Pens from the Forest

Each and every year when I go to the woodlot to cut my annual fire wood, I inevitably come across pieces of wood that I wish I could use for something besides burning.   Trees often hide unique grain characteristics that can be so beautiful if recognized and separated for higher end use.  Sometimes, I see them when they are still in the log and other times I don’t see the unique characteristics until the wood is split.  It had always bothered me to burn pieces of wood that I know had some beautiful and interesting grain or color.

Rough split pieces, showing the figure in the wood, are salvaged from the fire wood pile.  These are cut into rough strips in preparation for the table saw.

Over the years, I tried many time to find someone who would be interested in a taking the one or two logs that I would come across each year while cutting my firewood.  Every time the answer was the same, one or two logs was not enough volume to interest anyone.  I would often leave them lying in the woodlot hoping I could find someone who would want them but I never did.  So eventually I would have to give in and cut them into short furnace length pieces.

The rough strips are made into long squares on the table saw.  In turn these squares will be cut into short squares called “blanks”.  These pieces show the “curly” figure in the wood.

Curly maple was the one characteristic that I came across most commonly.  This wavy grain is found most frequently in Red Maple.  Unfortunately, it can not be detected until the tree is felled and a piece of bark removed.  I know that this “curly” characteristic in the wood will make some beautiful hand crafts.  Even after splitting the wood, which really shows this characteristic, I would set pieces aside and not want to burn them.  I would visit local wood artisans but still no one was interested in these small pieces, mostly because of the extra work involved in trying to make these small pieces into something.

But one day it hit me, if no one else is interested in these pieces of wood, maybe I could make them into something.  Release their inner beauty and let people see the magnificence of nature.  But what could I make?  I always want to see trees put to their best end use.  Now it is my turn to try to come up with something.  And come up with something I did!  Wooden pens!  I have a hand made wooden pen that was given to me many years ago.  I thought this would be a perfect use for these beauties of nature.  Instead of a brief moment of heat in my house, I can now create a piece of functional art that will last generations.  This is one more way in which I can share in the bounty and spirit of Watts Tree Farm with others.

The pen blanks are drilled and a metal insert is glued into each piece. It takes two pieces for each pen. Every effort is made to keep the two pieces from the same piece of wood in order to have the top and bottom of the pen match.

Many of the pieces of wood make it to my basement as firewood.  I inspect each piece before it goes into the furnace to determine if it has any qualities in it that will make into a beautiful pen. The good ones are set aside.   I am fortunate to know a wood artisan named Joe MacAskill.  Joe would be my resource for learning what I needed to do to prepare these small pieces of split firewood into turning blanks ready to be made into pens.  Joe gave me the dimensions of the size of the turning squares needed to make pens.  So I set out to cut these twisted pieces of wood into small squares.  This was a more difficult task then I imagined on my small table saw.  I learned quickly that I had to split the bigger pieces into thinner slabs using my chainsaw.  Crude but effective.  Now I know why no one wanted these pieces as the amount of extra work just to get them to this stage is a lot of work for a little wood.  The table saw was my friend in beginning to make these pen blanks.

The next step in the process was to drill each blank and insert the metal tube that would make up the center of the pen.  It would also help hold the pen blanks steady on the lathe.  Joe was guiding me every step of the way.  I wanted to do all the work myself but I am not a wood turner, at least not yet.  I wanted to market the pens by myself and sell them as Watts Tree Farm pens.  I wanted to tell people the story of the wood and of the woodlot. I felt that this is how the spirit of the wood and woodlot should be shown.  It is not just another pen but it is a pen that has been lovingly gathered and made into this item of beauty.   Joe had agreed to make my first pens but in time he would teach me how to make them myself.

These are the finished pens ready for sale.  Salvaging beautiful pieces of wood from the firewood pile and turning them into functional works of wood art is a source of pride for me.

My first pens were sent to Japan for sale.  My very good friend, Yuya, wanted to test market them on a website in Japan.  It is such a deep and emotional feeling for me to know that wood that I had salvaged from my firewood pile has been turned into something as useful and beautiful as a pen.  Now my pens and wood will live on and be used by someone as far away as Japan.  Watts Tree Farm is truly reaching around the world.  First through the blogs I have written but now even the wood grown here will find new homes and hopefully the story will travel with each pen.

