T o d a y ’ s F o r e s t • T o m o r r o w ’ s L e g a c yT o d a y ’ s F o r e s t • T o m o r r o w ’ s L e g a c y

Woodscaping: Land Stewardshipfor Small Forested PropertiesSouthern New England Forest Consortium

Why Care AboutProtecting Small Tracts ofRhode IslandForestland?

➣Small acreage forest own-erships are on the rise

➣The pattern of small for-est and meadow owner-ship magnifies pressureon public water supply,wildlife habitat andwood supply

➣Wise stewardshipdepends on the manypeople that own andcare for their property

➣Existing stewardshipprograms are aimed atlarger woodland tracts,but not smaller ones

What is Woodscaping?

W oodscaping is a term for activemanagement of small wood-land parcels (in Rhode Island asmall woodland parcel is con-

sidered to be less than 10 acres) in subur-ban and rural areas where more andmore people are living. It is land stew-ardship that is done in a way thatrespects ecological values at the sametime that it meets landowner goals suchas creating a walking or skiing path,watching birds, enjoying privacy, cuttingfirewood or timber, making maple syrup,or other activities. Because woodscapingusually occurs where people live, itemphasizes the natural beauty and per-sonal touch that people like around thehome. Woodscaping is a mix of tradition-al forest management and landscapingactivities that occurs within the contextof a natural woodland or meadowecosystem, not a lawn with ornamentaltrees. It can be done by a landowner orby a hired professional. Woodscapingmay include neighbors working togetheron a project that extends beyond individ-ual property lines.

What People are DoingJean Skarzynski owns a home on 2 acres

of meadow, surrounded by 6 acres of woodsin a small New England town. A recentevening program inspired Jean to tacklesome new woodland projects at home to seeif she could attract a greater variety of birdsand animals. She learned that their meadowwas an ideal habitat for bluebirds, and that anesting pair would likely come if her familyput out a birdhouse of the proper dimen-sions. Thinking about the woods, sheplanned to clear a footpath past a clump oflarge pines that had cavities created by awoodpecker. She also learned that by clear-ing around and aggressively pruning over-grown apple trees in the woods, fruit pro-duction would improve and create a Meccafor animals. The clearing would also makean ideal observation point for birds and ani-mals - another stop along the footpath - andthe cleared trees could easily be cut intowood for the fireplace.

Ed Carillo found himself missing theextensive woodlands and fields of hisyouth, so he decided to pass on to his chil-dren some of the values that he’d learnedby involving them in the care of the 12acres surrounding their home. In late win-ter they tapped a line of old sugar maplesfor sap and boiled it down into syrup forfriends and family. Each spring they plant-ed Christmas tree seedlings that in 10years could be harvested for the holidays.

Ed’s greatest pride was a 5-acre groveof young oak trees from which, little by lit-tle, he and his kids were removing poorlyshaped and crowded trees for stovewoodeach year. The first firewood had comefrom opening an access route for his pick-up truck. Later, for added confidence, hehired a professional forester to evaluatetheir plans for both the oak grove and therest of the property. Even though Ed is notsure whether he’ll be around to harvest anymature timber, his desire to have his chil-dren learn first-hand about trees and howthey grow, had been motivation enough -that and the reward of helping create whatwould one day be a beautiful grove of bigtrees, for people and wildlife alike.

T o d a y ’ s F o r e s t • T o m o r r o w ’ s L e g a c yT o d a y ’ s F o r e s t • T o m o r r o w ’ s L e g a c y

Benefits vs. CostsIt’s human nature to maximize bene-

fits and reduce costs. And, we all knowthat nothing worthwhile comes free.Given this, we feel woodscaping makesreal sense – the benefits do outnumberthe costs. Time and effort costs of doingwoodscaping yourself can more opti-mistically be thought of in terms of recre-ation and exercise. Time and effort costsof hiring someone to help with wood-scaping are probably a minimal expense.Physical discomforts can be safely avoid-ed with proper clothing and repellents.And though some woodscaping activi-ties may require you to spend money,many do not, and many others are rela-tively inexpensive. Susan Campbell, Massachusetts ForestStewardship Program and Ellen Grady,Southern New England Forest Consortium,Inc. October 1996.

This series of factsheets willhelp you accomplish threeimportant things:

➣Learn more about your woodlands.

➣ Identify your goals, objectives, andproject activities for your woodlands.

➣Provide you with information andresources to make informed decisionsand successfully accomplish your plans.

Depending on your level of commitmentor your need for specialized technicalassistance, this guide may be used as asupplement in working with a consult-ing forester and other natural resourceprofessionals, or it may be all you needfor right now to achieve your goals.

How to use this publicationThe following factsheets are designed tohelp you learn more about your wood-lands. Whether you’re interested inrecreational enjoyment or enhancingyour income, this guide will provide youwith project ideas, information, andadditional resources for achieving theseplans. This publication will also help youto protect your woodlands and projectinvestments by providing you withinformation to reduce potential environ-mental impacts.

There are 11 factsheets in this seriesthat cover essential topics for woodlandowners. There is also an inventory sheet,a place to sketch your property or wood-land management area, a sheet to recordyour plans and activities, and a glossaryof commonly used terms. Many of thefactsheets provide basic principles, astarting point for working on a particularproject, and then direct you towardsadditional resources for more specificinformation and assistance. Keep inmind that laws and regulations vary andchange. Always check with local andstate officials to make sure your activitiescomply with the law.

Getting StartedYou can read these factsheets all at once,or you may choose to focus on one ortwo at a time depending upon yourinterests. The first three factsheets pro-vide background and basic principles onthe history, functions and properties ofSouthern New England Forests and keyelements of proper project planning. Assuggested throughout the factsheets, takeyour time to identify your woodlandresources and think about the type ofactivities you would like to undertakeand your reasons for doing so. You canthen use this publication to help youdesign a project action plan and accom-plish your activities.

As a woodland owner in SouthernNew England, you play an extremelyimportant role in protecting and manag-ing forest habitat, as well as contributingto the diversity of land use typesthroughout the landscape. Above all,embrace the opportunities your wood-lands present to enjoy nature with yourfamily, friends, and neighbors.

What are SomeBenefits?

➣A more attractive natu-ral environment

➣An increase in birds andother wildlife on theproperty

➣More opportunities toenjoy your woods andfields

➣ Increase property value

➣A pleasant hobby thatcould allow for somequiet time, exercise andlearning

➣Well-tended naturalresources, protected forthe community andfuture generations

What are SomeCosts?

➣Doing it yourself

➣Time and effort involvedin doing it yourself

➣Some money

➣The possibility of physi-cal discomfort such aspoison ivy or insect bites

➣Hiring someone

➣Time and effort tochoose and hire someone

➣Additional cost of hiringoutside help

Programs and activities are available to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age,sexual orientation, or national origin.

This project is a collaboration of the Southern New England Forest Consortium, Inc.1, and the University ofRhode Island Cooperative Extension Home*A*Syst Program2. Written by Holly K. Burdett 2, ChristopherModisette1, Alyson McCann2 and Brianne Neptin2. Special thanks to all publication reviewers. Funding forthis project was provided by the USDA Forest Service in cooperation with the Rhode Island Department ofEnvironmental Management Division of Forest Environment and the USDA Renewable ResourcesExtension Act, URI Cooperative Extension.