Supporting the Next Generation of Forest Stewards in the Northeast

Written by Rachel Swanwick

This past summer, the Forest Stewards Guild partnered with The Nature Conservancy to launch the NextGen Forest Program – a summer apprenticeship that supports training and professional development for the next generation of forest stewards. Three college-aged forestry apprentices participated in the program launch. Myra Traves, Phoebe Weinberg, and Miles Plitt spent their summer traveling throughout Vermont and Massachusetts treating invasive plants (e.g., glossy buckthorn and Japanese barberry) and protecting native saplings from deer browse.

Through workforce development and training, the program promotes healthy forest regeneration and climate-smart forestry practices. It maximizes carbon storing capacity across our local forests. The NextGen team, mentored by Otis Wood from Long View Forest, planned and implemented forestry treatments across 10 privately owned family forest properties that spanned over 50 acres of forest lands.

To gain the skills needed to lead these forest resiliency practices in the Northeast, the apprentices participated in training for chainsaw safety through Game of Logging, received their herbicide applicator licenses, and participated in a drone training day. NextGen apprentice Phoebe Weinberg shared,

“I’ve never used herbicide or a backpack sprayer, never driven a big truck. And I had done a little bit of chain sawing before this, but never really on my own…So that was cool, and I felt safe doing that. Bits and pieces of everything were new. “ 

With this experience, the NextGen apprentices each wrote treatment plans, led workdays implementing their suggested treatments, and made suggestions for future management that can be used to guide the participating family forest owners in the future. These diverse hands-on experiences helped the NextGen team build their confidence and skills needed to pursue a career in forestry or natural resource management and “could really give you some direction,” Miles Plitt, NextGen apprentice says. “I feel like doing this I got a full experience of what working [in the forestry field] would be like, the conditions and environments I’d be working in…it certainly served its purpose. I learned what it would be like and now I have a more solid feeling as to what I want to do career wise.” In the Northeastern region of the Guild, staff are hoping to expand the successes of this program and continue supporting teams of forestry apprentices for years to come.