The Kentucky Forest Stewardship Program is a free program available to all private, nonindustrial forestland owners who own 10 or more acres of forestland. This program is designed for landowners who recognize that forests have a multitude of uses, including timber production, fish and wildlife habitat, scenic beauty, stable soil, production of pure water and recreational opportunities. These landowners also 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. 

The Division of Forestry, as lead agency in a multiagency partnership, will arrange for a forester, wildlife biologist, other natural resources professional or all of the above to meet with a nonindustrial private forestland owner and help him or her prepare a Forest Stewardship Plan for his or her property.  The plan is based on the owner's goals and objectives and is designed to help the landowner manage his or her property to achieve those goals.  The landowner is asked to choose a first and a second priority of management from among the choices of proper forest management, fish and wildlife habitat, forest watershed improvement and forest recreation and aesthetics.

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

In order to assist forestland owners in determining overall goals and objectives for their property, the following management choices should be considered:

Proper Forest Management

The forest is a unique ecosystem. It is the mother resource or 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 as well. After determining a landowner's personal goals and objectives, the forester will walk over the landowner's property with him or her and examine its features and trees present. Based on this examination and the landowner's objectives, the forester will make recommendations to the landowner on how to manage or care for his or her forest to best achieve his or her objectives. As part of this, the management of timber for commercial purposes is a consideration, but so also are protecting water quality, wildlife habitat management and recreation and aesthetics. All of these components are 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, bear and raccoon, to butterflies, songbirds, earthworms and caterpillars. 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 pole-size trees or saplings are needed by others. Depending on individual situations and landowner objectives, the forest may be managed to benefit specific species. When wildlife habitat improvement is chosen as the primary landowner's objective, a wildlife biologist of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources will meet together with the landowner and the forester to examine the property. Things recommended to benefit wildlife may vary from putting up nest boxes, to converting fescue fields to warm-season grasses, to some form of harvest cut to stimulate young growth, to thinning to favor increased mast production by removing nonmast producing trees, to doing nothing at all but let the forest grow. When wildlife habitat improvement is chosen as the landowner's first priority, recreation, aesthetics, water quality and timber are still considered but with the emphasis on wildlife.

Forest Watershed Management

The cleanest, purest water in the commonwealth comes from its forestland. The leaf covering on the forest floor acts as a sponge to hold rainwater in place and prevent it from running off during periods of high precipitation. Much of the rain soaks down through the leaves and the soil, being purified by the soil in the process, and eventually finding its way into our 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 the landowner's first priority, looks first at protecting the watershed value of the forest. In addition to the forester meeting with the landowner to examine the property, the district conservationist of the Natural Resources Conservation Service will join them to be sure forest watershed concerns are addressed. Recreation, aesthetics, wildlife habitat and timber are still addressed, but the first emphasis considered will be in making sure the forest watershed is protected.

Forest Recreation and Aesthetics

Forest recreation covers a wide front 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 and the forest beginning to turn green can be some of the most memorable experiences of life. To many landowners this is the most important function of the wooded areas they own.

When forest recreation and aesthetics are chosen as the landowner's first priority, the district conservationist of the Natural Resources Conservation Service will join the forester meeting with the landowner. Together they will examine the property and give special attention to maintaining or enhancing the value of the forest for the landowner's personal recreational and aesthetic interests. Wildlife habitat, forest watershed values and timber will still be addressed as well, but the first emphasis considered will be recreation and aesthetics.

After the Plan:

Technical assistance is available to help the landowner implement his or her plan once it is developed.  There are many cost-share programs to assist forestland owners in implementing their recommended stewardship practices. 

Once landowners begin implementing the recommendations in their plan, they may receive honorary designation as a "Forest Steward," with their land receiving honorary designation as a "Stewardship Forest."

The stewardship application may be printed and returned to:

The Kentucky Division of Forestry
627 Comanche Trail
Frankfort, KY 40601

The stewardship application is an Adobe Acrobat PDF file, which requires the FREE Acrobat Reader, available by visiting the Adobe Web Page. Please click here to download.