When thinking about managing your forestland, it may help to think about it as a type of investment. Most investments - stocks, bonds, etc. - are managed to produce a desired result. The same can be said for hardwood forests. Left to its their own means, hardwood forests are not very efficient growing systems. Without proper management, valuable trees can be smothered out by others of lesser value, thus degrading the forest's potential returns. Management can alter this cycle and allow the landowner to reap the maximum benefits from the forestland.

Planning

The first step in management is planning. A management plan will help you identify your objectives and will help guide the management of your forest for generations to come. Don't let planning scare you. There are many people available to assist you:

• The Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry, has 18 District Foresters who provide assistance and advice to landowners throughout the state at no charge. They can give you a good overview of your forest resources and their condition, and can help you develop a management plan. Clark County's District Forester is Don Stump. He may be contacted at the Clark State Forest office (812) 294-4306 or by email at dstump@dnr.state.in.us.
• Consultant Foresters offer their services and management advice to landowners for a fee. Services offered vary by consultant but often include management plan preparation, timber appraisals and valuations, timber sale marking and marketing, tree planting, timber stand improvement work, timber inventory, and tax management.
• Industry foresters work for companies who purchase and/or manufacture of wood products. They will sometimes work with private landowners for a fee or as part of a management agreement between the landowner and the company they represent.
• District Wildlife Biologists, employed by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife, provide free assistance to landowners as the District Foresters do. Their specialization is in the development, enhancement, and restoration of wildlife habitat. Wildlife Biologists provide technical advice, assist in written management plans, provide information on cost-share assistance, and provide recommendations in nuisance wildlife management and control. Clark County's District Wildlife Biologist is Mark Bennett (812) 849-4586 or email at mbennett@dnr.state.in.us.

Developing Your Objectives

Your management plan should focus on what you desire for your property. Do you enjoy hunting, fishing, and camping? Do you want to help protect the soil and water resources, or enhance habitat for wildlife? Are you interested in timber production? It's important to establish your objectives. Write them down. If you plan and manage carefully, you should be able to achieve many.

Assessing Your Resources

In order to develop an effective management plan, you need to know the resources that you have to work with. Most of this information can be based on your own observations and should include items such as:

*Foresters and other resources specialists can be especially helpful in gathering tree data.

You not only should consider the physical aspects of your property, but also the amount of time you have to be involved with the management activities. If you have a demanding career that leaves little time for working in your woodlands, it may be best to hire a professional to do the work for you. On the other hand, when feasible, woods work makes a great family project.

Putting It In Writing

Now that you've stated your objectives and gathered the necessary information, you're ready to put your plan in writing. Plans usually outline the course of actions for the next 5 to 10 years and include: the preparer's name, the date the plan was prepared, location of the property, inventory data, management objectives, recommended actions to take, and a timeline for those actions. Once written, plans should be referred to regularly to keep up with changes in status of the property, markets, and weather.

Now that you have your management plan, it's time to put it to work! Click here to learn more about managing a forest that will be healthy and productive, protect water resources, provide beauty and recreation, and conserve nature.

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