September 5, 2018 - by Forester Lisa Deaton Fruit Every August, our agency assists the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries with their Mast Survey. Mast is not just a word to describe the tall post on ships; it is also a term used to describe the fruit of trees and plants that provide food sources for wildlife. Trees do not bear the same amount of fruit (i.e. nuts) reliably from year to... Read More
August 27, 2018 - by Senior Area Forester Scott Bachman Earlier this summer my co-workers and I were finally able to get out and measure a harvest in Southampton County. The harvest had been in a stand of bottomland hardwoods. The landowner retained a riparian buffer on both sides of the stream channel during the harvest to protect the water quality of a significant tributary of the Blackwater River. The Blackwater River is a... Read More
August 21, 2018 - by Forester Travis Tindell All photos courtesy of Dwight Dyle, DGIF Imagine a quiet morning. You stop and listen, the trees swaying gently as a breeze rolls through. The birds have been calling since before you woke up. The birdsong continues as you tune in, and then you hear it: the three-part whistle of the northern bobwhite. This bird is elusive and more often heard than seen. They call to... Read More
August 13, 2018 - by Senior Area Forester Scott Bachman In my youth I spent hours playing in the creeks around my home. I grew up in an area where streams were full of rocks and fast-flowing, cool water. Back in the day we would turn over the rocks and try to catch the crayfish lurking underneath. The plan was to wait for the water to flush out the stirred up silt and then... Read More
July 26, 2018 - Kids! by Forester Lisa Deaton Many localities and organizations offer great opportunities for kids to enjoy the outdoors at summer camps and day camps. The Virginia Department of Forestry, in cooperation with natural resource conservation agencies and organizations, offers Holiday Lake Forestry Camp for 13-16 year olds every summer at the Holiday Lake 4-H Center near Appomattox, Virginia. Our local day-campers all learn about Smokey Bear and his fire prevention... Read More
July 20, 2018 - by Area Forester Sarah Long If you were out in the Conway Robinson State Forest around the end of June, you might have wondered what those folks with chainsaws were doing to your state forest. As one of those folks with a chainsaw, I am here to tell you that tale. Trees produce untold pounds and pounds of seed every year in the hope that just a few of them... Read More
July 14, 2018 - Virginia’s forestland is a valuable asset to society, providing clean air and water, wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities and renewable wood resources for all Virginians. Because almost two-thirds of Virginia’s woods are owned by private individuals, the decisions they make for their land can have far reaching impacts on the sustainability of Virginia’s forests. One of the biggest challenges that Virginia’s landowners face is how to pass the family forest on... Read More
July 13, 2018 - Virginia set a new record for the volume of timber harvested with slight increases in both hardwood and softwood volume compared to the previous year, according to the Virginia Department of Forestry’s (DOF) analysis of the Virginia Forest Products Tax receipts from Fiscal Year 2017. “The rate of forest harvest is still well below forest growth in Virginia each year,” explained State Forester Rob Farrell. Across Virginia in 2015, the... Read More
July 10, 2018 - Turtles by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Why do turtles cross the road? The answer turns out to be the same as the famous chicken riddle: to get to the other side. The US Fish and Wildlife Service provides information on how to safely assist turtles in the direction they are traveling here: https://medium.com/usfws/turtles-are-crossing-the-road-96dafc2b3515 . Driving with your full attention on the road in front of you is always a good... Read More
July 2, 2018 - by DOF Senior Area Forester Scott Bachman An SMZ or streamside management zone, also known as a riparian buffer, is an area along a stream or creek (or a river if you have one in your back yard!). In forestry this SMZ is commonly wooded (grass buffers can be very important in agriculture areas). During a timber harvest the DOF encourages all landowners to retain at minimum 50 percent of... Read More
