Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Technical Assistance and Service Forestry Support for CT Landowners

The value of Service Forestry | How a Service Forester can help | Making an appointment

The Forestry Division has three Service Foresters available to provide technical advice and assistance to woodlot owners throughout the State. This free service is available to private citizens, municipalities, conservation groups, or other private or public organizations.

Service Forester Andrea Urbano providing technical assistance to landowner  Western District Service Forester David Beers CT Service Forester walking with woodlot landowners

Advice and technical assistance to forest landowners is provided in the following areas:

  • Forest Stewardship Planning
  • Wildlife Habitat Management
  • Forest Products Management
  • Christmas Tree Management
  • Forest Recreation and Aesthetic Enhancement
  • Forest Health, Insect and Disease Problems
  • Stream and Wetlands Protection
The Value of Service Forestry in Connecticut

Even though Connecticut is one of the nation's most densely populated states, it is also one of the most heavily forested, with 56% of our landcover forested. Of Connecticut's 1.8 million forested acres, 73% is privately owned by individuals, families, land trusts, tribal owners, clubs, and corporate owners. Municipalities own an additional 9% of the Connecticut's forest land.

This means that the efforts taken by private and municipal landowners have an enormous influence over the quality and extent of our forests.

Understanding forests, taking an active interest in their dynamics, and implementing a forest management program are among the best things an owner can do to promote long-lasting forest health and associated ecological, social, and economic benefits.

Although harvesting timber is a valuable management tool, forest management is not exclusive to harvesting.

Forest management and land stewardship practices vary widely and depend on the goals of each landowner. The common thread among landowners is the recognition of the value of the forest’s resources and the importance of the forest to the welfare of society.

How a Service Forester Can Help

Service Foresters are here to help forest landowners get started. Service Foresters may spend up to one full day per calendar year with a given landowner for no charge. At least a couple hours of that time is spent talking about the landowner’s goals, interest and concerns, as well as discussing property boundaries and other relevant details regarding ownership. Usually, depending on parcel size, a Service Forester then conducts a property visit, walking and discussing the forested acreage with the landowner.

Service Foresters apply this information and combine it with information gathered from the property visit and other available sources of information. Service Foresters then provide the landowner with unbiased management recommendations, reference materials, and additional resources.

In some circumstances, a Service Forester can facilitate the development of landowner's Stewardship Plan.

A Stewardship Plan will include:

  • A Forest Cover Map - a map delineating the different types of tree and shrub communities in the forest;

  • Stewardship Options - a brief listing of the types of management activities that the forest landowner might choose as a part of determining which goals to work towards; and

  • Recommended Action Steps - including “where to go from here” information that will help the landowner learn more about the forest and explore the available goals and options.

Following the Service Forester's input, landowners are recommended to contact a resource professional, such as a certified forester, who can work directly with the landowner toward the next steps in forest stewardship and management.

Making an Appointment

If you wish to investigate further how a Service Forester might be able to help, contact your Service Forester.  

Content last updated in April 2022.