http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html? News - Northern Forest News Digest Northern Forest News Digest http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2530&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Steve Zind The shortage of qualified workers is a problem that’s become increasingly urgent for manufacturers across the country and in Vermont. For years technical programs at high schools have been teaching basic skills, but the specialized needs of modern manufacturers demand more specialized training and an approach customized to individual manufacturers. For Velan Valve Corporation the problem finding machinists became evident a few years back. Whenever the company advertised an opening there were lots of applicants but no one was qualified. “I don’t know how many cooks and landscapers and bottlewashers. A lot of cooks!” says Dennis Lalancette, general manager at Velan’s Williston plant, describing who applied for the positions. The Canadian based manufacturer has facilities around the world that produce build-to-order valves for the petroleum and defense industries. They range in size from small 2-inch models to massive valves with elaborate controls. Lalancette says finding qualified machinists was a matter of survival for the Williston facility. If the company couldn’t make valves in Vermont, it could easily send the work somewhere else. “We didn’t want that to happen,” he says. “We’ve got 150 families counting on us to do the right thing here.” The right thing was for Velan to more proactive in creating a pool of qualified workers. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2533&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Julie Grant Leaders on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border are pleased that the U.S. isn't moving forward on a border crossing fee. The Department of Homeland Security recently asked Congress to authorize a border fee study. The department wanted to charge everyone entering the U.S. by land from Canada and Mexico. The Senate judiciary committee voted last Thursday to ban the fee altogether, as part of the Immigration Reform Bill. North Country Public Radio article en-us Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2532&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann Locking people up and keeping them behind bars is one of the North Country's biggest industries. There are more than twenty jails and prison facilities scattered across our rural region. Corrections and law enforcement agencies provide high-paying jobs from Ogdensburg to Glens Falls. But the prison industry isn't something we talk about very often. The North Country's Regional Economic Development plan talks about renewable energy and trains and farms and government. But it doesn't even mention prisons -- not once. Earlier this month, a student group at SUNY Plattsburgh invited community members, faculty and activists to meet and talk about mass incarceration and how it affects communities. North Country Public Radio article en-us Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2527&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sean Hurley While most newspapers are downsizing, outsourcing, assimilating or outright folding, there’s a newspaper in the North Country that’s flourishing. Two weeks ago the Colebrook Chronicle opened a new business office in downtown Colebrook. As Sean Hurley reports, business at the Chronicle has never been better. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2534&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Knight The Adirondack Park Agency has drafted seven options for classifying 47,000 acres of state land in the central Adirondacks, including the first phase of former Finch, Pruyn and Co. timberlands acquired by the state. The options range from mostly wilderness, the most restrictive state land classification where motorized vehicles are prohibited, to wild forest, where more opportunities for public access and recreation are allowed. The APA board voted Friday to host a series of public hearings on the proposals. The classification package includes 23,000 acres the state has bought from The Nature Conservancy in Essex and Hamilton counties: the Essex Chain tract, the OK Slip Falls tract and the Indian River tract. North Country Public Radio article en-us Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2525&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jackie Farwell McDonald was one of more than a record-high 1,100 Maine residents diagnosed last year with Lyme disease. Public health officials are warning that the risk for Lyme has increased now that ticks have emerged for the season. A mild winter in 2011 led to a bumper crop of ticks that appeared early in the 2012 season. “We’ve seen increases every year for the last four or five years,” said Dr. Stephen Sears, state epidemiologist. “There’s no reason to suspect that we won’t potentially see more cases because it appears that Lyme’s moving into parts of the state where it was not as common before.” Lyme first appeared in the southern part of Maine, and has consistently spread north and Down East. Lyme disease in humans now shows up in every county in the state thanks to hungry deer ticks that feed mostly during the summer months. Bangor Daily News article en-us Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Health http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2528&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sam Evans-Brown Fiddleheads are the whimsical, tightly coiled spiral of fern sprouts that push their way up from under the layers of winter debris on the forest floor. They are also a regional and seasonal delicacy, and their season is incredibly short. In some Southern parts of the state, it may already be over. For any given fiddlehead patch, it can last as little as a week and a half. That means for those who harvest the sprouts, fiddlehead patches are closely guarded secrets. Even just finding fiddleheads in stores can be tough. But at the Concord Coop, an independent grocery store in Concord, a basket of the vibrant green sprouts sat in the vegetable cooler this week. “It’s why I’m here today, because I thought that the coop would have fiddleheads,” says Ruth Brown, a Concord resident. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2526&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Alex Barber Cianbro Corp. CEO Peter Vigue said Wednesday he supported the decision of the Legislature’s Transportation Committee to repeal a feasibility study for the proposed east-west highway. The leading proponent of the proposed highway said the project can still move forward despite the committee’s action. “The study [by the state] is certainly not a prerequisite for a project like this being successful or going forward,” Vigue said in a telephone interview. “This is something that can be done and be done by a third party,” he continued. “[The study is] certainly something that isn’t necessary to be done by the state of Maine. There are private entities that do that. Even the state of Maine wouldn’t have done that [on its own], they would’ve gone to a third party.” The proposed corridor includes a 220-mile toll highway connecting Calais to Coburn Gore, making an east-west route from New Brunswick to Quebec. The Transportation Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to recommend repealing the requirement that the Maine Department of Transportation complete a $300,000 feasibility study for the proposed $2.1 billion private east-west highway. Bangor Daily news article Related article en-us Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2529&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen Northern Pass and its opponents have been playing an expensive game of geographic chess, buying and blocking properties, as the utility seeks a route from Canada to its rights-of-way line in Groveton. And being able to cross the Connecticut Lakes Headwaters Working Forest would be an enormous help to Northern Pass, The 171,000 acre tract was created in 2003. It was a complex deal involving state and federal agencies as well as conservation groups and private landowners. About 146,000 of those acres are in a conservation easement held by the state’s Department of Resources and Economic Development. Sustainable forestry is allowed and public access is assured but development is prohibited. Northeast Utilities has made not made a formal request with DRED to cross the tract. But some Northern Pass opponents worry is the move is so logical that a request could be in the works. “Right now that is the only direct route they have.” New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2531&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Patty Daniels and Ric Cengeri Around the country, many beekeepers checking in on their hives after the winter found staggering losses. As many as 40 percent of commercial bee hives were lost this winter. In Vermont, though, losses have been closer to 10-15 percent bee die-off, which is in the range of normal. In an interview with VPR's Vermont Edition, state apiculturist Steve Parise explains why. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2509&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Bob Sanders It’s special interest time, as New Hampshire's renewable energy portfolio standards program starts its race to the legislative finish line and lawmakers grapple with a bill that would cap the state’s Renewable Energy Fund at $4.5 million, partly to return funds as rebates to electricity ratepayers and partly so it won’t be such an inviting target for lawmakers looking to balance the budget. Senate Bill 148, sponsored by Sen. Jed Bradley, R- Wolfeboro, has already passed the Senate, and heard Wednesday by the House Science , Technology and Energy committee, and several key parts of the bill that either would help or hurt different constituencies inspired much of the testimony. The proposed REF cap would echo what happened with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative program, which was capped following a $3.1 million legislative raid. The amount available in the REF is much greater, $19 million (though about $5 million is already spoken for). No one has raided the that fund yet, but with the House granting Gov. Maggie Hassan permission to raid dedicated funds like REF, it is certainly something being considered, even if the Senate budget writers haven’t endorsed that blank check. Like the RGGI fund, the REF money comes from ratepayers, not taxpayers. Its source is the fees paid by utilities that don't meet the state's renewable portfolio standard, which requires that almost a quarter of the energy generated in New Hampshire must come from renewable sources by 2025. Utilities that don't meet certain benchmarks must pay penalties. The demand for biomass power in other states with renewable portfolio standards is the main reason behind the surplus. That demand, particularly in Connecticut, makes it harder for utilities to meet the standards in New Hampshire, so they pay into the REF instead. New Hampshire Business Review article en-us Fri, 03 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2513&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Date: Monday, May 6, 9am-4pm Location: Husson University, Bangor, ME The Maine Woods Consortium is hosting tourism business leaders and other stakeholders for a day-long retreat to: Learn from Robert Reid, US Travel Editor for Lonely Planet, why the world’s leading travel publisher selected Northern Maine as one of its Top 10 US Travel Destinations for 2013. Hear from Carolann Ouellette, Director of the Maine Office of Tourism, about the state’s 2013 marketing plan and new campaign touching on brand platform, strategies, objectives and target markets. Talk with destination development leaders from Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont about their experiences working with businesses, local organizations, private landowners and others to position their place as a successful vacation destination. Panelists will include: Tim Tierney – Kingdom Trails Association, Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom Cathy Conway – New Hampshire Grand, Northern New Hampshire Robin Zinchuk – Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce, Western Maine Join peers from destination areas and across the state to assess the status and potential of specific Maine Woods destination areas, and identify key opportunities to collaborate on common challenges and opportunities. If you would like more information on this event, please contact the Maine Woods Consortium at info@mainewoodsconsortium.org. en-us Fri, 03 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2514&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen One reason the starting date of Northern Pass has slipped from 2015 to 2017 is opposition to the project. Dozens of towns have voted against Northern Pass and it has been a statewide political issue. During the conference call, Andrew Weisel, an analyst with the New-York based Macquarie Group asked this question. “I certainly appreciate that it is a small but vocal minority that are very opposed to it in New Hampshire and it sounds like you guys are really going as far as you can to try to accommodate that group. Is there a certain point at which you just say agree to disagree and move forward?” Northeast Utilities official Lee Olivier responded. “I guess we’ll say we are not there yet. We are not at a point where we are going to plow through this thing.” New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Fri, 03 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2518&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Knight Many nursing homes around the state are seeing big financial losses, and the situation is the same, if not worse, here in the North Country. That's sparked a dialogue in the last few months among the region's long-term care leaders about ways they can partner, share services or even consolidate under one organization. Leaders of at least eight to 10 of the region's nursing homes have been involved in these talks. Some long-term care advocates believe North Country nursing homes are at a tipping point. North Country Public Radio article en-us Fri, 03 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Health http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2519&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Matt Richmond New York State's second highest court has ruled in favor of two towns which passed laws banning gas drilling. In two decisions released Thursday, the court ruled unanimously in favor of local control in Dryden and Middlefield. Earthjustice attorney Deborah Goldberg argued for the Town of Dryden. She says the unanimous decisions by the four judge panel that heard both cases puts to rest the question of whether New York towns can ban drilling. "There's no dispute among them and there should be no dispute generally on this issue." The defendants relied on a case called Frew Run which said towns in New York can ban gravel mines within their borders. North Country Public Radio article en-us Fri, 03 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2512&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont In response from businesses and individual donors, the non-profit Clear Water Carbon Fund (CWCF) is set to plant over 1,000 trees in Vermont and Maine. The Clear Water Carbon Fund, (www.clearwatercarbonfund.org), enables people and businesses to neutralize carbon emissions from activities ranging from a daily commute to a wedding to a conference by ‘purchasing’ trees to be planted along local streams and rivers. As the trees grow, they remove carbon from the atmosphere. At the same time, the trees protect water quality and stabilize stream banks, which helps prepare us future flood events. The Fund, which began planting in 2012, is operated by the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, a non-profit research institute. Over the past two years, the Fund has planted over 1,900 trees in Vermont and Maine. The trees are planted in partnership with local watershed groups and monitored for 40 years. Vt Digger article en-us Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2515&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sam Evans-Brown Lawmakers in Connecticut are working to review and revamp the rules that encourage renewable electricity generation. And the changes as proposed could be good news for Canadian hydropower, and bad news for New Hampshire Biomass. Democrat Bob Duff chairs the Energy and Technology Committee in the Connecticut State Senate. He’s also a sponsor of a controversial bill on renewable energy. Duff: What we’re trying to do is plan for the future rather than have our backs against the wall where all the sudden the building’s on fire and we have to find the hose to put it out. Connecticut, like most New England states including New Hampshire, has a law that requires utilities to buy an increasing percentage of their electricity from qualified renewable sources: like wind, solar, and some biomass. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2516&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Michael Brindley Friday marks 10 years since the Old Man of the Mountain, New Hampshire’s most iconic symbol, collapsed from its point along the side of Cannon Mountain. A ceremony will be held Friday at 11:30 a.m. to commemorate the anniversary. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2524&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Karen M. Koenig A sawdust fire broke out yesterday at Copeland Furniture, a manufacturer of residential furniture based in Bradford, VT. There was damage to the building, but no one was injured. The fire broke out in the sawdust silo at the 75,000-square-foot plant on Wednesday night, May 1. According to WCAX.com, 10 fire departments from Vermont and New Hampshire responded to the blaze. The cause of the blaze has not yet been determined. This is the second sawdust fire at a furniture plant in the region in the past few days. On April 30, fire broke out in silos at the Ethan Allen casegoods facility in Orleans, resulting in a temporary shutdown. Woodworking Network article en-us Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2505&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New England By: Dan Haugen Wood fuel represents just a sliver of the Midwest’s heating market. By BTUs, solid biomass supplied 3 percent of the region’s heat in 2010, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The rest came primarily from non-renewable, fossil fuels — mostly natural gas. A biomass advocacy group called Heating the Midwest thinks the region could and should significantly boost the share of heat it gets from wood-burning stoves and boilers, and it unveiled a vision at its annual conference in Minnesota last week for how to get to a 10 percent thermal biomass goal by 2025. Heating the Midwest is looking to the Northeast as a successful example of where regional coordination and investment is helping to grow a wood-fuel industry. Its vision document was prepared by a Maine biomass research and consulting group, FutureMetrics, that did a similar roadmap for the Northeast in 2010. Wood fuel provides about 4 percent of heating energy in the Northeast (six New England states and New York), where biomass supporters have announced a goal of providing 18 percent of thermal power by 2025. Midwest Energy News article link en-us Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2510&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Susan Smallheer State forestry officials raised questions Thursday about just how sustainable the proposed North Springfield Sustainable Energy Project would be. The developers of the 35-megawatt wood-fired project have proposed an inadequate wood harvesting program, said Steven Sinclair, director of forests for the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, during hearings before the Vermont Public Service Board. Sinclair, who was on the stand for most of Thursday, also said that his office had removed the word “renewable” from its website when describing wood-fired projects, based on “new information and research.” “The science on both renewableness and carbon-neutrality is in question,” Sinclair added. Rutland Herlad article en-us Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2520&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Capitol Pressroom New York state and private companies investing tens of millions of dollars in the North Country in an effort to bring broadband internet connections to some of the region's most remote, rural areas. In March, the state announced that $200,000 will go to the town of Thurman in Warren County to help develop a kind of far-reaching wi-fi connection known as "white space." Evelyn Wood, town supervisor in Thurman, and David Salway, head of New York's Broadband Program Office, appeared yesterday on the public radio program Capitol Pressroom to talk about the project. North Country Public Radio article en-us Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2511&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Barbara Tetreault Two officials of the company hired to handle wood procurement for the Burgess BioPower biomass plant said the company will try and buy from local loggers and foresters first. With the plant estimated to require 750,000 to 800,000 tons of biomass annually, Jimmy Carrier of Richard Carrier Trucking (RCT) said he expects the plant will be receiving wood from a 150 to 200 mile radius of Berlin. "We're going to try and keep everybody local working first," Carrier told a gathering of forestry and natural resource professionals at the 23 annual Mud Breakfast last Friday at the Mountain View Grand resort. Carrier was joined by John Ballew of RCT wood procurement. Berlin Daily Sun article en-us Tue, 30 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2517&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Amy Kolb Noyes The first day students returned to Montpelier's Union Elementary School after their spring vacation on Monday also turned out to be the first day construction crews began work on School Street on the city's new district heating project. City officials knew this would cause some traffic headaches, especially during school drop-off and pick-up times. But they say the situation couldn't be helped if the city's district heat project is to be kept on track. A new construction schedule was implemented on Friday, when a pipe delivery arrived without the fittings needed for the 8 inch distribution pipes that contractors began installing this month. The city and its contractor were faced with the choice: slow down the work or split the crew and move one work crew onto a different portion of the project that uses four inch pipe, for which all the needed materials are on-hand Vermont Public Radio article en-us Tue, 30 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2521&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Capitol Pressroom Yesterday was Adirondack Day in the state capitol with groups from across the Park offering food, crafts and information about the North Country to people in Albany. State Senator Betty Little described the event as a way to raise awareness about the Adirondacks, especially among lawmakers and legislative aides from downstate who've never made the journey up the Northway. Cuomo says he also plans to hold a summit next week to help boost tourism statewide. North Country Public Radio article en-us Tue, 30 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2522&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Robert Long A proposed 220-mile east-highway across Maine will hurt local businesses and destroy wildlife habitat, opponents of the project said at a State House event Tuesday. Patrick McGowan, a former Route 2 business owner, Maine conservation commissioner, legislator and Democratic candidate for governor, said Tuesday that “people in this Capitol have rejected the notion of an east-west highway since 1937.” He called the proposal “the single largest destruction of fisheries and wildlife habitat in the history of this state by a private entity.” He and other business owners spoke during a media event hosted by the Maine Chapter of the Sierra Club before the Legislature’s Transportation Committee held public hearings on six bills related to the proposed $2.1 billion private toll highway from Calais to Coburn Gore. Opponents contended that the project isn’t needed because public roadways already traverse the state and that it would imperil wildlife, create pollution and harm small businesses, both those based on natural resources and those that cater to travelers along Route 1, Route 2, Route 9 and Route 201. Bangor Daily News article en-us Tue, 30 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2523&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jay Field Maine lawmakers heard public testimony this afternoon on bills that would slow down or put a stop to plans for an east-west highway across Maine. Four measures before the Legislature's Transportation Committee would prohibit the use of state money to study the feasibility of building the privately-funded tollway. As Jay Field reports, a coalition of small business owners along the proposed route spoke out against the project before the afternoon hearing. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article en-us Tue, 30 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2506&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail International By: Dylan Walsh Increasingly, forestry experts say this ominous trend bears the fingerprints of climate change: As average air temperatures rise and water evaporates more rapidly from vegetation and soil, the parallel rise in precipitation needed to offset these changes has not kept pace. Most models predict the deficit will only worsen in years to come. “The initial signs of climate change — they’re here,” says Amber Soja, a senior research scientist at NASA who studies the interaction of fire and climate. “We have evidence in our wildfires.” Resilience article en-us Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2500&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: NCPR News Members of Congress from the North Country and Vermont are urging the Homeland Security Department to drop a proposal that could add new fees for travelers entering the US from Canada. In a letter sent to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napoitano, Vermont Representative Peter Welch and the North Country's Bill Owens described the concept as "a bad idea." The department currently plans to study whether new fees are appropriate. A request for funding for the effort is in the Federal budget request for next year. North Country Public Radio article en-us Fri, 26 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2502&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New YorK By: Brian Mann State officials are moving forward with two land purchases in the Adirondacks totaling nearly 10,000 acres. State Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens will be on Prospect Mountain near Lake George later this morning unveiling one of the deals. Both of these conservation efforts have been in the works for years. The biggest, involving roughly 9,300 acres of the former Finch, Pruyn timber lands in the Adirondacks, includes parcels of land in Essex, Hamilton, Warren and Washington counties — including the famous ice meadow along the upper Hudson River and OK Slip falls. The state paid roughly $6.3 million for the properties. North Country Public Radio article en-us Fri, 26 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2493&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Michaelle Bradford The Harpswell Chair, designed by Thos. Moser, manufacturer of handcrafted American furniture, was featured at the George W. Bush Library and Museum, located in Dallas, TX, on the campus of Southern Methodist University. Crafted from American black cherry harvested from the Allegheny forest in Pennsylvania, the Harpswell Chair features a back crest that is carved from a single piece of cherry to reveal a grain pattern that is unique to each piece, and can be specified with or without arms or an upholstered back. Woordworking Network article en-us Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2496&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Steve Zind The view that economic growth improves our lives is the opinion of a the vast majority economists and the general public. But for nearly two hours Wednesday afternoon, those who question the benefits of growth got equal time. If the idea of four University of Vermont professors debating economic growth sounds sleep inducing – it was dispelled by the informal title of the debate: “The Rumble in the Econ Jungle”. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2497&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Amy Kolb Noyes Last week the Vermont Transportation Board officially expanded the Scenic Route 100 Byway to encompass 138 miles through 20 towns in central and southern Vermont. To be clear, Route 100 hasn't changed, just the "byway" designation has been expanded to new portions of the road. So, why are so many towns and businesses along the route so excited? It's all about marketing. The push to expand the byway came from regional planning commissions and chambers of commerce along the route, representing towns and businesses along the way. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2498&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Jane Lindholm and Sage Van Wing In 2002 there were 37 cases of Lyme disease in Vermont. In 2011 there were over 500. Experts aren’t sure why the numbers are rising so drastically, but they do agree that the disease is serious. If you know you’ve been bitten by a deer tick, and you develop a rash, you have likely been infected with Lyme disease. A short course of antibiotics, administered quickly after an infection, has proven effective at treating the disease at that stage. After that, though, there is some disagreement as to how the disease should be identified and treated. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Health http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2501&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann A plan to build and upgrade emergency communications towers on four summits in the Adirondack Park is sparking new controversy because of the possible impact on a rare songbird called the Bicknell's thrush. The thrush is a "species of concern" in New York, because of its dwindling population and its small, alpine breeding area. Last winter, the Adirondack Park Agency set strict rules for the construction project, designed to limit any impacts on the songbird. But facing pressure from local leaders, the APA decided earlier this month to scrap those restrictions. North Country Public Radio article en-us Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2504&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: John Holyoke The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife announced that Matt Libby is this year’s winner of the Wilmot “Wiggie” Robinson Legendary Maine Guide Award. Libby is the fourth-generation owner of Libby Camps in Aroostook County, following in a family tradition that stretches back more than a century. This year marks the 124th year for Libby Camps, located in T8, R9, which is just north of the northern boundary of Baxter State Park. The Maine Professional Guides Association handed out the award at an annual dinner and banquet held last weekend in Brewer. Libby is the fifth recipient of the award, following Robinson, Gil Gilpatrick (2010), Gary Corson (2011) and Gardner Defoe (2012). Libby has been a guide in the North Maine Woods since he was 18. He has been active in outdoor resource management issues as well, serving three terms as Aroostook County’s representative on the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s advisory council. He’s also a board member of the Maine Professional Guides Association. Bangor Daily News article en-us Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2494&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Jane Lindholm On a beautiful Spring day, it’s hard not to spend some time outside. Jennifer Lamphere Roberts is the author of the newly released “AMC’s Best Day Hikes in Vermont,” put out by the Appalachian Mountain Club. It’s a look at 60 trails in the Green Mountain State. Roberts, who is an expert in finding the perfect trail for a hike, recommends Eagle Mountain in Milton, that is the highest point on Vermont's lake shore. In the southern part of the state, she loves Mount Olga in Wilmington, part of Molly Stark State Park. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2503&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jay Field Energy companies are using a drilling technique known as fracking to extract natural gas underground. Many people raise questions about the environmental impact, but there is no doubt fracking has produced lots of natural gas and driven down the price. That has led energy-hungry manufacturers to build plants in fracking hot spots like Texas and Pennsylvania. But even in old factories — far from the drilling or even the pipelines — cheap natural gas is providing a competitive edge. National Public Radio article en-us Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2507&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest While there is still snow in the woods and ice on some ponds, two friends began a 740-mile journey from Old Forge, New York to Fort Kent, Maine on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail early this morning. Emma Carlson of Maine and Emily Rooney of Vermont launched from the start of the Trail at the boat dock in Old Forge. Their goal is to complete the four-state and one Canadian province trail in 40 days. During the journey the women will be communicating with elementary students at the Town of Webb School District and a second grade class at the W.G. Mallett School in Farmington, Maine, taught by Ms. Carlson’s mother. They hope to educate the students about the people they meet and places they visit along the way. Travelling by canoe, the paddlers are determined to keep the trip technology free by avoiding the use of cell phones and computers, choosing instead to communicate with postcards in the mail. Northern Forest Canoe Trail article en-us Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2499&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Mitch Wertlieb and Melody Bodette Work has begun in Montpelier on a project to expand the heating system used by state government buildings to serve public and private buildings in the downtown. It’s part of a $20 million project that will expand the wood-fired heating system. It will be run jointly by the city and the state. William Fraser, Montpelier’s City Manager says the first part of the project involves disconnecting an old water line over 90 years old, and reconnecting the services to another line. “There’s a newer larger line also in the street so we’re simply going to discontinue the water line, convert the buildings that are being served off that old line to the new line. Then we’re going to be laying the district heat lines in the trench where the old line was,” Fraser explains. The project has two separate pieces, controlled by separate entities. The city is responsible for the upgrades to the distribution system, and that’s what starting now. The state is working on a related project to upgrade the heating system plant. Both projects are using the same federal grant, and the city’s system will connect to the plant. Fraser says the City’s project is within budget. The state’s project did have some overruns, and but it’s still moving forward. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2495&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jennifer Mitchell Much is still up in the air when it comes to "unmanned aerial vehicles," or drones. But one thing that's become more clear is that the state of Maine will not be taking part in the Federal Aviation Administration's push to introduce UAVs into the airspace overhead. A group of industry and municipal leaders from northern Maine say the area is perfect for a drones testing project. But as Jennifer Mitchell reports, their proposal to participate in the project never really got off the ground. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article en-us Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2481&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Sarah Harris Most of the North Country is losing population, and losing farms. But there's one group that keeps growing: Old Order Amish. They're drawn to the St. Lawrence Valley by the area's cheap, available farmland. They Amish live an agrarian lifestyle that's more 19th century than 21st century. But in order to support their communities and their culture, the Amish have had to find a place in the local economy, including the dairy industry and an unlikely partnership with Agri-Mark. North Country Public Radio article en-us Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2482&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York Everyone is familiar with how bees and insects distribute pollen from one flower to another, but that's not the only way to get the job done. Some night-blooming plants are pollinated by bats, when bright floral colors are invisible. And hummingbirds might just get their nectar without picking up any pollen. Dr. Curt Stager and Martha Foley discuss the unusual strategies some plants can use to attract and hold the interest of the unusual animals that pollinate them. North Country Public Radio article en-us Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2486&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National In 2010, the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (Endowment) announced creation of a one-of-a-kind database of industrial and selected community-scale users of wood-to-energy facilities across North America. The Endowment recently unveiled major improvements in the database. The site—www.wood2energy.org—is a searchable database open to anyone with interest in the state of wood-to-energy conversion at a national, state/provincial or local operating level. Through the Woody Biomass Joint Venture—a partnership between the USDA Forest Service and the Endowment—recent updates to the Wood2Energy database ensure that it serves as the most comprehensive and up-to-date source of users and processors of wood for energy, e.g., electric facilities, thermal installations, pellet mills, etc. Partners though out the biomass industry as well as state and federal agencies have worked to improve the usability and accuracy of the database and recently began including thermal installations, such as schools and government offices. Biomass Magazine article en-us Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2488&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Joan Chamberlain This short presentation was presented at the 2013 Northeast Biomass Heating Expo. The slides explain the new biomass system they installed in their facility. Link to presentation (a PDF) en-us Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2492&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Colebrook, New Hampshire Date: April 29th The use of an outdoor classroom for educating children has dwindled in recent years despite the overwhelming evidence that it works incredibly well! Join us on April 29th for a free screening and discussion of Mother Nature’s Child in Colebrook (see attached). This movie is especially important for the North Country, encouraging parents and teachers to embrace the idea of using our rich natural amenities to teach kids outside! This showing is brought to you by Plum Creek Timberlands and is open to everyone! Please help us pass it on! Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire has more information. en-us Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2491&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Lake Plaicd, New York Date: June 6-7 Taking place at the stunning Conference Center in Lake Placid (NY), the second annual Clean Energy Conference will begin Wed., June 5 at 3 p.m. with the opening of the exhibitor showcase and will include a welcome reception. Thursday's full-day session runs from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., featuring workshops in nine areas: solar, wind, hydro, biomass, bio-digesters, transmission, conservation/efficiency for new and existing buildings, and a special topics session (with topics such as biofuels, LNG, batteries, etc.). Friday will begin at 8 a.m. with continued track sessions and opportunities for round-table discussions with regional experts. The exhibitor showcase will be open to the public on Friday. The conference is presented by ANCA and partners. Link to general information and registration.   en-us Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2476&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Nok-Noi Ricker Documents provided to the town under Maine’s Freedom of Access Act reveal that the state Department of Transportation has scaled back the scope and cost of a proposed Interstate 395-Route 9 connector road that would affect local property owners. Town officials last October filed a FOAA request seeking information about how state transportation leaders selected the preferred route for the multimillion-dollar project. Planning board member Gretchen Heldmann gave a summary report of the 1,239-page FOAA response at Tuesday’s selectmen’s meeting. According to the report, the documents reveal that MDOT. Bangor Daily News article en-us Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2477&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Jeff Leich One hundred years and one day after the first documented ascent of Mount Washington on skis, two grandsons and a great grandson of Carl E. Shumway, one of the three to make the first ski climb, celebrated the centennial with a ski tour along the route taken by the 1913 adventurers. Berlin Daily Sun article en-us Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2478&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen The Department of Energy has chosen Southeastern Archaeological Research Inc. to review the impact of the Northern Pass hydro-electric project on the state’s historical sites, a DOE official says. The firm has 70 full-time employees “who represent the complete range of disciplines necessary to conduct cultural resource projects,” according to the company’s website. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2479&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Jane Lindholm and Sage Van Wing The emerald ash borer hasn't been spotted in Vermont yet, but it's getting closer. The little green beetle has destroyed ash tree populations in Ohio and Michigan, and has chewed its way across the Midwest to New England. Some landowners worry they should cut their ash trees now, before the pest arrives. We'll talk to Michael Snyder, Commissioner of Vermont Forests Parks and Recreation, to find out what you, and the state, can do to prepare. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2487&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine Maine Energy Systems (MESys) announces they are on track to sell a record number of fully-automatic wood pellet boilers in the northeastern U.S. this year. Because of increasing demand, MESys has reduced prices on its AutoPellet 20kW boiler, which is suitable for residential and light commercial customers, by nearly 18%. “High fossil fuel costs and growing consumer awareness of our wood pellet boilers have contributed to the strong 2013 sales,” said Les Otten, MESys’ co-founder and CEO. “We’ve installed hundreds of boilers over the last few years, and owners are reporting heating bills reduced by up to 50 percent.” MESys, in partnership with the Northern Forest Center and Berlin Better Buildings, installed 36 of its boilers in Berlin, New Hampshire as part of a pilot program known as the Berlin Model Neighborhood Project. Redorbit article en-us Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2490&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Alexie Rubenstein Traffic and parking in Montpelier is about to get more challenging. Workers broke ground Wednesday on the long awaited cooperative effort between the state and the city to provide wood chip-generated heat to a portion of the downtown. "It's been touch and go a number of times and the fact that we're really building it is a great feeling," said Bill Fraser, the Montpelier city manager. To make it work, the city is tapping into the state's existing plant in back of the DMV. The city will convert steam that's used to heat many state buildings into hot water. It will travel in a series of new 8-inch pipes under State Street, eventually winding its way to Main Street, City Hall, the police station, Union Elementary School and some 16 private landlords, with the potential for more in the future. And although it's only one of a handful of municipally run systems like it in the country, city officials say it's no different from other city services. "Some towns and cities in Vermont provide electricity and many others don't. Some provide water and sewer-- this is a utility service with lines in the ground and meters. It's not that different from some of the services we provide, it's just new," Fraser said. By converting to biomass, the city expects to save nearly a quarter million dollars in their annual fuel bill. For its part, the state will double the size of its heating plant. The 1940-era boilers will be replaced with boilers that run on wood chips. And all of it will be flood-proofed. WCAX article en-us Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2483&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Julie Grant A couple of years ago, things looked bad for dairy processing in North Lawrence. Healthy Food Holdings was shutting down its Breyer's yogurt plant, and laying off more than 100 workers. But within weeks, the plant was quietly purchased by the Upstate Niagara Cooperative. The Buffalo-based dairy processor renamed the plant the North Country Dairy. It says yogurt is on an upward trend in New York State, and the Cooperative wants to be part of that. Many food manufacturers guard trade secrets tightly, and won't allow visitors. Upstate Niagara wouldn't allow the North Country plant manager to talk on tape for a story. But he did take me on a full tour of the facility. North Country Public Radio article en-us Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2484&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Joanna Richards The North Country Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) held its most recent meeting at Fort Drum last week. The idea was to give members from the region's seven counties greater insight into how the Army post interacts with the local economy. The council also took steps to implement a new program for water and sewer project infrastructure. The council heard briefings from Fort Drum officials as well as community leaders who work with the facility on a range of issues including housing, government contracting and health care. North Country Public Radio article en-us Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2480&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff Workshop will be held April 27th. A facilitated workshop being held on April 27th, will explore Succession Planning — the human side of estate planning. “Ties to the Land: Planning for the Future of Your Woodlands” will focus on maintaining family ties to the land from generation to generation, building awareness of the key challenges facing private woodland owners, and farmers, as well as motivating families to address the challenges. The interactive workshop is facilitated by Dr. Shorna Broussard Allred of Cornell University Cooperative Extension, in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension Associations of Warren and Saratoga Counties, and the Southeastern Adirondack Chapter of the New York Forest Owners Association (NYFOA), providing effective tools families can use to decide the future of their land. Adirondack Almanack article Click to register en-us Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2485&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Innovation Trail A recent study from Cornell and Stanford universities outlines a scenario that would see New York State generating all its energy from renewable sources by year 2030. Cornell University Professor Tony Ingraffea co-authored the study. The basic question researchers considered was whether New York could do without energy from fossil fuels in the near future. The answer, he says, is yes. "The point we're trying to make in the paper is the slow part was 10 years ago. 40 percent of all new electricity generation in the United States in 2012 came from wind and solar. The last month 2012, the first month of 2013, 100 percent of all new electricity generation in the United States came from renewable." North Country Public Radio article en-us Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2489&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Sharon Kiley Mack Ask Heather Henry, owner of Lubec’s Eastland Motel with partner Glen Tenan, what doing business in Washington County is all about and she paints an exhausting picture. It’s working 16-hour days, seven days a week. It’s painting, repairing, plumbing and cleaning. It’s trying to fill empty rooms in the middle of February and being nearly dizzy in July from a summer influx of visitors. But Henry is just as quick to say that many Washington County businesses have a secret ally: counsel and advice from other local businesswomen. Women entrepreneurs are starting and succeeding in a variety of businesses here — they are motel owners, chocolatiers, business and life consultants, bathing suit manufacturers, herbalists, farmers, recreational experts and artists. Twenty-five of these businesswomen from the county traveled to Augusta earlier this month and set up displays in the Maine State House Hall of Flags — surprising many legislators who stopped by with the depth and breadth of their work. Looking around at all the products and opportunities, one lobbyist opened his eyes wide and said: “THIS is Washington County? I’m floored.” Bangor Daily News article en-us Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2467&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Barbara Tetreault Delta Power Services Tuesday night outlined plans to hire 25 to 30 permanent employees for the Burgess BioPower plant between May and September. An estimated 150 people attended a job informational meeting at the Berlin Middle School auditorium to hear Delta Power Service Human Resource Generalist Angela Stripling describe the jobs and the application process for the biomass plant. Based in Houston, Texas, Delta Power Services has a six-year contract to operate and maintain the 75-megawatt biomass plant. A subsidiary of Babcock & Wilcox, the company that is constructing the 75-megawatt biomass plant, Delta Power operates eight facilities in the United States. The Burgess BioPower facility is scheduled to begin operations in October. Berlin Daily Sun article en-us Sat, 13 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2471&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Steve Zind Vermont officials say some hard-to-reach parts of the state will soon have cell phone coverage thanks to the successful test of a new system. For Vermont cell phone users reception difficulties stem from two problems: First, the terrain which often blocks the signals from cell phone towers. The second reason is economic. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Sat, 13 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2463&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Keith Shortall Maine Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen was in Aroostook County this morning to unveil an initiative aimed at encouraging young people in northern Maine to attend college, and to stay in the area after graduation. The so-called "Aroostook Aspirations Initiative" will award scholarships to 16 high school seniors each year to attend any of the four colleges in northern Maine. As Keith Shortall reports, Bowen hopes the initiative could serve as a model for other areas of the state. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article en-us Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2468&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Dave Anderson The Chairman of the Society of Forest Medicine at Nippon Medical School in Tokyo, Japan Dr. Qing Li, studies nature’s effect on the human immune system. A person’s natural immune cells called “NK cells” can be reliably measured in a lab. NK cells function like white blood cells to increase resistance to illness including cancer by sending self-destruct messages to tumors and virus-infected cells. Stress, aging and pesticides reduce NK counts. Dr. Li wondered if contact with nature would increase NK cells. Li suspected the aromatic chemicals found in forest air were beneficial. To establish a link, Li brought middle-aged Tokyo businessmen to the woods. For three days, they hiked in the mornings and afternoons. Blood tests showed that NK cells increased 40 percent. Even a month later, NK counts remained higher than when the study started while urban walking trips didn’t change NK levels. Japanese scientists have identified more than 50 aromatic compounds in the countryside that are not found in city air outside of parks. Researchers are studying “pinene” for antimicrobial properties and “limonene,” from citrus trees, as possible tumor suppressors in cancer patients. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2466&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Barbara Tetreault A group of homeowners gathered at Tea Birds Restaurant Tuesday night to celebrate the end of their addiction to home heating oil. "Every time the oil truck goes by, I smile," said Marie Canning. Canning's home is one of 36 Berlin homes that has or is in the process of replacing its oil burner with a high efficiency wood pellet boiler. It is estimated the 36 homeowners combined will save more than $50,000 a year in heating costs. In addition to saving money, the homeowners are also proving that switching to a local renewable energy source helps the local economy and the environment. The project is expected to have a $200,000 annual impact on the local economy. The homeowners participated in the Model Neighborhood Project, which subsidized the purchase and installation of the boilers. Launched in the fall of 2011 by the Northern Forest Center, Berlin Better Buildings, and Maine Energy Systems, the goal was to install 40 pellet boilers in Berlin homes. "Berlin has proven that this technology works, that we can use local wood to replace foreign oil, that we can spend our heating dollars locally and support jobs in the local forest industry," said Rob Riley, president of the Northern Forest Center. Mike Wilson, senior program director at the Northern Forest Center, said Berlin now has the highest concentration of bulk pellet boilers in the country. "Berlin really is a model for this," he said. Berlin Daily Sun article en-us Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2470&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Charlotte Albright The CEOs of the two foreign companies that promise to bring more than 600 new jobs to Newport visited the future site of their operations Thursday in the lakefront building formerly occupied by Bogner ski wear. Dr. Ike Lee, president of the Korean bio-tech firm AnC Bio, announced a partnership with UVM to help recruit scientifically trained researchers. Todd Bachelder, CEO of Menck Windows USA, whose parent company is German, said he is looking forward to making energy efficient windows in Newport. His company will rely on foreign investments and will tap into a local workforce skilled in construction materials. Jay Peak Resort President Bill Stenger, who is spearheading the series of investments in the Northeast Kingdom, said permitting and investments for four other projects are proceeding on schedule. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2464&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Susan Sharon Scientists working to help bats survive a devastating disease known as white nose syndrome that has decimated populations in the Northeast and beyond say a number of infected bats spent the winter in an abandoned Maine bunker. In an experiment aimed at finding alternative strategies for saving them, 30 little brown bats were taken from caves in Vermont and New York and transported to the Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge in Limestone, Maine. And as Susan Sharon reports, the experiment shows early signs of success. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article en-us Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2465&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Keith Shortall Though MOO Milk has struggled, it's now standing more solidly on its own four hooves, and is found on supermarket shelves throughout New England. It's an example of a new business model, which operates as a for-profit entity, but offers more than just quality organic milk. "With impact investing, it's not just about that capital - it's about building companies, it's about human capital, about management, about so many more things other than capital," says Ron Phillips, CEO and co-founder of Coastal Enterprises Inc., a non-profit community development corporation based in Wiscasset which distributes capital to rural businesses like MOO Milk on behalf of investors who see some greater value in the company's very existance. "We were able to step in with other private investors not driven so much by tax incentives, but trying to help build a company, frankly," Phillips says. "And the merit of this company, and the possiblities are to restore and begin to rebuild a component of the dairy industry in the state of Maine, namely organic dairy farmers, and a large segment of them in Washington County and northern Maine." Maine Public Broadcasting Network article en-us Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2472&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Ross Sneyd Earlier this week officials in New Hampshire said they had found an infestation of emerald ash borer in the Concord area. Now Vermont officials are reminding the public that the best way to prevent the spread of the insect is to burn local firewood. The emerald ash borer is an invasive pest from China first detected in this country in 2002. Since then it has been discovered in 19 states, including New York and Massachusetts and the province of Quebec. Foresters were surprised to discover the emerald ash borer in Concord because there were no similar infestations nearby. Jim Esden is a Vermont forester. "And that highlights the fact that this insect is difficult to detect and spreads quite quickly by movement of infested materials," Esden says. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2474&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail By: Alex Blackburne Leading economists are failing to account for ecosystem services such as climate change, water scarcity and pollinator fall off, because of the inherent short-term nature of markets, says a new report. Researchers at Alliance Trust Investments, Newton Investment Management and Schroders heard from several chief economists from some of the largest investment banks in the world, about the level at which they were integrating ecosystem changes. Interviewees noted the “shortcomings in the ability of existing economic models to readily incorporate ecosystem service impacts”. “As the visibility of changes to ecosystem services continues to increase on a global level, from the drought in the US to the smog of Beijing, there is increasing recognition that the outcomes of these changes are having material economic impacts”, the report’s executive summary reads. “The evidence may emerge quickly through visible indicators, such as rising crop prices, or gradually through less immediately tangible indicators, such as declining health.” The study, called Broken Models? Economics and Ecosystem Services, says that there is a “noticeable absence within economic forecasts […] of the consequences of changes to ecosystem services […] on these forecasts.” Blue and Green Tomorrow article en-us Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Ecosystem Services http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2469&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sam Evans-Brown Merrimack county is under quarantine. Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive Asian beetle that has killed millions of Ash trees in the Midwest, has been discovered in Concord. Once the beetle’s population has been established, they can spread incredibly fast, doubling every year. Today the state learned where the patient zero of the New Hampshire infestation can be found. Kyle Lombard with the New Hampshire Division of Forested Lands has been on the lookout for Emerald Ash Borers since 2002. But he was not expecting to find them here. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Mon, 08 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2508&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: John Ackerly The pellet industry has been developing certification standards to ensure that consumers know the quality of the pellets they are buying, but a similar issue is being overlooked when it comes to the equipment that uses the pellets—the efficiency of the stoves. There is virtually no credible information available to consumers that indicates which stoves are extremely efficient, and which are pellet guzzlers. The federal and state governments should be clamoring for this information, because pellet stoves and boilers are the biomass heating appliance that most deserves incentives, and incentives are almost always tied to efficiency. Biomass Magazine article en-us Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2449&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine by: Nick McCrea The most exciting thing about cellulose nanofibers could be that we don’t yet know the most exciting thing about cellulose nanofibers, paper industry experts said Wednesday. University of Maine researchers updated more than 300 forestry and paper industry officials, stakeholders and politicians on what the university’s research could mean for the future during the first day of the 63rd annual Paper Days at UMaine. The nanofibers are derived from wood chips, which are broken down and processed into a white, gooey, odorless, tasteless cream with seemingly boundless potential. Researchers know of many current and future uses, ranging from a thickener in yogurt to stiffening wind turbine blades and building materials to body armor. Bangor Daily News article en-us Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2450&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Aislinn Sarnacki She placed a boombox on the hood of the car, pressed play and stood back. Silence. She waited, her breath catching the moonlight as it hit the freezing air and condensed into a trail of fog. Stars twinkled. A lone frog peeped. After a few minutes, the high-pitched, insistent hoot of a northern saw-whet owl rang out from the speakers and became progressively louder, then faded into silence. With that call, at 1 a.m. on Easter Sunday, Corelyn Senn of Lincolnville began her annual owl monitoring expedition. And it would be her last — at least officially. The 10-year statewide Maine Owl Monitoring Program wraps up this spring, and along with Senn, volunteers across the state will hang up their clipboards and wait for an analysis of the decade worth of data they’ve collected to be released. Bangor Daily News article en-us Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2451&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jay Field The state's decision to back away from any official involvement in a proposal to build an east-west highway in Maine has not deterred the private interests that are still backing the project. Cianbro, the Pittsfield-based construction firm, wants to build a 220-mile, privately-funded roadway from Calais to Coburn Gore by 2023. Cianbro CEO Peter Vigue has been trynig to sell the idea to skeptical residents in counties and towns that would likely end up in the path of the highway. Jay Field was at a public forum of the Penobscot County Commissioners in Bangor Tuesday, where Vigue made his latest pitch. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article en-us Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2453&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: David Sommerstein You never know who you're going to meet by the side of the road in the North Country. David Sommerstein stopped to chat with a guy sawing firewood recently. It turns out he painted one of the tallest bridges over the St. Lawrence River. Today's Heard Up North features Frank Forney of Philadelphia. North Country Public Radio article en-us Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2452&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Emily Corwin and Sara Plourde As lawmakers consider raising the state's gas tax, you may be wondering: are New Hampshire's roads getting worse? Why are they getting harder to pay for? And, does it really matter if we have a few more potholes? NHPR's newsroom answers those questions in this animation: link to video New Hampshire Public Radio en-us Tue, 02 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2454&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Joanna Richards The North Country Arts Council has been a growing force for cultural activity in the Watertown area since its inception in 2009. The group aims to spotlight the work of regional artists, and it hopes to draw more community members into arts activities, too. Over the schools' winter break this year, the organization offered a day full of different art workshops for kids at its home on Public Square. North Country Public Radio article en-us Tue, 02 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2455&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine Northern Maine Medical Center in Fort Kent, Maine, showcased its new biomass-fueled boilers system at an open house in February. The system features a Chiptec furnace that is designed to make managing the equipment more convenient for the hospital. It includes a gravity-fed storage system that feeds a conveyor to minimize jamming and reduces the number of augers needed to deliver the wood chips to the boiler. In addition, the furnace system can be accessed remotely online. Biomass Magazine article en-us Tue, 02 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2461&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National The Institute for Culture and Ecology (IFCAE) announces a new website to help small forestland owners develop commercial nontimber forest product resources on their land. The www.ntfpinfo.us website is free to use, requires no registration, and contains extensive public domain resources including hundreds of extension articles, thousands of photographs, dozens of videos, and a species database with over 1,400 commercially harvested species in the U.S. Landowners will find links to companion sites as well as key business directories like the Oregon Forest Industry Directory. The publications section contains how-to articles on medicinal plants, native seed gathering, wild foods, floral greens, as well as practical tools like the Google Earth training exercise which teaches the basics of land mapping in less than three hours. Visit the website en-us Tue, 02 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2330&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Canoe Trail NFCT is hosting nine screenings of Rapid Media's Reel Paddling Film Fest World Tour in 2013. This is our biggest series to date, and we are thrilled to be able to share with you the year's best paddling films - whitewater, adventure, canoeing, sea kayaking, instructional, you name it! Join us and our fabulous partners for one or more screenings to enjoy some truly great films, to build connections to the larger paddling community, and to support a great cause. Proceeds support the Northern Forest Canoe Trail and our partners. Northern Forest Canoe Trail article en-us Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2393&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Reports to and partners with the Executive Director (ED) to spearhead all development efforts as New England Forestry Foundation (NEFF) continues to grow. PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES • Develop and execute New England Forestry Foundation’s annual fundraising plan including goals for all components of fundraising revenue • Work closely with the Chair and members of the Development Committee to engage them in fundraising and external relations activities on behalf of New England Forestry Foundation • Secure financial support from individuals, foundations and corporations • Manage development and communications staff • Identify new individual major gift prospects and foundation prospects • Develop grant proposals in concert with ED • Develop and maintain ongoing relationships with major donors and major foundations • Create and execute the strategy for a sustained base of annual individual donors • Work closely with Marketing Communications Manager and others to develop organizational special events roster • Develop and track all grant proposals and reports for all foundation and corporate fundraising Additional information en-us Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Job Opportunities http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2408&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine We are seeking an intern for seven weeks in the summer of 2013. Start and end dates are negotiable depending on the successful candidates academic schedule. The intern will receive a weekly stipend of $300. Lodging is not provided, but we can assist the intern with arranging local accommodations if needed. Intern projects will include assisting with: Planning and implementing aquatic habitat restoration projects with DLLT staff and partner organizations and agencies to enhance habitat for brook trout and other aquatic wildlife. Performing routine maintenance of hiking trails and campsites on the Farm Cove Community Forest, and planning future trails and campsites on the West Grand Lake Community Forest project. Staffing events, including: DLLT booth at the Grand Lake Stream Folk Art Festival July 27-28, Annual Picnic and meeting on July 28, West Grand Lake Race on August 4th, and weekly Tuesday morning Explorations and Adventures education programs. Link to internship information en-us Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Job Opportunities http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2432&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Kathryn Fernholz The Forest Service recently released the report “Future of America’s Forests and Rangelands”,[1] providing an extensive examination of the next 50 years (2010-2060) of natural resource pressures and potential changes in forests of the United States. The report highlights risks for negative impacts to forest resources linked to expansion of urban and developed areas, climate change, population growth, and other factors. Potential changes in a number of areas are evaluated including resource availability, recreation opportunities, wildlife habitat, water resources, and public health. Data analysis and evaluation of alternative scenarios in the report conclude that as a result of the highlighted risks, “Forest inventory volumes are expected to peak between 2020 and 2030, followed by a decline in volume to 2060.” Dovetail Partners Inc article en-us Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2438&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Development Coordinator The Center seeks a development coordinator to work as a key member of our operations team in our Concord, NH, office to support current initiatives across all program areas, focusing on individual giving, grant coordination, information management, and administrative support to the Director of Philanthropy. Title: Development Coordinator Reports to: Operations Manager Supervises: No supervisory responsibilities Development Coordinator description The Center is seeking qualified applicants for this position, which will remain open until filled. See position descriptions for details and application instructions. No calls, please. Link to job description en-us Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Job Opportunities http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2439&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Program Assistant The Center seeks a program assistant to work as a key member of our operations team in our Concord, NH, office to support our current initiatives across all program areas, focusing on communications, information management, and administrative support to the President and program staff. Title: Program Assistant Reports to: Operations Manager Supervises: No supervisory responsibilities The Center is seeking qualified applicants for this position, which will remain open until filled. See position descriptions for details and application instructions. No calls, please. Link to job description en-us Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Job Opportunities http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2440&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire The Breakfast is a 23-year-old tradition that began as a means for local Natural Resource Professionals to network and share insights from the past year. It has grown to include up to 150 folks from across NH and surrounding states with cutting-edge presentations both in-doors and in the woods! This year’s breakfast will be held at the Mountain View Grand Resort in Whitefield NH. Please join us for a hearty breakfast, networking and learning. Extension to register. Additional information en-us Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2443&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: David Sommerstein The company that built Massena will keep its plants open there for at least another 30 years. Alcoa announced Saturday it will invest $42 million to modernize its East plant and build a new smelting the line. The company will also guarantee at least 900 jobs. In return, Alcoa will get low cost electricity from the hydropower dam on the St. Lawrence River. The deal hinges on how the Environmental Protection Agency decides to clean up PCBs Alcoa and Reynolds dumped in the Grasse River decades ago. North Country Public Radio article en-us Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2456&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New England By: Stephen Singer Establishing a New England market to buy renewable energy seemed a laudable goal when governors committed last year to bulk purchases of wind and solar power to knock down the price while reducing the region’s reliance on fossil fuels. Consumers could benefit from price stability, even from costlier wind and energy power. But putting together details about what types of renewable energy the six states will buy in the groundbreaking deal is snared in a patchwork of rules, state laws and disagreements over how even to define alternative energy. ‘‘I don’t think we know how to do it,’’ was the blunt assessment of Christopher Recchia, commissioner of Vermont’s Public Service Department. Boston.com article en-us Sun, 31 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2458&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National Lumber production in the US and Canada improved during 2012, with total output in 2012 being eight percent and five percent higher, respectively, than in 2011, according to WWPA. Sawmills in the Western region have been more fortunate than mills in other regions in North America since they have been able to ship lumber both to markets in the US and to Asia. The US housing market is continuing to improve, with higher house prices, lower inventories and limited sales of foreclosure homes (increasingly turned into rental properties). These developments have resulted in an increased number of housing starts and higher demand for lumber. Canadian sawmills, which export a majority of their lumber to the US, have been ramping up production during 2012 to meet the higher demand for lumber. This has been particularly true for sawmills in the Eastern provinces where production in the 4Q/12 was up 16 percent year-over-year. Forest Business Network article en-us Sun, 31 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2459&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National Wood fiber prices trended downward in the local currencies in many of the key pulp-producing countries of the world in the fourth quarter. However, as a result of the weakening US dollar, wood fiber prices actually increased in US dollar terms in a number countries and the Softwood Wood Fiber Price Index (SFPI) was up slightly (+0.1%) in the 4Q/12 to $100.13/odmt. The biggest increases from the 3Q to the 4Q occurred in Eastern Canada, Finland, France and New Zealand, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly (www.woodprices.com). Forest Business Network article en-us Sun, 31 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2460&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Global The Global Sawlog Price Index (GSPI) increased by 1.5 percent to US$83.52/m3 in the 4Q/12 after having declined for five consecutive quarters. This time marked the longest period of continuous decline since the Index was established in 1995, falling continuously from the all-time-high in the 2Q/11 through the 3Q/12. Log prices were up in US dollar terms in practically all 17 regions that are included in the GSPI. Forest Business Network article en-us Sun, 31 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2462&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (the Endowment) released its 2012 Annual Report. Creating financial linkages between urban water consumers and the rural forest landowners who produce their water, as well as featuring the key role that working forests play in helping buffer Department of Defense installations from incompatible development that affects military readiness, are among highlights of the Endowment’s work in 2012. Link to report en-us Sun, 31 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2436&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Mark Fischetti A forest floor can store lots of atmospheric carbon, helping to limit global warming that results from carbon dioxide emissions. Most of that storage, scientists have thought, is found in tree leaves and branches that absorb carbon, eventually fall to the ground and slowly decay into soil. A new study in Sweden, however, indicates that 50 to 70 percent of the carbon bound in soil is actually from tree roots and the fungi that grow on them. This surprising insight comes from Karina Clemmensen at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and colleagues who studied boreal forests on 30 islands in northern Swedish lakes. The forests were consumed by different numbers of fires over the past 5,000 years, providing a broad mix of soil compositions on different forest floors. The comparison revealed that the amount of carbon stored in soil was linked to mycorrhizal fungi that grow along tree-root systems and help to keep them healthy. Scientific American article en-us Thu, 28 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Ecosystem Services http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2442&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Robert Long People who live near wind farms and other opponents of expedited permitting for wind energy projects packed a legislative hearing room Thursday to testify in favor of three bills that aim to change parts of the Wind Energy Act of 2008. The act, which won unanimous support from the 123rd Legislature amid aggressive advocacy from then-Gov. John Baldacci’s administration, helped developers fast-track wind energy projects that placed turbines on mountains in rural Maine, particularly the Unorganized Territory. But since 2008, people who own property near the turbines, others who question the economic benefits of wind energy, those who believe the act gives unfair advantage to wind developers and Mainers with concerns about environmental harm have sought to roll back what they characterize as “special rights” the 2008 act awarded to the wind industry. Public hearings on the three bills stretched almost four hours Thursday as proponents urged the Legislature’s Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee to support bills that they said would level the playing field, not drive wind energy out of Maine. Bangor Daily News article en-us Thu, 28 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2457&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Mary Thill Scott Lizotte was hopeful as he pulled his iPhone out of the breast pocket of his flannel shirt. "It's going to be six degrees tonight," he said, studying the 10-day forecast. It's mid-March, and he's standing between a skidder and a log loader in a snowy clearing of a 12,000-acre private forest near Tupper Lake, a former lumber town in New York's Adirondack Mountains. The ground is deeply rutted from rain two days ago, but the return of cold has frozen it hard as blacktop. The forecast is good news for Lizotte and his logging crew, who need a frozen base of six inches to support the heavy feller-bunchers, skidders and trucks that cut and haul logs. Because deep cold provides a firm surface on which to move through the forest, winter is the most productive time of year for northern loggers, but winter is getting shorter. "We used to go on the job when the ground was frozen, around the first of November, or around Thanksgiving," said Scott's father, Jeannel Lizotte. "Now it's going around Christmas time." Daily Climate article en-us Thu, 28 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2444&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Sarah Harris A proposed natural gas pipeline from Vermont to the International Paper Mill in Ticonderoga, New York, has some Vermont residents up in arms. But International Paper and the North Country Regional Economic Development Council argue that supplying the mill with natural gas is vital to the North Country economy. People packed into the high school auditorium in Hinesburg, Vt., last week, to voice their opinions about a proposed natural gas pipeline before the Vermont Public Service Board. North Country Public Radio article en-us Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2445&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Knight The state is close to completing the purchase of two more parcels of former Finch, Pruyn and Co. timberlands that will be added to the Adirondack Forest Preserve. Meanwhile, staff from the Adirondack Park Agency are preparing for the first of what's expected to be several years of work to classify 69,000 acres of the former Finch lands. The state made that $50-million landmark deal with The Nature Conservancy last year. Some of those lands are set to be opened up for public recreation later this year. North Country Public Radio article en-us Tue, 26 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2446&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Whit Richardson Rumford Paper Co., which operates the paper mill in town, has agreed to pay more than $3 million to settle allegations brought by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that it profited from manipulating New England’s energy market. In the consent agreement published Friday, Rumford Paper, which is a subsidiary of Ohio-based NewPage Corp., agreed to a total fine of $10 million and return of more than $3 million in payments FERC maintains the Rumford mill received fraudulently through the manipulation of an electricity program administered by ISO-New England that compensated large industrial electricity users for reducing their electricity consumption during peak demand hours. However, because NewPage filed for bankruptcy in September 2011, FERC has agreed to accept a cash payment of slightly more than $3 million to settle the case. In signing the consent agreement with FERC, NewPage neither denies the allegations nor admits any guilt. Bangor Daily News article en-us Tue, 26 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2447&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen When the $30 million renovation of the Balsams Grand Resort is complete it will look a lot like the old grand hotel but will feature much-needed modern amenities making it far nicer for guests and a lot cheaper to operate. That’s how Dan Hebert, one of the two owners, described the renovation Tuesday night before the Coos County Planning Board. Originally the complex had about 400,000 square feet. Hebert said about 123,000 of that is being retained. About 80,000 square feet will be added. Hebert says that a new biomass heating system will use wood from the Balsams. It will cost $100,000 a year to heat the complex compared to $1 million a year before. