Towards, Understanding The Value of Forests

Conservation, “don’t know how to get there, but know where to start” was about in the middle of Peter Hayes’ conversation with the group brought together by the Rockaway Beach Citizens for Watershed Protection, Friday evening, September 29th.  In Hayes talk titled “Say Yes! to Better Forestry” he shared with us his fifth generation view of his connections with forests and what it might look like extending out several more. With more questions than answers and more hypothesis than facts he talked about the demand for multiple forest values and current reality that logs are the only way to pay for them.

Hayes asked where is “better” on the spectrum between forest complexity such as wilderness areas that are supported by tax dollars and simplified forests, “tree farms”, that can generate revenue.  Between these two forest ideas is there a place to listen and work through differences recognizing that the multiple values forests provide need be paid for with multiple revenue streams to the owner.  That would be a step towards a sustainable multiple value forestry and create a stronger connection with trees.

There are many good things about mainstream forestry.  One of which is the necessary and needed investment in sawmills and forest harvesting equipment and skilled employees.  Within the current forestry model where logs pay for other forest values, Hayes on their Hyla Forest has been working on strategies to enhance the perceived value of the logs so they can remain economically viable.  Some of these ideas are growing premium value trees and marketing them in premium markets, being open to carbon credits, thinking about ways to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and very selective use of pesticides to control invasive species.

Listening to Hayes say the “stories we tell will create what we become” brought hope that his story of recognizing multiple forest values by economically viable means might be the better forestry that many could agree with.