This adventure is opening up my mind to more ideas.  I think I’ll stick to pens from the forest for now but I am thinking about what other woods could I use.  Trees or shrubs that are never gathered commercially, could have something beautiful inside.  A story of inner beauty waiting to be shown and told.  The story of Watts Tree Farm is a never ending story.  One of new discoveries every day.  Of discovering not only about the woodlot…but about myself and the spirit of the forest.

Until next time, keep safe and well.

*** Click on any photograph to get a larger image. ***

 

Our Family Christmas

Christmas time is a special time of the year for many people.  At Watts Tree Farm it takes on a whole new meaning.  Since we are Christmas tree growers we think about the Christmas season more than most people.  It is a real privilege to grow trees for the many families who come to us each year in search of a tree.  Each year on Christmas Day, I stop for a few moments to think about the happiness that is taking place, in many homes, around one of our trees.

Pets are as welcomed as people for the annual hunt for the perfect tree. There’s lots of room and no one seems to mind.

A lot of thought and care goes into the growing of Christmas trees.  Since it takes, on average, about ten years to grow a tree from seedling to a salable tree, I get to spend a long time with my trees.  It so hard to imagine that from the day I plant a little seeding that a decade will pass before It will become the centerpiece of someones Christmas.  But, time does pass and I am happy that we started on this journey over three decades ago.  It’s a small operation for us and I like to refer to it as a “Hobby Business”  It’s sort of a hobby but it is also sort of a business as well.   Sometime it feels like more than a hobby when I am trying to get everything done through the summer months.  Yes Summer!  Most of the work takes place in the summer.  That’s when the time-consuming job of shearing takes place.  Shearing is one of the main tasks in creating the shape and density that most people are looking for.

Kyle and Wendy (Daughter) carrying a freshly cut customer’s tree.

Enough about the work of preparing the trees and on to the time of year when all of our family comes together to make magical things happen.  I do most of the above mentioned labor work by myself. But, when it comes to harvest time, it would be impossible for me to go it alone.  The whole family pitches in at this time of the year.  We have a choose and cut tree lot so when harvest time rolls around it takes many hands.  Even for a small operation like ours it takes a lot of help.   The trees are all per-graded and tagged with a colored ribbon that denotes the price.   The grading is based on my personal grading system and I very comfortable with it.  Prices are based on the quality of the tree and not on its size, although larger trees will tend to get a bit of a price upgrade, due to their extra work both in growing and handling. At Watts Tree Farm we do not turn people loose with saws in hand.  In fact we do our best to keep close control over the sawing of trees.   We do have some customers who come out early, in November, and per-tag a tree, which they expect will be there when they arrive back in December.   Turing people loose with saws in hand is just asking for trouble.

Wendy baling a tree as a customer waits. Most people are very happy to receive this service. Becky (Daughter-in-law) is dressed in a Santa suit and is keeping tabs on everyone who is coming and going. She is directing us to the direction families went so that we can go help them.

Most of our sales take place on weekends in December.  Families arrive and quickly scatter through the two hectare (5 acre) lot in search of the perfect “treasure” that will be the center of the Christmas season for them.   We constantly cycle through the lot offering to help, in any way we can, as they look for a perfect, or near perfect, tree.  Once they settle on one, then one of our staff (that’s all family here!) cuts the tree and helps to carry it to roadside.  It takes a lot of family time to get through these days.  It’s always a guess as to which days are going to be the busiest and how many family members will we be needed on any given day.  Usually we guess pretty well but not always!

Cutting the tree is only part of the journey and only part of the experience of getting a tree at out tree lot.   We do our best to make it an enjoyable experience, from the time folks arrive, until the moment they leave.  We pick up most trees in a small trailer that is towed behind our All Terrain Vehicle (ATV).  I insist on the trees being carried and not dragged, whenever possible.  After all, people spent a lot of time finding this beautiful tree and I want to see it arrive safely at their home in the same condition they saw them in the tree lot.  The trailer gets used to carry more than trees some days. Many of the children want to have a ride in  back with their tree, as it gets transported from the tree lot to the hub of our activity, “the little green building.”  There is almost always enough space at the front of the trailer to do this.  More than once, I’ve arrived back at the building with a crew of children singing out “Jingle Bells” to the delight of everyone.   Many parents have heard me say over the years ” The Children have almost as much fun as I do!”

