Unearthing the History of Catskills Trees with Dr. Michael Kudish

Michael Kudish is a Catskills legend and the authority on Catskills trees and forests. In 1971, Kudish earned his PhD with the thesis, "Vegetational History of the Catskill High Peaks." Five decades later, that research is ongoing.

In 2000, Purple Mountain Press published his landmark book, The Catskill Forest: A History. Now, an updated 6-volume set is in the works. I met up with Michael at his home/research library in Delaware County, to hear about his latest research sampling Catskills bogs and radio carbon dating peat and charcoal for even more insights into our Catskills forest past. 

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Thanks to this week's sponsors: Briars & Brambles Books, Hanford Mills Museum, and The Mountain Eagle.

Kaatscast is made possible through a grant from the Nicholas J. Juried Family Foundation, and through the support of listeners like you!

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00:00 Introduction to Michael Kudish and His Work

00:46 Meeting Michael Kudish: A Visit to His Research Library

01:09 Sponsors and Supporters of Kaatscast

02:09 Michael Kudish's Research Journey

04:50 Understanding the Catskills' Unique Vegetation

08:47 The Impact of Glaciation on Catskills Vegetation

12:41 Discovering History Through Bogs

19:03 Defining and Differentiating Bogs and Fens

28:41 Discovering Ancient Moss in the Catskills

29:08 Peat Sampling Techniques and Challenges

29:57 Radiocarbon Dating: Methods and Costs

31:01 Funding Research Through Retirement

32:09 Transitioning to Writing: The Next Chapter

32:54 Expanding Knowledge: From One Volume to Six

34:22 Consistent Vegetation Over Millennia

37:41 Climate Change Insights

38:39 Exploring the Extent of Catskill Bogs

39:52 Ancient Charcoal and Forest Fires

42:48 Uncovering Prehistoric Forests

47:04 The Six-Volume Catskill Forest History

50:16 The Joy and Work of Field Research

52:15 The Interconnected Lives of Trees

53:45 Conclusion and Future Work