Monday February 13, 2012
This forestland occurrence map indicates where the largest concentration of individual trees are growing (based on existing growing stock) in the U.S. by county and state. The lighter green map shade means less tree densities while darker green means more tree densities. No color means very few trees.
The United States Forest Service's Forest Inventory and Assessment group developed this map to show the spatial distribution of the nation's forest land in 2007 as a percentage of county land area and county tree density.
Source: National Report on Forest Resources
via Where U.S. Forests are Located.
Tuesday February 7, 2012
Charcoal is a formless mass of carbon and can be made from most carbonaceous materials but wood is preferred. Charcoal is one of the oldest of man-made fuels and has been prepared in underground "kilns" for thousands of years. Interestingly, charcoal is still a major source of energy for many throughout the world but contributes to major deforestation in poor countries located in sensitive, arid areas.
In the United States, wood is the primary material used for charcoal and is generally procured in the form of residue like sawmill slabs and edgings. Very few trees are harvested for charcoal production in North America.
Tuesday February 7, 2012
There was no organized program to manage and protect United States' forests before 1875. No organization existed to champion fledgling forestry efforts being developed to save and manage American forests. There was no government over-site for vast stretches of American trees and no fire protection. Not one professional forester was trained in the United States.
All that was about to change.
Forestry became an American profession at the end of the 19th Century and was first taught at Cornell University and Yale. These universities created the first college level forestry schools in the Western Hemisphere. University-taught foresters were primarily employed in the newly created United States Division of Forestry, later to be called the United States Forest Service.
A massive conservation movement took the Nation by storm and was instrumental in the creation of the first Timberland Reserve which later became know as Yellowstone National Park. Millions of acres of forest land were later purchased to make up one of the largest public forest ownerships in the World - our National Forests. We still enjoy these forests today...
Yellowstone Timber Reserve - National Park Service Illustration
Friday February 3, 2012
Timber and tree owners have been hit especially hard the last several years by tornadoes, hurricanes, ice storms and other U.S. disasters.
Remember, trees damaged by fire or storm may entitle the owner to a federal tax deduction in the form of a "casualty loss". This includes losses to both timber and shade trees. You still must attempt to salvage the trees for any remaining value to qualify. A forester can help you with this...
Casualty losses occur when sudden, unexpected and unusual events damage your trees. The first step toward claiming that loss is to document the damage. Take pictures to show the actual property damage before cleanup efforts begin. In most cases you have until April 15, 2010 to report a "casualty loss" of any 2009 damage.
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