To give you a little background about myself, I have spent the overwhelming majority of my life in upstate New York. Having been a hunter since a young age, I have always been interested in learning more about wildlife and their habitat. Much of my outdoor experience has been gained in the six million acre Adirondack Park in upstate New York, where I have experience hunting a variety of game; from coyote to black bear to whitetail deer. Hunting in such a vast expanse of forested land, composed of over 3,000 lakes and 30,000 miles of rivers, can be a challenge, as there is little distinguishing features across much of the land that would make specific areas more favorable. Therefore, I have spent a lot of time researching wildlife habits and habitat; doing everything I can to give myself an edge over the thousands of other hunters that hunt the park.
Likewise, I have a background in landscaping, which has, over the past few years, led me to an interest in timber management. My academic background in financial analysis has resulted in extensive study of the investment in timberland; as it is one of the fastest growing areas of institutional investing because of its low correlation to other asset classes. In studying this, I have carefully studied many of the most popular timber species; their growth characteristics and uses.
Of course, throughout the course of my learning, I have drawn significant links between the goals of timber management and game management. While the management of forest land for timber varies greatly from that of wildlife; educated land managers can successfully combine both strategies with minimal economic impact from a timber management perspective; while improving the land's overall long-term value. Thus, I have begun to document my findings through this blog; as a means of sharing with others the significant benefits that exist in managing a property for both timber and wildlife.
