PRLC Projects: Forest Management
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Our Woodland’s Health…
The Land Conservancy is embarking on yet another exciting adventure. For our February board meeting, we had the pleasure of meeting forester, Andrew Hubbard of the Watershed Agricultural Council, introduced to us through our dedicated board members Brenda Bates and Rick Rodgers, Ward PR Reservation’s Superintendent and Head Foreman, respectively. With Andy’s help, your land conservancy will be studying the health of our preserves’ forests and putting a plan in place to mange their health over the long-term. First, some history to set the context…
Prehistorically, the New York landscape was dominated by forests, mostly Northern Hardwoods, covering nearly the entire land area. These forests were healthy and nature was in balance. Natural disasters took place that allowed trees to grow at different age rates so the forests were comprised of seedlings to old growth trees.
Until 1880, that is. At this time, the forests were cleared for agricultural, leaving only approximately 25% of the land forested. Trees were cleared for lumber, charcoal, pasture and food crops. The landscape changed drastically in a very short period of time. The trees also suffered from major insect and fungal infestations.
By the early 1900s, many of these cleared lots were abandoned, allowing trees to again begin to flourish. However, ultimately, what was created was an ‘even-aged’ forest. Currently, the majority of trees we see are only one hundred or so years old. During this time, they have been competing with each other for sun, water and other nutrients. Today, newer tree growth, or pole saplings, are overshadowed by older trees which prevent them from flourishing. Add to this lack of age diversity, severe deer browse and invasive plants which seriously limit new tree regeneration and a variety of lower or forest floor species, our woodland ecosystem is critically out of balance. When was the last time you noticed any tree seedlings in the woods? They are nearly nonexistent.
The health of our forests for future generations is dependent on allowing the pole saplings to grow and flourish. Eventually, older trees will die off. Unless these pole saplings are thinned, they will die due to over-competition. Smaller seedlings are nonexistent for this next generation of woodlands. It’s difficult to think of our forests slowly dying, but that is what is happening along with all the wildlife that call them home. Remember, in nature, everything is connected.
Now that we have set the stage… Your land conservancy will be putting in place a plan to manage our forest growth and health. In the next month, we will be hiking at least one of our preserves with Andy to conduct what he calls a ‘physical’; to determine the health and appropriate actions needed to create, over the longer term, healthy and productive woodland habitat. (A video will be made of this walk and posted to our website). By creating a grid-type model of one of our preserves, we will have the ability to pin-point where, for example, a majestic oak has the ability to re-seed smaller oaks and where, through a program of thinning and protection, these oaks which supply nourishment to a variety of critters, can propagate and, we hope, flourish over future generations.
In no event are we suggesting a full-tilt program to denude the forest of heritage-sized trees. Instead, we hope to put in place a variety of action plans to stimulate smaller tree growth and survivability. The success of this program, now and in the future, will depend on help from interested PR residents. We hope you are up to the task! Funding is available both to private land conservancies and private landowners with parcels of significant size.