In Arkansas, we have more than 18  million acres of forest land. More than half the state is covered with trees! About half of these forests are hardwood and the other half are pine. You'd think that with millions of acres of forests we wouldn't need to worry about looking out for our trees. But over the years, things like urban encroachment—building restaurants, stores and highways—have replaced thousands of acres of valuable woodlands and wildlife habitat. As these forests disappear, it becomes more important than ever to care for the trees that remain.

Trees are a renewable resource, right?  That means there is an almost unlimited supply if we take care of forests. Here are a few ways foresters manage forests: Harvests are staggered over many years;
while we are growing new trees in one part of the woods, another part is ready to harvest. Forest managers sometimes use small controlled fires to keep forests healthy. This gets rid of dead brush that could fuel forest fires and reduces unwanted vegetation that competes with trees for water, light and nutrients. Controlled burns also add nutrients to soil and create new wildlife habitats with new plant growth.

With responsible forest practices we enjoy the environmental benefits that forests bring and the products that trees provide.