Here at Sparta Mountain WMA, we’re creating young forests and fostering the growth of old forests. Just as our human society needs senior citizens and pre-schoolers, our woods need young trees that will one day grow to be old trees.

As we continue to carry out our management work in the property’s 3,461 acres per the 2021 Addendum to the 2017 Forest Stewardship Plan, we will leave 96% of the forest as it is and manage 3%. On that 3%,  we will manage for young and open-canopy forest habitats.

Fostering Old Growth Forests

The 2017 Forest Stewardship Plan set a goal for old growth forests to account for 9% of the forest in Sparta Mountain WMA. We managed 17 acres to create conditions similar to old growth and climax forests, but per the 2021 Addendum will we not be managing any more acreages for old-growth conditions.

Creating Young Forests

We will create no more than 208 acres of young forest by reducing most of the overstory trees at a site. The management each year will account for less than one half percent of the more than 3,400 acres of Sparta Mountain WMA.

How we create young forests and foster old growth forests

In order to create young forests, we mimic natural events such as forest fires and storms. The management might look a bit messy at first, but once the sunlight reaches the forest floor, tiny trees and plants begin to sprout and turn into the shrubby habitat loved by so many birds, small mammals, and insects such as butterflies. In addition, forests that are diverse in age are less susceptible to forest pests, diseases and wind and fire damage.

Can’t We Just Let Nature Take Its Course?

In the early 20th century here at Sparta Mountain, much of the area was logged, which created an even-age forest.

After the seeing the negative effects of this type of logging, people who loved the environment thought that it was best not to intervene with the forest, let nature take its course.

But, when trees mature in a forest are all the same age, as they are after large-scale logging, the trees become vulnerable to disease and insect damage. The forests n Sparta Mountain WMA have had oak and hickory trees dominating the forests for the past 10,000 years. These forests were perpetuated by disturbances fires, hurricanes, and droughts that opened the canopy. An even-aged forest also has fewer habitats for a diversity of wildlife.

An even-aged mature forest, like much of forests of Sparta WMA, needs more habitat diversity. So foresters find the balance by keeping the mature forest while fostering old growth forests and creating new young forests.