Timber management is looking at forests as timber resources. Timber management in Broome County NY can trace its roots back to the late 19th century when it was first understood that timber was not an infinite resource. When early Europeans began to settle in the United States it was estimated that there was a billion acres of forest; these early settlers immediately began to harvest this resource. Timber at that time was needed for ships, homes as well as fuel; furthermore it was necessary to clear land for crops. Fifty years after harvesting began about 250 million acres had been cleared. It soon became apparent that the timber resources would eventually be totally depleted if something was not done about it.
Timber management began in earnest in the early 20th century. The United States government owns approximately 325 million acres of woodland and practices effective timber management on this land. The forest is held in trust for the future as well as being a reserve in the event of need. Private lumber companies, individuals and investment groups hold a further 430 million acres. These private entities manage their own resources in different ways depending on jurisdictional issues, their unique goals and the on-going need for capital.
The sustainable forestry initiative (SFI) is one commonly used the approach used by companies involved in timber management. This approach to timber management gives the various companies involved a number of different rules that can be used to gauge their own specific timber management needs. SFI provides the companies with a set of guiding principles and lays down certain “rules of thumb” on how forests should regenerate while being harvested, what areas should not be harvested and what areas should be thinned.
It is understood that the best approach to timer management in Broome County NY is one which carefully balances and takes into consideration both commercial and environmental concerns. When forest land is allowed to regenerate at a controlled rate the ecosystem will stay healthy and there will be a perpetual source of commercial timber available.
In the majority of cases, forest regeneration is done by either natural seeding or planned planting of seedlings. Planting seedlings are considerably more expensive that allowing nature to take its course, but many timber companies prefers seedling planting as it shortens the time to maturity. An early harvest often offsets any additional cost associated with planting.
All Pro Able Tree Service have many years experience in timber management in Broome County NY. Contact the company today to discuss commercial tree harvesting or land clearing for future investment.
