Sustainable Forestry
What
does it mean to you?
Sustainable forestry is based on the
idea that resource use should insure that current and future generations
have functioning, resilient forests that can provide a wide array of benefits
and resources. These benefits and resources are ecological (e.g., clean
air and water), economic (e.g., fair price for your timber), and social
(e.g., allow for transfer of land between generations). As a broad definition
that is usually applied globally or nationally, it is sometimes difficult
for owners of relatively small parcels to relate this concept to their
individual situation. It might be useful to consider three dimensions
as you form your objectives and develop your management plan: small-scale
sensitivity, temporal vision (future considerations), and landscape perspective.
Small-scale sensitivity
While your property’s size may be small
to you, it may contain important resources or characteristics that require
special care. For example, research has indicated that some animal species
require large, downed wood for their survival. If you have such a species
on your land, you can modify a harvest to provide this important habitat.
Small-scale sensitivity also entails using Best Management Practices to
protect the quality of water that flows on and through your land. It could
also include specifically protecting a favorite deer stand.
Current Issues
Forest fragmentation definitely has the potential to impact the sustainability
of Wisconsin's forests. Currently, private landowners collectively own
57 percent of the state's woodlands. And not surprisingly, they have the
biggest impact on the forests. Most notably, these owners are contributing
to fragmentation as they divide wide stretches of forestland into smaller
lots for second homes. This has negative impacts on forest habitat. Small
parcels mean more landowners per square mile and heavier impacts due to
roads, development and other uses. Every year an average of 3,385 new
parcels are carved out of contiguous forestland for development, according
to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Temporal vision (Future
considerations)
What your forest is like in the future is an
important consideration in sustainable forestry. For example, ensuring
that timber harvests are adequately regenerated will allow future generations
to experience and use the forest. Future considerations also extend to
estate planning. Planning for the land when you are gone includes the
transfer of land to the next generation. Proper estate planning will help
your heir(s) maintain and enjoy the property.
Landscape perspective
Having a landscape perspective allows you to
place you and your land in a context beyond the property line. It is an
awareness of how the property fits into the larger landscape that surrounds
it. For example, ruffed grouse use aspen stands that vary in age from
young to old. If you seek to aid ruffed grouse through your management,
you need to ask if there is sufficient distribution of age classes either
on your land or elsewhere on the landscape to support this species. While
it may not change your own management intentions, part of what a landscape
perspective means is learning what adjacent landowners might do with their
forests. Through these conversations, you might find common objectives
that you could better meet together rather than separately.
If, along with your objectives, you address these three dimensions, your management will reflect the basic concepts of sustainable forestry. Perhaps the bottom line of sustainable forestry is that landowners have to look around more, know a bit more about where they fit in, understand the trade offs of any actions taken, and then act to fulfill the long-term needs of their forest and our society.