Forestry

Many trees get their start in a seedling nursery, where they're pampered in rich soils and ideal watering conditions for the first months or even years of their lives. Nursery employees make sure the baby trees have strong root systems and healthy stems before they're taken out of the ground and replanted in the forest. Come along with us to a nursery by clicking below.

In Working Forests, replanting the forest is one of a forester's most important jobs. Typically one or two years after mature trees are harvested, the ground is prepared for planting. Then baby trees are brought in and planted either by tractor or by hand. Some planters can plant more than 1000 trees in a single day! Watch how it's done by clicking below.

Foresters are the caretakers of some of the most important resources in the world! They care for trees, which ensure cleaner air by capturing carbon and producing oxygen. Foresters also monitor and protect water quality. And they're trained to recognize and protect the habitats of protected species like bald eagles and gopher tortoises. Watch how foresters play a special role in protecting the environment by clicking below.

Working forests, where trees are grown for their timber, grow for a very long time: at least 20 years in the Southeast, and more than 40 years in the Pacific Northwest! Over the course of the forest's lifetime, foresters are stewards of the trees and the land. They monitor the health of the forest using tools like prisms, clinometers and even drones. Learn about the tools of the forest and how foresters keep trees healthy by clicking below.

When trees are fully grown, it's time to harvest them to produce important products people depend on. In the forest, loggers have to assess each log to determine its best use: should it be made into a telephone pole, a piece of furniture, or perhaps paper and cardboard? There are also times when loggers have to use special equipment to safely remove logs from steep ground without damaging the soils and waters nearby. Click below to see how this complex process is handled in different parts of the U.S.