors in areas that include promotion of tourism and outdoor recreation and the development of scenic byways. An avid outdoor recreationist, he also holds a BA in Geography from SUNY New Paltz and a Masters in Landscape Architecture from Cornell University.
1 hr
October 30, 2025 Forest Talk with NYFOA's Jerry Michael
On this week's show, we'll be talking to Jerry Michael--a prior member of NYFOA's Board of Directors--about "front-burner" and "back-burner" issues surrounding forest ownership and management.

"The mission of the New York Forest Owners Association (NYFOA) is to promote sustainable forestry practices and improved stewardship on privately owned woodlands in New York State. NYFOA fulfills this critical mission by being the leading organization to provide education, peer-to-peer networking, and advocacy for the woodlot owners of NY."
Jerry Michael was born & raised near Binghamton, NY. He graduated from Cornell University, Business & Human Resources. Jerry was a US Army Reserve Infantry Officer. He was with IBM for 32 years filling a variety of management jobs in the US and overseas. After retirement 33 years ago, he took on forestry as a 2nd career. He purchased a family tree farm in Broome County in 1972. He joined NYFOA in 1989, served on its Board of Directors for 12 years and Chaired NYFOA's Restore New York Woodlands initiative. Jerry participated in Cornell's Master Forest Owner Volunteer training at Arnot Forest in 1995, where he has since assisted over 200 woodlot owners under the program. He has hosted on his property about 20 woodswalks.
1 hr
October 23, 2025 Black Cherry with Gary Mead
Every Third Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest-related. This month we'll be discussing the black cherry tree.
Gary is the former owner of Fruitful Furnishings Sawmill & current owner of Gary Mead Gallery in Margaretville, Delaware County. He was born & raised on a dairy farm in New Kingston, Town of Middletown, Delaware County.
1 hr

About From The Forest

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Talking all-things-forestry, every Wednesday, for 10 years and counting. New guest speakers every week. Listen to the archives at catskillforest.org/radio. Contact us at [email protected].