Sustainable Forestry
Hidden Valley Nature Center has won numerous awards and was the State of Maine’s Outstanding Tree Farm in 2014 for our model of sustainable forestry, outreach and educational programs. This would not have been possible without our members and supporters.
With nearly 1,000 acres of contiguous forest, our Nature Center offers an immense natural and educational resource in Midcoast Maine. A small forestry crew applies innovative, low-impact management practices, under the direction of a licensed consulting forester, on about 15 acres each year. Our management is designed to enhance the value of timber, wildlife habitat, water quality, and recreation.
The goal is to produce a healthier, more valuable crop of trees for the future and to improve forest quality no matter how you measure it - including carbon capture and storage. We invite you to visit our forestry work while you’re out enjoying the Nature Center and to get involved through the number of forest management workshops we offer each year. Everything we do can be applied to your woodland, small or large.
Timber stand improvement: Each year we thin and prune selected trees up to 15 acres. By removing and making use of lower-quality trees – trees that are out-competed, diseased or in decline – we are investing in our future. The healthiest trees continue to grow in value. Our investment will be realized many years down the road.
Wildlife: Through our practices we strive to enhance forest habitat. Many older trees will be allowed to grow indefinitely, adding to the structural complexity of the forest. Dead and dying trees are also retained whenever possible as both nest and den trees. “Slash” (tops and branches resulting from tree harvest) are intentionally left intact to provide cover for small animals as well as to protect and enrich the soil.
Carbon: Our forestry practices are also carbon management practices. Creating space for young trees allows them to grow faster, sequestering more carbon. Keeping woody material (tree tops and dead wood) and allowing trees to grow older stores more carbon in the forest for longer. All are important factors in mitigating climate change.
Protecting water quality: Our forestry work is done in a way that avoids erosion and water contamination; we avoid sensitive areas, we operate machinery with care to minimize soil disturbance, and we work with the Natural Resources Conservation Service to model innovative water crossings that are consistent with the Maine Forest Service's Best Management Practices.
Forest Products: Our “thinnings” that are of useable size are harvested and made into the following products-
Firewood: Each year we process up to 30 cord of firewood from our forest thinning projects. Much of that wood us used at our overnight lodgings at the Hidden Valley Nature Center.
Timber frame structures: Each year we hold several 4-day workshops where you can learn how to make a timber-frame home, barn or other structure using traditional mortis and tenon joinery. Learn more on our events page. Frames that are completed by our course participants are sold as a fundraiser for Midcoast Conservancy. We have a portfolio of some of our favorite frames from over the years for folks to choose from. They range from our simple “Hi-Hut” design to back yard pavilions. Prices typically start around $5,000 and go up depending on the number of pieces and how custom the design gets. These frames are beautiful, fun to build and are a great way to support Midcoast Conservancy!
For questions about any of our sustainable forestry products please email forestry@midcoastconservancy.org.
Forestry Education: Each year we offer around ten forestry related programs which range from skills based programs to managing habitat for wildlife. Through our programs and partnerships, we reach hundreds of community members from landowners to school groups. Learn more on our events page.
Forest Management Tours at HVNC
Thanks to the generous support of the Maine Forest Service and Maine Audubon we are able to offer three self-guided forest management walking tours at HVNC.
Our newest offering will explore forest management at HVNC through the years by offering views and comparisons. Along the way walkers will learn why and how Midcoast Conservancy manages our forest.
On the south end of our nature center is the original “What is Forest Management at the Hidden Valley Nature Center?” tour. It offers side by side comparisons with three different harvest strategies (mid-sized machinery, draft horses and a cut to length system).
Forestry for Maine Birds (FFMB) integrates bird conservation with forest management and planning by:
Improving habitat for priority forest birds and a variety of other wildlife species,
Engaging woodland owners in forest stewardship,
Working alongside other forest management goals, and
Enhancing the value and enjoyment of Maine woodlands for many generations to come.
We are very excited to partner with Maine Audubon as a demonstration sight for this program. We hope you enjoy the tour as much as we do!
Learn more at: https://maineaudubon.org/projects/forestry-for-maine-birds/
