In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

Foreword to the First Edition Like many Ne w England fores t landowners , my reasons for owning a few acres of woodland seem to change with the seasons or who asks. After a new snowfall, or during grouse season, the reasons seem obvious . As the deadline fo r paying property taxe s approach, the old doubt s return. And when m y forester friend s as k about m y management plans , I change th e subject t o the weather o r politics. With th e exception o f my first car— a very use d '4 8 Plymouth—nothin g ha s been a greater sourc e of pleasure and frustration tha n my 35 acres of Vermont woodland. I suspect I have thousands of "neighbors" in New England, folks with a few acres or upward of several square miles of forest land—land the y love but wish that they understood bette r and could make a bit more productive . Some would lik e to realize needed income . Others hope to improv e wildlife habitat, preserve scenic values, or ensure a source of fuelwood. For some, goals are unclear because the possibilities are unknown. Much of the frustration o f forest land ownership has come from the difficulty o f getting informatio n abou t th e possibilitie s fo r management , about source s of professional help , about th e costs and benefit s o f management , or about what to expect if one decides to harvest trees commercially . Man y ne w fores t owner s withou t farmin g experienc e hesitat e t o contact public foresters or consultants for fear of revealing ignorance about their own land. "What if Iask a dumb question?" A lot of the frustration of forest ownershi p disappear s onc e you ge t started; as it was with m y '4 8 Plymouth, starting is the real challenge. This is a book about starting. It is a book that has been needed for a long time. Written by three young foresters with first-rate qualifications, it is a practical guid e for landowner s who want t o realize the potential o f their forest land. Most important, it is a book based on sound biology and sound economics, which are critical elements for successful fores t management . The authors know their forest science, and weave their expert knowledge into this book in a way that is understandable to nonprofessionals withou t xii Forewor d to the First Edition being superficial. Essential terms are explained, and key concepts are illustrated wit h functiona l figures . Unlik e som e popula r book s o n forestry , Beattie, Thompson, and Levine are not out to sell forestry. They are honest about the initial aesthetic impacts of some management practices, as well as the pitfalls o f less-dramatic bu t ineffectiv e practice s lik e selective harvesting methods. This is an honest, forthright book based on solid scientific forestry; i t is equally well-base d o n sound economic s an d practica l busi ness considerations. Reliable advice is provided on all aspects of land ownership and fores t management, with sections on land evaluation an d inventories , contracts for logging and management planning, financial management , and taxes. Suggestions for the "care and feeding" of consulting foresters and loggers will be invaluable for beginners and veterans alike. For those reluctant to get starte d o n managin g thei r fores t land , thi s i s a boo k t o buil d confi dence . By decoding forestr y jargo n an d layin g out th e essential step s in planning an d management , th e author s see m determine d t o pu t land owners i n charg e o f their land . I guess that's what I like best abou t thi s book. It respects the reader. It respects the landowner's personal objectives by offering a wide range of alternatives and sound advice on how to make conscious choices from thos e options. This i s not a do-it-yourself guide . While i t looks to the landowner fo r important decisions about objectives and for choices among management options, it is realistic about an owner's skill and time. You are told how to get technica l o r lega l help , an d warne d abou t th e cos t...

Share