The little building in the Christmas tree lot is the “Hub of activity.”  It’s where people arriving get some directions and where the all transactions take place as the customers are ready to leave. It’s also the most important spot for children to get a little treat and even a treat for the dog visitors.

We offer to bale the trees, except the largest ones which our baler can not handle,  and most people accept this added service.  Having the trees baled in netting makes the handing process so much easier for the families.   Easier to transport, take into the house and even set up before removing the netting.  And far less chance of the tree getting damaged on the trip home.

This is Ashlyn, my grand-daughter. Could she be the beginning of the next generation of Christmas tree growers? Time will tell.

I have the most amazing family and extended family who pitch in each year.  Some are in the above photos and a few others are more camera shy or not around on the days when I was taking photos.  I couldn’t do this without them!

I have been thinking about getting out of this “hobby” as I am not getting any younger and the work is pretty hard, especially at harvest time.  I was thinking that my children, now adults with families of their own, would have better things to do with their weekends in December.  However, they seem to actually enjoy coming out on those weekends.  I pay them a fair rate, not a lot but a fair rate, for their work and I suppose like all of us a little extra money at this time of year can come in handy.  However, I know they would do it for nothing, just to help out. They convinced me to keep planting and just see how things go.  There is a next generation coming along now and maybe, just maybe, they will be able to take over much of this enjoyable work in the future.

Until next time, keep safe and well.

*** Click on any photograph to get a larger image.***

Watts Christmas Tree Farm

Watts Tree Farm Blog

A lot if people are searching for our Christmas tree website and are landing on this blog.  Here is the link to our Christmas Tree lot website.

http://wattstreefarm.wix.com/wattstreefarm.

I hope this is helpful to folks looking for us. 🙂

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Damaged Trees Can be Repaired

Occasionally, smaller trees in the woodlot will get damaged. Heavy snow, ice build up from freezing rain or perhaps a larger tree falling, can break the top of a tree.  If it is a tree that is special to you and you do not want to lose it, then there may be something you can do to help repair it.  In my work with Christmas trees, I sometimes use flagging tape to straighten up a top.  I’ve adopted this same principal to help repair smaller, damaged trees that I want to keep and it does work!   There is often some little trick that one can to help repair a damaged tree rather than give up on it.

The top on this pine tree was broken by heavy snow in the winter. However, it can be saved.

A stick is tied to the undamaged stem and a living branch is tied to this stick. The branch will become the new top of the tree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Prince Edward Island we get freezing rain which causes ice build up on trees.  Sometime the weight is too much and the top of the tree gets broken.  I have pine trees planted along the side of one of my roads and I want to keep them.  I’ve had this ice problem break tops more than once.  Also, damage can occur when cutting larger trees or when high winds blow down some mature trees.

This pine tree had its top broken off about 7 or 8 years ago. Now there is only a slight crook at the point where the branch had been tied up.

The damaged top can be repaired and in time the damage might not even be noticed.  I start by tying a straight stick to the stem of the tree below the broken spot.  This stick will extend well up past the broken spot.  Plastic flagging tape works well for this.  In fact, I find a lot of uses for flagging tape around my woodlot. The next step is to take one of the branches below the damage and tie it to the stick.  Take care not to put too much pressure on the branch as you tie it to the stick. This branch will, within one or two years, become the new top.   The stick holding the branch will eventually be removed.  I’m sorry that my photographs do not show this as well as they should but this tree repair does work.

Although I am showing only pine trees in this blog, similar treatments can apply to hardwood trees as well.   Hardwood trees may have a tendency to have a two tops.  This will create a fork in the tree that will be a weak spot as the tree gets older.  By cutting back one of the two forks, at a very early age, and by tying the stem that you want to become the main trunk of the tree, you can straighten the tree.  This will make for a stronger and more attractive tree in the future.  A single main stem is usually more attractive then a tree that is forked only  a few meters from the ground. If any readers would like more information or would like to see photos of a hardwood (oak) tree that has been repaired please send me a  reply.  You can simply send a comment at the bottom of this page or send me an email at: wattstreefarm@yahoo.ca .