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Tue, 26 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2473&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Alliance for Green Heat In 1999, pellet stoves only had an 11percent share of the stove market. Nine years later in 2008, they had a nearly 43 percent market share. Today, for every three stoves sold, two use cordwood and one uses pellets. For a technology that was only invented in 1980s, this is a remarkable innovation success story. The large percentage of pellet stoves sold today is great news for air quality agencies since they operate far cleaner in homes than almost all wood stoves. It’s also great news for the renewable energy community since a pellet stove burns 24/7 and is usually a home’s primary heat source. Pellet stoves typically make as much or more energy than residential solar panels and drastically reduce a home’s fossil fuel. Biomass Magazine article en-us Tue, 26 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2441&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jen Lynds Maine Maple Sunday takes place at more than 100 sugarhouses across Maine every fourth Sunday in March. This year marked the 30th anniversary of the event. Participating sugarhouses opened for visitors to enjoy freshly made maple syrup and candy, demonstrations of syrup production, sugarbush tours and a variety of other family activities. Bangor Daily News article en-us Sun, 24 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2448&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen If the Senate bill that proposes a single casino in the state becomes law it “would dedicate millions of dollars per year directly to North Country economic development,” Governor Maggie Hassan said during a speech Thursday night before the North Country Chamber of Commerce. That would spur business and job growth “helping us attract new companies by marketing the North Country’s advantages to businesses in Canada and elsewhere,” she told about 125 people at the Log Haven Restaurant on lonely Route 26 in Millsfield, about 145 miles from Concord. The thrust of Hassan’s remarks was a continuation of her campaign to explain and promote her budget. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Fri, 22 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2409&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail The 5th annual Expo--the region’s largest biomass heating conference--unites a diverse audience from the biomass fuel, supply chain, developer, manufacturer, and government sectors to break barriers and ground for biomass thermal and combined heat and power (CHP) systems. From the expo floor to panel discussions, to technical workshops for engineers, the refreshed and fast-paced interactive program will emphasize practical learning and real project case studies. Explore the conference site to register or exhibit today. en-us Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2410&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Space still available for this workshop! If you haven’t registered yet, please click here to download registration info or call me at the number below. See you there! Find more UNH Cooperative Extension Workshops at www.nhwoods.org. Brendan Prusik, Coös County Forester, UNH Cooperative Extension. en-us Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2411&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Mar 26 2013 - Tupelo Music Hall, 188 South Main St., White River Jct., VT Email for more information en-us Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2412&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail May 15 2013 to May 16 2013 - High Peaks Resort, Lake Placid, NY Information & Registration en-us Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2413&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail May 15 2013 to May 17 2013 - Sunday River Resort, Bethel, ME Information & Registration en-us Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2414&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Jun 9 2013 to Jun 12 2013 - University of Vermont, Burlington Information & Registration en-us Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2415&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Jun 16 2013 to Jun 20 2013 - Bloomington Convention Ctr, Bloomington, IN Information & Registration en-us Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2417&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Whit Richardson The latest population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show that Maine’s population has remained relatively stagnant since the last decennial census. The population estimates for 2012, released Thursday morning, show that Maine added 831 residents since the 2010 census, a meager 0.1 percent increase, for an estimated total population of 1,329,192 as of July 1, 2012. The majority of the state’s population gains occurred in York and Cumberland counties, which added 1,874 and 2,245 residents, respectively, between 2010 and 2012. Those county gains represent 1 percent and 0.8 percent increases, respectively. However, the rises were offset by estimated population losses in 12 of Maine’s 16 counties. Bangor Daily News article en-us Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2421&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen Some North Country landowners are surprised that Department of Energy contractors are gathering environmental information on the Northern Pass project even though the route isn’t complete. But Patrick Parenteau, a lawyer professor and expert in environmental law at the Vermont Law School, is not surprised. “But it is not at all unusual, even during a scoping process, for the applicant to get out there with a consultant on the ground and start doing inventories of what exactly is going to be affected by the project,” he says. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2424&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Guest Contributor Our sugarhouse is within walking distance of an elementary school, so we’ve given tapping demonstrations to hundreds of school kids over the years. At the part where someone drills a hole in the tree and it sort of bleeds, the next question is invariably: “Does tapping hurt the tree?” The stock answer is no, as long as you don’t overdo it: use the smaller “health” spouts, follow conservative tapping guidelines, give the tree a year off if it looks stressed. As proof that sugaring is sustainable, we point to some of the trees in our sugarbush that have been tapped for close to a hundred years and are better off for it. Better off because we thin out the trees around them, giving the chosen trees extra light, water, and nutrients. Their increased vigor, when compared to the maples in unmanaged sections of the forest, is plain to see. But the sugarmaking being practiced today in many commercial bushes – including our own – is not the same sugarmaking that was practiced even 10 years ago. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2425&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Kimberly Rielly Have you altogether stopped watching, reading or listening to your go-to news source because it doesn’t provide the information you’re seeking? Well, you’re not alone. The recently released Pew Research Center’s Annual Report on American Journalism, “The State of the News Media 2013”, finds that the power of journalism continues to shrink as the news industry continues to cut jobs and news coverage. In fact, estimates for the decline in newsroom employment – at newspapers – in 2012 is down 30 percent since its peak in 2000. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2426&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Phil Brown More than five years after the Nature Conservancy bought all 161,000 acres of Finch, Pruyn & Company’s timberlands, the state has acquired eighteen thousand acres for the Forest Preserve and intends to open up some of the land to the public this spring. As a result of the state acquisition in December, canoeists and kayakers will be able to paddle south on the Hudson River from Newcomb to a takeout just south of the confluence with the Goodnow River. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2429&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Kate O'Connell This week, reporters from the Innovation Trail are taking a look at the pieces of New York State's complex energy puzzle. The Cuomo administration laid out its agenda to address future energy requirements. The blueprint focuses on clean technology, the smart grid, and new sources of alternative energy. But New York's home to some of the oldest power generating facilities in the U.S., including coal fired plants. Stricter emissions regulations introduced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the availability of cheap natural gas are combining to make times tough for coal-fired plants. The NRG power plant in Dunkirk presents a good case study for coal plants across New York, and the upstate region, that are now facing a changing energy landscape. North Country Public Radio article en-us Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2430&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: NCPR News Late last week the US Census released new population numbers and the data for the North Country caught the eye of Brian Mann, our Adirondack bureau chief. He's been blogging about the fact that a number of counties here in the region continue to lose population at a troubling rate. And then there's Jefferson County, around Fort Drum, which is one of the fastest growing parts of New York state. Brian spoke with Martha Foley about the shift. North Country Public Radio article en-us Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2434&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Lisa McCormack Out with the fuel oil, in with wood. The Stowe School Board voted Monday to move ahead with plans to replace the fuel-oil heating system at Stowe Middle-High School with a wood-pellet system. Number-crunchers say the project, which will cost about $600,000, should pay for itself in about seven years. The new system will be installed this summer, in time for the next heating season Stowe Today article en-us Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2416&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Lawrence Hurley The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday endorsed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s long-standing decision not to require Clean Water Act permitting for stormwater that runs off logging roads. Pat Sirois, coordinator of the Sustainable Forest Initiative in Maine, said the decision was good news for Maine’s forestry industry. “We are constantly working on these roads in Maine,” he said Wednesday afternoon. “At any one time, there can be 100 repair or maintenance operations going on. If we had to seek a permit for every culvert or stream crossing, operations would grind to a halt.” Sirois also said that Maine is a leader in the use of best management practices in the industry. Bangor Daily News article en-us Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2418&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jennifer Mitchell The sap has been flowing for much of the month - just in time for Maine Maple Sunday this weekend. Some of the sweet, amber syrup is ready, and heading toward a pancake near you, same as it has for centuries. But like many aspects of Maine's agrarian culture, the maple industry has changed over the decades. No longer is it that simple rural ritual of buckets, sleds, and oxen. As Jennifer Mitchell reports, even Maine's vintage sugarhouses are embracing technology to stay competitive in a world that has changed. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article   en-us Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2420&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Barbara Tetreault White Mountain National Forest Supervisor Tom Wagner has approved a land swap that will allow a 96-acre parcel of White Mountain National Forest land to become part of Jericho Mountain State Park. In exchange, a 76-acre parcel on the northern slope of Bartlett Mountain will become part of the WMNF. Wagner's decision is not subject to appeal and Kori Marchowsky of the U.S. Forest Service said all that remains to be done is the final legal work. The exchange is expected to take place this summer. "This is a big milestone," she said. The exchange has been in the works since 2009 and N.H. Trails Bureau head Chris Gamache said it has been discussed even longer. Berlin Daily Sun article en-us Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2422&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Amanda Loder Rockingham County is officially the healthiest place in New Hampshire, while Coos County is struggling in terms of public health. That’s according to a report released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin. The report ranks counties in every state based on a number of health, social, and economic factors. In New Hampshire, Rockingham earns the Number One spot. Grafton ranks second. Only one out-of-ten Rockingham County residents are reported in poor or fair health. Nine out-of-ten residents there are insured, and the county saw the fewest people die before the age of 75. By contrast, Coos County ranks as the least-healthy in New Hampshire. Coos had many more premature deaths than other counties, and nearly one-out-of-five residents are reported in poor or fair health. That’s double the rate of Rockingham County. Coos also has the highest rates of adult smoking and adult obesity in New Hampshire. The report also finds that Sullivan and Strafford counties rank low for the state. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2423&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Rick Ganley As producers prepare for Maple Weekend, New Hampshire Maple Producers Association Treasurer Howard Pearl tells us what maple syrup and other products mean to the state economy- and how the sap is flowing this year. New Hampshire Pubilc Radio article en-us Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2427&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Ryan Delaney Late last year, the Cuomo administration laid out its agenda to address New York's future energy requirements. The plan needs to address a range of issues including energy security, pricing and the role of renewables. This week, reporters from the Innovation Trail are putting different parts of that complex energy puzzle under the microscope. More energy-efficient technologies, from water heaters to wind turbine, have been coming onto the marketplace for decades. North Country Public Radio article en-us Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2433&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By Lawrence Hurley The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday endorsed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's long-standing decision not to require Clean Water Act permits for stormwater that runs off logging roads. The nine-member court ruled on a 7-1 vote, with Justice Stephen Breyer recused, that the EPA's conclusion was a reasonable interpretation of the law. The dispute - centering on two cases that the court consolidated - has attracted intense interest from the timber industry, which is keen to be exempt from Clean Water Act permitting. A total of 31 state attorneys general weighed in to support Oregon, which also opposes permitting. The case arose when the environmental group, the Northwest Environmental Defense Center, challenged EPA's interpretation of the law as it applied to two roads in the Tillamook State Forest in Oregon by suing logging road operators in federal court. In Wednesday's opinion, Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the majority, said that it was reasonable for EPA to conclude that runoff from logging roads did not fit within the definition in the Clean Water Act and associated regulations of the term "industrial activity." New and Insight artciel en-us Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2419&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Tom Porter The American Society of Civil Engineers today released its 2013 Report Card - and there's definitely room for improvement - a lot of room - both nationally and here in Maine. The survey, which is carried out every four years, finds the nation's roads, bridges, public transportation networks, water and sewage systems, school facilities, power grids, and other basic but essential public assets score a D-plus - a slight improvement on the D scored in 2009. But the report concludes that a $3.6 trillion investment is needed to rescue our near-failing infrastructure systems by 2020. To look more at the state of Maine's individual report card, Maine Things Considered host Tom Porter spoke with Will Haskell, from the Maine branch of the ASCE. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article en-us Tue, 19 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2435&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire The Pellet Fuels Institute announced last week that New England Wood Pellet, LLC (Jaffrey NH, Deposit NY, Schuyler NY) has officially qualified under the Pellet Fuels Institute (PFI) pellet fuel standards program. New England Wood Pellet, LLC (NEWP) is the first pellet manufacturer that can display the PFI Quality Mark on their bags, indicating that they are producing pellets that are compliant with the fuel grade listed on their bags.   The PFI Standards Program is a third party certification program providing standard specifications for residential and commercial grade fuel. The Pellet Fuels Institute, in its role as the leading authority on the North American pellet industry, established the standards program as a mechanism to ensure consumers and retailers that the fuel consistency and quality matches manufacturer claims found on bags of fuel and other informational materials. Pellet Heat article en-us Tue, 19 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2437&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire The new executive director of the regional planning organization in New Hampshire's North Country has extensive experience in the economic development of the region. The board of directors at the North Country Council unanimously selected Jeffrey Hayes to succeed Michael King, who stepped down earlier this year. Hayes has worked for the North Country Council for 16 years as the economic development director. Union Leader article en-us Mon, 18 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2405&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National The Nature Conservancy commends the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry for highlighting the links between forest health and rural economies. Restoring public lands through science-based, active management is good for our American lands and economy. America’s forests, which cover one-third of the United States, provide tremendous value by storing and filtering half our nation’s water supply; providing jobs to 900,000 wood products workers; absorbing 13% of US carbon emissions; generating more than $13 billion in recreation and other related economic activity on U.S. Forest Service lands alone; and providing habitat to thousands of wildlife and plant species. Garden News article en-us Sat, 16 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2396&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Dave Anderson The January issue of Atlantic Monthly online reported a curious connection between the death of 100 million ash trees killed after the arrival of the invasive, exotic “Emerald Ash borer” beetle in lower Michigan to an ensuing spike in rates of human heart disease and pulmonary illness including pneumonia. Increased rates of human mortality due to cardiovascular and respiratory illness in the beetle infested areas accelerated as the emerald ash infestation progressed. In one recent study across fifteen states, the spread of the ash borer is associated with thousands of additional human deaths. Trees are vital to human physiological survival. The absence of trees translates into a decrease in the abundance of oxygen. Trees act as air filters, cleansing pollutants with measurable effectiveness in urban areas. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Fri, 15 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2401&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: David Sommerstein For every ski area that's survived, like Titus Mountain or Mt. Pisgah in Saranac Lake, there are dozens of ski hills that didn't. Jeremy Davis has been documenting them all over New York and New England. He's researched the stories of more than 700 lost ski hills. He's written several books about them, including Lost Ski Areas of the Southern Adirondacks. Davis told David Sommerstein he became interested in ski areas of the past as a boy, when his family was taking a ski trip to New Hampshire. They drove by an abandoned ski area. North Country Public Radio article en-us Fri, 15 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2428&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: David Sommerstein With cold and snow back in the forecast, skiers and snowboarders will have a little more time to carve their last turns of the season. It's been a comeback winter for a North Country ski area that had long gone neglected. Titus Mountain, outside Malone, has new local owners, a new lodge, new trails, and a burst of energy. Titus is one of a shrinking number of ski areas that play an important role in teaching people to ski. North Country Public Radio article en-us Fri, 15 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2399&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff The Adirondack Cooperative Economy (ACE), an organization with a mission to build local economies by encouraging trade with and between individuals and local businesses has begun circulating Adirondack Bucks, a currency similar to Ithaca Hours. Established last September, the Adirondack Bucks project has grown to include 19 local businesses and organizations. Adirondack Bucks, available in 1, 5, 10, and 20 ADK Buck amounts, can be used to exchange goods and services with participating friends, neighbors, and local businesses. The currency is backed by the goods and services of its members. ACE is hoping to create an online trading system in the near future. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Thu, 14 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2402&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Natural Selections "Old as the hills" is a relative term. The Adirondacks may be relatively young mountains, but their distinctive grey granite, anorthosite, originated 1.1 billion ago, so deep in the earth's crust that only continental collision could have formed it. Dr. Curt Stager and Martha Foley discuss Adirondack geology North Country Public Radio article en-us Thu, 14 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2404&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Scott Thistle State lawmakers Tuesday rekindled a debate over how and whether state policy should play favorites when it comes to renewable energy. For the third time in as many legislative sessions, lawmakers are contemplating a state law that requires a certain amount of the power consumed in Maine comes from renewable resources. Known as the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, the law requires that at least 30 percent of the state’s energy comes from renewable sources including solar, biomass, hydro and wind. The standard also requires that the generation facilities contributing to that mix are smaller in output, limited to 100 megawatts, with only wind energy being excluded from that limit. A bill authored by Gov. Paul LePage’s office would remove the 100-megawatt limit for all sectors of renewable energy, including hydropower. His top energy adviser said Tuesday the administration was flexible about changing the bill and was open to a simple expansion of the cap allowing generators of up to 400 megawatts to be included. Bangor Daily News article en-us Wed, 13 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2406&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Rich Christianson New England Wood Pellet LLC has been cited for multiple alleged combustible dust-related citations by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, four months after agreeing to pay $100,000 to settle violations stemming from an October 2011 fire at its Jaffrey, NH, plant. Aftermath of the Oct. 20, 2011 explosion and fire at New England Wood Pellet from a news report posted on Youtube by WMUR TV. OSHA cited New England Wood Pellet for alleged repeat and serious safety violations following inspections of the company's Schuyler and Deposit, NY, manufacturing plants. OSHA said, "(W)orkers were exposed to fire, rapid combustion and wood dust explosion hazards due to deficient implementation of protective measures in the wood pellet processing system and related equipment." Woodworking Network article en-us Wed, 13 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2397&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen After some North Country residents complained that U.S. Department of Energy contractors working on the Northern Pass project are trespassing on their land, Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Kelly Ayotte have sent a letter to the federal Department of Energy looking into it. “Recently, several landowners in Grafton County, NH have contacted our offices to express their concern that DOE contractors are using pre-existing easements held by the Public Service Company of New Hampshire (PSNH) to enter their property to conduct EIS activities on behalf of Northern Pass,” the March 11 letter says. The contractors were hired to prepare an environmental impact statement, a crucial part of the Department of Energy’s decision whether to grant a Presidential Permit allowing Northern Pass to bring energy into the United States from Canada. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Tue, 12 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2398&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen Voters headed to town meetings Tuesday in the North Country will find some unusual issues including creating a community ski slope, challenging the rights of corporations as people, abolishing a police department and excluding “formula stores and fast-food restaurants.” New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Mon, 11 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2400&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Kim Martineau As the proposed Adirondack Club & Resort in Tupper Lake wound its way through the approval process, two planning consultants separately recommended in 2008 that the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) require clustering of homes in the backcountry. Under a draft clustering policy written by one consultant, the resort’s “Great Camp” estates would have consumed 280 acres of forest instead of 2,800 acres. “The same number of homes could have been constructed, but the project would have been largely concentrated near the [Big Tupper] ski area,” said Jeff Lacy, a consultant in Shutesbury, Mass., who proposed the policy on behalf of the Adirondack Council. “My guess is it would be under construction today rather than under review by a court.” Adirondack Almanack article en-us Mon, 11 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2403&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann The North Country is in line to receive a big chunk of the $25 million that state officials are spending to bring broadband internet to more parts of rural New York. One of the projects in the Adirondacks will use a technology called "white space" to bring broadband to remote homes in the Warren County town of Thurman. Fred Engelman is with Rainmaker Network Services, based in Chestertown. He says white space is different from wi-fi in a very important way: "White space will penetrate trees and travel up to a few miles through woods, depending on the density." North Country Public Radio article en-us Mon, 11 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2392&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail The Forest Society seeks an enthusiastic, articulate, and motivated individual for the position of executive assistant. The executive assistant is primarily responsible for executive level administrative support to the president/forester and the vice president for development, including acting as the primary liaison with the board of trustees. Primary duties include: coordinating board meetings including preparing meeting materials, taking minutes, and maintaining orientation materials; assisting with major donor relationship maintenance, including scheduling staff visits and acknowledging major gifts and assisting with major event planning and execution. This is a part-time, permanent position (30 hours per week, variable) based at the Conservation Center in Concord, NH. Forest Society additional information en-us Fri, 08 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Job Opportunities http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2431&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Joe Rankin The Maine Chapter of the Nature Conservancy never planned to get into the forestry business. All it wanted to do was protect the upper St. John River. Born in the northwestern part of the state, the St. John is one of Maine’s iconic rivers and the longest free flowing river in the eastern U.S. In its upper reaches, near the Quebec border, it runs through low hills clothed in maple, birch, and beech; the valleys are draped in spruce. It’s a place of haunting beauty, where the ghostly Canada lynx stalks snowshoe hares and American martens sniff out voles among the spruce. Moose are everywhere. More than a dozen rare plants live here, including the Furbish’s lousewort, livid sedge, Mistassini primrose, and English sundew. There are rare peatlands, 300-year-old spruce forests, and rare spruce bogs. So, when International Paper Co. announced its intention to sell some 185,000 acres of Upper St. John Valley forestland in 1998, the Conservancy teamed up with an anonymous timberland investor to bid $35.1 million for the property, with the conservancy pledging about $3 million of that sum. The Conservancy would get several thousand acres along the river and its tributaries and other lands to establish a forest reserve. The investor would get everything else. Northern Woodlands article en-us Fri, 08 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2384&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Christopher Cousins Gov. Paul LePage helped promote Maine’s maple syrup Wednesday with the annual tradition of tapping a maple tree on the Blaine House lawn. According to Lyle Merrifield, president of the Maine Maple Producers Association, the governor’s tree is one of some 1.4 million that will be tapped in the coming weeks, if they aren’t tapped already. The fruits of all that work will be enjoyed by thousands at the end of the month on Maine Maple Sunday, which will involve more than 125 sugarhouses across Maine. Bangor Daily News article en-us Wed, 06 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2385&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced that New York State will award $25 million in funding to expand high-speed Internet access in rural upstate and underserved urban areas of New York through the Connect NY Broadband Grant Program, including several projects that will affect the Adirondacks. This newest round of funding brings the total amount for broadband projects during Governor Cuomo’s administration to more than $56 million, the largest statewide broadband funding commitment in the nation, according to the Governor’s office. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Wed, 06 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2386&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Dave Gibson A few years ago, a Planning Board Member in Clifton Park, Saratoga County posed a question I have never heard asked by anyone at the Adirondack Park Agency : how much carbon dioxide will be released by this subdivision, and what can we do about it? As it turns out, the carbon dioxide released due to simply clearing forest land for subdivisions is eye-popping, and we know that the Adirondack Park Private Land use and Development Plan law gives the APA a lot of leverage in regulating subdivision design, lot layout and forest clearing – if they choose to use it. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Ecosystem Services http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2388&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Joanna Richards Reporter Joanna Richards is a city girl. But since she moved to the North Country four years ago, she's been boning up on the traditions and culture of rural life. She had a chance recently for a bit of North Country skill building, in a workshop on wood splitting especially for women. Betsey Kepes's property near Colton, in St. Lawrence County, takes a lot of work to keep running. That includes processing a lot of wood. Kepes is off the grid entirely. There are three little houses and a wood-fired hot tub, heated by a total of five wood stoves. "And some of them need little, tiny pieces of wood, like the bath stove, so I split a lot of wood. I love to split wood; it's something I do all fall. It's great exercise," Kepes says. Kepes is putting on this workshop with the Local Living Venture, a nonprofit group in the St. Lawrence River valley that teaches old-fashioned rural living skills in workshops throughout the year. North Country Public Radio article en-us Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2387&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Pete Nelson Denizens of all things Adirondack can have robust debates about which historical events have had the greatest impact on the Adirondack park. From Champlain firing his arquebus in 1609 to Colvin’s ascent of Seward in 1870 to Forever Wild in 1894 to the Olympics and acid rain, history gives us a long list of worthy possibilities. There being no single correct answer, one candidate high on my list would be Archibald Campbell’s aborted and errant 1772 survey of the northern line of the Totten and Crossfield purchase. The northern line, which began at “…the long sought for corner, the great pivotal point on which all the land titles of nearly five millions of acres depended…” as Verplanck Colvin wrote in rediscovering it more than a century after it was first run, was crucial to the evolution of the park in so many ways. Campbell surveyed part of it, but for reasons not entirely clear he quit the survey just south of Tupper Lake, leaving the remainder to guesswork and future surveyors. Campbell’s corner was repeatedly accepted as an accurate anchor by surveyors throughout the history of the region but the true position of the northern line itself, with its county boundaries and townships and multiple gores, was not fixed until early in the twentieth century. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Sat, 02 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2368&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire Register now to catch the final week of early-bird registration for the 2nd annual Agricultural Biomass Heating Seminar, taking place on April 3, in Saratoga Springs, NY. With its emphasis on "local production for local use”, the Seminar will tackle how to establish energy crops on marginal lands and the issues pertaining to the densification, combustion, emissions and economics of crop biomass at residential and commercial scales. The seminar is organized in collaboration with the Northeast Biomass Heating Expo, and joint registration is available. Click here to view the program and here to register. Save now, register by March 8th! en-us Fri, 01 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2369&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Abigail Curtis Over the past 25 years, millions of Maine taxpayer dollars have been used to conserve more than half a million acres in the Pine Tree State through the state-run Land for Maine’s Future program. The question of whether public money should be used to purchase or otherwise protect often privately-owned parcels of forest, farms and the waterfront is a big one. And in an era of tight budgets and often-polarizing debate about private enterprise versus the role of the state, the issue can get heated — especially as the program has shifted its sights from conserving acres of forested wilderness to protecting places such as working farms and Maine’s working waterfront. Bangor Daily News article en-us Fri, 01 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2375&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Julie Grant It may not feel like spring outside yet, but it's coming. The days are getting longer, the sun is higher in the sky, and the sap buckets are out. Jeffrey Jenness of Orebad Sugar Shack in DeKalb Junction says February was a slow month for sugaring. When we spoke earlier this week, Jenness had only collected a couple hundred gallons of sap. For an operation like his, that's not enough to get the equipment dirty and start making syrup. He's hoping for better days ahead. "It's just going to depend on temperature. You've got to have 40 degrees during the day and 20 at night, so the trees can fill back up with sap. Because the trees only have so much sap in them, and after 2 or 3 days, they're empty. And if you don't have that temperature change, they don't fill back up." North Country Public Radio article en-us Fri, 01 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2382&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail The Waterman Fund announces its sixth annual essay contest with a new theme centered on the use of technology in the wild. The Fund awards $1500 for the winning essay and publication in Appalachia, a journal of the Appalachian Mountain Club; $500 is awarded for honorable mention and the essay is posted on the Fund’s website. As handheld devices such as mobile phones are used more in the woods, a place where traditionally people would go to escape from the demands of everyday life, new questions arise about the bounds and ethics of wild places. What technology means and what the wild means are open to question and interpretation by nonfiction essay contestants. The deadline for submissions is April 15th and the winners are announced by the end of June. Waterman Fund information en-us Fri, 01 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2391&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Gordon Hamilton There’s no way North American stud lumber sawmills will be able to keep up with the recovering U.S. housing market, new research being compiled by the International Wood Markets Group shows. The shortage of studs — boards used to frame walls in residential houses — is expected to lead to record lumber prices and will make construction lumber profitable enough that European sawmills will likely make inroads into North America, where a supercycle is shaping up for commodity lumber, Wood Markets president Russ Taylor said Friday. Lumber prices today are high, having broken through the $400 US a thousand board feet barrier, but Taylor said this is just the beginning. “Two or three years out is when we think it is really going to hit,” he said. U.S. housing starts are expected to more than triple off their 2009 lows between now and 2017, when Taylor said they will hit 1.5 million starts a year. Starts are expected to reach 925,000 to 950,000 this year, indicating the lumber rally still has a long way to go, he said. Vancouver Sun article en-us Fri, 01 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2373&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Neal Charnoff Hanna Haidar is an experienced surfer, snowboarder and world traveler. Now Haidar is applying those traits to a series of children's travel books, beginning with "Earl's Big Adventure in Costa Rica" and "Earl's Big Adventure In Japan". In the books, a little blue monkey named Earl joins his friend John as they make friends, learn a few words in a new language and try new foods. And of course they surf and snowboard. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2376&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann This week, a state Supreme Court judge ruled that a back country canoe route in the wilds of Hamilton County is "navigable in fact." It was another victory for paddlers and anglers, who have been fighting for decades to win more access to rivers. North Country Public Radio article en-us Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2389&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Nick Sambides Jr. Wood pellets made in Maine will replace at least 60,000 gallons of No. 2 heating oil annually thanks to a new $478,000 biomass heating system installed at Millinocket Regional Hospital, officials said Thursday. Half funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the pellet burner is expected to save $135,000 annually over 10 years while handling the hospital’s heat and hot-water needs. “It does that easily. We have burned hardly any fuel since startup on Dec. 7,” said Dale McLaughlin, director of plant operations at MRH. Bangor Daily News article en-us Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2371&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen The owners of the closed Balsams Grand Resort in Dixville Notch are playing beat the clock to get an important part of the financing they need to renovate and reopen the resort. That renovation is estimated to cost at least $30 million and owners Coos businessmen Dan Hebert and Dan Dagesse, are hoping to use federally backed New Market Tax Credits to attract some investors. However, the deadline for applying for credits is April, said Scott Tranchemontagne, a spokesman for the owners New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Wed, 27 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2374&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Guest Contributor In summer, you always know when a striped skunk has been around. But in winter, these animals make themselves scarce, hunkering down to wait out the onslaught of ice and snow. Unlike most rodents and birds, which hoard food for the cold months, the striped skunk will have spent the fall eating as much as possible so it can stay warm during mid-winter dormancy. This binge eating creates thick layers of fat underneath the skin– a winter jacket, of sorts. The skunk metabolizes this fat during its dormant rests, though at a much slower rate than in summer. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Wed, 27 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2377&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Todd Moe Considered America's oldest working woodlands, the Northern Forest -- stretching from the Tug Hill through the Adirondacks to the coast of Maine -- is also home to a remarkable range of traditional artists. This month, Traditional Arts in Upstate New York, opened a new exhibit that features art from among the trees. TAUNY executive director Jill Breit says the concept behind Artists of the Forest is to showcase how artists are using the resources that are growing around them in the woods. The pieces featured in the show come from northern New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. North Country Public Radio article en-us Wed, 27 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2370&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jay Field New economic data from the National Park Service has gateway communites surrounding Acadia National Park especially nervous about federal budget cuts due to take effect Friday. Last year, about 2.5 million people visited Acadia. And as Jay Field reports, local officials are worried that sequestration-imposed cutbacks - and any accompanying bad publicity - could persuade fewer of them to visit the park this summer. Maine Public Broadcasting Network en-us Tue, 26 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2383&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Lucia Suarez An agreement between the developer of a proposed biomass and pellet manufacturing facility and a local hydroponic vegetable producer promises to bring more than 300 jobs to Rutland County. Beaver Wood Energy and Vermont Hydroponics announced today they will be adding a 10-acre greenhouse complex and wholesale Grower's Hub warehouse adjacent to the proposed Fair Haven Biomass Energy Center. Rutland Herald article en-us Tue, 26 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2372&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sean Hurley It was 1828 and the painter Thomas Cole was walking alongside the Pemigewasset River when he came upon a view of Barron Mountain rising in the mist beyond the rough water. The romantic results of his encounter became Morning Mist Rising, a landscape painting at the forefront of a new aesthetic. And as Musuem Director Catherine Amidon says, the painting also inspired the inaugural exhibit at the brand new Musuem of the White Mountains: "I have to say that the fact that we have the diary entry of this, Thomas Cole, and the fact that the concept of the show came out of reading about his experience. That specific day and how slow it was - and the fact that it’s so close to Plymouth. This one will always be sort of near and dear." New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Mon, 25 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2378&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Natasha Haverty Senator Gillibrand was in Massena Friday, talking about her "Made in America Act", her first bill in the 113th Congress. The senator said she chose to appear at the Alcoa East Plant for its symbolic significance. Alcoa is the largest private sector employer in the North Country. On March 31, the Alcoa Board of directors will vote on a modernization project for its East Plant. According to Alcoa, the approved $600 million would go to constructing a new potline, and upgrading technology at the facility. During her appearance on Friday, Senator Gillibrand expressed her support for the project, and cited it as an example of the kind of progress that would be fostered by her new bill. North Country Public Radio article en-us Mon, 25 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2379&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Nora Flaherty The North Country's Regional Economic Development Council has been one of the most successful in the state. It's received top awards twice now, for projects that range from renovating an historic building in Port Henry, to making improvements to the Wild Center in Tupper Lake, to treating wastewater in Malone. Several of the projects the state funded aim to improve the North Country's economic outlook through the arts. One of these is "Invisible Factory", a project whose goal is to support regional artisans, and help them make a living from what they do. "Invisible Factory" is a partnership between Traditional Arts in Upstate New York, in Canton, and the Adirondack North Country Association, in Saranac Lake. North Country Public Radio article en-us Mon, 25 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2351&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Date: April 26th, 2013 Place: Whitefield, NH Details to come! http://extension.unh.edu/FWT/workshops.htm en-us Sat, 23 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2352&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire The Northeastern States Research Cooperative (NSRC) is a competitive grant program funded by the USDA Forest Service and supporting cross-disciplinary, collaborative research in the Northern Forest — a 26-million acre working landscape that is home to over a million residents and stretches from eastern Maine through New Hampshire and Vermont and into northern New York. The NSRC addresses the importance of the Northern Forest to society and the need for research to have relevance and benefit to the people who live there, work with its resources, use its products, visit it, and care about it. Northeastern States Research Cooperative en-us Sat, 23 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2353&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: David Evers, Neil Kamman, Celia Chen To explore the effects of nutrient levels and reservoir level fluctuations on mercury in organisms and water, researchers sampled common loons, fish, zooplankton, and water for total mercury and methylmercury concentrations at 16 reservoirs in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. They also measured total phosphorus levels and collected plankton biomass data at each site and estimated the amount of shoreline and shoreline habitat type using publicly available mapping data and field measurements. Northeastern States Research Cooperative en-us Sat, 23 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2354&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: William Keeton, Donald Tobi, Anna Mika, Caitlin Littlefield, Thomas Buchholz Researchers found harvesting impacts were highly variable across sites, and harvesting treatment and equipment best predicted effects on forest structure and habitat. Findings support need for harvesting guidelines aimed at retention of ecologically important wildlife attributes, such as logs or standing dead trees. Bioenergy harvests using whole tree harvesting generated fewer wood products and resulted in more carbon emissions released from bioenergy than the other two types of harvests, which resulted in greater net transfer of carbon to debris left on site or to forest products. Type of skidding machinery and specifics of treatment had the largest impact on net carbon emissions. Northestaern States Research Cooperative en-us Sat, 23 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2355&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine The Maine Woods Consortium has awarded $3,000 in funding to Northern Maine Development Commission for advancement of the Maine Woods Tourism Training Initiative. "In the past, this funding has allowed NMDC to have trainings and workshops for tourism businesses on topics such as social media marketing and customer service," said regional tourism developer Leslie Jackson of NMDC. "There hasn't been any funding for about a year, so trainings have been scarce." As part of the one-year grant, at least three workshops which directly connect with tourism businesses will take place. St. John Valley Times article   en-us Sat, 23 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2357&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Brian Feulner While on assignment for a BDN Outdoors story in January 2013, I made a series of aerial photographs over Wildlife Management District 19. The reporter and I were flying in a Bell 407 helicopter and were at times only about 200 feet above the ground. The wilderness in WMD 19 near Township 40 is stunning with fast-flowing streams, never-ending rows of conifer and lakes frozen in glaring sheets of ice. From the helicopter window I could see forests vanish into the horizon, where hundreds of thousands more acres of northern landscape lay beyond. These photographs are just a small sample of the vastness of the Maine landscape and a view you can only experience from the sky. Bangor Daily News article en-us Sat, 23 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2367&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Bill Trotter A subsidiary of Cate Street Capital released a statement Friday morning confirming reports that it has plans to construct a multimillion-dollar wood pellet plant near the Port of Eastport marine cargo terminal. Thermogen Industries indicated in the release that it signed a letter of intent with the port authority’s board on Feb. 19. The plan calls for construction of a $120 million plant that can produce between 200,000 and 300,000 tons of torrefied wood pellets each year. Thermogen would lease approximately 40 acres from the port authority for 20 years, with the option of extending the lease another 20 years. Depending on the size and capacity of the plant, the facility could create approximately 75 jobs in Eastport and more than 300 additional forestry-related jobs in the Maine woods, the company indicated. Bangor Daily News article en-us Sat, 23 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2359&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jay Field A bit of good news for the economy of Downeast Maine: A manufacturer of torrefied wood pellets says its new Eastport production plant could end up employing as many as 75 people. Thermogen Industries, a subsidiary of New Hampshire-based Cate Street Capital, announed plans this morning to build the $120 million facility next to the city's port. The project will allow the company to easily ship its fuel products to the European market and - local officials hope - attract more business to the area. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article en-us Fri, 22 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2366&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont, New York By: Sarah Harris The natural gas boom is fueling construction and development, and cutting energy prices in some areas. But there's often a dark cloud around the silver lining. A pipeline proposed to bring natural gas through Vermont to the International Paper Mill in Ticonderoga means good news for the mill, but some Vermonters aren't happy about the route, or possible environmental consequences. At a public meeting in Hinesburg, Vt. last month, residents crowded into the town hall to ask questions about a natural gas pipeline that might be going through their community. North Country Public Radio article en-us Fri, 22 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2380&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Julie Grant Eighteen senators from Upstate New York have sent a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo, asking him to make his school aid more fair to the low-wealth school districts they represent. Senators Betty Little, Joe Griffo, and Patty Ritchie of the North Country all signed on to the letter. It commends Governor Cuomo’s plan to restore some aid the state cut over the past few years. But the letter says high-poverty urban districts get a greater percentage of the restoration money than other low-wealth districts. Some city districts would receive 40 percent of those cuts back, while other low-wealth districts would get less than 10 percent. The letter also asks Cuomo to take $75 million he has earmarked for competitive grants, and instead put it into the general school aid pot. The senators say many smaller districts don’t have the resources to produce a winning grant application. North Country Public Radio article en-us Fri, 22 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2360&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire The conserved land in Clarskville is owned by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, which opposes Northern Pass. It’s one of several conservation easements the group has bought in an effort to “thwart” the project. At issue is a section of Route 3 that runs across the 2,100-acre Washburn Family Forest, although the area in question is a small piece of the lot. If Northern Pass is able to buy an easement from the state for the roadway, it can connect properties it owns on either side of the forest. Executive Councilor Ray Burton, a Bath Republican, raised the issue at the breakfast portion of last week's Executive Council meeting. Burton asked state transportation Commissioner Christopher Clement whether he has “anything on his desk” from Northern Pass seeking to cross Route 3 in Pittsburg or Clarksville. Berlin Daily Sun article   en-us Thu, 21 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2356&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Steve Virkler While the bowling pins and lanes made at the QubicaAMF plant haven’t gotten leaner over the past year and a half, the manufacturing process has. Employees at the Utica Boulevard plant, at which most of the world’s wooden bowling pins are manufactured, have been undergoing lean manufacturing training and implementation sessions conducted by CITEC Inc., Potsdam, using Regional Wood Products Consortium funding through the Northern Forest Center in Concord, N.H. “QubicaAMF has set a fine example of a wood products company willing to change and put in the work to make it happen,” Collin A. Miller, consortium coordinator and director of wood products initiatives at the Northern Forest Center, said in an article released by the New Hampshire nonprofit. “That’s the kind of innovation that will keep wood product manufacturing strong in the region.” Watertown Daily Times article en-us Wed, 20 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Pgm Rel Articles - Industry News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2358&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine A study that reports it looked at more than 80 million words on Twitter as well as annual state surveys found that Maine followed only Hawaii in general happiness. The saddest states were Louisiana and Mississippi. The study comes from researchers at the Vermont Complex Systems Center, who posted their analysis to arXiv.org, an electronic archive for scientific papers. The researchers reported that the goal of the paper was to “investigate how geographic place correlates with and potentially influences societal levels of happiness.” The paper focused on both states and larger cities. Bangor Daily News article en-us Wed, 20 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2361&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont by: John Dillon The Shumlin Administration and legislative leaders have proposed a new public-private loan program to boost energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. The Clean Energy Loan Fund would consolidate existing state energy loan programs and increase private capital directed toward energy projects. Jo Bradley is the CEO of the Vermont Economic Development Authority. She said the lower-interest loans would be targeted for business and commercial projects. One new loan package is aimed at helping businesses use less energy. Banks would make the loans, but they would be 75 percent guaranteed by VEDA and other organizations. Bradley says the goal of the program is to guarantee about $10 million in loans. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Wed, 20 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2362&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Associated Press Vermont lawmakers are wrestling with the question of whether to drop the state's traditional maple syrup-labeling system in favor of an international one. The change pits tradition versus a desire to be a bigger player in world markets. Vermont is the Number 1 maple syrup producer in the U.S. Gone would be labels such as fancy, grade A medium amber and grade B. In their place would be several types sharing a grade A label, with descriptive phrases added. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Tue, 19 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2363&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Phil Brown The Adirondack Council has hired William “Willie” Janeway as its new executive director, starting in May. He is now the head of the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s Region 3, which encompasses the lower Hudson Valley and the southern Catskill Park. Janeway will succeed Brian Houseal, who resigned in October. Diane Fish has been serving as the acting executive director since Houseal left. She will return to her post as deputy director. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Tue, 19 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2364&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Dave Gibson There has been some good writing on forestry issues in the Adirondack Park in the media recently, stimulated by the APA’s proposed, controversial General Permit for clear-cut logging. Adirondack Wild applauds the discussion and encourages more of it. The APA held a stakeholder meeting recently of Agency staff, forest landowners and managers, scientists, and environmental groups where a conversation ensued about the difficulties that face forests and forest managers today in the Adirondack Park (and beyond). The dialogue needed to happen, and it should continue, but the General Permit (GP) does more than just get in the way of that discussion. It does little to solve the problems discussed, and cuts out the public’s involvement in these matters and, even worse, it subjects forest landowners who might apply for the GP to a perception of unfair dealings with the Agency in order to expedite the clear-cutting of their lands. That’s may be an unfair characterization, but that is the public’s perception. All in all, this General Permit is a just a bad idea. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Tue, 19 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2381&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest A recently released report by the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) shows that outdoor recreation is an important driver of state economies, supporting jobs, businesses and communities. The state-by-state figures in the report expand upon a national report OIA published in June 2012, which found that nationally Americans spend $646 billion each year on outdoor recreation, directly supporting 6.1 million jobs and generating nearly $80 billion in tax revenue. Analysis of the economic impacts from recreation on our region tells a powerful story in the four states of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail: More than $45 billion in spending on recreation and in excess of 450,000 jobs in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Northern Forest Canoe Trail article en-us Tue, 19 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2390&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: EconMatters The lumber market has really come off the 2009 bottom of $140 per mbf and closed Friday at $399.80 per mbf on the back of good news out of the housing sector of the economy. The housing sector of the economy led the way in 2012 with record low interest rates, and investors and banks working through the foreclosed inventory, leading to a trending and steady rise in both average home prices and new constructions. Everything related to the housing sector performed well in 2012 from materials to the home improvement and remodeling big box retailers in Home Depot and Lowe`s Companies Incorporated. Business Insider article en-us Tue, 19 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2365&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: David Sommerstein When you hear New York wines, you probably think about the Finger Lakes. Wineries in that region have become world famous for their Rieslings and other white and red wines. There are four other official wine regions in New York - the Hudson Valley, the shore of Lake Erie, the Niagara Escarpment, and Long Island. There are also almost 30 wineries in the North Country, and wine aficionados are starting to take notice. North Country Public Radio article en-us Mon, 18 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2336&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Dave Anderson The latter half of February begins the onset of peak breeding season for many furbearers and rodents. At Valentine's Day, tracks in the snow increase exponentially as wild mammals seek available mates. For gregarious, social animals like familiar gray squirrels, late February brings spiral chases around tree trunks as rival male suitors conspicuously pursue females in estrus. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Fri, 15 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2342&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann A plan by the Adirondack Park Agency to streamline permit applications for large-scale clearcut logging sparked fierce debate yesterday. Supporters of the plan say it will encourage loggers and landowners to adopt better harvesting practices. At the APA's monthly meeting in Ray Brook, some commissioners spoke passionately in favor of the change. But others expressed deep skepticism about the plan. North Country Public Radio article Related article en-us Fri, 15 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2349&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Reel Paddling Film Festival World Tour 2013 Tour Sponsor: Northern Forest Canoe Trail The Vermont-based non-profit is sponsoring the tour in nine locations this year. The festival showcases the best paddling films from around the world. Proceeds from these nine screenings support the Northern Forest Canoe Trail and our partners. The Reel Paddling Film Festival features award winning films in 10 categories including sea kayaking, canoeing, adventure travel and documentary. The festival, in its seventh year, inspires people to explore rivers, lakes and oceans, push physical and emotional extremes, embrace the lifestyle and appreciate the heritage of wild places around the world. The festival can be seen in more than 100 cities worldwide. March 22 New York City March 28 Cambridge, MA March 29 Portland, ME April 5 Wiscasset, ME April 11 Lake Placid, NY April 18 Concord, NH May 11 Waitsfield, VT May 24 Collinsville, CT June 8 The Forks, ME Additional event information en-us Fri, 15 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2350&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail The WMNF Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program offers professional and emerging artists in all media -- visual and performing artists, craftspeople, writers, composers, eco artists and media artists -- an opportunity to pursue their particular art form while being inspired by the forest and sharing their work and their artistic process with members of the public. The WMNF and the Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire (AANNH) work together to manage and sustain the AIR program. AANNH (www.aannh.org) is a nonprofit organization that works throughout the northern half of the state to promote, support and sustain culture, heritage and the arts. Our Artist in Residence program was launched in 2011 as part of the Weeks Act Centennial celebration, marking the 100th anniversary of the passage of the Weeks Act, a milestone in American conservation history. It has now become a part of the Forest fabric. Additional information about the residency en-us Fri, 15 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2334&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Susan Sharon Two studies commissioned by philanthropist Roxanne Quimby's foundation suggest that a national park in northern Maine could boost tourism, jobs and personal income in the region. Specifically, the studies find that similar communities with national parks and recreation areas outpace the national average for economic development. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article en-us Thu, 14 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2337&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen The new owners of the Balsams resort in Dixville Notch will be taking a plan for renovations to the Coos Planning Board later this month. But they have yet to come up with the financing. The owners, Dan Dagesse and Dan Hebert, have filed an application for a building permit, said spokesman Scott Tranchemontagne. “The reason we are doing this is to be pro-active, get ahead of the process a little bit and try and get all of our permits in hand so that when we are able to secure all the financing that we need to start construction…we can get right to work,” said Tranchemontagne. However, that financing is not yet worked out. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Thu, 14 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2339&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Nina Keck Ski resorts can have the most luxurious lodges, the fastest lifts and most exciting terrain. But if they don't have snow in the winter, none of that matters much. It's why so many resorts invest heavily in snowmaking. It's a technology that's come a long way since it's inception nearly 70 years ago. When you hear skiers and riders whooping it up on a Vermont ski slope, chances are you'll also hear the high pressure hiss of a snow gun not far away. According to the Vermont Ski Areas Association, Vermont ranks number one in the nation for snowmaking with almost 80% of its slopes using the technology.Vermont Vermont Public Radio article en-us Thu, 14 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2340&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Associated Press Vermont lawmakers are once again considering whether the state should adopt a new international grading system designed to help consumers when they buy maple syrup. The grades were designed by the International Maple Syrup Institute. All syrup sold at retail would carry a Grade A label, followed by a color and flavor descriptor. From lightest to darkest these new grades would be: golden color and delicate taste; amber color and rich taste; dark color and robust taste; very dark color and strong taste. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Thu, 14 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2343&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann In recent weeks, the Adirondack Park has become embroiled in a new debate over clearcut logging. But a growing coalition of environmentalists, industry leaders, government officials and academics agree on one thing. More than a million acres of the Park's privately-owned timber land is deteriorating -- turning into what some critics describe as "junk" forest. That trend threatens the long-term environmental health of the Adirondacks, as well as the health of the North Country's logging industry. North Country Public Radio article en-us Thu, 14 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2344&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: David Sommerstein According to the USDA, there are more than 200 regional "Food Hubs" in the US. The USDA says it believes the hubs "offer strong and sound infrastructure support to producers across the country which will also help build a stronger regional food system." New York recently announced funding for four more across the state, including one in Canton, through its Regional Economic Development Councils. Canton's grant is for $350,000. The details are still in flux, but David Sommerstein spoke with one of the project's organizers, United Helpers CEO Steve Knight, to get a sense of the food hub's vision. North Country Public Radio article en-us Thu, 14 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2347&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Chris Hanson More than 100 people attended an open house at Northern Maine Medical Center on Feb. 11 to view the hospital’s new biomass-fueled boiler system. The Chiptec furnace, which came online in December, will save the hospital roughly $200,000 a year using wood chips sourced from a sawmill in Portage, Maine. “We wanted a system that would run efficiently and allow us the flexibility to utilize different sources of biomass fuel, which the Chiptec furnace does. We also wanted to ensure that when there are maintenance and repair issues, parts and service would be readily available so we didn’t have to rely on our back-up fuel source for extended periods, as we intend to run the biomass furnace year-round,” said Joey Bard, NMMC facilities director. Biomass Magazine article Related article en-us Thu, 14 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2341&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Charlotte Albright The state is encouraging towns throughout Vermont to bring their land use plans in line with regional plans. In some cases that means changing local zoning districts. One goal is to prevent strip development in rural areas. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Wed, 13 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2338&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: San Evans-Brown A New Hampshire house committee is hearing testimony on five bills inspired by opposition to the Northern Pass Transmission Project today. Three bills of the bills in question could require new transmission lines be buried, or placed along transportation rights-of-way. Others would create a moratorium on new projects, or require the state officials to consider the economic impact on local communities in the permitting process. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Tue, 12 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2345&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Andy Flynn We continue our series, the Adirondack Attic, with Andy Flynn. You may know Andy from his series of Adirondack Attic books on local history. He uses the objects people make, use and leave behind to tell stories about the life and times of the region. NCPR is collaborating with Andy and his sources at the Adirondack Museum and other historical associations and museums in the region to bring these stories to air. Today, Andy Flynn visits the ice palace in Saranac Lake for a conversation with historian and author Caperton Tissot about cutting ice blocks for the palace and using an antique ice saw. North Country Public Radio article en-us Tue, 12 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2346&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: US Endowment for Forestry and Communities Wood energy pellets: love them or hate them. It all depends upon your perspective and understanding. That’s why the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (the Endowment) today released two new reports on the rapidly-growing wood energy pellet industry: “The Wood Pellet Value Chain: An economic analysis of the wood pellet supply chain from the Southeast United States to European Consumers,” and “Applying Pathways to Sustainability: A case study of how hypothetical bioenergy facilities in VA and GA can increase the sustainability of their supply chains.” Forest Business Network article en-us Tue, 12 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2318&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Mario Moretto Proposed changes to two state tax programs meant to incentivize business growth are leaving some mill towns wondering how they’re going to absorb what could be crushing losses in revenue. Gov. Paul LePage’s proposed biennial budget would end the Business Equipment Tax Reimbursement program, or BETR, which reimburses businesses for taxes paid to municipalities on investments to equipment made between April 1995 and April 2007. The program reimburses 100 percent of those taxes for 12 years, after which time reimbursement drops to 75 percent and decreases 5 percent each year thereafter. Bangor Daily News article en-us Mon, 11 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2333&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Christopher Cousins A bill that would give participants in the state’s Tree Growth Tax Law program a one-year window to leave it without penalty encountered stiff opposition during a legislative hearing Monday, with some suggesting the Legislature should wait until next year to make changes to the program, which has been amended constantly throughout its 40-year history. Rep. Paul Davis Sr., R-Sangerville, proposes a constitutional amendment to create a one-year window for landowners with property in the tree growth program to opt out. His bill, if supported by the Legislature, would require approval by statewide referendum. The Tree Growth Tax Law, which was enacted in 1972, allows landowners to have their forested land assessed for taxes based on its value as timberland, as opposed to its highest use, which in most cases would be residential or commercial development. It means that property owners with land in the program pay lower property taxes. In exchange, the landowners are required to develop a forest management plan which spells out when trees on the property would be harvested and update it once every 10 years. Bangor Daily News article en-us Mon, 11 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2323&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sean Hurley Sean Hurley interviews some skiers! New Hampshire Public Radio ahttp://www.nhpr.org/post/outdoors-enthusiasts-out-stormrticle en-us Sat, 09 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Northern Forest News Digest http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2324&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen While the storm is causing some problems around the state people at the ski resorts are delighted: Typically the resorts are reporting at least a foot of new snow. “Conditions are great this morning. Lots of powder out there,” says Greg Kwasnik a spokesman for Loon Mountain. “I just went out and did a couple of runs. The winds aren’t that bad. They have not affected us at all.” Kwasnik says crowds are about normal for a Saturday and he thinks some skiers probably decided to stay home because of the heavy snowfall in the southern part of the state. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Sat, 09 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2331&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Howard Weiss-Tisman As developers for a proposed North Springfield biomass energy plant continue working to get their permits, a Windham County resident says the proposed project will have effects far beyond it's location in Windsor County. Winstanley Enterprises LLC and Weston Solutions Inc. want to build a 35 megawatt wood chip fueled power plant on a 20 acre parcel at 36 Precision Drive in North Springfield. If the plant is built it will burn wood chips to produce electricity which developers say could power all of the homes in Windsor County. Brattleboro Refromer article en-us Sat, 09 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2348&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Penn State Live Alternative fuel use by the wood products industry could reduce the industry’s dependence on fossil fuels and decrease its emissions. A new resource guide created by the Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PennTAP), the Penn State College of Engineering, and the Mid-Atlantic Clean Energy Applications Center (MACEAC) promotes the use of one such alternative fuel: combined heat and power (CHP). CHP, also known as cogeneration, is the simultaneous production of electricity and heat from a single fuel source — in this case, on-site waste products such as sawdust, wood shavings or bark. Forest Business Network article en-us Sat, 09 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2317&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Karen O. Zimmermann Stephen starts at the back and works his way to the head of the line, giving each dog a biscuit, a few words and a pat. The dogs all wait their turn, patient and confident their biscuit will arrive. This does not strike me as doggish behavior. I would have expected clamoring, or competition to get a biscuit first, but these dogs are relaxed. “The two-year olds get amped up once in a while,” Stephen says, “but that is very rare. They just have no interest in fighting. Maine Morsals article en-us Fri, 08 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2322&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire It has been quite a year for Top Furniture, which has been named the 2013 New Hampshire Retailer of the Year by the Retail Merchants Association of N.H. The statewide award comes on the heels of the long-time company being honored with the Androscoggin Valley Chamber of Commerce's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. The Retail Merchants Association award is presented to a New Hampshire retailer who has achieved significant success and growth in his or her business and provides excellent customer service. They support retailing locally and at a state level, and their business makes significant contributions to their local community. Berlin Daily Sun article en-us Fri, 08 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2327&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann Next week the Adirondack Park Agency will vote on a controversial new policy that would change the way clear-cut logging is regulated. State officials hope to offer a more streamlined general permit to landowners in the Park who want to clear-cut forest stands larger than 25 acres. Only private timber lands covered by a sustainable forestry plan would qualify for the new permit. North Country Public Radio article en-us Fri, 08 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2319&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: John Holyoke The Bicycle Coalition of Maine unveiled Wednesday the route of the organization’s first-ever BikeMaine 2013 event, and 350 determined cyclists will spend seven days in September touring several popular destinations in eastern Maine. The 400-mile tour will start in Orono on Sept. 7, and make overnight stops in Dover-Foxcroft, Belfast, Castine, Bar Harbor and Ellsworth before returning to Orono on Sept. 13. Bangor Daily News article en-us Wed, 06 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2320&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Larry Grard The trail grooming machines are sitting idle, and have been for weeks. There’s no point starting them up, after all, if there’s no snow to groom on the trails. As a nearly-barren January for snowmobiling in Maine extends into February, and spring only six weeks away, people who like to go sledding are looking to the skies for white gold. Bangor Daily News article en-us Wed, 06 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2321&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Aislinn Sarnacki The third Great Maine Outdoor Weekend will be celebrated Feb. 15-18, with a series of outdoor events held by organizations and businesses statewide. Organized by the Maine Outdoor Coalition, the weekend’s goal is “to help Mainers take advantage of recreation lands and waters across the state and build a long-term relationship with nature,” according to the event website, greatmaineoutdoorweekend.org, where organizations are posting information about events daily. Bangor Daily News article en-us Wed, 06 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2325&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Jane Lindholm Vermont has been taxing energy bills for over a decade to pay for a statewide energy efficiency program. That money mostly goes to large-scale improvements, but what about homeowners who want to get better insulation, or double-pane windows? Richard Feasy is a co-founder and principal of Energy Futures Group, an energy consulting firm. He was the chair of the finance and funding committee of the Thermal Efficiency Task Force. He spoke with Vermont Edition about energy efficient retrofitting: what's possible now, and what programs have been proposed for the future. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Wed, 06 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2326&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Dan Crane When I wrote my last article on the dangers of over promoting the Adirondack Park, I knew I was sticking my head out for a possible sound thrashing. Many of the Adirondack Almanack commenters did not disappoint me in this regard. Unfortunately, the point of my article seemed to get lost in all the anger and angst, so I thought I would give it another go-around and try to explain my original idea a little better. This gives those who missed out at taking a whack at me last time another chance. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Wed, 06 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2328&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Kate O'Connell In Potsdam yesterday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo again pushed his new initiative to create 10 Innovation "Hot Spots." They'd bring business and universities together to give start-up businesses support, access to venture capital and possibly tax breaks. The "Hot Spot" idea would fall under Cuomo's larger strategy to boost the upstate economy: the Regional Economic Development Councils. North Country Public Radio article en-us Wed, 06 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2329&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sara Young-Knox The Tri-County Community Action Program is looking to divest its interest in the Northern Forest Heritage Park, and recently announced that it is in discussions with public officials, lenders and private funders as it seeks to find a "more suitable entity to own and/or operate it." The park does not fit its core mission and is not an economic plus, the program says. According to the release, "TCCAP has many reservations planned for the park, expects to honor those reservations on terms previously agreed upon, and to make the transition seamless for those who have scheduled events there in the upcoming months or who enjoy this community resource." Union Leader article en-us Sun, 03 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2289&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire Job Title: Program Director for Community-Scale Biomass Energy Link to job description en-us Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Job Opportunities http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2290&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine Job Title: Education and Communications Manager Link to job description en-us Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Job Opportunities http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2294&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: John HalyokeThe moose galloped through the trees as Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife biologist Lee Kantar gave a play-by-play of the action, and as a photographer and writer leaned into the turn, and (perhaps nervously) eyeballed the 60-foot-tall trees that kept getting closer and closer. Then, with a twitch of the controls, the chopper responded, gaining altitude, and we were off to find another moose or two … or 10. Bangor Daily News article en-us Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2296&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Tom Groening In the first of a series of sessions to develop a five-year strategy for state tourism, industry boosters and those working in the tourism sector identified a handful of goals for the Maine Office of Tourism on Wednesday. The planning session was part of the annual Governors Conference on Tourism, held this year at the Samoset Resort. The conference continues Thursday. In a 90-minute, rapid-fire response process, the 75 or so participants identified a couple of dozen strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the Maine Office of Tourism and to the state’s tourism industry and promotion in general. Then facilitators from the consultant firm BVK narrowed the focus, getting participants to list the top goals for the office. Bangor Daily News article en-us Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2310&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York Various stories from entrepeneurs in the North Country. North Country Entrepreneurs Series Articles en-us Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2311&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Marie Cusick Seesawing temperatures, melting snow and rain, heavy winds...and that's just the latest few days of weather extremes. New research may help explain why patterns are changing. It suggests that even if you live thousands of miles away from a major city, it could still be playing a role in your local weather. It's been another strange and deadly week of weather. And while the forces that shape the daily forecast are complex, one factor people may not always think about is cities. North Country Public Radio article en-us Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2288&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine Where was this job when I needed and wanted one? Downeast Lakes Land Trust is looking for an education and communications manager. Imagine living and working around Grand Lake Stream in Washington County, fishing and hunting and – oh yea – communicating with people about what a wonderful place this is. A tough job, but someone has to do it! Georges Outdoor News article en-us Thu, 31 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Job Opportunities http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2295&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Tom Groening ost Mainers know a quirky, eccentric, marches-to-a-different-drummer character or two. Those qualities — in more of us than we might admit — now are being used to market Maine to tourists. After researching the elements that connect tourists with a destination, the Maine Office of Tourism chose “originality” as the key theme in its marketing plan, now in full swing for 2013. The marketing campaign plan was released Thursday at the annual Governor’s Conference on Tourism at the Samoset Resort. Attendance and enthusiasm were strong at the conference, organizers said, probably because the 2012 season was good to most in the industry. The total number of visitors was up by almost 2.2 million people over 2011 to 27.9 million, the tourism office reported. Bangor Daily News article en-us Thu, 31 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2304&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff The Open Space Institute has announced that a private landowner has donated a conservation easement that will protect a nearly 1,400-acre forest in the northeast corner of the Adirondack Park. The property borders the western shore of Butternut Pond and is bisected by several brooks, most of which feed into Auger Lake, which in turn empties into the Ausable River and eventually into Lake Champlain. