I've developed a cheap alternative one time pay app for viewing PDF Maps, simple bare bones app for those not wanting to pay the yearly sub apps. Any feedback in the screenshots for the app store would be much appreciated.
A study just published in The Forestry Chronicle revisited 30 one-hectare plots in the Lakes Timber Supply Area that were originally established in 1997. The researchers (led by Alex Woods from BC Ministry of Forests) wanted to check whether managed lodgepole pine stands were actually growing the way the province's models predicted.
Short answer is not really.
Healthy tree proportion dropped from 74% to 56%. Comandra blister rust was the single biggest killer (42% of all mortality), but the combined impact of western gall rust, snow damage, stem defects, MPB, and competition actually did more total damage. And the province's standard growth model (TASS III) only came close to matching observed volumes when they updated both Site Index values and added disease mortality adjustments. Using the original 1997 inputs, the model significantly overestimated what was actually standing.
The methodology is interesting too. They used a consumer drone (Mavic 2 Pro) with terrain-following flight planning software (UgCS, made by our company) to capture imagery across all 30 plots, then built canopy height models to estimate volumes. The drone estimates correlated at 0.92 with hand-measured ground verification plots. It's a scalable approach for monitoring programs that need to cover a lot of area without doing full ground cruises at every site.
The bigger takeaway for anyone in BC forestry: growth and yield forecasts built on pre-beetle, pre-Dothistroma assumptions need serious recalibration if they're being used for timber supply planning.
Full case study: https://www.sphengineering.com/news/ugcs-terrain-following-uav-forest-inventory-british-columbia
Hi everyone,
This is my first time posting but I have been a lurker for some time.
I just graduated university in computer science and wanted to create a platform for forestry management because it’s been a great passion of mine ( anything nature conservation related really) but I am clueless about how this industry works, what’s tough to manage, how wildfires can be managed ( or if there could be a way on knowing when theres increased risk of wildfires and correlating that with resource allocation etc)
So I just wanted to connect with people that share the same passion, or just simply have been doing this for some time.
Thanks in advance !!
I work 2 jobs in an unrelated field making good money. I currently make $234,400 w2 week on week off work schedule. On my off weeks I make 97k 1099.
I’m completely over my field, and I’m looking to convert my 1099 business to stump grinding and keep my w2.
I rented a machine (Vermeer SC 292) and was able to do 40ish stumps last week just to get familiar with a machine and the process. Most were grind and go’s off Facebook marketplace, some were work colleagues, two for my dad I did for free. After my gas and equipment rental I made $29 an hour which is fine. I made a lot more on the cleanup and backfill jobs.
I’m hoping to get to $40-50/hr with an optimized system, and aim for 25 hours a week on my off weeks. I own 2 houses in two different states (Ohio/Tennessee) and I’d like to go between them.
I’ve already purchased the following equipment:
7k trailer with side and back ramps
Billy goat lawn vacuum
Log splitter
3 chainsaws of various sizes
Power wheelbarrow
Compact tractor with loader/backhoe
Rakes and shovels
I’m looking at a low hour Bandit 2250 but I haven’t pulled the trigger yet. It’s 17k.
The plan is to basically keep a pile of dirt at my house, load up the power barrel before I leave with the loader. Grind, rake, backfill, load the much in the power barrel, vacuum the lawn and seed grass.
Much disposal will go into the compost pile for my dad’s fields.
Ideally I’d like to be able to offer estimates off txt, as it seems that’s what the customer wants. This seems to be an unpopular opinion but it saved a lot of time on my end even if I underbid a job or two.
Marketing is a beast I have yet to write out a plan for. Facebook is unlikely to provide the steady work I need. I would appreciate any advice here.
All advice is welcome.
Thanks
I have about an acre of wooded land on my property with a lot of small new growth pine trees (under 3 feet). I'd like to dig a few up, pot them, and use them as part of the landscaping in the front of my house.
Does anybody have experience with this? Any tips to successfully do this without killing the tree? Thanks!