Until next time, keep safe and well.

*** Click on any photograph to get a larger image.***

Reflections of Japan

I returned recently from a business trip to Japan.  It is a country that I have come to like very much.  I enjoy the food, the culture and perhaps above all the respect shown for people.  I especially appreciate the kindness and respect I receive, no matter where I happen to be in the country.  There are some people who have gone very far out of their way to help me, as I attempt to create more business opportunities for companies in my region of Atlantic Canada.  My business, Sunset Trading Company, is a small company that focuses on assisting Atlantic Canadian businesses who wish to seek marketing opportunities in Japan.

Looking out across the skyline of Tokyo. This massive city and surrounding area is home to nearly 40 million people. The famous “Sky Tree” is in the left of the photo.

As I sat one morning, gazing out the window of my hotel in Tokyo, I had some quiet time to reflect on my being in this foreign land. I was there doing things that I would never have dreamt earlier in my life were ever possible.  Believe me, I have come from very humble beginnings, with a modest education but with a heart and head full of dreams.  I started out in forest management and grew to love the forest so much that I felt I wanted to find the most valuable uses for every tree in the forest.  This lead me to marketing of wood products, locally at first, and then to international markets.  I had some early connections to Japan and I never forgot those connections.  As my career advanced, I had an opportunity to finally visit Japan to promote wood products from my region.  I became hooked on this fascinating and beautiful country.  So, late in life I felt I just had to start-up my own business and focus only on Japan as a market.

I feel that I have been so fortunate in my life.  It has been, and still is, an amazing journey.  But remembering my humble beginnings makes me take note of those around me.  To me, the smallest things are the biggest things.  As I sat that morning gazing out the window I was actually in the hotel restaurant.  A lady came to pour my coffee refill.  She had no expectation of being noticed and was probably meant to be as “unnoticed” as possible.  However, I noticed.  As I notice many of the people who are in the positions that are meant to be almost unseen.  But with out these dedicated individuals my trip would not be as pleasant.  To me, the lady who served me coffee is as important as the hotel manager.  Every task, no matter how small it may seem, is important and needs to be done by someone.  Without people performing the so-called smaller tasks, things would never get done.   It struck me in such a profound way that morning of just how important each of these people are to my comfort and success in Japan.  As I left the restaurant that morning I stopped and personally thanked each of the people who had made my stay so memorable.  I hope that they appreciated that I had noticed them and deeply appreciated their hospitality.

Having a business lunch with Mr. Makoto Anzai, Pres., Jyuka Soken Co., importer of Canadian building materials. Not seen (taking the photo) is Mr. Yuya Kato, Pres. GPE Inc. and assisting me in all aspects of my meetings. I have to say, this is one of the best Japanese meals I have ever had.

I wondered also if I would ever have another opportunity to return to Japan.  At this point, I truly do not know.  Only if I have some success in creating new business will I be able to afford to return.  So now, only time and more hard work from home to follow-up on the contacts I had made will tell the tale.  Will we be able to bridge the gaps between the Canadian producers and the Japanese importers?  Will we be able to put the right products, at the right price, with the right scheduling and with all the many necessary adjustments to suit a Japanese buyers?   At this point I can only say “Perhaps”.  I have a lot of work to do with the Canadian companies to help them understand exactly what is required to make the possibility of sales a reality.   The interest is there, but there are many conditions to be met.

Since I have returned, I have had more opportunity to reflect on how blessed I am to be able to do the work I am doing.  From my humble beginnings and background, to be in face to face discussions with executives of some small and large Japanese importers is truly amazing!  Some days I feel I am living in a dream.  What effect will my success have back in my region?  If orders do develop then products will have to be made and shipped.  Flooring, cabinets, stairways, bricks and more will have to be made.  Sweaters and slippers and maybe some food products may find a market in Japan and have to be made or prepared by hands in Atlantic Canada or beyond.  People working in small business to make all these things will be needed.  It is hard for me to imagine the effect that my work may have on the lives of others.  And when those floors and cabinets and stairways are being manufactured they will require wood from this area.  Trees will be harvested, trucked, sawn and manufactured into beautiful finished products.  Some of these trees which are turned into lumber and then into a finished product could be my trees, straight out of Watts Tree Farm.  This brings me full circle, right back to the place I love the most, the woodlot.

