34 VIRGINIA FORESTS things within the forest—the trees, animals, plants, soil and water—as they interact with each other. That is the science that guides us in managing our trees. These principals are the foundation of what we were taught in school and what foresters love to do. I like to refer to this foundation as the “Alphabet of Forestry.” The forestry ecosystem includes all things that impact our forest management. Our forestry ecosystem is based in our community: landowners, foresters, sawmills/paper mills and loggers. It is also a dynamic, living, breathing thing that is influenced by all of us who are part of it. To make things even more complex, our community is also affected by outside influences. That is basically everything outside of forestry. This is often referred to as our “social license” to practice forestry for the greater good of society. Our whole society benefits from the results of our forest management. Among these benefits are clean air, clean water, carbon sequestration, aesthetics, and wildlife habitat. CALL FOR ENTRIES Virginia Forests PHOTO CONTEST Submit your photos by December 31, 2023 Winners will be featured in VFA’s 2024 Winter magazine. Guidelines & Entry Forms are available online. ENTER TODAY AT WWW.VAFORESTRY.ORG VIRGINIA FLORA VIRGINIA FAUNA VIRGINIA LANDSCAPES FOREST RECREATION WORKING FORESTS & INDUSTRY NEW FORESTS Photos may be entered in the following categories: Photo by Joshua Housman, second place winner, Virginia Fauna (2022) The combination of all of these influences are the factors for which we must adjust our plans yearly, monthly, and sometimes even on a daily basis. I often find myself in initial meetings with clients and answer their questions with, “It depends” at the start because I know I have to carefully analyze this multitude of factors before making a recommendation to my client so that they can best achieve their objectives. Probably the most variable factor right now is timber markets. Timber markets are influenced by competition for various products, hauling distance to the mills, fuel prices, labor costs, interest rates, the overall economy, housing starts, international trade, and foreign policy. There has always been variation in timber markets, but in the past decade I am seeing more volatility, mainly based on all the factors listed above. My home county, Louisa, is one example. Due to markets, fuel prices and competition, a single product may be priced much differently depending on where the tract is located within the county. Timber in eastern Louisa may be priced much differently than western Louisa even with a distance difference as short as 10 miles. As a young forester just out of college, I was well prepared with an Alphabet of Forestry. Over time and with the experience of learning about the forestry ecosystem, I can now use that alphabet to manage the forest and write the stories of the forest for my client’s management plans. I have learned that there is never a finished product as both the forest and the story are ever-changing. It is best to grow with the forest and enjoy the journey. It is a story without an ending. Every day is just a new beginning. Matt Dowdy is a consulting forester and member of VFA’s Magazine Editorial Committee. Opinions expressed in the column are solely the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the policies or position of Virginia Forestry Association.
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