Promote Sustainable Forestry

2005 Annual Report for FNC03-493

Project Type: Farmer/Rancher
Funds awarded in 2003: $9,994.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2006
Matching Non-Federal Funds: $7,200.00
Region: North Central
State: Wisconsin
Project Coordinator:
Charly Ray
Northern Ecosystem Services

Promote Sustainable Forestry

Summary

In 2005 we used funding from the SARE Grant to further implement the project focusing on alternatives to clearcutting aspen forests and educating landowners. The work on aspen alternatives is leading to a potentially very significant breakthrough in local policy for landowners from the state government, which will allow people to participate in a forest tax deferral program without requiring clearcutting in all aspen stands.

The specific work completed was an “alternative” harvest on a producer member's property (Liz Quast) with aspen forest cover. This harvest began in the fall of 2004 and finished in the spring of 2005. The stated purpose of the harvest is to capture some of the economic value of the standing and declining aspen forest, while fostering the growth of conifers and long lived hardwoods. This goal accomplishes the restoration of more native forest structure and ecological function while the harvest minimizes the short term aesthetic and ecological impacts by not using a clearcut system.

A detailed sampling of the forest was conducted during the harvest. Baseline data points were established, the overstory and understory was sampled before and after the harvest. Areas of similar forest cover next to the harvest area were sampled for a control site.

Following the harvest, 400 conifer seedlings were planted (100 with deer browse protection) throughout the area.

This spring (2006)we will return to the area and resample the plots to measure the residual forest cover, new seedlings, and survival of plantings. Unfortunately Liz Quast passed away during the timber harvest. We anticipate acquiring permission from the new landowners to complete our research. The project will really require we return in 10 to 20 year intervals to monitor the evolving forest.

Newsletters and field days continue to be the focus of our educational outreach to producers and the general public on sustainable forestry. (To view newsletters, see: www.livingforestcoop.com) Note SARE receives credit for funding on our masthead.

Two regional publications featured articles on the Cooperative and helped spread the word about sustainable forestry in 2005 – Business North out of Superior/Duluth and the Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News. The local Ashland Daily Press has recently featured a front page story on the Cooperative as well as a feature in a special edition focusing on sustainable development efforts.

We sponsored four field days in 2005, one of which we used the SARE Grant to underwrite. Field days included chainsaw safety, utilizing GIS/GPS for forest landowners, sustainable forestry in Sweden, and an agroforestry presentation.