A pine floor in a home in Japan. Manufactured by Royalty Hardwoods Ltd. in Prince Edward Island, Canada

I am extremely grateful for the opportunities I have had in life.  For the people I have met through business but now call friend.  For the many people I have yet to meet but I look forward to meeting.  And to the many people I may never meet but I hope my work touches their lives in a positive way.  Will I ever return to Japan?  I don’t know.  But if I do it means there is some success and many of the things I had mentioned above will continue to happen.   My life is richer for having had this opportunity to visit Japan and for meeting some truly wonderful people.

Until next time, keep safe and well.

***Click on any photograph to get a larger image***

Walking Sticks – One Example of Non-Timber Forest Products

My youngest son left this week for work in western Canada.  It reminded me of just how much the woodlot shaped his life and made him who he is today.  His story is worth telling and worth thinking about. The forest can influence young lives and give them some positive direction in life.  This story shows how the simplest of ideas can turn into a small business and show that the woodlot can generate wealth other than through the harvest of timber. It can even influence what we do in life and give us a basis for self-worth.

Graham cutting an aspen to make into a walking stick. The aspen was growing in a pine plantation and needed to be removed anyway. Making money and improving the woodlot at the same time!

When Graham was eleven years old he asked me about something he could do in the woodlot to earn some money.  He reminded me that I had once mentioned something about making walking sticks.  It was early in the summer and although I didn’t know anything about making walking sticks I told him “Sure, lets see what we can do.”  Prince Edward Island is a popular place for tourists to visit and I thought perhaps this might be a possible target market for his new idea.  I never dreamed where this would go!

We headed out into the woodlot in search of trees and shrubs that would possibly make suitable walking sticks.  We focused on species that would not normally be considered as commercial tree species.  We found that mountain ash, which grows in the woodlot by the thousands was a good place to start.  We peeled some and found that some had interesting designs in the wood beneath the bark.   We tried pin cherry, striped maple and grey birch, three more non commercial species which were abundant in the woodlot.  They were all unique and we were having fun finding them and making them into what we thought were good walking sticks.

This deformed grey birch has value as a walking “cane” . These are even harder to find than straight walking sticks.

He made a few dozen and then I drove him to local craft shops.  He started to sell a few.  He did the selling.  My job was to do the driving.  At one shop we met a lady who thought what he was doing was terrific but our first attempts were not quite ready for sale.  She gave him some ideas to make the walking sticks more saleable.  She critiqued the products and made some suggestions.  She suggested that he add a leather strap and put a tag on each one telling the story of where the sticks came from and about him.  This was advice that was well worth listening to.

That first year I think he sold a few dozen.  But that got him more interested in making more and being more prepared by the following summer.  He sold more the second year and he was becoming known around the “Island” as the boy with the walking sticks.  A few dozen turned into a  couple of hundred or more.  As each summer came his confidence grew as well.  He began to attend local craft trade shows and learned even more about business.   More and more people gave him advice and information.

Graham in his booth at a craft trade show.  Nature Trails was the name of his business. Note that there were other natural products like pencils and a game he made.

When Graham turned fourteen he was fortunate to get work on a local dairy farm.  But his passion for making and selling walking sticks did not go away.  He made some money working at the dairy farm and he made good money creating and selling his walking sticks.  As a young teenager he was learning a valuable lesson about making money by working with his hands.  Along with the lessons in working he also learned about saving money and investing it for the future.

Somewhere along this path, Graham decided that he wanted to take business at university.  When I think back, I realize that it all started back on that day when he asked about making walking sticks.  That day changed the course of his life.   He learned more and more about the forest.  He seemed to really like being out there.   We have three children, all grown now.  All of them learned life lessons by working in the woodlot at one thing or another.  They all still help out at harvest time with the Christmas trees or helping to get the winters wood ready.

