We live in a forest! Issues abound regarding how to maintain the health and vitality of our forest ecosystem. Conventional forestry management practices like harvesting, thinning, and control burning are not practical. Why? Our ownership base comprises thousands of lots interspersed with irregular strips of common property. The lots are either improved or, if not, left in the condition they were when acquired or platted. This situation requires a unique approach to any coordinated or integrated natural resource plan.
Issues currently exist, including the gross overstocking of loblolly pine plantations and thick underbrushes, which create unhealthy growing conditions. This also causes stress and makes the stands susceptible to disease, insect attack, and wildfire. Neither the plantations nor the older wild areas of our great deciduous forest have ever been thinned to allow proper growth.
Our forest is dynamic, growing, changing, and maturing. What were once small saplings when our streets and utilities were constructed are now tall trees. They overhang or overtop our infrastructure, creating a threat from catastrophic tornadoes, strong winds, and winter ice storms.
The Common Property, Forestry, and Wildlife Committee has good volunteers now. We have the advantage of age and the wisdom that comes with it. However, we know we need a wider variety of knowledge. That’s where you can help.
The Committee is setting up a Natural Resource Council to help in the fields we lack experience in. We need your advice and help with present-day problems and long-range planning.
What does the Committee do?
- Put on the Urban Deer Hunt.
- Manage the thinning of the forest.
- Perform site inspections and make recommendations for tree-cutting permits.
- Fight the Pine Bark Beetle and equally lethal Pine Needle Rust.
We need your wisdom if you had a career in any of the natural resource fields. We want to talk to you about possibly becoming an advisor and potential committee member.
For more information, please contact:
John Boykin, Chair H.S.V. Common Property, Forestry and Wildlife Committee.
jbboykin45@gmail.com or 501-226-7907
By Max Billingsly, Forester, and Former Chair and the HSV POA Common Property, Forestry and Wildlife Committee
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From just the three comments that have been posted here, I can see how monumental the task will be to find solutions. It’s probably going to be relatively easy to identify the problems, in fact the original article does a very good job of that, the solutions will be very difficult and definitely not a one- size- fits-all approach. For instance, “requiring” distant lot owners to spend money will most likely just exacerbate the number of lots that go into assessment default and forfeiture to the state for unpaid taxes. Then they get bought up by speculators, and the cycle starts all over again.
Excellent assessment by Mr. Billingsly of the reality on the ground with our current forest resources and the challenges we face in addressing those in non-conventional ways. Thank you.
Thin the forest,especially on the east end where the tree farm is,the’re rotting and falling on the ground creating fuel for a forest fire,same with vacant lots near existing homes with rotting trees on the lot,require the owner to cut down the ones that are a hazard to their neighbors property
I think that’s between you and the person that owns the lot.