Keeping Up Appearances

The Forest Heritage and Discovery Center at Caledonia State Park was built back in the CCC days. It is still a very solid building! The entry porch has been starting to show a little wear. This week we stained the porch using an oil-based stain. Now it is good as new, although a second coat in a few weeks wouldn't hurt at all.

Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign

Over the years State Forests, State Parks and other conservation programs  have used different kinds of signs over the years. We have samples of several of them in the Discovery Center.

This metal sign is on the inside of the entrance.

Here' a Pennsylvania variation on the tree farm sign.

The Department of Forests and Waters is now known as the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).

You can find this colorful sign on the rear of a backpack pump.

There are very few firetowers left in PA to bear this warning.

Shoaff's Mill Visit

During the annual meeting we had the opportunity to visit Shoaff's Mill at Little Buffalo State Park. Thanks to our guide from the PA State Parks.

Annual Meeting 2012

This year's meeting was held at Little Buffalo State Park in Newport, PA. It was a cold day, but we had a warm time in the meeting hall at the campsite.

Here is the picture of the attendees.

Founders of the PAFFMA who attended the meeting are pictured above. Back row: Mike Ripton and Paul Augustine. Front row: Steven Cummings, Paul Sevasovich and John Bitzer.

Among the issues discussed during the meeting were:

• PAFFMA annual business meeting.
• Status of prescribed fire in PA and developments at the PA Bureau of Forestry.
• Review of the 2011 workshop discussions. Where are we a year later/
• Thoughts from the 1895 Rothrock report.

 

After the banquet Paul Sebasovitch was presented with the George Wirt award.

What is it?

Here are two views of an artifact that the PAFFMA acquired for the Discovery Center. Can you guess what it is?

It is a seed storage jar that was in use at a forest seedling nursery, either Greenwood Furnace or Mont Alto. It holds thirteen gallons. Certainly a glass container would help protect seeds from the every-present rodents!

The PAFFMA board met at Greenwood Furnace State Park on Tuesday 9/18. According to the park historian there are many more forestry artifacts left over from the nursery operation at the site. More of them will be coming to the Discovery Center.

2011 Annual Meeting

This year's annual meeting was held at Caledonia State Park and the Discovery Center on Saturday, November 5. About 25 members gathered to look back on the first season of operation of the Discovery Center at Caledonia and plan for future developments.

Group Photo

In the afternoon the members met in small groups for a brainstorming session to develop plans and ideas for the PFFMA. They also toured the Discovery Center to evaluate the displays. The results of the brainstorming sessions and the evaluations will be compiled to aid in planning future activities. 

After a hard day's work the meeting adjourned to the Chambersburg Country Club for a banquet, awards ceremony and stories by "Pennsylvania Jack". Dustin Wirt (left) presents the George H. Wirt award to Joe Devilbiss (right) at the Pennsylvania Forest Fire Museum Association annual meeting on Nobember, 5, 2011. Past recipient of the service award, Steve Cummings, looks on. Dustin is the great great grandson of George Wirt, Pennsylvania's first professional forester and state fire warden. 

2011 Annual Meeting Pictures

These pictures from the 2011 annual meeting are courtesy of Brad Bates. click on the slide show for captions.