Ask a Forester

Our Ask a Forester series answers questions about forest health, timber harvesting, and land management to ensure that forested lands in Texas are as healthy and productive as possible.

What is thinning in forestry?

Texas A&M Forest Service District Forester Kelby Wolf discusses why you should thin, when you should thin, and offers advice on how you can use this method to leave your property better than you found it.

How to prune a tree

In this episode of “Ask a Forester,” Program Coordinator Kari Hines demonstrates how to prune your tree to help establish strong structure and desirable form, and the best technique to preserve and maintain the long-term health of your tree.

Harvesting timber

In this episode of “Ask a Forester,” Texas A&M Forest Service’s Jason Jones walks viewers through the process of harvesting timber on your property.

Streamside management zones

Landowners create and maintain streamside management zones (SMZs) to protect water resources by reducing runoff caused by forest management operations and improve habitat conditions for wildlife.

Prescribed burning explained

In this episode of “Ask a Forester,” District Forester Connor Murnane walks us through the process and procedure of conducting a prescribed burn at the W.G. Jones State Forest outside of Conroe, Texas.

What is a prescribed burn?

A prescribed burn is a strategic, planned land management tool that uses fire to achieve established certain goals.

Planning a prescribed burn

In this episode of “Ask a Forester,” learn how prescribed burn managers plan and implement safe and effective burns.

What is a timber appraisal?

Get tax tips from Texas A&M Forest Service Forester Justin Kendall.

Shelterwood harvest

In this episode of “Ask a Forester,” learn about shelterwood harvest and comparing natural and artificial stand regeneration.

What is a blowdown?

Learn about blowdown, also known as wind snap in this episode of “Ask a Forester.”