Is leaving the woods alone really the best way to preserve them? According to forester Ryan Trapani of the Catskill Forest Association, “doing nothing” comes with hidden costs—and a whole lot of shade-loving trees. In this immersive forest consultation, Ryan pays a visit to host Brett Barry's property to explore hands-on stewardship, the limits of laissez-faire ecology, and the surprising power of sunlight in shaping forest health.

In this episode:

• How to spot hazard trees before they fall (and cost you)

• Why “doing nothing” might be the worst forest strategy

• Tree-for-tree advice on pruning, spacing, and crop tree management

• Sunlight as a limiting factor in Catskill forest health

• Tips for invasive pest management: ash decline & hemlock woolly adelgid

• CFA’s hands-on services, from mushroom inoculation to apple grafting

Plus, hear Ryan’s reflections on 700+ episodes of From the Forest radio—and learn how CFA’s independent, community-driven model helps landowners steward their properties with purpose.

More info: 🌿 catskillforest.org 📡 CFA’s radio show: fromtheforest.podbean.com

Please keep in touch at kaatscast.com, rate and review on the podcast app of your choice, and follow us on Instagram.

Sure, you can drive from NYC to the Catskills in just under 3 hours. But as "Doobby," the taxi driver in Planes, Trains and Automobiles says, "You don't see nothing on the interstate but interstate." In this episode, host Brett Barry walks with ⁠Casey Kelbaugh⁠ on a stretch of the "Long Path," a 358-mile trail from the George Washington Bridge in New York City to the edge of the Adirondack Park. Casey recounts his 27-day hike from East 4th Street in Manhattan to his cabin in the Catskills via the Long Path, an experience he then ⁠shared in the travel section of the New York Times⁠.

00:00 Introduction to the Catskills Voyage

00:15 Discovering the Long Path

00:52 Sponsors and Supporters

01:30 Casey's Journey Begins

02:18 Hiking the Long Path

05:40 Challenges and Reflections

13:16 Community and Connections

26:02 The Final Stretch

29:19 Conclusion and Next Episode Preview

Exploring Howes Cave: History, Tragedy, and Tourism

Historian and author Dana Cudmore, a former tour guide and current chronicler of Howes Cave, Howe Caverns, and Schoharie County's "Cave Country," gives us a lay of the land and recalls the oft-repeated question, " Anybody ever die down here?"

Cudmore recounts in his 2024 book, The Cave Electrician’s Widow: The Tragedy at Howe Caverns & Dramatic Courtroom Fight for Justice, the story of two Howe Caverns employees who tragically asphyxiated in response to a nearby dynamite blast on April 24, 1930. The conversation describes the events of that tragic day, as well as the continuing allure and industrial significance of the caves and surrounding area.

Buy a copy of The Cave Electrician's Widow here, and use code KAATSCAST for 25% off plus free shipping!

Enter here for a chance to win a signed copy!

00:00 Introduction: The Popular Question

00:16 History of Howe Caverns

02:04 Touring Cave Country

03:18 Lester Howe's Discovery of Howe Caverns

06:20 Secret Caverns and Fraternal Rivalries

11:17 The 1930 Tragedy

21:56 Modern-Day Mining in Howes Cave

22:52 Conclusion and Author's Reflections