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Thu, 31 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2300&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New England By: Sam Evans-Brown Along the corridor of towns that would host the controversial Northern Pass Transmission line, it’s hard to find much support for the project. But with power plants retiring and the slow growth of many renewables, all of those rivers in Canada look mighty promising to grid operators. As part of our weeklong series on NH’s energy future we ask does big Canadian hydro have a place in New England’s energy mix? To start, let’s just put Northern Pass controversies aside: imagine all of the energy lines will be buried, or somehow the electricity will plug into the New England grid without wires. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Wed, 30 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2302&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont Environmentalist and author Bill McKibben addressed members of the legislature at the Statehouse Wednesday, urging them to pass legislation during this biennium that might combat climate change in Vermont - and elsewhere. McKibben used his speech to admonish lawmakers that climate change and global warming - and how they adapt to it - will emerge as the number one issue on which they will be judged in the future. And he said he's confident that the Vermont legislature is up to the challenge. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Wed, 30 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2305&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program (NNYADP) 2013 Maple Research Project is in search of maple producers for research on improving sap yields and maple business profitability. The deadline to respond is Friday, February 1. NNYADP-funded maple research is designed to support the idea that Northern New York can double its maple income to more than $10 million, based on a survey by Cornell University Northern New York Maple Specialist Michael Farrell. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Wed, 30 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2306&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Dave Gibson The Department of Environmental Conservation has recommended that the new Forest Preserve acquisition at the Essex Chain of Lakes be classified Wild Forest, while the Upper Hudson River just to the east become part of a river corridor Wilderness. Several organizations previously submitted ideas for how these landscapes should be classified. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Wed, 30 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2299&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Irwin Gratz The development of a quality tourism label for Maine's inland tourist activites is underway. In the second of a two-part series, MPBN Morning Edition host Irwin Gratz talks with Associate Professor Harold Daniel of the University of Maine, and David Vail, a professor Emeritus at Bowdoin College about the initiative. Professor Daniel says a "label" can signal not only the quality of tourist establishments, but something about the overall experience. Maine Public Broadcasting Newtork article en-us Tue, 29 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2301&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sam Evans-Brown New Hampshire’s energy grid relies heavily on fossil fuels like oil and coal, and getting the grid off of those fuels will be a major hurdle in addressing the challenge of global warming. But here in New Hampshire, it’s proving a steep challenge to get carbon out of the electric supply, without breaking the bank for customers or utilities. But that doesn’t mean that people aren’t trying. As part of a weeklong look at New Hampshire’s Energy Future, we ask what’s being done about CO2? New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Tue, 29 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2303&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Associated Press Vermont's Northeast Kingdom now has a designated scenic byway. State officials have approved the 51-mile Northeast Kingdom Byway Main Corridor. The Caledonian-Record reports it starts in St. Johnsbury and extends north through Lyndonville, East Burke, Westmore, West Charleston, Derby, and ends in Newport. David Snedeker, the planning manager for the Northeastern Vermont Development Association, says the new byway designation is an excellent way to promote the area and build on tourism. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Tue, 29 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2307&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff The Lake George Association (LGA) has released its annual report on the Lake George Lake Steward Program. According to LGA, since 2008 the organization’s lake stewards have inspected almost 25,000 boats at high traffic launches around the Lake, removed over 400 aquatic invasive species samples from boats, and have educated around 60,000 boaters about invasive species spread prevention. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Tue, 29 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2312&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Julie Grant It took a few days after Gov. Andrew Cuomo released his budget plan last week for many North Country school districts to realize they had a problem. The initial funding proposal didn't provide enough money to help them out of the budget hole. But there's still some hope in the governor's proposal. His plan includes more than $200 million in what's called fiscal stabilization funding. The idea is to help schools with a spike in pension costs this year. North Country Public Radio article en-us Tue, 29 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2313&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann It's been a tough winter so far in the Adirondack backcountry for skiers and snowmobilers. But in some parts of the North Country there's been just enough snow for a good deep woods trek. Brian Mann set off last weekend with Phil Brown from the Adirondack Explorer magazine to ski the "Mr. Van" trail. It's a traditional route that connects two of the most popular destinations in the High Peaks, the Adirondack Loj and the Mt. Van Hoevenberg Ski Area. North Country Public Radio article en-us Tue, 29 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2297&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Matthew Stone Gov. Paul LePage said Monday the state’s public schools in recent decades have encouraged all students to work toward four-year degrees and that approach is unrealistic and “simply not defensible.” LePage made the remarks at a State House news conference held to unveil a two-year, $300,000 public awareness campaign designed to interest middle- and high-school students in manufacturing careers. “Not every child is going to go to college,” he said. “And we have a responsibility to our children to provide them with the opportunities for a good education. A good education is a game-changer for everyone.” Bangor Daily News article en-us Mon, 28 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2308&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Tom Kalinowski During this present century, there will undoubtedly be a massive influx of life forms occurring throughout the region in response to the changing climate. While the mountain lion elicits much interest and emotion, its return would not have the same ecological impact as the formation of scattered patches of red oaks, white oaks, basswood, shagbark hickory, sweet birch and other trees that typify woodlands to our south. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Mon, 28 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2314&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Sarah Harris The North Country Sustainability Plan was unveiled last week. The plan tackles energy, land use, transportation and water and waste management across seven counties. The Adirondack North Country Association, Ecology and Environment Inc., and Essex County spent much of the past year compiling the plan. They enlisted the help of another 200 people from around the region for the working groups. North Country Public Radio article en-us Mon, 28 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2315&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann Two more local governments have weighed in on the future of the historic rail line that runs through the heart of the Adirondack Park. At a meeting last week in Tupper Lake, the village board voted four to one, in favor of reopening a management plan that governs use of the rail corridor from Old Forge to Lake Placid. North Country Public Radio article en-us Mon, 28 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2316&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Kate O'Connell New York state ranks third in the world for the number of clean energy patents issued in the third quarter of 2012. The Clean Energy Patent Growth Index shows that the majority of the 63 patents issued during that period went to upstate inventors. Alana Fuierer – Intellectual Property Associate at the law firm that compiled the index – says it’s a good indicator of innovation and shows upstate cities like Rochester, Albany and Syracuse are well ahead of the international curve. North Country Public Radio article en-us Mon, 28 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2298&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Julia Bayly Up and down the state residents are facing a genuine Maine winter with average snowfalls and cold temperatures. And few people are happier about this than snowmobilers. In Rangeley, the annual SNODEO snowmobile festival attracted about 8,000 sledders to three days of riding, poker runs, meals and entertainment over the weekend. “It was a big crowd and is so worthwhile for the community,” Don Dumont, vice president of the Rangeley Snowmobile Club said Sunday. “It’s the biggest part of our whole winter.” Bangor Daily News article en-us Sun, 27 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2263&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Joe Montan New York State has abundant biomass resources that are ideal for heating and combined heat and (electrical) power (CHP) applications. Much of this biomass comes from forests that are also being managed sustainably to provide logs for finished products, biomass for pulp, clean water for cities, open space for recreation in all forms and clean air to protect our health. The jobs and products created are home grown and the resulting money circulates locally. According to the most recent United States Forest Service Forest Inventory, we are growing twice as much biomass as we remove, including an abundance of low-grade trees that need removal to improve forest health. This does not even include the dedicated energy crops that can be grown in many agricultural areas. Imported heating oil and propane can be partially offset by the use of these indigenous renewable resources. Most importantly, greenhouse gas emissions from the combustion of fossil carbon can be reduced by simply using only a portion of the carbon being sequestered in our well managed forests and agricultural lands. NYSenate.gov article (pg. 8) en-us Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2265&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northeaster Forest By: Jennifer Pontius and Mary Martin Forest health in the northeastern U.S. is of increasing concern due to climate change and human-caused pressures. One way to assess forest health is to monitor changes of tree crowns or the forest canopy. To monitor forest canopy condition across the region, NSRC researchers used remote sensing images, which can be used to evaluate the crown condition of forests over long time periods and large areas. A forest health rating based on canopy "greenness," photosynthetic capacity, canopy density, and water content was applied to Landsat TM5 satellite imagery to quantify yearly forest health from 1984 to 2009. Initial results indicate that forest condition varies from year to year, primarily due to drought and insect outbreaks, but the condition of forested ecosystems across the region as a whole has remained relatively stable over the past 25 years. This is likely due to the natural resilience of northeastern forests and their rapid recovery, regrowth, and ingrowth following small scale disturbances. Northeastern States Research Cooperative article en-us Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2266&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northeastern US By: John Campbell, Charles Driscoll, Katherine Hayhoe, Scott Ollinger, Lindsey Rustad Effects of climate change will show up differently across landscapes that vary in biogeographic features. To evaluate the impacts of climate change, scientists must untangle multiple climatic factors and other human-caused stressors likely to simultaneously affect ecosystems over the coming decades. Forest ecosystem computer models are useful tools to understand and predict the interactive effects of climate change, atmospheric carbon dioxide, and atmospheric chemical deposition on the water quality and characteristics of forested watersheds. NSRC researchers used computer models to assess the effects of potential future changes in climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide on concentrations and movement of major chemical elements at three watersheds in the Northern Forest. They studied Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire, Huntington Wildlife Forest in New York, and Sleepers River Watershed in Vermont. Northeastern States Research Cooperative article en-us Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2267&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: David Sleeper NSRC supported several ongoing education, policy, and outreach projects of the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation (HBRF), which supports the work of the Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study, among the largest and longest running ecosystem studies in the world. Programs focused on developing new ways to communicate cutting-edge research to the public. NSRC funds helped cover production costs of a translation document for HBRF’s Science Links project on Carbon and Communities. Scientists also began project planning and team building for two new Science Links initiatives: Migratory Birds and Regional Science and Policy Partnership. Northeastern States Research Cooperative article en-us Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2268&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northeast By: Ellen Denny and Brenden McNeil Scientists have documented that climate change is affecting the timing of spring warm-up and fall cool down. These changes alter the timing of plant bud break and leaf fall or what is called "phenology." Many of the scientists tracking phenological changes belong to the USA National Phenology Network. NSRC researchers created a more regional network in the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada called the Northeast Regional Phenology Network at a November 2007 workshop that included northeastern researchers in forest ecology and remote sensing, leaders of “citizen science” groups, and members of the USA network. Northeastern States Research Cooperative article en-us Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2269&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northeast By: Steven Wolf, Richard Stedman and Michelle Brown Large, intact forests in the northeastern U.S. provide habitat for diverse species and ecological services such as timber production, water purification, and recreation. In the 1980s, forest products companies, driven by economic changes, began selling large tracts of land to timberland investment management organizations and real estate investment trusts. In the Northeast, less than 2.3% of timberlands sold between 1980 and 2005 were purchased by conservation organizations or public agencies. These efforts are constrained by limited funds and concerns about “locking up” forest land, economic and social justice, and cultural continuity in rural communities. The Finch Pruyn Working Forest (FPWF), 161,000 acres in the Adirondack Park of New York State, is the result of a recent land deal by The Nature Conservancy that seeks to reconcile interests in environmental protection, timber production, recreation, and economic development. NSRC researchers reviewed the conservation easement, forest management plan, press releases, and media coverage. They traced redistribution of property rights to understand formal allocation of rights and responsibilities and interviewed individuals from environmental organizations, public agencies, local government, forest products industry, recreation groups, and local residents. Northeastern States Research Cooperative article en-us Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2270&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northeastern By: Charles Discoll and Linda Pardo Air pollution effects on ecosystems have been an environmental concern in the northeastern United States since the 1970s. Forest and aquatic ecosystems are sensitive to inputs of air pollution and have been impacted by atmospheric sulfur and nitrogen deposition. The concept of “critical loads” has been used in Europe for air quality management since the 1980s. A critical load is the input of air pollutants below which adverse ecological effects do not occur. The USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, Environmental Protection Agency, and some states are interested in using critical loads to guide air quality management to protect ecosystems from acid and nitrogen deposition. Northeastern States Research Cooperative article en-us Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2271&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail By: Lindsey Rustad and James Shanley Electronic environmental sensors and associated data logging have been with us for nearly three decades. They have become standard in environmental monitoring and research but remain a challenge to deploy and "do right." Within the past decade, the selection and capabilities of sensors have advanced rapidly, and transmission of data to the world in real time has become commonplace. Sensors are used to monitor stream flow, water quality, groundwater table, sap flow, and trace gas movement. Webcams have improved quality and frequency of phenological measurements (seasonal changes in plants) and observations of bird behavior, and radio collars track fish and wildlife movements. To keep up with this quickly shifting electronic landscape, NSRC researchers started a Northeastern Ecosystem Research Cooperative (NERC) working group on environmental sensors. Northeastern States Research Cooperative article en-us Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2280&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sean Hurley There aren’t many roads that have books written about them, but we have one in New Hampshire. In 1973, writer Elizabeth Yates published “The Road Through Sandwich Notch”, which more than anything else helped secure the road’s preservation status as a part of the White Mountain National Forest. Sean Hurley has been running down and learning about the road for some time now and sends this reflection. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2284&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: David Sommerstein On the Hancock Air Base, in suburban Syracuse, there's a white bunker, encircled by several layers of concertina wire. Inside are virtual cockpits, from where pilots "fly" the MQ-9 Reaper. That's the U.S. military's premier "hunter-killer" drone. From that cockpit, the pilots control the plane. And they can see what its camera sees in real time. This is all so classified, I can't take a picture from far away, let alone go on a tour inside or talk with pilots. What I can see is the Reaper itself, in a maintenance hangar, with students practicing how to take care of it. The plane is ultrasleek and slate grey. And it's odd looking – it has no windows. Yet it can "see" things 20,000 feet down on the ground. North Country Public Radio article en-us Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2291&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail By: Biomass Thermal Energy Council The Biomass Thermal Energy Council has announced its newly elected executive officers for the 2013 board of directors. The executive committee that will lead the organization in 2013 includes: Chairman: Dan Wilson, vice president of Wilson Engineering Services Vice chair: Dan Arnett, biomass coordinator for Ernst Conservation Seeds Treasurer: Robert Davis, founder and CEO of Forest Energy Corp. Secretary: John Ackerly, president of the Alliance for Green Heat Biomass Magazine article en-us Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2309&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Dan Crane In the race for the almighty dollar, it appears few are stopping to ponder whether increased tourism is a good idea for the Adirondacks. How will increased tourism change the nature of the Park? Will more people turn off those who already loyally visit the Park and favor its plentiful opportunities for solitude? Are hikers prepared for crowded trailheads and busy trails, muddied by the increased traffic and littered with rubbish from uncaring or careless hikers? Adirondack Almanack article en-us Thu, 24 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2332&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Lisa McCormack A proposal that would levy a tax on heating fuels to fund Vermont’s weatherization program has received a cold reception from fuel dealers. In a report released to state lawmakers last week, the 65-member Thermal Efficiency Task Force — a coalition of energy experts and efficiency advocates — finalized recommendations that include everything from a new excise tax on heating fuels to tax credits for residents who make energy efficiency improvements to their homes. The task force is asking the Vermont Legislature to raise more than $276 million over the next seven years to weatherize 80,000 Vermont homes by 2020. Stowe Today article en-us Thu, 24 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2275&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northeast By: BDN Staff Arctic air is putting city services and homeless shelters to the test from Maine to Minnesota. The National Weather Service issued a dangerously cold wind chill warning for Tuesday night into Wednesday inwestern Maine. That warning extended into Thursday, with wind chill readings in western parts of the state projected to fall as low as 44 degrees below zero. Temperatures in Bangor were predicted to dip to 10 degrees below zero on Wednesday and Thursday nights, according to the National Weather Service. Bangor Daily News article en-us Wed, 23 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2282&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Kate O'Connell The Regional Economic Development Councils have been a cornerstone of Governor Cuomo's plan to revitalize the state's economy. In his state budget address, Cuomo confirmed a third round of state funding for them, totaling $220 million. The third round of funding will be split into two parts, $150 million for core funding of projects in the ten economic regions, with an additional $70 million available as tax credits. North Country Public Radio article en-us Wed, 23 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2283&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Julie Grant Statewide education leaders are giving Governor Cuomo good marks for prioritizing education in his budget plan. His proposals add up to an average of $300 more per student in the state, and of this, some districts will get less per student, some will get more. On first glance, it looks like many struggling North Country schools will do better than average. North Country Public Radio article en-us Wed, 23 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2281&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen Almost 35 years ago the American Marten was one of the first animals to be put on the state’s threatened species list, but now the slinky member of the weasel family is making a comeback. The question is how big a comeback and on a January morning with the temperature someplace around twenty below, Alexej Siren is getting ready to work on that. Siren is a University of New Hampshire graduate student working on his masters in conservation and wildlife biology. For roughly two years he’s been heading up to Mount Kelsey and the areas nearby, trying to come up with a good way to measure the elusive Marten population. If a reliable method can be worked out it could be used statewide. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2273&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Karen M. Koenig Harden Furniture Co. will receive $750,000 in grants to upgrade its sawmill and manufacturing facilities. The residential and contract furniture manufacturer has been awarded $600,000 from Empire State Development, New York’s economic development agency, and another $150,000 from Oneida County. The money will assist the company in its expansion and modernization plans. Last year Harden Furniture announced plans to install an estimated $3 million in new technology as part its lean manufacturing initiatives at the 450,000-square-foot facility. Woordworking Network article en-us Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Northern Forest News Digest http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2292&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire Berlin Housing Authority Executive Director Mary Jo Landry Monday night briefed the city council on a major undertaking by her agency to make its housing units greener. BHA owns or manages 97 housing units in three different complexes in the city. Landry said BHA last year decided to work to reduce utility usage in its housing projects. Berlin Daily Sun article en-us Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2264&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine by: Tux Turkel More than 30 years ago, Gordon Weil and then-Gov. Joseph Brennan traveled to Montreal to meet with Quebec Premier Rene Levesque. They met at the headquarters of the provincial power company, Hydro-Quebec. Weil, then Maine's energy office director, recalls a sense of optimism about tapping into cheap energy from a province flexing its economic and political muscle. Hydro-Quebec was hard at work on the La Grande complex at James Bay, then the world's largest hydroelectric system, and was looking for export opportunities. At home, rates were so low that the majority of Quebeckers were heating with electricity. "Those discussions went nowhere," Weil said last week. "We talked, but nothing ever got firmed up." Last June, a delegation of Maine lawmakers on the Maine-Canadian Legislative Advisory Commission drove to Quebec City to meet with provincial officials. They knew that three-quarters of Quebec homes still have electric heat. They knew that Hydro-Quebec is working on new, multibillion-dollar dam projects, and is having problems siting a transmission line to ship power through New Hampshire. Press Herald article en-us Sun, 20 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2276&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Aislinn Sarnakci For the first time in the organization’s history, Friends of Baxter State Park is seeking a full-time executive director, making the transition from an all-volunteer organization to a nonprofit with paid employees. It’s no coincidence that the big change coincides with Barbara Bentley terming out as FBSP president in the spring. Bentley has led the organization in that role for the past six years, during which time she also served as volunteer executive director, newsletter editor and administrator of the Maine Youth Wilderness Leadership Program. Bangor Daily News article en-us Fri, 18 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2277&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Zach Howard Scientists have discovered a new deer tick-borne disease in humans, with the viral-like illness sharing similarities both with Lyme disease and relapsing fever infections. The as-yet unnamed ailment is one of five caused by the Borrelia miyamotoi pathogen carried by blacklegged ticks, said Dr. Peter Krause, senior research scientist at Yale School of Public Health and lead author of a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Thursday. Bangor Daily News article en-us Thu, 17 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2278&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Emily Burnham 2013 is already shaping up to be a banner year for Maine film, with two full-length features in the works — Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly’s “ Blue Potato” and Lance Edmands’ “Bluebird” — and several documentaries already out there, including Jason Mann and Cecily Pingree’s “ Betting the Farm” and Ryan Brod and Daniel Sites’ “Hardwater.” One of these films, “Downeast,” took directors David Redmon and Ashley Sabin nearly three years to complete, as they documented the attempt by Italian immigrant Antonio Bussone to reopen the former Stinson Seafood sardine cannery in Gouldsboro as a lobster processing plant, and save more than 100 local jobs. “Downeast” screened at the 2011 Camden International Film Festival as a rough cut and then again in its final version at the 2012 festival, after the filmmakers changed the tone of the film dramatically as Bussone’s Live Lobster company was sued and the factory was shuttered for good. CIFF is taking “Downeast” on the road this month and next, with multiple screenings statewide, including at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, at the Camden Opera House. Bangor Daily News article en-us Thu, 17 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2293&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Bill Burke Beach days may be many months and several snowstorms away, so it might be best to just surrender, point the car north and take a road trip to Coos County, N.H. There’s not a lot that ­rivals a snowy landscape from atop a snow machine. Boston Herald article en-us Thu, 17 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2242&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sam Evans-Brown Conditions in New Hampshire's White Mountains are notoriously harsher than their altitude suggests. For world class mountaineers, this makes the Whites a perfect training ground. New Hampshire Public Radio's Sam Evans-Brown spent a day on the mountain, and has this report. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Wed, 16 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2243&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sam Evans-Brown This week the Granite state is playing host to an ice-fishing legend. Dave Genz is the only ice-angler to make the freshwater fishing hall of fame and many credit him with sparking a revolution in the niche sport. And According to the so-called “godfather of modern ice fishing” and learned that the emblematic bob-house may be becoming an anachronism. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Wed, 16 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2246&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Associated Press Vermont has been a leader in electrical efficiency for more than a decade. Now a new report says it should turn its attention in a big way to improving how it heats its buildings. Lawmakers called in 2008 for the state to weatherize a quarter of its buildings by 2020. With the state not on track to meet that goal, the Department of Public Service last year convened a special Thermal Efficiency Task Force to recommend ways to improve progress. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Wed, 16 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2248&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Caitlin Stewart Back in November, Tom Colarusso of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service asked me if I would like to join forces to organize and host an invasive insect forest survey workshop. I thought this was an excellent idea. I whipped-up some posters and sent some promotional emails. Fourteen concerned land owners and agency professionals came from as far away as Albany and Ray Brook for the workshop held at the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District’s office in Lake Pleasant. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Wed, 16 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2249&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann The battle over use of a historic railroad corridor through the heart of the Adirondacks escalated this fall, with a growing number of local government leaders questioning the value of an excursion train that would operate from Old Forge to Lake Placid. Regional development officials, meanwhile, affirmed their support for the Adirondack Scenic Railroad, describing it as an important tourism attraction and suggesting that the entire line could be back in regular use within two years, carrying visitors from as far away as New York City. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Wed, 16 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2274&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire The Biomass Thermal Energy Council (BTEC) announced today that Tarm Biomass has become the first participant in the Biomass Green Heat Registered Site program. The BTEC program allows residential, business, and facility owners to proudly showcase their biomass thermal appliances to colleagues and neighbors with a professionally designed plaque and registration in an online catalogue. "We like to practice what we preach" said Scott Nichols, Owner and President of Tarm Biomass. "Operating what we sell in various settings helps us understand what our customers face in the field." The Biomass Green Heat Site system in the Lyme Business Park is a 200,000 Btu/hour Froling pellet boiler. The system consumes wood pellets at a rate of about 30 tons a year (at a cost of $250 per ton). The wood pellet boiler meets 93% of the building's thermal needs, and has a back up fuel oil unit that supplements the remainder of those needs. Altenergy Mag article en-us Wed, 16 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2279&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sam Evans-Brown Conditions in New Hampshire's White Mountains are notoriously harsher than their altitude suggests. For world class mountaineers, this makes the Whites a perfect training ground. New Hampshire Public Radio's Sam Evans-Brown spent a day on the mountain, and has this report. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article en-us Wed, 16 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2247&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Jane Lindholm On January 15, 1885, a Jericho farmer by the name of Wilson Bentley became one of the first persons in the world to photograph a single snow crystal. He would take pictures of over 5,000 snowflakes in his lifetime, a feat that would earn him the name of "Snowflake" Bentley. Snowflake photos on display at the Snowflake Bentley Museum. Vermont Edition talked with Wayne Howe, archivist for the Jericho Historical Society about Bentley's imprint on history. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Tue, 15 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2251&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Todd Moe Record numbers of bird species were counted recently during the Christmas Bird Count in the Saranac Lake area. Larry Master, longtime birder and wildlife photographer, says the Saranac Lake count broke a 47-year-old record for the number of bird species seen and the number of birders counting in the field. Fifty species were seen by 46 birders in the field, also a record for Saranac Lake. North Country Public Radio article Additional birding story en-us Tue, 15 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2258&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail International A new study from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and Future Forests shows that mixed forests, in comparison with monocultures, have positive effects on several different ecosystem services, including timber production. “Many people have suggested that high diversity of tree species has a favorable impact on processes in the ecosystem, but until now this connection has primarily been studied in terms of one process or ecosystem service at a time,” says Lars Gamfeldt from University of Gothenburg, who directed the new study. The study, performed by an international research group, is based on material from the Swedish National Forest Inventory and the Swedish Forest Soil Inventory. By examining the role played by the occurrence of diverse tree species for six different ecosystem services (tree growth, carbon storage, berry production, food for wildlife, occurrence of dead wood, and biological diversity), the study demonstrates that all six services co-vary with the number of tree species. Pulp and Paper Cananda article en-us Tue, 15 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Ecosystem Services http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2259&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail By: Janet Urquharthttp://www.aspentimes.com/article/20130115/NEWS/130119923/1077&ParentProfile=1058 The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies won't be getting out of the woods any time soon. Nor does it want to. Since absorbing the mission of former local nonprofit group For the Forest a year ago, ACES has been busy with more than its hallmark slate of ecology and natural-sciences educational programs for children and adults. It has taken a lead role in developing the proposed Hunter Creek-Smuggler Mountain Cooperative Plan for habitat, forest-health and recreation improvements on more than 4,000 acres of national forest on the edge of Aspen. It's also recruiting “citizen scientists” to help monitor local forests and, along with the Aspen Global Change Institute, is working on a Forest Health Index that will give an annual, numerical score to forest health in the Roaring Fork River basin. It will inform an annual State of the Forest report, which will debut this year with the 2012 report. Aspen Times article   en-us Tue, 15 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2252&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Joanna Richards Democratic US Senator Charles Schumer was at Lewis County General Hospital on Friday, touting the return of funding for New York's rural hospitals. The funding had been suspended for three months by Congress, and Schumer worked with Republican Senator of Iowa Charles Grassley to reinstate the funding as part of Congress's fiscal cliff deal. North Country Public Radio article en-us Mon, 14 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Health http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2254&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Doug Harlow How do you keep 1,500 students warm in school all winter and still save money? The answer is to install a modern biomass boiler that will heat three district schools using locally produced wood pellets. "It's unique in that it's serving multiple schools, it has a local wood source and, of course, the cost savings," School Administrative District 54 Superintendent Brent Colbry said. "We dug trenches last summer from the high school to Bloomfield Elementary and then over to the middle school for insulated pipes. They're all connected underneath." The equipment for the district's $1.7 million wood pellet boiler system arrived in a snowstorm the day after Christmas. The $500,000 Hurst pellet boiler is in the basement of Skowhegan Area High School. It is fed with an auger from a 42-ton silo on the east side of the high school, by the football field. Online Sentinel article en-us Sat, 12 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2244&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sam Evans-Brown Conditions in New Hampshire’s White Mountains are notoriously harsher than their altitude suggests. But for World Class mountaineers this makes the Whites a perfect training ground. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Fri, 11 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2253&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann An environmental group based in New York City has purchased an iconic parcel of land in Hamilton County known as the "Marion River Carry." The Open Space Institute purchased the 295 acres in a deal that will help protect a popular canoe-carry trail linking Raquette Lake and Utowana Lake. OSI president Kim Elliman released a statement this week saying that "the potential for development made the Marion River a higher, more immediate priority for conservation." North Country Public Radio article en-us Fri, 11 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2255&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Erin Voegele A 24 MW biomass power plant in Maine is up for sale. According to information issued by Niagara Worldwide, it is working in conjunction with Sherman Development LLC to liquidate a former Boralax Biomass Power Plant. The entire system, currently located in Stacyville, Maine, is to be transferred and reinstalled following its purchase. The facility is currently owned by Sherman Development. Biomass Magazine article en-us Fri, 11 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2131&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York Fifth annual conference to be held this year in Saratoga Springs. For more information and to register to go: Biomass Heating Expo Registration en-us Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2240&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Whit Richardson Sappi Fine Paper said Wednesday that it is spending $2.5 million to rebuild one of its specialty paper coating machines at its Westbrook paper mill. The capital investment will upgrade the coating and drying capabilities of the mill’s No. 20 coater, according to a media release from the company. The rebuild will expand the mill’s manufacturing capacity, improve its energy efficiency and allow for a wider range of raw materials to be used, the company said. Bangor Daily News link en-us Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2241&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Scott Thistle Representatives of Maine’s pulp and paper industry said Wednesday that efforts by Gov. Paul LePage’s administration to change the state’s renewable energy policies are likely to do more harm than good when it comes to the price of electricity. They may also hurt the paper industry, which employs 7,500 workers statewide, according to Bill Cohen, Verso Paper Corp.’s manager for mill communications and regional government affairs. Cohen said his company is hoping to refocus the energy debate at the Legislature in 2013 and is encouraging lawmakers and LePage to rethink changes they might have in mind for how to reduce the final price a consumer pays for a kilowatt-hour. Bangor Daily News link en-us Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2245&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen The town of Colebrook in the North Country has taken a new step to try and attract ATV-riding tourists. It’s opening up some of its streets to the all-terrain vehicles. Colebrook’s select board has approved opening up 21 streets in the town to ATV riders, says Jules Kennett, one of the three selectmen. “We finally came up with what we believe is the safest, most accessible way to get the ATVers into the center of town.” The speed limit would be 10 miles per hour. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2227&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Debra Thornblad If allowed Gorham would be part of a loop that would eventually bring ATVs along trails that stretched from Gorham, the southern most Coos County town, all the way up to Pittsburg. Chris Gamache, head of the state Bureau of Trails, said discussion about an OHRV trail in Gorham began a couple of years ago with discussion on using the railroad bed. Part of that, east to Berlin, was opened up. Since then the Jericho Lake Park OHRV trail system has brought many ATV riders up to the area. Riders say the riding is better up here, Gamache said. Gamache said they are presently working on a loop that starts in Berlin, would go up through Success and Errol, up to Pittsburg, down to Colebrook and back to Berlin. Berlin Daily Sun article en-us Wed, 09 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2229&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Associated Press The postal service is holding meetings in Vermont communities to give residents a chance to discuss options in advance of cutbacks. The meetings and surveys sent out are giving residents four options. Vermont Public Radio reports one would keep the office open but reduce the hours. The others would require closing the local post office and opting for rural delivery, post office boxes at another office or establishing a Village Post Office, which provides more limited services. Burlington Free Press article Vermont Public Radio related article en-us Wed, 09 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2231&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Morris Counties across New York are struggling under growing budget pressure, thanks to dwindling state aid, the new property tax cap, and mandates from Albany that local leaders have to find ways to pay for. In Essex County, the political tension boiled over this past budget season. County leaders adopted a budget that increases the tax levy by 1.1 percent. That meets the state's property tax cap requirements. But the county's manager blasted town supervisors for using fund balance monies -- a strategy he described as unsustainable. County leaders are trying to pivot to talk about next year's budget. But questions remain about how this year's budget will play out. North Country Public Radio article en-us Wed, 09 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2232&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Andy Flynn We continue our series, the Adirondack Attic, with Andy Flynn. You may know Andy from his series of Adirondack Attic books on local history. He uses the objects people make, use and leave behind to tell stories about the life and times of the region. NCPR is collaborating with Andy and his sources at the Adirondack Museum and other historical associations and museums in the region to bring these stories to air. Today, we'll listen to a 1969 interview with Tupper Lake business pioneer Mose Ginsberg, who immigrated to the Adirondacks in the 1890's as a teenager. North Country Public Radio article en-us Wed, 09 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2250&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Phil Brown A new study by wildlife biologist John Laundre concludes that the Adirondack Park has enough wild habitat and prey to support up to 350 cougars—a finding dismissed as “a fantasy” by another biologist who once investigated the feasibility of restoring cougars to the region. “It’s a great idea. We looked at it thirty years ago,” said Rainer Brocke, a professor emeritus at the State University College of Environmental Science and Forestry. “We found there wasn’t any chance for them.” Adirondack Almanack article en-us Wed, 09 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2228&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Barbara Tetreault More than a month after troubling reports about Tri-County Community Action Program first reached regulators, the future of the organization is still in limbo. Last Friday, three employees were permanently laid off and eight workers in the weatherization program were furloughed for one month. In a press release issued yesterday, Todd Fahey, the court-appointed special trustees in charge of the organization, said he also implemented a pay cut to nearly all staff members with the size of the cut varying based on the rate of pay. In addition, he said certain employee benefits will be discontinued as of Feb. 1. Fahey said TCCAP continues to meet its payroll and to make payments to vendors and lenders. He said the efforts of many government funders to expedite reimbursements since December has greatly improved the agency's cash flow and liquidity. Berlin Daily Sun article en-us Tue, 08 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2230&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Matt Sutkoski It’s a benign weather week right now in Vermont. A thaw is settling in. The only weather problems of note might come Friday, when a little freezing rain could slicken up the roads in some sections of the state. That’s nothing compared to what went on 15 years ago this week. It is the anniversary of the Great Ice Storm of 1998. It was among the worst disasters the state has seen. In some high elevations, parts of the Northeast Kingdom, and especially the Champlain Valley, ice accumulated to between one and two inches, mostly between January 7 and 9, 1998. Burlington Free Press article en-us Tue, 08 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2233&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann Over the last several years, we here at North Country Public Radio have been asking questions about the way our region is marketed to tourists. We've interviewed some of the top tourism entrepreneurs and marketing experts, from places like the Thousand Islands, the Tug Hill and the Adirondacks. We've poked at the question of whether northern New York's incredible natural beauty is being marketed as effectively as other tourist destinations. North Country Public Radio article en-us Tue, 08 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2234&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Martha Foley Clear nights in the forecast, and the waning crescent Moon make for a great opportunity to bundle up and get outside for some sky-watching. St. Lawrence University physics professor Aileen O'Donoghue tells Martha Foley that Jupiter and Saturn are high and bright in the sky these days. Aileen's advice: bring good binoculars because there's a good chance you could see Jupiter's famous moons. And she has news for later this winter, too. There are two comets on our way. North Country Public Radio article en-us Tue, 08 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2235&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Knight In August, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a $47 million deal to acquire nearly 70,000 acres of former Finch, Pruyn and Co. timberlands. The state plans to add the paper company property to the Adirondack forest preserve over the next five years. The first phase of the purchase transferred to the state with little fanfare at the end of December. The state closed on the purchase of the 18,000-acre Essex Chain of Lakes tract from The Nature Conservancy on Dec. 21. The price tag was $12.3 million. North Country Public Radio article en-us Mon, 07 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2226&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Irwin Gratz Is there a way for Maine to escape a demographic trap in which its population ages, its workforce shrinks and its economy slows? In an essay in the latest Maine Policy Review, Ed Cervone, president of the Maine Development Foundation, argues there is. Cervone tells MPBN's Irwin Gratz that the Maine economy would grow faster if the state did more to lure people from away. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article en-us Sun, 06 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2210&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Jane Lindholm A proposed power transmission line through New Hampshire faces continued opposition from groups opposed to the construction of towers through undeveloped forestland. Known as the Northern Pass, the project would bring 1,200 megawatts of electricity from Quebec into Southern New England via a 180 mile transmission line. Most of the line would run through already established rights of way. But 40 miles of it would need to be cut into northern New Hampshire forest. That possibility spurred the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests into action. "We feel like we have a legal and ethical obligation to protect existing conservation lands, not the least of which is the White Mountains National Forest," says Jack Savage, a vice president with the Society. His group has been acquiring conservation easements in the northern forests where the Northern Pass might be routed. Savage thinks this effort may be enough to block the project. Vermont Public Radio article Related Vermont Public Radio article en-us Fri, 04 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2216&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann State officials are delaying consideration of a new plan that would ease clear-cutting rules for loggers working in the Adirondack Park. The measure was expected to be taken up at the Adirondack Park Agency meeting next week in Ray Brook. If approved, it will allow some timber operators to clear-cut stands of trees larger than 25 acres without a full review by the Adirondack Park Agency. North Country Public Radio article en-us Fri, 04 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2225&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jackie Farwell The New Year’s Day fiscal cliff deal has left Maine hospitals bracing for funding cuts and, at the same time, cheering the extension of federal programs designed to buoy rural medical centers. Nationally, hospitals have sharply criticized the deal hammered out between Congress and the Obama administration. Hospitals won big on one hand, because the legislation averted a planned 27 percent cut in Medicare payments to doctors. But Congress had to come up with $30 billion to avoid the payment cut, and hospitals will have to pick up the tab for about half that expense over the next decade... Maine hospitals, which employ about half the state’s doctors, expect to lose roughly $40 million over the next decade to pay for the doc fix, Austin said. That money will be part of $10.5 billion nationally that the federal government is recouping over the next few years for past Medicare overbilling by hospitals stemming from bill coding practices. Bangor Daily News article en-us Fri, 04 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Health http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2257&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Bill Conerly 2013 should offer good demand for wood products, with improvement from domestic usage though exports will remain soft. As usual, risks bear considering, including a possible recession in the United States, continued slowing in China, and a significant upside risk—that housing recovers even faster than we’re currently expecting. Forbes article en-us Fri, 04 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2211&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Jane Lindholm The Northern Pass project would carry power generated in Quebec through transmission lines stretching 180 miles from the Canadian border through New Hampshire to southern New England. But it's running into opposition from groups like the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. Recently, Vermont Edition spoke with Jack Savage, a VP with the Society about the group's effort to disrupt the project through land purchases. Mike Skelton is a spokesman for Northern Pass. He talked with Vermont Edition about why he says the Northern Pass will bring clean electricity to the region. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Thu, 03 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2215&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Guest Contributor Trees are about half water, maybe a little less in winter. And if the temperature drops low enough, the water in even the most cold-hardy tree will freeze. So how do trees survive below-freezing temperatures? They can’t move south or generate heat like a mammal. Sure, the below-ground parts of a tree are kept insulated by a layer of snow, and that is important to winter survival, but the exposed parts of a tree are not so protected. To survive winter cold, a tree begins its preparations in late summer as day length shortens. Cold acclimation occurs gradually and includes a number of physiological changes in leaves, stems, and roots. And while fall color seems to get all the attention, it’s what trees do later in autumn that is the most stunning, if harder to see. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Thu, 03 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2239&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Canada By: Jim Sutherland In late November, an obscure wood-price index nudged up to $355. Most people didn’t even notice, but you could almost hear champagne corks popping in forest-industry executive suites. That’s because when the random-length framing-lumber composite price index hits $355, the softwood lumber export tax—part of the current Canada-U.S. softwood lumber agreement—drops to zero. That’s exactly what will happen on Jan. 1 if the index holds. The elimination of the export tax would be a nice bonus for a forest industry that is quietly returning to health, says University of British Columbia forestry professor David Cohen. “That 5% goes straight to the bottom line,” he points out. The tax has already notched down to 5% from 15% thanks to the steady rise in lumber prices in 2012. Production is ramping up, too. In November, Canfor reopened its mill at Radium Hot Springs, while Interfor reported its highest quarterly lumber production ever. Forest Business Network article en-us Thu, 03 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2205&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Nick Sambides Jr. A state-appointed advisory board hopes to increase snowmobile registration fees to improve Maine’s trails and ease the economic burden on the volunteers who maintain them, officials said Wednesday. State Sen. John Patrick, D-Rumford, plans to introduce a bill on behalf of the state Snowmobile Trail Advisory Council that would increase snowmobile registration fees much more than the hikes proposed by the Maine Snowmobile Association on Tuesday. The idea, Patrick said, is to improve trail quality while offsetting the rising costs that the state’s 290 snowmobile clubs carry as they voluntarily groom the state’s 14,500 miles of snowmobile trails. The state charges an in-state resident snowmobile registration fee of $40. Out-of-staters pay $88. Bangor Daily News article en-us Wed, 02 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2206&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Aislinn Sarnacki Two snowstorms slammed into Maine just before New Year’s Day, transforming the bleak, brown land into a wintery white world. From The County to York, residents have been dusting off snowmobiles, skis and snowshoes to play in feet of fresh powder, enthusiastic to engage in snow sports after last year’s dry winter. Popular Maine Showshoe spots: Camden Snow Bowl, Hidden Valley Nature Center, Camden Hills State Park, Bangor City Forest, Great Pond Mountain Wildlands, Acadia National Park, etc Bangor Daily News article en-us Wed, 02 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2212&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New England By: Todd Bookman Let's say you are one of the 904 or so residents of Warren, New Hampshire. Let's say you get sick. Maybe you just started on a new prescription and are having unwanted side effects. "Today, they have one of two options," says Shawn Tester, who runs the day-to-day operations at Ammonousuc Community Health Services, which has five primary care clinics in Grafton and Coos County. "They either do without. Or they have to travel, oh, I don't know, 45 miles to our Littleton office to receive that consultative service." But now Tester can offer patients another option: telemedicine. Doctors use a high-speed private internet connection to virtually meet with patients. They can also share medical records, x-rays and MRIs. And this week, telemedicine in New Hampshire is getting a big boost. Something called the New England Telehealth Consortium--better known as NETC--is finally going online. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Wed, 02 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Health http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2256&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National As you know, Congress went down to the wire on the "fiscal cliff" decision, and as part of the deal, clean energy got a one-year extension of the production tax credit, that applies to wind, geothermal and biofuels projects. Also extended are the Investment Tax Credits used for community and offshore wind projects. In an important departure from how the PTC previously worked, all projects that start construction in 2013 will receive the credits. Previously, they had to be online by the deadline, which would make it much harder to qualify. Wind projects, for example, take 12-18 months to be completed. Allowing projects access to the PTC when they begin construction will greatly benefit geothermal and biomass projects, considered more risky by investors. The Geothermal Energy Association expects it to result in $4 billion in investments. Sustianable Business article en-us Wed, 02 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2213&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Fred Bever On a sunny day at Shawnee Peak, a family-sized mountain about an hour northwest of Portland, Maine, faithful early-season skiers carve their first turns on a good choice of trails thanks to the numerous snow-blowers going full tilt to cover the otherwise brown slopes. Ski patrol, in their tell-tale red jackets, say something's changed about winter. "We think about how long it takes to open the mountain, I mean because it's just not cold enough to blow snow and get enough snow on the hill to be able to use," said Janet Davis. Davis' on-the-slope observations are backed up by a growing body of climate science that spells challenge for the sport: less natural snow, more rain and fewer days cold enough for snow making. A recently published report predicts that all the ski resorts in Massachusetts and Connecticut are likely to go out of business - or the skiing business, at least - within 20 to 30 years. But it also finds that the ski mountains in Vermont, northern Maine and northern New Hampshire will likely survive into the next century. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2214&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New England By: Associated Press Many of northern New England's rural communities depend on snowmobilers to keep stores, restaurants, motels and gas stations going strong, and they've seen a sudden increase in traffic thanks to the snows of recent days. Many areas of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont saw little snow last year and a snowmobiling season that never really got off the ground. Island Pond, which bills itself as Vermont's snowmobiling capital, the season was shortened to seven weeks from the usual 14. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2209&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen For much of the year officials at Northeast Utilities have been saying they would have the new route for Northern Pass submitted to the US Department of Energy by the end of the year. But the New Year is here and while nothing has been posted with the DOE Northern Pass says it has a new route. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Mon, 31 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2217&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: NCPR News hat would a New Year's Eve be without a look back at the old year? NCPR's two veteran reporters, Brian Mann and David Sommerstein, joined Martha Foley to consider the big stories of 2012, most of which are already projecting their influence into the coming year. North Country Public Radio article en-us Mon, 31 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2218&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen A group of North Country residents is much closer to creating a community forest alongside the White Mountain National Forest. Now they’re beginning to think about what kind of playground it should be. For years people in the western part of the White Mountains –have admired an 840-acre tract of privately owned land. It is located in Easton, which abuts the better-known towns of Sugar Hill and Franconia. From its ridgeline there are fabulous views of the nearby White Mountain National Forest. Find just the right spot and Pearl Lake is framed by trees. Some of the forest was logged about a decade ago, opening areas for wildlife and making it a little easier for hikers to get around. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Mon, 31 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2196&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen Next month the town of Colebrook in the North Country is expected to take a big step in a plan designed to make the region more friendly to ATV-riding tourists, increasing the profits for local businesses. At its January 9th meeting the Colebrook select board is expected to approve a plan that allows people to drive all-terrain vehicles on some of the town’s streets. The idea is to make it more convenient for ATVers riding a newly expanded network of trails to stay and shop in Colebrook. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Fri, 28 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2202&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann This week returning to our series looking at artisans in the North Country who still do traditional work, everything from taxidermy to calligraphy. Often that kind of work is passed from hand to hand, with one craftsman teaching and shaping the technique of the next over hundreds of years. Christopher Buerkett is a master clock repairer who lives in Rainbow Lake in the northern Adirondacks. North Country Public Radio article en-us Fri, 28 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2207&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Whit Richardson The Finance Authority of Maine last week approved roughly $16 million in tax credits for two groups making investments related to Great Northern Paper Co.’s mill in East Millinocket. FAME also approved a $300,000 loan for a Maine boat builder. FAME claims in a media release the two decisions are “expected to help create and retain 448 Maine jobs” combined, although a breakdown of how many new jobs would be created vs. existing jobs retained was not available Friday. Bangor Daily News article en-us Fri, 28 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2219&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Luke Geiver What does the president of the Advanced Biofuels Association, the Biomass Power Association, Covanta Energy and NRG Energy all have in common with 10 U.S. Senators and a handful of Representatives? They all support the Master Limited Partnerships (MLP) Parity Act, a piece of legislation created by Sen. Chris Coon, D-Del., that attempts to tweak the tax code to support the popular energy philosophy that calls for an all of the above energy strategy. If the legislation passes, it will not be until 2013, (thank the fiscal cliff for that), but when or if it does, it would allow renewable energy project developers looking for private investment funding the same opportunity enjoyed by oil, natural gas, coal extraction and pipeline developers. Typically, those projects can access capital at a lower cost and are more liquid using an MLP. Biomass Magazine article en-us Fri, 28 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2224&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it is seeking public comment on the proposed national Paper and Paper-Based Packaging Promotion, Research and Information Order. The proposed program would cover four segments of the paper industry: printing and writing; kraft packaging paper (used for products such as grocery bags); containerboard (used to make shipping containers); and paperboard (used for food and beverage packaging, tubes, etc). Newsprint and carbonless papers would not be included in the program. Paper Check Off article en-us Fri, 28 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2193&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Patty Wight Today's windy winter storm brought the first major snowfall to the state this year. While some may have cursed the clear sign that winter is truly here, others who depend on the fluffy white stuff for work and play rejoiced. Patty Wight reports on the impact of wind and snow today, and the lingering effects it could have on the season. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article en-us Thu, 27 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2198&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sam Evans-Brown Proposed energy projects are causing a stir among New Hampshire lawmakers. Lawmakers will consider a raft of bills that would change how the state considers and approves such installations. Grafton Republican Skip Reilly has proposed putting a temporary stop on new transmission or wind-farm projects. Not every lawmaker has come on so strong. Weare Republican Neal Kurk would like to let every community that can see a proposed energy project vote on whether or not they want it. But the bill that perhaps has attracted the most buzz is from Republican Senator Bob Odell: he wants the state to redo its energy plan for the next ten years. Odell: I think we have to recognize New Hampshire is now a net exporter of energy. My legislation will set out the goals, provide a vision for what we want the plan to look like. Expect to hear about the high cost of electricity in New Hampshire, the coming retirement of some of the state’s aging power plants, and how electricity generation factors into climate change in the debates over all of these bills. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Thu, 27 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2208&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Patty B. Wight Today's windy winter storm brought the first major snowfall to the state this year. While some may have cursed the clear sign that winter is truly here, others who depend on the fluffy white stuff for work and play rejoiced. Patty Wight reports on the impact of wind and snow today, and the lingering effects it could have on the season. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article en-us Thu, 27 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2200&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Kim Martineau The Adirondack Park is more than double the size of Yosemite and Yellowstone National Parks combined, but its greatness is not always apparent. Silver lakes and dark woods beckon from some roadsides, while lawns and driveways interrupt the wild scenery from others. With its mix of private and public land, the Adirondacks have always had something of an identity problem. Four decades after the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) was created to oversee development on private lands, the Park is still in search of a coherent look. Brown road signs with yellow lettering suggest to visitors they are in a special place. But are signs enough? Adirondack Almanack article en-us Wed, 26 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2220&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Tim Probert The U.S. biomass industry suffered a frustrating year in 2012, with EPA regulatory uncertainty the dominant theme. The Presidential Election heavily influenced the pace of EPA regulation and the time of writing the long-awaited Boiler MACT (Maximum Achievable Control Technology) Rule and its companion the Non-Hazardous Secondary Material (NHSM) Rule, which are still incomplete, while the EPA's Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule may not be completed until 2014. Yet the most important factor impacting biomass in 2012 was not Washington, D.C. but natural gas prices. As a result of an abundance of natural gas from shale gas fracking, several coal plants – which may otherwise have been potential candidates for biomass co-firing or conversions – were closed, often to be replaced with combined-cycle gas turbine power plants. Renewable Energy World article en-us Wed, 26 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2191&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Terry Karkos Some Nordic ski centers in Western Maine opened in time for Christmas vacation, thanks to December snows that weren’t washed away by accompanying rains. Carter’s Cross-Country Ski Center in Bethel and Oxford is one such place. The Bethel center opened its trails on Sunday for the season, offering 5 kilometers of Nordic trails that co-owner David Carter groomed Sunday morning. He’s also got 50 kilometers of snowshoe trails open. Bangor Daily News article en-us Tue, 25 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2197&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen It would be an understatement to call the studio of North Country Community Radio modest. There’s a single microphone and a hand-me-down control board with dozens of levers and switches. There’s a flowered couch, a row of vinyl records. Some eight-track tapes. A well-thumbed copy of “The Radio Amateur’s Handbook.” And behind it all is this guy, Nate Alberts. “I love music, first of all. And, I love the idea of bringing people together. He’s a house painter from Lisbon who volunteered at a community radio while living in Colorado. Alberts missed it so much that he put up a big chunk of his savings - $4,000 – and got to work. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Tue, 25 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2199&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Steve Zind A century ago mills were a central feature of working life in the Upper Valley. Generations of families depended on them for their livelihood. Now one example of the area's industrial history is being highlighted in a traveling Smithsonian Museum exhibit. The exhibit on display at the AVA Gallery and Arts Center in Lebanon is called "The Way We Worked". It charts the course of the American worker from farm to factory, through wars and the depression. At each stop as it tours the nation the exhibit is augmented by local historical material. The AVA Gallery didn't have to look far to find what it needed. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Tue, 25 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2203&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann This week, we're revisiting one of our favorite series of stories from the past year: conversations with artisans in the North Country who do traditional work. These are industries, and skills, that have been a way of life in our region for a century and more. Blacksmith John Scarlett has been operating a forge in Rossie for 30 years. North Country Public Radio article en-us Tue, 25 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2204&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann A flurry of snow arrived just in time for many North Country ski areas to open for holiday week. Downhill ski areas are open today from Titus Mountain near Malone to Gore Mountain near Johnsburg. The latest winter storm advisory says there's a fifty percent chance of at least six inches of snow hitting by Friday. It’s not exactly a snow bonanza – at least so far. But most of the region’s downhill ski areas are open today, usually with a third to half of their trails open. North Country Public Radio article en-us Tue, 25 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2195&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Barbara Tetreault Six firms have responded to Coos County's request for proposals to conduct an economic impact study of federal land ownership in the county. The firms include two based in Maryland, one in New York, and three in New England. Proposed budgets range from $27,500 to $50,000. North Country Council issued a request for proposals back in October on behalf of the county. The request set a maximum budget of $50,000 and a six-month time frame to conduct the study. Proposals were due last month. Berling Daily Sun article en-us Mon, 24 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2192&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Alex Barber Fifty-five small Maine post offices have implemented reduced hours as part of the United States Postal Service’s attempt to save money. Nearly 200 more will follow suit by the end of 2014. Across the country, the United States Postal Service considered reducing hours at its more than 31,000 retail locations in order to save money. About 13,000 were selected for reduction with 244 of those locations in Maine. Bangor Daily News article en-us Sat, 22 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2201&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff Adirondack Trails with Tales: History Hikes through the Adirondack Park and the Lake George, Lake Champlain & Mohawk Valley Regions (Blackdome Press, 2009) is by Albany writers Barbara Delaney and Russell Dunn, licensed guides and authors of books on the great outdoors of eastern New York and western New England. Trails with Tales is an effort to connect hikers with the history around them. The guide includes detailed directions, maps, photographs, and vintage postcards. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Sat, 22 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2170&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Martin and Francie Von Mertens As the year draws to a close, it's a great time to reflect on Rachel Carson's Silent Spring once more. 2012 marks the books 50th anniversary. The book encouraged many young naturalists and, with the holidays approaching, we've come up with two gifts to further one's love of nature: a pair of binoculars and a bird guide. New Hampshire Public Radio link en-us Fri, 21 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2172&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Rick Ganley Years ago while chasing my then- toddler around a small hillside park in Derry, I found a large chunk of iron; It was an odd site, this hulking engine block in the brush and undergrowth at the top of the hill. Then I noticed the telephone poles. They were several feet back in the woods. Two of the poles had wheel hubs displaying just a hint of the yellow they were once painted. A thin wire bowed between two of them. This was a rope tow... It’s a romantic and quaint notion, but it was a very common sight in New Hampshire towns in the middle decades of the 20th century. In the days before Interstate highways, getting to the large ski mountains in northern New England took some effort- a long ride by car or, early on, train. Heading up to the North Country for a weekend ski trip simply wasn’t possible for many. New Hampshire Public Radio link en-us Fri, 21 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2176&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Todd Moe You don't have to be a child to enjoy a simple winter treat -- sliding down a hill on a toboggan. A snowy backyard hill has been hard to find this month, but that didn't stop Todd Moe from signing up to build a wooden toboggan at the Adirondack Folk School in Lake Luzerne. Historically an important method of transportation for native American peoples, the toboggan is probably the simplest sled in design, consisting of nothing more than slats of wood curved at the front. Building one requires patience...and a lot of sanding. North Country Public Radio link en-us Fri, 21 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2181&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Nearly all business sectors can be assisted through the program. However, USDA-RD is placing specific emphasis on the following business sectors in 2013. 