Monroe County Cornell Cooperative Extension offers a Master Forest Owner (MFO) Workshop and Woods Walk on Sunday, May 19, 1 to 4:30 p.m. at Seneca Park. The workshop is from 1 to 3:30 p.m. in the Wegman Lodge, 2222 St. Paul Street, Rochester, followed by a woods walk from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. through Seneca Park.
The Master Forest Owner program provides private woodland owners of New York State with the information and encouragement necessary to manage their forest holdings wisely. In addition to the complimentary visits MFO volunteers provide to woodlot owners, they also offer annual workshops and wood walks for the community and encourage all who are interested to attend.
During the workshop, June Summers of the Genesee Valley Audubon Society will go over the basics of bird watch. Invasive Species Educator, Brittany Lagaly, from Finger Lakes Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (FL-PRISM) will discuss the impacts of plant and animal invasive species on the native ecosystem. John Bateman, Instructor of Environmental Sciences at Finger Lakes Community College (FLCC) will provide an introduction to wildlife species in the area and their habitat and behaviors. Liz Berkeley, Monroe County CCE Lab Diagnostician, will provide a presentation focused on tick habitat, their biology and control. Bruce Gilman, Director of the Muller Field Station, will lead the woods walk and demonstrate how to identify different tree species using their leaves, bark, and other defining characteristics.
Attendance is free. The event is intended for individuals of all ages and nature skill levels including beginners to those with more extensive knowledge looking to stay engaged. Tree ID guides provided by the New York Forest Owners Association (NYFOA) will be given to youth attending the event. Attendees are asked to dress for the weather and wear boots or shoes suitable for walking on woodland trails. The trail is an easy one mile loop over level terrain.
For information about trail and lodge accessibility and accommodations, please call Monroe CCE at 753-2550. Registration and information available at https://bit.ly/2CZdp7
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