WELCOME TO THE BE WOODS WISE BULLETIN
Summer 2005

This is the third issue of a quarterly newsletter published by the Maine Forest Service (MFS) to connect Maine landowners with information about their forests, and with the resources – people, new publications, events, websites, etc. – they need to make informed choices about their woodlands.

Be Woods Wise supports and encourages landowner stewardship. Stewardship means protecting and improving a whole range of resources – recreation, wildlife habitat, woodland aesthetics, forest health, soil and water resources, wood or other forest products. Stewardship means meeting your needs as landowner while sustaining natural resources for the future.

Be Woods Wise and other MFS landowner assistance efforts are supported by grants through the USDA Forest Service’s Forest Stewardship Program, the USDA Forest Service’s Forest Land Enhancement Program, and other sources.

A PLAN FOR MY FOREST?

Most people put some effort into planning for the future. A well-thought out plan helps people make the most out of their education, investments, retirement, etc. For some activities, it’s a good idea to get help from knowledgeable people in developing a plan.

Woodland ownership is no different – whether your objectives include recreation, aesthetics, wildlife habitat, timber income, or other goals. Forests take a long time to grow, and any landowner may face numerous decisions over the years.

MFS recommends that owners of woodland hire an independent Licensed Forester to prepare a written Forest Management Plan – a comprehensive document that describes forest conditions on an entire parcel or ownership, recommends steps to help meet the landowner’s long-range objectives, and provides a detailed map of the parcel or ownership. Such plans identify specific activities over 10+ years, while considering the forest’s future over many decades.

A good plan is like a road map for the future of the forest. It will generally:

• help you establish your land ownership objectives and priorities
• describe the current condition of your woodland
• identify opportunities and actions to achieve objectives
• identify special features and how they might influence your decisions
• help you avoid unnecessary costs and unintended consequences
• provide a detailed map of the property showing important features.

Such plans may go by one of several different names, reflecting a variety of established criteria or requirements. The most common examples are:

• WoodsWISE Plans written to the standards of MFS’s current cost-share program,
• Stewardship Plans is a broad term referring both to existing plans written to the standards of past Stewardship cost-share programs (SIP, FSA, and others), as well as WoodsWISE plans under the current program.
• Tree Growth Forest Management & Harvest Plans meet the minimum requirements of Maine’s Tree Growth property tax program, and are required for property enrolled in the program.

Tree Growth plans may be fairly basic in the information they provide. WoodsWISE/Stewardship exceed Tree Growth plan requirements, providing more detail. Some Tree Growth plans may not meet WoodsWISE/Stewardship plan specifications.

By having a good plan prepared by a professional licensed forester, landowners can realize tangible benefits now while enhancing the future of their forest – and the benefits they derive from it.

FINDING A FORESTER

For help finding a private forester, call your MFS District Forester. To locate the District Forester nearest you, or for more information, call the MFS Augusta office at 207.287.2791 or go to http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/fpm/ff/foresters.htm.

WOODSWISE COST-SHARE PROGRAM – AUGUST 2005 SIGN-UP

MFS offers financial incentives to eligible woodland owners to implement specific recommendations of their Forest Management Plans**.
MFS District Foresters will be accepting applications for eligible projects during August, with applications due by August 31st. Landowners must have an MFS-approved plan, and be working with a private, WoodsWISE-eligible Stewardship Forester. Landowners must apply and be pre-approved for cost-sharing, before the project begins, to be eligible. The program reimburses landowners for documented costs for completed work.
Application forms, eligibility & project requirements, and additional information are available at http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/fpm/wwi/wwi.htm/. For additional assistance, contact the MFS Augusta office, your MFS District Forester, or your consulting forester. **Applications for plans are accepted continuously.

EVENTS

There are many events of interest to woodland owners, as well as foresters, loggers, etc., sponsored by Maine Forest Service and others. For more information or additional listings, call MFS or go to: http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/fpm/calendar/calendar.shtml.

August 5th – Designing Land Management Road Crossings that are Passage Friendly for Aquatic Species
A stream crossing design/demonstration workshop in Jefferson. Pre-registration required.

August 6th – Invasive Species Control for the Woodland Owner
This workshop in Hollis and Buxton will cover identification, ecology, planning, and control technicques for invasive woody shrubs, vines, and other plants. Preregistration required.

August 20th – Western Maine SWOAM Field Day
This year’s event is in Bethel, where the theme is “Managing for Wildlife”.

August 26th – Designing Land Management Road Crossings that are Passage Friendly for Aquatic Species
A stream crossing design/demonstration workshop in Houlton. Pre-registration required.

September 11th – Outstanding Tree Farmer Field Day
An annual event of Maine Tree Farm, with presentations, tours, and displays. This year’s event will be held in Newburgh.

September 24th – Monhegan Island Forests
A trip sponsored by SWOAM’s Midcoast chapter. A focus will be on control of invasive species, with Dr. Bill Livingston of University of Maine. Ferry from Port Clyde, fee.

September – Woodland Owner Courses/ & Yankee Woodlot Course
Several MFS District Foresters, in cooperation with SWOAM, offer landowner courses on woodland management on multiple evenings, beginning in early fall. The annual week-long Yankee Woodlot course takes place in Lincolnville in September.

Summer and Fall – Maine Agricultural Fairs
A Maine tradition, and often a good source of natural resource information. MFS has displays at the Common Ground Fair in Unity and the Fryeburg Fair. Please stop by!! For a complete listing of fairs see http://www.getrealmaine.com/visit/maine_fair_dates.shtml.
If you know of an event for the calendar, please contact MFS.

SWOAM AGROFORESTRY TOURS AND SMALL LANDOWNER SUMMIT
Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine (SWOAM) is organizing field tours on Friday, October 21st. The three tour options include 1) markets, log preparation and specialty wood products; 2) public forests managed for recreation and other uses, and 3) managing small woodlots for multiple uses. On Saturday, October 22nd, a Small Landowner Summit in Augusta will highlight important topics for small ownerships.

“THE BUG LAB”

For questions about tree diseases or insects, the Insect & Disease Management Unit (aka the Bug Lab) might be your best bet. The IDM Unit of the MFS’s Forest Health and Monitoring (FHM) Division is staffed by forest entomologists and pathologists in Augusta and at field locations in the northern half of the state. They can provide practical information on a wide variety of forest and shade tree problems to landowners, foresters, and others.

They can help recognize tree diseases or insect damage, and recommend possible management/treatment techniques. They publish information sheets and brochures on many common insect and disease problems, and a periodic newsletter on insect and disease conditions (April-October). They can also help identifying insects or tree/shrub diseases from sample material mailed to Augusta.

The FHM staff provide training to other foresters and professionals. MFS’s District Foresters work closely with FHM and can also help on site with a variety of common insects and diseases. Finally, the FHM folks are responsible for regular inventory, insect survey work, and managing insect quarantines (like hemlock woolly adelgid) throughout the state. A very full plate for a small group of dedicated professionals!

For more information, call the Bug Lab in Augusta at 207.287.2431, or visit their website, http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/idmhome.htm.

"We help you make informed decisions about Maine's forests"