“For a first time landowner looking for help and guidance on how to get their property to the stage they want, WoodsCamp is a good place to go”,
Scott Weber and his wife had been looking for a place where they could connect with nature, when they found an older farmhouse on 35 acres of land in Southern Wisconsin. This home-away-from-home has been just what Scott and his wife were looking for: a place surrounded by nature to spend quality time together with their family exploring the woods and soaking in the peacefulness of the wild.
Scott and his family have made some changes since purchasing the property a few years ago. What once was fields, they decided to reforest. They planted a variety of pine trees, spacing them out so the sun could reach the ground; this encouraged the growth of other plants, including milkweed for bee and butterfly habitat.
As the forest began to grow, Scott wanted to do more to keep it healthy, and to improve the habitat for the wildlife on his property. The only thing was, he did not know where to start. This was the first time he had owned a piece of land, and he wanted to make sure he had the right information.
Scott came across an ad online for WoodsCamp—this looked like a promising option that could help him get advice that would align with the goals for his land. Scott found his property online, and when he received his report, booked a call to learn more about WoodsCamp. After a short call with a WoodsCamp landowner success agent, Scott found out he was eligible for a free visit with a local service forester from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The forester could walk his land and give him advice on how to help keep forest healthy. This sounded exactly like what Scott was looking for: advice and someone to help guide him through how to reach his goals for his land.
When the forester arrived, he was able to give Scott very useful advice on how to create better habitat for wildlife while also taking care of his land. One such example was to girdle a few unhealthy trees that the forester identified. This would prevent the spread of oak wilt while creating more habitat for wildlife. He was also able to identify many different tree species, including a rare butternut tree. The forester noted several invasive species on his land, and suggested cost share programs which could help offset the cost of removing the invasive species.
“Working with a federal or state forester, like someone from DNR, can be a good way to get unbiased advice from someone who isn’t necessarily looking to make a profit from your land.” Says Scott. He will be applying for a cost-share program to cover the removal of invasive species. In addition, his forester will be returning to mark trees to be girdled so he can be sure he is girdling the right trees. Combined with the existing work Scott has done to plant new trees, his land will be healthier than ever, and will provide a natural habitat for wildlife in the area. “For a first time or novice landowner looking for help and guidance on how to get their property to the stage they want, WoodsCamp is a good place to go”, Scott says of his experience. Due to the help he received from signing up on WoodsCamp, Scott finally feels like he is on the right track to improving the health of his forest.