Black Locust Management and Market

This workshop was part of our Strong Roots, New Growth program.
Date: December 13, 2025
Location: Hawk Meadow Farm
Facilitator: Steve Sierigk, Farmer and Forest Land Manager

Black locust trees offer a wide range of benefits and opportunities, making them an excellent choice for active management rather than a "plant and forget" option. Their high-density wood is one of the most rot-resistant materials available in the Northeast, making it ideal for applications such as fence posts, trellises, and other weather-exposed projects. Untreated locust wood is also highly valued in regenerative agriculture and serves as exceptional firewood. Participants in this workshop will learn about managing locust stands within a forest ecosystem and explore potential market opportunities. The format is a peer-to-peer learning experience where a host farmer shares their insights and experiences as a land steward. Attendees will benefit from a farm and forest tour as well as indoor discussions on locust management, non-timber forest products, and forest restoration efforts.

Farming for Freedom Trail Freedom Weekend

Date: October 4-5, 2025
Location: Farming for Freedom Trail sites

This weekend is an amazing opportunity to connect with local farmers and both learn about their land-nourishing practice as well as sample delicious foods prepared from their harvest. Last year we sold out early, so stay tuned for an announcement to register in advance.

The Farming for Freedom Trail is a farm trail that links farmers of color to each other in an agritourism web. Many people want to learn more about the real stories of freedom-fighting farmers, as well as support farms at the fringes of sustainable agriculture whose efforts are sustained through a strong commitment to the land despite historic disenfranchisement and oppression.

Forest Stewardship & Emerging Markets: Small Fruit, Black Locust, and Silviculture

This workshop was part of our Strong Roots, New Growth program.
Date: September 24, 2025
Location: Wolf Tree Farm

Join us to learn about small fruit farming within a larger perennial agriculture and forest system. The workshop is a peer-to-peer learning experience where the host farmer shares their experience as a land steward and guides attendees through various aspects of small fruit farming. This will include a farm tour and a discussion of small fruits management, along with black locust stands (current and future), silvopasture, and forest restoration efforts.

Presenter & Host Farm: Jeromy Biazzo of Wolftree Farm is a biologist, master forest owner, and member of the New York Forest Owner Association. He and his wife Margaret Meixner manage their farm situated in the heart of the Finger Lakes Region on the slope between Seneca Lake and the Finger Lakes National Forest. The 92 acres include fields, forests, and streams. They operate a diverse farm including pick-your-own blueberries, elderberries, and honey from their apiary, as well as silviculture such as black locust stands. Their farming practices are based on organic principles.

Odehadó:ni: (Forest) Teachings: A Forest Ecology Walk and Learn with the Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ Learning Project

Date: September 14, 2025
Location: Ithaca, NY

Join Khuba International and the Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ Learning Project for an evening Walk and Learn event in Ithaca on Thursday, July 10th. Michelle Seneca, ganyáhdę (Turtle clan), and Stephen Henhawk, otahyǫ́:ni: (Wolf clan), will lead a walk through a beautifully diverse mixed hardwood forest and share Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ perspectives on what we are seeing as well as the indigenous names and stories for the plant species throughout the walk. We will also be joined by the landowner and her private forester to understand the management goals driving them as they restore the ecology of the forest for future generations.

Sustainable Land Stewardship and Economic Opportunity for Landowners: Hiring Private Foresters to Navigate Emerging Forestry Markets

This workshop was part of our Strong Roots, New Growth program.
Date: July 30, 2025
Location: Online

We are thrilled to invite you to the next workshop in our Strong Roots, New Growth series! Next Wednesday July 30th, join us online from 6-7:30pm to learn the importance of sustainable forest management and how to bring on professional foresters as essential partners to:

Maximize land value through responsible timber harvesting and land use planning.
Enhance biodiversity and ecosystem health on private lands.
Navigate regulations and certifications (e.g., FSC, PEFC) for sustainable forestry.
Develop long-term forest management plans tailored to the landowner’s goals.
Mitigate risks such as wildfire, pests, and invasive species.

This topic blends local ecological land management with global economic potential, emphasizing how professional foresters can help landowners:

Tap into emerging markets for carbon credits, non-timber forest products (NTFPs), and eco-tourism.
Align with international sustainability standards to attract global investors and partners.
Leverage forest assets for participation in green finance and ESG-aligned investment portfolios.
Adapt to climate-smart forestry practices that are increasingly demanded in global supply chains.
Access new revenue streams through biodiversity offsets, reforestation programs, and regenerative land use.

Tree ID and Reading the Forested Landscape

This workshop was part of our Strong Roots, New Growth program.
Date: May 15, 2025
Location: Cornell Botanic Gardens

Strong Roots, New Growth 2025 Symposium: Rooted in Resilience

This symposium was part of our Strong Roots, New Growth program.

Date: May 15-16, 2025
Location: Cornell Botanic Gardens

The Strong Roots, New Growth Working Group is inviting you to this gathering of land stewards and service providers to learn from each other’s human and nature-centered agroforestry practices, access resources, and grow networks of support. Landowners face compounding challenges in achieving success in retaining and managing their forestland. All of us have knowledge to share. This symposium is a way for those of us who are committed to good practices on land to come together to share for the good of the community and the land.