Fun in the snow: Apple tree pruning on Hancock Forest Lands

The Allegheny Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society spent an afternoon on a cold, but sunny, Feb. 9, learning the nuances of apple tree pruning and daylighting of shrubs from Bonnie Orr and John Dzemyan, local experts. The chapter scheduled this learning day so any interested chapter members or conservationists could come learn how to use the tools from Orr and Dzemyan who have decades of experience with pruners, loppers, and saws.
Hancock Forest Management has lands open to public hunting on SR 146, and the Allegheny Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society has adopted this parcel of land because Hancock Forest Management gives back to wildlife with their sustainably managed wood harvest for society. Planting, lopping, pruning, and daylighting are the ketchup and mustard to the hamburger of good wood harvest when it comes to benefits for wildlife. It takes some of all activities to really create a good meal for wildlife.
The next “Habitat Day” to prune and daylight apple trees will be Saturday, Feb. 23, starting at 1 p.m. at the green gate to the compressor station on SR 146 just east of Bloomster Hollow Road east of Clermont, McKean County. Email wlhab@windstream.net if you want to attend so enough tools are on site. Water and sweet fern tea will be provided.

For more on this, see today's print edition of The Daily Press.