Backyard Forest Stewardship in Eastern Washington
Introduction
Owning a home in the woods is a dream come true for many people, but living in a forested setting presents unique challenges. This guide to Backyard Forest Stewardship is especially designed for people who live "in the woods" of eastern Washington; whether it be on 1 acre, 5 acres, 10 acres, or more, of undeveloped land.
Whether your interests are providing wildlife habitat, reducing the risk of fire, improving the health of your trees and forest shrubs and plants, or a mix of many interests, this guide will show you some basic activities you can do “on-the-ground” to help you reach your objectives.
Living in a forested setting offers unique advantages but also presents unique challenges. The following sections provide the background information and resources to help you manage your forestland and property.
What do I want?
An important first step to land stewardship is to clearly identify your goals and objectives for your property. Worksheet 1 provides you with framework upon which to begin this discovery.
Set goals Be specific. If you want extra income, decide how much and when you need it most – this year? Next year? Improving habitat for wildlife is often an important objective for many small acreage owners, but what species are most desired? Is hunting an important consideration or bird watching, etc.? Perhaps you are interested in improving the access in your forest for hiking or cross country skiing. Ormaybe improving the overall visual aesthetic is what interests you most.
Whatever your objectives are, the 
goals you set should be as specific as possible. You may have more than one objective for your land. Managing for combined objectives can be challenging but often can be fairly easy to accomplish.
Develop a plan Having a plan of work for your property will help guide you towards reaching your goals, as well as saving time and money. Worksheet 1 suggests dividing your property into levels of use: heavy use, intermediate use, and natural areas. Then you can decide whether you want to retain an area in its current use or change it. For example, perhaps you have a large lawn that you would like to convert to a more natural area; or you want to add some hiking trails in an area that has a lot of brush and/or is thick with a lot of small diameter trees; there may be areas where you might reduce the level of human use in order to encourage more use by wildlife; or perhaps you want to restore a small stream or wetland area on your property so your grandkids can go fishing.
Identify objectives Objectives are intended to help you meet your goals. To begin developing a plan you will need to identify and prioritize your objectives. There may be 100 management activities you want to do on your property and prioritizing them will help you complete them successfully. Worksheet 2 asks you to identify potential objectives and then rank them in order of importance.
The following resources will help you as you develop your plan:
HOME
This guide will show you how to:
Identify your long-term objectives and goals for your property.
Reduce the risks of wildfire and protect your home and property.
Improve wildlife habitat on your property.
Care for your woodland so that it will continue to thrive for many years to come.
Table of contents:
- Living with wildfire
- Forest health
- Hazard trees
- Thinning your trees
- Pruning your trees
- Planting trees and shrubs
- Wildlife
- Creating snags
- Streams and wetlands
- Noxious and invasive weeds
Heading using the h3tag
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