The Kentucky Forest Stewardship Program is a free program available to all private forestland owners who:

• * own 10 or more acres of forestland
• * want to produce quality timber
• * want to improve wildlife habitat
• * want to produce clean water
• * want to take advantage of the scenic beauty
  * want to fully utilize the recreational potential of their forest
  * believe that it is their responsibility to care for the land in such a way that future generations may have all the land's benefits to use and enjoy.
  
  If this sounds like your goals - download a copy of the official Forest Stewardship Application and start making a difference today!

Proper Forest Management

The forests are the framework upon which all the wild things and other features of the forest depend. Whatever is done to the framework -- the trees -- affects everything else in the forest. A properly-managed forest not only provides timber benefits, but also natural beauty, wildlife, recreation and high-quality water. After determining your personal goals and objectives, the forester will walk over the property with you and examine its features, health and overall site characteristics. Based on this examination and your objectives, the forester will make recommendations on how to manage the forest to best achieve your objectives. As part of this, the management of timber for commercial purposes, protection of water quality, improvement of wildlife habitat and the exploring recreational and aesthetic potential will be blended into the plan by the forester. This is what proper forest management is all about.

Wildlife Habitat Improvement

The forest is the home of countless species of wildlife, ranging from deer, squirrel and bear, to butterflies, songbirds and earthworms. Whatever is done to the forest affects these wildlife forms. Each of these species has specific habitat needs and requirements and the requirements among species may differ radically. While old-growth trees are what is needed by some species; young, developing stands of saplings are needed by others. Depending on individual situations and your objectives, the forest may be managed to benefit specific species. When wildlife habitat improvement is chosen as your primary objective, a wildlife biologist of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources will meet together with you and the forester to examine the property. Recommendations may vary from putting up nest boxes to converting fescue fields to warm-season grasses to planting trees. When wildlife habitat improvement is chosen as your first priority, recreation, water quality protection and timber management are still considered but the main emphasis will focus on wildlife habitat improvement.

Forest Watershed Management

The cleanest, purest water in the commonwealth comes from its forestland. Leaves on the forest floor act like a sponge to hold rainwater in place and prevent it from running off during periods of high precipitation. Much of the rain soaks down into soil, where it is purified and eventually makes its way into the water table. That which does run off into streams does so slowly and with insufficient velocity to dissolve sediment and muddy our streams. Woodland soil erosion only occurs by the action of water on bare, unprotected soil.

Forest watershed management, when chosen as your first priority, looks first at protecting the watershed value of the forest. In addition to the forester meeting with you to examine the property, the district conservationist with your county Natural Resources Conservation Service office will join you to be sure forest watershed concerns are addressed. Recreation and aesthetics, wildlife habitat and timber are still addressed, but the primary emphasis will be focused on making sure that your forest watershed is protected.

Forest Recreation and Aesthetics

Forest recreation covers a wide variety of activities, from hiking, to hunting and fishing, to bird watching, to camping and picnicking. Aesthetics is simply the natural beauty of the forest. Enjoyment of natural beauty is also a recreational pursuit in itself. Being in the woods on a warm, fall day with the leaves in full fall color or on a bright spring morning with the wildflowers in bloom can be some of the most memorable experiences of your life. To many of us, this is the most important function of the forests we own.

When forest recreation and aesthetics are chosen as the your first priority, the district conservationist of your county Natural Resources Conservation Service office will join with the forester to meet with you. Together they will examine the property and give special attention to maintaining or enhancing the value of the forest for your personal recreational and aesthetic interests. Wildlife habitat, forest watershed values and timber management are still addressed, but the primary emphasis will be focused on recreation and aesthetics.

Technical assistance is available to help you implement your plan once it is developed.  There are also many cost-share programs to assist you in implementing the recommended management practices. Once you begin implementing the recommendations outlined in your customized plan, you can receive an honorary designation as a "Forest Steward," and your property will receive an honorary designation as a "Stewardship Forest." 

For those landowners who are already actively managing their forest, they can enroll their property into the American Tree Farm Program.  Contact your forester for more information on either of these two recognition programs.

The Forest Stewardship Program was authorized by the 1990 Farm Bill and is partially funded with federal funds.

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