Pennsylvania Tree Farm: Community Update

We are addressing key issues for Tree Farmers such as deer damage and ways to get paid for management practices. A Tree Farm Deer Impact Committee has been formed to work with the Pennsylvania Game Commission to allow Tree Farmers extended hunting privileges to help combat deer damage in regenerating forests and new tree plantings. Due to high deer populations, Tree Farmers spend more than twice as much to plant trees and manage forests when the cost of tree tubes and stakes is considered. Besides extra costs, tree tubes also require extra time to manage. Tubes and stakes need straightening, stakes need replacing, etc. The time and money spent combating deer would be better spent managing invasives and doing other tasks required to grow high quality trees. Deer are an issue for our community, and an update on the progress of these discussions will be forthcoming.

Another issue for forest managers is funding the year-to-year maintenance tasks required to grow high quality trees, no matter what your objective (timber sales, wildlife, general ecological preservation, etc.). Pennsylvania has been chosen as a test state for launching a new program for family forests to participate in carbon markets. A PFA-PATF Family Forest Carbon Task Group has been formed and will work with a group from the American Forest Foundation and The Nature Conservancy. This pilot program has the goal of offering a way for smaller forest landowners to participate in the carbon market with lower upfront costs. The program will require a certain level of forest management plan and active management on the land. Tree Farmers would be paid a fee from the carbon market sharing program. This is a very exciting opportunity for Pennsylvania and, if your management plan is up to date and your farm is PA Tree Farm certified, the intention is that you will have access to this program by the end of the year. More information will be forthcoming.

For more information about the PA Tree Farm program, visit our new webpage. Please contact us if you have questions or want to be involved in helping the committee