Thanksgiving week is a good time to recognize and
appreciate the landscape we all live, work and play in. To that end, here is an
interesting article from our neighbors in New Hampshire. It applies to Maine just
as much, if not more.
Adapted
from an article by By
David Falkenham, UNH Cooperative Extension Grafton County Forester
It is possible that I
could be considered a “tree-hugger”, depending of course on your perspective. I
have spent my life working and playing in the forest. As I wander through the
woods I have been known to stop and stare admiringly up at the trees. As a
forester I have been and will be responsible for the cutting of trees for human
use. Am I a tree hugger?
I am just as
fascinated with small trees as I am the large ones. I am much more interested
in forest diversity than I am in the size of the trees. A recent clear-cut that
is loaded with a mixed tangle of plants is rich ground for plentiful wildlife.
Large trees inspire awe and daydreaming; thickets of small trees trigger the
instinct to look for wildlife sign. All trees, including small trees, need hugs
too.
Forest diversity also
means diversity of uses, whether it is human use, wildlife use, or preferably a
little of both. Throughout my years as a forester I have always admired the
spectrum of forest uses and ownership patterns that our state boasts. These
ownership and use patterns are part of a strong New England land ethic and are
part of the fabric of our rural culture. Farmers, loggers, landowners and
foresters, along with a variety of support groups, work very hard to create an
open and forested landscape that supports many uses, including recreation,
forestry, farming and protected wilderness areas. All of this is fairly equally
represented and accessible throughout the state. If you need a place to walk in
the woods, it is not hard to find.
There is plenty of
logging in our area, but it is just one of a large mix of land-based uses. Our
state has incredible landscape diversity, both public and private, and that
diversity is part of our culture and a contributor to our economic stability.
We have great organizations that support this land-based way of life and help
landowners make decisions about their land.
Adapted from an
article by David Falkenham, Grafton (NH) County Extension Forester, posted on
the UNH Extension website and linked in the “Forestry News for Foresters”
electronic newsletter. View the original article.
If
you want to take a walk in your woods with a Maine Forest Service District
Forester, click here.
As
always, you can call the Maine
Forest Service for more information or assistance at 1 800 367-0223 (in
state) or (207) 287-2791, or e-mail forestinfo@maine.gov.
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