Cornell’s Arnot Teaching Forest gets $500K from state for improvements

VAN ETTEN — Cornell University will use state funding of $500,000 for work at the Arnot Teaching and Research Forest in Van Etten in Chemung County to improve and expand maple processing and increase efficiency in operations. 

It’s one of two projects for which New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball on Jan. 31 announced a total of $600,000 to “boost” the state’s forestry and wood-products sector.

The Arnot Teaching Forest project will provide “critical” renovations, equipment upgrades, construction of a research kitchen, and the creation of a modern sugar house for expanded processing and research by Cornell University’s maple program. 

“Cornell’s Arnot Teaching and Research Forest generates innovative research and delicious new products that fuel New York’s powerhouse maple industry, which has seen an incredible 91 percent increase in market value over the last five years,” Kathryn Boor, dean of Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, said in a statement. “This funding will support important upgrades to enhance our maple research on behalf of New York State.”

The forest — operated by Cornell’s department of natural resources in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences — spans 4,200 acres. Located about 15 miles from Ithaca in Van Etten, Arnot is used for teaching and for Cornell Cooperative Extension activities and research. It’s also home to two maple-syrup research facilities. 

“The NYS Maple Producers Association wants to extend a heartfelt thank you to Governor Andrew Cuomo and Commissioner Richard Ball for believing in [New York] maple and the influence it has on the New York State economy and agri-tourism,” Helen Thomas, executive director of the New York State Maple Producers’ Association, said. “Thanks to their support, the Arnot Maple Research Center, which was in desperate need of a renovation, will be revamping to incorporate modern technology. This advancement will position NYS as a leader in maple research both nationally and internationally.”

The Southern Tier Agricultural Infrastructure Program is providing the funding, complementing the region’s “Southern Tier Soaring” economic-development plan to grow agriculture and advance the economy.

WDI funding

Besides Cornell’s $500,000, an additional $100,000 will allow the Albany–based Workforce Development Institute (WDI) to offer training opportunities in the industry. 

Both projects “deliver on commitments” outlined at the state’s first Forestry and Wood Products Summit in 2018, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets said.

New York State receives “significant” benefits from its forest industry, the department contends. The sector includes forestry and logging, solid wood products, pulp and paper products, and wood furniture. 

In 2016, New York’s forest economy generated $13.1 billion in direct output. Forestry provides more than 40,000 jobs and $2.5 billion in direct labor income, with average annual earnings of $61,526 per worker. 

“These new programs will help grow New York State’s timber and forestry sector, which is a major component of our agricultural economy upstate,” Ball said in a statement. “The programs provide the critical links between education, training and research that are needed for a successful, modern-day forestry industry and enhance the workforce pipeline from student to forestry and wood products producer.”

Workforce-development project

The funding provided to the WDI from the New York State Wood Products Development Council leverages $521,000 in federal assistance from the Northern Border Regional Commission. That funding supports of the forest industry in the North Country and throughout the state. 

Established by statute within the state Agriculture and Markets Department, the Wood Products Development Council is tasked with “supporting and encouraging” the practice of sustainable forestry and the manufacture of wood products.

The workforce-development project will assist loggers, sawmill and transport companies, foresters, and wood-products manufacturers to participate in expanded workforce-development programs. They include Troops to Timber, a collaboration between WDI, Paul Smith’s College, and Fort Drum. 

Troops to Timber teaches transitioning soldiers about opportunities for second careers in forestry and provides hands-on experiences through a series of workshops. The program is expected to benefit up to 80 students.

They also include the summer logging training program at Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondacks. Funding will “enhance” this existing program, which provides hand-on training and connects students to viable internships that can lead to successful careers in logging. 

The programs also include New York logger training (NYLT). The NYLT program provides educational skills and training for the forest products industry, including foresters and sawmill companies, in New York state.

Forestry and Wood Products Summit

The Wood Products Development Council supported the first-ever Forestry and Wood Products Summit in 2018 to advance New York’s forestry industry. 

Members of the Wood Products Development Council, academia, local government, and the industry met with state officials to identify growth challenges and explore new opportunities for New York’s forest and wood products businesses. 

During the summit, several initiatives were announced to help strengthen the sector, including funding to support the growth of the maple industry, increased promotion and marketing efforts, expanded research, and enhanced workforce development.