Best Practices

Generations Forestry Continues to drive innovation in timber management 

The Generations team understands that the living, breathing forest constantly changes and is affected by past management practices as well as current land use, pests, diseases, weather, invasive species and other factors. We are proactive and innovative in developing timber management practices to address the changing forest.

■ We have been proactive in coordinating wide area aerial spraying for gypsy moth, forest tent caterpillar, elm span worm, and other insects. In 1994 there was an elm span worm / gypsy moth infestation and we coordinated a 100,000-acre spraying program for private and municipal forest land. In 2010 we coordinated a 60,000-acre spray program for the forest tent caterpillar and an additional 10,000-acre spray program in 2013. Smaller programs were coordinated as need in other years.

■ Over browsing by deer reduces vegetation diversity. Exclusion fencing keeps deer out for a period of time, increasing vegetation diversity, and ultimately providing a deer food source resulting in more vegetation diversity in the surrounding forest.

■ Herbicide spraying is used to control undesired vegetation in the lower forest canopy and forest floor (for instance, birch, striped maple, and fern) as a means to promote establishment of desired forest vegetation. These practices have been available for decades, however, the creative implementation of these practices have broadened silvicultural opportunities for sustainable management.