Spring 2024 27 I n May we graduated our latest group of foresters from Virginia Tech. They dispersed from Blacksburg in many different directions to start their careers. As we teach our students, we never know exactly what they will end up doing throughout their careers, so we try to equip them with a toolbox that is broadly applicable to many different scenarios. Understanding basic forest management concepts will, hopefully, help them to figure things out based on their knowledge of forest ecosystems. Forestry is complex and interdisciplinary by design. It always has been. Forestry integrates economics, silviculture, biology, ecology, chemistry, operations, soils, policy, measurements, and other disciplines. Students must learn to understand trees and natural systems as well as people, products and markets in order to effectively manage forests. I am fortunate enough to get to work with our senior forestry students where I teach our “capstone” or Integrated Forest Resource Management course. In my capstone course, the students work with forest landowners to determine their forest management goals. Wildlife management is often one of the top landowner goals even when they don’t know exactly what type of wildlife they want to manage for. If you were at the recent Forestry Summit, there were great presentations on wildlife management and its connection with forest management. In the predominantly forested Logging for Wildlife THE LOGROLL Notes & News for Loggers By Scott Barrett, Ph.D. Extension Specialist – Forest Operations Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation eastern U.S., wildlife management often means forest management. These presentations reminded me of two things. First, managing forests for wildlife is a complicated, yet very important concept that our forestry students need to understand. Second, while it might seem counterintuitive to many people, managing forests for wildlife often requires logging. Creating, improving, and managing forest habitat is quite often accomplished through forest harvesting. Adding wildlife management objectives to forest management can add extra layers of complexity. We have more technology and tools than ever before to help our forest managers make sound forest management decisions. In a world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and more data layers than ever, I am confident that forest managers will be able to figure out the forest management ecosystem piece; however, the industrial and forest products market ecosystem may turn out to be one of our biggest challenges. Challenges in forest products markets with reduced consumption, mill closures, and other issues have threatened the economic sustainability of logging businesses. This all comes at a time when many logging business owners are getting closer to retirement age, and our recent survey showed that many owners are not encouraging their children to go into the business. It is critical that we don’t forget about the importance of logging businesses in carrying out forest management plans for wildlife as well as timber management objectives. A healthy and sustainable logging industry is a critical component to maintaining healthy and sustainable forests and wildlife habitat. Well managed wildlife habitat is just one of the many benefits from active forest management that is made possible by logging businesses. A strong and sustainable forest product supply chain--including logging businesses—is critical to maintaining forest sustainability and providing habitat for Virginia’s wildlife. Well managed wildlife habitat is just one of the many benefits from active forest management that is made possible by logging businesses.
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