A dead tree is not truly dead. As trees die, they become snags, downed logs, and eventually return to the soil as organic matter. Along this journey, they host a wide range of organisms and play essential roles in forest ecosystems. How foresters think about and manage dead trees can be just as important as how they manage living ones. In this episode of SilviCast, we explore the concept of morticulture - the intentional management of deadwood in forests. Join us for a conversation with Mark Harmon, professor emeritus in the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society at Oregon State University. Dr. Harmon has spent decades researching tree mortality, wood decomposition, and the management of coarse woody debris in our forests.

Send us a text

To earn CEU/CFE credits, learn more, or interact with SilviCast, visit the uwsp.edu/SilviCast.

Sometime the hardest thing and the right thing are the same. It is true of relationships, and it is true of forests. In this episode, we talk with author Ethan Tapper about his new book, How to Love a Forest. A Vermont Forester, Ethan dives deep with us into what it means to love a forest as a landowner and a forester, and to work with those who may not see the potential in restoring their forest.

Send us a text

To earn CEU/CFE credits, learn more, or interact with SilviCast, visit the uwsp.edu/SilviCast.

The legacy of the “cutover” has left much of the Lake States—and many other regions—with a dominance of even-aged forest stands. Today, both landowners and foresters increasingly consider converting these stands to uneven-aged management to achieve a range of ecological, economic, and aesthetic goals. However, the outcomes of these efforts—even after multiple stand entries—have sometimes fallen short of expectations. Significant silvicultural challenges remain in determining the most effective approaches for even- to uneven-aged conversion. To explore these challenges, we’re joined by Dr. Ralph Nyland, Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Silviculture at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Send us a text

To earn CEU/CFE credits, learn more, or interact with SilviCast, visit the uwsp.edu/SilviCast.