Hey there y’all,
I made a post about a month ago asking about which forestry schools I should apply to. I’ve narrowed my choices down to the University of Idaho (accepted) and the University of Montana (awaiting a decision), since they are the two most affordable options for me in regards to the amount of grant and scholarship money I’ll be receiving.
I currently work as a wildland firefighter during the summer, and I hope to gain employment as a state or federal forester after I graduate so that I can continue my work in fire. I do eventually want to complete a PhD program so that I can work in research and/ or higher education.
I’ve done a fair bit of traveling up and down the west coast, and Missoula has secured itself as one of my absolute favorite cities. I know I’d enjoy the social life and the access to the outdoors that Missoula offers. On the other hand, the University of Idaho offers a dedicated fire ecology degree which would only take about an additional year to complete.
I apologize for the long post, I’m just hopeful to gain some insight to help me make my decision.
This was part two of The Ozark Podcast's conversation with AJ Hendershott from the Ozark Chinquapin Foundation. Think they're doing really cool work to bring back this tree species.
https://www.ozarkweekly.com/p/ozark-chinquapin-2
The whole "functionally extinct" vs truly extinct distinction was interesting--the tree is stuck in a type of "death loop" since it stump sprouts, but can never grow big enough to reproduce before the blight kills it again.
>Imagine a future in which your grandkids have never seen an acorn...
That sounds ridiculous, but it’s close to the experience our grandparents have with the Ozark Chinquapin. In one lifetime, this tree went from being so abundant people used shovels to gather chinquapin nuts off the ground to being so rare they’re nearly unheard of.
Ozarkers have helped pull other species back from the edge of extinction—like the black bear and turkey. So saving the Chinquapin could be the great conservation story of our generation.
Hi everyone, I'm currently finishing up my sophomore year in college and realizing that a career in forestry might be for me. However, I'm a biology major and my college doesn't offer a forestry major, but its hard to justify transferring out because I have a full ride and entering a BS in forestry program would require lost years and lost money. How can I go about building skills in knowledge in forestry? Should I just focus on internships? (I was a camp counselor last summer and will be again this summer but could get an internship the following summer)
The only forestry experience I have was with a conservation corps falling trees, cleaning up the mess and burning piles. I took a few forestry classes at a cc and learned some things about the industry but have no clue how to really get in.
Since then ive been working as an environmental field tech collecting groundwater data and samples and I have an undergraduate degree in biology.
My question would be if its realistic for me now to get a job in forestry, specifically a job that isnt as labor intensive as cutting trees because i dont think my body can handle any more of that lol, something more in the realm of forest ecology, restoration or even fire. And if not what would be the steps i could take to get there. Im not opposed to going back to school if that helps.
Thanks for any info!
I would appreciate some knowledgeable information on an age estimate on these two Eastern Red cedars. These are on my property in Southwest VA, and I am really curious on the age.
The first one is in my wooded forest, with relatively thick foliage of the other trees, and the soil is a rocky limestone slope. This one looks much healthier and I would assume it is younger. It is the taller of the two, I’m guessing 70-80 feet, and the trunk measures about 7 foot 4 inches circumference.
The second is shorter, I would guess 60-70 feet, but has much more signs of age and a rougher life. This one is not in the forest but on a raised river bank with sandy-loamy soil, and stands mostly alone. The single trunk measures 8 foot 2 inches circumference, and rises about 10 feet at that steady diameter.
Really curious about these, from my research Red Cedars this big are pretty uncommon. I also want to ensure they live as long as possible, and would appreciate any advice that would ensure they stand much longer! Thank you!
In a broad, sweeping sense, where do you see the world of Forestry going towards? 10, 20, 30 years from now.
Drones, AI, the timber economy, the actual Economy economy, and whatever else.
I am leaving military service soon and very interested in this field, but I cant quite put a finger on the pulse from the outside perspective. I would love to hear anyone’s opinion before I go beyond the point of no return.
I live in south eastern PA on a wooded lot surrounded by forest that I harvest our yearly firewood from.
