Conservation
Managing Our Forests
Port Blakely Tree Farms is committed to managing our forests in a sustainable way. We plant more than one million trees each year, knowing we'll be caring for these stands for the next generation of foresters.
Our seedlings are planted by hand, and we monitor them to ensure that they grow strongly and vigorously. As a young forest matures, we periodically thin it to promote growth and prevent disease.
When it's finally time for harvest, one of our foresters works with a staff scientist to develop a harvest plan that minimizes our impact on wildlife and the environment while at the same time protecting the soil and preparing the site for the next planting.
Appreciating Forest Ecology
The Pacific Northwest is renowned for spectacular forests and impressive trees. These temperate forests are highly productive, and represent some of the best timberland anywhere. But they also support a wide variety of flora and fauna. As an owner of forestland, we understand our responsibility to maintain these productive forests and healthy ecosystems for future generations.
Whether it's implementing longer-than-industry-average harvest cycles or developing innovative long-term agreements with governmental agencies that benefit sensitive species, our forest practices show our commitment to the lands and habitats we own and manage.
Terrestrial Forest Ecology
Drier uplands are sometimes called terrestrial forest communities. These uplands, with natural features like caves, cliffs, and rocky slopes, offer excellent habitat for certain species. Woodpeckers and other birds nest and forage in snags and downed logs; mammals make dens in decaying trees and logs. A diverse understory—small trees, shrubs and vegetation near the forest floor—is also critical for a healthy habitat.
We've learned that regular thinning of the forest, a key component of our forest management plans, accelerates the development of a healthy understory and enriches the wildlife habitat of our forests.
Aquatic Forest Ecology
Aquatic forest communities—areas alongside rivers, streams and wetlands—play an essential role in the overall forest ecosystem. They provide critical habitat for fish, amphibians, birds, and mammals of all sizes.
To maintain the integrity of these important habitats, we survey and map their locations and leave streamside buffers of trees and vegetation to keep the water cool and undisturbed. To further prevent sediment from washing into our streams, we carefully construct and maintain logging roads to minimize runoff, we close certain roads during wet weather, and we retire old and unsuitable roads by restoring them to the original landscape.
Constant Monitoring
Port Blakely's scientists survey our lands to chart the distribution of rare plants and sensitive animals. These surveys assess the condition of stream habitat; the diversity of our lowland forests; and the composition, age, and health of our upland forests. We focus special attention on any species listed as threatened or endangered by state or federal agencies. This information helps us plan and implement appropriate conservation measures to ensure the protection of sensitive resources.
By monitoring terrestrial and aquatic habitats over time, we're able to evaluate our conservation measures. With this knowledge, we can create a set of best practices for forest management.