Woodswise Wire Plus - November 26, 2014

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Woodswise Wire Plus

Forester and landowner examining a white pine tree.

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.

A Walk in the Woods

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.