For those who love hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, and everything about the outdoors, it can be natural to seek a career path oriented toward the outdoors. There aren’t many career paths that fit the bill quite like forestry, but is it a good career path? Absolutely! Forestry is a great and viable career path for…
Loggers are some of the hardest working people in the country. Not only is it consistently the most dangerous job, but loggers work out exposed in the elements, rain or shine. What about snow? Do loggers work in the winter? Yes! In many cases, winter is the best time of year to harvest timber due…
They have more names than you can imagine: Dog teeth, bucking spikes, bumper spikes, felling dogs, dawgs, you name it. Whatever you prefer to call them, they are the series of spikes that can be found on a chainsaw at the back of the bar. For some, these dogs are a nuisance and removed immediately….
We all know the scene: a burly bearded man swings his double-bit axe at a large pine, hacking away at the trunk until it begins to crack. Slowly, the tree begins to lean. The satisfied lumberjack lays his axe down, cups his hands around his mouth and yells as loud as he can: TIMBER! The…
If you own a chainsaw or are looking to buy one, you have no doubt heard of chainsaw chaps. They are the most common and most recommended piece of chainsaw protective gear–and for good reason! But are chainsaw chaps necessary? Yes, chainsaw chaps are absolutely necessary for operating a chainsaw. They are extremely effective at…
Trees per acre, also known as TPA, is one of the most important metrics for determining the timber density of a forest, particularly in softwood silviculture. Luckily, it is also one of the easiest metrics to measure. To calculate trees per acre, simply use a fixed radius plot to count trees within a given area…
Proper estimation of volume is an integral part of forest management, and when forestry is done on a small scale, it can help to look at volume on a per tree basis instead of a larger per acre basis. So how many cords of wood are in a tree? Obviously, the number varies drastically, but…
What comes up must come down, including trees. You have probably found a fallen tree or two on your property after a heavy summer storm or harsh winter. Such is not uncommon for woodlot owners or homeowners with landscape trees. You may have wondered how to get rid of it or utilize it to prevent…
Trees can grow so slowly it is almost imperceptible. To a casual observer, it can seem like they take centuries to regrow. It’s understandable then, why we might get sad or angry when we see a logging operation or log pile by the mill. Don’t they know how precious trees are? Will I ever see…
When do trees stop growing? The question may be asked by woodlot owners looking to harvest their timber or curious minds who gaze into the tree tops and wonder. In truth, trees never actually stop growing. As they reach maturity, their growth slows dramatically, and most of the growth volume is put on in width…