I grew up on five acres outside of Redmond, Washington, of which about 75% was wooded. At the time, I had little understanding of the environmental complexity of this stand of second growth trees and other plants.
I wish that
A Forest of Your Own by Kirk Hanson and Seth Zuckerman had been available then. This new book explores private ownership of woodlands with a focus on ecological forestry, a term to describe management that considers all aspects and attributes of a wooded area. This is in contrast to a tree farm, or evaluating undeveloped land only as a source of timber.
An ecological forest can provide timber, but much more, too. It conserves wildlife, maintains the health of a watershed, and provides recreational and inspirational spaces. It is also important in addressing climate change, providing clean air and sequestering carbon.
If these are goals you embrace, this book is a roadmap to all the practical considerations: How do you buy and then manage a forest? What are the costs, both in money and time? What are the pitfalls that could dash your dream? What are the basic skills and tools you will need and how do you acquire them?
“We’ve made no secret of the fact that ecological forestry isn’t the most lucrative way to manage a forest, at least in the short term.” The authors harvest trees, and expect others to harvest trees. The key is assessing how much timber can be taken that is sustainable without distressing the environmental systems. Both authors have considerable hands-on experience to address this question. I recommend this book to anyone with even an acre of land full of trees.
