A Forest’s Journey

Joe Davis’s family has lived in Callaway County since 1829. This extended family history instilled strong ties to the land, but a neighbor’s “Tree Farm” sign increased Davis’s passion for his land’s legacy and inspired him to investigate forest management.

“I really wanted that sign on our property.” Davis said. “Not realizing, of course, it would lead me down this journey of forest management. But people who own their own property are really proud of it and want to take steps to show it off.”

Davis met with an MDC forester, who helped him develop and begin implementing a forest management plan. Since the Davis family also lives on the property, they decided on different nuances of management for several sections of the land according to soil type, existing vegetation, and what would accomplish key goals, all while protecting the aesthetics.

“I learned a lot about what we have on the property,” he said. “For example, we have a really good stand of white oak, and when our forester walked through it, she was amazed. Foresters can see that and help you understand the value.”

Recognized as the Missouri Tree Farmer of the Year in 2021, Davis is thrilled his children are learning so much being raised on family land and thankful for an opportunity to leave a continuing legacy.

“I’m proud of the work I’ve put into our property and trying to be a good steward,” Davis said. “The actions we take should be setting up the next generation for success, and I think tree farming and forest management are a great way to do that.”

Applying the Right Card 

MDC Private Land Forestry Supervisor George Kipp, who oversees MDC foresters working directly with forest landowners, agrees.

“Trees touch everyone’s life every day, even in the most urban populated places in the state,” Kipp said. “Helping landowners and children make a connection in nature is the heart of what we do at MDC.”

MDC works with partners, including the University of Missouri (MU), Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), Society of American Foresters, and local, state, and county foresters to deliver technical assistance.

Kipp recommends contacting the Call Before You Cut program for technical assistance, whether or not immediate logging is planned. This program provides detailed information, and landowners with 30 acres or more can receive a free visit from a forester, who can also engage other partners and programs.

Owning less than 30 acres does not bar landowners from receiving support. A variety of programs focus on collaboration to help landowners get to the right place according to their acreage and goals.

Retired MDC Community and Private Land Conservation Branch Chief Jason Jensen had a bird’s-eye view of the programs designed to help Missouri forest landowners, regardless of whether they are managing for wildlife and native plants, increasing the natural beauty, providing recreation, generating profit from timber, or ensuring a long-term legacy.

“While it’s pretty easy to get overwhelmed, foresters can help you realize and achieve your priorities by creating a step-by-step plan that will also protect your forest for years to come,” Jensen said. “We know a managed forest is going to be more productive, whatever your goals.”

He said that thinned forests will be more resilient and able to withstand environmental- or insect-related threats.

“A managed forest is also much more beneficial for wildlife and more productive from a wood products perspective,” he said. “Trees all compete for water, nutrients, and sunlight. A thinned forest is going to grow better than an overstocked, unthinned forest.”

To help implement these plans, MDC, NRCS, and others have cost-share programs to reduce management costs.

“Our staff utilize a variety of different programs and funds when working with landowners — I often refer to our staff as having a deck of cards,” Jensen said. “They go out and meet with landowners, develop a plan, and then they apply the appropriate card at the appropriate time.”

Seeking Dynamic Partnerships 

Even with the resources available, getting the word out remains important. According to the USDA National Woodland Owners Survey, family landowners own 84 percent of Missouri’s 15.6 million forested acres, yet less than 10 percent are believed to have a forester-prepared management plan.

This need led Hank Stelzer, natural resources education director for MU Extension, to seek dynamic partnerships to increase education and access to forest management plans. The effort resulted in Engaging Family Forest Landowners, a program focused on the Missouri and Mississippi River Hills regions of east central Missouri. Two private companies partnered with MU Extension, who in turn partnered with NRCS to support landowners.

“It shows what can happen when groups are willing to come together for a common cause,” Stelzer said. “We are fortunate in Missouri to have a tapestry of interested groups with a long history of supporting the future of our forests.”

Building a Tree Life 

While it won’t always feel like a straight-forward pathway, landowners in different regions of Missouri are sharing their success.

Andrew Krato purchased 20 acres of land north of Troy six years ago for his family to grow pumpkins and enjoy being out on the land. Excited to improve the property, he submitted two management plans for consideration. His monarch habitat plan was approved, but his forest management plan was not ranked high enough to be selected. However, he learned of an MU Extension program that could help create a plan with a better chance of approval.

“Billy McCaslin from MU reached out the next day, and he’s phenomenal — you can tell he’s passionate about the forest and is very knowledgeable,” Krato said. McCaslin visited the site and, working with colleagues, created a detailed plan to match Krato’s needs.

“It’s so nice to have resources that help guide me,” Krato said. “What I thought was natural and native was not natural and not native. I didn’t realize it’s not supposed to be here. When you are trying to build your tree life, you need to remove some things for other things to flourish.”

For this reason, Krato plans to move forward with management regardless of whether a cost-share agency funds his official plan.

“I was someone who didn’t know anything about this but learning what I have and what I can protect is key,” he said. “We can’t keep producing land, but we can keep improving it.”

