why a management plan?

Why a Management Plan?Why a Management Plan?

March 12, 2011March 12, 2011 New York Forest Owners New York Forest Owners AssociationAssociation

Management PlansManagement Plans

The best tool for protecting your woodlot The best tool for protecting your woodlot today and enhancing your woodlot in the today and enhancing your woodlot in the future is a future is a management planmanagement plan..


How a plan can helpHow a plan can help

Prevent hasty decisionsPrevent hasty decisions Identify value of resourcesIdentify value of resources Communication mediumCommunication medium

Yourself, in the futureYourself, in the future FamilyFamily ForestersForesters LoggersLoggers

MotivationMotivation Money (i.e. 480a)Money (i.e. 480a)March 12, 2011March 12, 2011 New York Forest Owners New York Forest Owners

AssociationAssociation

Example 1Example 1

““I’m a logger, and your woods looks like it I’m a logger, and your woods looks like it needs to be cut for the health of the trees. How needs to be cut for the health of the trees. How about if I cut it now, while I am working in the about if I cut it now, while I am working in the area?”area?”


Check your planCheck your plan


Example 2Example 2

““I’m a logger, and I want to cut your 40 acres I’m a logger, and I want to cut your 40 acres of timber. Here is a check for $20,000.”of timber. Here is a check for $20,000.”


Example 3Example 3

Emerald ash borer is headed my way. How Emerald ash borer is headed my way. How vulnerable am I to it?vulnerable am I to it?


Developing a Forest Management Developing a Forest Management PlanPlan

1.1. Know what you want – goalsKnow what you want – goals

2.2. Physical propertyPhysical property Boundaries; descriptionBoundaries; description Inventory – trees, water, Inventory – trees, water,

wildlifewildlife HistoryHistory

3.3. Assess your resourcesAssess your resources

4.4. Work with a foresterWork with a forester

5. 5. Activity planActivity plan

Resources and RealismResources and Realism

How much time do you How much time do you have to work in your have to work in your woodlot?woodlot?

How much money can How much money can you spend on your you spend on your woodlot?woodlot?

Do you have the Do you have the necessary equipment necessary equipment and training?and training?

Fun and FlexibilityFun and Flexibility

Don’t expect to make a livingDon’t expect to make a living Don’t turn it into a jobDon’t turn it into a job Revisit goals occasionallyRevisit goals occasionally Expect interests to change over timeExpect interests to change over time

Goals Goals Why do you own the land? Why do you own the land?

Recreation, wildlife, income, Recreation, wildlife, income, timber, aesthetics, water, timber, aesthetics, water, preservation. Assign a relative preservation. Assign a relative importance for your goals.importance for your goals.

Long range planningLong range planning Family? Inheritance? Trust? Family? Inheritance? Trust?

Conservation Easement?Conservation Easement? Web resources and courses to Web resources and courses to

assist youassist you

More on GoalsMore on Goals Most goals are not mutually Most goals are not mutually

exclusive – can have your cake and exclusive – can have your cake and eat it tooeat it too

Example – improve wildlife habitat Example – improve wildlife habitat via a timber harvestvia a timber harvest

But some goals will exclude other But some goals will exclude other options so you need to prioritizeoptions so you need to prioritize

InventoryInventory

BoundariesBoundaries Survey mapSurvey map Tax map - deedTax map - deed Aerial/satellite photosAerial/satellite photos Physical evidence – Physical evidence –

hedgerows, fences, old hedgerows, fences, old trees, stone walls etctrees, stone walls etc

Permanently mark your Permanently mark your boundary – posted signs, boundary – posted signs, paint, blazepaint, blaze

Walk you boundariesWalk you boundaries

InventoryInventory

Water ResourcesWater Resources Lake, pond, stream, Lake, pond, stream,

ephemeral stream, ephemeral stream, vernal pools, springsvernal pools, springs

WildlifeWildlife What species are you trying to What species are you trying to

promote?promote? What habitat is required? Often What habitat is required? Often

changes throughout the year – changes throughout the year – breeding etcbreeding etc

Food, cover, reproductionFood, cover, reproduction Increase the number of species Increase the number of species

by increasing your by increasing your horizontal(landscape) and horizontal(landscape) and vertical diversity(site specific)vertical diversity(site specific)

SoilsSoils Sand, silt, clay – loamSand, silt, clay – loam humus layerhumus layer productivityproductivity drainagedrainage

Tree inventoryTree inventory StandsStands – relatively – relatively

uniform in species uniform in species composition or age composition or age and can be managed and can be managed as a single unitas a single unit

Hardwood? Hardwood? Softwood? Soils? Softwood? Soils? Wet or Wet or dry? Age? dry? Age? Site Site Productivity? Productivity? Past Practices? Past Practices?

Map above was created by a landowner

Site productivitySite productivity

Based on tree height indicesBased on tree height indices Soil surveys – google web soil survey or visit Soil surveys – google web soil survey or visit

your county SWCDyour county SWCD Poor, fair, good, excellent – keep it simplePoor, fair, good, excellent – keep it simple

StockingStocking

Three size classes are recognized: (1) Seedling-Sapling [1"- 3"], (2) Pole [4"-11"] and (3) Sawtimber [12" and up].

Three categories are used for the level of stocking: (1)Understocked, (2) Well-stocked, and (3) Overstocked.

An understocked stand would lose growth by not having enough stems to utilize the growing potential of the site adequately. An overstocked stand has too many stems in competition, and a corresponding reduction in the growth rate. A well-stocked stand represents a somewhat ideal density for realizing the growth potential on a site.

Be aware ofBe aware of

General forest health – General forest health – insects and diseaseinsects and disease

Rare and endangered Rare and endangered plant and animal speciesplant and animal species

Historical and Historical and archeological areas of archeological areas of significancesignificance

Access – present roads, Access – present roads, lanes and paths and future lanes and paths and future desires. Erosion potentialdesires. Erosion potential

Wetlands – state and fedWetlands – state and fed

Work with a foresterWork with a forester

Property descriptionProperty description Stand descriptions with Stand descriptions with

a forest stand mapa forest stand map Activity Activity

recommendationsrecommendations Timber prescriptionsTimber prescriptions Wildlife enhancementWildlife enhancement Recreation – trailsRecreation – trails Invasives?Invasives? Other gov’t assistance?Other gov’t assistance?

StewplanStewplan

why a management plan?

Documents

forest management plan1

goalsmost goals

old trees

number of species

springswildlifewhat

species composition

timber harvestbut

wildlife habitat