1. Projects that will develop, expand or enhance the viability of agricultural or forestry related value-added businesses. Projects that impact locally produced / locally manufactured food networks and/or distribution systems. Projects that assist in the development or expansion of cooperatively owned businesses (including healthcare). Projects that specifically support manufacturing. Projects that integrate technology – i.e. web sales analytics, business IT assessment/planning To learn more about the program, please visit the following website: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_rbeg.html Application packages can be found on-line at: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/NHVT_RBEG.html en-us Fri, 21 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Funding / Grant Opportunities http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2173&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Phil Brown They say we live in a park, but it’s a strange kind of park, one that’s home to more than 130,000 year-round residents. So what makes it a park? Well, there’s all that public land, with thousands of miles of hiking trails. And then there’s the Adirondack Park Agency, which regulates development on private land, presumably to maintain the region’s park-like character. The truth is, though, that people can drive through the Adirondacks without realizing that they’re in a park. Sure, they’ll see some pretty scenery, but they’ll also see the same kind of sign clutter, sprawl, and development they see outside the Park—not as much, perhaps, but it exists. Adirondack Almanack link en-us Thu, 20 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2177&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Karen DeWitt Governor Cuomo awarded over three quarters of a billion dollars for economic development projects at a ceremony Wednesday at the State Capitol. While every region in the state got something to go towards key projects, some regions got more than others. "You are a living, breathing part of history right now," Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy told the crowd. "Decades down the road they'll look at what this governor has done, especially with the economic development process in this state, and what he will achieve." North Country Public Radio link en-us Thu, 20 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2237&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Anna Simet The Biomass Thermal Energy Council has named its Biomass Thermal Champion of 2012, and the award goes to Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., for her leadership on energy programs, mostly due to the years she has spent advocating for the inclusion and parity of biomass thermal energy for heating, cooling and combined heat and power in federal energy programs and legislation. “Sen. Shaheen understands the immense value biomass thermal energy fuels and technologies provide to communities, businesses, and landowners,” said BTEC Executive Director Joseph Seymour. “At a time when so many families and businesses are seeking ways to cut soaring energy costs, Sen. Shaheen has offered solutions through programs and legislation that use local renewable resources and level the playing field for incentives.” Biomass Magazine article en-us Thu, 20 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2178&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: NCPR News For the second year in a row, the North Country Regional Economic Development Council is receiving one of the largest awards in the statewide competition for economic development funding. The North Country council was named a "Top Performer", and will receive $90.2 million for 82 projects. These include $300,000 to enable the Adirondack Meat Company to construct a 7,500 square foot meat processing plant and retail store, $2.5 million for the creation of a Community Transformation Tourism Fund, $1.7 million to enhance broadband connectivity in Hamilton County, $3 million for housing construction in the Fort Drum area, and many other projects (find a more comprehensive list of projects here). North Country Public Radio link en-us Wed, 19 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2179&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Sarah Harris The health industry in upstate New York is undergoing some rapid transformations - but there's also a shortage of primary care physicians. Medical practices across the eastern Adirondacks are working together to try and change that. North Country Public radio link en-us Wed, 19 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Health http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2222&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Suz-anne Kinney The latest Annual Energy Outlook released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration suggests a bright future for biomass power generation. As the table below shows, the amount of power produced from plants dedicated solely to biomass power production will grow at a steady rate of 3.11 percent, with the largest increases coming at before 2020 and after 2030; the biomass portion of cofiring is expected to grow 12.57 percent annually, with the most rapid expansion occurring between 2016 and 2022. Forest2Market article   en-us Wed, 19 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2223&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National The ForWarn forest monitoring and assessment tool developed by NASA’s Stennis Space Center’s Applied Science & Technology Project Office and other federal and university partners has been selected to receive a prestigious technology transfer award. The Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) for Technology Transfer announced Nov. 26 that the ForWarn early warning system for forest threats will receive the 2013 FLC Interagency Partnership Award. One of the organization’s highest honors, the award recognizes the efforts of laboratory employees from at least two different agencies who have collaboratively accomplished outstanding work in the process of transferring a technology. Forest Business Network article en-us Wed, 19 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2171&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire The Charitable Trust Division of the state Attorney General’s office initiated the move last week because of concerns about CAP’s ability to continue to provide services and meet its payroll due to “significant financial difficulties." The court Friday appointed Attorney Todd Fahey, of the Concord law firm, Orr and Reno, as special trustee to work with regulators, outside advisors, and management personnel to assess the agency’s financial situation and stabilize its operations. “It is definitely out of the ordinary” for the state to step in and remove the authority of the board of directors, said Anthony Blenkinsop, director of the Attorney General's Charitable Trusts unit. "In 2012 I think there was one other case,” he said. Berlin Daily Sun link en-us Tue, 18 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2174&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Kimberly Rielly ...For just one park, we have more than our share of acronyms: ANCA, DEC, AMC, TNC, AARCH, AATV, APA… the list goes on. Understanding the jurisdiction and mission for each of them is admittedly confusing. I will reiterate that it would be ideal if someone waved a magic wand to allow for the implementation of one collective, undiluted, Blue Line-specific marketing effort for the Adirondacks. As it is, each business and community has its own approach to promotion. However, there is one entity charged with promoting the region as a whole; the Adirondack Regional Tourism Council (ARTC). The ARTC has implemented a cooperative marketing strategy for over 25 years. With an average annual budget of about $800,000, that’s about $20 million worth of Adirondack brand promotion. Adirondack Almanack link en-us Tue, 18 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2184&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: US Department of the Interior Plant and animal species are shifting their geographic ranges and the timing of their life events – such as flowering, laying eggs or migrating – at faster rates than researchers documented just a few years ago, according to a technical report on biodiversity and ecosystems used as scientific input for the 2013 Third National Climate Assessment. The report, Impacts of Climate Change on Biodiversity, Ecosystems, and Ecosystem Services, synthesizes the scientific understanding of the way climate change is affecting ecosystems, ecosystem services and the diversity of species, as well as what strategies might be used by natural resource practitioners to decrease current and future risks. More than 60 federal, academic and other scientists, including the lead authors from the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Wildlife Federation and Arizona State University in Tempe, authored the assessment. USGS.gov link en-us Tue, 18 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Ecosystem Services http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2190&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Bill Trotter With the purchase of a conservation easement on more than 21,000 acres, the state has helped preserve a large swath of woodland and the area’s tourist economy, officials announced Tuesday. The land, 21,870 acres in and adjacent to the plantation of Grand Lake Stream, is east of West Grand Lake and northwest of Big Lake. It is the “ last big piece” of a decade-long effort by local and state officials, and by Downeast Lakes Land Trust, to protect more than 350,000 acres of undeveloped woods enveloping the lakes of northern Washington County, according to Mark Berry executive director of the land trust. The land, owned by Lyme Timber Co. of Hanover, N.H., abuts 33,708 acres already owned by the land trust and includes 17 miles of shoreline on West Grand, Big and Lower Oxbrook lakes. It includes frontage on Big Musquash Stream and conserves a quarter-mile section of the west side of Grand Lake Stream above Big Falls, according to a prepared statement about the completed easement. Bangor Daily News article Portland Press Herald related article Maine Public Broadcasting Network related article en-us Tue, 18 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2180&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Joanna Richards While lots of industries turned to information technology long ago to improve efficiency, accuracy and collaboration, until now, health care has lagged behind. Now, a big project has aimed to leverage IT in the health care in the North Country. North Country Public Radio link en-us Mon, 17 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Health http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2194&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Joe Rankin Going out in the woods intent on capturing the essence of nature via a camera forces you to change your viewpoint and approach the Maine woods, or any woods for that matter, in a different way. Normally when we walk in the woods we’re intent on a destination in the distance, even if we’re ostensibly just “going for a walk.” Concentrating on the destination we often miss the journey and when we come back are no richer for the experience than when we started. Thoreau said as much. Photography can help us slip out of that mindset. Forests For Maine's Future article en-us Mon, 17 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2221&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Julie Bayly A lawsuit filed in federal court in Bangor last week is alleging the University of Maine at Fort Kent and the University of Maine System deliberately mislead an alternative energy engineering company that contributed to a successful $2.7 million federal grant application. Skanden Energy, LLC, which is based in San Diego with an office is Maine, alleges that in August and September of 2010 company engineers worked with UMFK to design a biomass heating plant for the UMFK campus and neighboring Fort Kent Community High School and worked closely with university personnel in writing the $2.7 million USDA grant application to fund the project, according to the documents filed by attorneys with Eaton Peabody of Bangor. Bangor Daily News article   en-us Mon, 17 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2175&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff The Adirondack region has long been a favorite of skiers, as its mountains and snow cover provided a perfect landscape for downhill ski areas to develop during the Great Depression, when New Yorkers looked for an affordable escape to beat the winter blues. Over the decades, ski areas expanded with new lifts, lodges and trails. Despite the popularity of the sport, many ski areas have disappeared, yet countless people still hold fond memories of them. Adirondack Almanck link en-us Sun, 16 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2186&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Canada Christmas is still a little over a week away, but for the region's Christmas tree growers and sellers the season is almost over. While wholesalers are seeing cross-border sales drop, parking lot vendors say they're having a good year. Some Christmas tree growers are being forced to drastically cut their shipments to the United States because of cost pressures brought on by a strong Canadian dollar and the increasing popularity of a U.S.-grown tree. Families have been coming to the Keywood Christmas Tree Farm for 40 years. Owner Gordon Young says local customers are a small section of his business. He said the high Canadian dollar and a glut of Fraser firs means his main business exporting trees to New England is slowing down. CBC Canada link en-us Sun, 16 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2188&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail By: Craig E. Thomas I bet every forester has been asked at one time or another, possibly each year, to get a Christmas tree for someone. The request may be from your wife — “honey would you get a nice tree” — to a request from a company staffer — “the office needs several nice trees.” It’s always a “nice” tree that’s requested. Forest Business Network link en-us Sun, 16 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2169&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen Senator Kelly Ayotte says he North Country should have a major voice in what happens with the Northern Pass hydro-electric project. Ayotte spoke about the project while in Pittsburg in the North Country on Friday for a town meeting. New Hampshire Public Radio link en-us Sat, 15 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2187&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Gretyl Macalaster The pungent aroma of fresh wood chips permeates the wood yard at Public Service of New Hampshire's Schiller Station. Three by three, trucks drive up to the long lifts, lock in their tractor-trailers and send them into the air at almost unimaginable angles to dump their 30-ton loads of chips into the holds. They have come from southern New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts to deliver fuel to the plant. For the past six years, Schiller Station has been burning a half-million ton of wood chips each year at its biomass plant in Newington, reaching 3 million tons received and burned earlier this fall. That represents about a $95 million boost to the regional economy through the purchase of wood chips. Union Leader link en-us Sat, 15 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2167&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jennifer Mitchell As the turkey is the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving meal, so a trimmed tree is at the heart of many a home during the holidays. Here in the Pine Tree State, you can take home a fluffy, fragrant balsam fir from a roadside stand, buy one pre-cut from a big store, or choose and cut your own from a tree farm. For the last century, seasonal evergreens have been big business in Maine - or at least we think so. As Jennifer Mitchell reports, Christmas tree growers are still struggling to track their own industry, as they try to recover from the innovations of the 20th century Maine Public Broadcasting Network link en-us Fri, 14 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2137&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail The Maine Wood Products Association will hold its Annual Meeting on Friday, Jan. 11, 2013. Maine Governor Paul LePage will be the keynote speaker during lunch. The meeting includes presentations on how the Affordable Care Act will affect businesses; Maine’s wood and fiber supply; the Regional Wood Products Consortium; Creating a culture of accountability; and improving products and organizations. There will also be time for networking and general discussion of issues facing the industry and the Association. For details and to register: http://www.mwpa.org/Calendar.aspx en-us Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2150&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen A U.S. Department of Energy official has told Senator Jeanne Shaheen that the federal agency did nothing wrong in approving several contractors to work on the Northern Pass project, dismissing allegations to the contrary from the Conservation Law Foundation. Shaheen wrote the DOE in mid-October saying she was concerned about allegations made by the foundation. The CLF said it used the Freedom-of-Information Act to obtain a series of emails between the federal agency and a lawyer for Northern Pass. The foundation concluded those emails showed Northern Pass “handpicked” the contractor team that is going to be drafting the environmental impact statement. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2151&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Melody Bodette It's 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine and traversing the length of the Appalachian Trail is no small feat for even the most experienced of hikers. And Eva Donnelly of Norwich is not one of those veterans. But the 24-year old decided the trail was a trek she had to make, and she got it done, almost completely on her own. VPR's Mitch Wertlieb spoke with her from our Norwich studios about the amazing journey, and how long it took to complete. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2154&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York Looking around my cabin – at the milkweed on the window sill, the dried Canada lily stalks by my window, the turkey feather on my bookshelf – I had an idea. Why not lavish my tree with favorite things – things I find along my walks? After selecting a bunch of woodsy items for my tree last year, I thought I’d share some of my favorites. Ferns and Pods Vines Berries Adirondack Almanack article en-us Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2155&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Morris A new report says climate change has had a negative impact on the winter tourism industry in the U.S. and the problem will get worse unless politicians take action. The report, released last week by the Natural Resources Defense Council and Protect Our Winters, shows that 38 states have lost about $1 billion and 27,000 jobs as a result of decreased snow fall. Its authors say the outlook will get worse if state and federal lawmakers don't take steps to address the causes of climate change. North Country Public Radio article en-us Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2168&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Julie Lowrie Henderson Each semester, documentary students from all over come to Portland to spend an intensive few months studying photography, writing or radio at the SALT Institute for Documentary Studies - and telling stories about Maine. This fall, Julie Lowrie Henderson decided to tell the story of Chuck Lakin, a 67-year-old retired reference librarian and woodworker from Waterville, who's found a unique way of helping people talk about, and deal with, death. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article en-us Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2238&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail By: Joseph Truini A lot of homeowners are thinking about installing pellet stoves to stay warm this winter, and for good reason: They burn cleanly, produce tons of heat, and require little maintenance. And people who own pellet stoves absolutely love them. A pellet stove is a heating appliance that’s similar to a woodstove, but instead of burning firewood, it burns compressed hardwood pellets that are about 1/4 inch in diameter and 3/4 inch long. The pellets, which are commonly available in 40-pound bags, are made from compressed sawdust and waste wood that would otherwise be dumped into landfills or left to rot in the forest. Pellets are considered carbon-neutral because the CO2 level exhausted by the stove is similar to the carbon released when wood decomposes naturally on the forest floor. To ensure the stove burns clean and hot, it’s important to buy high-quality hardwood pellets from a manufacturer that’s a member of the Pellet Fuels Institute. Pellets are typically bought by the ton, and the average household goes through between 2 and 3 tons of pellets per heating season. A ton of pellets—or 50 of those 40-pound bags—costs between $200 and $300. Popular Mechanics article en-us Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2156&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann A group that wants to tear up an old railroad track in the Adirondack Park and replace it with a multi-use trail says it has gathered more than 10,000 signatures supporting the idea. Adirondack Recreational Trail Advocates, known as ARTA, formed last year, reviving the debate over what should be done with the historic rail corridor that stretches from Old Forge to Lake Placid. North Country Public Radio article en-us Wed, 12 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2182&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Canada By: Kevin Griffin An artificial Christmas tree would have to be used for 20 years before its carbon footprint matches that of a farmed tree, according to a forestry professor at the University of B.C. Steve Mitchell said most artificial trees are kept only six years before fashions change and owners throw them out. Most end their life in a landfill. “Artificial trees need to be kept for 20 years for the carbon emissions to be equivalent to using natural trees,” Mitchell said, referring to a life cycle study done in 2009 by Ellipsos, a Montreal-based sustainable consulting company. Canada.com link en-us Wed, 12 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2140&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Tom Waddell Call for nominations - Softwood Lumber Board seeks candidatesThe Softwood Lumber Board (Board), which administers a national research and promotion program for softwood lumber, is seeking nominees to fill six seats on the Board. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA, which oversees the program, would like to encourage all eligible industry members to participate in the process. In an effort to enhance the diversity of the Board, USDA also encourages women, minorities and people with disabilities to seek positions on the Board. Forest Business Network article en-us Tue, 11 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2142&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Nick Sambides Jr. Roxanne Quimby’s family has withdrawn its proposal to build a 70,000-acre national park adjacent to Baxter State Park, her son Lucas St. Clair said Tuesday. The family would still like to see a national park in northern Maine, but has withdrawn its proposal submitted to the National Park Service and is pursuing other options, St. Clair said. “That proposal is not on the table any more,” St. Clair, president of the board of the Quimby Family Foundation, said during a telephone interview. “There is no specific park proposal, so we are continuing to evaluate the potential uses of our lands. We are listening to hunters and all the other stakeholders of northern Maine. We are not talking about whether you are for or against the park. The essential question is: How can we best protect these lands for the future generations of Maine?” Bangor Daily News article Related article- Maine Public Broadcasting Network en-us Tue, 11 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2143&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Ryan McLaughlin A new report by the environmental advocacy organization Sierra Club calls the proposed east-west highway that would run through Maine one of the worst transportation projects in the United States. The report, “Smart Choices, Less Traffic: 50 Best and Worst Transportation Projects,” cited negative effects on Maine’s air and water quality and wildlife habitat as reasons to oppose the proposed $2 billion, 220-mile, four-lane project. “We are firmly opposed to the construction of a new east-west highway because we have existing infrastructure such as the current east-west highway [U.S. Route 2] which needs [improvement],” said Karen Woodsum, campaign director for Sierra Club of Maine. Bangor Daily News article en-us Tue, 11 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2148&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Barbara Tetreault The N.H. Site Evaluation Committee will hold a public meeting in Berlin city hall at 9 a.m. on Jan. 10 to hear motions filed by the owners of the Burgess BioPower biomass project and the Jericho Power wind farm. Berlin Daily Sun article en-us Tue, 11 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2149&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Barbara Tetreault Gov. John Lynch yesterday toured two of the biggest success stories of his tenure and expressed his optimism about the future of Coos County. Lynch started his day in the Androscoggin Valley at Gorham Paper and Tissue where he watched the new tissue machine in operation. Plant Manager Willis Blevins said the new machine produced 93 short tons of tissue Monday, not far off the final goal of 105 short tons a day. “We’re still in the start up phase,” Blevins said, noting the mill is working through minor bottlenecks with the machine, which represents an investment of over $30 million. Berlin Daily Sun article en-us Tue, 11 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2152&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Jane Lindholm When birds can't find food in their normal seasonal habitat, they fly farther afield to search. This is known as an irruption. And while it's tough on the birds, it does make for more interesting birding for those trying to complete a life list. This season, birders are seeing more redpolls, grosbeaks and crossbills in the region than they normally would at this time of year. Bird Diva Bridget Butler talks about the reasons for this season's irruption and the best places to see these birds. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Tue, 11 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2183&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen For almost two decades two North Country authors have been capturing the stories of some of the most remarkable people in The White Mountains. Now, those stories have been compiled in a new book, Mountain Voices, published by the Appalachian Mountain Club. New Hampshire Public Radio link en-us Tue, 11 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2185&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Bill Esler Growing wood pellet capacity in the U.S. South has made the U.S. the largest exporter in the world. Export volumes are forecast to nearly quadruple from an estimated 1.5 million tons this year to 5.7 million tons in 2015, says the North American Wood Fiber Review. North American wood pellet exports come mostly from the U.S. South and British Columbia. They reached a record high of 760,000 tons in the second quarter, says a report from the North American Wood Fiber Review. Woodworking Network link en-us Tue, 11 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2153&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Charlotte Albright Now the hard work has begun: finding investors and training workers. Stenger has made one trip to Asia to help finance his ambitious project, and has others planned in the new year. But he says wealthy Asians and South Americans are already lining up to help finance a wide variety of projects in the Northeast Kingdom. He says investors who plowed $300 million into Jay Peak's expansion are seeing returns. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Mon, 10 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2138&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Rob Chaney Wildfires and weather share a common problem: We all talk about them, but what can we do about them? The federal government hopes to answer the wildfire question with a three-year strategy session that’s wrapping up this month. But there’s no guarantee the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy will save an acre of forest. In fact, it might force the nation to decide how much it’s willing to let burn. Forest Business Network article en-us Sun, 09 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2144&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Associated Press An invasive moth that can damage hardwood and fruit trees has been spreading in Maine. State officials are asking residents to be on the lookout for winter moths, which have spread into Maine from southern New England, where they have caused widespread damage. The moth was first detected along the Maine coast in 2006 and has been spotted in the past year in Harpswell and Vinalhaven. Bangor Daily News article en-us Sun, 09 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2145&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Aislinn Sarnacki New Maine-related books include fashion-filled memoir, twisted love story, the scariest sled ride ever “MY MOTHER’S DRESSING ROOM,” By Siobhan McDonough, November 2012, Goose River Press, 200 Pages, Full Color photographs, $24.95 A blaze orange hat from Renys discount store is an item of practicality in Maine. It’s an accessory that keeps your head warm and safe during the much celebrated hunting seasons. Siobhan McDonough sees her blaze orange hat from Renys a bit differently. It reminds her of duck hunting in Maine, something she’d wanted to do for years. But she also wears the vibrant accessory while walking the streets of Washington, D.C. not far from her home in Alexandria, Va. In the city, the pop of color is a statement, and many of her fashion forward friends want to know where they can get such a vibrant orange cap, complete with ear flaps. Bangor Daily news article en-us Sat, 08 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2124&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Barbara Tetreault The buzzword yesterday was milestone as Cate Street Capital and city officials celebrated the arrival of the new 264,000-pound turbine for the Burgess BioPower biomass project. Both Cate Street Capital Managing Director Alexandra Ritchie and Berlin Mayor Paul Grenier used the term in talking about the steam turbine. Ritchie called the turbine the most critical component of the plant and noted it was ordered before Cate Street Capital had actually closed on the financing for the 75-megawatt plant. Along with the generator, which is scheduled to arrive next week, the two components cost about $16 million. Berlin Daily Sun article en-us Thu, 06 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2130&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New England The New York and New England Society of American Foresters will hold a joint Winter Meeting in Saratoga Springs, Jan. 29 – Feb. 1, 2013. The meeting theme is Common Ground Found: Revisiting the Findings and Recommendations of the Northern Forest Lands Council. A variety of speakers from across the region and country will bring the latest science and techniques to our doorstep. The meeting will open with a history of the Northern Forest Lands Council, and a context for revisiting this information today. Concurrent ‘breakout’ sessions are designed around the four NFLC themes including (1) Protecting Exceptional Resources, (2) Strengthening Economies of Rural Communities, (3) Fostering Stewardship of Private Lands, and (4) Promoting More Informed Decisions. Additional sessions will be devoted to graduate student presentations, climate change, carbon management, urban forestry and other current topics, and the Northeastern Forest Pest Council will also join us with the latest updates on forest health issues and techniques. Pre-meeting and Friday morning workshops will be available for additional CFE credits. For more information and to register visit the meeting website, accessible through www.nesaf.org. en-us Thu, 06 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2141&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont Press Release The Vermont Community Foundation announced that its Innovations and Collaborations grant program awarded $222,000 to 13 nonprofit organizations in Vermont this fall. Awards ranged from $10,000 to $20,000 and several Foundation fundholders partnered with the Community Foundation in supporting the selected organizations. “Through these grants, the Community Foundation and our fundholders support nonprofits that come up with new ways of working and reach across issue areas to collectively solve community problems,” says Stuart Comstock-Gay, president & CEO of the Community Foundation. “Innovations and Collaborations grants champion the kind of work that encourages cooperation among different organizations and has the potential to create best practices for others.” Vermont Community Foundation link en-us Thu, 06 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Funding / Grant Opportunities http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2146&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Whit Richardson A national study released today argues that climate change, if left unaddressed, will have “severe negative impacts” on winter tourism economies, including Maine’s. But some winter tourism experts in Maine question the conclusions of the study. The study — titled “Climate Impacts on the Winter Tourism Economy in the United States” — claims that without steps to slow climate change, “winter temperatures are projected to warm an additional 4 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the century, with subsequent decreases in snow cover area, snowfall, and shorter snow season.” It predicts that “the length of the snow season in the northeast will be cut in half.” Bangor Daily news article en-us Thu, 06 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2147&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Matthew Stone The condition of Maine’s roads, bridges, airports and other infrastructure has barely budged in the past four years, highlighting the need for a long-term and sustainable funding stream for infrastructure improvements. That’s according to a new report card from the state’s affiliate of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Overall, the organization gave Maine’s infrastructure a C-, unchanged from the grade the state received the last time the group published a report card in 2008. The group unveiled its 2012 report Thursday at a state transportation conference. Bangor Daily News article Related article: Maine Public Broadcasting Network en-us Thu, 06 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2121&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jennifer Mitchell Just as the weather turns chilly, northern Maine is basking in the warm limelight of celebrity, after making the Lonely Planet Top Ten list of places in the country to visit next year. The region clocks in at Number 7, just below the Eastern Sierras of California, and just above Minneapolis-St. Paul. As Jennifer Mitchell reports, the editor of the travel publication lists Baxter State Park and the Aroostook County rail-trail system as compelling reasons to head north. Maine Public Broadcasting Network en-us Wed, 05 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2125&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Michael Brindley After a rough winter season last year, New Hampshire tourism officials predict nearly seven million people will visit the state between now and the end of February. The state Division of Travel and Tourism Development says those tourists are expected to spend $860 million, which would be up by 9 percent over last year. Those figures come from the Institute for New Hampshire Studies. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Wed, 05 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2126&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Andy Flynn Andy Flynn visits the Adirondack Museum for a closer look at an early 19th century map of the region. Published in 1818, the map was divided into four sections, including one for the Adirondack North Country region. Governor DeWitt Clinton commissioned state Geographer John Eddy to make the map in order to sketch out the proposed route of the Erie Canal between Lake Erie and the Hudson River. Clinton was largely responsible for the canal, which opened in 1825. North Country Public Radio article en-us Wed, 05 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2129&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Erin Voegele The National Resources Defense Council has unveiled a proposal to cut carbon emissions from U.S. power plants. The proposal, which calls on the U.S. EPA to set standards under the Clean Air Act for existing power plants, includes proposed roles for biomass and other renewable energy technologies. According to the NRDC, the proposal enables states and power plants to use a wide range of existing technologies, including energy efficiency and renewable energy, to cost-effectively meet carbon reduction standards while creating thousands of clean energy jobs. Under the proposal, states would have broad flexibility to design their own plans to meet standards. Biomass Magazine article link en-us Wed, 05 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2139&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Sean Ellis Representatives of Idaho’s forest industry reacted positively to U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell’s announcement that timber harvest on federal land would increase by 20 percent over the next couple of years. US Forest Service article en-us Wed, 05 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2127&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Martha Foley Aileen O'Donoghue, who teaches astronomy and physics at St. Lawrence University, loves this time of year, when the sun sets early and rises late. She shares her enthusiasm with Martha Foley, and talks about some of the events of the next couple of weeks. The waning crescent moon meets Spica, Saturn and Mercury at sunrise in the next few days. And a winter meteor shower, the Geminids, peaks Dec.13. And then, there's the winter solstice coming up Dec. 21. The earliest sunset this year will be this Sunday, December 9 at 4:20 p.m. Days around the winter solstice don’t feel very long or sunny because the sun only gets 22 degrees above the horizon, says O'Donoghue. It makes 12 pm feel like late in the afternoon. However, there is much to enjoy in the night sky this time of year. We are now moving into the waning crescent moon stage, which will be visible in the morning sky. It will be easy to see, as dawn isn’t until 7:30 am Sunday morning. North Country Public Radio article en-us Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2132&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Whit Richardson A company from Connecticut plans to purchase and restart the Greenville Steam biomass plant, rehiring approximately 20 employees who were laid off when the plant shut down in April 2011. New Leaf Energy has signed a letter of intent to purchase the plant from its current owner, Gallup Power Greenville, according to Daniel Haas, New Leaf’s CEO. Details of the transaction are not being disclosed, Haas said. “We intend to acquire [the facility] and return it to full operation as soon as possible,” Haas told the Bangor Daily News. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2122&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Susan Sharon Conservationists say they've never seen anything like it. As many as two dozen working forests, working farms and outdoor recreation projects around the state could be in jeopardy even though they were approved for funding last year by the Land for Maine's Future Program, with the advice and consent of the LePage administration. In June, the governor announced that the state would not borrow any more money until at least 2014. And he has not backed away from that position, even though just last month Maine voters authorized another $5 million land conservation bond. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article en-us Mon, 03 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2128&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann Governor Andrew Cuomo has committed New York state to buying nearly 70,000 acres of land that will be added to the Adirondack forest preserve over the next five years. It's one of the largest conservation projects in the Park's history. But buying the land is only the first step in figuring out how it should be managed in the years ahead. Town and county leaders hope the land around Newcomb and North Hudson will become a major tourist attraction, with new opportunities to paddle stretches of the Hudson River and fish wild trout-filled lakes. North Country Public Radio article en-us Mon, 03 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2134&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Colin Miller Flavor-infused BBQ grilling is one of the hottest cooking trends in the country and now an Adirondack manufacturer is producing apple flavored grilling pellets made with apples from local orchards. Launched over the summer, Adirondack Grilling Pellets is a new venture for Essex Pallet and Pellet designed to diversify the company’s home heating wood pellet production operation which began last fall. Essex Pallet and Pellet has been owned by Mike Lemza for 17 years and has regional ties to the Adirondacks dating back to the 1960s. Collaborating with a local apple packaging company, Essex Pallet and Pellet produces three variations of apple flavored grilling pellets by combining sawdust from local maple, cherry and apple trees — which is a byproduct of the pallet operation – with leftovers from the apple slicing and packaging operation located nearby. Forest Business Network article en-us Mon, 03 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Pgm Rel Articles - Industry News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2093&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail England By: Nic Robertson and Tim Hume Britain's celebrated landscape is set to be changed forever as an incurable disease threatens the existence of one of its most familiar trees. But a group of environmentalists have come up with a high-tech solution to try to tackle the crisis in the countryside. CNN en-us Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2098&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: William Sampson Lots of successful woodworking companies talk about having a great team, referring to employees and management staff. But at CedarWorks in Rockport, Me., membership in their winning team extends well beyond the boundaries of their offices and production plant. The team includes a select group of mostly regional suppliers and partners who all have found shared success in meeting each other’s individual supply and production needs in a mass customization environment. Cabinet Maker FDM article en-us Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Pgm Rel Articles - Industry News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2100&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New England By: Chris Williams We can use simple, effective, and proven policies that have been used to supercharge the New England solar PV industry to incentivize renewable thermal technologies and eliminate oil use for single family homes. Here's the best part, the policies will be cheaper than solar PV, they will create more local jobs per kW installed and displace more expensive fuel. ALT Energy Stocks article en-us Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2110&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Barbara Tetreault The Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge forest management plan calls for harvesting about 950 cords of wood annually over the next 15 years. At a recent roundtable discussion on timber harvesting some residents criticized the harvest levels as low for the almost 30,000 acre refuge. Berlin Daily Sun article en-us Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2111&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen The state-owned Cannon Mountain ski resort opens Friday for its 75th season, another step in the annual reawakening of the state’s ski economy. On average skiers spend about $300 million a year in New Hampshire, according to Plymouth State University. The snow-making machines have been going all out at Cannon Mountain for several weeks, says marketing director Greg Keeler. “On Friday for opening day we’re planning on having three trails, that’s roughly two routes, down and two lifts open as well,” says Keeler. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2114&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont Vermont's capital city is getting ready to begin construction of a project that will have some of Montpelier's downtown buildings being heated from a central wood-chip fired heating plant. The Montpelier City Council Wednesday voted 4-1 in favor of a $3.7 million construction contract for its portion of the project. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2135&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National The US Northwest and the province of Quebec have been the regions with the biggest increases in production the past year. The sawmills in Quebec have really ramped up production, with output in August being 30 percent higher than in August last year. It is also interesting to note that for the first time in two years, sawmills in the Western US produced as much lumber as the mills in the US South in August. Typically production levels are higher in the US South than in the West. Forest Business Network article en-us Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2133&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Nick Sambides Jr. One of the town’s oldest businesses will get a $200,000 federal grant by January to help it diversify its manufacturing base and end a smoke problem that has bedeviled neighbors. Haskell Lumber Inc. and its manufacturing arm, LMJ Enterprises LLC, qualified for the federal Community Development Block Grant and learned in late October that it would get it, said Ruth Birtz, the town’s economic development coordinator. The grant will pay half of the estimated $300,000 to $500,000 cost of installing a filtration unit that will clean the air coming from LMJ’s wood-shavings mill, co-owner Mike McFalls has said. Bangor Daily News article en-us Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2103&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Alex Barber Vic Firth Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of drumsticks, has announced the sale of its Vic Firth Gourmet division to Maine Wood Concepts. Maine Wood Concepts, a family-owned business based in New Vineyard, will acquire Vic Firth Gourmet, which makes a variety of salt and pepper mills, rolling pins and muddlers. A muddler is a thick stick used to mash and crush fruits and herbs for mixed drinks. Bangor Daily News article en-us Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Pgm Rel Articles - Industry News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2109&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Patty Wight Franco-Americans are the largest ethnic group in Maine - nearly a quarter of the population. But until recently, a lot of information about them was unknown. That's starting to change. After months of gathering data and public meetings, a Franco-American task force established by the Legislature last year is documenting its findings and recommending some policy changes. Maine Public Broadcasting Network en-us Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2112&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Associated Press A Jaffrey company cited by federal regulators for workplace safety violations after a series of explosions and fires has agreed to pay a $100,000 fine and to take significant steps to prevent future problems. New Hampshire Public Radio article en-us Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2113&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen North Country residents like their woods, their recreation and the sense of community that comes from knowing their neighbors. But they’ve got a lot of worries ranging from the Northern Pass to excessive development and even over-reliance on the internet, according to a series of hearings conducted by the North Country Council, a regional planning group. The hearings are part of the statewide Granite State Future project. New Hampshire Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2116&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Dan Crane ...Here the backcountry exists much as it did long before digital gadgetry took up arms against our sanity. Unfortunately, this may not last for long though. That is, not if Google Trekker and its co-conspirators have anything to say about it. Despite what it may sound, Trekker is not Google’s recent effort at moving into the footwear business. Google Trekker is a 40 lbs. equivalent to the technology found on Google’s Street View cars, worn as a backpack, for the sole purpose of photographing trails in the backcountry. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2120&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann There's snow on the ground in the Adirondacks. The winter tourism industry in the region is hoping to bounce back this season after last year's disastrously warm weather. But winter tourism in the region faces some big challenges going forward, including questions about climate change and competition from big venues and destinations in New Hampshire and Vermont. North Country Public Radio article en-us Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2123&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Samantha Fields Power being generated by wind energy in Maine is reducing carbon pollution by more than 400,000 metric tons, according to a local environmental group. That's the equivalent of the carbon generated by 79,000 cars. Environment Maine says the data help build the case for extending federal tax credits for wind energy, which are set to expire at the end of this year. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article link en-us Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2117&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Anthony F. Hall Like the Adirondack Park agency itself, the idea for the Adirondack Park-wide commission originated with Richard W. Lawrence, Jr. of Elizabethtown (1909-2002). “I floated this idea several times with Eustis (New York State Senator Eustis Paine) and after a while he came to see some merit in it,” Lawrence recalled in a note to me in 1997. “It’s a good thing nothing came of it! It needed the Adirondack Study Commission under Nelson Rockefeller to land that troublesome beast.” “That troublesome beast,” was, of course, a regional land use plan to protect open space and channel development into appropriate areas. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2118&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Kimberly Rielly The bottom line: we can market the heck out of Childwold, N.Y. as a tourism destination, but the visitors will stay in Lake Placid anyway. Marketing alone is not the solution to the sustainable tourism problem. In a recent post by NCPR’s Brian Mann, he revisits the idea that there is a lack of a coordinated tourism marketing effort for the Adirondacks. He cites the “balkanization” of the region, “with no central governing organization to shape how and where dollars are spent”. He’s right. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2105&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Glenn Adams Maine snowmobilers love to have destinations for their wintertime rides, and they are working with the wind power industry on a plan to link perhaps 10 of the state’s wind farms with trails in a unique addition to Maine’s outdoor tourism menu. “It’s going to take some doing to pull it all together,” said Bob Meyers, executive director of the Maine Snowmobile Association. “It’s looking very possible.” The snowmobile group, which represents more than 285 clubs, is working with First Wind, TransCanada, Patriot Renewables and other wind power developers on the project to formalize what could be a roughly 600-mile route. Bangor Daily News article en-us Mon, 26 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2095&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail By: Lloyd Alter Michael Green is known to TreeHuggers as the author of The Case for Tall Wood Buildings. However when he spoke at the Wood Solutions Fair in Toronto it became clear that he is perhaps the material's greatest proselytizer , both in his speaking and in his body of work. He makes an audacious claim: Wood is the most technologically advanced material that we can build with. Treehugger en-us Sat, 24 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Pgm Rel Articles - Industry News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2096&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail The Global Sawlog Price Index (GSPI) fell for the fifth consecutive quarter to $81.94/m3. The Softwood Wood Fiber Price Index (SFPI), which is based in US dollars, was down another 0.5 percent from the 2Q/12 to US$100.05/odmt. Hardwood Wood Fiber Price Index (HFPI) increased by $1.56/odmt from the 2Q/12 price to $106.44/odmt in the 3Q/12. Softwood pulp (NBSK) prices have trended downward for more than a year from their record highs in the summer of 2011. Hardwood pulp (BHKP) prices have not experienced the same price fall as NBSK prices. Forest Business Network article en-us Sat, 24 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2097&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Both Japan and South Korea intend to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and increasingly rely on renewable energy in the future. As a consequence, both countries will increase their importation of wood pellets and energy chips from other countries in Asia and from North America in the coming years, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly. Cisionwire.com article en-us Sat, 24 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2106&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Aislinn Sarnacki The length of the Appalachian Trail, a famous footpath that spans from Georgia to Maine, is constantly changing. During this past hiking season, the official length was 2,184.2 miles. For many thru-hikers, it was 2,184 miles to mend blisters, create a trail name, meet challenges and explore the wilderness. But for one Maine couple, it was 2,184 miles to learn about each other and discover if their relationship was ready for marriage. “We said, if we make it to the end, then we’ll get married,” said Holly Todd, who lives in Swanville with her fiance, Neil LeBlanc. Bangor Daily News article en-us Sat, 24 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2107&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Brian Swartz Maine mushers literally take people to the dogs — and the dogs and people love it. Thanks to the Discovery Channel and its “Iditarod: Toughest Race on Earth” show, dog sledding has gained popularity with outdoor recreationists, and a Maine winter provides the perfect weather to experience a thrilling ride on a dog-drawn sled. “I would suggest that everyone try a dog-sledding trip,” says Lindy Howe at Heywood Kennel Sled Dog Adventures in Augusta. “There is a thrill about loading up the family in a big sled and veering down the trail on a beautiful winter day.” Bangor Daily News article en-us Fri, 23 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2115&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Nina Keck Some of Vermont's best known ski Olympians trace their roots back to the same hill: Pico Peak in Mendon. Andrea Mead Lawrence, Suzy and Rick Chaffee, "Rebel" Ryan and Mike Gallagher all called the venerable resort home at one time. And many are looking back fondly on the mountain and the extraordinary couple who started it this year as Pico celebrates its 75th anniversary. Brad and Janet Mead opened Pico Peak in 1937. Vermont Public Radio article en-us Fri, 23 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2108&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Leslie H. Dixon A contest to find the largest trees in Oxford County may have uncovered the tallest American Chestnut tree in the state and perhaps the country. “We’re really excited about all of this,” Jean Federico of the Oxford County Soil and Water Conservation District, sponsor of the annual contest, said. She came to Ann Siekman’s property recently to look at an American Chestnut tree Siekman submitted for the contest. What she and others found was unexpected. The 95-foot tall tree is not only believed to be 20 feet taller than any other recorded in the state, but is perhaps the tallest of its species in the country. Bangor Daily News article   en-us Thu, 22 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2119&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail By: Phil Brown “Waxing isn’t alchemy,” Paul Parker advises in his classic manual Free Heel Skiing. “It can be as simple or complex an art as you choose to make it,” We choose simple. There are two types of wax: glide wax and kick wax. Glide wax keeps your skis running smoothly over the snow. Kick wax is applied to the midsection of your skis to bite into the snow, providing the purchase necessary to propel yourself forward. Adirondack Almanack article en-us Thu, 22 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2094&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail United States By: Joshua Kane Harrell At the turn of the 20th century, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt warned Congress, with subsequent hyperbole appearing in New York Times headlines, that “a timber famine is inevitable.” Gifford Pinchot, the first chief of the U.S. Forest Service, echoed the sentiment by proclaiming, “In 20 years, the timber supply in the United States on government reserves and private holdings, at the present rate of cutting, will be exhausted.” The timber famine or scarcity never happened, despite the increased consumer demand placed on our nation’s timber resources through the Roaring Twenties, post-World War II boom and other high-growth periods. Biomass Magazine en-us Tue, 20 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2104&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Edith Tucker Renewable Properties, Inc., (RPI) of Manchester, acting on behalf of the proposed $1.1 billion Direct Current Northern Pass Transmission project, filed a Ground Lease Agreement with Bayroot, LLC, on Friday, Nov. 16, at the Coös County registry of deeds. RPI agreed to lease what appears to be an approximately 20-mile-long route for one integrated transmission line of up to 1,200 megawatts in three Unincorporated Places — Dixville, Dix's Grant, and Millsfield — and in the town of Dummer. New Hampshire Lakes and Mountains article en-us Tue, 20 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2101&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Studies of a northern hardwood forest in New England point to unexpected ecological trends resulting from documented changes in the climate over 50 years. Some of the changes now taking place can be expected to alter the composition of the forest and the wildlife present. The observations may have implications for other northern forests and suggest directions for future research and monitoring. Phys.org article en-us Fri, 16 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2081&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Read the stories of businesses, homeowners, and community leaders who are working with The Center to strengthen the regional economy and benefit Northern Forest communities. 2012 Annual Report: Advancing Thriving Communities and Healthy Forests en-us Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2089&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Laura Knoy New Hampshire is the second most forested state in the country, but according to our guest today, UNH Professor and Ecologist, Scott Olinger, our forests face serious challenges from climate change to invasive species. Today on the Exchange, we're looking at what's happening to our trees, what cane be done to protect them and the environmental significance of our forests. NHPR article link en-us Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2091&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jessica Collier More than 160 students and staff members from 28 high schools and colleges gathered at the Wild Center Wednesday morning to get to work on reducing the impact humans are having on climate change. They came from as far away as the Albany and Syracuse areas, as well as from across the North Country. The fourth annual Adirondack Youth Climate Summit kicked off with a speech from Brian Stilwell of the Alliance for Climate Education, a national organization based in California. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2092&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Knight Signature Communications of Maryland is using the Saranac Laboratory, where Trudeau conducted his tuberculosis research, as the backdrop for several scenes in a National Park Service film it's producing about George Washington Carver, the prominent African-American scientist and inventor best known for the many uses he devised for the peanut. Titled "Struggle and Triumph: The Legacy of George Washington Carver," the 25-minute film will be the centerpiece video for visitors to the George Washington Carver National Memorial, located at Carver's birthplace in Diamond, Mo. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2086&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sam Evans-Brown Advocates and opponents to the latest proposed wind-farm got to ask questions of Spanish renewable developer Iberdrola last night at a town-hall meeting in Grafton. Though opponents were by far the most vocal in attendance. This was the first of three meetings this week that Iberdrola has scheduled presenting a proposal to build 36 wind turbines a ridge between the towns of Grafton, Alexandria, and Danbury. It was a full house and many in the crowd, like April Dugan, came to let Iberdrola know that they did not like the idea of 454 foot turbines in their back yard. NHPR article link en-us Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2090&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Tux Turkel Maine homes and businesses could trim their overall electricity consumption by 16 percent over the next decade by installing more-efficient lights, equipment and appliances, a new study for Efficiency Maine Trust has concluded. Programs run by Efficiency Maine Trust can help achieve that goal, depending on how much funding from electricity customers is approved by state utility regulators. Press Herald article link en-us Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2099&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Edith Tucker "Mountain Voices: Stories of Life and Adventure in the White Mountains and Beyond," compiled and edited by Rebecca Oreskes of Milan and Doug Mayer of Randolph, was rolled out locally on Sunday afternoon at the White Mountain Café and Bookstore, along with other recently published books on the North Country. New Hampshire Lakes and Mountains article en-us Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2085&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Paula Tracy A commission studying the feasibility of burying future high-power transmission lines on state property seeks to extend the study another year. The "361 Commission" will host a public hearing tonight on its report from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Flying Monkey Performing Arts Center on Main Street in Plymouth. Interstate 89, 93 and 95 and Route 101 between Interstates 93 and 95 are being considered for accommodating buried cable. Maine has designated its I-95 median for transmission lines and is considering a 220-mile project, Northeast Energy Link. Union Leader article link en-us Tue, 13 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2087&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Barbara Tetreault Berlin Station has filed a motion to amend the original state certificate to build its 75-megawatt biomass plant to reflect changes in the wood yard and equipment configurations, elimination of the river walk, reduced fencing needs, and a revised landscaping plan. The motion was filed last week with the N.H. Site Evaluation Committee. Berlin Station notified the committee in July of the changes and was directed to file a motion to amend its certificate of site and facility. Berlin Daily Sun article link en-us Tue, 13 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2082&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York The Ethan Allen Plant in Boonville has a new owner. The Boonville Herald reports that officials with Ethan Allen accepted an offer from Randy Bowers, owner of Delta Hardwood Flooring Company late last week and work has begun to restore buildings. The Moose article link en-us Tue, 13 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2084&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen A judge in Merrimack Superior Court has dismissed a suit that the owners of the Balsams Grand Resort in Dixville Notch said was holding up its re-opening. The suit was filed by Andy Martin, a self-described public-interest advocate and corruption fighter. Martin claimed the sale was “committed fraudulently.” Among those sued were the new owners, Danny Dagesse and Dan Hebert, the town of Colebrook and the New Hampshire attorney general. Judge Richard McNamara dismissed the suit, saying Martin failed to demonstrate he had the standing to sue. NHPR article link en-us Mon, 12 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2102&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail By: Joe Rankin It's one of the pleasures of fall: walking in the woods on a warm day, scuffing my feet through a deep layer of newly fallen leaves. Looking down, I notice the gold coins of aspen leaves against the bread-knife serrations of brown beech leaves. My feet make that “swoosh, swoosh” sound that takes me back to when I was a kid. It's November, and where I live the color blast has faded. The woods are gray and brown. The much admired “fall foliage” has drifted earthward to become the more prosaic “leaf litter.” I understand the term, but the word litter grates a little. It connotes trash, yet leaves are just the opposite of trash. Their contribution to forest health, to the ecosystem, is incalculable. They help make the forest what it is. Northern Woodlands article en-us Mon, 12 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2083&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Dave Anderson We were all duped by media reports this summer that NH had exceeded Maine for the highest percentage of forest cover in the US. Apparently, we're just not "seeing the forest for the trees." A classic “apples to oranges” comparison reported New Hampshire’s “89% tree cover” now qualifies us as the “most-forested” state in the nation. NHPR article link en-us Fri, 09 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2063&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: David Taube Communities and businesses struck by last year’s flooding disasters could soon see some drastic changes. On Wednesday, the Vermont Community Development Board recommended approval of four of six projects across the state seeking a new round of disaster relief money — including money for Johnson, which has been without a grocery store since May 2011, and Brattleboro, where an elderly housing facility still remains in an especially risky flooding area. Times Argus article link en-us Thu, 08 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2067&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine T he Downeast Lakes Land Trust recently registered a forest-carbon credit project with the Climate Action Reserve, the first CAR “improved forest management” project outside California. The carbon project covers more than 19,000 acres of the trust’s 33,700- acre Farm Cove Community Forest in eastern Maine. The trust has agreed to follow CAR’s Forest Project Protocol 3.2, which requires that forest-management projects maintain or increase forest carbon stocks above the expected levels under typical commercial forest management. The trust registered nearly 200,000 carbon offset credits, valued at more than $2 million (a credit is the equivalent of one ton of carbon dioxide). The Forestry Source article link en-us Thu, 08 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Ecosystem Services http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2068&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York A recording of the webinar “Make Room for Wildlife: Effects of Exurban Development on Wildlife and Lessons Learned in the Adirondacks” by Michale Glennon and Heidi Krester of the Willife Conservation Society Adirondack Program is available online. The webinar was hosted by the Northeastern States Research Cooperative. NSRC Recording on Vimeo en-us Thu, 08 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2075&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire The mission of NCCR is to unify and enrich the north country with information, cultural expression, entertainment involvement from the community. NCCR schedule en-us Thu, 08 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2076&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest By: Julie Beane Where timber-based income from forestlands is insufficient or a landowner simply wishes to diversify income streams, additional sources of forest revenue, such as carbon offsets, may be an option for landowners to keep forests as forests.This updated publication is intended as a practical “how-to” for Northeast landowners of all sizes who are exploring the revenue potential of the forest carbon marketplace. Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences en-us Thu, 08 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Ecosystem Services http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2077&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont The Center is co-hosting the workshop "Carbon: A Viable Forest Product?" in Norwich, VT on November 16, 2012. The session is designed to help foresters, natural resource professionals, landowners, and loggers understand the current status of forest carbon markets, opportunities and challenges for the future, and tools and local examples to help understand this complex topic. Click here for more information and to register. en-us Thu, 08 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2078&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York Book by Phil Brown The Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) and Lost Pond Press have released Adirondack Paddling: 60 Great Flatwater Adventures, a full-color guidebook that offers recommendations for canoeing and kayaking trips throughout the Adirondack Park. Adirondack Almanack article link en-us Thu, 08 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2062&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire New Hampshire made history on Election Night by becoming the first state to elect an all-female congressional delegation. Democrats Carol Shea-Porter and Annie Kuster defeated incumbent U.S. Reps. Frank Guinta and Charlie Bass. The join U.S. Sens. Kelly Ayotte and Jeanne Shaheen to form the only all-female congressional delegation in the country's history. WMUR article link en-us Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Election Results http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2079&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Anna Simet Barack Obama has been elected to a second term as president of the U.S., prompting optimistic reactions from biomass and biofuels industries, even with the divided status of Congress remaining unchanged. Michael McAdams, president of the Advanced Biofuel Association, said he is optimistic of Obama’s re-election, as he has consistently voiced support of the industry, especially during his most recent campaign. “Over the last four years he has worked to create a broader renewable fuels industry across the board, and specifically, during the last month he has repeatedly mentioned advanced biofuels as being a core component of a national energy strategy,” McAdams said. “I think that bodes for a bright future for the advanced biofuel industry in the U.S.” Biomass Magazine article link en-us Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2080&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Western Illinois University The Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University was recently awarded more than $97,000 in grant funding through the USDA Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program. The funding is for the two-year project, "Developing the Biomass Residential Heating Market for U.S. Farmers and Industry: Identifying the 'Right' Consumers for Biomass Products." According to the IIRA, the project is intended to help expand the U.S. home biomass heating market, which will also increase environmental sustainability and create opportunities for development of a green economy. Biomass Magazine article link en-us Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2058&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont A summary of Vermont Senate, House of Representatives, Governor election results. New York Times article link en-us Tue, 06 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Election Results http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2059&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine A summary of Maine Senate, House of Representative and Governor election results. New York Times article link en-us Tue, 06 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Election Results http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2060&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York Summary of New York Senate, House of Representative and Governor election results. New York Times article link en-us Tue, 06 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Election Results http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2061&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire Summary of House of Representative and Governor election results. New York Times article link en-us Tue, 06 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Election Results http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2064&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Staff With temperatures dropping into the teens and natural snow starting to accumulate, the state-owned Whiteface and Gore ski centers started making snow Monday night. The state Olympic Regional Development Authority announced the news and released photos today. ORDA also manages Whiteface in Wilmington, Gore in North Creek, Belleayre in the Catskills and the Winter Olympic venues in Lake Placid. ORDA said both Whiteface and Gore are supposed to open for the winter skiing and snowboarding season on Nov. 23. Season tickets are currently available. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Tue, 06 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2065&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Mitch Wertlieb In January, California will begin enforcing a carbon cap and trade system. Polluters in that state will be able to buy carbon offset credits from landowners anywhere in the U.S. and some forest owners in Vermont are already signing up for this new marketplace. Others are watching very closely. Bill Keeton is a professor of Forest Ecology and Resources at the University of Vermont. He spoke with Vermont Edition about how Vermonters could take advantage of a California program. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 05 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Ecosystem Services http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2088&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Ryan Delaney It's not hard to think of the Silicon Valley, or maybe Boston and more recently New York City, when pondering the best place to be as a young entrepreneur. But cities all over the country are trying to become just as popular. Some are doing better than others. So what will it take for cities in upstate New York to get on the startup map? Entrepreneur-turned-venture capitalist Brad Feld has some ideas. Innovation Trail article link en-us Mon, 05 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2072&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: John Crouch The fall season is here. In fact, it began in July, as it usually does. This time is not to be confused with the “early-buy spring season,” which is largely the domain of specialty pellet retailers and the reason a number of fuel suppliers have found that it pays to stay connected with the stores that can really “sell” pellet heat. Most of the fuel is being moved by the home centers—both nationally and regionally—and they have become the principal channel for pellet fuel distribution in the U.S. The ability of these chains to offer pellet fuel as a major fall bulk delivery item and traffic builder has worked out well for them, and their business has certainly been good for our industry as well. Consumer confidence in sourcing and shopping for pellets has strengthened the sales of pellet stove, furnace, and boiler retailers over the past 10 years, and that will will continue to benefit our industry in the future. Forest Business Network article link en-us Sat, 03 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2074&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Luke Geiver A new era in the wood pellets industry is about to begin thanks to three pellet fuel producers in the U.S. American Wood Fibers, with pellet mills in Virginia and Ohio, Curran Renewable Energy, with a mill in New York and Marth Wood Shavings & Supply, with two mills in Wisconsin, have all entered into an agreement that will allow each mill to certify their product through a third-party verification system. The announcement is a first for the industry, as the three mills will officially partake in a testing protocol and standards verification process developed by the Pellet Fuels Institute and the American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC). Forest Business Network article link en-us Sat, 03 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2028&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine Press Release The Maine Wood Products Association presented the 2012 Pine Tree Award to Duratherm Window Corporation of Vassalboro, at a banquet in Winslow. The award is presented each year to a Maine-based wood products manufacturing company that has taken innovative steps in the past two years to strengthen their business. Bangor Daily News en-us Fri, 02 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Pgm Rel Articles - Industry News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2033&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine Mal Leary Governor Paul LePage wants to cut in half Maine’s reliance on oil for heating homes and businesses, but while the goal is drawing praise, many doubt it is realistic. “Right now, 80 percent of our homes are heated with oil,” LePage said in a speech last week. “I’d like to lower heating oil from 80 percent to about 40 percent.” He would like to reach that goal by the end of his current term in office, which ends in 2014. He said it could be achieved by shifting more urban areas to natural gas and rural areas to wood pellets. Bangor Daily News en-us Fri, 02 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2042&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen In August the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests said it hoped to raise $2.5 million by October 31st to help it block the Northern Pass project in the North Country. But it won’t make that fundraising deadline. With donations totaling almost $869,000 the Forest Society has fallen about $1.6 million short of its goal. New Hampshire Public Radio en-us Fri, 02 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2043&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Annmarie Timmins Northern Pass officials, fresh off buying a couple of key pieces of land in the North Country, said this week they’ve secured 99 percent of the land needed for their hydro-power line from Canada. They’ve even begun meeting with New Hampshire business owners who want to work on the project. But the remaining 1 percent is an equally big part of the story. Concord Monitor en-us Fri, 02 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2046&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: The Associated Press A University of Maine study says the medical costs of obesity for children and adolescents in the state could reach $1.2 billion over the next 20 years. UMaine economics Professor Todd Gabe’s study also suggests that the incidence of obesity is likely to increase from 7.8 percent of Maine’s youths to nearly 26 percent as they grow into adults. Bangor Daily News en-us Fri, 02 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Health http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2055&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Rick Ganley This weekend restaurants, shops, farms and art galleries will once again participate in New Hampshire Open Doors, an event highlighting locally-made products and cultural attractions. It’s an event that has grown over the years and includes businesses and artists from every region in the state. New Hampshire Public Radio en-us Fri, 02 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2066&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National The price of forest carbon credits doubled in 2011, leading to a record market value of $237 million according to the latest Ecosystem Marketplace survey of forest carbon markets, Leveraging the Landscape: State of the Forest Carbon Markets 2012, released this morning. The report, which aggregates data from 451 individual forest carbon projects historically, was financially enabled by Premium Sponsors: the World Bank BioCarbon Fund and the Code REDD Campaign; Sponsors: Baker & McKenzie, Face the Future, the Kinship Conservation Fellows program and the UK Forestry Commission’ Woodland Carbon Code program; as well as donations from Astrium Services and Conservation International. The report examines a variety of strategies for injecting financial resources into projects that save or plant forests that capture carbon. Carbon offsets from these projects averaged $9.2 per tonne of sequestered carbon in 2011, up from $5.5 per tonne in 2010. Ecosystem Marketplace article link en-us Fri, 02 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Ecosystem Services http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2045&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National By: Liam Pleven The extensive rebuilding that is expected in the wake of Sandy's devastation is adding kindling to an already-hot market for lumber. Prices of lumber futures, which kept trading through the storm, jumped 5% to $319 per 1,000 board feet over the past week, reflecting expectations of higher demand as homeowners and government officials across the Northeast wrestle with the challenge of renovation and reconstruction. Lumber futures are now at their highest level since March 2011, after the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. The gains brought lumber's rise in October to 14%, its biggest monthly rally in almost two years. Lumber is now up 29% in 2012, outpacing other industrial materials and commodities, including copper, oil, gold and natural gas, even though Chinese demand is faltering. Wall Street Journal en-us Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2048&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Tom Porter Transportation history was made today in New England when Amtrak's Downeaster rail service rolled out of Portland station, heading northward to Freeport and Brunswick - for the first time in more than 50 years. For those responsible for making this happen, this was reason enough for a party. Tom Porter reports. Maine Public Broadcasting Network en-us Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2052&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen It began on about 135 acres of land in Dalton. The land is owned by Sandy and Jim Dannis, who were attracted by its classic North-Country splendor and its lost-in-time seclusion. Standing in the middle of a hilltop field - with a spin-around 360-degree view - Jim Dannis turns and turns. “It is a beautiful exposure,” he said. But now it has become the center of a new Northern-Pass controversy, one that opponents of the project worry has ominous implications for the state. An appraiser who concluded the Northern Pass hydro-electric project would seriously diminish the value of the Dannis’ land could lose his license because of a complaint Northern Pass filed with state regulators. New Hampshire Public Radio en-us Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2070&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: E The idea of turning a large chunk of forest in central Maine into a national park dates back at least 150 years when Henry David Thoreau himself called for making the region “a national preserve” in essays about his travels through the area via foot and canoe in the 1850s. To this day most of the areas in central Maine that Thoreau visited are still primarily undeveloped save for intermittent timber extraction. But recent changes in land ownership there are worrying ecologists. The Mercury article link   en-us Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2035&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire Paula Tracy The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests will close on two North Country parcels to block the intended route of Northern Pass, and will work with donors and landowners to buy two other tracts. The organization set a deadline of Oct. 31 to raise $2.5 million for the four parcels; by late last week it had $868,500 for its Trees Not Towers campaign. Union Leader en-us Wed, 31 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2036&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine Rhon Bell "The state of Maine contains 97 percent of all the wild or native brook trout ponds remaining in the entire country, and has been designated as the last true stronghold for wild brook trout in the eastern U.S.", reads a joint statement by Trout Unlimited and the Appalachian Mountain Club. Mainers proudly smile after reading this. Not only a true testament to our waters, but a tourism attraction for our state. Rob Burbank, Director of Media, at the AMC contacted me to discuss their enhancement efforts in Maine’s 100 Mile Wilderness. The nation’s oldest conservation and recreation organization is making strides to enhance brook trout fisheries while protecting it for future generations. 