Watching Land Get Wilder

For forests in the eastern United States, which includes Missouri, there is a growing movement toward forest management to help protect native species, including the keystone white oak tree (Quercus alba) and oak trees as a genus. Oaks are renowned for their role in forest ecosystems, benefiting native plants and animals, making them indispensable in maintaining a healthy diversity of native species in our forests.

“Those who are interested in managing their land can make a tremendous impact on diversity and tree age as well,” said Jason Meyer, executive director of the White Oak Initiative. “If you want oak to be on your property, you have to manage your forest — disturbance is the key word. Otherwise, we allow our forest to slowly convert to shade-tolerant species. White oak benefits from our protection and that benefits the entire forest, providing over 500 animals and insects with food and shelter.”

Meanwhile, a focus on native plants has led landowner and forester Greg Hoss to live in the privacy of a 116-acre managed oasis between Vienna and Dixon in Maries County. 

“It’s truly magical.” Hoss said, having heard the same from many visitors to his property. “This place is so cool, but it’s so cool because we’ve made it that way.”

Hoss, a retired MDC forester, spent 17 of his 35 years with MDC running the George O. White State Forest Nursery. His passion and knowledge now fuel the creativity of having his property generate consistent revenue without leaning on traditional agriculture.

On Hoss’s property, which he manages alongside his wife, Patricia, visitors will find trees planted as a riparian buffer to protect a creek, a hazelnut seed orchard, stands of mature timber balanced with other younger stands only 10–15 years old, and about 10 acres sown to native prairie forbs and grasses. Hoss and his wife harvest various products throughout the year, including walnut syrup, wild fruits, and seed for native wildflowers, shrubs, and trees. 

“If any of our grandkids need a leaf collection for school or Scouts, this is the place to come, as nearly every native Missouri tree and shrub is found here,” Hoss said. “And, of course, with all our natives and diverse habitats, we have abundant wildlife.”

Hoss has done a lot of tree planting over the years, all focused on natives.

“We spend a lot of time working and walking around our property, and even after nearly 16 years here, we still have the excitement of finding new plants we have not seen before, arrowheads, neat-looking rocks, watching our trees get bigger, seeing wildlife, and watching our land get wilder.”

Leaving a Legacy

Missouri State Forester Michael Bill spent many days throughout his childhood exploring the woods on his grandparents’ farm — originally settled by his ancestors in Illinois during the 1830s. Eventually this inspired him to pursue his love of the outdoors by studying forestry and dedicating his career to effective management. 

“Sustainable forest management requires a long-term view,” Bill said. “Most people prefer the look of a mature forest with a closed canopy and an open understory, but for some wildlife species, young forests are critical for their survival.”

“Young forests,” those forests up to 15 years old, provide important food sources and a place for some species to hide and protect their young from predators, he said.

“This is a key reason why it is important to ensure a diversity of forest age and habitat structure is available on the landscape,” he said.

Bill managed the 40,000-acre Sunklands Conservation Area near the Current River in Shannon County, Missouri’s largest conservation area. Because of effective forest management planning and implementation, it is home to numerous wildlife that call Missouri home year-round, as well as migratory species. 

“Neotropical songbirds will winter in Central and South America but migrate in the summer to nest and breed in Missouri forests,” said Bill. “It feels good to know that the forest management that I helped implement when I was a field forester more than a decade ago is still providing critical habitat for many of these bird species.” 

Although MDC manages large, forested areas, the vast majority of Missouri’s forests remain with private landowners, increasing the importance of sustainable forest management and the partnership between landowners and professional foresters, he said.

“When you manage your forest sustainably, you leave a legacy to the next generation that helps to ensure that our forests continue to provide high-quality forest products, clean air and water, and healthy wildlife habitat,” Bill encouraged. “Working with a professional forester to develop a plan for your property is the first step to help you start your forest legacy journey.”

Jennifer Lindsay Kromann is a freelance writer and journalist who has always loved the natural world. A Missouri native, Jennifer now lives on the edge of the Ozarks, just outside of St. Louis, with her family.

Did You Know?

Having a forester-created management plan is a key step in cost-share programs that ease the financial burden for landowners who want to effectively manage their trees, wildlife, and natural resources.

Management plans serve as a guide and usually promote these types of activities:

• “Weeding” the forest by removing invasive species and undesirable trees, while also promoting tree diversity.
• Opening the forest canopy when needed to ensure sunlight reaches the forest floor to help seedlings.
• Disturbances, such as prescribed fire, will promote a lush response of vegetation that tends to help wildlife.

Loggers Extraordinaire 

When landowners are ready to harvest trees on their property as part of their management plan, they can contact a growing number of Master Loggers who have completed the Professional Timber Harvesting Program and Master Logger Certification Program in Missouri. While it still involves trust, seeking out loggers who have taken time to go through one or both of these programs reflects a commitment that can help landowners achieve their harvesting goals while protecting the future of the forested acreage.