Once you have gotten to know your woodlot and the resources you have to work with, you are ready to begin setting goals and objectives for your property.

Information that will help you set realistic goals and objectives and establish your priorities includes:

• Resources available on your woodlot
• Personal resources such as time and money
• Tangible and intangible values you would like to receive from your woodland

Potential goals could include making an annual income, enhancing wildlife or increasing recreational opportunities. Specific objectives to help meet these goals could include establishing a u-cut Christmas tree lot for future income, creating new wildlife habitat or building new trails for recreational activities.

Important factors to keep in mind when setting goals and objectives for management of your woodlot include:

• Actions taken on your woodland can directly and indirectly affect the surrounding lands
• Take smaller parts of your woodlot into consideration, such as bogs that purify water and snags that provide valuable wildlife habitat
• Decisions you make today may directly affect future opportunities available to you on your woodland

    Forest Products - Timber
    Forest Products - Non-Timber
    Recreation
    Wildlife
    Conservation
    Tax Minimization

Resources

NSDNR Woodlot Management Home Study Program
- Online or Mail  
Module - Forest Stewardship Principles