Woodland education reaches out to landowners

STATEWIDE — The Woodland Steward Program, a new on-line woodlot management course, debuts this week, and its creators hope that it will soon be educating up to 300 Mainers a year in forest ecology, woodlot finances and harvesting options, along with other forest-related topics.

The 10-part on-line course is designed to help family woodland owners learn how to manage and enjoy their woodland, and to build a good foundation for passing it to the next generation.

Among the topics covered are Maine forest laws, insect pests, climate change and forests, how to pull off a successful timber harvest, and woodlot finances. At the end, there’s a certificate of completion and an invitation to a field day to put it all together.

The course is packed with "the basics that every landowner ought to know" about managing a woodlot, according to Tom Doak, executive director of the Small Woodland Owners' Association of Maine, one of three organizations that partnered to create it, along with the Maine TREE Foundation and the New England Forestry Foundation.

The course is designed for new landowners and those who haven’t previously considered managing their woods. It’s meant to inspire them to learn more about their land, its ecological and economic benefits, and to take steps to manage it sustainably.

Studies show that many woodland owners don't manage their woodlots because they don't feel knowledgeable, and are fearful of doing something wrong.

Maine has 120,000 small woodland owners, and two-thirds of them are over 55, and 40% are over 65. That means a lot of woodland, much of it in the densely populated areas of the state, will change hands over the next two decades, creating a tremendous need to educate new owners.

"Maine TREE is focused on the forest resource," said Executive Director Sherry Huber. "We recognize that there is going to be a lot of land changing hands, and that a lot of people who own small woodlots don't actively manage them."

Sonya LeClair, program coordinator for the New England Forestry Foundation, agreed. "We know that landowners face multiple complex decisions about their land," she said. "Unfortunately, these decisions are often reactive." The on-line course can provide landowners with "the resources they need to understand their land and various aspects of forest management to make informed decisions," she added.

The three organizations took inspiration from the 1970s-era Yankee Woodlot public television series as well as on-line programs in Nova Scotia, Virginia and Georgia. Doak's fondest vision is of multiple generations taking the course together: a grandfather, perhaps, his son or daughter, and their children.

The course starts with an overview. The second module covers forest laws and regulations. Modules 3-6 cover biology: figuring out what trees are on your property, forest ecology, wildlife, and insect pests and diseases. Modules 7- 9 deal with setting up a successful timber harvest, woodlot finances, and non-timber resources, such as maple syrup or fir tips for wreath-making. The last part sums everything up.

The modules are easy to read, and the text includes many links to other websites. Funding was provided by the Horizon Foundation, the Davis Conservation Foundation and the Natural Resource Conservation Service.

For more information or to sign up, visit woodland-steward.org. The cost is $20, payable by check or PayPal.