Healthy Forest Management

Young pine stand. Credit: Stephen Greer, UF/IFAS

The process of establishing and maintaining a healthy forest brings opportunities and challenges from planning all the way through harvest management. What are your immediate and long term goals for the forest? How will climate related conditions like floods, droughts, extreme temperatures, hurricanes, or tornadoes impact forest health? In Florida and other parts of the Southeast, where pine forests dominate the landscape these and many other questions must be considered to successfully manage a forest. Benefits of managing a forest come in many forms. Healthy forests assist with cleaner air, water, plant, and animal diversity plus the potential for economic gains, and recreational opportunities.

As a plantation transitions from newly planted seedlings to young actively growing trees and on towards maturity there is a lot to observe. The observations allow for adjustments to your management plan. When disturbances occur that change the trajectory of the forest and your plan do not become discouraged, forests have an amazing ability to recover and continue on a path of recovery of value lost.

Mechanically damaged trees can provide a host for southern pine beetles. Credit Stephen Greer, UF/IFAS

A healthy forest starts with a plan. Understanding stand specific objectives, through an established forestry plan developed with a commercial forestry consultant can set things in motion and minimize pest and other problems. Silviculture management practices addressed in the plan may include, decisions on suitable seedlings for the site, plant type diversity in selected areas of large tracts, thinning trees in the determined time period, developing habitat for beneficial insect and other animal predators, harvest timing, and the utilization of prescribed to help release of nutrients to the soil for uptake, reduce competition, and reduce the potential for wildfires.

Being active and checking on the forest on a regular basis is highly recommended to maintain the health of the forest. Insects including the southern pine beetle can settle into a forest stand that has been damaged by storms or mechanical injury from machinery work. Think of each tree as important, check it from top to bottom, evaluating overall health. Contracting to fly a drone over large tracts of plantings may need to be considered for a canopy view for stressed or dead trees. Hiring a licensed drone operator would be recommended.

Can a healthy forest be maintained throughout the projected time defined in the forestry management plan? Yes, it can be accomplished by taking time to research, plan and implement the process. Major factors are you, the resources on site that include the soil types, water available, trees suited for the area, and existing vegetation. Always remember a forest is a living changing ecosystem, understanding plans do evolve and shift with professional forestry guidance success is possible for all to enjoy.

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