A dozen walking sticks with a stand. A typical order from craft store would be 1 – 3 dozen at a time.

This simple story about using under valued products from the woodlot to create income.  I hope it will be taken to heart by readers.  Many opportunities exist in the woodlot for non-timber forest products.  For young and old, small business opportunities exist utilizing renewable products from a woodlot.   In a future blog I would like to expand on this topic.  I believe that for many people there is more economic value to be found in a forest other than timber harvesting.  I like to hear back from readers about the things you read in this blog.  My hope is that it will be a place where readers around the world find useful bits of information.  I would be especially happy if readers find it to be a bit of an inspiration to do some work in their own woodlot or backyard.

Until next time, keep safe and well.

***Click on any photograph to get a larger image***

Good-Bye Muffin

Yesterday was a sad day in my life as I had to say “good-bye” to my beloved Muffin.   As she has been such a big part of my life and loved the woodlot so much I thought I would post a tribute to her.

Muffin visiting the Christmas tree lot during our past season

Muffin was a “millennium” puppy borne in the spring of 2000.   For nearly 14 years she has been a close member of our family.  My three children spend the last half of their lives being around her.  She was a mixed breed that we are pretty sure has some beagle in her.  In her younger years, she would go out, near the house, and see if she could find a sleepy rabbit that needed a little exercise.  Of course the one who got most of the exercise was Muffin!  She would come home on some of those warm summer days with her tongue hanging down to her toes!

Muffin often went for walks in the woodlot with us.

Muffin often came with me to the Christmas tree lot when I was shearing trees.  It is a slow and time consuming job and it was nice to have some company at times.  There were lots of things to look for and to a dog, lots of interesting smells.  Of course she could at times find some really interesting things and like many dogs, roll in it!  Why do dogs do this!!!??  Anyway, those occasions would be followed up with a bath.  She hated baths!  But if you are going to come home smelling like that then you are going to get a bath.  Her dislike for baths did not seem to keep her from doing it again when she found something.  We have the occasional skunk around here too and on more than one occasion she would arrive home with that distinctive aroma. More baths!  All part of living in the country, I guess.

Now Muffin wasn’t the largest dog around but that didn’t stop her from showing who the boss is around here.  She made sure she gained the respect of any dog that came into our yard or into our house.  We usually have two dogs at a time and Muffin would be protective of her space.  Any new dog we introduced to the house had to go through an initiation which was usually her growl and bark.  But even the biggest dogs invited into our house quickly learned to give her some space.  She was “Number One” and there was never any question about this in our house.

Muffin loved being in the centre of things at Christmas. And we all love sharing Christmas with her.

Whenever company arrived in our driveway or at the door they would be greeted with a bark and a wagging tail.  I really think she love to meet new people.  She would often hear someone arriving before we would and head tot the door barking.  The barking was short lived as soon as she got to meet whoever arrived.   She loved to see family arriving.  She would get so excited when ever Wendy, Dennis or Graham arrived.  She knew she would get some extra attention …. and maybe get to break some of the house rules!!!

We have been so blessed in this house to have had some wonderful four legged family members over the years.  We like to think that they all felt the same way about being lucky to have chosen us to care for them.  There is one rule in this house.  When you come to live here, you are family, not a pet.   That’s the way it always will be.

We LOVE YOU Muffin and  you’ll always be part of our family!

Woodlot Management Plan

If you own a woodlot, big or small, it is quite important to have a management plan to help guide you.  A plan will help you understand what you have and help prioritize work in the woodlot. It can be simple or more complex and detailed.  I am personally all for simple but with enough detail to really help show you what you have and help guide you in what you could or should, do with it.

One of the biggest misconceptions to get over is, the forest dictates what should be done.  The existing forest is a consideration alright but the biggest influence on what should take place in a woodlot is, “You” the owner/manager!   As the owner of a tract of forest, it is your desires or interests that is the strongest influence on what should be done.  You interests could range from complete preservation (do noting) to intensive management for the highest possible financial returns with no consideration for other values.  The reality is that the vast majority of owners fall somewhere in between these two extremes.

