No feeling is more satisfying than being able to grow and harvest your own heating source on a sustainable basis. But how much woodland does one need to be able to be able to grow your own firewood and heat your home self-sufficiently? You need about 10 acres of forest land to be able to…
When talking to a forester or logger, you may hear them refer to a “stand,” but what exactly is a “stand?” A stand in forestry refers to a group of trees comparable in species composition, stem density, size, and age. The classification of a stand takes into consideration both overstory and understory. For example, one…
Shelterwood cutting is a multiple-entry method of timber harvesting focused on establishing regeneration. During a shelterwood harvest, a stand of mature timber is partially harvested. Gaps are created in the canopy as a means of allowing sunlight to reach the forest floor. The residual timber spreads seed and helps to protect the understory from over-exposure…
Paramount to any forester or timberland owner is the question of how fast forests grow. In the United States, an acre of forest land grows approximately .59 cords of wood per year. However, understanding forest growth rates is fundamental to sustainable forestry management, timberland investment, and carbon sequestration planning. Whether you’re a professional forester, a…
Foresters are professionals trained in scientific forest management, and they perform a wide array of tasks within the discipline of forestry, but exactly what does a forester do? The tasks and services of a forester involve silvicultural activities, forest inventory, harvest planning, GIS services, timber sales management, harvest supervision, and road construction planning. Foresters take…
Sometimes, there are just too many trees on a given acre of forest. Excessive competition can choke out individuals and hamper timber growth for decades. Foresters and woodlot owners use pre-commercial thinning, or PCT, as a way to limit competition. Pre-commercial thinning is the process of mechanically spacing out young, unmerchantable trees to improve species…
If anything has become clear, it is that the 2020s is a decade for antifragile investing. Antifragility, as coined by Nassim Taleb in his book “Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder,” refers to the tendency for a system or object to get stronger or gain from stressors. It must not only be able to withstand…
Have you ever dreamed of becoming a logger? The thought of working in a dark, sordid factory or boring, sterile office environment is enough to make anyone want a career outdoors. Luckily, it’s an attainable goal! While basic chainsaw skills and mechanical knowledge is a plus, to become a a logger, you only need the…
Planning to harvest your woodlot can be overwhelming. Choosing which stands to harvest, how to harvest, when to harvest, and hiring and managing a logging crew and timber sales contract is a lot of work without proper experience. Moreover, mistakes made on your property can literally leave scars on the landscape that last a lifetime….
So you want to harvest firewood on your forest property or just cut down a tree or two on your land? Before you even touch a chainsaw, let’s make sure you have all the tree felling equipment necessary to keep you safe and make the process as painless as possible (literally). With the right gear,…