2012 endeavors included restoring natural water flows by removing culverts as well as improving access to distant ponds. Anglers can currently choose from over two dozen back country ponds on 66,500 acres of AMC land. Backwoods Plaid blog en-us Wed, 31 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2041&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Jerry Nunn Vermont may be known for being the leading producer of maple syrup, but there is a lot more going on around there than watching tree sap drip. Lying in the New England region, The Green Mountain State is centrally located for tourism and travel. The state is so acclimated to the LGBT community that every bar has the possibility to be a gay establishment. While some of the population is conservative, most people here were found to be very open-minded and liberal. Civil unions were passed back in 2000—way ahead of the rest of the United States—and Vermont was the fourth to legalize same-sex marriage. Windy City Times en-us Wed, 31 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2047&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Scott Thistle For the second year in a row, Maine has been ranked second-worst, after Hawaii, in the country for making a living, according to the finance website MoneyRates.com. Maine also ranked eighth among the 10 worst states in which to retire, according to MoneyRates. The rankings, combined with a Gallup poll released in August that suggested Mainers were more pessimistic than other Americans about their standard of living improving, seem to paint a dire picture for the state’s future. Bangor Daily News en-us Wed, 31 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2049&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jay Field A Bangor milk production facility that's been operating for more than 100 years is closing its doors. Texas-based Dean Foods says its closing the Garelick Farms plant in a move that will eliminate 35 jobs. As Jay Field reports, the company cites declining consumption of milk as the reason for its need to trim costs. Maine Public Broadcasting Network en-us Wed, 31 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2056&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Caitlin Stewart Kavya spotted a large beetle on a picnic table at the Inn that, according to the literature she recently received, looked very much like the Asian longhorned beetle. She contacted me about her sighting and I zipped right over to take a look at the suspect. I packaged the beetle up and overnight mailed it to Tom for a true specimen identification that was more reliable than photos. Tom believed the beetle to be the native Monochamus scutellatus, or the whitespotted sawyer, with this specimen showing similar characteristics of the Asian longhorned beetle. Adirondack Almanack en-us Wed, 31 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2037&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Jessica Walsh It's not everyday that the Governor asks you for a custom piece of furniture, but that's exactly what happened to Dave Allard, the owner of Lyndon Furniture. "Actually, I just got an e-mail from him wanting a piece of our furniture, and that's how it all happened. I just couldn'nt believe it. I was like, yeah, we'll build you a piece of furniture. He's paying for it, just like anybody else," said Allard. During the Governor's visit to the factory on Monday, he expressed how Vermonters were some of the most dedicated and hard-working people, which is exactly the profile of many of the workers at Lyndon Furniture. NewsLinc en-us Tue, 30 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Pgm Rel Articles - Industry News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2040&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire Balsams View LLC, the company that owns and is renovating the landmark Balsams Grand Resort in Dixville Notch, has received a $455,000 federal grant to help it install a $1.8 million, high-efficiency wood-fired heating system. The grant, awarded by the Department of Agriculture through its Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP, will allow Balsams View to replace its current heating system with a boiler system that is expected to use 77 percent less wood. New Hampshire Business Review en-us Fri, 26 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2031&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York Luke Geiver A new era in the wood pellets industry is about to begin thanks to three pellet fuel producers in the U.S. American Wood Fibers, with pellet mills in Virginia and Ohio, Curran Renewable Energy, with a mill in New York and Marth Wood Shavings & Supply, with two mills in Wisconsin, have all entered into an agreement that will allow each mill to certify their product through a third-party verification system. The announcement is a first for the industry, as the three mills will officially partake in a testing protocol and standards verification process developed by the Pellet Fuels Institute and the American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC). Biomass Magazine en-us Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2038&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Dawn De Busk There are two initial hurdles that must be cleared before creating a community forest in any town. One is generating among the citizenship an enthusiasm and willingness to assist in a long-term project. The second is acquiring the acreage to set aside a wooded area as public land that would allow access for recreational and traditional activities. Also, the public property would provide a financial benefit since timber would be harvested with the guidance of a forester. Another advantage of a community forest is the ability to control and preserve water sources. The Town of Casco already has hopped, skipped and almost jumped over those those hurdles. The Bridgton News en-us Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2071&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Brian Swartz On a quiet weekday morning, Waltham logging contractor Duane Jordan sits by a window and eats his breakfast as traffic whizzes past the Eastbrook Store on Route 200. The store’s a popular local gathering place most mornings; today, long after his work day began, Jordan chats with acquaintances and then talks about logging. It has changed considerably since he was a child. His grandfather Elliott long ago founded the family business, Elliott Jordan & Son, which is based in a large new facility about 3 miles away from the Eastbrook Store. Elliott and his son, Marshal, once harvested wood the traditional Maine way. “We had horses when I really young, maybe 4 or 5 years old,” Duane Jordan recalled. “My dad kept talking about buying a cable skidder.” Bangor Daily News article link en-us Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2039&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Tom Walsh The clock is ticking on a four-year effort by the Down East Lakes Land Trust to raise the $15.8 million required to acquire a conservation easement that would preserve 22,000 woodland acres surrounding the tiny Washington County community of Grand Lake Stream. Of that amount, $14.5 million already has been committed to what the nonprofit terms the West Grand Lake Community Forest, leaving an additional $1.3 million to be raised before Dec. 12, 2012, a deadline stipulated by a $500,000 challenge grant the project has received. Executive Director Mark Berry said Wednesday the $15.8 million would be used by the trust to purchase a conservation easement on the land that would be held by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. That easement would protect 17 miles of undeveloped shoreline on three lakes within the property: West Grand, Big and Lower Oxbrook. It also would preserve 42 miles of interior streams and 9 miles on Big Musquash Stream and a quarter mile of shoreline along Grand Lake Stream at Big Falls. Bangor Daily News en-us Wed, 24 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2050&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire His new book, “The Changing Nature of the Maine Woods,” written with colleagues Alan White and Charles Cogbill, was published earlier this year by the University of New Hampshire Press. It tells the story of how the state's forests developed, evolved and changed since the last great glacial ice sheet retreated to the north some 12 millennia ago. The book taps into the latest research on everything from the pollen record to “witness” trees referenced by the state's first surveyors. It's a highly readable volume sure to engage the average reader. Forests for Maines Future en-us Wed, 24 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2136&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National In recent years there have been impressive technological advancements, both by industry and the scientific community, in the area of modern small-scale bioenergy heating below 100kW. The main advancements have been in the preparation of the biomass fuel as well as the combustion technology, resulting in increasing efficiencies and continued reductions of harmful emissions by over 90% when compared to older models. Starting today the World Bioenergy Association, WBA, will highlight opportunities in the field of modern bioenergy by publishing a short series of science-based information fact- sheets. A fact sheet on modern Small-Scale biomass heating systems and their beneficial applications is the first in line to be launched. World Bioenergy Association article en-us Wed, 24 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2044&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Amy Lane This November I will be voting in favor of the $5 million bond to fund the Land for Maine’s Future program. Land for Maine’s Future helps conserve working farms, productive forestlands, commercial waterfronts, recreational areas and valuable wildlife habitat. The program also helps ensure public access to dozens of water bodies and hundreds of thousands of acres of forestland. These farms, woods and waters are the heartbeat of Maine’s natural resource-based economy. Bangor Daily News   en-us Tue, 23 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2053&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire NHBR's editors recently met with businesspeople at the Tech Village technology park and business incubator in North Conway. The topic under discussion: How is the area's economy faring and what are the expectations for the future? New Hampshire Business Review en-us Fri, 19 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2011&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Natalie Bazinet In a region where even mild winters inevitably venture into subzero temperatures, every British thermal unit counts when it comes to home heating. Last December, officials with the Maine School of Science and Mathematics were awarded approximately $80,000 through an Office of Naval Research grant to enable student-based research aimed at increasing the energy efficiency of one MSSM residential home. Only about halfway through completion, Project Polaris is already having a profoundly positive effect on students’ education, and the application of their findings will help one MSSM educator and his family have a warmer winter with a decreased environmental footprint. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Wed, 17 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2019&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Jody Houle The ninth annual RiverFire will be held October 20, this Saturday, at The Northern Forest Heritage Park on 942 Main St., and a few new attractions have been added to the event. The popular event is filled with activities for all ages. Some new attractions added this year include a beer tent, a Petting Zoo and Pony Rides, Jail n' Bail, and music with karaoke. The gates open at 1 p.m. and the event will run until 10 p.m.. There is no admission fee into the park but each attraction has separate fees. New Hampshire Lakes and Mountains article link en-us Wed, 17 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2021&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Staff If you know your neighbors strengths, are there areas we can leverage, are there areas we can collaborate on, are they doing something we haven't thought about. It is pretty powerful to have a regional perspective in a global economy," said Dorsey. "We are not just worried about Aroostook County and competing between Caribou and Presque Isle. That's irrelevant. It's Maine competing with other regions to getting our products to market, and we need to think bigger if we are going to be successful. St. John Valley Times article link en-us Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2013&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: VPR Staff More than a year and half after Vermont launched a plan to boost its food and farm economy, organizers are celebrating progress. The achievements include a mobile farmers' market that reaches low-income housing sites in northern Vermont and an increase in the number of colleges offering local foods in dining halls. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 15 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2020&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Erin Voegele The U.S Energy Information Administration has released the October issue of its Short-Term Energy and Winter Fuels Outlook, which includes data related to woody biomass used for heating. According to the report, household use of wood fuel for heating has increased over the last decade, reversing trends seen in the 1980s and 1990s. The EIA estimates that U.S. households consumed approximately 500 trillion Btu of wood, which is only slightly less than the 600 trillion Btu of heating oil during the same period. Biomass Magazine article link en-us Mon, 15 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2069&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine A great writeup on a seven mile hike between the AMC Maine Wilderness Lodges: searching for moose, hiking and dining and sleeping at local inns! Weekend Walk article link en-us Mon, 15 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2012&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Annmarie Timmins Lawmakers say Hydro-Quebec and Public Service of New Hampshire have given them less information than they'd like as they study whether the state should have utility companies bury future transmission lines along state-owned roads. "We are getting a lot of runaround," said Sen. Jeanie Forrester, a Meredith Republican who is leading the study commission created by the Legislature this year. "We are not getting a lot of hard information." To meet its Dec. 1 deadline for reporting back to the Legislature, Forrester has said she needs the information requested by Oct. 25. Once the draft report is finished, the commission will hold two public hearings, one in Concord on Nov. 7 and one in Plymouth on Nov. 8. In the meantime, Forrester has posted the commission meeting minutes online at her website, jeanieforrester.com. Concord Monitor article link en-us Sun, 14 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2017&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Denise A. Raymo St. Lawrence County recently cast an economic-opportunity line toward Franklin County, and it looks like legislators may take the bait. Tourism spending has been increased about $50,000 in the tentative 2013 budget, and County Manager Thomas Leitz has suggested about $25,000 be awarded to FISHCAP, an initiative of the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce to promote the St. Lawrence River Valley as the fishing capital of the world. Press-Republican article link en-us Sun, 14 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2034&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine Valerie Tucker Facility managers and municipalities tired of seeing their energy dollars leaving the state are looking for answers. Those at the Maine Pellet Summit on Saturday said costs to heat and cool their buildings take a larger chunk each year from their increasingly tight budgets. They also would like to find fuel sources and equipment that are environmentally friendly and low-maintenance. The answer, both literally and figuratively, is in their backyards, but getting support to convert from fossil fuel to biomass can be a hard-fought battle. Franklin Sun Journal en-us Sat, 13 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2015&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: David Sommerstein A company that wants to erect 48 wind turbines in the town of Clayton recently announced it would seek permitting through the state's Article X, not the town council. Another company did the same thing in nearby Cape Vincent earlier this year. Article X is a law passed last year. It gives a state board the authority to green light new power plants, including wind farms, possibly over local objections. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Fri, 12 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2016&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann Another North Country town is urging New York State to reopen the planning process for the rail line that cuts through the heart of the Adirondack Park. Tupper Lake's town council voted three-two Thursday night to urge a review of the "unit management plan" for the rail corridor that runs from Old Forge to Lake Placid. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Fri, 12 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2014&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann The Adirondack Club and Resort proposed for Tupper Lake has been delayed by a lawsuit filed by two environmental advocacy groups, and the case is now being reviewed by judges in Albany. But with election day less than a month away, the future of the resort is also on the agendas of politicians. There appears to be bipartisan support for the development, which has been on the drawing board for nearly a decade. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 11 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2018&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Dan Heath The state is getting returns on its investment in the North Country Regional Economic Development Council projects. That was noted during the council’s report to the state’s Strategic Implementation Assessment Team on its progress on 2012 projects — and its objectives for 2013 funding — at the West Side Ballroom on Wednesday afternoon. The council received $103.2 million in the first round of competitive awards, the second-highest amount among the 10 councils around the state. Press-Republican article link en-us Thu, 11 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1993&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Lisa Rathke In a state that has a long history of maple syrup production and fiercely protects the purity of its brand, Vermont producers are proud of their “fancy,” ”grade A dark amber” and “grade B” syrup. But the terminology has the potential to perplex consumers, particularly as Vermont’s syrup production, which has boomed in the past decade, reaches broader markets. So Vermont is considering joining with other syrup-producing states and Canadian provinces in selling a product with one grading standard, triggering fears by some producers that the state’s vaunted brand will lose its reputation if it doesn’t stand out from the rest — as they say it should. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1996&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: John Dillon East Montpelier Democrat Tony Klein says it's time to bring back an idea from the past. Klein, who chairs the House Natural Resources and Energy Committee, said Vermont needs to consider a statewide land use plan that could spell out where development could go. He pointed out that when the Legislature passed the Act 250 development review law in 1970 it also considered the land use plan. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2001&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Dan Heath Manufacturing jobs are available in the North Country, but the skilled workforce to fill them is lacking. Clinton Community College President John Jablonski provided opening remarks at a National Manufacturing Day event at Clinton Community College. “There are today, in the United States, 600,000 unfilled jobs in manufacturing,” he said. Press-Republican article link en-us Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2005&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: David Sommerstein Cornell Cooperative Extension will receive a 95,000 dollar federal grant to promote local food production in rural Jefferson and Lewis counties. The money is targeted to "food deserts", a name given to areas at least 10 miles from a grocery store. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2010&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Bob Cleaves The conservative Maine Heritage Policy Center and the Beacon Hill Institute for Public Policy Research recently released a report detailing the economic reasons to alter or discontinue Maine’s renewable portfolio standards, or RPS, begun under Gov. John Baldacci. Gov. Paul LePage concurred. As the president of the Biomass Power Association — the nationwide group representing the biomass industry — and a lifelong Mainer, I respectfully disagree with the report’s bleak assessment of renewable energy contributions to our state and am disappointed that LePage wants to change the state’s energy laws. To the contrary, biomass and other renewable sources provide invaluable benefits to the state in the form of reliable jobs, energy diversity and security, and reduced air emissions. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2004&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Staff The Wild Center will receive $158,120 through the Northern Border Regional Commission for its Northern New York Maple Project. The Wild Center, located in Tupper Lake, has partnered with Paul Smith’s College Visitor Interpretative Center on the project, which will help train local maple producers, create maple-sugaring demonstration sites and promote growth in the industry. The commission estimates the project will create 40 jobs in the region. Press-Republican article link en-us Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Pgm Rel Articles - Northern Border Reg. Comm. http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2029&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National Press Release The U.S. government released its annual assessment of prices and availability of heating fuels today and for the first time it included information on pellets and firewood. After gas and electricity, wood is the third most common heating fuel in America, but the annual Winter Fuels Outlook had never discussed it prior to the 2012-13 heating season. The Winter Fuels Outlook is put out by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), an independent statistical and analytical agency within the Department of Energy. Alliance for Green Heat en-us Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1994&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Tom Walsh Given its long and rich nautical history, Eastport has seen countless thousands of ships, large and small, tie up on its waterfront pier, but never anything quite like The World. At 644 feet long, the 12-deck behemoth loomed Tuesday over the Washington County community’s Water Street historic commercial district, docked for the day to allow those aboard what’s billed as the world’s largest yacht to take in the sights and visit local shops, galleries and restaurants. The Eastport Port Authority offered special tours for those among the 88 residents who came ashore, and shopkeepers welcomed the visitors — and their credit cards — with genuine enthusiasm. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Tue, 09 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2002&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Felicia Krieg Two firms, Casella Waste Management and Ecology and Environment Inc., shared their plans for increasing sustainability in the future. With the help of a grant from the New York State Regional Economic Council, both companies have been evaluating the North Country’s generation of waste and identifying goals that would reduce waste and increase recycling and conservation of resources, which would save companies and private residents money. Press-Republican article link en-us Tue, 09 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2006&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Joanna Richards "Forever Wild" is the term in New York's constitution that describes state forest preserves in the Adirondacks, and community leaders in and around the park are also using that term to inform their vision for economic development. Their slogan, and the name of a conference held annually at Clarkson University in Potsdam, is "Forever Wired." At the fourth conference, they continued a push to expand broadband internet access, and economic opportunity, in the Adirondacks. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Tue, 09 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2030&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail National Paul Ausick The U.S. has just overtaken Canada as the world’s largest exporter of wood pellets. According to the North American Wood Fiber Review, U.S. exports of wood pellets in the first half of 2012 totaled 760,000 tons, and that total is expected to rise to an annual total of 5.7 million tons in 2015. Wood pellets are considered biomass and are burned to heat homes, drive industrial equipment, and generate electricity. 24/7 Wall St. en-us Tue, 09 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Northern Forest News Digest http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1997&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: John Dillon The state has awarded $1.8 million in tax credits to help downtown revitalization projects. The Shumlin administration says the credits will support nearly $26 million dollars of building improvements in 17 communities around Vermont The downtown program has been in place for years. But the legislature this year targeted some of the money to help businesses hurt by Tropical Storm Irene. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 08 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2003&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Dan Heath The ability to attract foreign direct investment can be crucial to a region’s economic success, and Clinton County has a number of factors in its favor. That was the message from CAI Global Group Vice President Marc Beauchamp during his recent lecture, Foreign Direct investment — An Economic Game Changer for the North Country, part of the Clinton Community College — The Development Corp. lecture series. Press-Republican article link en-us Mon, 08 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2007&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Kate O'Connell A report from the New York State Labor Department shows the unemplyment rate in Upstate New York has gone up almost one percent in the past year, to 8.5 per cent as of August. This past week, a mobile response team from the Labor Department began touring regions with the highest unemployment rates, with the goal of getting the long-term unemployed back to work. The effort specifically aims to help the long-term unemployed – people unemployed for more than six months – find jobs. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 08 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2008&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: David Sommerstein Environmental issues can be tough to convey to the public, and to policymakers, because they're landscape scale, not human scale. Flying high above, say, a forest, a factory, or a wetlands complex can give better perspective. But few environmental groups can afford to pay for private flights. For 30 years, the not-for-profit organization Lighthawk has been bringing together volunteer pilots and environmental causes. North Country Radio article link en-us Mon, 08 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1992&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Mario Moretto Contractors are working diligently to get an upgraded biomass system finished by the end of the month at Verso Paper’s mill in Bucksport. The $42 million project includes refitting the No. 8 boiler to burn only natural wood products and the installation of a new 25-megawatt turbine. It’s part of Verso’s 2009 diversification strategy to establish energy production as a crucial part of the company’s portfolio. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Sat, 06 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1995&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen A Northern Pass spokesman said Saturday that the project has 99 percent of the land it needs for the new route through Coos, clarifying remarks made Friday by a company executive. During a conference call with analysts Friday Lee Olivier, an official with Northeast Utilities, said: “I am pleased to say that we have about 99 percent of that 140-mile right-of-way right now either acquired or we have under agreement. The last essentially one percent we are working through the final details.” That created some confusion because the Northern Pass project does not have permission to use about 10 miles of right-of-way through the White Mountain National Forest, and that would be roughly 7 percent. New Hampshire Public Radio article link Related article: Northern Pass works to connect the dots in NH land acquisition   en-us Sat, 06 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2000&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Staff New York Logger Training is offering a Forest Stand Rehabilitation workshop in at the Adirondack Ecological Center on Tuesday, Oct. 30. Ralph D. Nyland, distinguished service professor at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, will teach the class. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Sat, 06 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1998&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Staff Governor Peter Shumlin says cellular telephone users in parts of rural Caledonia and Orange counties will soon see better service. That's thanks to a $2 million grant from the Federal Communications Commission. The telecommunications company VTel was among the winners of what the FCC calls its first mobility fund auction. VTel will use the money to expand wireless coverage along over 940 miles of Vermont roadways, primarily in Orange and Caledonia counties. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Fri, 05 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2009&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Matt Richmond A recent study by the consulting firm McKinsey and Company concluded that the U.S. could, by the end of this decade, eliminate about $1.2 trillion in wasted energy every year. But as the Innovation Trail's Matt Richmond reports, New York's attempts to get started on that goal, and support green jobs in the process, have shown that it won't be easy. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Fri, 05 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2032&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Anna Simet A new paper released by FutureMetrics LLC examines the impacts of adding full thermal renewable energy credits to state renewable portfolio standards (RPS). The paper is based off of New Hampshire’s recent legislation that qualifies renewable thermal in its RPS, a modest incentive that allows 2.6 percent of thermal renewable energy credits (RECs) into the current Class I obligation by 2025. While the report focuses on Maine, author William Strauss said implementing the same strategies in other states with RPSs would create similar results to what is discussed in the paper, including the creation of around 9,000 permanent jobs. Biomass Magazine en-us Fri, 05 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2051&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen Despite opposition, the Northern Pass project is doing well, according to company officials. During a conference call with industry analysts, officials from Northeast Utilities insisted they are happy with the progress they are making. “I am pleased to say that we have about 99 percent of that 140-mile right-of-way right now either acquired or we have under agreement. The last essentially one percent we are working through the final details.” New Hampshire Public Radio en-us Fri, 05 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=2054&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Maureen D. Smith Whether New Hampshire's economy would benefit from projects like Northern Pass is driving at least some of the discussion over the proposed transmission line. Although federal approvals of the 180-mile high-voltage transmission line are on hold pending establishment of a right-of-way from the Canadian border to Groveton, debate over projected costs and benefits of Northern Pass has not slowed. New Hampshire Business Review en-us Fri, 05 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1974&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: David Sommerstein The St. Regis Mohawks say the federal government's plan to clean up toxic chemicals from the Grasse River has improved, but it's still not good enough. The Alcoa aluminum plant in Massena dumped cancer-causing PCBs into the river before they were banned in the 1970s. Ken Jock directs the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe environment division. He says the Environmental Protection Agency’s plan to dredge 7.2 miles of riverbank sets a standard of acceptable PCB levels 25 times lower than an earlier cleanup. North Country Public Radio article link   en-us Thu, 04 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1990&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Whit Richardson The United States will investigate the government aid package that helped a Nova Scotia paper mill reopen last week, prompted by “troubling questions about potential injurious and/or WTO-inconsistent subsidies.” Pacific West Commercial Corp. last week reopened the Port Hawkesbury paper mill in Point Tupper, N.S., thanks to a $124.5 million aid package from the provincial government. Paper started rolling off the mill’s production line yesterday, according to the Chronicle Herald. Those in Maine’s paper industry say the Nova Scotia mill, with the help of government assistance, will have a negative effect on Maine mills that produce similar types of paper. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Thu, 04 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1991&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Seth and the City There’s been a lot of research over the years tracking a gradual increase in the average temperature, acidity of the oceans, rising sea levels, the greater frequency of violent storms, and on and on. There’s been a lot of squabbling among politicians over what has caused those things (Factories? Cow flatulence?) , but the numbers are the numbers. Average temperatures here in the United States have been rising by almost a half a degree per decade since the 1970s, and nine of the 10 hottest years on record have come since 2000....The question researchers at the University of Southern Maine and the University of New Hampshire are asking is: Has anybody told the guys who build the roads? Seth and the City article link en-us Thu, 04 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1999&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: John Dillon Gov. Peter Shumlin has named a new commission to consider ways to improve how energy projects are sited and approved in Vermont. The governor's executive order follows increasingly contentious debate over large-scale wind projects. But the governor emphasized that wind development was not the only focus. "Let me be clear it's not about wind; it's about all renewables," he said. "As you know, I feel very strongly that Vermont needs to be on the cutting edge of building out renewables as quickly as we can." Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 04 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1981&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Associated Press The New York Power Authority is giving a northern New York university $2.2 million to improve the energy efficiency of a building that will become a new research center. The authority says the money will be spent on Clarkson University's Old Main Building in downtown Potsdam as part of a renovation set to begin next year. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Wed, 03 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1986&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Associated Press New Hampshire's weekly fall foliage report says the colors are at their peak in the Great North Woods and in the White Mountains region. The colors are bursting as the state expects more than 600,000 visitors over Columbus Day Weekend. They are expected to spend nearly $90 million. New Hampshire Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 03 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1967&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Staff The 13th annual Lumberjack Festival and Competition at the Northern Forest Heritage went off like clockwork on Saturday, despite the rain, rain, rain. Youngsters got to fish in the Heritage Park pond, the Roy family brought their appealing little animals for petting, a huge breakfast was served in the cook house, and 45 competitors did their thing in the Axe Throw, the Chainsaw, Bow Saw, Underhand chop, Standing Chop, Cross Cut, Jack & Jill, and Log Roll, with a Ladies Fry Pan Toss (won by Janice Gingrass, of Gorham) and a Men's Pulp Toss (won by Eric Daniels, of Norton, Vermont) thrown in for good measure. Berlin Daily Sun article link en-us Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1968&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Steve Zind Mention the term ‘job training' and most of us think of the push to prepare people to fill high tech manufacturing jobs. But there's something similar going on in agriculture. The U.S. Labor Secretary was in Vermont Tuesday to highlight an education and training program designed to prepare people for the farm jobs of the future. As she toured the farm at Vermont Technical College in Randolph Center Labor Secretary Hilda Solis heard about breeding heifers and managing herds. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1975&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: NPR News A new company in Ticonderoga has qualified for a Federal loan of $900,000 to help start a new slaughterhouse that would serve farmers in the North Country. The guaranteed loan from the US Department of Agriculture would help with construction and new equipment for the facility. Congressman Bill Owens of Plattsburgh said the project would be a "tremendous step forward" for local farmers. In recent years, farmers in the region have struggled to find meat processing facilities close to their operations. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1976&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: David Sommerstein Yesterday when you woke up, you may not have felt different. But farm country did. The federal farm bill expired because Congress wasn't able to pass a new one by the September 30th deadline. The farm bill is huge. It funds everything from food stamps to wetlands restoration to school nutrition - in addition to helping to pay for commodities like corn, soybeans, milk, and cheese. So now that there's no farm bill, it's hard to know what's changed. David Sommerstein joins us to sort through it all. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1982&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Associated Press Warren County is shelling out $270,000 to fight an invasive species in a popular Adirondack lake. The Glens Falls Post-Star reports that the county supervisors voted Friday to put up the money to help fight Asian clams in Lake George. The funds come from the county's tax on hotel and motel room stays. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1987&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Whit Richardson Five promising Maine companies have been selected by Blackstone Accelerates Growth to receive specialized business mentoring services, and to serve as the core of two new regional “innovation hubs” in Portland and Bangor. The innovation hubs will act as “catalysts” for entrepreneurial activity in Portland and Bangor by offering and supporting a focused set of services and networking activities, said John Voltz, executive director of Blackstone Accelerates Growth, Tuesday morning at a press conference in Portland. Blackstone Accelerates Growth is the $3 million, three-year initiative launched last year by the New York-based Blackstone Charitable Foundation to support entrepreneurship in Maine. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1988&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Mario Moretto The little orange fish are a staple in home aquariums and Asian restaurants. They are a rite of passage for young children, who receive them as a test-run for bigger, furrier pets. But goldfish also are an invasive species and a risk to Maine’s indigenous fishes, said a state biologist Tuesday. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is responsible for enforcing a state law banning goldfish from outdoor bodies of water. Greg Burr is a regional fisheries biologist for the DIF&W. He and a small crew were at Birdsacre Stanwood Wildlife Sanctuary in Ellsworth on Tuesday. There, a small pond is overrun with goldfish, he said, some of them up to a foot long. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1989&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: BDN staff reports U.S. Sen. Susan Collins presented the first potatoes harvested from The Aroostook Medical Center’s Centennial Potato Plot in Presque Isle to the White House on Tuesday. Collins, a native of Caribou, presented the potatoes to Ed Pagano, deputy assistant to the president, outside the East Wing at the White House on Tuesday morning. Officials from TAMC and project partners Cavendish Produce and Northeast Packing Company originally presented the 5-pound bag of potatoes to Sen. Collins when she visited TAMC last week. Bangor Daily News article ilnk en-us Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1970&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Staff A million dollar grant will help the Burlington Electric Department provide financing to customers for energy efficiency projects. The grant will provide "on-bill financing," a utility-run program that offers upfront funds to customers to make improvements that save energy and, in turn, lower their bills. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 01 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1971&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail By: Mitch Wertlieb When the President and co-owner of the Jay Peak Ski resort announced last week a new economic plan for the Northeast Kingdom, what really drew attention was the number of jobs he said will be created if the initiative goes ahead. Bill Stenger was joined by Vermont's full congressional delegation when he talked about the plan to bring 10,000 jobs to one of the most under-employed regions of Vermont. He said the plan would be untenable without a 3-year extension of the EB-5 program, which rewards foreign investors who locate businesses in the United States to obtain visas. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 01 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1972&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Jane Lindholm Writer Kristen Fountain researched the string of fire towers that once dotted mountaintops across the Northeast for Northern Woodlands magazine. She describes how, although only a few of the towers remain in Vermont, they come alive in the memories of those who worked in them watching for forest fires. She spoke about the towers with Vermont Edition. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 01 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1973&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Kirk Carapezza Jodi Whalen sits next to a humming refrigerator packed with soda at her sandwich shop in downtown Burlington. Whalen and her husband own two businesses - this one, Stacks Sandwiches, and August First Bakery. So she knows first hand how difficult it can be to control energy costs...The rising price of energy is one factor that has made the economic recovery sluggish. And as the weather grows colder, it won't just hit families. Businesses will be hurt as well. Now, lawmakers in Vermont have introduced a new financing program designed to keep costs down for business owners like Jodi Whalen. Senator Bernie Sanders and Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger are touting a new revolving loan program that will allow businesses to work with the city-owned electric department to make energy upgrades - advancements that could save them 15- to 35 percent on energy consumption. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 01 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1977&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann A couple of weeks ago, on a rain swept fall day, I paddled on Boreas Pond with the Nature Conservancy's Mike Carr. "Black spruce, tamarack, hardwood hills in full color," Carr said. "I think we're here at peak, the maples are on fire." For more than a century this land was managed and logged by Finch Pruyn, a paper company based in Glens Falls. But under a $50 million deal orchestrated by Carr and signed this summer by Governor Andrew Cuomo, these forests — 69,000 acres in all — will be added to the Park's forest preserve. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 01 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1978&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Kim Smith Dedam The other shoe falls with every step, signifying motion. In North Hudson, the other shoe is stepping toward renewed growth, with 22,081 acres at Boreas Pond there slated to become state forestland in five years. The land is bordered by the towns of Keene and Newcomb. Press-Republican article link en-us Mon, 01 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1979&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Robin Caudell Lawrence “Larry” Post’s heart was always in the Adirondacks. His father, Sterling Sr., brought Larry and his brothers, Sterling Jr. and Randy, here to fly fish, mountain climb and camp in the winter. Every weekend and all vacations, the Posts were somewhere in the Adirondacks. Raised in Latham, Larry longed to move to the “Forever Wild” landscape. Press-Republican article link en-us Sun, 30 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1983&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Michael Anich The Fulton County Board of Supervisors next month will consider a resolution opposing a $50 million state acquisition of land in the Adirondack Park, including acreage in Mayfield. The state issue was reviewed by the board's Economic Development and Environment Committee on Tuesday night at the County Office Building. County Administrative Officer Jon Stead drafted a proposed resolution in which Fulton County opposes a $50 million expenditure of state funds to purchase the former Finch, Pruyn and Co. forestlands. The full board will consider approving the resolution at its next meeting at 1 p.m. Oct. 8 at the County Office Building. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Sat, 29 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1969&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Kirk Carapezza A persistent drought struck large swaths of the country this summer, and Vermont towns also report concerns about the lack of rain. After 16 months of above normal temperatures, there was some relief late last month. But it's still dry, and that means problems for many wells and springs that supply drinking water in rural parts of the state. State climatologist Dr. Lesley-Anne Dupigny-Giroux says aquifer levels continue to drop because there was so little rainfall this summer. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Fri, 28 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1980&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Staff The Tupper Lake Central School Green Team will host an environmental event on Saturday with help from community organizations and businesses. From 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the LP Quinn School cafeteria, the Green Team will hold a communitywide event to raise awareness about "reducing our carbon footprint in our little neck of the woods," which is the Green Team’s mission statement. Press-Republican article link en-us Fri, 28 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1984&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Associated Press An emerald ash borer has been found in another trap in New York's Southern Tier, bringing the number of counties with confirmed findings to 13. The state Department of Environmental Conservation says the invasive beetle that has been attacking ash trees across New York was found in a purple trap in the southwestern corner of Tioga County, near the Pennsylvania border. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Fri, 28 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1948&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Associated Press Maine forestry officials say peak foliage colors have begun to appear in far northern Maine. The state’s weekly fall foliage report says forest and park rangers are reporting that trees are at least 75 percent toward their peak color change with minimal leaf drop in all of Aroostook County. The Washington Post article link en-us Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1951&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: NFCT The Clyde River and the nationally recognized Buck Flats wetlands are receiving special recognition by the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, thanks to an interpretive kiosk recently installed in East Charleston. A dedication for this new sign will take place on Thursday, September 27, from 5:30-6:00 pm, at the intersection of Ten Mile Square Road and Rt. 105 in East Charleston. The kiosk, which includes a map and images of the area, highlights the natural and cultural history of the Clyde River and the Buck Flats wetlands, one of the most diverse ecosystems in the Northeast. The sign was designed and built by a local committee that included staff from the NorthWoods Stewardship Center, Bill Manning, and Luke Thompson. Northern Forest Canoe Trail article link en-us Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1952&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: NFCT Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) has come out with their recommendations for great paddling locations to catch views of the autumn fire this year. The group recommends paddling along the regions waters to give a new perspective on seeing the gold, red and yellows of autumn. “For many visitors and residents, the spectacle of autumn is taken in from the roads and walking trails. There is however no better way to get a new perspective on the spectacle than from a canoe or kayak,” says Kate Williams, Executive Director of NFCT. “An early morning or late day paddle surrounded by the quiet and color of the season is a quintessential Northern Forest experience.” Northern Forest Canoe Trail article link en-us Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1960&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Charlotte Albright A $500 million economic development project in the Northeast Kingdom that was unveiled on Thursday promises 10,000 jobs in a region that badly needs an economic boost. The rural part of the state has been seen for decades as a chancy place to invest. But where some see rural decline, Jay Peak Resort President Bill Stenger sees skiable mountains, livable towns, an affordable waterfront, and a workforce eager to roll up its sleeves. And he's convinced a number of investors-some from abroad-to share that vision. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1966&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Dawn Gagnon USDA Rural Development State Director Virginia Manuel announced Thursday that Community Concepts Inc. has been awarded a grant of slightly more than $1 million to help families in southern and western Maine build their own homes. The $1,010,000 will be made available through the newly created Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Grant program. “This innovative USDA Rural Development Program supports local families in their dreams of homeownership,” Manuel said in announcing the grant program. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1985&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Annmarie Timmins/Monitor Staff The Appalachian Mountain Club initiated a war of words yesterday with Northern Pass officials after accusing Northern Pass of failing to give the public or the government adequate information about how visible the project's towers and transmission lines would be. According to the AMC's research, 95,000 acres in the state will be "visually impacted" by the project, meaning at least one tower will be visible within that acreage. An AMC study released yesterday showed 9,000 of those acres are in Concord. Concord Monitor article link en-us Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1965&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Nick Sambides Jr. New England’s first torrefied wood facility received its final Maine Department of Environmental Protection permit, clearing the way for construction of a $48 million facility, 25 full-time jobs and possibly the birth of a nationwide industry, officials said Thursday. Cate Street Capital plans to open the Thermogen Industries LLC plant at the site of its Millinocket paper mill, which the company bought in October 2011, in the fall of 2013. The company’s goal: to use about 240,000 to 250,000 tons of wood wastes to produce 110,000 tons of torrefied wood per year at its Katahdin Avenue mill site. The plant’s customers — coal-fired power plants in Europe and the United Kingdom – will use the torrefied wood to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1947&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region Despite just modest gains in population and participation in outdoor recreation compared to the rest of the nation, there is a strong likelihood of increasing pressure on forest and other undeveloped lands in northern states as the population grows and recreation demands shift. "Outdoor Recreation in the Northern United States," a report recently published by the U.S. Forest Service's Northern Research Station as GTR NRS-100, evaluates recent population trends and forecasts within the context of other U.S. regions, demographic composition of population, recreation participation by residents age 16 and older, trends in activities and time spent outdoors by its youth, and the changes occurring in recreation resources, both public and private. "Outdoor Recreation" is part of the ongoing Northern Forest Futures Project in which scientists are describing current forest conditions and projecting future conditions in the 20 states extending from Maine to Minnesota and from Missouri to Maryland. e! Science News article link en-us Wed, 26 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1953&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sara Young-Knox The 13th annual Lumberjack Competition and Festival in Berlin begins at 10 a.m. on Sunday at Northern Forest Heritage Park’s recreation logging camp. Set on the banks of the Androscoggin River, the park seems to have found a winning combination: food, fun and lots of good, clean competitions. The Lumberjack competition brings together over 60 Lumber Jacks and Lumber Jills from the U.S. and Canada. The championship events include competitions for both men and women, with axe throws, standing block chops, two-person crosscut and more. Huot said there will be three stations for each event, so there will be plenty of action. Union Leader article link en-us Wed, 26 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1963&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Andrew Neff Executives from three of Maine’s paper mills told 50 businesspeople that reports of the demise of Maine’s pulp and paper industry have been greatly exaggerated. “Maine is 92 percent forested,” said Keith Van Scotter, president and CEO of Lincoln Paper and Tissue. “If paper and pulp is going to be made anywhere, it’ll be made in this state, so it’s not a dying industry. It’s a viable industry.” Van Scotter; Bill Cohen, director of communications for Verso Paper Corp. in Bucksport; and George McLaughlin, manager of manufacturing for Great Northern Paper in East Millinocket, were the main speakers at Wednesday morning’s Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce Early Bird Breakfast. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Wed, 26 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1945&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Mike Lynch Gov. Andrew Cuomo visited Boreas Ponds on Sunday to promote tourism in the Adirondack Park and to celebrate the state's plan to acquire 69,000 acres here over the next five years. The 69,000 acres of former Finch, Pruyn and Co. lands are currently off limits to the public and owned by The Nature Conservancy, but Cuomo signed a contract in August to purchase the lands in phases over the next five years. Once they are acquired, they will be added to the Forest Preserve. The comptroller signed off on the deal last week, it was announced."This is such a magnificent site that it is indescribable," Cuomo said. "I've been (to the central Adirondacks) many, many times, but it's just too beautiful to describe in words. You can't explain to people how special this place is and how excited we are about this acquisition." Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Mon, 24 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1961&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Amy Noyes There will soon be a new community forest in the Northeast Kingdom. The town of Canaan has taken ownership of 424 acres of land to create the Canaan Community Forest. Town officials say the property will be used for a variety of economic, educational, recreational and conservation purposes. The land was owned by the Tillotson family for generations. The town acquired the land with a conservation easement on 368 acres to ensure that the majority of the property will left undeveloped. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 24 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1964&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Whit Richardson The U.S. Small Business Administration has awarded $121,000 to the Maine International Trade Center to help small businesses expand their abilities to export. The money is part of $30 million the SBA is doling out as part of the State Trade and Export Promotion initiative, which was launched last year under the Small Business Jobs Act. The STEP program was designed to increase the number of small businesses that want to export, and help increase the value of exports for those small businesses already involved in exporting products. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Mon, 24 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1956&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Morris A new local production and publishing house is producing a short film aimed at showcasing the resources available for filmmakers from the Adirondacks and beyond. Timothy Brearton of Adirondack Mogul said "The Deal," a film about a debt-ridden working man who is offered a "dubious deal" by a stranger, will show budding young filmmakers what his company can do to help get their projects off the ground. He said he hopes the film will also convince filmmakers from outside the region to bring their productions here. Brearton said Adirondack Mogul, which was founded in January, can provide filmmakers with crews, caterers and "any other resources they may need." Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Sat, 22 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1955&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Chris Morris Congress won't vote on a new Farm Bill until after the Nov. 6 election. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, announced Thursday morning that the House wouldn't act on the five-year bill until the two-month lame duck session in November and December. It's not clear what the House will do instead of passing a new bill, since the current legislation expires at the end of the month. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1962&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Steve Zind This week, Vermont officials announced plans to continue a partnership with a Canadian airline that brings skiers from Toronto to Burlington. The state is putting tourism dollars behind the effort in hopes of expanding it in the future. This is the second year that Porter Airlines is offering round trip flights between Toronto and Burlington. There will be four weekly flights from mid-December until early April. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 20 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1946&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Mark Hayward Northern Pass officials said today that the maximum height of towers that it wants to build in the White Mountain National Forest could be lowered to 85 feet — a reduction of about 37 percent from the previous maximum of 135 feet. Northern Pass said it could do so because of a V-string design, which reduces spacing requirements and the amount of movement during windy conditions. Union Leader article link en-us Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1954&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Morris he state Olympic Regional Development Authority continues to rebound from a bad winter, according to a financial report discussed at Tuesday's Board of Directors meeting. As of July 31, ORDA's revenues were running about $600,000 ahead of 2011, according to board member Bob Flacke. ORDA President and CEO Ted Blazer said numbers for the 2012 summer season increased over last year by "about a quarter of a million dollars." He said visitation is up by about 11.6 percent, and revenue is up about 12.35 percent. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1949&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Lisa Rathke An optimistic forecast has inn owners expecting brisk business when leaf peepers visit the Northeast this fall, with some hoping to recoup losses from last year after images of Tropical Storm Irene swallowing up bridges and roads scared visitors away from Vermont and other affected areas. The Woodstock Inn & Resort had to cancel reservations for all of September last year due to flood damage. After multimillion-dollar renovations, it's quickly filling up for the five-week season and nearly booked for Columbus Day weekend. The Seattle Times article link en-us Tue, 18 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1958&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Associated Press New York's state parks department has launched a smartphone application designed to help people get information about recreation sites and events. The department says the free app called "Oh, Ranger! NY State Parks" is available now for the iPhone and will be soon for Android devices. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Mon, 17 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1959&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Associated Press The experts say unusual warmth earlier this year, a cold snap and then stretches without rain in some parts of the state won't have much effect on this fall's foliage color in New York. Sunlight and the length of days determine when trees start showing off their yellows, oranges and reds, with cold snaps affecting the chemistry that brings out the deep reds and purples. As always, some trees are already turning because of local stresses like drought or pests. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Mon, 17 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1950&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Associated Press A marketing consultant who has helped small businesses is the keynote speaker at the third annual Northern New Hampshire Conference on Tourism. Nancie Freitas recently headed the company Constant Contact, driving its growth to over 500,000 customers and turning into a well-known name for small business success tools. The conference is being held Nov. 8 at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Highland Center in Bretton Woods. Boston.com article link en-us Sun, 16 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1957&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Staff People interested in learning more about the Tupper Lake Micro-Enterprise Grant Program, or those who would like assistance in completing the application or business plan, are invited to meet with staff of the Adirondack Economic Development Corporation at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the village offices on Park Street. The village of Tupper Lake will be offering nearly $200,000 in grant funding to help small businesses get their start or grow to the next level, thanks to a state grant designed to create and retain employment opportunities for low to moderate income individuals and maintain and expand the village's commercial tax base. The deadline for the initial funding round is Oct. 12. All available funds may be committed in the initial round. AEDC has been contracted to administer the grant on behalf of the village and will be providing the required entrepreneurship training component of the program. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Sat, 15 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Funding / Grant Opportunities http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1935&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Matthew Stone Sen. Olympia Snowe said Thursday the continuing resolution Congress will vote on to keep the U.S. government funded for the next six months has language in it that keeps funding for low-income heating assistance at last year’s levels, a development she said was encouraging for families who rely on the funds to pay their heating bills. In a news release, Snowe said the funding measure, which the House and Senate are expected to take up in the coming days, has language in it to keep funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, at $3.47 billion. Without that language, Snowe said, funding for LIHEAP would have fallen to $2.82 billion over the next six months. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Thu, 13 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1938&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann State officials are rejecting a claim by two environmental groups that permits for the new resort in Tupper Lake are invalid because developers failed to meet a deadline for satisfying permit conditions. On Monday, Protect the Adirondacks and the Sierra Club issued a letter arguing that a six-month grace period had expired in July, requiring developers to begin the permitting process again. But in a statement, Adirondack Park Agency spokesman Keith McKeever said that the resort has a "ten year tie period" to complete requirements. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 13 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1942&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Joe LoTemplio North Country Congressman Bill Owens says that if a deal is not made soon on a new Farm Bill, area farmers could suffer greatly. "This would be an unbelievable hit for farmers in our area," Owens told the Press-Republican. The Farm Bill is set to expire on Sept. 30, and Congress shows little signs of coming to an agreement on a new deal. In the meantime, Owens said, the Milk Income Loss Contract program, known as MILC, which is part of the current Farm Bill, has already begun to see reductions. Press-Republican article link en-us Thu, 13 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1939&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Knight The 90-mile Adirondack Canoe Classic wrapped up on Sunday. This was the 30th anniversary of the three-day race, which follows a course of lakes, rivers and carries from Old Forge to Saranac Lake. It featured two days of sunshine and clear skies, and one day of stormy weather that put even seasoned paddlers to the test. It’s a few minutes after noon on a picture perfect Sunday as one by one, canoes, kayaks and guideboats push across the finish line in front of a large crowd that lines the shore of Lake Flower. Brian McDonnell of Paul Smiths is the 90-Miler’s co-organizer, and the man behind the microphone, announcing each arrival. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 13 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1934&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Staff The Northern Maine Development Commission has been selected to receive a $400,000 federal loan to create or save jobs and boost the local economy in Aroostook and Washington counties. Funding is provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Intermediary Relending Program. The funds will be used to re-lend for business and community development with a priority on job creation and retention in the region. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Wed, 12 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1936&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Molly Walsh With a nip of fall in the air, more than 110 people turned out in Morrisville Tuesday to cut, stack and deliver fire wood to needy families in Lamoille County. Students from local schools and adults of all ages participated in the service project on the anniversary of the 9-11 attacks. “It’s a way for folks to pay tribute, to do something good. Get out in the community and help out,” said Dan Noyes, program coordinator for the RSVP Volunteer Center in Morrisville. With winter coming, volunteer lumberjacks delivered more than 70 cords of wood and stacked at least another 40 cords to be given away next year. The fuel will help about 40 families stay a little warmer when the temperatures drop and the snow flies. Burlington Free Press article link en-us Tue, 11 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1937&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont/New Hampshire By: Staff A U.S. Department of Agriculture official is visiting farms in Vermont and New Hampshire to discuss how the growing agricultural economy is helping to create jobs and expand local and regional food systems. Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan starts in Vermont today, where she'll tour the Brattleboro Food Co-op. The co-op has grown from a tiny warehouse storefront in 1979 to the $17 million operation it is today. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Tue, 11 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1941&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Staff The North Country Chamber of Commerce has been allocated $50,000 for its On-The-Job Training Program. Chamber President Garry Douglas said funding for the long-running, cost-effective program had been eliminated two years ago; Sen. Betty Little led efforts to secure the new money from the State Department of Labor resources for job training. The program allows reimbursement of employers for initial on-the-job training of new employees. The training is designed for each specific job and individual and carried out on the job site. Press-Republican article link en-us Tue, 11 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1940&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jessica Collier Finland may be on the other side of the world, but people there are facing many similar challenges when it comes to dealing with climate change. That's what the Wild Center's Jen Kretser said she has discovered this week on her visit to the northern European country. Kretser and museum Executive Director Stephanie Ratcliffe were in Finland last week attending a summit at the Heureka science center that was inspired by the Wild Center's Youth Climate Summit, which will be in its fourth year this fall. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Mon, 10 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1943&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Donna M. Perry A new video on the production of pallets at PalletOne of Maine, New England's largest manufacturer of hardwood pallets and shipping containers, is boosting sales, an official said. “We have seen an increase in regards to new prospects,” Scott Caron, vice president of sales and marketing at PalletOne of Maine, said Tuesday. “The video has been a tremendous sales tool for us.” “More than half of the new accounts we have landed this year were closed using the video,” Greg Cutler, Northeast regional sales manager, said in a press release issued by Sustainable Forest Futures. Sun Journal article link en-us Mon, 10 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Pgm Rel Articles - Industry News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1933&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: AMC Wrapping up its first season, the Appalachian Mountain Club’s (AMC’s) Maine Teen Volunteer Trail Crew reported a successful summer maintaining hiking and skiing trails on its conservation and recreation land in the 100-Mile Wilderness region. All trails are open to the public. Forty teens participated in the program, which was based at a campsite near Long Pond on AMC’s Katahdin Iron Works property. Four crews each worked for 10 days on such tasks as clearing brush from trails, creating rock staircases, building bridges, and painting blazes, while developing skills in trail stewardship and learning about outdoor ethics. Appalachian Mountain Club article link en-us Fri, 07 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1944&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Staff The Bethel Area Chamber and the River Valley Chamber of Commerce are offering a workshop to help businesses and nonprofit organizations increase their search engine visibility and generate more leads from their Web sites. In the seminar, attendees will learn how to improve their search engine ranking and drive more qualified leads to their Web site. Sun Journal article link en-us Fri, 07 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1910&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Berlin Better Buildings On September 17 and 18, the City of Berlin, Berlin BetterBuildings, White Mountains Community College, and Lakes Region Community College will host How Buildings Work: The Basics of Building Science at White Mountains Community College in Berlin. The workshop will take place over two full days, and will be a combination of lecture, discussion, resource identification, and hands-on field visit. A portion of the two days will include a breakout session for realtors, appraisers, inspectors and others from the real estate industry. Participating in this workshop will add a valuable tool to your toolbox, allowing you to provide enhanced service to your clients, or learn a new set of skills. If you have questions on whether this training series might be a good fit for you, please contact Berlin BetterBuildings Community Manager Cimbria Badenhausen at 603.326.6166 or CimbriaB@NHCDFA.org   en-us Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1911&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Northeastern States Research Cooperative The Northeastern States Research Cooperative (NSRC) is a competitive grant program that supports cross-disciplinary, collaborative research in the Northern Forest — a 26-million acre working landscape that is home to over a million residents and stretches from eastern Maine through New Hampshire and Vermont and into northern New York. A central component of the program is the importance of the Northern Forest to society and the need for research activities to have relevance and benefit to the people who live within its boundaries, work with its resources, use its products, visit it, and care about it. The NSRC funds a wide range of projects that fit into four research themes. Researchers study a variety of topics including but not restricted to: forest management, forest products, biodiversity, conservation, water quality, acid deposition, biogeochemistry, climate change, carbon sequestration, forest health, protected area management, land use planning, recreation and tourism, and community participation and decision-making. The Northeastern States Research Cooperative expects to have more than $1 million available for 2013 award funding. Funding will be based on scientific merit and the greatest beneficial impact on the Northern Forest, with no specific allocations to themes. Northeastern States Research Cooperative article link en-us Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Funding / Grant Opportunities http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1912&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: The Berlin Daily Sun The Androscoggin Valley Hospital received conditional approval from the Berlin Zoning Board for a $2.8 million, 3,285 sq. ft. boiler building "with supporting drives, utilities, and site improvements," at a public hearing at City Hall Tuesday. The condition is that the required stack for the new biomass boiler system would not exceed 30-feet above the AVH roof level. Height of the stack is dependent on the N.H. Department of Environmental Services that is "modeling" the plan at present, said Michael J. Chonko, P.E., director of mechanical engineering at SMRT Inc., of Portland, Maine. Chonko expected that the permitted height of the stack would be available soon. SMRT Inc. prepared the design of the biomass complex for AVH. The Berlin Daily Sun article link en-us Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1913&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Nothern Forest Region By: Erin Voegele The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently issued its latest power generation data. Its Electric Power Monthly report provides an overview of biomass power on a regional basis. In June 2012, the U.S. produced 1.657 million MWh from wood and wood-derived fuels. An additional 1.657 million MWh was produced from other biomass sources. The production level represents a respective 8 percent and 1.7 percent reduction in power output, compared to July 2011. Biomass Magazine article link en-us Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1924&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Donna M. Perry Verso Paper Corp. announced Wednesday that it has ceased further discussions with NewPage Corp. or its creditors regarding a potential merger, according to a press release on its website. Earlier this year, Verso announced it was looking to merge with the Ohio-based corporation, which operates a mill in Rumford. “After careful analysis, we believe it is in the best interests of our company and its stakeholders to focus on the many other opportunities for Verso, including internal growth projects and other potential strategic alternatives,” Verso President and CEO David Paterson said in a statement from its Tennessee-based headquarters. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1925&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Tom Slayton About half of Vermont's state parks were established in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, a New Deal program established by Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It's an era of history not widely remembered, but journalist and commentator Tom Slayton has found plenty of evidence of it in his travels to the state parks this summer... President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the CCC in 1933 and very shortly after that, Vermont State Forester Perry Merrill, who knew an opportunity when he saw one, went down to Washington with a list of projects in hand. The projects were, in the language of construction engineers, "shovel-ready," and so was Vermont. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1928&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jerry Delaney and Frederick H. Monroe New York State’s press release announcing the acquisition of 69,000 acres of productive, working forestland in the heart of the Adirondacks yesterday referred to the transaction as “unprecedented.” We agree. Unprecedented in its utter disregard for the Adirondack economy. Unprecedented in its overall fiscal irresponsibility. At a time when New York’s economy is in dire straits — and the small rural communities of the Adirondacks struggle to survive — New York State has chosen to spend nearly $50 million to add these lands to the state Forest Preserve and permanently remove them from wood and job production. New York State taxpayers will then be responsible to pay the maintenance costs and property taxes on the acquired lands. The Empire Page article link en-us Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1929&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff One month ago, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that New York State will acquire 69,000 acres of the former Finch Pruyn and other Nature Conservancy lands throughout the Adirondacks over the next five years, including such long-sought after tracts as the Essex Chain Lakes, Boreas Ponds, and OK Slip Falls. The land acquisition is the largest single addition to the Adirondack Forest Preserve in more than a century, opens some lands that have been closed to the public for more than 150 years, and provide new opportunities for remote communities like Newcomb. Adirondack Almanack contributors have been considering what the new state lands means to our communities, wildlife, economies, and more, in a series of stories about the new lands you may have missed. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1930&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Natural Selections Trees may live for hundreds, thousands of years, but there are limits on their growth. Trees can only move so much water, and only to a certain height. Martha Foley and Dr. Curt Stager discuss the hydrology of trees. Why don’t trees keep growing for their entire lives? Although theories vary, Dr. Curt Stager has the most probable answer... North Country Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1926&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Steve Zind his month Weidmann Electrical Technology will complete work on a $40 million expansion of its manufacturing plant in St. Johnsbury. The company has been one of the areas largest employers for decades. Weidmann uses an ancient process to make something very much part of modern life. "The Chinese were the first to make paper, and it's really a modern version of that," Weidmann vice-president John Goodrich explains as he leads a tour of the company's sprawling plant. What goes into the process is wood pulp. What comes out is a specialized paper product used by Weidmann to manufacture the insulation inside the electric transformers that hang on power poles and sit in substations everywhere. Vermont Public Radio article link   en-us Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1921&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Nick McCrea BANGOR, Maine — Efficiency Maine held a public meeting Wednesday to highlight a draft version of its latest three-year plan to help Maine residents and businesses cut their energy expenses. The now-63-page draft plan “structures how we move forward with program designs and our portfolio of services,” Elizabeth Crabtree, program director for Efficiency Maine, said during a presentation at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bangor. The plan, which covers fiscal years 2014-16, still needs some fine tuning and could be adjusted based on public input, according to Crabtree. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Wed, 05 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1927&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Associated Press Gov. Peter Shumlin says more money is going to help Vermont meet the goal of ensuring everyone in the state has access to high speed Internet service by the end of next year. Shumlin and Karen Marshall of the group "Connect Vermont" say $3.1 million in funding commitments by the Vermont Telecommunications Authority will help bring broadband to 2,850 hard-to-serve locations across the state. Burlington Free Press article link en-us Wed, 05 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1932&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: AMC Bowdoinham, Maine, native Clint Hensley was recently named by the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) as the organization’s new Piscataquis County Education Programs Coordinator. He works out of AMC’s Greenville office. As part of AMC’s Maine Woods Initiative, Hensley will spearhead expanded efforts by AMC to help young people in Piscataquis County learn about and connect with the outdoors. Hensley will work in the region to provide programs for schools, community organizations and families, building on AMC’s Moosehead Area Schools Project, which AMC developed to offer outdoor experiences for every student in the county at least three times during their school career. Appalachian Mountain Club article link en-us Wed, 05 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1917&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Jessica Hall As summer said its unofficial goodbye at the close of Labor Day, the fall leaves were gearing up for the biggest show of the year. The summer season remains crucial for the state's $7.7 billion annual tourism industry, but the leaf-peeping season has become the biggest money-maker for hotels and restaurants. "It's the biggest change we've seen in 20 years -- Columbus Day weekend is the biggest holiday of the year," said Dick Grotton, president and chief executive of the Maine Restaurant Association. "A lot of retirees wait for the summer crowds to leave and vacation in the fall. We'll have hundreds of bus tours bringing in business. It's really very, very huge for us." The Portland Press Herald article link en-us Tue, 04 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1918&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Alex Barber Gifford’s was awarded $33,821 by Efficiency Maine’s Business Program. The incentive was about 20 percent of a $172,875 project to upgrade Gifford’s production and cooling equipment...Efficiency Maine recommended installing a computerized control system, two new water-cooled freezer compressors to cool the ice cream faster and a variable frequency drive for the condenser fan in the plant’s engine room. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Tue, 04 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1922&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Nick Sambides Jr. State officials are reviewing the second of two permits for a proposed $48 million torrefied wood pellet facility at the Katahdin Avenue paper mill site and expect to issue that permit by Oct. 1. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection approved a land development permit for Thermogen Industries LLC’s proposed facility at the paper mill wood lot on Aug. 16, said Samantha Depoy-Warren, the department’s spokeswoman. Department officials are reviewing the air-quality permit and expect to OK it by the end of September, Depoy-Warren said. