Take this
time to thoroughly walk your property while thinking about what you would like
to see happen with your land in 5, 10, or 25 years, and begin to mentally map
out the next steps. You might be surprised to discover that what you want from
your land has changed. Life circumstances can impact how you see your land, and
what you hope to get out of it.
While you’re
on your property, note and look for work that needs to be done. This could
include:
·
Repairs to things like fences or clearing out
ditches and culverts.· Upkeep/maintenance on past practices such as tree planting projects
· Refresh property line marking/blazes and replace signage and markers
· Maintain walking trails and roads where they may be beginning to erode
Do what you can to maintain your woodland while practicing safe social distancing. This may mean waiting until you can get help from others and/or a forestry professional to complete the work but taking inventory and creating a plan will get you one step closer to completing these tasks.
3.
Contact Your Local Forester to get Questions Answered
Due to the
current health risk, local forestry professionals are spending more time in
their offices than ever. This is a great opportunity to give them a call—they
will be happy to answer your questions and help in any way they can. Visits by
a forester can still take place if there is access to property and if the
landowner is comfortable not being present.
4. Tune
into Online Workshops and Trainings
As the
timeline for social distancing continues to grow, many organizations are opting
to move in-person events to an online format. This means participating in
events that would otherwise have been too far away to attend in person! Look
for online courses and webinars that can help you learn something new about
your land!
5. Plan
Your Estate
In uncertain
times, many start to think about the “what if’s” in life. What you want to
happen to your land when you’re gone is an important question to answer for
yourself and your family. You may want to sell your woodland, donate all or
part of it, divide it among heirs, etc.
Many
landowners intend to pass down their land to children or other family members
with hopes that it will remain in the family for decades to come. While this
option may seem like a simple one, there are still many things to consider to
make sure your heirs can keep the land and still have the means to cover the
estate taxes.
6. Review
Tax Guidelines
Looking for
a bit of light reading? This is an excellent opportunity to make sure you are
prepared for any timber sales you see in your future. Do some online research
to better understand the tax guidelines around timber sales and other forest
management activities you may be planning.
7. Get a Management
Plan or Update an Existing One
Now is a
great time to get started on a written management plan by talking to your local
forester about your goals. They can point you in the direction of resources
such as cost-share opportunities for you to investigate while waiting for an
on-site visit. If you have a written management plan that needs updating,
contact your forester to discuss making changes to your plan. Some changes may
have to wait for an on-site visit, but in the meantime, they can suggest ideas
to consider and share educational resources.
8. Look
into Stewardship Programs
Many of us
are finding ourselves in front of a screen more than usual these days. While
you’re online, here are some great online resources for identifying programs
and opportunities to talk to your forester about: · American Tree Farm System (ATFS)
· Forest Stewardship Program (FSP)
· Cost-share programs you might qualify for
If you’re already a certified Tree Farm and looking to re-certify, give your forester a call to see how they might be able to help.
9. Learn
to Identify and Control Invasives
Learning to
identify and control invasive species on your land is a great management
activity you can do on your own. Online tools like Bugwood Apps are available
to help you with this. You can also do a Google search of invasive species in
your area before heading out and take photos of anything you’re unsure about to
send to your forester or research later.
10. Enjoy
your Property!
This
recommendation goes without saying—use this opportunity to spend more time
enjoying the beauty and fresh air your land provides! 
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