Tour showcases high value crop tree management

GREENVILLE — The Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine (SWOAM) is offering a dynamic tour titled “Managing for High Value Crop Trees and Chestnut Restoration”. This tour will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 21 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. SWOAM will be partnering with the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Maine Forest Service, the University of Maine School of Forest Resources, the Maine Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation (ACF) for this informative, free event.

The tour will take place at a privately-owned property near Greenville. Over many years, the landowner, Peter Kliem with assistance from forester Gary Morse and others, has worked to encourage the development of a diverse mix of high valued crop trees on this property. To start Kliem, Morse and Gordon Moore of the Central Maine Chapter of SWOAM will lead participants on an interactive tour demonstrating the long-term results of active and thoughtful management of species such as sugar maple, white pine, yellow birch, ash and others.

The second half of the tour will be led by Brian Roth of the University of Maine and the Maine ACF and will focus on efforts that the Maine Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation is taking to reintroduce the species to its native range. Greenville is on the extreme northern limit of the native range which presents many challenges. A comprehensive field test was established on Kliem’s woodlot which examines factors such as overstory canopy retention, vegetation control, planting stock type, and browse protection on early survival and growth of American chestnut regeneration.

Please pre-register with the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District by calling 564-2321 ext. 3 or emailing info@piscataquisswcd.org. Please pre-register by Monday, Sept. 19 by 4 p.m.