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Tue, 04 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1923&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Whit Richardson Maine’s manufacturers need access to a more skilled workforce and to reverse the perception that manufacturing is a dying industry, according to Jamie Arsenault, general manager of Howard Tool Co. in Bangor. That was the message Arsenault communicated to Rep. Mike Michaud, who toured the company’s facility on Odlin Road on Tuesday afternoon. It was an early stop for Michaud on what’s expected to be a weeklong tour of Maine manufacturers. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Tue, 04 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Pgm Rel Articles - Industry News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1931&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann This summer, the mood in Tupper Lake has turned tense and sometimes ugly as debate continues over the future of the Adirondack Club and Resort. Developers hope to build hundreds of mansions and townhouses just outside the village, along with a marina, a new ski center and other amenities. Many local residents and business owners see the project as a new economic engine for the village. But environmental groups and a small group of property owners in Tupper Lake sued last winter. They hope to overturn state permits for the resort, issued by the Adirondack Park Agency. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Tue, 04 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1919&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Dave Gram When cold weather sets in anew about a year from now, city leaders are hoping part of downtown will be served by a new heating system, with wood chips burned as fuel in two massive boilers near the Vermont Statehouse at the west end of downtown and hot water piped to the heart of the business section a few hundred yards east. “There’s been a very active, successful district heating system here since the 1940s” serving the Statehouse and surrounding government office buildings, City Manager William Fraser said in an interview. “It’s been wood-fired since the 1980s. All we’re really doing is connecting” that system to the municipal buildings and businesses that line the two main streets in this capital of about 8,000. Bangor Daily News article link Heating system to reduce capital's carbon footprint en-us Sun, 02 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1920&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By" Lynne Tuohy Ski resort operators in northern New England are looking past their zip lines and water parks to the winter ahead and they like what they see: The pent-up demand for skiing after last year’s snow drought producing brisk “early-bird” season’s pass sales. In Vermont, advance ski pass sales are matching or surpassing last year’s sales, said Sarah Neith, director of public affairs for Ski Vermont. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Sun, 02 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1914&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Kristi Garofalo The color orange was everywhere at Saturday's rally against the Northern Pass project in Colebrook. More than 200 demonstrators gathered in the park across from Colebrook Town Hall to sing protest songs, listen to political speakers and make their views known. The $1.1 billion project, being proposed by Northeast Utilities and Hydro-Quebec, would run a high-power transmission line across 180 miles of land from Pittsburg to Deerfield. It would use 140 miles of existing rights of way owned by Public Service of New Hampshire and 40 miles of new rights of way. Union Leader article link en-us Sat, 01 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1916&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire and Maine By: Andrea Bulfinch As summer winds down, the weather for this Labor Day weekend shows no signs of slow service at area businesses. New Hampshire is expecting to welcome 541,000 out-of state visitors for the Labor Day weekend who are anticipated to spend roughly $76.5 million over the course of their stay, according to the Institute for New Hampshire Studies. Those numbers are up about two percent from last year according to the same study and attributed to traditionally important markets in New England, New York State, and eastern Canada, the state Division of Travel and Tourism says. Foster's Daily Democrat article link en-us Fri, 31 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1900&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York and Vermont By: Editorial Staff The Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Management Cooperative (Cooperative) will be applying lampricides to kill lamprey in portions of five tributaries to Lake Champlain and two deltas during the months of September and October. Treatments are scheduled to begin with the Saranac River delta on September 10th, but weather conditions may affect planned treatment dates. “While trout and salmon populations of the lake are the primary beneficiaries of these efforts, lake sturgeon, walleye, and many other species also benefit from sea lamprey control,” according to a Cooperative statement to the press. “Sea lamprey control also generates economic activity by increasing angling opportunities and the time that boaters, anglers, and their families spend in the Lake Champlain area.” Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Thu, 30 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1901&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff The Adirondack Scenic Railroad will mark their 20th anniversary during this first weekend in September, 2012. In celebrating the occasion, Thendara Station will host a massive railfan event on Saturday, September 1st and Sunday, September 2nd starting at 11am daily. The two day, family friendly celebration will have over half a dozen locomotives from companies such as EMD and ALCO, private rail cars, snow plows, classic freight cars and other railroad maintenance equipment. Guests are welcome to tour the cars and locomotives, sit at the controls and even try their hand at operating the locomotive simulator. Caboose hops will be available throughout the day featuring New York Central’s 705 and a historic caboose from the Boston & Maine Railroad. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Thu, 30 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1902&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff On Sunday, September 2, the public is invited to the Fifth Annual Adirondack Habitat Awareness Day at the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge & Rehabilitation Center, in Wilmington. Visitors can meet timber wolves, coywolf, coyote, fox, and bobcat, up close, along with bald eagle, owls, hawks, osprey and falcons. Naturalists will show how wildlife interact with each other and with the natural environment. The event starts at 11 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. There is no admission charge, although donations are welcome. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Thu, 30 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1905&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Morris When it comes to the best use of the Adirondack railroad corridor that runs from Lake Placid to Old Forge, Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he'll defer to the new North Country Regional Economic Development Council. The Enterprise asked Cuomo about the corridor after a press conference on Wednesday, when he was in Keene to announce additional state funding for a new firehouse there. The rail corridor is currently used by the Adirondack Scenic Railroad for a tourist train that runs between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake and between Utica and Thendara, near Old Forge, during the summer and fall. The middle section of the railroad, between Saranac Lake and Old Forge, is used twice a year to bring the scenic train to and from storage in Utica. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Thu, 30 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1890&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Bangor Daily News Staff The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s state conservationist, Juan Hernandez, has announced that Maine Rural Partners, located in Orono, will receive $40,000 to carry out a heat pump demonstration project. The funds are being awarded through Conservation Innovation Grants, a component of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1895&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Neel Tandan The town of Barre is getting federal grant money to acquire forest land in Washington County. Barre will receive $400,000 in grants to help conserve its community forest. The money is a part of a $3.5 million grant secured by Sen. Patrick Leahy and the U.S. Forest Service. Barre is expected to use the funds to acquire some 380 acres of land once used as a quarry. That tract will be added to the 26 acres currently owned by the town. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1896&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Kirk Carapezza When Liz Edsell and her husband were deciding where to buy a home last year, they found that nearly every central Vermont town was trying to address its energy future. "It's something that Vermonters want to see local action on - not just leave it to the state, or not just leave it in the hands of the energy companies," Edsell says. Montpelier has a plan. It wants to help expand a state heating plant and then pipe excess heat to public and private buildings around the downtown and sell it. Proponents say it's a good environmental investment. But there's been plenty of debate about the idea. Now, Montpelier's City Council has approved a plan to upgrade and expand the state's wood-fired heating system for downtown buildings. The Council passed the plan during a special meeting Wednesday night, reversing its decision to kill the project. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1897&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: The Associated Press New Hampshire travel and tourism officials estimate 540,000 visitors will come from out of state this Labor Day weekend and spend about $76.5 million. That's a 1.5 percent increase in visitors and a 2 percent increase in spending over the holiday weekend last year, according to the report by the Institute for New Hampshire Studies. Lori Harnois, director of the New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism, said Labor Day weekend is the state's second-busiest holiday weekend, after the Fourth of July. Concord Monitor article link en-us Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1898&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Joanna Richards In the last couple weeks, NCPR has been looking at the local foods that have been turning up on more grocery store shelves and in restaurants in Northern New York. In the third piece in our local food series we look at some of the challenges and obstacles to the local food economy and how farmers, retailers, restaurateurs and others are working to overcome them. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1899&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Capitol Pressroom Opposition appears to be growing to a big new power line that would funnel electricity from hydro dams in Quebec to consumers in New York City. The $2 billion Champlain-Hudson Power Express would bury the cable under Lake Champlain and Hudson River. The Toronto-based company developing the project hopes to have it online by 2016. But a growing number of critics say Canadian power would edge out producers in upstate New York and cost jobs on this side of the border. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1915&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Gillian Burdett Many of those rusting, side-of-the-road, historical markers scattered throughout New York State will be replaced with new signs, sporting a new logo, as part of the “Path through History” program announced by Governor Andrew Cuomo yesterday, August 28. Speaking at the Path Through History conference in Albany, Cuomo unveiled state plans to grant $1 million dollars, $100,000 to each of the 10 Regional Economic Development Councils in New York, to implement heritage tourism plans. Examiner article link en-us Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1903&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Kimberly Rielly The state acquisition of 69,000 acres of the former Finch Pruyn lands in the Adirondack Park has spurred much discussion. I thought I’d chime in from a tourism perspective. In general, the purchase will ultimately mean public access to incredible natural resources for recreational activity. Or, according to a press release from Governor Cuomo’s office on August 5th, “Opening these lands to public use and enjoyment for the first time in 150 years will provide extraordinary new outdoor recreational opportunities, increase the number of visitors to the North Country and generate additional tourism revenue.” Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Tue, 28 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1904&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Guest Contributor The ADK Futures Project was kicked off at the July 2011, Common Ground Alliance (CGA) annual event in Long Lake. A year later, after 120 interviews and 14 workshops involving 500+ people all over the Park and in NY City, the results were presented at the 2012 CGA event. It is a pro bono project, using scenario planning, a methodology from our consulting careers. We are not members of any of the usual ADK organizations but Keene, NY is our home. The initial goal of the effort was to broaden the conversation about the Park, involving more people and weaving together the full breath of issues facing the Park. But along the way surprising alignment emerged around a particular future vision for the area. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Tue, 28 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1906&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jessica Collier It's Wednesday night in the Lake Clear Lodge's Retreat Center, a large room with knotted wood walls and a scenic view of a colorful sunset over the lake. About 35 people sit with their eyes shut, picturing a world several decades in the future with a society that is environmentally and spiritually sustainable and socially just. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Tue, 28 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1893&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Tux Turkel Plans by the government of Nova Scotia to spend $125 million to help reopen a failed paper mill in Cape Breton could threaten production and jobs in Maine's struggling paper industry, officials say. The Canadian mill is a former NewPage Corp. facility in Port Hawkesbury. It makes grades of magazine and catalog paper similar to those of some of Maine's largest paper makers, including the Verso Paper Corp. facilities in Bucksport and Jay, the Sappi Fine Paper mill in Skowhegan, the UPM-Biofore Company mill in Madison and the NewPage mill in Rumford, which currently is operating under bankruptcy reorganization. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Mon, 27 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1894&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Stephen Betts Mass customization is considered the path to success for Maine’s wood products industry and representatives from around northern New England toured one of those success stories. Representatives from companies that craft products out of wood met Friday, Aug. 17 at CedarWorks at both its company offices in Rockport and its manufacturing plant in Rockland’s Industrial Park. CedarWorks President Barrett Brown led the other wood products owners and operators through the process that has made his company a success in a globally competitive market. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Sun, 26 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Pgm Rel Articles - Industry News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1891&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: The Associated Press Forty-two companies have made the cut for an annual list of the best places to work in Maine. The Maine State Council of the Society for Human Resources Management says the annual Best Places to Work program recognizes businesses that have outstanding workplace environments. This is the seventh year the organization has put out the list. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Sat, 25 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1892&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: The Associated Press The 21st North Country Moose Festival is drawing moose fans from all over to New Hampshire and Vermont this weekend. There are moose-calling contests, a moose stew cook-off and activities such as helicopter rides, an auto show and a craft fair. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Sat, 25 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1907&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Morris U.S. Rep. Bill Owens says the North Country could benefit from an expansion of Canadian businesses into New York state, but his Republican challenger in this fall's election calls the proposal an "attempt to distract from his lousy jobs record." Owens, a Democrat from Plattsburgh, traveled to Cornwall, Ontario, this week and met with the city's Chamber of Commerce as well as business owners. According to a press release he issued, the goal was to "promote Northern New York as a region ready to take on new economic development." Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Sat, 25 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1878&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: John Holyoke Many people escape to the Maine woods to recreate, unwind and enjoy the pristine nature that awaits. That’s the theory, anyway. Actually, the state’s woods are not all that pristine. In fact, in many areas, locals and visitors have taken to using those woods as their own personal landfills, dumping trash and household appliances on land they don’t own. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1883&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Candace Page A proposed state rule would allow the Fish and Wildlife commissioner to permit all-terrain vehicle trails in wildlife management areas if he finds they will have no adverse impact on other purposes or uses of the land. As drafted, the rule does not require any public notice or comment before such a decision is made. When asked about the proposal Friday, administration officials were quick to say the rule was not intended to ease the way for ATVs on state land, and that it is likely to be revised before it is adopted. Burlington Free Press article link en-us Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1887&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jessica Collier Syracuse University will hold a contest for its industrial design students this fall to explore ideas for the creative reuse of the former Oval Wood Dish factory. Don Carr, a professor at the university, has a camp he spends the summer at in Long Lake. He explained in a phone call Thursday that he often drives through Tupper Lake. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1888&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Mike Lynch New invasive species entering the Adirondacks continues to be a regular storyline. In recent years, the threats posed by the emerald ash borer, Asian clam and spiny water flea have been well documented. But leaders in the battle against invasives haven't forgotten about one that already has deep roots in some water bodies of the Adirondacks - Eurasian watermilfoil. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1880&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jessica Hall Pineland Farms Creamery won a contract to sell its natural cheese in about 500 stores of grocery chain Kroger Co. Kroger, based in Cincinnati, added Pineland Farms Cheddar to its stores. The cheddar, which began selling at Kroger on July 30, is featured at both Kroger Specialty Cheese shops and the Murray's Cheese counters, Pineland said. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Thu, 23 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1882&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Kirk Carapezza Montpelier's City Council has voted not to proceed with a district energy project that voters overwhelmingly approved. The project called for the city to enter a contract with the state to purchase thermal energy that would heat municipal and private buildings. Under the deal, Montpelier would contribute nearly $3 million to the $20 million project, and for months the city has been discussing contract negotiations relating to the district heat project. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 23 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1886&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Press-Republican Staff New York state has launched a program to fund development of broadband access. Applications for Connect NY Broadband grants can be submitted for part of $25 million in funding available through the Regional Economic Development Councils and Empire State Development. The councils identified expansion of high-speed Internet as a priority to help local businesses increase their ability to reach customers and encourage providers to improve Internet access for local communities. Press-Republican article link en-us Thu, 23 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1908&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Paula Tracy The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests raised almost $53,000 in the first 24 hours of announcing its campaign to protect five parcels from the proposed Northern Pass power transmission line route. Will Abbott, vice president for policy at the state’s largest conservation organization, said one of the first gifts came from a snowmobiler who noted that if everyone with a registered sled sent $50, the goal would be met. Union Leader article link Opinion: Blocking the Pass: Forest society's buyout plan en-us Thu, 23 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1909&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Gund Institute Gund’s Eric Zencey spoke to the Lake Champlain Lakekeeper, Louis Porter, about flaws in the current economic accounting system. With this system, Irene’s destruction counts as positive economic growth in Vermont, while the economic benefits provided by intact floodplains aren’t quantified and therefore not counted. Porter concludes his commentary by emphasizing the how the Gund Institute’s work on Vermont’s Genuine Progress Indicator provides alternative measures that address these issues and gives the general public and policy makers a more accurate accounting of Vermont’s economy. University of Vermont article link en-us Thu, 23 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1879&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Aislinn Sarnacki Forty hikers gathered at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain early Saturday morning to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Appalachian Trail by trekking eight miles along the famous trail to visit a special spot — the place where the 2,181-mile route was completed. On the ridge between Sugarloaf and Spaulding Mountain is where the final section of the AT was blazed — the last piece of a very long puzzle, the longest hiking-only footpath in the world. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Wed, 22 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1881&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Frederic J. Frommer A divided federal appeals court Tuesday overturned a regulation clamping down on power plant pollution that contributes to unhealthy air in neighboring states. In a 2-1 decision, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said the Environmental Protection Agency's cross-state air pollution rule exceeded the agency's statutory authority. The court faulted the EPA for imposing "massive emissions reduction requirements" on upwind states without regard to limits imposed by law. In adopting the regulation a year ago, the EPA sought to reduce downwind pollution from power plants in more than two-dozen states. The rule was scheduled to go into effect in January, but several large power companies and some states sued to stop it. The appeals court agreed last December to suspend the rule pending its review. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Wed, 22 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1889&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jessica Collier The village is looking to switch the Sunmount Developmental Disabilities Service Offices to a more environmentally friendly heating and hot water system. The 60 buildings at Sunmount's campus currently run on oil, with propane fuel as a backup. The proposal would switch the entire campus over to a biomass-fired energy system and create a district beyond Sunmount where the energy would be distributed as well. The nearby L.P. Quinn Elementary School and The Wild Center natural history museum, as well as residents in the area, are listed as those who could potentially be hooked up to the district. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Wed, 22 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1876&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Richard Davis Tough new Massachusetts regulations issued last week for wood-burning generating plants set a high bar for developers who need renewable energy credits to build plants. The new regulation, issued in draft form in April, requires that biomass plants have efficiency rates of at least 50 percent to receive one-half renewable energy credit from the state per megawatt hour or 60 percent to receive a full credit under the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard program. The new regulations also require all woody biomass plants to achieve a 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over 20 years compared to a combined-cycle natural gas plant. Gazette article link en-us Tue, 21 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1877&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests says it has reached deals with several land owners in Coos it believes will block the Northern Pass hydro-electric project. But Northern Pass says it plans to keep working on the $1.1 billion dollar project. New Hampshire Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 20 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1884&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Associated Press U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders says smart-grid electrical technology offers real benefits for Vermont consumers and the environment. Sanders, I-Vt., and some Vermont environmental leaders said at a news conference Monday in Burlington that Vermont is a national leader in developing a smarter, stronger, more efficient and reliable electrical system. Sanders says Vermont received $69 million in federal stimulus funds to modernize its electric transmission system. As an example of the technology’s benefits, a representative of the Vermont Electric Cooperative said its near-universal smart meter coverage cut the outage response time in half after Tropical Storm Irene hit the state last year. Burlington Free Press article link en-us Mon, 20 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1885&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: John Warren Finch Paper’s future is secure, officials said last week during an interview session with the Adirondack Almanack. In a wide-ranging conversation that touched on Finch’s forestry programs, the market for paper, and the recent State Land purchase, company spokespeople stressed the need to protect forest lands, and the company’s commitment to playing a role in sustainably managing supplies of wood fiber for their plant in Glens Falls. “I always stress keeping forest land forest land,” Finch Forest Management Manager Leonard Cronin said, adding that development is the biggest threat to forest lands. “Most paper mills have sold their lands and given up managing their forests,” he explained, saying that Finch chose a different approach. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Mon, 20 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1870&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: The Associated Press A new report finds upstate New York is growing old faster than the rest of the nation, but is becoming a bit better educated. Meanwhile, the young continued to flock to New York City - for a while. The Empire Center for Public Policy of the Manhattan Institute think tank is releasing the report today. It analyzes Census data from 1990 to 2010. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Thu, 16 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1856&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Nick McCrea Area residents said Tuesday night that they are worried about how plans to increase air pollutant emission limits at Old Town Fuel and Fiber will affect their health, quality of life and home values. About 20 locals attended Tuesday night’s meeting at the Black Bear Inn in Orono, which was scheduled by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to allow residents to voice their concerns about the hike in the levels of carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide emissions. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Wed, 15 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1866&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Amy Noyes High-speed Internet is coming to a group of rural Vermont communities, thanks to investments made by a community-owned service provider. The East Central Vermont Community Fiber Network - known as ECFiber - is extending service to areas of Chelsea, Vershire, Thetford, Norwich, Tunbridge and Strafford. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 15 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1861&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: The Associated Press The parent company of the paper mill in Rumford, Maine, has filed its reorganization plan 11 months after seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Ohio-based NewPage Corp. said Tuesday that the plan was filed in federal bankruptcy court in Delaware. George Martin, president and CEO, described the filing as "an important and positive step forward to a successful completion of our financial reorganization." He said he hopes ongoing negotiations with major creditors will lead to broad support for the plan. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Tue, 14 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1862&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Tom Porter A report released today by the advocacy group Environment Maine concludes that it is possible to tackle global warming and at the same time achieve robust economic growth. The study finds that the Northeast region as a whole cut emissions 20 percent faster than the rest of the nation between 2000 and 2009. At the same time the region's GDP per capita grew 87 percent faster. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article link en-us Tue, 14 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1859&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Morgan Simmons After two weeks of trail work, the members of Civilian Conservation Corps Camp P-66 needed a break. The year was 1937, and all that remained to complete the Appalachian Trail was a two-mile stretch on Sugarloaf Mountain in central Maine. On Aug. 16, two days after the CCC crew finished this final segment, the crew’s principal foreman sent a letter to Myron Avery, chairman of the Appalachian Trail Conference, saying the project had been completed, and that after resting for a few days, the CCC team would return to the trail to build shelters. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Mon, 13 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1860&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Jackie Farwell During Maine’s popular Beach to Beacon 10K road race on Aug. 4, dozens of athletes streamed into the medical tent, weakened by the day’s scorching heat. Some runners’ body temperatures spiked as high as 108 degrees, causing confusion and agitation as medical staff plunged the athletes into ice baths to cool them down, according to Dr. Michael Baumann, medical director for the race and chief of emergency medicine at Maine Medical Center in Portland...But you don’t have to be exercising in extreme heat to succumb to it. This summer, heat waves have been blamed for deaths in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Chicago and Kansas City. July was the hottest month ever recorded in the lower 48 states, eclipsing the previous record set in the Dust Bowl years of the 1930s. National Weather Service data show that heat was second only to tornadoes for weather-related deaths in 2011. Bnagor Daily News article link en-us Mon, 13 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1864&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Lynne Tuohy / The Associated Press ...This once-thriving mill city appears on the cusp of crawling out of its steep economic woes, with residents and officials pinning hope on the federal prison's annual $20 million payroll and a biomass plant that promises to resuscitate the logging industry when it opens late next year. But lifelong residents of this once-thriving mill city temper hope with caution and the manager of the local employment security office is bracing for one of the toughest winters yet. Concord Monitor article link en-us Mon, 13 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1869&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Brian Mann About a third of all the counties in the country are suffering through a drought this summer. NPR reported Friday that drought conditions were listed as severe, extreme, or exceptional in just over 46 percent of the lower 48 states. The USDA has cut its estimate of the fall corn harvest. And also last week, the Associated Press reported: "The Plains states where the production of corn and soybeans is key are being hit harder by excessive drought conditions in the wake of the hottest month on record in the continental U.S., contributing to a surge in global food prices." North Country Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 13 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1857&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Lindsay Tice A year after it began offering lower-than-average electricity rates to residents and small businesses, Auburn-based Electricity Maine‘s customer base has swelled from several hundred people to 150,000, and the company is credited with telling Mainers about their electricity rights when few others have bothered. “It’s just huge — hugely successful,” said Electricity Maine co-owner Kevin Dean. “We had planned on, in a couple of years, thinking we’d reach 50,000 people.” Bangor Daily News article link en-us Sun, 12 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1858&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Lindsay Tice A year after it began offering lower-than-average electricity rates to residents and small businesses, Auburn-based Electricity Maine‘s customer base has swelled from several hundred people to 150,000, and the company is credited with telling Mainers about their electricity rights when few others have bothered. “It’s just huge — hugely successful,” said Electricity Maine co-owner Kevin Dean. “We had planned on, in a couple of years, thinking we’d reach 50,000 people.” Bangor Daily News article link en-us Sun, 12 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1863&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: A.J. Higgins Although repairs are not yet complete, upgrades to the Maine Northern Railway are already resulting in a dramatic increase in rail traffic along the 233-mile-long line that stretches from just outside Millinocket to Madawaska. Branch lines can also direct trains to several other Aroostook County communities, and legislators from those districts say the economic benefits are already being realized. Several new railroad jobs have been added, and plans for increasing production at Great Northern Paper Company in Millinocket could boost the rail line's traffic even more. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article link en-us Fri, 10 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1865&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: VPR Staff Cities and towns in Vermont continue to develop plans to reduce their energy costs. In Montpelier, the city's energy committee next Tuesday will host its first so-called "Energy Challenge Town Meeting." The city says the goal is to help residents get ready for winter by giving them information about home energy audits and weatherization measures that can save them energy and money. In its master plan, Montpelier set a series of sustainability goals. It wants to weatherize at least 1,000 homes and get at least 1,000 homes to switch to renewable energy by 2015. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Fri, 10 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1868&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Andy Flynn For the first time in nearly a quarter century, a freight train made the trip this week from North Creek to the Barton garnet mine six miles outside the village A new company hopes to eventually reopen tracks all the way to the old Tahawus mine on the southern edge of the High Peaks. It was a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony in the hot sun. VIPs stood in front of the train at the North Creek station. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Fri, 10 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1845&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Mary Esch With their normal summer diet of greens and berries shriveled by summer heat or drought in many spots nationwide, hungry bears are rummaging through garbage, ripping through screens and crawling into cars in search of sustenance. In the Adirondack Mountain village of Old Forge in northern New York state, a black bear clawed through the wall of a candy store on Main Street last week; another one locked itself in a minivan and shredded the interior in a frantic struggle to escape, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Burlington Free Press article link en-us Thu, 09 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1846&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Catherine Boudreau It’s national Farmers Market Week, and you could say we’re leading the party. Vermont is home to more than 70 farmers markets, and we rank No. 1 in the country for the number of farmers markets and community-supported agriculture enterprises per capita, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. Burlington Free Press article link en-us Thu, 09 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1851&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: John Warren It’s been said by photographer Gary Randorf, Clarence Petty, and others, that ninety-five percent of the entire Adirondack Forest Preserve, Wilderness included, is within about five miles of one of the more than 5,000 miles of roads in the Adirondack Park. That statistic has been newly confirmed by two wildlife ecologists who say they have identified the most remote spot in New York State, located in the High Peaks Wilderness – just 5.3 miles from the nearest road, and a less than a half-mile from the popular Northville-Placid Trail. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Thu, 09 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1853&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York and Vermont By: Sarah Harris Every few years the Lake Champlain Basin Program publishes a "state of the lake" report, detailing environmental quality in Lake Champlain. This year's report came out last week. It says that while the overall health of the main lake is good, certain areas, like the Northeast arm and Missisquoi Bay, have higher levels of phosphorus pollution and algae blooms. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 09 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1843&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Bill Pearson It has been seven years since Plum Creek’s senior land asset manager, Luke Muzzy, approached the Greenville Board of Selectmen about the firm’s plan for developing the Moosehead Lake Region. Over the years, Plum Creek’s original concept plan has gone through three major revisions and been delayed by challenges from environmental groups. Plum Creek Timber Co. is the largest and most geographically diverse private landowner in the nation, with approximately 6.6 million acres in major timber-producing regions of the United States. Plum Creek has been given a 30-year window to develop its land holdings in the Moosehead Lake Region following an April ruling by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. The ruling allows the firm to rezone 16,900 of its 1 million acres in northern Maine. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Wed, 08 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1847&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Seth Borenstein This probably comes as no surprise: Federal scientists say July was the hottest month ever recorded in the Lower 48 states, breaking a record set during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. And even less a surprise: The U.S. this year keeps setting records for weather extremes, based on the precise calculations that include drought, heavy rainfall, unusual temperatures, and storms. The average temperature last month was 77.6 degrees. That breaks the old record from July 1936 by 0.2 degree, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Records go back to 1895. Burlington Free Press article link en-us Wed, 08 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1850&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jessica Collier A Seattle-based company is interested in opening a biofuel facility in the Tupper Lake area. John Tubbs, head of the Franklin County Industrial Development Agency, said he's been in regular contact with the company. He would not name it, but he said it's one that operates globally...The company is not looking at the Tupper Lake Business Park or the former Oval Wood Dish plant, Tubbs said. He said the company doesn't need a large site for the work it plans to do. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Wed, 08 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1867&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Terry Karkos A new three-year project to grow jobs and rural economies in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont through investment and knowledge sharing, got a $708,750 boost last week. The Northern Tier Farm and Forest Jobs Accelerator project is a collaborative effort by the Northern Forest Center, Northern Community Investment Corp., White Mountains Community College, Sustainable Forest Futures and the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund. The nonprofits will match the $708,750 grant from the USDA Rural Development and U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration with at least that much in private funding, Kelly Short, Northern Forest Center spokeswoman, said Friday in a news report. River Valley Sun Journal article link en-us Wed, 08 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1875&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Rebecca Blank and Tom Vilsack A key reason that America’s economy is so resilient is that we have pockets of unique industrial strengths in specific regions across our country. These strengths are built over time as local businesses, farms, nonprofits, colleges and other institutions work together and learn from each other. When a network of these groups starts to drive the region’s economy, it’s often called a “cluster.” Clusters are important because they help foster new ideas and best practices in business, they strengthen U.S. competitiveness, and they create more good-paying local jobs. In several counties across New Hampshire’s North Country, and connecting into Vermont and Maine, clusters have taken root in two industries: local foods and wood products. That’s why we were pleased to announce a few days ago that our two departments awarded more than $700,000 to support the Northern Tier Farm and Forest Jobs Accelerator. Union Leader article link Related articles: 3-state grant to help spur job creation, economic growth in Western Maine North Country to benefit from government's rural investment aid   en-us Wed, 08 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1855&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Joanna Richards Governor Andrew Cuomo was at Fort Drum yesterday, where he toured an idled coal plant that is being converted to produce power using wood biomass. He met with the press afterward. As Joanna Richards reports, the governor announced he would send a letter to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta urging the Defense Department to draw up a contract with the plant to provide energy to Fort Drum. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Tue, 07 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1871&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Jenna Jadin Most of us accept that some services—such as waste water treatment and emergency response, for example—have an economic value. As citizens, we decide to support these services for our safety, security and comfort. And yet there are many other functions going on every day, all around the world, that are not directly supported but still enable our planet to maintain favorable living conditions for all living creatures—functions like bees pollinating our crops, forests absorbing excess carbon dioxide, or dung beetles breaking down animal wastes. These functions, known as ecosystem services, include all the jobs performed by the components of an ecosystem, coming from biotic components like plants and insects, to abiotic components, such as the soil and wind. Ecosystem services include things like pollination (approximately one third of the human diet comes from insect pollinated plants), water filtration (wetlands protect water quality by trapping sediments and retaining pollutants such as heavy metals), energy (7 percent of US power comes from hydroelectric plants), and tourism (nature-based tourism or ecotourism is predicted to grow to 25 percent of the world travel market by 2012). And these services, without most of us even knowing it, add substantially to our economy. For example, the value of insect pollination has been estimated at up to $15 billion in the United States annually, and ecotourism has a worldwide value of approximately $473 billion per year. USDA Blog article link en-us Tue, 07 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Ecosystem Services http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1872&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Candace Page Federal and private partners have conserved a tract of nearly 1,000 acres on the Vermont-Quebec border, protecting an important wildlife link between the Green Mountains and the Sutton range in Canada. The Trust for Public Land, which negotiated purchase of the conservation easement, described the Jackson Valley as an “ecological keystone” connecting more than 22,000 acres of forest in the United States and Canada. Groups on both sides of the border have been working on wildlife connectivity in the mountain corridor. Burlington Free Press article link en-us Tue, 07 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1852&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Phil Brown The state’s newly signed contract to buy sixty-nine thousand acres of former Finch Paper lands won’t end the controversy over the future of these forests, lakes, and rivers. The next battle will be over their classification: Wilderness or Wild Forest? Governor Andrew Cuomo revealed Sunday that the state will acquire the land over the next five years, adding it to the Forest Preserve and paying the Adirondack Nature Conservancy a total of $49.8 million. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Mon, 06 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1854&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: NCPR Staff This summer, NCPR is taking a second look at the realities of alternative and renewable energy in our region. Some advocates think locally-generated energy, from hydro to solar to wind and biomass, could be the next big thing for the region's economy. Biologists at SUNY Potsdam plan to harvest their first crop of shrub willows from a field near campus this fall. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has earmarked $4.3 million to encourage North Country farmers to grow willows as a renewable energy source. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 06 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1874&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: KWQC News Several Berlin homeowners will not be signing heating fuel contracts this month. Instead they will be burning locally produced wood pellets this winter in their Maine Energy System (MESys) AutoPellet boiler system thanks to the Model Neighborhood Project launched by the Northern Forest Center last November. The Model Neighborhood Project’s mission is to assist the region through the transition away from dependence on imported oil toward a local energy source that will create jobs and strengthen the forest economy. Switching to the locally produced renewable fuel cuts heating costs for homeowners by 40-50% while reducing carbon output by 86%. The program’s popularity grew rapidly in its first eight months with 16 completed installations to date. The Northern Forest Center anticipates completing 30 out of the 40 planned installations over the next three months just in time for heating season. KWQC News article link en-us Mon, 06 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1844&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: The Associated Press The relentless, weather-gone-crazy type of heat that has blistered the United States and other parts of the world in recent years is so rare that it can’t be anything but man-made global warming, says a new statistical analysis from a top government scientist. The research by a man often called the “godfather of global warming” says that the likelihood of such temperatures occurring from the 1950s through the 1980s was rarer than 1 in 300. Now, the odds are closer to 1 in 10, according to the study by NASA scientist James Hansen. He says that statistically what’s happening is not random or normal, but pure and simple climate change. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Sun, 05 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1873&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Elizabeth Lee Last week, after some very hot days on trail, I took advantage of an evening indoors at the Reel Paddling Film Festival. The Film Festival was hosted by The Wild Center in collaboration with the Northern Forest Canoe Trail and Raquette River Outfitters in Tupper Lake. The festival screens paddling films, several of which are this year’s award winners in their respective categories. Press-Republican article link en-us Sun, 05 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1841&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Society of American Foresters University of Florida (August 1) - As forests grow, they filter water, store carbon, and perform other helpful functions that are known collectively as ecosystem services. These services are often overlooked by the public, but University of Florida researchers found a way to estimate their dollar value, which can exceed $5,000 per acre over 20 years. Researchers hope the report increases awareness of the benefits of forestland and the opportunities that exist for Florida landowners. Stewardship Ecosystem Services Survey Project link en-us Sat, 04 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Ecosystem Services http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1842&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Christina Scanlon ReEnergy Holdings recruited more than a dozen suppliers for its biomass facility here as more than 100 people attended Demo Day on Wednesday to watch wood chippers and learn about a new program offered to those in the logging industry. By midday, 13 loggers had signed up for the program, which allows ReEnergy to purchase state-of-the-art wood chippers and enter a five-year contract with participating loggers. The loggers will make long-term commitments to sell their biomass fuel to ReEnergy, paying for the chippers over the course of their contract via the biomass material they bring to ReEnergy. That fuel, converted into steam, runs turbines to create electricity or heat. ReEnergy expected the number of participants to double by day’s end. Watertown Daily Times article link en-us Sat, 04 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1848&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Candace Page Cyclist Laird MacDowell looked at the weedy surface of the former St. Johnsbury and Lake Champlain railroad, silent and abandoned in the hot July sun, and saw a future recreational nirvana. He saw a 93-mile, border-to-border trail to carry explorers of all kinds bicyclists, horseback riders, walkers and more through some of Vermont’s most beautiful countryside. “There’s gorgeous scenery in the Lamoille Valley that no one has seen since the railroad stopped,” MacDowell said. “I love the idea of being able to get on my bike and ride to Johnson, but this trail is also about tourism, about jobs, about helping small businesses in all these towns.” Burlington Free Press article link en-us Sat, 04 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1849&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: VCF The J. Warren & Lois McClure Foundation announce over $450,000 in support of programs to further the Foundation’s mission of improving access to college and career education for all Vermonters. The bulk of the grants will serve ongoing programs and new initiatives at the Community College of Vermont (CCV), which enrolled over 6,100 Vermonters last fall. The McClure Foundation, a supporting organization of the Vermont Community Foundation, is one of several philanthropic entities offering continuing support for the Introduction to College Studies program offered at CCV’s twelve Vermont locations. The course assists high school juniors and seniors in developing their study skills and exposing them to college expectations. Upon successfully completing the course, high school students receive a voucher for one free college course at CCV; the University of Vermont; Vermont Tech; or at Castleton, Lyndon, or Johnson State College. Vermont Community Foundation article link en-us Sat, 04 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1818&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: NHBR Staff A $708,750 federal grant designed to help spur the creation of jobs has been awarded to a consortium of North Country organizations. The grant, which was announced by U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., has been awarded to the Northern Community Investment Corp., the Northern Forest Center, White Mountains Community College, Sustainable Forest Futures and the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund. The funding, which requires a local match, will be used to support the Northern Tier Farm and Forest Jobs Accelerator program, which encourages economic growth by assisting communities in rural New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont to improve energy efficiency, develop new fuel sources, enhance the entrepreneurial environment, increase telecommunication capability, strengthen transportation infrastructure and improve regional marketing of specialized wood products, such as wood pellet fuel. New Hampshire Business Review article link en-us Fri, 03 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1838&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Adirondack Daily Enterprise Staff Citing the recent discovery of the invasive spiny water flea in Lake George and the Champlain Canal, the Adirondack Council is calling on Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Legislature to establish boat-washing and inspection stations at all state boat launches in the Adirondack Park. "It is only a matter of time before it is discovered in other waters," council Executive Director Brian Houseal said in a press release Thursday. "Because most of our state boat launches are wide open, with no one present to warn recreational boaters about the dangers of transporting invasive plants and animals from one lake to another, every lake and river in the Adirondack Park is vulnerable to invasion. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Fri, 03 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1819&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Tux Turkel Nearly all of Central Maine Power Co.'s smart meters are up, 615,000 of them. Now, state regulators must decide whether they pose health and safety risks to customers. Tulips will be blooming again, at least, before that determination is made. The Maine Public Utilities Commission, which met Thursday, is now gearing up for several months of complicated testimony regarding smart meters. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Thu, 02 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1823&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Bill Trotter Members of Maine’s congressional delegation announced Thursday that several planned transportation projects in Maine will receive federal funding, including the Acadia Gateway Center on Route 3. The center already has a completed maintenance and transportation facility for the seasonal Island Explorer bus system, which provides fare-free transportation during the summer and fall on and around Mount Desert Island. Among the $2 million in federal transportation funding coming to Maine is $700,000 that will go toward final design and construction documents for additional phases of the Acadia Gateway Center. U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud and Sen. Susan Collins each issued statements Thursday on the project funding. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Thu, 02 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1824&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Nick McCrea Less than a year after its revival, the Great Northern Paper Co. plans to get a second paper machine up and running in East Millinocket, creating an additional 37 jobs, according to the company’s president and CEO. When the mill reopened its doors in October 2011, 215 employees were put back to work. Since then, GNP has hired an additional 20 workers, and will nearly match that increase in coming weeks. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Thu, 02 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1825&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Nick McCrea Three Maine wood pellet manufacturing companies have received funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to encourage the production of advanced biofuels from waste products. Geneva Wood Fuels of Strong received $2,236, Maine Woods Pellets Co. of Athens was awarded $6,277 and Northeast Pellets of Ashland received $624, the USDA announced Monday. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Thu, 02 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1826&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Ashley Halsey III They began to bend in the roaring wind, then their steel girders snapped like twigs, the towers toppled and the lights went out. Minutes before the windstorm arrived to pummel the Washington area on June 29, it swept east through West Virginia, crushing three electrical transmission towers that are a tiny part of an intricate power grid that’s supposed to keep the lights on in America. The term “grid” suggests a certain uniformity to the power system’s structure, but the network more closely resembles a patchwork quilt stitched together to cover a rapidly expanding nation. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Thu, 02 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1830&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Emily Corwin Eighty-one percent of Coos County’s 2009 high school graduates say they don’t see job opportunities for themselves at home. And, more than 60 percent say they see those opportunities getting scarcer. That's according to the most recent survey results from the Carsey Institute's 10-year Coos Youth Study, published this week. Yet, the project’s manager Eleanor Jaffee says, Coos has seen some economic growth over the last two years. There’s been a slight decrease in the unemployment rate, and an increase in money spent on meals and rooms. Because of that small amount of growth, Jaffee says, she’s excited to see how the students respond in next year’s survey. New Hampshire Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 02 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1832&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: VPR Staff Town officials in Fair Haven are trying to ensure a proposed biomass facility and wood pellet manufacturing plant is built, even though they acknowledge the state's largest utility won't likely buy power from it. Fair Haven's select board is continuing to push a plan for Massachusetts-based Beaver Wood Energy to build a 34-megawatt generator along Route 4 near the New York border. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 02 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1835&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Free Press Staff The invasive spiny water flea, a growing threat to Lake Champlain, has been found in Lake George, N.Y., that state’s Department of Environmental Conservation has confirmed. The announcement Wednesday followed news that the aquatic invasive species has been found in the Champlain Canal, raising concerns from lake stewards and environmentalists that the creature is on its way into Lake Champlain. Burlington Free Press article link en-us Wed, 01 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1831&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Ryan Lessard Earlier this week, at the London Olympics, the American team competed in the double canoe slalom. That’s when two men kneel inside a kayak and work together to navigate an obstacle course on whitewater rapids. If you watched this on NBC, you might have caught a glimpse of a pair of paddles made in New Hampshire. In rustic Canaan, New Hampshire, Peter Mitchell is hard at work sanding a freshly carved double-bladed kayak paddle. New Hampshire Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 01 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1829&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Nearing The state's forever-wild state Forest Preserve in the Adirondack Park is growing by more than 400 acres of forests and wetlands along the western shore of Lake Champlain. The state is adding more than 2 miles of protected shoreline to the preserve near the Washington County hamlet of Clemons off Route 22, the Department of Environmental Conservation announced Tuesday. Times Union article link en-us Tue, 31 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1833&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Mitch Wertlieb Vermont is facing threats from invasive species in water and on land. We've been hearing this week about threats to the Lake Champlain food chain from the spiny water flea. Sen. Patrick Leahy is even calling for a closure of the canal linking the Hudson River and the Big Lake to prevent the species from entering Vermont. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is issuing a warning about the Asian Longhorned Beetle, an invasive insect that poses a serious danger to Vermont's maple trees, among others. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Tue, 31 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1820&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: The Associated Press Student crews have been busy repairing hiking trails and building new ones in New England's mountains. Seventy workers ages 14 to 20 have taken to the trails this summer in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts and Connecticut. They're part of a nonprofit conservation group called the NorthWoods Conservation Corps, which works in partnership with other organizations, such as the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Mon, 30 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1821&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: The Associated Press New England governors and their eastern Canadian counterparts, who are eager to export a growing overabundance of hydroelectric and wind power, promised Monday to work together to increase the use of clean energy throughout the region. During their 36th-annual meeting, governors, eastern Canadian provincial leaders and their representatives talked about the need to share energy resources across state, provincial and international boundaries. They also talked about transportation and alternative transportation issues, such as electric vehicles. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Mon, 30 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1837&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Knight A biotech company that's moving to Saranac Lake has announced a new partnership with a California-based manufacturer and distributor of life science research and clinical diagnostic products. Myriad RBM, which is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and is in the process of moving its Lake Placid offices to Saranac Lake, has granted Bio-Rad Laboratories exclusive distribution rights to its immunoassay kits, which are used by medical researchers. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Mon, 30 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1836&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Knight and Chris Morris With three local school districts needing new superintendents in a year, some school board members think now is the time to seriously explore sharing the position between districts. The discussion may not end there, as school boards are also talking about sharing other positions and services, from the business office to the bus garage. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Sat, 28 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1822&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Keith Shortall Mainers have long had a kind of love-hate relationship with tourists, but there's no question that the tourism industry is a major sector of the state's economy. While it might seem that there isn't much more room for more visitors on Route 1 in the summer, one cheerleader for the industry says the state of Maine has only begun to tap its full potential. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article link en-us Wed, 25 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1840&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Nora Flaherty A new survey out from Jefferson Community College for the 1000 Islands International Tourism Council finds seasonal residents are spending about $28 million a year in the local economy. The Center for Community Studies at JCC put together the 100-question survey, and sent out about 4,000 copies. The center got back 974 "credible" responses, and DeYoung says they're revealing. North Country Public Radio article link   en-us Wed, 25 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1828&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Ann Davis Ten years ago, my husband Marc and I sold our business in Chicago and acquired a woodlot in New Hampshire, thus fulfilling a lifelong dream of owning and conserving a large piece of land. The 470-acre parcel sits in the town of Springfield, New Hampshire, and nestles up against the 6,725-acre John F. Gile Memorial State Forest. As a nod to our neighbor, we’ve nicknamed our land “Woods Without Gile.” Natural features on this rolling terrain include a forested swamp, beaver meadows, peatlands, brooks, and innumerable intermittent streams. Our diverse forest includes northern hardwoods and spruce, fir, and pine. Northern Woodlands article link en-us Tue, 24 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1834&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: VPR Staff Gov. Peter Shumlin is heading to Rutland to help launch the second year of an effort to get Vermont businesses to step up their energy efficiency efforts. Shumlin will join officials from Efficiency Vermont at the Rutland Regional Medical Center today to kick off the final year of the Vermont Energy Leadership Challenge. Efficiency Vermont started the program last year to encourage the state's largest electricity consumers to reduce their usage by 7.5 percent over two years. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 23 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1839&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann Last week, an environmental group called Protect the Adirondacks released a new bundle of documents as part of its lawsuit attempting to block construction of a new resort in Tupper Lake. The group claims that the documents show new evidence of illegal communication between top Adirondack Park Agency officials and an attorney for the resort's developers. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 23 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1827&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: St. John Valley Times Staff The Northern Forest Canoe Trail's "3rd Annual 740 Miles in One Day" event is planned for Saturday, July 28. Paddlers can put-in anywhere along the NFCT route and cover any distance along the entirety of the 740 miles of the canoe trail from Old Forge, N.Y. to Fort Kent, Maine. Read more: St. John Valley Times - Special day planned on Northern Forest Canoe Trail St. John Valley Times articlel ink en-us Sun, 22 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1803&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Greg Kwasnik Forty years ago, the Androscoggin River was one of the most polluted waterways in the country. Today, it’s clean enough for kayaking. On Thursday, nine paddlers jumped into their canoes and kayaks for a 9-mile journey along the river from Hanover to just above Pennacook Falls in Rumford. Thursday’s paddle was the eighth leg of the Androscoggin Source to the Sea Trek, a 170-mile journey from the river’s headwaters near the Canadian border to its terminus at Merrymeeting Bay in Brunswick. The trek, in its 17th year, is run by the Androscoggin River Watershed Council. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Sat, 21 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1805&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Tom Groening Precise data, gathered meticulously and tested rigorously, must drive the efforts to reverse environmental problems, former Sen. George Mitchell told the 200 scientists, students and teachers attending the BIOGEOMON Conference at the Point Lookout center. Mitchell delivered the closing keynote address on Thursday afternoon at the weeklong conference, which drew participants from around the U.S. and 20 other nations. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Thu, 19 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1814&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann The Adirondack Park is famous for its feuds and political controversies. From the Adirondack Club and Resort debate in Tupper Lake to the future of the railroad corridor through the Park, big and sometimes nasty fights often grab headlines. But a growing coalition of Park leaders say they may have found a set of common principles that will allow more cooperation, while easing some of the tension between environmentalists, local government leaders and business owners. They've developed a concept called "the sustainable life" which would try to balance healthy towns with long term environmental protections. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 19 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1804&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Aislinn Sarnacki The small town of Monson is the final glimpse of civilization for thru-hikers before they trek 100 miles on the Appalachian Trail to Mount Katahdin, the terminus of the 2,180-mile trail. In Monson, thru-hikers reconnect, rest and refuel. They grab beers at Spring Creek Bar-B-Q, pick up packages at the post office and enjoy a rare luxury — a night’s sleep in a bed at Shaw’s Lodging. This summer, in recognition of Monson’s importance to the AT, the town will become Maine’s first Appalachian Trail Community, designated by the Appalachian Trail Conservatory. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Wed, 18 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1812&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann he last couple of decades, northern New York has been besieged by invasive plants and animals. The impact on the region's ecosystems has been profound. An invasive fungus called White Nose Syndrome has devastated once-thriving populations of bats. Zebra mussels and other non-native organisms are literally changing the chemistry of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. For the most part, however, the foreign invaders haven't posed a threat to human health. But now, scientists, environmentalists and farmers are battling a nasty invasive plant from Eurasia called giant hogweed. As Brian Mann reports, the massive plant can cause serious injury and even blindness. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 18 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1809&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Tina Forbes Warm winters have been tipping the balance between New Hampshire moose and the winter ticks that feed on them. The ticks have benefited from warmer temperatures, and their increasing numbers have become a problem for moose. When too many ticks latch on to the moose, it suffers blood loss, hair loss, becomes sick, and sometimes dies. Concord Monitor article link en-us Tue, 17 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1811&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Charlotte Albright Drive around Vermont enough, and you probably notice signs inviting you to get off the interstate highways and explore secondary roadways. There are nine scenic routes called byways, and they're designed to make travelers linger at local attractions. One runs along the Connecticut River and reaches into the Northeast Kingdom. But the state's scenic northeast corner otherwise hasn't developed a byway of its own. And local tourism officials fear that's putting the NEK at a disadvantage. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Tue, 17 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1815&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jeff Meyers Emilie Wilcox was struggling. She was homeless, unemployed with little education and had recently learned she was pregnant...Wilcox, 21, learned from an employee of Catholic Charities that a regional organization, the Northern Area Health Education Center (NAHEC), had programs to assist young people with finding jobs. With help from Michelle Oakes, the center’s career readiness coordinator, Wilcox enrolled in the Careers in the Healthcare Industry project, funded by the North Country’s Workforce Investment Board’s Youth Council. Press-Republican article link en-us Tue, 17 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1806&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Susan Sharon Earlier this year, a working group of biologists came out with a grim estimate: More than 5.7 million bats in North America have died from a mysterious, fast-moving disease known as white-nose syndrome. Several bat species may be on the brink of extinction. And their die-off is being described by some as "the most precipitous wildlife decline in the past century." Conservation groups are now working to get them added to the Endangered Species list. And as Susan Sharon reports bats in Maine have not been spared. Maine Public Broadcasting Network en-us Mon, 16 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1807&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Irwin Gratz The relationship between Maine lakes and the state's economy is being probed this summer. Students and faculty from Colby College in Waterville are working to develop a "statistical abstract" of the people who live and work around the Belgrade Lakes. Recently, MPBN Morning Edition host Irwin Gratz sat down with Colby faculty members Mike Donihue and Whitney King. Donihue says students are helping to conduct surveys of the people in the region and their ties to the lakes. Maine Public Broadcasting Network en-us Mon, 16 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1808&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: North Cairn Two Maine environmental groups are calling for more scrutiny and public discussion of the proposed $2 billion east-west corridor. The Forestry Ecology Network and RESTORE: The North Woods said Monday that the highway across Maine would "disrupt or dislocate" more than 60 conservation lands and designated special places in the northern part of the state. The corridor, proposed by the Pittsfield-based Cianbro construction company, would have "tremendous impact on Maine's environment," said Jonathan Carter, director of the Forest Ecology Network, based in Lexington Township. "It will reduce water and air quality. It is also a threat to Maine's environment and economy. It's a ... complete environmental nightmare." Morning Sentinel article link en-us Mon, 16 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1816&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Lohr McKinstry Visitors to Essex County last year spent more and were younger and more outdoor-oriented than usual, a new report says. They spent $89 for every $1 the Lake Placid-based Essex County Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) expended in marketing to attract them, the Leisure Travel Information Study says. The study estimates visitor spending in Essex County went from $89 million in 2010 to $117 million last year, based on those who visited because of Sustainable Tourism’s marketing. Press-Republican article link en-us Mon, 16 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1817&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Kim Smith Dedam new study suggests a 34-mile wilderness bike path could bring $20 million in new tourism spending yearly to the Tri-Lakes region. Adirondack Recreational Trail Advocates released the report by the Rails to Trails Conservancy, a national organization that monitors railroad-bed conversion throughout the United States. Press-Republican article link en-us Mon, 16 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1800&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Jim Robbins There's a term biologists and economists use these days — ecosystem services — which refers to the many ways nature supports the human endeavor. Forests filter the water we drink, for example, and birds and bees pollinate crops, both of which have substantial economic as well as biological value. If we fail to understand and take care of the natural world, it can cause a breakdown of these systems and come back to haunt us in ways we know little about. A critical example is a developing model of infectious disease that shows that most epidemics — AIDS, Ebola, West Nile, SARS, Lyme disease and hundreds more that have occurred over the last several decades — don’t just happen. They are a result of things people do to nature. New York Times article link en-us Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Ecosystem Services http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1802&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Babbage Sience and Technology FREE lunches, economists insist, are rare. In one sense—related to the opportunity cost of sitting down to eat when you could be doing something more productive—they are right. In another, though, complimentary feasts are rather common. As are free clean water, fuel, air-conditioning, pest control and pretty views. All these are “ecosystem services”, provided by nature to mankind at no cost. Push nature too hard, though, and this generosity may end. A new paper by John Dearing, of the University of Southampton, and his colleagues, looks at how long-term trends in "regulating" ecosystem services, as those that keep the environment stable are known in the jargon, relate to economic growth. It highlights the deleterious effects on environmental balance that accompanies unchecked development. The Economist article link   en-us Fri, 13 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Ecosystem Services http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1813&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann his week, North Country Public Radio has been taking a second look at the realities of alternative and renewable energy in our region. Some advocates think locally-generated energy, from hydro to solar to wind and biomass, could be the next big thing for an economy strained by the loss of manufacturing and government jobs. But big challenges remain. Start-up costs are steep and some of the companies that have pioneered the North Country's green energy movement are struggling. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Fri, 13 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1788&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Umbagog Natinoal Wildlife Refuge White Mountains Community College (WMCC) in Berlin, NH, will host a roundtable discussion about the Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge on Thursday, July 12 from 4 to 6 pm. WMCC President Katharine Eneguess will facilitate the event, which will include Scott Kahan, Regional Chief for the National Wildlife Refuge System in the Northeast, and Refuge Manager Paul Casey. The event is free and the public is invited to attend. en-us Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1791&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jasmine Wallace This week, North Country Public Radio has been taking another look at how renewable and local energy might reshape the region's economy. State and local leaders are making big investments in everything from hydro to biomass. And more and more families and businesses are slowly converting away from fossil fuels, adding solar panels or small wind turbines. But big hurdles remain. Start-up costs for green energy technology are steep. Government incentives can be confusing. Many consumers are sticking with natural gas and oil, at least for the time being. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1799&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Field & Stream Magazine Field & Stream, the world’s leading outdoor magazine, honors Vermont’s poet Laureate Sydney Lea of Newbury, Vt., for his extraordinary contributions to conservation in its July 2012 issue...Each month Field & Stream profiles three grassroots conservationists as part of its Heroes of Conservation program, which is dedicated to recognizing sportsmen who go above and beyond in the protection of fish, wildlife and habitat. Field & Stream article link en-us Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1801&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Genevieve Bennett The Farm Bill represents the single biggest source of conservation funding in the United States. The US House of Representatives has begun marking up its version of a new $500 billion-dollar bill that the Senate passed last month with broad bipartisan support. The House version has some significant changes – it makes deeper cuts and lacks an important conservation amendment that passed in the Senate – and neither version mentions ecosystem services. Ecosystem Marketplace article link en-us Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Ecosystem Services http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1810&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen Faced with tighter budgets three hospitals in the North Country are forming an alliance to do something about it. With cuts in funding - and facing an increasing demand for services - three hospitals in Coos County have agreed to work together to see how they can save money. New Hampshire Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Health http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1780&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Abigail Curtis Why were college students pouring gallons of diluted Chinese hot mustard on small squares of Waldo County forest? It might sound like an unanswerable riddle, but the six Unity College student researchers were busy Monday morning pouring the mustard to draw out earthworms so they can count and measure them. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Tue, 10 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1781&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Mitch Wertlieb Every year since 2004 The Hildene Award has been presented to a Vermonter for outstanding contributions to land conservation or historic preservation in the state. And this coming weekend Darby Bradley will receive the honor for his more than 30 years of conservation work with the Vermont Land Trust. He's a past president of the VLT and more recently has been the special assistant for donor and government relations. