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PODCAST

SilviCast

Wisconsin Forestry Center and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

SilviCast is a podcast devoted to silviculture: the science, practice, and art of forestry. We explore current topics in forest management, highlight innovative practices, and interview practitioners and researchers aiming to solve challenges facing today’s managers. The show is tailored for foresters and other land managers, whether it’s listening at the office or in the truck on the way to the field. SilviCast is hosted by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources silviculturists Greg Edge and

science natural sciences

All Episodes

65:11

S.7 Ep.10 - Growing Quality White Pine: Knot What You...

SilviCast ·

2026/10/01

Eastern white pine is making a comeback, but as experienced field foresters know, much of this second-growth timber can be challenging from a quality standpoint. In this episode of SilviCast, we talk with Rene Germain, professor of forestry at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and Sara Dreibelbis, Operations Director at Alliance for a Green Economy. They share insights from their research on assessing and managing eastern white pine, including practical approaches for improving

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68:09

S.7 Ep.9 - Plant the Seed

SilviCast ·

2026/09/01

In this episode of SilviCast, we talk with regeneration experts Mike Reinikainen, Roger Bohringer, and Tom Hill about direct seeding—a challenging and often misunderstood approach to reforestation that establishes forests by planting seeds rather than seedlings. Direct seeding can be an economical and effective way to establish new forests, but success depends on getting the details right. We explore seed rates and timing, site preparation, planting depth, and the challenges of seed predation and

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42:13

S.7 Ep.8: Rethinking Black Locust

SilviCast ·

2026/08/03

Black locust doesn't have many fans among foresters in North America. It's often criticized for growing crooked, spreading aggressively, and producing poor-quality stems. But is the problem really the tree, or is it how we've been growing it? In this episode, Zsolt Keserű, Ph.D., Head of the Department of Plantation Forestry and Senior Research Fellow at the Hungarian Forest Research Institute, University of Sopron, shares how decades of European research and silvicultural innovation

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53:53

S.7 Ep.7: Beaviculture

SilviCast ·

2026/07/01

Beavers are often seen as a nuisance, but what if they're actually some of nature's most effective forest managers? In this episode of SilviCast, we welcome renowned ecohydrologist Dr. Emily Fairfax to explore the surprising role of beavers as ecosystem engineers. Learn how beaver-created wetlands improve water storage, reduce wildfire risk, enhance biodiversity, store carbon, and influence forest management. Dr. Fairfax highlights practical strategies for addressing challenging beaver

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73:05

S.7 Ep.6: The Fire Forest: Restoring the Long-leaf Pine

SilviCast ·

2026/06/01

What tree begins life looking more like a tuft of grass, survives repeated fires for years on the forest floor, and then suddenly bolts toward the canopy in a remarkable growth spurt? The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) is one of the most unique and ecologically important tree species in North America. Once dominating the coastal plains of the southeastern United States, longleaf pine forests have been reduced to less than 5% of their historic range. Yet these forests remain among the most

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58:21

S.7 Ep.5: The View from the Cab

SilviCast ·

2026/05/01

Good silviculture isn’t just about knowing the science—it’s about building strong partnerships. One of the most critical relationships in forestry is the collaboration between foresters and loggers. Successfully marking a timber sale, for instance, means understanding not only the forest but also the equipment and capabilities that will bring the prescription to life. In this episode of SilviCast, we dive into the world of modern logging equipment used across eastern North America. Joined by Carl

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62:55

S.7 Ep.4: Down Home Carbon: Climate Solutions from...

SilviCast ·

2026/04/01

Managing forests for carbon—and navigating emerging carbon markets—can feel overwhelming, especially for family forest owners managing smaller parcels. So how can landowners with just a couple forty-acre parcels participate in these opportunities? And what does carbon-enhanced silviculture actually look like at that scale? In this episode of SilviCast, we sit down with Brittany VanderWall, Lynn Riley, and Richard Campbell from the American Forest Foundation to break down the essentials of the Family

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52:58

S.7 Ep.3: The Old-Growth Project

SilviCast ·

2026/03/01

Many of us in forestry remember the spotted owl controversy of the 1980s — a pivotal moment that put old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest in the national spotlight. But what’s less often told is how that same moment sparked a wave of old-growth research here in the Lake States, launching more than three decades of work to better understand how old-growth northern hardwood forests differ from those we actively manage. In this episode of SilviCast, we sit down with Julia Burton, Associate

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66:14

S.7 Ep.2: The Restoration Forester

SilviCast ·

2026/02/01

Foresters know degraded forests all too well. You’re out on a woods-walk with an enthusiastic landowner, but your eyes go straight to the poor growing stock, invasive plants, and eroded forest soils – the fingerprints of past degradation. Regardless, you set about the complex task of developing a prescription that will nudge this forest towards a brighter future. Foresters don’t always think of themselves as restorationists, but in many ways, the tools of silviculture are the tools of restoration

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63:25

S.7 Ep.1: Morticulture

SilviCast ·

2026/01/01

A dead tree is not truly dead. As trees die, they become snags, downed logs, and eventually return to the soil as organic matter. Along this journey, they host a wide range of organisms and play essential roles in forest ecosystems. How foresters think about and manage dead trees can be just as important as how they manage living ones. In this episode of SilviCast, we explore the concept of morticulture - the intentional management of deadwood in forests. Join us for a conversation with Mark Harmon,

