The Vermont Tree Farm program has announced that consulting forester Paul Harwood has been named as the Northeast Regional Tree Farm forester for 2015. Harwood was nominated (surreptitiously) by the Tree Farm committee for his exemplary service to Tree Farmers and the Tree Farm program. He has been involved with the program since 1975. Tree Farm foresters are responsible for enrolling new Tree Farmers and conducting regular inspections on Tree Farm properties. During the first ten months of 2014, Harwood completed seven Tree Farm inspections and enrolled eleven new Tree Farmers. While this activity is very important, the Outstanding Inspector must also show a commitment to growing the Tree Farm program and the forestry community in general. Harwood excels in all areas.
Forestry and Paul Harwood are synonymous… his Vermont heritage goes back to the 1600s and 3,000 acres, now Merck Forest in Rupert. He has broad experience and is highly regarded. Prior to founding Harwood Forestry Services in 1989, he worked for the State as a forest resource protection specialist, state lands forester, Orange County forester, and forestry lecturer at UVM. Harwood Forestry manages over 400 properties that total more than 45,000 acres.
Every forest management plan that Harwood writes meets the high certification standard that Tree Farm has set and includes a landowner recommendation to enroll in the program. In interactions with his clients he discusses Tree Farm and the value that the program brings. He is very well versed in the tangible benefits that come through the national office as well as the pride of stewardship that comes with the Tree Farm sign.
Perhaps you’ve seen the green and white diamond-shaped “Certified Tree Farm” sign. This sign is the emblem of stewardship and source of pride for landowners everywhere who have chosen to do the right thing with their land. Behind many Tree Farmers you’ll find a forester who has guided on-the-ground stewardship. Harwood believes that foresters are the hope for the future of the Tree Farm program, that without a strong forester corps, the program cannot grow. It seems very fitting that he receives this recognition for his dedication to the program.
Harwood is a believer in recognizing exemplary stewardship and in 2013 nominated John Hemenway of So. Strafford as the Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year. He and John together planned a tour of the Taylor Valley Tree Farm that highlighted forestry, wildlife habitat, and archaeology and attracted more than one hundred people. While this was Hemenway’s opportunity to bask in the glory, Harwood is the man behind the scenes who guided the outstanding work on this 3,000 acre parcel.
Tree Farmers and Tree Farm foresters are part of a nationwide community of landowners and natural resource professionals who want to leave the land better than they found it. Nationally, the American Tree Farm System is sponsored by the American Forest Foundation. In February 2015, Harwood will attend the annual National Leadership Conference in St. Louis, MO where one National Outstanding Inspector from the four regions will be announced.
Vermont Woodlands Association (VWA) is the sponsoring organization for the state Tree Farm program. VWA is a private woodland owner membership organization whose mission is to encourage sound forest-use decisions for wildlife habitat, clean air and water, recreation, and timber management and to promote practices that optimize forest health through a strong outreach and education initiative. VWA has about 1,000 members statewide, including approximately 35 accredited consulting foresters.
In addition to his service to Tree Farm, Harwood has been on the VT Woodlands board since 2001 and vice president since 2006. His commitments include serving on the consulting forester advisory committee to guide services provided to colleagues; the education committee to plan and implement annual educational programming; and the Tree Farm committee. Paul created and launched the “Forestry School” weekend in 2009, now known as Woodland Retreat, and taught the first five classes. He also hosted several “Walk in the Woods” events on his 56-acre Tree Farm in Tunbridge, VT.
Vermonters are fortunate to have such a dedicated forester and the Tree Farm program is fortunate to have Harwood within its certified Tree Farm forester ranks.