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Tue, 10 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1782&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Holly Ramer If a tree falls in the White Mountain National Forest this month, it could be seen -- and heard -- far beyond New Hampshire. Artist Xavier Cortada and composer Juan Carlos Espinosa drove from Miami to New Hampshire last week to begin a monthlong artist-in-residence program based in the forest. The program, in its second year, is a collaboration between the forest and the Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire. Boston.com article link en-us Tue, 10 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1783&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: WKTV News The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's Region 6 office is preparing a unit management plan (UMP) which will include nine state forests in northern Oneida County, the agency announced today. This plan for the Oneida Hills area will incorporate public input that will guide management of these unique state lands well into the future. The state forests included in the unit are Buck Hill, Canada Creek, Clark Hill, Jackson Hill, Penn Mountain, Point Rock, South Hill, Webster Hill and West Branch. The state forest lands total 13,460 acres and are located in the Oneida County towns of Ava, Boonville, Lee, Steuben and Western. News Channel 2 - WKTV Utica article link en-us Tue, 10 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1789&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Charlotte Albright Ken Burns's latest documentary explores the causes and effects of one of the worst man-made environmental disasters in modern times-the Dust Bowl. The first part in the two-hour series previews Friday, July 13 at Dartmouth's Hopkins Center. Like all Burns's work, it took shape at Florentine Films, which is not your typical big-city production company. It's a collective of four independent film makers, including Burns, and a beehive for about 20 researchers and editors collaborating in a stately Greek Revival mansion in Walpole, N.H. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Tue, 10 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1790&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann This week, we're taking a fresh look at the idea of renewable and locally produced energy in the North Country. For many homeowners, one of the most accessible and affordable ways to shift away from fossil fuels is to buy a pellet stove. Those are wood stoves or furnaces that burn those little rabbit-pellet sized chunks of wood or grass. A few years ago, there was sort of a boom in the pellet stove industry. But now the market has sagged. As Brian Mann reports, local companies say the technology needs to get even easier and more user-friendly for more consumers to give it North Country Public Radio article link en-us Tue, 10 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1795&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Staff A local organization will release a study of the proposed Adirondack Rail Trail during a public meeting here Wednesday evening. The meeting will be hosted by the Adirondack Recreational Trail Advocates, a group that formed last year to push for a year-round, multi-use recreational trail between Lake Placid and Old Forge. It will take place at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Harrietstown Town Hall, 39 Main St., Saranac Lake. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Tue, 10 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1792&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann ThThe last few years, state and local leaders have staked a growing part of the North Country's economic future on green energy production. Last year, the state's big Regional Economic Development Council grant to the North Country offered millions of dollars to renewable energy projects from Lyons Falls to Fort Drum. The Adirondack North Country Association has also made clean energy development one of its top priorities. But big questions remain about the industry's future. Can it compete with traditional sources of energy? Will government subsidies be maintained? Will a growing energy sector actually bring sustainable jobs? Brian Mann has our story.. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 09 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1784&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Paula Tracy A $25,000 grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation is being used by the Appalachian Mountain Club to study how the proposed Northern Pass transmission line might affect scenery. The results of the study will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Energy for consideration as part of the federal Environmental Impact Statement process, or EIS. The statement must be completed before either the U.S. Department of Energy or the White Mountain National Forest can decide whether the project is in the best interest of the nation. Union Leader article link en-us Sat, 07 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1777&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Tux Turkel Bethel-based Maine Energy Systems LLC has finalized an agreement with Austrian wood-pellet boiler manufacturer OkoFEN to manufacture wood-pellet boilers in Maine for the United States market. The deal is expected to move Maine Energy Systems beyond the early adopter phase and positon it as the country’s largest manufacturer of wood-pellet boilers. The company says it expects to create 50 manufacturing jobs in Oxford County, as well as 50 new jobs related to installation and fuel delivery. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Fri, 06 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1793&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann This summer, North Country Public Radio in partnership with Adirondack Explorer magazine will be taking an in-depth look at some of the big questions facing the Adirondack Park. We'll go beyond the immediate controversies and look at how well the Park is functioning, both to protect open space and wildlife habitat, and to promote healthy communities. This morning, as we begin our occasional series, Brian Mann talks with Phil Brown about the lead-off article that just appeared in the Explorer. Brown found broad agreement that more should be done to limit real estate development on private back country lands in the Park, both to protect wildlife and to protect the North Country's timber industry. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Fri, 06 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1796&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Mary Esch A railroad company is renovating rusty, overgrown tracks to get at millions of tons of waste rock at an abandoned iron and titanium mine near the source of New York's Hudson River and the highest peaks of the Adirondacks, part of a widespread resurgence of short line and regional freight lines. The planned reopening of a 30-mile rail link is being driven by high oil prices that make rail shipping more economical than trucking. Backers hope the Adirondack line will bring an economic boost to faded towns along its route by providing a new shipping option for products such as minerals, logs and paper products. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Fri, 06 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1778&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Seth Borenstein Is it just freakish weather or something more? Climate scientists suggest that if you want a glimpse of some of the worst of global warming, take a look at U.S. weather in recent weeks. These are the kinds of extremes experts have predicted will come with climate change, although it's far too early to say that is the cause. Nor will they say global warming is the reason 3,215 daily high temperature records were set in the month of June. Scientifically linking individual weather events to climate change takes intensive study, complicated mathematics, computer models and lots of time. Sometimes it isn't caused by global warming. Weather is always variable; freak things happen. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Wed, 04 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1785&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Ralph Ferrusi he Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) is a 740-mile historic waterway, which follows routes used by Native Americans and early European settlers. Beginning in Old Forge and ending in Fort Kent, Maine, it traverses 22 rivers and streams, 56 lakes and ponds, goes through 45 towns and villages, and requires 62 portages, totaling 55 miles. Kath and I, and our friend Tim Lewis, first paddled on the NFCT in May 2008, traveling 43 miles through the Fulton Chain from Old Forge to Long Lake. Over the next two years we added more than 100 miles more, finishing the first three of the trail’s 13 sections. Poughkeepsie Journal article link en-us Wed, 04 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1797&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jessica Collier and Chris Morris The North Country Regional Economic Develop-ment Council is seeking applications for projects to get state funding. The council's co-chairs, Clarkson University Presi-dent Tony Collins and Garry Douglas, president of the North Country Chamber of Commerce, outlined what they were looking for at a public forum at The Wild Center last week. It was one of seven forums, one in each of the seven-county North County region covered by the NCREDC, held over a two-week period at the end of June and beginning of July. People who have projects that they want considered need to submit an application by July 16. If they think their project can rise to the level of a "priority project," they need to file a second application for that status by July 26. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Wed, 04 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Funding / Grant Opportunities http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1798&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jessica Collier A court case challenging the state Adirondack Park Agency's approval of the Adirondack Club and Resort has been pushed back another month. The people challenging the decision - environmental groups Protect the Adirondacks and the Sierra Club, and nearby landowners Leslie and Bob Harrison and Phyllis Thompson - were supposed to file papers that responded to the state's answer to their lawsuit on June 18. Then the case was to go to court, to be transferred to the appellate division, on June 22. But those dates have been pushed back to July 17 and July 20, respectively. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 04 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1787&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Appalachian Mountain Club Spaces are still available on teen volunteer trail crews being organized by the Appalachian Mountain Club in the Maine Woods this summer. Teens aged 15 to 18 are being sought to participate in 10-day trail-building and maintenance programs in Maine’s 100-Mile Wilderness region this summer under a new program created by AMC to help build and maintain a new, local trail system that’s open for use by the public. The effort is part of AMC’s Maine Woods Initiative. Available dates include July 30-August 8 and August 13-22. Appalachian Mountain Club Event link en-us Tue, 03 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1794&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann With the Fourth of July tomorrow, the summer season is officially underway in the North Country. The next 12 weeks are crunch time for tourism businesses and for the big museums that serve as magnets for visitors from Clayton to Shelburne to Blue Mountain Lake. Brian Mann sat down recently with Stephanie Ratcliffe. She's head of the Wild Center in Tupper Lake, which is now in its seventh season. The Wild Center has been forced to find its stride during a deep recession, and at a time when the village of Tupper Lake has been the focus of fierce debate over a proposed new resort. Ratcliffe says the museum is faring well, despite those complications, and has a new interactive exhibit opening this summer called Planet Adirondacks. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Tue, 03 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1779&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Keith Shortall Mild winters, hot summers, lots of rain. These phrases describe weather. But over time, they can serve as indicators of climate change. Scientists and conservationists alike are keeping a close eye on the changes they're seeing in the oceans and forests of Maine. MPBN's Keith Shortall spoke recently with Andrew Whitman of the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, and Malcom Hunter, professor of wildlife at the University of Maine. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article link en-us Mon, 02 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1714&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jeff Meyers A longstanding regional environmental-watchdog group has started a discussion to look at reforming what some believe is an outdated Adirondack Park Agency. The APA, created in 1971, is the regulatory body that oversees development plans in the park, and representatives from the Adirondack Council believe that an upgrade in the agency’s authority is long overdue. Press-Republican article link en-us Sun, 01 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1786&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Associated Press Cabot Creamery Cooperative is losing a little "Vermont" on its labels, and that has government officials worried that Vermont is losing a little publicity. The farmer-owned cooperative, which makes cheese, butter and other dairy products, is phasing out labels that reference the state's name in the logo because not all its products are wholly Vermont-made. Times Union article link en-us Sun, 01 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1749&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation The Training and Mentoring by Existing Conservation Coalitions category will award grants in the amount of $10,000 to $40,000 to support existing landscape coalitions to conduct mentoring and training for newly-formed conservation coalitions. The Capacity Building for Newly Formed Landscape Conservation Coalitions category will award grants in the range of $25,000 to $75,000 to support the creation and/or capacity growth of new regional community-driven coalitions to support landscape scale habitat protection and restoration. The application deadline is July 31, 2012. Visit the NFWF website to review the request for proposals. NFWF Proposal link en-us Wed, 27 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Funding / Grant Opportunities http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1764&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen A Florida businessman says he plans to buy the closed Groveton paper mill, tear down most of the buildings and look for buyers or tenants for the remaining structures. David Boshart, who heads up Groveton River Development of Naples, Florida, said he hopes to close on the 107-acre property in about two weeks. The current owner is Groveton Acquisitions LLC, the parent company of which is based in New Jersey. New Hampshire Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 27 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1748&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Matthew Spolar Gov. John Lynch let a bill become law over the weekend that reforms New Hampshire's involvement in a regional cap-and-trade program, a move that disappointed environmental activists who say it halves energy efficiency funding generated by the multi-state compact. "Keeping New Hampshire in RGGI has been a priority for the governor, and this bill does that," Colin Manning, spokesman for the Democratic governor, said in a statement. "This change in how we use RGGI funding will not allow us to be as effective in our energy efficiency efforts as we have been the previous three years, but it does keep New Hampshire in RGGI, which is why the governor allowed this bill to become law without his signature." Concord Monitor article link en-us Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1770&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Staff A consortium of North Country counties, towns and organizations has received $1 million from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to create a comprehensive smart growth plan for regional sustainability. The grant is part of the Cleaner Greener Communities program, an environmental initiative announced by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo in his 2011 State of the State address. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1773&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff A June 14 decision by the federal Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) Director of Proceedings awarding common carrier status to the Saratoga and North Creek Railway (SNCR), owned by Iowa Pacific Holdings, for freight operations on the 30-mile Tahawus industrial rail spur was appealed on June 25 to the full Board by Charles C. Morrison, Project Coordinator for the Adirondack Committee of the Atlantic Chapter of the Sierra Club and Samuel H. Sage, President and Senior Scientist of the Atlantic States Legal Foundation (ASLF). Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1756&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: BTEC The Biomass Thermal Energy Council (BTEC) today applauded New Hampshire Governor John Lynch and the state's Senate and House of Representatives for their passage of legislation (NH Senate Bill 218), a bill that adds thermal renewable energy to the state's renewable portfolio standard (RPS). RPS programs have been adopted in some 29 states and the District of Columbia to provide incentives to develop energy from renewable resources such as wind, solar and biomass. Traditionally, these programs are implemented through electric utilities and focus exclusively on electricity. Environmental Expert article link en-us Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1759&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Nick McCrea Eastern Maine Community College announced that it has received a U.S. Department of Labor grant to start a fine woodworking and cabinetmaking program at the school. The $320,000 award will help fund a full-time faculty position and equipment needed to start up the program, according to an EMCC press release issued Friday. The community college has formed a partnership with The Hinckley Co., a boat builder with a location in Trenton. Hinckley is growing and expects to hire 50 new employees this year, according to the school. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1762&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Wilson Ring The longest hiking trail in the United States stops 40 miles short of its most famous cousin, but a group is trying to bridge that gap. The North Country National Scenic Trail runs 4,600 miles from North Dakota to New York's eastern border. From there, it's about 40 miles across Vermont fields and mountains to the Appalachian Trail, the famous 2,170-mile hiking trail that runs from Georgia to Maine. Bringing them together now are a push from the organization that runs the North Country Trail; a changed attitude from officials in Vermont, where the connection was blocked decades ago; and a growing movement to connect the nation's longest hiking trails. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1769&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Press-Republican Staff The North Country Regional Economic Development Council is encouraging all individuals, businesses, organizations, labor, and university representatives from the North Country to attend one of the next five scheduled public forums in the region to provide suggestions and share ideas for job growth opportunities. The forums offer the opportunity for all, including the general public, to learn about this year’s planning process and to provide input to the council as it refines and updates its Strategic Plan and identifies potential priority projects for the next few years. Press-Republican article link en-us Sun, 24 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1760&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Nick McCrea Foresters, university officials, landowners and recreationists who spoke Friday at the first in a series of stakeholder meetings about the proposed merger of two state departments said, for the most part, they were willing to accept a new government structure but were worried some groups might be overlooked in the shuffle. Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources Commissioner Walt Whitcomb and Department of Conservation Commissioner Bill Beardsley presented fluid plans for the union, which would create a Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. They said public input provided at meetings leading up to the next legislative session would play a role in shaping the new entity. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Fri, 22 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1763&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jay Field The farm bill passed by the U.S. Senate on Thursday includes some provisions that could help small family farms in Maine. Growth of these smaller scale operations has pushed the overall number of farms in the state to more than 8,000. One key part of the nearly $500 billion bill would allow diversified growers, and not just soybean and other commodity farmers, to get insurance for their crops. The question now is what parts of the Senate bill will make it through the U.S. House, and whether Congress can work out a compromise by the time the current farm law expires at the end of September. Maine Public Broadcasting Network en-us Fri, 22 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1765&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Dave Anderson Threats to forest health from three exotic insect pests including Hemlock Wooly Adelgid, Asian Longhorn Beetle and Emerald Ash Borer loom large over the vast forests of NH. The veritable insect rogues gallery is at our doorstep after killing trees in nearby states. Kyle Lombard, Forest Health Program Coordinator at the NH Division of Forests and Lands says these pests present several challenges and the potential damage to NH forests and community street trees, is high. Lombard asserts these pests are (to quote) “the Gypsy moth and Chestnut blight of our generation. Fifty years from now, State and federal forest health programs will be judged based on how well we combat these threats today.” New Hampshire Public Radio article link en-us Fri, 22 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1772&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann In the final hours of the session yesterday, lawmakers in Albany pushed through two bills that would amend the state constitution for the Adirondack forest preserve. The bills will allow land swaps in Raquette Lake and Willsboro. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Fri, 22 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1761&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Seth Koenig The Maine Historical Society and Friends of Baxter State Park have planned a day of activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of former Gov. Percival Baxter’s final land gift to create the park. The events listed as part of Governor Baxter Day will largely take place in greater Portland on Aug. 22. Although Baxter State Park is miles away in Piscataquis County, Percival Baxter was a Portland native. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Thu, 21 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1774&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff At the 40th Anniversary of the State Land Master Plan (SLMP), Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve has issued a report that calls upon Governor Andrew Cuomo and state agencies “to advance and expand upon the many positive values of wild lands in our Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserve.” “The Forest Preserve was placed into state laws and its Constitution. It is where wilderness preservation began,” said Adirondack Wild’s David Gibson in a prepared statement (Gibson is a regular contributor at Adirondack Almanack). “However, government often approaches such an important landscape with a muddied sense of mission, and in an uncoordinated and shallow way. We are urging parties to venture deeper, and with greater purpose.” Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Thu, 21 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1750&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sara Young-Knox A Berlin homeowner who was in the first group of residents to replace older heating systems with a state-of-the-art wood pellet system said Wednesday that he’s already seen the advantages of the switch. Jayco Laughton has had the system since February. He said that after the initial delivering of pellets, he didn’t need a fuel delivery until May, at a cost of around $700. Ordinarily, he said, he would be spending almost as much on heating oil every month of the year, except for two months in the summer. Laughton was one of 15 homeowners who have had the systems installed through the Berlin Model Neighborhood Project, a subsidized program which makes it possible for homeowners to make the change. The project is a collaboration among Berlin BetterBuildings, the Northern Forest Center, the City of Berlin, and Maine Energy Systems. Union Leader article link en-us Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1757&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Kathy McCormack North Country business owners traveled Wednesday on a north-of-the-border trip to recruit Canadian manufacturers, speaking in Quebec's native French about opportunities to expand their operations into New Hampshire. The one-day trip to the Canadian province to address more than 100 manufacturers was sponsored by Public Service of New Hampshire. Participants planned to showcase Coos County as an area where companies can expand, place their products into the U.S. market and still be close to home. The Republic article link en-us Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1771&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Mike Lynch A bill designed to stop the spread of invasive species was passed by the state Assembly and Senate Tuesday. The legislation would require the state Department of Environmental Conservation, in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture and Markets, to restrict the sale, purchase, possession, introduction, importation and transport of invasive species. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1755&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Michael Snyder Healthy forests play an absolutely vital role in moderating water movement over our landscape. Although forests cannot prevent large floods outright, they certainly do minimize the frequency, intensity, and extent of all flooding events, which in turn significantly reduces the damage to life and property that serious flooding causes. It’s yet another way in which forests work for us. Northern Woodlands article link en-us Tue, 19 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Ecosystem Services http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1766&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Emily Corwin Tonight, the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation celebrates its 50th year in operation. NHCF has staff in each region of the state, and raises funds from individuals, organizations and corporations, making approximately $30 million in nonprofit grants and scholarships annually. But the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation may have to work a little harder than other state-wide foundations across the country. New Hampshire has been ranked least-charitable state in the country for many years. That’s according to the Catalogue for Philanthropy’s “generosity index” which uses IRS data summarizing personal income tax returns. State Impact article link en-us Tue, 19 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1775&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff The Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) summer lecture series at the High Peaks Information Center (HPIC) will focus on the glories of the natural world and serious environmental threats that could greatly alter that world. The Saturday evening series will include talks on climate change by author Jerry Jenkins and hydraulic fracturing by ADK Executive Director Neil Woodworth; presentations about the Northern Forest Canoe Trail and the backcountry of New Zealand; and even a night of music with the eclectic sounds of Annie and The Hedonists. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Tue, 19 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1768&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Bob Kinzel The Community Health Center of Burlington has officially opened the doors to its new $11 million facility. The center is part of a national effort to provide primary health care service to millions of people across the country. There was an air of celebration at the Health Center on Monday as officials gathered to cut the ribbon on the new facility. The two-story, green and brown building resembles a small modern hospital. Inside are large waiting areas and private examination rooms where patients receive primary and dental care, and mental health and substance abuse services. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 18 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Health http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1751&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Ted Booker An Albany company’s plan to retrofit a former coal plant into a biomass energy facility to power Fort Drum is in jeopardy after a tax incentive for the project was voted down last week. The LeRay Town Council rejected a five-year payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement with ReEnergy in a 3-2 decision at its meeting Thursday, and now the parties involved are scrambling to see if they can still strike a deal. Board members who rejected the tax break cited the sales tax revenue the town would lose — about $31,000 a year — because the plant’s current $10 million assessed property value would be removed from the tax roll for the five years under the plan. Watertown Daily Times article link en-us Sun, 17 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1752&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Mitch Wertlieb Flooding from Tropical Storm Irene was especially damaging on the White River, where towns like Rochester, Royalton and Stockbridge took big hits. Many landowners are still cleaning up their properties. Now a non-profit that focuses on the health of the river is using a web-based tool to raise money and fund projects to help stop erosion and clean up pollution. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 14 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1753&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: SUNY Environment Science and Forestry The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $4.3 million to encourage the growth of shrub willow as a renewable energy fuel in Central and Northern New York. The willow will be grown on marginal farmland throughout the region and used as fuel for biomass-to-energy facilities in the region that are owned by ReEnergy Holdings LLC. Critical to the project is a collaboration between ReEnergy and the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) in Syracuse, which will offer an outreach program to educate local government officials, agricultural leaders, farmers and landowners about the opportunity to grow willow. SUNY ESF article link   en-us Thu, 14 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1754&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Associated Press The U.S. Forest Service says needles on white pine trees in northern New England, New York and eastern Canada are turning yellow and brown. They say three fungi appear to be causing the problem. The damage started affecting needles in the middle of branches in May. The needles are expected to fall off by early July. Wall Street Journal article link en-us Thu, 14 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1758&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: David Mance III Those of us who enjoy forestry and baseball get a kick out of watching professional ballplayers stride to bat holding little pieces of the northern forest in their hands, though if you’re not a wood geek, you may not know that major league baseball has been embroiled in a bat controversy for the past two decades - a controversy that pits two of our beloved northern hardwood species against each other. In one corner is white ash, the traditional wood of choice for making baseball bats. Ash works well because it grows fast, is sufficiently dense, and has straight grain. It became the industry standard and prompted poetry not just from baseball types, but tree types as well. Bennington Banner article link en-us Thu, 14 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Pgm Rel Articles - Industry News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1767&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sam Evans-Brown Two New Hampshire Energy efficiency programs are teaming up to try to weatherize more New Hampshire homes. The Community Development Finance Authority is combining its weatherization program with Public Service of New Hampshire’s. PSNH’s program will pay for half of residential energy efficiency improvements, up to $4,000. The CDFA offers zero interest loans to cover the other half of the cost. New Hampshire Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 14 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1776&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff Gore Mountain is introducing new activities and installing several new attractions for visitors this spring, with a Grand Opening slated for Saturday, July 7. Several amenities have become available during June weekends, including “The Rumor Climbing Wall,” the “Wild Air Bungee Trampoline,” disc golf, and daily hiking excursions. Other attractions coming soon include a huge inflatable obstacle course, base area and Bear Mountain interpretive walks, several educational opportunities featuring cooking classes, yoga retreats, photography camps, and jewelry workshops, and Friday evening Happy Hours. The Northwoods Gondola Skyrides and downhill mountain biking will also be open. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Thu, 14 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1725&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: ANCA June 21-22: Lake Placid Conference Center A forum for educators, practitioners, community leaders, industry professionals and others to share information about clean energy opportunities in the North Country. The Conference is centered around five areas: solar, wind, hydro, biomass, and conservation. Through the synergy of sharing across the technology areas, we will articulate better, stronger New York State policies and foster better approaches by the practitioners. Further, the State funding process and new State initiatives will be explained so all may understand. Register now en-us Wed, 13 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1726&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire June 23, 2012 N.H. Executive Councilor Raymond Burton and state Senator John Gallus will hold a public meeting June 23 to discuss local concerns about the Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge. The meeting will take place in the Errol Town Hall, from noon to 1:30 pm, on Sat., June 23. Burton and Gallus have invited the New Hampshire Congressional delegation and U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine to the meeting. en-us Wed, 13 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1729&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Butler et al. Butler et al. conducted a soil warming study within the Harvard Forest in central Massachusetts (USA), where they increased soil temperature 5°C above ambient using buried resistance cables as described by Melillo et al. (2002, 2011), and where for a period of seven years they measured various biogeochemical and plant responses in 900-m2 heated and control areas, in order to see "how a temperate forest ecosystem is affected by warming-induced changes in the N cycle." CO2 Science article link en-us Wed, 13 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1741&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Times Union Staff Landowners along New York's southern border who support natural gas drilling are cheered by reports that the Cuomo administration is considering allowing hydraulic fracturing on a limited basis only in towns that want it. The New York Times on Wednesday quotes a senior official at the state Department of Environmental Conservation as saying the administration is pursuing a plan to limit the controversial shale gas drilling technology to portions of Broome, Chenango, Steuben and Tioga counties. That's the part of the Marcellus Shale considered most likely to yield significant quantities of natural gas. Times Union article link en-us Wed, 13 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1746&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann In March, two environmental groups and a small number of landowners sued the state of New York, hoping to invalidate permits allowing construction of the Adirondack Club and Resort in Tupper Lake. Green groups argued that the Adirondack Park Agency had failed to enforce key regulations designed to protect open space in the Park. The lawsuit has been moving forward, with all sides filing legal briefs with the state Supreme Court.| North Country Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 13 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1747&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Joanna Richards The North Country Regional Economic Development Council is preparing for an influx of funding applications this July. Regional councils are part of Governor Andrew Cuomo's plan to distribute economic development aid throughout the state using a community-based, bottom-up approach to building New York's economy. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 13 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1730&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Matt Wickenheiser The state is asking residents and pest control experts to give bats a break between June 1 and Aug. 15 to help preserve the population in the wake of a deadly disease first discovered in Maine last year. White-nose syndrome was first detected in eastern North America in 2006, and federal fish and wildlife experts estimate the disease has claimed at least 5.5 million bats since then. Bats with the obvious white-nose fungal infection weren’t discovered in Maine until May 2011, when some were discovered at two sites in Oxford County. Earlier this year, the National Park Service confirmed the infection had been detected in Acadia National Park. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1736&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen A group of power providers that would compete with the Northern Pass says the project can’t make money without some kind of renewable energy, government subsidy, an assertion Northern Pass disputes...The New England Power Generators Association has released an analysis that concludes low prices for natural gas mean the project can’t make money. The group’s members would compete with the Northern Pass project. New Hampshire Public Radio article link en-us Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1737&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen For the first time in more than a decade a paper plant in Gorham – once thought to be dead - is hiring workers. Just over a year ago a New York investment firm, Patriarch Partners, bought the closed Gorham paper mill and promised a new future. The Gorham facility was the last paper plant standing in the North Country and many doubted Patriarch’s CEO, Lynn Tilton, could make a go of it where others had failed. Mark Belanger heads up the New Hampshire Employment Security Office in Berlin. Over the years he’s heard lots of promises from enthusiastic entrepreneurs about lots of projects. New Hampshire Public Radio article link en-us Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1739&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Bob Kinzel Senator Patrick Leahy has been actively involved in the drafting of this year's farm bill and he says the proposal marks a major change in dairy policy. First, it's a voluntary program and the primary goal is to stabilize prices. Leahy says it's very hard for farmers to do any long term planning when milk prices fluctuate too much. "You can't have a dairy farmer say 'okay, gee everything is going great this month', and then all of sudden they have ten months of near bankruptcy. You've got to stop this rollercoaster," Leahy says. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1742&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Casey Seiler An Adirondack lake will remain closed to floatplanes and other mechanized craft after the state acted to end years of dispute. The designation of isolated Lows Lake as a protected wilderness continues after a decision by the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the Adirondack Park Agency to halt their appeal of a state Supreme Court decision in the case. Times Union article link en-us Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1743&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jon Alexander Taking home rule control over land use regulation in the Adirondack Park is a political minefield for local officials, and could stall the agency’s push to expand local control of planning and zoning. Just 18 of the 93 towns in the Adirondack Park have taken home-rule authority of land use from the Adirondack Park Agency over the last 40 years. State legislators intended the Park Agency, when it was created in 1973, to regulate large regional projects; while the towns would adopt APA-approved land use codes and oversee most local building proposals. Post Star article link en-us Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1728&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Watertown Daily Times Staff The state Department of Environmental Conservation is preparing a management plan for 10 state forests and seven detached forest preserve parcels in northern St. Lawrence and Franklin counties. The state forests included in the unit are Brasher, Bombay, Buckton, Fort Jackson, Grantville, Knapp Station, Lost Nation, Raymondville, Sodom and Southville. They total 30,810 acres and are in the towns of Bombay, Moira, Brasher, Madrid, Norfolk and Stockholm. The other scattered land ranging from 3 to 350 acres is in Lisbon, Louisville, Massena, Oswegatchie and Waddington. Watertown Daily Times article link en-us Mon, 11 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1731&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Christopher Cousins U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar visited L.L. Bean’s flagship store in Freeport on Monday to celebrate the company’s commitment to outdoor recreation for youth — which Bean is backing up with a $1 million pledge to the National Park Foundation. As part of the celebration of 100 years in business, L.L. Bean created the Million Moment Mission, which began in January. For every photograph, story, Facebook post or Tweet of an outdoor experience that references the sporting goods retailer, L.L. Bean will donate $1 to the National Park Foundation, up to $1 million, to support recreation programs for children. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Mon, 11 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1732&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Alex Barber The U.S. Department of Agriculture has accepted more than 1,000 acres in Maine into the 43rd Conservation Reserve Program, but the state will lose more than 5,000 acres from the program by October. Donovan E. Todd III, executive director of the USDA’s Maine Farm Service Agency, said 1,075.2 acres were accepted into the program, which is designed to protect farmland. Nationwide, the USDA accepted 3.9 million acres, bringing the total to 29.6 million acres. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Mon, 11 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1738&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen North Country businessman plans to resuscitate a steel fabricating company in Berlin that closed earlier this year putting about 100 people out of work. Whitefield businessman David Presby is buying the building and land once owned by Isaacson Structural Steel in Berlin. He expects to close the deal early this week. New Hampshire Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 11 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1733&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Matthew Daly When it comes to saving energy, people in the United States know that driving a fuel-efficient car accomplishes more than turning off the lights at home. But that doesn’t mean they’ll do it. A new poll shows that while most of those questioned understand effective ways to save energy, they have a hard time adopting them. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Sun, 10 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1734&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Kevin Miller The modern-day oil boom in the western U.S. and Canada is fueling interest in shipping crude oil by rail across Maine to a refinery in the Maritimes. But the prospect of long trains of oil-filled tanker cars rumbling through Maine also has state environmental officials concerned, particularly in the wake of a recent derailment that sent several tanker cars of nonhazardous materials tumbling into the Penobscot River. As a result, state officials are reviewing their spill response strategies and making other preparations. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Sun, 10 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1735&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail A state agency has completed the next large step in the review of a New Hampshire company’s proposal to build what state officials called the world’s first facility that would use microwaves and thermal energy to produce torrefied wood. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection formally accepted on June 4 the application from Thermogen Industries LLC to build its plant in the wood yard of the Katahdin Avenue paper mill, DEP spokeswoman Samantha Depoy-Warren said Friday. A subsidiary of Cate Street Capital of New Hampshire, Thermogen seeks air and water permits for the project. The air permit review will begin next week, Depoy-Warren said. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Sat, 09 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1740&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Charlotte Albright It's not easy to revive a sagging economy in the middle of a long recession, especially in the Northeast Kingdom. Working capital is scarce. In some professions, skilled labor is hard to come by. But the Kingdom does have some unique assets that may hold the key to a more prosperous future. Take, for example, Kingdom Trails. At the base of its 110-mile mountain biking network in the quaint town of East Burke, two trim men in spandex are hosing down their mud-encrusted mountain bikes after a weekday afternoon ride. Like most cars in the parking lot, theirs has a Canadian license plate. Brian Scott says he and his friend are thrilled to be on the trails so early in the season. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Sat, 09 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1744&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Press-Republican Staff The Adirondack Park Agency will meet Thursday, June 14, and Friday, June 15, at its headquarters in Ray Brook. The meeting will start at 9 a.m. when Executive Director Terry Martino gives her monthly report. Press-Republican article link en-us Sat, 09 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1727&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Northern Forest Canoe Trail In time for the summer travel and paddling season, the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) has unveiled a “12 in 2012” list that showcases the best the region has to offer. The list of attractions, activities, businesses and more was compiled through nominations from the public. According to NFCT, the goal is to promote travel to the towns and communities along the 740-mile water trail. To make getting there even easier, the nonprofit provides links to businesses, paddling itineraries, travel packages and more. Northern Forest Canoe Trail article link en-us Fri, 08 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1745&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Kim Smith Dedam Adirondack Health has won federal funding to expand its telemedicine network. The $112,860 in U.S. Department of Agriculture money combines with the facility’s $53,000 investment to connect Adirondack Medical Center with rural clinics via technology. Hospital spokesman Joe Riccio said Thursday that the funding will be used to connect telecommunications with clinics to the Medical Center. Press-Republican article link en-us Fri, 08 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Health http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1705&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Steve Zind On Wednesday, we heard about efforts to create manufacturing jobs in the Northeast Kingdom. There is the sense that the area is on the cusp of something that could bring in more high tech jobs. But even now, manufacturers in the region are struggling to find qualified workers. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 07 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1711&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York Press-Republican Staff Some Essex County farms could qualify for disaster funding, due to crops destroyed by frost after March 1. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued federal agriculture disaster declarations for several New York counties. The original proposal championed by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand had included Clinton County as well, but it was not included in the disaster declaration made by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack on Wednesday. Press-Republican article link en-us Thu, 07 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1718&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Tim Jones Does getting really dirty by working really hard sound like a perfect active outdoors vacation to you? Well, trust me, it is. In fact, it may be the best vacation plan ever, especially if your regular life doesn't include enough physical activity. Six of us, (three couples) spent Memorial Day weekend camped at Umbagog Lake State Park in Cambridge, N.H., right on the Maine border near Errol. We were all there because, back in February, I'd talked with the folks at the Northern Forest Canoe Trail about doing a volunteer work project with a crew from EasternSlopes.com. Walter Opuszynski, the volunteer project coordinator for NFCT came up with a project on the Umbagog Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Seems the Refuge had purchased an island with a camp on it. They had burned the camp over the winter, and needed help cleaning up the island and turning it into a remote campsite. We figured we'd pitch in to help. Republican American article link en-us Thu, 07 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1703&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Julia Bayly Thanks to funding secured through USDA Rural Development, Northern Maine Medical Center will produce cleaner, more cost-efficient heat by year’s end. The $3.6 million federal loan, coupled with a $750,000 grant from the Maine Forest Service, is funding construction, purchase and installation of a state-of-the art biomass furnace at the hospital. The new furnace replaces three antiquated boilers and, according to hospital officials, will result in $200,000 in heating cost savings annually over the next two decades. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Wed, 06 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1706&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: VPR Staff Broadband computer services are now available to 4,000 rural customers in north central Vermont. Today, Governor Peter Shumlin helped Vermont's Cloud alliance announce that it had added four new towers that will expand service to homes and businesses in Woodbury, Hardwick, Wolcott and parts of Elmore, Greensboro, Walden and Cabot. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 06 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1707&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Steve Zind Vermont's Northeast Kingdom has the highest unemployment rates in the state. Much of the reason has to do with the loss of manufacturing jobs over the years. The unemployment figures tell only a part of the story in a region where poverty levels are also high. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 06 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1708&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: VRP staff The University of Vermont has received a $5 million grant to support a three-year research program on smart grid electrical systems. This was UVM's sixth try for the graduate research grant from the National Science Foundation. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 06 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1723&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Walter Frick In 2004, when the New England-based Clean Energy Venture Group was first coming together, “cleantech” was still extremely nascent. “In the early days we were really helping to form or reform companies,” CEVG’s Executive Managing Director David Miller told me. Today, cleantech is a major plank of venture capital, constituting 15-17% of total venture dollars. Nonetheless, the early stage funding landscape for cleantech has remained quite limited. The “valley of death” looms large in the industry, with cautious VC’s waiting for technological proof points and few angels around to fill in the gap. BostInno article link en-us Wed, 06 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1722&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Mainebiz Staff Bangor-based Seven Islands Land Co., a forest management company, has acquired MooseWood premium hardwood flooring from Ashland-based Kelly Lumber Sales Inc. Seven Islands plans to retain MooseWood's current 16-person work force, as well as invest in operations and strengthen distribution of the product, according to a press release. "This brings a value-added component to our timber resources and supports jobs in the heart of Maine's northern forest," said John McNulty, president of Seven Islands Land Co., in the release. Seven Islands was already harvesting the lumber used for MooseWood flooring, which was then milled by Maine Woods Co. in Portage, a sawmill Seven Islands owns and operates. MooseWood is FSC certified and includes maple, birch and oak products. Mainebiz article link en-us Wed, 06 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1704&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jen Lynds Two Native American tribes are collaborating with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a project that will address wildlife and sustainability issues in the Saint John River watershed. News of the partnership was announced late last week by The Maine Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership, the only voluntary public-private partnership in which corporations and nongovernmental organizations join forces with federal, state and local agencies to restore aquatic habitats, including wetlands, and to support associated educational programs. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Tue, 05 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1709&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: John Dillon The Northeast Kingdom is the remotest part of Vermont, but it's also deeply intertwined in the global economy. Nowhere is this more evident than in the forest products industry. Many sawmills are dark and the paper companies have left. Furniture manufacturing, once a reliable mainstay of employment, has been decimated because of competition from overseas. Vermont Public Radio areticle link en-us Tue, 05 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Pgm Rel Articles - Industry News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1712&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Press-Republican Staff A warming climate may mean less rainfall for drought-sensitive regions of the Southern Hemisphere, according to a study published by a professor at Paul Smith’s College and an international team of researchers and students. As part of the study, which was supported by the National Science Foundation, Curt Stager and colleagues found that rainfall in South Africa over the last 1,400 years was affected by temperature — with more rain falling during cool periods and less during warm ones. Press-Republican article link en-us Tue, 05 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1701&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: The Associated Press A new invasive pest that can damage hardwood and fruit trees has been discovered in Maine. The Maine Forest Service says a 400-acre area in Harpswell has been infested by winter moths — small tan moths that lay eggs that develop into hungry caterpillars and cause leaves to look like Swiss cheese. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Mon, 04 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1719&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: CAFNRnews staff An assessment of the regional physical availability of woody biomass as an energy feedstock in the U.S. Northern Region conducted by MU Department of Forestry and US Forest Service researchers is the central article featured in the May issue of the Journal of Forestry. The article highlights the potential of woody biomass to produce power in combination with conservation goals. It also stresses the limitations of woody biomass energy utilization stemming from its spatial dispersion and low energy density. Wood energy currently accounts for about 22% of the renewable energy generated in the US. Findings from this assessment indicate that a maximum of 19% of current coal-based electricity consumption in the Northern Region could potentially be produced with woody biomass from timberland without jeopardizing the forest resource. CAFNRnews article link en-us Mon, 04 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1721&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sara Young-Knox “Rain or shine, we're ready to go,” Dick Huot, executive director of Northern Forest Heritage Park, said Sunday, just a half-hour into the park's annual Cultural/Heritage Festival at the non-profit's recreation Logging Camp. That was the spirit, too, of boat captain Ray Fecteau who, with his grandson Cameron Leveille, sat ready for passengers in the pontoon boat docked on the Androscoggin River. The two were prepared for the dampness of the day, with rain gear and umbrellas. As they kept an eye on the rising level of the river, they weren't getting any takers and by early afternoon thought they might have to close up shop for the day. New Hampshire.com article link en-us Mon, 04 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1717&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Foster's Daily Democrat Staff New Hampshire is hosting the annual Northeast regional meeting of agriculture leaders, which will feature tours of leading farms and agri-tourism attractions. The meeting runs Sunday through Tuesday in Whitefield. Leading agriculture officials from the federal government, New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware will tour the Christmas tree farm and New Hampshire Maple Experience Museum in Bethlehem. They also will tour Springvale Farms/Landaff Creamery in Landaff and Pete & Gerry's Organic Eggs in Monroe. Foster's Daily Democrat article link   en-us Sun, 03 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1720&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Staff The Northern Forest Heritage Park in New Hampshire is holding a cultural festival focusing on the many influences that have shaped the North Country. The event Sunday at the Berlin park is centered on foods from Canadian, Irish, German, Italian, Native American, Norwegian and Russian heritages. Boston.com article link en-us Sun, 03 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1710&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jon Alexander Residents of Township 40, the disputed section of Raquette Lake, bought into s proposed constitutional amendment Saturday, which could bring to an end the most contentious land dispute in Adirondack history, officials said. Saturday’s meeting at the Raquette Lake Central School was the first time the owners of more than 200 disputed parcels in Township 40 heard the proposed deal, drafted over months of negotiations between lawmakers, state regulators and environmentalists, that could grant them clear title over their homes, camps, school and firehouse. Post Star article link en-us Sat, 02 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1715&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jessica Collier A new exhibit at The Wild Center will give visitors the chance to access a whole world of knowledge. On June 15, the nature museum will unveil its new "Planet Adirondack," a large white sphere onto which the Earth and other images are projected to illustrate scientific principles. It will be the first new permanent exhibit since the museum's opening six years ago. But don't call it an exhibit to the Wild Center staff. They see it more as an experience, because it's interactive and dynamic. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Sat, 02 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1716&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Adirondack Daily Enterprise Staff At least 79 Adirondack lakes and ponds are infested with invasive plants like Eurasian watermilfoil and water chestnut. Hydrilla, a new aquatic invader to the state that hasn't yet been detected in the Adirondacks, may be on the move this summer. Plant fragments are easily spread from lake to lake by "hitchhiking" on boats, gear and trailers. Fragments can start new infestations that clog waterways, degrade recreational opportunities and push out native plants. As the boating season begins, volunteers will help survey lakes and ponds to search for these non-native invasive plants. Two out of every three water bodies surveyed by volunteers are free of invasive plants, so an opportunity exists to protect them. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Sat, 02 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1724&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Michael Cousineau More Granite Staters are booking trips this year, hitting the lakes sooner and reserving campsites at state parks. “There's no signs of recession as far as Milne Travel goes,” said Pam Cohen, manager of the Manchester travel agency. “People are going and spending.” Cohen said travelers should brace themselves for fuller airplanes and higher airfares, as many airlines reduce capacity. Union Leader article link en-us Sat, 02 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1713&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Kim Smith Dedam The growing season has begun, and farmers markets are opening up around the North Country. How and what local food is sold is the subject of market interpretation, as two organizations make room for an ever-expanding list of local producers. Press-Republican article link en-us Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1702&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: The Associated Press The world's air has reached what scientists call a troubling new milestone for carbon dioxide, the main global warming pollutant. Monitoring stations across the Arctic this spring are measuring more than 400 parts per million of the heat-trapping gas in the atmosphere. The number isn't quite a surprise, because it's been rising at an accelerating pace. Years ago, it passed the 350 ppm mark that many scientists say is the highest safe level for carbon dioxide. It now stands globally at 395. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Thu, 31 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1689&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Kirk Carapezza The Northeast Kingdom's two ski resorts - Jay Peak and Burke Mountain - now have the same owner. The president of Jay Peak Resort and his long-time business partner have purchased Burke Mountain Resort. Bill Stenger says he and his partner Ari Quiros were approached about three months ago by the Florida-based owners of Burke Mountain about whether they were interested in buying the resort. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 30 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1691&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Mike Wertlieb How do you balance private gain with the common good? This big question is getting a long look starting today when the second annual Slow Living Summit gets underway in Brattleboro. To find out more about the goals of the Slow Living Summit, VPR's Mitch Wertlieb turned to Ralph Meima, who's been involved with the conference since its beginnings. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 30 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1692&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont, New York By: Free Press Staff U.S. senators from Vermont and New York are pressing for policies that would enable pre-clearance for cross-border rail travelers — a critical step to enhancing and expanding passenger rail service among Montreal, New York City and Vermont. Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.; Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.; Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., made their request in a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. Burlington Free Press article link   en-us Wed, 30 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1697&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: John Dillon Power plants, not power lines, may be in Vermont's future as a way to ease bottlenecks on the state's transmission grid. The Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO), which operates the statewide grid, is exploring alternatives to building costly new transmission upgrades. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 30 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1687&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Mindy Woerter When Wendy Sheriff and her husband, Mark, went looking for a lifestyle change six years ago, they moved from Massachusetts to St. Albans and bought a farm. The property had once been the town’s largest maple producer, but had been neglected for years. The couple worked hard to reopen it, reviving and planting 300 apple trees and adding sheep, goats, chickens and geese... ...Avalon is one of a growing number of small farms in Maine that are diversifying traditional farm activities with public events. Called agritourism, it includes everything from U-pick strawberries to fall corn mazes and even farm vacations, when guests spend a weekend or longer getting hands-on knowledge of farm activities. For small farms, agritourism’s benefits are twofold: teaching an increasingly curious public how their food is made and providing much-needed supplemental income. For some, agritourism is the only way they can stay afloat. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Tue, 29 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1698&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Phil Brown Much of the lawsuit over the Adirondack Club and Resort boils down to a dispute over what kind of development is appropriate on land designated Resource Management, the Adirondack Park Agency’s (APA) strictest zoning classification for private land. The developers want to build eighty homes on 4,740 acres of Resource Management (RM) lands in Tupper Lake, including thirty-five “Great Camps.” Protect the Adirondacks and the Sierra Club contend that the resort would be incompatible with the purposes of RM lands as spelled out in the Adirondack Park Private Land Use and Development Plan. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Tue, 29 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1699&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff Adirondack Sustainable Communities (ASC) was awarded a grant from the “Farm Credit AgEnhancement” program for an Adirondack Park farm land mapping project to connect farmers with landowners who may want to lease or sell their land. The goal of the program is to strengthen the agriculture industry in the Adirondacks by increasing the amount of farm land in production. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Tue, 29 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1700&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Alex Crichton New York State is on the brink of returning to pre-recession job levels, largely thanks to upstate. That's according to a new analysis from IHS Global Insight...Jim Diffley, chief regional economist at IHS, credits a strong upstate region in helping New York join four other states in returning to pre-recession employment levels... North Country Public Radio article link en-us Tue, 29 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1688&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sam Evans-Brown Lawmakers in the New Hampshire House and Senate have agreed to try to reform RGGI – the region’s carbon cap-and-trade program – instead of trying to repeal it outright. The bill that will go to the House and Senate for a final vote would only send around half of the RGGI fund money to energy efficiency programs. The rest would be rebated to electricity rate-payers. New Hampshire Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 28 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1686&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Steven Singer A summer drought in New England is unlikely despite a warm winter and little snow that sent far less water than usual tumbling into streams and rivers, U.S. scientists said in a recent study. Summer rains play a bigger role than winter snowpack in feeding waterways, the study by the U.S. Geological Survey found. The study also links stream flows to climate. Temperatures have been rising for half a century, causing snowpack to melt earlier, which in turn leads to most runoff early in the season, usually before April, it said. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Sun, 27 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1693&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jon Alexander Executives with the Saratoga & North Creek Railway want their trains making round-trip journeys this summer between North River and the Tahawus mine in Newcomb. Iowa Pacific Holdings LLC, owner of the railway, refiled an exemption notice with the federal Surface Transportation Board last week, seeking common carrier status to haul old mine tailings from Tahawus and potentially serve the Barton mines in North River. Post Star article link en-us Sun, 27 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1696&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Paul Feely For anyone stuck on the roads Friday, holiday traffic may have had you seeing red. If you work in the state's Division of Travel and Tourism, you were likely seeing green. State officials estimate that 540,000 out-of-state visitors are either headed to New Hampshire, or already here, for the long Memorial Day weekend. They will spend an estimated $86 million at local restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions. That's up five percent from last year's revenue figures. Union Leader article link en-us Sat, 26 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1690&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: VPR Staff Hikers who head out over this long holiday weekend to the Long Trail will find some sections rerouted around Tropical Storm Irene damage. The storm's floods washed out sections of the trail and also destroyed bridges. Dave Hardy is trails program director for the Green Mountain Club. He says hikers will still be able to make their way along the entire length of the Long Trail. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1695&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jessica Hall Warmer-than-usual weather and declining gas prices should add up to big crowds this holiday weekend, delighting business owners who cater to tourists and raising hopes for a busy summer season in Maine. Graduations at Bowdoin College in Brunswick and Bates College in Lewiston will help fill hotel rooms in those areas, while targeted advertising campaigns aim to sway tourists from New England, the mid-Atlantic region and Canada to come to Maine on a last-minute whim. The Portland Press Herald article link en-us Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1675&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: USDA Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA is now accepting applications through the Community Connect Broadband program for grants to provide broadband service to residents of remote, rural communities. According to the May 3 press release, Community Connect grants are made available to the most rural, unserved and economically challenged areas. The funds are used to build broadband infrastructure. Awardees are also required to establish community centers that offer free public access to broadband. Community Connect Grants opportunity en-us Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Funding / Grant Opportunities http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1683&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: NCPR Staff The Adirondack Interpretive Center in Newcomb will try a new twist on the "rubber duck race" on Saturday, using rubber loons instead. The event is part of the center's celebration of its first anniversary under the leadership of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Proceeds will support educational programs at the center. North Country Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1685&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail International By: Seth Borenstein Global warming is rescuing the once-rare brown Argus butterfly, scientists say. Man-made climate is threatening the existence of many species, such as the giant polar bear. But in the case of the small drab British butterfly, it took a species in trouble and made it thrive. It’s all about food. Over about 25 years, the butterfly went from in trouble to pushing north in Britain, where it found a veritable banquet. Now the butterfly lives in twice as large an area as it once did and is not near threatened, according to a study in Friday’s issue of the journal Science. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1694&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Abigail Curtis When Aaron Bauman was courting Sarah Mattox, he asked her if she’d like to paddle across the country with him in a canoe. Though some might be intimidated by this kind of invitation, Sarah wasn’t. “I was smitten,” she recalled this week. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1667&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Associated Press New Hampshire is expecting about 540,000 out-of-state visitors for Memorial Day weekend, about 2 percent higher than last year. The New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism says the visitors are anticipated to spend about $86 million, up by 5 percent from a year ago. Boston.com article link en-us Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1668&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: The Associated Press In an effort to avoid a repeat of last winter when the lack of natural snow kept skiers off the slopes, Sugarloaf ski area has announced plans to install 300 new energy-efficient snowmaking machines. Sugarloaf spokesman Ethan Austin says a $300,000 grant from Efficiency Maine will help the $1 million project. He tells the Morning Sentinel that with improved snowmaking, Sugarloaf will be able to prevent low snowfall totals from harming not only its own business but dozens of others that rely on the tourists who visit the Carrabasset Valley resort each year. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1673&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen The Colebrook Planning Board Tuesday night removed what the new owners of the Balsams Grand Resort have said was an impediment to the redevelopment needed to allow hundreds of people to get back to work. The issue was a 28-acre parcel the owners wanted separated from the rest of the property because for decades about two acres of it had been used as a dump. New Hampshire Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1680&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Knight Work is continuing on a new, high-capacity fiber-optic network that will run through the Adirondacks, including the Tri-Lakes. The Development Authority of the North Country, which is spearheading the project, recently submitted an application to the state Adirondack Park Agency to string fiber-optic lines on existing utility poles that run along the railroad corridor between Saranac Lake and Lake Placid. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1666&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sara Young-Knox If you've ever driven north on Route 16 past downtown Berlin, you might have wondered what those little islands are that dot the middle of the Androscoggin River like buttons on a child's sweater. Those are man-made boom piers, and they were used to hold the chains which divided the river in half during log drives for the Brown Paper Co. and the International Paper Co. The logs were stamped and sorted up river, and it was the job of log drivers to keep the logs flowing smoothly downstream, to the companies' mills. The log drives didn't end until 1963, and there are still many left in the Androscoggin Valley who remember those days. NewHampshire.Com article link   en-us Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1670&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jessica Hall Hancock Lumber is going far afield to find its next customer -- 6,600 miles to Japan. Company executives leave for a two-week tour of Japan to meet with architects and builders in hope of landing lucrative exporting contracts for Hancock lumber products. The executives will tour the country and visit areas devastated by last year's earthquake and tsunami where rebuilding efforts are continuing. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1671&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: The Associated Press Officials in a Maine town are warning residents to be on the lookout for a noxious plant that can cause painful blisters or even blindness if it comes into contact with skin or eyes. Last summer, Northport identified and eliminated two giant hogweeds that set down roots. Now residents are on alert for the giant plant with small white flowers. Native to Asia, the weed can grow to 14 feet tall and the sap causes blisters and the potential for blindness if it comes into contact with the eye. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1677&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Steve Zind A new study hopes to determine the health of Vermont's bumblebee population. It's a response to concerns that a variety of factors are contributing to the decline of the native insects. Ecologist Leif Richardson says of 19 species of bumblebees once found in Vermont, four have all but disappeared. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1678&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Steve Zind Measured from the base of the hydroelectric turbine, to the ceiling of the glassblowing workshop on the floor above, Tropical Storm Irene's floodwaters were about 50 feet deep in the old mill that houses Simon Pearce's Quechee business. The company is world famous for its high-end glass products, and a popular Vermont destination. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1682&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Anna Simet The U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources held a hearing May 17 to gather testimonial regarding S. 2146, the Clean Energy Standard Act of 2012, as introduced by U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M, earlier this spring. Among testifiers was Howard Gruenspecht, acting administrator for the U.S. Energy Information Administration. He discussed an EIA analysis performed at the request of Sen. Bingaman to examine the potential impact of the proposed legislation on the development of future electricity markets, and projected carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation. Though they could vary significantly by region, he said, impacts on electricity prices over the next decade are minimal, the EIA found. Projected national average electricity prices start to rise, however, after 2020. Biomass Magazine article link en-us Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1684&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: John Warren A number of debates in the Adirondacks revolve around snowmobiling, including opening long-closed backcountry roads to sleds, expanding trail networks or routing connector trials on state lands, and shared use of trails. Snowmobilers often cite their positive economic impact as a reason to expand the approximately 800 miles of groomed snowmobile trails on state land. A new study of the 2010 – 2011 snowmobiling season commissioned by the New York State Snowmobile Association and undertaken by the SUNY Potsdam Institute for Applied Research, offers some insight. It concludes that snowmobiling statewide contributes more than $428.5 million annually in direct spending, but much of that money is spent in Adirondack feeder markets on sleds, trailers, maintenance, and equipment. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1674&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sam Evans-Brown Republican are working at finding common language on a bill that would weaken or repeal the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI. They will have to agree on a version that will get enough votes to overcome a governor’s veto. Repealing RGGI has been at the top of the conservative agenda since the 2010 election put Republicans in control of the state legislature. And this year it may be possible. New Hampshire Public Radio article link en-us Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1679&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Lohr McKinstry International Paper's Ticonderoga mill will soon be shut down for three weeks to install new equipment. The outage will begin May 29 and continue for three weeks, Mill Communications Manager Donna Wadsworth said...In addition to the mill's 600 employees, 700 to 800 contractor personnel will work on site, she said. Press Republican article ink en-us Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1669&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Nick Sambides Jr. The ride might have been rough, but the 40 to 50 riders that have hit the 16½-mile trail since the run of good weather that bloomed Thursday have shown that the new trail has smoothly become a part of the state’s ATV trail network, said members of the Northern Timber Cruisers club of Millinocket, which co-sponsors the trail... ...This weekend was the first in which the weather really supported riding, and police who patrol the trail, which debuted in October and reopened May 1, say that riders seem to be respecting how special the trail is. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Sun, 20 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1672&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: The Associated Press The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is going to offer butterfly identification training next month in hopes of expanding its statewide survey. Maine has at least 120 species of butterflies, but spokesman Doug Rafferty says the state has only a rudimentary knowledge of them compared to neighboring states and provinces, including Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Brunswick, which have compiled butterfly atlases. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Sun, 20 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1676&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: The Associated Press Sugarbush resort has won a Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence for its work to restore nearby waterways. Sugarbush hired an environmental consulting firm to develop a long-term water quality plan for the resort, and the results have been successful. Burlington Free Press article link en-us Sat, 19 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1639&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: USDA Through the New England-New York Forestry Initiative (NENYI) the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), forest landowners and land managers implement voluntary conservation practices to help to keep forests as forests that provide clean drinking water, support rural economies and protect wildlife habitat. USDA article link en-us Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1643&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: John Dillon The governors of New England and the premiers of eastern Canadian provinces have set ambitious goals to cut greenhouse gases. And this week the leaders' staff met to discuss the opportunities and obstacles to reaching those goals with more renewable energy projects. Some of the challenges include transmission constraints and an influx of cheap natural gas. Governor Peter Shumlin will host the New England governors and Eastern Canadian premiers in Burlington later this summer. As the leaders' staff assembled with utility executives and other experts in the Statehouse, Shumlin gave the group its marching orders. