Virginia Tree Farm Foundation

07/16/2025

Our Tree Farm Lunch and Tour Series begins next month!

Learn about forestry practices that promote healthy woods, wildlife, and water.

August 22 - King & Queen County
September 4 - Sussex County
September 15 - Bland County
September 19 - Shenandoah County
September 26 - Montgomery County

$15 registration includes lunch, refreshments, materials, and tour.

Details here:

A primary component of the Virginia Tree Farm Foundation is providing outreach to Virginia's 800+ Tree Farmers and education about Tree Farm to other woodland owners.

07/09/2025

Black bear-human interactions have been increasing over the last couple of years and currently represent either the #1 or #2 most frequently reported conflict on the Virginia Wildlife Conflict Helpline in a majority of counties across the state.

In an effort to get a better picture of the bear population statewide, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) has begun an expanded effort to assess population numbers and is asking for your assistance by participating in the collection of data on bear sightings/observations.

If you have black bears on your land, you can report them here:https://forestupdate.frec.vt.edu/content/dam/forestupdate_frec_vt_edu/resources/publications/2025%20Bear%20Observation%20Form%20.pdf

As a subset of this effort, DWR also hopes to generate increased reports on the location of black bears suspected of being affected by sarcoptic mange, which has been confirmed over the last decade primarily in the northwestern part of the state, but is suspected to now be spreading elsewhere. For those not familiar with sarcoptic mange in Virginia, here is a brochure that has a photo of what an afflicted bear looks like.

https://forestupdate.frec.vt.edu/content/dam/forestupdate_frec_vt_edu/resources/publications/Black-Bear-Mange-Brochure.pdf

Thanks for your help!

06/27/2025

https://www.wvtf.org/news/2025-03-20/virginias-lumber-industry-looks-to-trump-new-markets-for-help

"I pray this will be a turnaround, if any of these policies are worth a dime," said Ron Jenkins with the Virginia Loggers Association.

06/17/2025

Registration for the 2025 Tree Farm lunch and tours is open!

Come learn about good forest management for timber, wildlife, water, and recreation. You do not need to be a Tree Farmer to attend.

Schedule and registration: https://forestupdate.frec.vt.edu/landownerprograms/ConferencesandWorkshops2/TreeFarmDinners.html

06/10/2025

Often times in Virginia the best way to establish an oak forest is to plant pines. Oak seedlings and stump sprouts (regeneration) grow well under the partial shade of a pine canopy, spending years developing robust root systems.

When the pines are harvested, the above ground portion of the oaks will be damaged, but the robust root systems will allow them to sprout back vigorously, leading to a lovely oak stand.

This photo shows a twenty-year-old, thinned, loblolly pine plantation with oak regeneration in the understory with a lot of medium-sized oak sapling.

The site has recently been burned using prescribed fire.