Working Forests

The Forest Society's mission includes perpetuating New Hampshire's forests through their 'wise use', or sustainable forestry. Working forests--those managed to provide a renewable wood resource--are more likely to remain as forests rather than being lost to development. Visit this page to explore stories and projects related to working forests.

Loaded logging trucks: We see them all the time on New Hampshire’s roads and highways. Have you ever wondered where all those logs are headed?

Forwarder in action sustainable forestry in New Hampshire
A machine called a "forwarder" in action on Blaine Forest in Jaffrey, NH.

By their nature, and by the nature of their work, foresters oftimes spend their days alone and in the woods.  That’s not a problem; foresters like wandering and either talking to themselves or to the trees.  There isn’t much need of a loud voice unless some absent-minded bear lopes by or they’re …

An upset caller told me recently that we had “destroyed” a particular piece of forest. Statements like this aren’t easy to hear, but they are opportunities to try to clear up some misunderstandings about forestry.  

Change isn’t always pretty. Maybe I should say new change in the woods is …

In the early days of my forestry career it was called Multiple Use Management (MUM).  I’m not sure what it’s called these days, because I never left MUM behind.  It’s what we do at the Forest Society; we try to figure out what the resources are that can be managed for and then develop a plan …

The Society of American Foresters held their annual convention in Spokane Washington last October.  Always an interesting and educational event, this year's conference was entitled Resilient Forests.  For my part, I picked up some rather useful information that relates directly with our current …

As a representative of the Forest Society, I was recently invited to take part in a Forestry Roundtable organized by UNH Cooperative Extension.  The discussion centered on forestry operations (timber sales) in a large watershed and the potential threats to the quality of water in a central New …

This page for forestry and land use advocacy issues, including Current Use and Good Forestry in the Granite State