Pennsylvania Tree Farm Welcomes John Hoover as New Chair

I lived in Connecticut before moving to Pennsylvania three years ago. However, I am a 5th generation of the family to own much of this Tree Farm. It took about 14 years to resolve numerous boundary and title disputes. During the process, I purchased numerous adjoining forested tracts and other family ownerships, ending up with the 600 acres that make up my Bald Eagle Tree Farm. Although my son and daughter are not residents of Pennsylvania, they are interested in continuing the sustainable forestry practiced on the Tree Farm. My daughter Jennifer, who lives in the Netherlands, successfully completed the Pennsylvania Forest Stewards virtual training course last year.
Over the past three decades, I have conducted nine timber harvests, all with the advice of a forester. Many of these have been associated with the eight NRCS projects that I have undertaken. In future articles I plan to indicate the results and challenges of completing these projects. I recently enrolled a large part of my Tree Farm in the Family Forest Carbon Program. Much of the forested area enrolled in this 20-year lease was centered on ridgetops which is listed in my 2014 CAP-106 forest management plan as leaving them as they were. Most recently, I have been working with ClearWater Conservancy hosting landowner tours on my property. Conducting safe forest landowner tours in our current COVID-19 environment is different, but last September’s event was successful.

Since moving recently to Pennsylvania and never holding a position in the state Tree Farm program, I believe it is helpful to understand my background as a Tree Farm landowner. I look forward to writing and submitting future articles on our continuing PA Tree Farm work and activities. 

For more information about the PA Tree Farm program, visit our webpage at www.paforestry.org/treefarm.

By John Hoover, PA Tree Farm Committee Chair