To some, harvesting trees in order to make a forest healthier may feel counter-intuitive, but much like other active stewardship practices that can sometimes look puzzling at first glance—like controlled burns, invasive species management, and adding wood to streams for fish habitat—this practice can be hugely beneficial and can help increase forest resilience and support wildlife. At the Green Hills Preserve, we’re working with the University of Vermont and New Hampshire Fish & Game to design strategies to help this beech-dominated forest become more diverse and prepared to thrive in a changing climate.

Under certain conditions, beech trees are highly competitive, often out-competing other species that require more sunlight to grow, like oak and pine. To give the other trees a chance, we’re trying two approaches. The first is creating forest openings between 3-5 acres where we’ll remove most of the trees to allow ample sunlight that can help species less tolerant of shade get established. We’ll also plant additional species that are predicted to be well-suited to future climate conditions. The second approach involves giving existing, healthy trees a boost: When we find a thriving non-beech tree in the canopy, we’ll cut around it so it can grow bigger and healthier.

While we’re taking an active approach in certain places, we’ll continue to maintain areas of older forest, which will allow us to see differences in how the forest responds. In areas where we cut, we’ll also leave legacy features like large old trees to create a diversity of ages and forest conditions. By encouraging a variety of species and ages, we’re also creating more diverse habitat that can accommodate a variety of different wildlife.

As our climate changes and forest pests and pathogens expand their ranges and move northward, our Climate Resilient Forest Project work is more important than ever. By making room for other species that are resistant to different diseases or adapted to changing forest conditions, we can better position our forests to thrive in future climates where a forest dominated by a single species could be disadvantaged. With careful planning—and some sunshine—we can create healthier forests that can survive the coming challenges.