Part I: Formulating Your Plan

Owning a Woodland ~ Having a Plan

Part. 1 of MANAGING YOUR FAMILY FOREST Blog Series

Researched and written by Sandy Lower and Corey Wrinn

Your decisions regarding your forested land will be influenced by many factors, including your family situation, income needs, taxes and your philosophy of land ownership and the environment. We encourage the reader to click on the links provided within the blog as additional sources to further your research. 

Elements of a Forest Management Plan

A common misconception on the rural-urban fringe is that a healthy forest is always an untouched forest. While that may be true in some regions, the forested landscape of a developed New England requires a different approach. Whether you are concerned about wild fires or invasive species mitigation, a professional forester can assist you by taking an inventory of your forest resources including your land’s timber, wildlife habitat and water features. A well-written plan should begin with a statement of your goals. Long-term goals are achieved through specific management activities such as timber stand improvement, stand thinning, timber harvests, site preparation and regeneration.

Statement of Landowner Goals
The first step is to determine your priorities, set goals and identify the management activities to reach those goals. A good way to begin is by asking yourself the following questions:

• Do you want to observe wildlife in your forest?
• Do you want your forest to produce income?
• Will you use your forest for recreation?
• Is the beauty and health of your forest important to you?

The second step we recommend is to compare your property and your planned management goals with Chapter 61, 61A and 61B. 

• Chapter 61 is for landowners who have long-term forest management goals;
• Chapter 61A is for landowners who take part in agricultural practices;
• Chapter 61B is for landowners who plan to keep the forested in a natural state and for outdoor recreation.

Each program comes with different attributes, and we encourage landowners to further research these options through the links provided and with your forester. These plans will influence your management plan.

Stereum genus

Property Map
Your plan should include a map and aerial photo showing the location of the property, access, boundaries, timber stands, and other key features: Are there wetlands? Is your property within an Area of Environmental Concern? Are there agricultural lands currently in use? To quickly access that data, you can find it here on MassMapper.


Protection and Maintenance
Include a description of activities relative to the following key protection and maintenance requirements:

• Timetable for review and update of the forest management plan
• Marking and maintaining property lines and corners
• Access such as roads and gates, trails
• Insect and disease inspection, protection, and salvage

Agricultural cut in 2019

Stand Descriptions and Inventory Data
Each stand should be described and marked on the property map. Soil types, number of acres, tree species, stand age, average tree height, standing timber volume, tree condition and health, and unique water quality or drainage. Descriptions are done by a forester.


Forest Management Activities
A forest management plan applies your goals to your forest stands and creates a timetable of planned activities which may include:

• Timber harvests
• Commercial timber thinning
• Timber stand improvement practices
• Establishing and maintaining wildlife management practices
• Installing and maintaining water quality protection practices.
• Enhancing the stand’s aesthetics, recreational use, and diversity of plants and wildlife species

Forest Management plans are unique to each owner and forest and could have a project timeline from 5 months to a year depending on the acreage, topography and ecology. If you decide to develop a forest management plan, it should be reviewed and updated at least every 10 years or as conditions change or the owner’s objectives change.

We will cover a few of the Management Activities in Next Week's post about Working with Foresters. 


Additional Resources:

• Find your Regional Forester Here
• Private Consulting Foresters
• USDA Resources
• Caring for Your Land
• Caring for your Woods Starting point (MassDCR)
• Sample Management plan (NRCS)
• Monterey Forestry Cut