My arborist friend just came by to inspect our property and determined that most if not all of our beech trees are infected with BLD (Beech Leaf Disease)
I’ve decided to treat the most important ones that we enjoy around our house but we have dozens of mature beeches that are in the process of dying. I’m proactively taking a few out that are close to an area where I’m about put up a structure.
I usually use beech wood as an outdoor burn source and a shoulder season source. Not sure what to do when these trees need to come down.
Who is dealing with this and what are you doing with your beeches when they need to come down?
Such a shame. I love these trees and they are everywhere. Our property will be unrecognizable in 20 years. Crazy…
She has trimmed the branches a few times, even though they are fully on our property. Each time she was asked not to do it, but did it again anyway.
Now, she cut several parts all the way down to the base.
It’s annoying, to be sure, but I want to make sure she’s not harming the trees any? I doubt there’s much, if any, financial or legal considerations. Though any of those would be welcome, if only to get her to stop cutting our trees!
I want to rid this forest of the invasive ivy which is choking most of the ground, in order to be able to plant in a few years time. I attempted manual pulling in a small section and immediately realized it wasn’t feasible in the slightest.
I have a wood chip source which would give me enough to cover most of the forest using a sheet mulching method.
So my plan is to cut all the ivy down, lay natural burlap over the whole forest floor, then a layer of cardboard, and then 6 inches of wood chips. I would leave some spaces which the ivy hasn’t overtaken.
Is this a reasonable thing to do? Will it kill the ivy and leave the forest ready for planting in a couple of years time? How safe is it for the old growth trees to cover the ground entirely with this method?
Thank you
I have $500 to throw at rain gear. I’m working mostly silviculture this year but also a bit of operations i believe. What do you guys wear on a rainy day?
Greetings Reddit Arborists. I come to you for advice on a project I wish to try, but I am looking for advice to help it (hopefully) succeed. I live a few miles out from Princeton Mn USA. I want to take 3 oak trees of different types and as saplings weave them together. So they can grow as a single tree.
The types I wanted to use are a White oak, a Red oak and a Black oak.
I have been looking into this idea for a few years off and on. And while I have asked AI for ideas, AI can really only be trusted to start an investigation at best.
So enough of the rambling, what I'm looking for suggestions for are this:
Species names that will work well together, in Minnesota's harsh winters.
What methods I should use to start this.
The soil is sandy in the area I am going to plant this. It is also on a hill about 15 feet from a small swampy area, that is also elevated about 8-12 feet above the swampy area.
The hill area has grasses, but otherwise is open field for about 1000 feet in all directions.
The AI suggested planting them in a triangle, about a foot apart then leaning them in towards each other and begin the braiding. I will use a twine to tie them together. The AI also suggested to remove the bark where they touch. I don't know if that's a good idea for this.
The species it suggested ( I know nothing about plant/tree species, other than for this project they should be similar for best chances) are:
Quercus rubra
Quercus alba
Quercus velutina
Now if anyone has better suggestions please tell me. Again the info I am starting with is AI based. So it's not going to be very accurate. But it's a jumping off point for now. Any and all suggestions will be appreciated.
Hello, but of a tricky situation here: I am 26 years old and a Fine Art BA graduate with a lifelong passion for forestry but no formal qualifications (yet!). I studied art because it was the only thing accessible to me at the time because I was very ill as a teenager. I have always tried to tie ecology in to my written and artistic work. I wrote my dissertation about Forestry England's public art commissions and I intend to do an MA in research investigating the ways ecological data could be synthesised in visual artworks for the sake of public accessibility (to promote awareness). Before I got ill, all I wanted was to work for Forestry England in the land management or public engagement areas of the sector, I want to at least try and gain some experience. Because of my chronic health conditions I am specifically interested in management and planning rather than specifically machine operation or coppicing (I can do heavy work but I cannot specialise in it!). Are there any online courses that could be recommended for someone like me with dreams of getting involved? Unfortunately it has to be online or assessed in the East Midlands because I cannot relocate outside of Lincolnshire. Any advice would be greatly appreciated :)
