Summer 2024 19 The Hardwood Initiative provides guidance, knowledge, resources, and incentives that help landowners achieve their hardwood forest management goals. are complex systems with many interacting parts, and landowners need to intervene with the right management practices at the right time to shape the forest to their desire. Landowners often need help with these decisions, and that’s where foresters come in. In making recommendations, foresters consider the landowner’s objectives, species present and the number of trees, existing tree regeneration, current condition of the forest, and other factors. In hardwood forests where many species are involved and trees regenerate through natural processes, the forester’s assessment is a crucial step to making good recommendations. Foresters believe we can improve the forest through intentional management, so it better meets the landowner’s goals. If every forest met every landowner’s goal, then the Commonwealth and all Virginians would be well-served. From this idea, and indications that past passive management isn’t producing forests that will meet landowner needs, DOF and partners started the Hardwood Initiative. The goal of the Hardwood Initiative is to improve Virginia’s hardwood forests through intentional management that meets goals at the landowner and landscape level. Since landowner goals vary and the forest condition varies from place to place, the practices used to improve forests will vary, too. For some landowners we will improve hardwood regeneration, so the next crop of trees is as beneficial for wildlife and economics as the current crop. Older forests are more susceptible than young forests to damage from insects, disease, and weather events, so having desirable tree regeneration is important in every forest, whether harvesting is planned or not. For other landowners, establishing younger forests may help achieve wildlife goals. Since most hardwood forests are over 80 years old, there’s a statewide lack of young hardwood forest available for wildlife habitat. Since some wildlife species require younger hardwood habitat, forests of varying ages in Virginia’s landscape are necessary for wildlife biodiversity. For some landowners, growing a forest is an investment. Much like investing in a diverse stock portfolio, it’s important to diversify an investment forest’s stock to help guard against risk and threats such as disease and pests. Landowners that have done well with pine management may choose to transition some acres to hardwood to grow a different product and access other markets. There are many more reasons why growing hardwood forests can meet landowner goals. The Hardwood Initiative
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Nzc3ODM=