View ChannelsFeatured: Finance
View ShowroomsFeatured: Radiantec - Radiant Solar Heating

BobVila.com

Home

Sustainable Forestry

Bob takes a visit to Casco, Maine to learn more about the Hancock Land Company's sustainable forestry operation. Patrick Moore from Greenspirit Enterprises joins Bob to explain how the forests of New England have benefited from this process. In the last 100 years, Maine's landscape has changed dramatically. Previously, much of the land had been continuously cleared for farmland. After the Civil War, many farmers who had left for the war found the more fertile soil in the Midwest a better option, so the farms of Maine and New England were simply abandoned. As a result, many of the forests grew back naturally. Currently, the forests are similar to what they were a century ago, with 25% more trees. As Moore explains, "as we consume more wood, we are encouraging the lumber industry to plant more trees." To illustrate the selective forestry process, Bob and Moore head into the woods where you can see how the trees are marked for harvesting. Certain trees are left alone, to maintain the integrity of the forest.

Get Adobe Flash Player to see this content.

Chapters from this episode

Finishing a Wood Floor Now Playing

Finishing a Wood Floor

Harvesting Lumber Within an Ecologically Sensitive Forest Now Playing

Harvesting Lumber Within an Ecologically Sensitive Forest

Sanding Wood Floors Now Playing

Sanding Wood Floors

Sustainable Forestry Now Playing

Sustainable Forestry

Clip Transcript For:

Sustainable Forestry

computer-generated transcript - may not be 100% accurate

" Patrick let's get oriented about exactly where we are Bob this is the foothills of the white mountains in southwestern Maine and the Hancock lumber mill down in the valley below. Which is supplied by the continually renewing forest all around in the landscape here continually renewing we're looking at a at a forest an ecosystem that's providing that number not only lumber for construction of houses but. Other important aspects of of our life here there's a tremendous diversity of wildlife throughout these hills. The insects the frogs the birds deer. All living in these forests as they are continuously managed for timber as well and what about water resources well this is -- a big story half of Maine's water is coming from the lake just over here and all this land drains into the lake and it's all beautiful pure water that's being filtered. Through the branches and root systems of these trees as it makes it lately -- a century ago this did not look. As we see it today well up until the civil war this land was continuously being cleared for agriculture. And it would have been a checkerboard of some forest but mostly farms. At that time but since the civil war especially during the last hundred years. This land has either just re forested naturally because farms were abandoned or has been planted back to timber -- what was it about the civil war that. Made this tipping point well early settlers who came here this being the first stopping off point after getting off the boat. Cleared the land for farms but when they went to war they found -- more fertile lands to the west particularly in the midwest. And many of them abandoned their farmlands here this is very rocky soil it difficult to farm whereas the rich soils of the midwest were much better and so. A lot of these farms were abandoned and just came back to trees again. The forest today is about the same area as it was a hundred years ago. And there's 25% more trees in the forests of the US today than there was just forty years ago the forests are growing and abundant. In both the United States and Canada. And even though we're the highest users of wood in the world on a per capita basis our forests are healthy and abundant which tells you that. Contrary to the popular belief that by using wood we cause the forest to be lost. In fact when we -- we're sending a signal for people to plant more trees. The more wood we use -- more forests are grown to supply that wood which is why there is so much forested land remaining in the US."

" It it's hard to believe it you've got kind of a harvesting operation going on. And yet we're walking through what looks like the forest primeval here it's not. It's not planted in a row or anything there's big trees mixed with little trees Bob this is a classic case of selective logging -- Independent board which is mixed hardwood. And conifer mainly the white -- The best way to manage it most efficiently and ecologically is to just take some of the trees. So every 25 years or so you've come in and remove some of all the different types trees except in the special. And ecologically sensitive spots for you don't touch it at all. But by and large this forest is managed on a total selection harvest. -- there -- always a forest here there's never a time when it's not covered entry what you're saying a hundred years ago this was pasture land or farmland right trade when settlers abandoned this land which they cleared. With the sweat of their -- it just naturally grew back up into trees -- gain in the eyes and look collectors must. It'll look a lot like this in old in the old times except for white pines were probably a lot bigger it would have been quite majestic yeah out in nature. And actually they're managing it now to bring back that characteristic to bring back some. Some bigger white pines and leave some of the trees. In the landscape to grow through generations blew -- marks on the trees means you're gonna harvest those that's right but then this one here's gonna be left and so's that one up there. And -- get a chance to grow another 25 years at least in the next time they came -- they might leave one of them again and it even."

[-]

More Videos »Related Videos

How to Unclog a Blocked Tub Drain

Tub drains may clog from time to time, but unclogging them is an easy process with a few quick solutions.

How to Fix a Clogged Drain

Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. Don t let a drain clog slow you down; it s usually an easy fix. A partial clog can be cleared by cleaning out the drainpipe. Older plumbing can be damaged by using harsh drain chemicals, so opt for a naturally biodegrading drain cleaner or use this homemade solution: pour a half cup of baking soda down the drain, then slowly add a cup of white vinegar. Cover the drain for five minutes, then flush with a gallon of boiling water. Some clogs call for a plunger. The key here is to create a vacuum. If you re working on the kitchen sink, you need to clamp off the dishwasher hose and seal the drain openings in the other sink basins. If it s the bathroom sink or tub, plug the overflow opening with a wet rag. With at least a couple inches of water in the basin, plunge rapidly several times, pulling up sharply at the end to move the clog. You may need to do this several times. If plunging doesn t clear the clog, use an auger. If your drain opening is obstructed, sometimes a coat hanger wire with a small hooked end will bring up the clog. You can also detach the trap under the sink with a plumber s wrench in order to get at the clog or to rescue anything you ve lost down the drain. If you don t see an improvement in drainage after all of that and especially if more than one drain is slow in your house you should consult a plumber since the problem could be caused by blocked or improper venting of the wastewater system. Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

How to Clear a Blocked Sink Drain

Clearing a blocked sink drain requires only few basic tools and a little elbow grease.

Spraying on and Painting a Heat-reflective Pool Deck Surface

Don Humphrey is spraying a cement and polymer mix from Innovative Concrete Technology called Texture-Krete 2000 onto the pool edge and deck in Punta Gorda, Florida. He moves in a circular motion to splat the cement mix onto the deck. As the gloss begins to leave the spots, a crewmember follows behind to knock it down with a trowel. This removes the pointy tops but leaves a 1/16-inch stucco pattern to the pool deck to make it easy to walk on. The deck is cleaned and scratched to remove any rough points before Humphrey and his crew apply an acrylic paint to the textured deck surface. The key to a well-sealed surface is to roll the paint firmly into all the nooks and dips in the surface. Bob talks about the embedded deck drain set in the concrete that is pitched slightly away from the pool. Excess water and dirty deck water drains away from the pool and is carried off to the sides of the pool deck by the deck drain. Humphrey applies two coats of paint and a topcoat for protection. The deck can be maintained with gentle soap-and-water washing to prevent any white spots from drying chlorine on the painted surface. Humphrey says the paint should last three to five years before it is redone. One key to maintaining the surface is to avoid abrasive cleaners or power washing. Should any mold or mildew attack the surface, Humphrey suggests using a mild bleach-and-water solution to kill the mold. The oyster color the homeowners have selected should wear well and stay cool in the hot Florida sun. Editor�s Note: The deck surface product with cooling properties used in this application was not Kool Deck from Mortex.