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The Forestry Basics and Forest Science

By Steve Nix, About.com Guide to Forestry

This is your resource to basic forest and landscape management, silviculture, tree planting and tree care information. The guide helps you control forest and yard tree pests, sell trees and timber, purchase and plant tree seedlings, protect trees from pests, adverse weather and forest fire and find a forestry job.

  1. The Forestry Profession
  2. Fire in the Forest
  3. Harvesting and Selling Trees
  4. Saws and Sawmills

The Forestry Profession

Tree care and forest management use techniques that have been much advanced using the methods developed by the sciences of silviculture and arboriculture and practiced by the professional forester and certified arborist.

Fire in the Forest

Prescribed Fire in the Southern United States

Fire and forests go back to the prehistoric and they have existed together for millions of years. The temperate world's forest ecosystem has developed with forest fire as a preeminent partner - a regenerator, a rejuvenator but also can lead to a forest's ruination. This fire/forest/human symbiosis is complicated but essential and I tell you why.

Harvesting and Selling Trees

Pole Timber Harvesting

A tree is a valuable and renewable resource. The science of forestry and silviculture has been developed to grow trees for many reasons and is especially devoted to growing mature forests for harvest and regenerating new stands for future forest products. Sustainablility (always having trees in various stages of maturity throughout the life of a forest) is the ultimate goal.

Saws and Sawmills

Tyson Schultz, Professional Chainsaw Operator

If you've ever thought about using or purchasing a chainsaw or a portable sawmill, this section is developed just for you. Operating equipment with spinning blades to fell, buck, and saw large trees is inherently dangerous to do if you are not prepared.

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