Joseph Orefice

Year Started at Paul Smith’s: 2009
Department: Forestry

Biography

Joe Orefice, PhD, is involved with forestry and sustainable agriculture education at the college. He is a member of the New York and New England chapters of the Society of American Foresters and is chair of the national agroforestry working group.

Joe’s research focus is on agroforestry, specifically the practice of silvopasture. A strong believer in applied research, his academic work in silvopasture is partially integrated into North Branch Farm, a unique livestock, fruit, and vegetable farm he owns and operates in Saranac, NY (www.adkfigs.com). His most recent work has been to document silvopasture systems on farms across NY and New England. Joe holds a PhD in Natural Resources from the University of New Hampshire, Master of Forestry from Yale University, and a BS in Forestry from the University of Maine.

Prior to becoming grounded in the Adirondacks in 2009, Joe worked seasonally as a forester on Connecticut State Forests and did a bit of independent consulting forestry. His agricultural education, less formal, was obtained through work on a dairy farm, plant nursery, and growing up on a diversified family farm in New England.

Academic Background

PhD, Natural Resources & Environmental Studies, University of New Hampshire
MF, Master of Forestry, Yale University
BS, Forestry, University of Maine

Publications

Photo Guide to Northeastern United States Silvopasture

Orefice, J., Carroll, J., Conroy, D., and L. Ketner. (2016). Silvopasture practices and perspectives in the northeastern United States. Agroforestry Systems. DOI 10.1007/s10457-016-9916-0

Orefice, J., Smith, R.G., Carroll, J., Asbjornsen, H., and T. Howard. (in press). A comparison of open pasture, silvopasture, and thinned forest productivity during the first two years post initial treatment. Agroforestry Systems 00: 000-000

Orefice, J. and J. Carroll. (in press). Silvopasture, it’s not a load of manure: differentiating between silvopasture and wooded livestock paddocks in the northeastern United States. Journal of Forestry 00: 000-000

Orefice, J., Smith, R.G., Carroll, J., Asbjornsen, H., and D. Kelting. (in review). Soil and understory plant dynamics during conversion of forest to silvopasture, open pasture, and heavily thinned woodlot. Agroforestry Systems 00: 000-000

Covey, K.R., Orefice, J., and X. Lee. (2012). The physiological ecology of carbon science in forest stands. In “Managing Forest Carbon in a Changing Climate” (Eds., M.S. Ashton, M.L. Tyrrell, D. Spalding, and B. Gentry). Springer, Dordrecht Heidelberg London New York.

Courses Taught

FOR 241 Forest Mensuration II
FOR 420 Advanced Silviculture
FOR 235 Timber Harvesting