The Woodland Stewards program equips landowners with vital skills and knowledge to manage, restore and earn from their woods.
By Erin MacLellan
Legend has it that Ohio’s forest was once so thick, a squirrel could travel from the Ohio River to Lake Erie without ever touching the ground.
But when settlers arrived, they cut down trees to build homes, create farms and fuel industry, and by the late 1800s, forest cover dropped from 95 percent to 10 percent, says Kathy Smith ’85, ’89 MS, Ohio State Extension program director for forestry.
“Many people were appalled at the loss of forests, so the state legislature created a forestry bureau [in 1906], and it was first housed at the university,” Smith says.
Ever since, Ohio State has been a leader in helping woodland owners manage their land through its Extension agents and Woodland Stewards Program.
“Our goal is to provide woodland owners with a variety of skills so they can apply them to their own property and make better decisions when caring for their land,” says Smith, co-coordinator of the program.
Read more about the Ohio Woodland Stewards Program in the Ohio State Alumni Magazine >>