Ashland tree farm is tops in Maine

2 years ago

ASHLAND, Maine — This year’s Forestry Field Day, which Maine Woodland Owners co-leads with Maine Tree Farm, will be held on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bombadil Tree Farm on Ashland.

The event will honor Vince and Kathi Seiwert, the Maine Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year for 2022. 

The farm is located on Presque Isle Road/Rt. 163 in Ashland.

Maine has the distinction of being the most forested state in the country, with 89 percent of its area covered by woods. Among those 17.6 million acres, over 5 million are made up of small, family owned parcels, often stewarded by families who manage their woods for wildlife and enjoying nature while growing high quality trees for the timber market. 

Maine Tree Farm, a certification program that promotes good forest management among small woodland owners, recognizes tree farms that demonstrate superior practices with an award and Forestry Field Day, a grand celebration at the recipient’s woodlot.

Maine Woodland Owners provides expertise, resources, and representation for this segment of the forest community. 

Forestry Field Day is an all-ages event, open to the public, filled with forest education programs and opportunities to connect with forestry experts and woodland owners and stewards. Attendees can participate in various walking tours both in the morning and the afternoon that showcase the forest management approaches used to keep Bombadil Tree Farm healthy and productive. 

There will be shorter tours where visitors can learn about interesting forestry techniques that the Seiwerts have implemented over the past several decades. 

In addition to tours, there will be information stations that participants can visit to learn about important forest stewardship topics. There will be an Education Tent next to the lunch area containing exhibits and demonstrations throughout the day. 

Camping accommodations are available. Lunch will be offered for $10 a person.

During the lunch hour, the Seiwerts will be honored with words of congratulations from leaders of the Maine Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry, Maine Woodland Owners and the American Tree Farm System

Door prizes will be raffled off, as well. A party and bonfire will be held at Bombadil Tree Farm starting immediately after the Field Day. 

 To learn more, visit www.mainewoodlandowners.org/forestry-field-day or contact Jennifer Hicks, Maine Woodland Owners, jenn@mainewoodlandowners.org, 207-626-0005. Registration is not required but is encouraged.