Now you have all these great ideas for your property. How do you go about doing them? If you decide to put an addition on to your house there are several decisions that you need to make. How big will it be? How much can you afford to spend? What will it be used for? Where will the door and windows go? And should you hire a professional to do it or do you have the tools and knowledge to do it yourself?

The same process holds true for your woods. If your goals are small and simple like putting in a walking trail or planting a few shrubs to attract wildlife, a few simple tools and the information provided in the recommended resources may be all you need. If you decide to cut some firewood, improve wildlife habitat or put in a cross country ski trail, then a planning document will help improve the health of your woods while you reach your other goals - and possibly even save you time and money. First, you need to decide what you want to do. What are your objectives? Then, determine if those objectives are realistic and affordable.

Download the complete chapter:
Chapter 8. Turning Great Ideas into Action: Planning is the Key!
(pdf format: 1,532KB)