The first step in developing a plan is to gather information about the woodlot. Hiring a trained forestry consultant can be vey helpful. But remember to put forward your long term objectives for the woodlot.

The first step in preparing a plan is to know what you have.  Take an inventor of what types of trees or other vegetation is growing on your land.  Are the trees softwoods or hardwoods, are the old, young or somewhere in between?  What condition are they in?  Is the land wet or dry?  Is it flat or sloping.  Are there any special features that should be noted?  Is there access to the property?  These are some of the main things that should be assessed and put on a map.  It helps to know where the different features are.  Typically, when taking an inventory, it helps to divided a woodlot into stand types.  A stand is simply an area of similar vegetation that is notably different from the ones around it.  Knowing what you have will help you decide what you want, or should do.  You may wish to hire a consultant or speak to your local forestry office for advice.  But remember this, It is your woodlot and the management prescriptions should fit with your interests and not be dictated by others.

Before someone, other than yourself, can prepare a plan they must know what your interests are.  It can be surprisingly difficult to decide which elements are of the highest priority to you.  In a short blog, it is not possible to go into detail but I have created a list of things to take into consideration.  You must choose your priorities and convey this to whoever is developing your plan.  The following is a list of possible things you may wish to manage for and you must place them in order of importance to help guide your management plan:

• ECONOMICS (MAKING MONEY)
• growing more valuable trees (quality vs quantity)
• maximize income (high intensity management)
• generating income from non-timber forest product
• WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
• song birds
• small mammals
• amphibians
• rare species
• forest plants
• birds of prey (hawks and owls)
• hunting (rabbits, grouse deer, etc)
• AESTHETICS
• RECREATION
• BEING CLOSE TO NATURE
• SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
• PROTECTING A SPECIAL PIECE OF LAND
• SPRITUAL CONNECTION
• MAINTAINING OR ENHANCING BIODIVERSITY
• OTHER (BE SPECIFIC)

There could be many other things that are important and if the things that are important to you are not on this list you should add them.  I recommend putting your top six priorities in order of importance.  If it is less than six, that’s is OK.  You must have a good understanding of your own basic objectives and be able to convey these as “long term guiding principals”. Give the list to whoever is writing your plan.  This list should make up a part of the first page of your plan.  It is there for you and others to see and to help keep you on tack.  These priorities can, and probably will, change over the years.  But the changes are often gradual and usually are small incremental shifts.

Perhaps you have an area with wild edible mushrooms that you want to preserve or enhance for annual picking. Your plan should reflect your desires and interests.

These guiding principals are for the long term development of the property.  A management plan is usually for a short period, often 5 to 10 years.  It will help you decide which work is the most important.  It is very difficult to do everything in a short period, so creating priorities will help you target the most important work first.  All of the short term work will help achieve the greater goal of developing the property for the priorities you have listed.

This is a somewhat simplified view of developing a woodlot management plan.  However it is an important part.  Woodlot owners, with limited knowledge of the forest, should ask a professional to prepare them a management plan.  But, unless “YOUR” long-term objectives and interests are at the forefront, then you will have a plan which is written from someone else’s perspective on what “They” believe are the most important things.  Too many plans get written and then never acted upon, mostly because the woodlot owner is not satisfied that the work prescribe meets with his or her desires for the property.  I do believe in getting advice from others, as their knowledge and perspective may lead you to things that you had not thought of.

After all the information has been gathered and there has been time to develop a suitable plan, sit down and go over it carefully. It is only a guide and can be changed, if you need to. But, use it to help keep you on course to get the most satisfaction out of your woodlot.

Planning is so important.  I didn’t go into the principals that drive our decision making at Watts Tree Farm in this blog.  However, if there is interest from readers, I would be happy to write more about this topic.  In short, we use an “integrated use” approach.  We look for a balance among economics, wildlife management, recreation and all round good stewardship.  In future blogs, I will touch on some of the broader areas and break them into smaller parts or attempt to make the decision making process more understandable.

As always, I hope readers enjoy this blog and find some bits of useful information.  I enjoy receiving comments from readers and if you are new to this blog please consider following by hitting the “follow” button.  I assure you that I will not be sending you anything except an automatic notice when a new blog is posted.

Until next time, keep safe and well.

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