1. Know
what you and your family love most about your land.What to do: It may seem overly formal, but writing down your vision and talking to your family is a crucial step in achieving it.
Sustainable forest management harnesses the natural processes in your woods to match your vision. Thinning your woods, planting trees well suited to the site, and cleaning out insect and disease problems are three simple things you can do to improve the health and productivity of your woods.
What to do: Get to know your woods well. Watch carefully for which trees are dying, which trees are taking their place, what insects are present, which stands are overcrowded, and so on. Not sure how to interpret the changes? Talk to a professional forester.
Your plan will include specific recommendations for each wooded stand based on your unique objectives. Every plan is specific to the property and the landowner. Whether your focus is wildlife, recreation, big trees, timber, or something else, the plan will recommend ways to get more of it, faster.
Your plan is not binding, but will be helpful as you plan for the future of your land. A current Forest Stewardship Plan is also a requirement for many cost-share and incentive payment programs.
What to do: To sign up, contact your local Minnesota DNR Forestry Area Office. The best part? It’s FREE.
A local professional forester can plug you in to programs like the Sustainable Forests Incentive Act (SFIA), which provides incentive payments to promote sound forest stewardship and keeping land forested. A local professional can also help you enroll in Minnesota’s new (2008) 2c Managed Forest Land tax class, which has a 35% lower property tax rate than 2b timberland.
Finally, if you choose to sell timber, a professional forester can help ensure that you receive top dollar, and also that you’re happy with your woods after the harvest.
What to do: Read about some organizations that may be available to help you, or read about different sources of professional help.
You should also know about the Woodland Advisor program. The program offers between 50 and 75 classroom and field workshops every year for family forest owners. The program is managed by Extension, the Minnesota DNR, MFA, and numerous other private and public partners.
Workshops are offered in partnership with local organizations. These events can be an excellent opportunities to meet local landowners and professionals and get answers to your questions.