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1645&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: ANCA North Country Clean Energy Conference 2012: June 21-22 in Lake Placid, NY In order to encourage a broader spectrum of attendees, we extended the early registration deadline to May 25. Taking place at the stunning new Conference Center in Lake Placid (NY), the conference will open Thursday, June 21 at 4 p.m. with registration, a networking reception, student poster session and other activities, followed by our featured speakers and a plated dinner. Friday’s session is a full day, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., more networking opportunities and workshops in five areas: solar, wind, hydro, biomass and conservation. Conference Information en-us Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1652&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Knight Adirondackers have a long history of bickering over big issues in the Park, which is why it's so odd that they seem to agree on what it should look like 25 years from now, at least according to one new study. Data drawn from the ADK Futures project, an effort to get people thinking about the future of the Adirondacks, shows strong support among year-round and seasonal residents from diverse backgrounds for building a sustainable Park with both a healthy economy and a healthy environment. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1653&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jessica Collier The wood pellet and wood chip industry is going to have to grow if regional companies that make and distribute the product are going to stay alive...He said his company has tried everything it can think of to build a domestic market, but the demand today is not large enough to keep the biomass production facilities in the region in business. He's looked into shipping his product to Europe, where there is a larger demand for biomass, but with shipping costs it would not be worth it. He's met others who are selling their biomass products in Europe at less than cost to move their inventory... He suggested that the best way to handle subsidies in a way that will grow the biomass industry is to give them to the end users as much as possible, like homeowners who want to install a pellet stove. Programs like that in Europe have been the most successful in growing the industry there, he said. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1660&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Luke Geiver A recently released online video series on biomass harvest and retention issues provides perspective on how woody biomass can be used for energy while maintaining forest habitat, soils and water. The use of forest biomass will be essential, one of the videos explains, for meeting renewable energy targets in the U.S. Provided by The Forest Guild and others, the video series offers commentary on forest management, conservation, policy and the growing demand of biomass for energy production. Biomass Magazine article link en-us Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1637&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Susan Sharon This spring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed new rules that, for the first time, would set national limits on carbon pollution from new power plants. Environmental groups say the limits are modest and necessary to address climate change. Industry groups and coal-dependent states say they'll be difficult to implement and drive up the cost of electricity. But at a listening session in Portland this morning the EPA's regional administrator heard from some Mainers who don't think they go far enough. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article link en-us Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1654&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Mike Lynch The head of the U.S. Green Building Council was the keynote speaker Wednesday at the 19th annual Conference on the Adirondacks, held at the High Peaks Resort Wednesday and today. Rick Fedrizzi, who is from Syracuse, talked about the green building movement, providing some background on some problems associated with development and some positive things happening now. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1655&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Morris The impact that colleges and universities have on North Country communities goes beyond dollars and cents. That was the message from three higher education leaders who led a panel discussion on Wednesday called "Institutions of Higher Education as Economic Engines for the Community," part of the Adirondack Research Consortium's 19th annual Conference on the Adirondacks. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1662&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Phil Brown Back in 1990, the Commission on the Adirondacks in the Twenty-First Century recommended a plan to protect the backcountry by shifting development to more settled areas around the Park’s hamlets. Under the scheme, owners of backcountry lands would receive transferrable development rights, or TDRs, that could be sold to owners of lands in settled areas. The buyers of TDRs would be allowed to develop their property beyond what otherwise would be allowed under the regulations of the Adirondack Park Agency. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1646&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sam Evans-Brown The New Hampshire House has passed a new version of the rules that govern what counts as renewable energy. The bill would expand the definition of renewable to include thermal energy. The changes mean schools, hospitals or other large buildings that install high-efficiency, wood-burning heating plants could get a piece of state subsidies. Money would also go to solar-hot water, or geothermal installations. New Hampshire Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1642&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: John Dillon Vermont has become the first state to ban a controversial natural gas drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Governor Peter Shumlin signed the ban into law on Wednesday. He said the ban was needed, even though Vermont doesn't have much of the shale rock targeted by energy companies for natural gas extraction. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1656&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Staff The second round is coming up for funding application by Regional Economic Development Councils throughout New York state. "The best way to maximize state investment in the North Country for the second year in a row is to help our local officials, non-profits and growing companies understand the grant process and how best to compete," North Country Chamber of Commerce President and North Country Regional Economic Development Council Co-chair Garry Douglas said in a news release. Press-Republican article link en-us Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1661&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Anna Simet The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources held a webinar May 16 to explain changes made in its proposed final woody biomass regulations released at the end of April. Dwayne Breger, director of renewable energy development at DOER, went over several key provisions, including eligible forest biomass, biomass fuel certificates and certificate registry, overall efficiency criteria, carbon accounting, annual compliance of generation units and provisions for under compliance, as well as treatment of previously qualified biomass units. Biomass Magazine article link en-us Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1663&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff Balancing individual and community priorities with land use is the focus of a symposium of interdisciplinary scholarship in land use and ethics to held by the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry’s (ESF) Northern Forest Institute. The event will be held June 1-3 at Huntington Wildlife Forest at ESF’s Newcomb campus and all are welcome. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1636&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Tux Turkel Representatives from The Nature Conservancy, the Forest Society of Maine and the Plum Creek timber company came together today to celebrate the historic conservation easement they negotiated on 363,000 acres in the Moosehead Lake region. The easement is considered one of the largest in the history of conservation in the United States. The parties say it serves as the missing piece that connects existing protected lands to create one of the nation’s most extensive conserved working forests. It links a landscape of more than 2 million acres stretching from the St. John Valley to Moosehead Lake to Mount Katahdin, an expanse roughly the size of Yellowstone National Park. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1632&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region USDA Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that applications for grants are being accepted to provide assistance to low- and very-low-income rural residents to repair their homes. Grants can be used to weatherize and repair existing structures, install or improve plumbing or provide access to people with disabilities. Housing Preservation Grants, or HPGs, help bring job growth and stability to low-income communities while improving the living conditions of rural Americans. Bangor Daily News article link   en-us Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Funding / Grant Opportunities http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1638&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Susan Sharon As bonds go, it's a small one, just $5 million. But supporters of the bond to replenish the Land for Maine's Future program said it faces an uphill battle even though polls show most voters overwhelmingly support the idea of preserving wildlife habitat and public access. That's because the bond is competing against four others totaling more than $95 million dollars. And because it will need a two-thirds vote in both the Maine House and Senate to withstand a possible veto from the governor. Conservationists and sportsmen are concerned about what that could mean for projects underway across the state. Maine Public Broadcasting Network article link en-us Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1640&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Northern Forest Canoe Trail Northern Forest Canoe Trail will be represented at the 14th Annual Adirondack Paddlefest in Old Forge, New York from May 18–20. Sponsored by Mountainman Outdoor Supply Company, the state’s largest canoe and kayak dealer, the weekend features over 75 of the leading manufacturers of canoes, kayaks and accessories. The festival will include clinics, on-site test paddling, speakers, instruction, live music, food and fun for the whole family with over 1,000 canoes and kayaks on sale. Northern Forest Canoe Trail article link en-us Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1650&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Staff The time is coming to rev those engines and cruise down to Main Street Berlin for the famous 'Drive in the '50s event sponsored by Pat's Auto Sales! Gorgeous classic cars will line the streets and music will be heard throughout downtown Thursday, June 7, from 5 to 8 p.m., rain or shine. Everyone is invited to join the downtown festivities. The Berlin Daily Sun article link en-us Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1658&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Maury Thompson The operator of the Saratoga & North Creek Railway can move forward with plans to reopen the Tahawus rail line between North Creek and Newcomb and offer freight service, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., announced Monday. The federal Surface Transportation Board on Monday approved a request for “common carrier” status on the line, which allows Iowa Pacific Holdings, the rail line operator, to reopen the line. Post Star article link en-us Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1664&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jeff Farbaniec It’s official. The 2011-12 ski season was the worst in 20 years. That’s according to the National Ski Areas Association’s (NSAA) preliminary end-of-season survey released last week. Nationwide, skier visits were down by more than 15%, to their lowest levels since the 1991-92 ski season. The season was characterized by low snowfall and mild winter weather across nearly the entire U.S. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1641&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Tux Turkel Central Maine Power Co.'s $1.4 billion transmission system upgrade isn't designed to handle the power that can be made available at times from new and existing alternative energy plants in northern and eastern Maine, federal utility regulators and the region's grid operator have determined. The shortcoming has financial effects that could discourage future investments in alternative energy in Maine. Kennebec Journal article link en-us Sun, 13 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1651&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: The Concord Monitor Decades of history and hospitality have been sold at auction in the latest step toward restoring the nearly 150-year-old Balsams Grand Resort Hotel in Dixville Notch, known for hosting the earliest voting in the state's first-in-the-nation presidential primary. Yesterday's auction included more than 2,400 items, many encompassing the entire contents of guest rooms and other spaces. Mahogany chairs were being sold in groups of eight, dishes stamped with the hotel logo in sets of 10 and everything from towels and sheets to tablecloths in groups of 25. Concord Monitor article link en-us Sun, 13 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1659&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Associated Press With all the restrictions in proposed state regulations and local bans, gas companies say about half of their lease holdings in the lucrative Marcellus Shale region in New York state will be off-limits or inaccessible to drilling if the state gives the green light to developers this year. A coalition of environmental groups is pushing for a complete ban on shale gas drilling, but the industry and landowners hoping to lease to drillers are working to lift some of the restrictions and halt the movement toward local bans. Times Union article link en-us Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1633&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Andrew Neff Six years after first planning and proposing the idea to build a large condominium building on the Fern Street site formerly occupied by New Franklin Laundry, Bob and Suzanne Kelly are close to building. But instead of 15 condominiums, the Kellys have ripped up the old blueprint and drawn up a new one for six energy-efficient houses. Bangor Daily News article link   en-us Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1634&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Holly Ramer From the pastel wicker chairs lined up in the sunroom to the stacks of bright red ski lift seats outside, the list of items for auction at the Balsams Grand Resort Hotel is as sweeping as the view surrounding the historic property in far northern New Hampshire. Saturday’s auction is another step toward restoring the nearly 150-year-old hotel, which was sold for $2.3 million in December to two local businessmen who hope to renovate it and reopen it next year. And though a recent snag involving approval for subdividing the land has temporarily stalled the project, the auction will go on as scheduled. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1635&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Nick Sambides Jr. Years in the making, the Katahdin region’s first networked ATV trail is open for its first full season of riding and is already, despite getting almost no publicity, attracting encouraging numbers of users, officials said Friday. “It’s been busy,” ATV Trail Manager and Town Councilor John Raymond said of the 16.5-mile trail, which opened May 1. “We were talking about opening it [May 15] but we’ve had a really dry spell and that allowed the club to open it early.” Bangor Daily News article link en-us Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1644&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: VPR Staff Worries about health effects, privacy and cost are fueling growing opposition to wireless, digital "smart meters" that utilities around the country are installing on homes and businesses and touting as key energy conservation and grid reliability tools. Vermont appears poised to take an unusually aggressive stance. While several states have allowed utilities to charge a fee to customers who want to opt out of smart meters, Vermont's governor is expected soon to sign legislation that would allow customers to say no without paying anything extra. Vermont Public Radion article link en-us Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1647&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen The Colebrook Planning Board has called a special meeting May 22 to try and resolve an issue the new owners of the Balsams Grand Resort say is delaying its renovation. The owners, Dan Dagesse and Dan Hebert, are asking the Planning Board to approve a subdivision that would separate a 28-acre parcel from the roughly 1,000 acres that currently includes the hotel, grounds and golf course. New Hampshire Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1648&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Rick Ganley New Hampshire foresters are closely watching the movements of an exotic beetle known as the Emerald Ash Borer. Just last month the U-S Forest Service announced that for the first time, the beetle has been found east of the Hudson river. That’s just ninety miles from the New Hampshire border. The Emerald Ash Borer first appeared in North America ten years ago, and has killed millions of ash trees in several mid-Atlantic and Midwestern states, as well as Canada. To find out whether or not the beetle poses a threat to the Granite State, we turn to Kyle Lombard. He’s the Forest Health Program coordinator for the state. He says any threat to the state’s ash trees is serious. New Hampshire Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1649&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Barbara Tetreault Local officials and residents yesterday told representatives of the state’s Congressional delegation that local support for the Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge has eroded. About a dozen area residents, including selectmen from both Errol and Upton, Maine, and a representative from the Coos County commissioners, held a public meeting with staffers representing U.S. Senators Kelly Ayotte, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, and U.S. Representative Charlie Bass. Orville Fitch, state director for Ayotte, served as moderator. The Berlin Daily Sun article link en-us Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1657&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Dan Heath Bombardier Transportation has been approved for a contract for 410 rail cars with the Bay Area Rapid Transit authority, which portends secure jobs for years to come. During a meeting Thursday that was simulcast online from California, the Bay Area Rapid Transit Board of Directors authorized authority General Manager Grace Crunican to award a contract for a $896 million base contract for 260 rail cars and an 150-car option. Press-Republican article link en-us Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1665&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff Organizations throughout the state will celebrate New York history during this year’s New York Heritage Weekend on May 19th & 20th. Now in its 3rd year, the weekend will offer special programs, discounted or free admission to sites and events that celebrate national, state or local heritage. Guided hikes, local history festivals, historic garden events, open historic houses, and events that explore all kinds of New York culture and history are on tap. Last year Heritage Weekend hosted 166 Heritage Weekend events with 143 federal, state, and private organizations. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1607&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: The Wild Center Please join us on May 29th, 2012, from 1-3pm at the Adirondack Park Agency headquarters in Ray Brook. We will hear from a Finnish participant in the recent international exchange program between Heureka, the Finnish Science Center, and our own Wild Center natural history museum in Tupper Lake. Markku Seppanen is an architect with extensive experience in cohousing and intentional communities, working with Finnmap Consulting; his wife Paivi Alasuutari will also present on the involvement of residents in planning the projects. Markku will describe his work creating two projects, both with houses grouped together, including one with "green" or sustainable building techniques. The social and community aspects of cohousing projects are often as important as the building approaches, thus Markku will also describe intensive participatory planning processes carried out on both projects. Residents participated in planning with architects and structural/HVAC designers. There will be time for Q&A as well, when attendees can share experiences, ask detailed questions, and find out more about building sites, construction and organization. This event will be streamed live online. en-us Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1608&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Maine Department of Environmental Protection Governor Paul LePage honored six stewards of sustainability on April 19, 2012 with the first state-sponsored environmental achievement awards handed out in Maine since 2005. The Governor’s Awards for Environmental Excellence, administered by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, were presented by Governor LePage and Maine DEP Commissioner Patricia Aho in a ceremony at Jotul North America’s headquarters in Gorham...Maine Energy Systems, of Bethel, won in the “Business Under 15 Employees” category for helping Maine homes, public facilities and businesses –including Waterville High School and Mt. Abram Ski Resort– transition to a cleaner fuel, sustainability-harvested from Maine’s forests with the sales of their wood pellets and boilers. Maine Department of Environmental Protection article link   en-us Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1629&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Luke Geiver A startup pellet producer has unveiled a plan to create a larger market for its hybrid wood, agricultural residue and plastic residual pellets. Maine-based Pelletco LLC is now offering school districts in the Northeastern U.S. that consume an average of 15,000 gallons per year of fuel oil the opportunity to convert their thermal heating systems to pellets without any equipment, installation or maintenance costs. “Rather than the schools having to put up money, we’ll put the equipment in,” said Jim Knight, CEO of Pelletco. “We own it, we take care of it and we sell the heat on a metered basis.” Through the program, the schools are only charged for the heat consumed. “We measure how much heat they are taking and we send them a bill,” Knight said. The scenario is a cost saving measure for the schools, too. Biomass Magazine article link en-us Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1625&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Diane Chase Mother’s Day is this Sunday, May 13th, and The Wild Center in Tupper Lake is giving everyone the chance to celebrate the women in their lives whether great-grandmother, grandmother or mother. This event is not just geared toward children, but to embrace the child within. Join in the festivities and enjoy a free opportunity to explore Mother Nature inside and outside the Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks (The Wild Center). Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1623&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Adirondack Daily Enterprise Staff The village of Saranac Lake has received statewide recognition for its economic development efforts. The New York Conference of Mayors has awarded the village's "biotech cluster" project first place in the economic development category of the 25th annual Local Government Achievement Awards Program. The award was presented to village officials Monday at NYCOM's annual conference in Saratoga Springs. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1611&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: The Associated Press Hundreds of people across New England are drawing attention to what they see as a link between extreme weather events and climate change. Dozens of rallies and demonstrations were held Saturday in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts as part of Climate Impacts Day, a global initiative organized by 350.org, an environmental group founded by Vermont activist Bill McKibben. The theme of the rallies was to “connect the dots” between extreme weather and climate change. Highway demonstration about climate change connects dots for drivers en-us Sat, 05 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1612&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Mary Esch Wolf Lake in the Adirondack High Peaks region is considered a “heritage lake,” one of the most pristine freshwater bodies in the northeastern United States. It remains as it was when European settlers arrived in North America. As part of a private preserve bordering the state-owned 300-square-mile High Peaks Wilderness Area, it has escaped pollution and the ravages of invasive plants and animals. It’s one of a dwindling number of lakes with heritage brook trout and calcium-rich soils buffering its water from fish-killing acid rain. But there’s no shelter from climate change, and Wolf Lake’s pristine days may be numbered. A new study shows the length of time the lake is covered with ice each winter has declined by three weeks since 1975, indicating a change that may alter the lake’s ecology and harm cold-water species such as trout. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Sat, 05 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1622&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Dan Heath The Town of Plattsburgh is accepting applications for its 2011-12 Microenterprise Program. A $200,000 Community Development Block Grant will be used to assist up to eight microenterprise businesses with grants and educational training. Press-Republican article link en-us Sat, 05 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Funding / Grant Opportunities http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1624&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Knight A new, high-efficiency wood pellet boiler at Petrova Elementary and the Saranac Lake Middle School has cut the building's heating costs in half, at least for the month of April. Gerald Goldman, superintendent of the Saranac Lake Central School District, told the school board Wednesday that he recently received a report on the use of the new boiler, which went on line in January, from Lee Daunais, the district's facilities director. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Sat, 05 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1613&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Brian Palmer Last year, a team of climbers led by arborist Will Blozan measured the tallest tree in the Eastern United States: a 192-foot tulip tree in the Great Smoky Mountains. Although the achievement was significant, it served to emphasize just how puny Eastern trees are compared with the giants along the Northern California coast. The current height champion out West is Hyperion, a 379-foot coast redwood standing somewhere in California’s Redwood National Park. (Researchers have kept the precise location quiet to protect the world’s tallest tree.) That’s just a shade under double the size of the tallest Eastern tree. In fact, even the average coast redwood grows more than 100 feet taller than any tree in the East. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1616&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: The Associated Press The new owners of the Balsams Grand Resort say a planning board decision is stalling a planned renovation of the northern New Hampshire resort. Co-owner Dan Hebert said the Colebrook Planning Board approved three of four subdivision plans but has requested an environmental impact statement and a bond related to the fourth subdivision. Concord Monitor article link en-us Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1620&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jon Alexander The federal Surface Transportation Board is coming under increasing pressure from federal officials to act immediately and approve Iowa Pacific’s application to reopen the Tahawus rail line between North Creek and Newcomb. Iowa Pacific Holdings, which operates the Saratoga & North Creek Railway, had its application for common carrier status denied late last year by the Transportation Board after the environmental group, Protect the Adirondacks, opposed the company’s bid. Iowa Pacific is appealing the ruling. Post Star article link en-us Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1614&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Alex Barber The emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle from Asia that can kill ash trees, has not been found in Maine yet, but the Maine Department of Conservation, U.S. Department of Agriculture and other groups are trying to buy some time so the insect can be dealt with if it does appear. On Thursday morning, Maine Forest Service entomologist Colleen Teerling demonstrated a sticky purple triangular trap that will be hoisted into the canopy of 955 ash trees across the state. The trap is designed to attract any emerald ash borer beetles that are nearby, she said. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1615&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Mathew Spolar New Hampshire wouldn't withdraw from a multi-state cap-and-trade compact under a reform bill passed yesterday by the Senate, but advocates say the move weakens a program that is succeeding in promoting clean energy. For the second year in a row, the House passed a bill seeking to remove New Hampshire from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, but Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley offered up the same amendment as last year that continues the program but changes the way it operates in the state. Concord Monitor article link en-us Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1618&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Jane Lindholm There are challenges and benefits of promoting tourism in the Northest Kingdom while preserving the unique character and way of life of the region. Gloria Bruce, Executive Director of the Northeast Kingdom Travel & Tourism Association weighs in on the issues. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1619&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: John Dillon Under pressure from business groups, the Legislature has backed away from a plan to require utilities to buy a certain percentage of their electricity from renewable sources. The energy bill is one of the last pieces of legislation awaiting action before the 2012 session adjourns. Vermont Public Radio article link en-us Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1621&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Jon Alexander The chief executives of two lakeside towns said Thursday that they’d locally regulate incoming boat traffic at area launches, requiring mandatory inspections and decontaminations, if the Lake George Park Commission can’t get a lakewide regulation done soon. The Park Commission is gearing up a pilot program this summer of a decontamination station in Hague for invasive species-carrying boats. Post Star article link en-us Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1627&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff Conservation Partnership Program grants totaling $1.4 million were awarded to 53 nonprofit land trusts across the state according to a statement by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Land Trust Alliance. The grants, funded through New York State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), will be matched by a total of $1.2 million in private and local funding. The purpose of the grants is to increase the pace, improve the quality and ensure the permanence of voluntary conservation of private lands, which is expected to result in environmental and economic benefits for communities throughout New York. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1628&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff Those interested in joining statewide efforts to track invasive species can attend an iMapInvasives online mapping tool training session. Anyone can help keep the New York map up-to-date and accurate by reporting invasive species locations. Volunteers, citizen scientists and educational groups will find the simple reporting interface easy to use for local projects, and conservation professionals can use the advanced interface to manage detailed information about infestations, surveys and treatments in a standardized format. Training is required to enter data, and then users can enter observations of invasive plants, aquatic invasive species, forest pests and agricultural pests. Adirondack Almanac article link Training Schedule en-us Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1630&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Lisa Gibson The district heating project in Montpelier, Vt., has been awarded $1.75 million in grants and loans from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act program. The $20 million project will replace and old state-owned district heating plant with a new woody biomass facility, heating the state government complex, as well as city government buildings, schools and other downtown structures. In June, the city approved a $2.75 million bond issue for the project, Vermont lawmakers appropriated $7 million in the Capital Bill toward construction, the state provided $1.2 million of in-kind services through the Department of Buildings and General Services, and $8 million came from the federal Department of Energy. The most recent funding includes a $1 million grant and $750,000 loan from the Clean Energy Development Fund. Biomass Magazine article link en-us Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1591&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Barbara Tetreault Construction of the Burgess BioPower plant will begin to ramp up with 50 additional workers expected to be hired over the next two weeks. Cate Street Capital spokesman Scott Tranchemontagne said Mascaro Construction of Pittsburgh, Penn., is the new civil contractor on the project and recently deployed on-site. He said Mascaro will immediately resume excavation and foundation work, specifically on the turbine building foundation. Mascaro will add about 50 workers over the next two weeks. There are presently just over 100 people working on the project. The Berlin Daily Sun article link en-us Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1592&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Blake Jones It’s been a busy couple of years for The Sagamore, to say the least. Since the luxury resort was sold to Ocean Properties Ltd. in 2008, the new owners have invested more than $30 million in improvements. General Manager Tom Guay says the running total could be closer to $50 million. From new restaurants and bars, more guest rooms, an overhauled entryway, landscaping, technology upgrades, infrastructure, maintenance and amenities, it might be quicker to list areas of the historic property that haven’t been recently renovated. Post Star article link en-us Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1593&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Staff Warren County businesses are invited to two seminars in which state officials will detail how to access state cash for energy-saving projects. The New York State Research and Development Authority is hosting the events on May 8 and 9. High-efficiency gas incentives, energy audits and other money-saving programs will be discussed, and officials will be available to answer questions Post Star article link en-us Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1594&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Scott Donnelly The Glens Falls area was named Tuesday among the top 10 “best small cities for jobs” by Forbes magazine. The publication, on its website at forbes.com, ranked the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of Warren and Washington counties, No. 8 overall out of 242 metropolitan statistical areas with fewer than 150,000 jobs. Forbes cited statistics provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Post Star article link en-us Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1597&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Morris The state has already said no to bike lanes on state Route 86 between Saranac Lake and Lake Placid. Now, cycling advocates are petitioning the state to create a usable shoulder when transportation crews repave the highway later this spring. NCPR article link en-us Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1600&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Alan Panebaker Each day, the chances of the Vermont Legislature passing an energy bill this year appear to get slimmer. A bill that would require state utilities to buy renewable energy passed the House more than a month ago. From there, things took a detour. VT Digger article link en-us Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1603&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Business Wire The Nature Conservancy’s Conservation Gateway launched its “Calling All Conservationists” campaign today. “Calling All Conservationists” invites conservation practitioners, scientists and decision makers to join the Conservation Gateway website. The website is the place to learn how the Nature Conservancy and its partners approach pressing conservation issues, and find the tools and resources used to support established and emerging strategies to today’s environmental challenges. SYS-CON Media article link en-us Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1609&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: George Smith The couple from Calgary, Alberta, crossed the border in Montana on their way to a birding adventure in Brownsville, Texas. The U.S. border guard told them they were foolish to go to Brownsville, calling it the "arm pit" of the United States. Luckily, they didn't turn back, arriving to find Brownsville a great city with a thriving economy and exceptional bird-watching opportunities. Just before leaving for Texas, I participated in a Maine Woods Consortium conference focused on "Profiting from Quality." This group is hoping to expand the number of visitors to the Maine woods by creating, certifying and marketing quality experiences. The consortium includes a diverse group of participants from sporting camp owners to downtown associations to nonprofits to government agencies, and covers Franklin, Oxford, Somerset, Piscataquis, Penobscot, Aroostook and Washington counties. Kennebec Journal article link en-us Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1583&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Kate Galbraith A century ago, rural homes in the United States and Europe commonly relied on wood for heating. Now wood is making a comeback, thanks largely to pellet technology. The energy-dense pellets, which resemble dry dog kibble and are mostly made from mill residue like sawdust and wood shavings, can be used to generate heat or electricity — or both at the same time. Demand is strong in Europe, where high prices for heating oil and clean-energy requirements have fostered interest in alternatives, but analysts say that over the long term, markets in Asia and North America could grow rapidly, too. New York Times article link en-us Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1595&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Dave Canfield A $5 million federal grant announced Tuesday will help fund a new Hudson Headwaters Health Network facility in Warrensburg, according to the head of the organization and government officials. The building will replace the Warrensburg Care Center, which the nonprofit organization has run since 1976, and it will be nearly twice the size, said Dr. John Rugge, Hudson Headwaters’ CEO. Post Star article link en-us Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Health http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1601&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Diane M. Clabrese A firm belief in the possibility of perfection guides Tom R. Nelson, vice president at Prentiss and Carlisle. Tom oversees the woodlot services division at Prentiss and Carlisle (P&C), a forest resource management company headquartered in Bangor, Maine. P&C launched its woodlot services division in 2003. “It’s been a pretty rapid growth since [then],” said Tom. The division now has seven professional foresters, including Tom, and seven equipment operators plus their supervisor. It buys stumpage on 80 to 90 woodlots per year and it offers “à la carte” solutions to private landowners. Timberline article link en-us Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1605&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: SUNY ESF Balancing individual and community priorities with land use is the focus of the first symposium of Interdisciplinary Scholarship in Land Use and Ethics held by ESF's Northern Forest Institute. The event will be held June 1 through 3 at Huntington Wildlife Forest at ESF's Newcomb campus. The symposium will highlight research from across professions and disciplines on topics related to balancing individual and community priorities with respect to land use, and the associated expectations for human and ecosystem stewardship and social and environmental ethics. SUNY ESF article link en-us Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1681&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Luke Geiver Before the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee concluded a series of hearings on programs potentially affected by a new Farm Bill, the Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy and Forestry listened to testimony on the Biomass Crop Assistance Program and other biomass-related programs set to expire. Ryan Stroschein, director of the Agriculture Energy Coalition based out of Washington D.C., told the committee about the need to continue BCAP as part of the Energy Title because it’s the only program of its kind. “Without this program, the agricultural community is reluctant to embrace these crops and forest residues due to the risk involved,” he said. Stroschein told the committee that if national investments and policy commitments to biomass programs continue, economic and job growth will too. Biomass Magazine article link en-us Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1584&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Tom Groening Few people go to one car mechanic for a diagnosis of a rattle in the engine, then go to another to get the necessary repairs. But that’s the way Maine’s nascent home energy audit and weatherization work has been done. Under a new consumer program offered by Efficiency Maine, homeowners can have an energy audit and six hours of work improving a building’s heat retention done all in one day by the same contractor. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1587&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Staff The state of Maine has purchased more than 5,700 acres south of Millinocket in Piscataquis County, including two miles of Seboeis Lake shoreland. State and conservation advocates say Monday's $2.7-million purchase in Lakeville Plantation is expected to enhance outdoor recreation, tourism, public access and economic development throughout the region. The Morning Sentinel article link en-us Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1589&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Patty B. Wight This year marks a milestone for the country's first cap and trade program for greenhouse gases. It's been three years since the RGGI, or The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, was implemented by Maine and nine other states in the east. The goal was to reduce greenhouse gases by requiring power plants to pay for carbon allowances. In its first review of the program, Environment Northeast said states have seen significant economic gains, and those gains could be better if emissions are further capped. MPBN article link en-us Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1590&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jay Field Some biomass power plants in Maine could see their bottom lines hurt by tough new industry emissions standards in Massachusetts. The rules, being pushed by the administration of Governor Deval Patrick, would require plants selling biomass energy in the commonwealth to reduce carbon emissions, if they hope to get lucrative renewable power credits from the state. MPBN article link en-us Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1596&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Staff U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., on Monday urged the federal Surface Transportation Board to approve, without delay, a request from Iowa Pacific Holdings to reopen the rail line between North Creek and Newcomb for freight service... ...Iowa Pacific Holdings, owner of the Saratoga & North Creek Railway, is seeking “common carrier status,” which would allow it to reopen the Tahawus Line between North Creek and Newcomb and resume hauling freight to and from businesses along the line. Post Star article link en-us Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1610&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: David Muir When Global Foundries was seeking a home for its new $7 billion factory, it skipped over Germany and Singapore, where it already has facilities, and settled on the small town of Malta in upstate New York. "We got a call from folks in New York who had been investing in infrastructure and workforce and everything," said Travis Bullard, a spokesman for the company, which is 100 percent owned by ATIC of Abu Dhabi. "We came up and looked at a few sites around New York and ultimately decided to build here." ABC News article link en-us Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1617&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Lisa Rathke Last year’s hurricanes and flooding not only engulfed homes and carried away roads and bridges in hard-hit areas of the country, it dispersed aggressive invasive species as well. In Vermont, the floodwaters from Tropical Storm Irene and work afterward to dredge rivers and remove debris spread fragments of Japanese knotweed, a plant that threatens to take over flood plains wiped clean by the August storm. Burlington Free Press article link en-us Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1585&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Brad Plumer Each year, the International Energy Agency puts out a study of which technological advances are needed to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius. The 2012 report is out and the grades are dismal: Aside from a recent boom in wind and solar power, the world isn’t making much progress. The IEA doesn’t just look at recent trends in greenhouse-gas emissions — those can rise and fall with the economy. Instead, it looks at which clean-energy technologies are coming online. If the world wants to avoid a dangerous 2C rise in global temperatures, then we’ll need a certain amount of low-carbon infrastructure in place by 2020, the IEA says. That means a mix of wind turbines, nuclear reactors, energy-efficient cars and buildings, and so on. And, for most of those things, countries are way behind... Bangor Daily News article link en-us Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1588&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Mechele Cooper Beekeepers need to be especially careful this year. A mild winter and unseasonably warm early spring have created conditions reminiscent of 2010, when beekeepers were caught off guard from an explosion of mite populations that killed off many honeybee colonies, according to a state expert. The Morning Sentinel article link en-us Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1586&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Nick Sambides Jr. Town leaders so far have had a favorable reaction to Cate Street Capital’s proposal to turn the Katahdin Avenue paper mill site into a nationally advertised industrial park. “It is a positive thing,” Town Councilor Gilda Stratton said after the council’s meeting Thursday. “It is all positive,” Councilor Jimmy Busque added. “We have always said that we needed to diversify the region’s economy and this will help us to do that.” Councilor Michael Madore was more cautious. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Sat, 28 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1626&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Candace Page If you thought the toughest challenges posed by Tropical Storm Irene were behind us, think again. The hardest work remains ahead if Vermonters are to make themselves safer and better prepared the next time natural disaster strikes. That was the message during a day of talk earlier this month at Vermont Law School, where the school’s Journal of Environmental Law had assembled 70 state officials, academics and national experts for “After Irene,” a conference to consider the storm’s lessons for the future. Burlington Free Press article ink en-us Sat, 28 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1599&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Staff The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee approved the Farm Bill Thursday, by a vote of 16 to 5. The bill is expected to cut agricultural spending by almost $25 billion over the next decade. It ends direct payments to farmers, and replaces them with federal crop insurance. The farm bill also authorizes federal nutrition programs, such as food stamps. Those programs will see a $4 billion cut over the next decade in the Senate bill. NCPR article link en-us Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1598&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann This week, the Cuomo administration paid out roughly $1.5 million to land trusts across the state. The money will mostly go to help with administration costs and to fund internships. In the Adirondacks, much of the land conservation debate over the last few years has focused on historic large-scale deals orchestrated by the Adirondack Nature Conservancy. NCPR article link en-us Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1602&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Fred Bever Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick's administration today released long-awaited rules that could determine the fate of biomass energy projects proposed in this region - as well as its air quality and the health of its forests. And industry officials say the regulation's effects could reach far beyond the state's borders. New England Public Radio article link en-us Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1557&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Green Fire Celebrate Aldo Leopold and view a screening of Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and Green Ethic of Our Time at one of six events in New Hampshire. Each screening includes extra events including a potluck and family activities in Northfield or discussions following the screenings in Concord led by Peter Forbes, Dick Ober and the poet Sharon Olds. Green Fire event schedule en-us Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1558&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Luke Geiver The International Biomass Conference & Expo, held in Denver, Colo., April 16-19, included an industry award ceremony, the first in the annual event’s history. The Excellence in Bioenergy Award was given to William Strauss, president of FutureMetrics LLC, and the Groundbreaker of the Year Award recipient was Ameresco’s Savannah River Site Biomass Cogeneration Facility near Aiken, S.C. Strauss earned the award based on his ability to go above and beyond in his efforts to drive the conversation in the biomass industry, according to Tim Portz, program director for BBI International. Biomass Magazine article link en-us Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1565&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: The Associated Press The New Hampshire-based investor that bought two Katahdin region paper mills has announced plans to turn the Millinocket site into an industrial park and launch a national marketing campaign to draw industry to the region. Officials with Cate Street Capital of Portsmouth, N.H. met in executive session with the Town Council for about an hour Wednesday and unveiled renderings of the first $35 million wood manufacturing machine they plan to build at their industrial park, the site of the Katahdin Avenue paper mill. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1567&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Murray Carpenter Fifty years ago, a writer with Maine ties published a book that boosted the nascent ecology movement, prompted President Kennedy to convene a science advisory committee, and forever altered the way Americans view pesticides like DDT. It was Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. The book's 50th anniversary was marked with a series of events at the University of Southern Maine this week. Murray Carpenter reports on why Carson still matters to many Mainers. MPBN article link en-us Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1575&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Mike Lynch Two early season Northern Forest Canoe Trail through paddlers stopped here for food and supplies Wednesday afternoon, a chance to warm up on what's been a cold, wet trip so far. Brian Wolf and Mike Messink, both of Michigan, left Old Forge on Saturday afternoon and hope to paddle the 740 miles to Fort Kent, Maine, by Memorial Day weekend. They are due at work that week. The 33-year-old Wolf is a commercial banker and the 32-year-old Messink is a chief financial officer for an automotive company. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1578&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Dave Gibson Public wild lands protected by law in New York State can fall under the public jurisdiction of a variety of state agencies. Some of them are part of the system of state parks administered by the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). In northern Saratoga County and across the Hudson River in Warren County lie more than 4,000 acres of beautiful and protected public wild land, part of the Moreau Lake State Park. Much of this land was acquired by the nonprofit Open Space Institute from Niagara Mohawk, and then sold to the public in 1998. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1606&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Jonathan Fowlie Forest industry officials are asking researchers based at the University of B.C. to determine what role aging pine beetle wood, and the fine dust it produces when milled, may have played in two recent explosions at sawmills in northern B.C. "This wood is dry," said John Allan, president of the Council of Forest Industries, referring to pine beetle wood that has been standing dead for extended periods of time and produces an extremely fine dust when cut. The Vancouver Sun article link en-us Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1563&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Amina Khan, Los Angeles Times Organic agriculture generally comes at a cost of smaller harvests compared with conventional agriculture, but that gap can be narrowed with careful selection of crop type, growing conditions and management techniques, according a new study. Organic farming has been touted by supporters as a more environmentally sustainable method of farming that’s better for consumers because crops contain fewer man-made chemicals. But without the high-nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides often employed in conventional agriculture, it’s also less efficient. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1572&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Post Star Staff The Lake George Land Conservancy was awarded $8,300 as part of a larger conservation program — money it will use to hire two interns this summer. The award was part of a larger $1.4 million in Conservation Partnership Program grants announced this week for more than 50 nonprofit land trusts in New York. The money comes from the state’s Environmental Protection Fund and is designed to assist conservation of private lands. Post Star article link en-us Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1574&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Press-Republican Staff Paul Smith's College has won a $530,000 grant from the National Science Foundation that will help students pursue careers in science. Students majoring in fisheries and wildlife science or environmental science will be eligible for scholarships that will be covered by the grant. The money is part of a National Science Foundation initiative to increase the nation's strength in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. More than 400 colleges and universities applied for the grant; Paul Smith's was among about 90 chosen to receive an award. Press-Republican article link en-us Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1576&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Morris Forbes Travel Guide says you should book your Lake Placid getaway now. The Olympic village was among five communities named in a recent article by Sarah White in Forbes Travel Guide titled "Five Summer Lake Getaways to Book Now." The other were Lake Oconee in Georgia, New York's Finger Lakes, the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe and Lake Geneva in Wisconsin. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1604&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Northern Forest Canoe Trail The Northern Forest Canoe Trail is bringing the Reel Paddling Film Festival’s World Tour 2012 to Waitsfield on May 5th at 7pm. The film festival showcases the best paddling films from around the world. Proceeds from the event support the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. The Reel Paddling Film Festival features award winning films in 10 categories. The Festival, in its sixth year, inspires people to explore rivers, lakes and oceans, push physical and emotional extremes, embrace the lifestyle and appreciate the heritage of the wild places around the world. The Festival can be seen in over 100 cities worldwide. Northern Forest Canoe Trail article link en-us Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1559&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Maine Public Utilities Commission Today, the Maine Public Utilities Commission and 3Degrees, a leading renewable energy provider, announce Maine Green Power, a new, statewide green power program. This voluntary program gives Mainers the opportunity to purchase locally produced renewable energy. Residents and businesses that participate in Maine Green Power will be able to ensure that the electricity they use at their home or business is matched by electricity generated by solar, hydro, wind, biomass or other renewable energy projects located in Maine. The Maine Green Power program will be available to customers of Central Maine Power (CMP), Bangor Hydro Electric Company (BHE) and Maine Public Service Company (MPS). Power Engineering article link MAINE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION AND 3DEGREES ANNOUNCE LAUNCH OF MAINE GREEN POWER PROGRAM WHICH ENABLES MAINERS TO CHOOSE RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR THEIR HOME OR BUSINESS en-us Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1560&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Lake Placid News Adirondack Lakes & Trails Outfitters announces the kickoff of the paddling season with the annual film festival to benefit the Northern Forest Canoe Trail on Friday, April 27 at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts. "The 2012 festival is taking a different twist on the movies we will be showing," said Steve Doxzon of Adirondack Lakes & Trails Outfitters. "The feature film will be a film by local paddler Mike Lynch." Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Events http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1561&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Earth & Climate City streets can be mean, but somewhere near Brooklyn, a tree grows far better than its country cousins, due to chronically elevated city heat levels, says a new study. The study, just published in the journal Tree Physiology, shows that common native red oak seedlings grow as much as eight times faster in New York's Central Park than in more rural, cooler settings in the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains. Red oaks and their close relatives dominate areas ranging from northern Virginia to southern New England, so the study may have implications for changing climate and forest composition over a wide region. e! Science News article link en-us Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1569&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Dave Gram Vermont’s environment had a rough year in 2011. That’s according to a report issued Monday by the Agency of Natural Resources on the health of the state’s environment. Spring flooding and Tropical Storm Irene in late August added up to the largest deposits ever of algae-inducing phosphorus down rivers and into Lake Champlain, said the agency’s secretary, Deb Markowitz. Burlington Free Press article link en-us Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1564&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Nick McCrea When it comes to friends, few are more valuable to Maine than its neighbor to the north. A two-day Cross-Border Economic Integration in the Northeast Conference, which started Monday at the University of Maine, is focused on the future of trade and commerce between Maine and the Canadian provinces. About 100 business and government representatives from both sides of the border are meeting to discuss where to take their relationship next. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1571&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Joel Banner Baird Burlington’s new electricity meters are safe and secure — as well as smart, city officials say. The installation Monday of Burlington Electric Department’s first such advanced meter, which records and transmits detailed customer-use data, bodes well for regional grid reliability, said Barbara Grimes, the department’s general manager. Burlington Free Press article link en-us Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1570&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Jane Lindholm We like to think Vermont is "green" but when you look beyond the postcard image, how is Vermont’s environment really doing? The Agency of Natural Resources is resuming a tradition of an annual report on the state's leading environmental indicators. "Resilience: A Report on the Health of Vermont's Environment" will be released Monday, and we'll discuss the finding with ANR Secretary Deb Markowitz and Commissioner of Environmental Conservation David Mears. Among the topics we'll discuss are flood mitigation and prevention, the impacts of climate change on Vermont, and the condition of our major waterways and forestlands. VPR article link en-us Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1580&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Brian Mann This morning, we begin on an on-going series, looking at the problem of young people in the North Country. Across the US, rural towns and villages face a dangerous drain of young people who are moving away, choosing a different way of life in cities and suburbs. The exodus of twenty- and thirty-somethings has huge implications for community life, reshaping the economy, shrinking schools, making it harder to sustain volunteer fire departments and other basic services. NCPR article link en-us Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1554&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Lena Katz The green-washing of the American hospitality industry has hit such a saturation point that it’s become almost obligatory for hotels to distribute placards in every room, asking customers to think twice about sending linens and towels to the laundry. Kitchen gardens, electric vehicle charging stations and soap-recycling programs are just a few of the “sustainability” hooks that hotels use as visible proof of their eco-friendliness. But the hotels that adhere to the most stringent and closely monitored sustainability practices typically prefer not to be lumped in with “eco-hotels.” ...The only hotel in the nation to earn Audubon’s highest ranking — “5 Green Leaf” — is the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort in Lake Placid. Green elements in this hotel are visible sometimes — in fact, its innovative Green Roof stops traffic in the spring and summer... MSNBC article ink en-us Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1573&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Maury Thompson The Adirondack Park Agency was a model for regional planning in environmentally significant areas when the agency was founded in 1971, said John Sheehan, spokesman for the Adirondack Council, an environmental organization. "It was, for it's time, state-of-the-art, the best thing out there," he said in a recent meeting with The Post-Star editorial board. But land-use planning methods and conservation science have evolved since then, making an update of the agency's rules and regulations necessary, he said. Post Star article link en-us Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1579&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff The Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) is expanding its outdoor workshop schedule for 2012, offering new ways to discover the wonders of the wild Adirondacks. The new offerings include a program that explores the survival skills used by ancient hunter-gatherers and two programs aimed at unveiling the natural beauty of the Johns Brook Valley. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1562&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Kathleen Callahan If it's constructed, a proposed private highway running the width of northern Maine would dim the already slim likelihood that a federally funded east-west highway will ever be built connecting northern New Hampshire to the broader New England and Canadian markets. But whether that is a good or bad thing for the North Country depends who you ask. New Hampshire Business Review article link en-us Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Infrastructure http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1566&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: The Associated Press The Nature Conservancy in Maine is using Earth Day to launch a fundraising campaign to protect the state's lands and waters. The "Sustainable Maine, Sustainable Planet" campaign is an effort to raise $100 million to help conserve areas stretching from Moosehead Lake to Washington County, and from the Gulf of Maine to Mount Agamenticus and beyond. Projects include helping the Gulf of Maine regain its status as one of the most productive marine ecosystems; restoring a river system via the Penobscot River Restoration Project; finalizing the Moosehead Forest Project to protect more than 400,000 acres in western Maine; providing opportunities for urban youth to experience conservation work in the state; and others. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1549&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: George M. Walsh The invasive beetle that has destroyed tens of millions of ash trees over the past decade has been found east of the Hudson River for the first time, marking its closest known threat to New England, researchers in New York said Wednesday. But the discovery of an emerald ash borer infestation in the New York village of Rhinecliff last month may signal a victory in the battle to stem the pest's spread: Foresters believe the colony was caught less than a year after it got established, a big step given that the beetle can go unnoticed for years. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1568&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Barbara Tetreault Demolition and renovation of the Balsams Grand Hotel will get underway this spring with the goal of reopening the grand resort in the summer of 2013. Dan Hebert, one of the co-owners of Balsams View LLC, gave an overview of plans for the facility at last week’s meeting of the Coos Planning Board. Hebert said abatement of hazardous materials in the hotel is scheduled to get underway May 1 and take about three weeks. That will be followed by extensive demolition totaling about 400,000 square feet including the former Tillotson rubber factor, boiler, and the wind whistle house. The demolition is expected to take two months. The Berlin Daily Sun article link en-us Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1577&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Michael Hill Researchers found substantially more bats in several caves that were the first ones struck by white-nose syndrome, giving them a glimmer of hope amid a scourge that has killed millions of bats in North America. Figures released Thursday by the state Department of Environmental Conservation showed notable increases in the number of little brown bats in three out of five upstate New York hibernation caves where scientists first noticed white nose decimating winter bat populations six years ago. The largest cave saw an increase from 1,496 little browns last year to 2,402 this winter. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1550&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: David F. Robinson Brian Smiley took over his family's logging business just two weeks before a fire that started early Saturday morning, destroying a sawmill built by his parents nearly 33 years ago. Even as Smiley, 29, sifted through the sawmill's charred remains Tuesday afternoon, he paused for a moment, looked at his parents and couldn't help but smile at the couple hard at work nearby..."We're going to pick up the pieces, clean up and build again, because that's all you can do when something like this happens," he said. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1547&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Nick Sambides Jr. Major Katahdin region landowner Katahdin Timberlands LLC will begin selling more than 700 leased lakefront camp lots in unincorporated parts of Penobscot and Piscataquis counties this year, an action likely to prompt a construction industry boom and greater security for lot owners, officials said Tuesday. The economic impact of the sales likely will be enormous, said Dan Corcoran, a Millinocket real estate broker and licensed forester who owns North Woods Real Estate. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1555&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Anna Austin Nearly 1,300 gathered at the International Biomass Conference & Expo held in Denver, Colo., April 16-19, to hear leaders of biomass industry sectors discuss current challenges, opportunities and goals. During the general session discussion “Director’s Roundtable: Priorities for Industry Growth in an Election Year,” Gary Melow, Biomass Power Association state projects coordinator, gave an overview of the biomass power industry’s history, pointing out that things have changed dramatically for producers over the years. He also explained how the industry got where it is today. Biomass Magazine article link en-us Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1548&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jackie Farwell A new interactive Web tool developed by climate researchers at the University of Maine allows users to punch in a ZIP code to learn about their neighborhood’s air quality. Called 10Green, the free tool spits out a score for a given location based on 10 air quality measures, including levels of particulates, heavy metals and greenhouse gases. The measures represent some of the most serious threats to human health, according to Paul Mayewski, director of UMaine’s Climate Change Institute. Bangor Daily News article link Try out the 10Green tool en-us Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1551&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Morning Sentinel Staff Kennebec Valley Community College has won a $100,000 federal grant to help small rural businesses and agricultural producers reduce energy consumption and use renewable energy technologies. The college is one of 10 recipients of the grant authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill, said Jonathan Humphrey, marketing specialist at the college. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1552&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: The Associated Press The brand was unveiled today by the state Division of Travel and Tourism Development at the Governor's Conference on Tourism in Manchester. The division also is focusing on a new slogan: "Live Free and ..." a fill-in-the blank play on the state's longstanding "Live Free or Die" motto adopted in 1945. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1536&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Staff ...Along with the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, Efficiency Maine announced the new PowerSaver program, which will provide loans to homeowners at 4.99 percent for energy conservation projects that meet a minimum energy-saving threshold of 20 percent. Terms are up to 20 years, depending on the project. Morning Sentinel article link en-us Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1535&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: Jon Humphrey Kennebec Valley Community College won a $100,000 federal grant to help rural small businesses and agricultural producers reduce energy consumption and implement renewable energy technologies. United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that KVCC was among 10 recipients of grants made available through the Rural Energy for America Program, authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1539&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Virginia Prescott Many climate scientists argue we’ve passed the point of being able to slow down Co2 emissions that contribute to greenhouse gasses. A few advocates for mammoth scale geo-engineering to alter the earth’s climate. While geo-engineering is considered drastic and controversial, a new proposal is to engineer human beings to be more energy efficient… sounds far-fetched? Matthew Liao, professor of philosophy and bioethics at New York University is lead author of “Human Engineering and Climate Change”. NHPR article link en-us Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1540&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Chris Jensen The new owners of the closed Balsams resort in Dixville Notch are moving ahead with plans to renovate the North Country resort...Improvements at the Balsams resort will include a new conference center, spa, pool house and suites near the Hampshire House...That’s according to the web site of Summit Engineering of Portsmouth which says the firm has been chosen to handle the structural engineering...The additions will add about 80,000 square feet to the resort. NHPR article link en-us Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1541&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Joel Banner Baird Popular enthusiasm for lower heating bills in Vermont hasn’t translated into a warm investment climate for weatherization and clean energy upgrades, experts agreed Monday at a conference in Burlington. That trickle of cash and the correspondingly slow transition of America away from a fossil-fuel economy prompted the gathering, said U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who organized the Clean Energy Investment Summit in concert with the Vermont Department of Public Service. Up-front costs present the steepest barrier to home and business owners, Sanders said. Burlington Free Press article link en-us Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1542&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont By: Lisa Rathke Frank Kipe thought he had everything he needed to launch a business selling what he described as the world's most expensive ice cream: two Jersey cows, a 10-acre farm and an old barn. Then he found out that he would have to pasteurize his milk before making his ice cream. Equipment for commercial farms was bulky and cost tens of thousands of dollars, so he built his own pasteurizer. Then he built more to sell. His pasteurizer business boomed, and the ice cream was forgotten. Burlington Free Press article link en-us Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1544&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Morris House Republican leaders can't agree on funding levels for agriculture, and that could mean 2012 will come and go without an extension of the federal Farm Bill. The House Agriculture Committee hosted the first of four hearings on the 2012 Farm Bill in Saranac Lake last month. The committee had planned to reduce federal spending on agriculture by about $23 billion from the current draft. NCPR article link en-us Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1545&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Editorial Staff The Indian Lake Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the Indian Lake Community Planning Committee and Indian Lake Central School to host three upcoming seminars to assist local small businesses and entrepreneurs in either expanding a current business or starting a new one. Each session will address a different aspect of a business: feasibility, knowledge and skills for running a successful business, and financing available for starting or expanding a business. The seminars are geared toward anyone who would like to start their own business, or wants to improve their existing business practices. Adirondack Almanac article link en-us Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Community / Economic Development http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1546&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Alicia Chang The mysterious deaths of millions of bats in the United States and Canada over the past several years were caused by a fungus that hitchhiked from Europe, scientists reported Monday. Experts had suspected that an invasive species was to blame for the die-off from "white nose syndrome." Now there's direct evidence the culprit was not native to North America. Adirondack Daily Enterprise article link en-us Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1538&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Vermont Howard Weiss-Tisman A number of Windham County buildings will receive full biomass feasibility studies, or site visits, after the State of Vermont, and the U.S. Forest Service announced 29 schools and other buildings in the state which will receive the studies in the coming weeks. Academy School in Brattleboro is one of ten Vermont buildings that is slated to receive a full analysis to see what it would cost to install a biomass heater, and what the fuel savings would be over 30 years. Brattleboro Reformer article link en-us Mon, 09 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1543&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Chris Morris A bill introduced in the state Senate aims to make the possession and sale of invasive species illegal. The legislation is sponsored by state Sen. Betty Little, a Republican from Queensbury. Little says invasives are a major threat to water bodies throughout the state. Her bill would strengthen current regulations and help prevent their spread. Chris Morris reports. NCPR article link en-us Mon, 09 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Environment / Agriculture http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1556&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: RISI RISI, the leading information provider for the global forest products industry, today announced that it has begun reporting on premium grade wood pellet pricing for the US market. First appearing in the March 2012 issue of Wood Biomass Market Report (WBMR), the new coverage includes monthly price averages in $US/ton, free on board (FOB) mill for a period of one year. The information is compiled from the RISI and Pellet Fuels Institute (PFI) Pellet Manufacturing Survey. RISI article link   en-us Mon, 09 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1534&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Maine By: The Associated Press A former Olympic cyclist has been hired as the new executive director of an organization that’s developing a backcountry network of huts along 180 miles of trails in Maine’s western mountains. Nicole Freedman begins this month as head of Maine Huts and Trails. Bangor Daily News article link en-us Sun, 08 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Networks & Partner News http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1537&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: Pat Bradley Officials in Saranac Lake have been planning to create a Saranac Lake Tourism Council since a Destination Master Plan was issued in 2009. Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sylvie Nelson says the new Council includes representatives from established tourism groups, economic consultants, the chamber, local business, and the village. Retired Economic Development Consultant Ernest Hohmeyer is a member of the new Tourism Council. He says the council should help streamline marketing efforts. Hohmeyer notes that tourism marketing has become very complicated and this type of cooperative effort may work best in the Adirondack region. WAMC article link en-us Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Tourism http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1509&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: SUNY ESF Students with an interest in the Adirondacks have a new opportunity to spend a full semester living and studying in the heart of the 6 million-acre forest preserve. A 16-credit residential semester called, "Understanding the Park," will be offered this fall by the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) in Syracuse. Students will live and learn at ESF's Newcomb Campus on the 15,000-acre Huntington Wildlife Forest. This is the first time in ESF's 100-year history that a semester-long course will be held at the Newcomb Campus.   en-us Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Education/Arts/Entertainment http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1510&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: US Forest Service The Forest Service published a call for applications for the Community Forest and Open Space Program in the Federal Register on February 15, 2012. Applications are due to the State Forester or the appropriate Tribal official by May 15, 2012 and June 14, 2012 for State Forester or equivalent official of the Indian tribe submitting the applications to the Forest Service. Total CFP funding anticipated for awards is $3.15 million, and individual grant applications may not exceed $400,000. For more information visit the USFS website en-us Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1511&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Northern Forest Region By: Jennifer Hicks The Regional Wood Products Consortium is busy these days helping woodworking companies in the Northeast boost production and efficiency by conducting workshops on lean manufacturing and mass customization skills. Based in Concord, N.H., the consortium is a joint effort between Sustainable Forest Futures and the wood products manufacturing industry in a four-state region encompassing Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and northern New York. Since it started hosting workshops in 2010, the organization has brought in more than 20 experts to discuss marketing, technology, production and environmental topics. Woodshop News article link en-us Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Digest - Forestry and Industry http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1512&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New York By: NYS Department of State New York Secretary of State Cesar Perales today announced the availability of up to $1.2 million in grant funding under a program administered by the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC). The funds are intended to alleviate economic distress and create jobs in 36 targeted counties in the four states that make up the Northern Border Region. The New York counties falling within the Northern Border Region and eligible for funding are: Cayuga, Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Oswego, Seneca, and St. Lawrence. Read Media article link en-us Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Pgm Rel Articles - Northern Border Reg. Comm. http://www.northernforest.org/northern_forest_news_digest.html?news_id=1518&module_params[name]=news&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail New Hampshire By: Sara Youn-Knox Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., took a tour of the Gorham Paper and Tissue mi