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60:42

S.6 Ep.11: How To Love a Forest

SilviCast ·

2025/12/01

Sometime the hardest thing and the right thing are the same. It is true of relationships, and it is true of forests. In this episode, we talk with author Ethan Tapper about his new book, How to Love a Forest. A Vermont Forester, Ethan dives deep with us into what it means to love a forest as a landowner and a forester, and to work with those who may not see the potential in restoring their forest. Send us a text To earn CEU/CFE credits, learn more, or interact with SilviCast, visit the

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50:22

S.6 Ep.10: Uneven by Design

SilviCast ·

2025/10/07

The legacy of the “cutover” has left much of the Lake States—and many other regions—with a dominance of even-aged forest stands. Today, both landowners and foresters increasingly consider converting these stands to uneven-aged management to achieve a range of ecological, economic, and aesthetic goals. However, the outcomes of these efforts—even after multiple stand entries—have sometimes fallen short of expectations. Significant silvicultural challenges remain in determining the most effective

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57:19

S.6 Ep.9: River Trees

SilviCast ·

2025/09/02

Restoring and reforesting floodplain forests is no small feat—these ecosystems are as fascinating as they are complex. While they face many of the same disturbances as upland forests, bottomland ecosystems are uniquely shaped by water. Adding to this challenge of hydrology are the profound impacts of levies, agriculture, dams, and other disturbances. In this episode of SilviCast, we dive deep into the world of bottomland forest restoration with insights from national experts at the 2025 Northeastern

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60:19

S.6 Ep. 8: Bird's Eye View

SilviCast ·

2025/08/01

Sometimes, a simple “silvicultural tweak” can make a big difference in achieving diverse forest management goals. The real challenge lies in knowing when—and how—to make those adjustments. To help with that, several states have created Forestry for the Birds guidebooks, offering practical strategies to enhance forest habitat for birds. In this episode of SilviCast, we’re joined by Christian Nelson, Lake States Coordinator for the Forest Stewards Guild, to discuss the newly released Forestry for

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69:28

S.6 Ep.7: Black Gold

SilviCast ·

2025/07/01

Eastern black walnut holds an almost legendary reputation as one of the most valuable timber species in central and eastern North America. A single, high-quality tree can fetch thousands of dollars—sometimes even influencing the outcome of an entire timber sale. With that level of interest, you’d think we’ve uncovered everything there is to know about this remarkable species. And while researchers and foresters have developed extensive knowledge around its silviculture and genetics, there’s still a

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62:16

S.6 Ep.6: Landscape Change: Dynamic Forest...

SilviCast ·

2025/06/01

Foresters are pretty good at stand-level silviculture. But what if we want to make changes to forest vegetation at a much larger scale? Silviculture at scale to impact landscape-level change is much trickier, whether that’s aiming for a target age-class distribution or meeting the broad habitat needs of birds. Where do we even begin? In walks the concept of Dynamic Forest Restoration Blocks, or the strategy of breaking up the landscape into manageable and biologically meaningful units where we can

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57:40

S.6 Ep.5: To Treat, Or Not To Treat, That Is the...

SilviCast ·

2025/05/01

Garlic mustard blooms, panic ensues! Many foresters in the eastern hardwood forests of North America can appreciate this sentiment as they see yet another invasive plant, garlic mustard, colonize their woodlands and forests. Maybe they just make note of it on the inventory or maybe they prescribe an aggressive treatment plan of pulling and herbicides. But maybe there is a different approach… time. Join us on this episode of SilviCast as we talk with Dr. Bernd Blossey, Professor at Cornell

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62:58

S.6 Ep.4: My Buckthorn Chia Pet

SilviCast ·

2025/04/07

Buckthorn has been the bane of many foresters and forest landowners throughout eastern North America. This long-lived, woody plant is capable of forming dense thickets, degrading native understory plant communities and impeding tree regeneration. While herbicide control measures can be effective, managers have struggled for long-term control of this prolific plant. Join for this episode of SilviCast as we explore ways to disrupt the buckthorn cycle with Dr. Mike Schuster, Researcher at the Minnesota

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64:20

S.6 Ep.3: Line of Sight

SilviCast ·

2025/03/01

It’s hard to turn around these days without seeing or reading something about UAVs or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Drones are becoming an increasingly important tool in many fields, including within the practice of silviculture. On this episode of SilviCast we explore the soaring use of drones for site preparation and release treatments. Join us for a conversation with Rick Hill, Regional Silviculturist and Reforestation Specialist with Michigan DNR and Kyle Schempp, Project Manager and Drone Pilot at

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60:39

Toast Me Timbers!

SilviCast ·

2025/02/04

Foresters are increasingly aware of the importance of prescribed fire as a silvicultural tool in the maintenance and management of fire-adapted forest ecosystems. At the same time concerns remain over the impact of those fires on the timber resource. Join us for a conversation with Mike Saunders, Professor of Silviculture in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University, as we explore the effects of prescribed fire on tree wounding and timber quality in the oak-hickory

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71 results

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