Is It Tough Love For Trees?

Okay, you have this thick, lush stand of trees on your acreage and maybe the last thing on your mind is cutting them down. I understand, it’s a mindset I held for many years. However, the more I began to learn about trees and their usefulness, the more I pivoted away from the “not” of harvesting my timber.

Timber harvesting has been a part of our history for centuries. It’s created jobs that allowed many to provide for their families and is responsible for over 5000 products that we use everyday, had the harvesting of trees not been utilized, think of the impact it would have had on our lives and those before us?

The timber industry employs about 1.7 million people, contributing nearly $230 billion dollar per year to our economy. It is an industry that is vital to our way of life on so many levels.

Here’s another fact, nearly seventy percent of timberland is owned by small landowners, that’s quite a share. An ample portion of trees harvested are sourced from these landowners. Why do some harvest and some not?

My thinking is a couple of reasons.. just as I had never considered cutting my trees years back, a mindset that was the result of little understanding on the subject, others may share the same view for the same reason. I think it’s safe to say that a percentage of our population believe that cutting down trees is bad for wildlife, erosion, environment, and more. That’s true in some situations. Yet, land that is managed carefully and professionally, actually benefit those areas of concern, positions itself to be healthy, more productive, and safer. A part of that process may include harvesting. Not only is there a financial incentive offered, but, in the “big picture” it is better for the environment.

Have you ever driven by a stand of trees that seem to be standing like Soldiers at attention.. so uniform? That is land with some management in play. Because it is, those trees are getting more sunshine, have a better opportunity to grow, less likelihood of disease, allows easier navigation for wildlife to pass to and from, and it’s a stand that is safer. If there were trees there before them, they were likely harvested. As a result, the land has provided an income stream and the land replanted to continue to provide benefit. Have these bits of information created a curiosity or even a pivot in your mindset about trees?

Treely is very passionate about how to best utilize this renewable resource so that it continues to provide for families, nature, and our economy. We are driven to share and educate so those who own land or considering it can better understand it’s potential. Armed with information and teaming with the right resources, we will, as a society, begin to see our lands become more beautiful, healthy, productive, and rewarding to the benefit of many.

Over the coming weeks we will be sharing our vision for trees, how the world wraps around them, and how awesome they serve. That’s a bold and overwhelming statement, but, our goal is to drill down how each of us and trees contribute to the “big picture.” It’s going to be a fun journey.. stay tuned!

#landmanagement #treefarm