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HylaBrook's posts about: Forestry
Huge Sustainable For Profit Forest in Missouri
Apr 15, 2008 | 9:08 AM PST
Tags: Sustainable , Forestry
After the Great Depression and through the early 1960's,Leo Drey bought up forest land in Missouri that had been over logged. Much of it was being sold for default of taxes. He bought up 160,000 acres of hills. Leo hired a forest manager and several foresters and named his forest Pioneer Forest. Pioneer Forest is a private for profit forest with home offices in Salem Missouri. He began managing it in a very sustainable manner.
Acres are logged only every 20 years or so on a rotating basis. Logging is done by contract and the forest management has a several generation relationship with the loggers they contract. There has to be a good understanding of the mission between the managers and the loggers. Acres logged and trees harvested are determined by the forest manager. They take only mature trees in decline, or trees which are in distress for some other reason, only 12 - 15 trees per acre. Logs usable for lumber or charcoal production are taken away but the smaller branches are left to decay and replenish the soil. They allow nature to do the replanting. Meanwhile the wildlife go about their lives without being disturbed or displaced. Fire danger is low as the forest is so healthy and little dead wood remains. While clear cut operations in the area have insect infestation problems, Pioneer Forest has little trouble due to the mix of types of trees in the forest. Most infestations are tied to a species or family of trees. How much carbon dioxide does a forest this size sequester in a year? How much oxygen does it release? Every year the forest grows more valuable, the quality of the wood harvested goes up and profits increase. It might not bring in huge amounts of cash in any one year, but the forest is more productive each year than the last.
The story of Pioneer Forest is such a good one, with everyone involved winning, even those of us who will never get to see the forest. There are principles applied in Pioneer Forest which might be applicable to our yards and gardens. 1. Grow a variety of plants, not too many of one type. 2. Do not remove grass clippings and wood from your property. Chip it and use as mulch. 3. Allow plants to mature and fulfill their purpose. 4. Be patient. 5. Let nature do much of the work. See what overwinters on its own and don't plan on replanting everything annually. 6. Don't disturb wildlife. 7. Leave the land better than you found it.
Apr 15, 2008 | 9:08 AM PST
Tags: Sustainable , Forestry
After the Great Depression and through the early 1960's,Leo Drey bought up forest land in Missouri that had been over logged. Much of it was being sold for default of taxes. He bought up 160,000 acres of hills. Leo hired a forest manager and several foresters and named his forest Pioneer Forest. Pioneer Forest is a private for profit forest with home offices in Salem Missouri. He began managing it in a very sustainable manner.
Acres are logged only every 20 years or so on a rotating basis. Logging is done by contract and the forest management has a several generation relationship with the loggers they contract. There has to be a good understanding of the mission between the managers and the loggers. Acres logged and trees harvested are determined by the forest manager. They take only mature trees in decline, or trees which are in distress for some other reason, only 12 - 15 trees per acre. Logs usable for lumber or charcoal production are taken away but the smaller branches are left to decay and replenish the soil. They allow nature to do the replanting. Meanwhile the wildlife go about their lives without being disturbed or displaced. Fire danger is low as the forest is so healthy and little dead wood remains. While clear cut operations in the area have insect infestation problems, Pioneer Forest has little trouble due to the mix of types of trees in the forest. Most infestations are tied to a species or family of trees. How much carbon dioxide does a forest this size sequester in a year? How much oxygen does it release? Every year the forest grows more valuable, the quality of the wood harvested goes up and profits increase. It might not bring in huge amounts of cash in any one year, but the forest is more productive each year than the last.
The story of Pioneer Forest is such a good one, with everyone involved winning, even those of us who will never get to see the forest. There are principles applied in Pioneer Forest which might be applicable to our yards and gardens. 1. Grow a variety of plants, not too many of one type. 2. Do not remove grass clippings and wood from your property. Chip it and use as mulch. 3. Allow plants to mature and fulfill their purpose. 4. Be patient. 5. Let nature do much of the work. See what overwinters on its own and don't plan on replanting everything annually. 6. Don't disturb wildlife. 7. Leave the land better than you found it.
