Tree Farmer - May/June 2008 - (Page 26)

wildlife matters Developing the Waterfront By Jackson Did you ever think about what some people do when they get a lake lot or riverfront or maybe a piece of property with a pond or a creek? After choosing the site for the house or cabin, they declare war on all vegetation except for a few of the largest trees. Chainsaws and weed trimmers roar from the high ground all the way to the water’s edge. Ask them why and they say, “So we can see the water.” I agree that “seeing water” can have some therapeutic value. But how much water does a person need to see? After the clearing comes planting grass and mowing grass — weekend mowing, hot-weather mowing, noisy mowing, endless mowing, and mindless mowing. Eventually, anyone can visit every inch of the shoreline on a carpet of grass. If the shore is not sandy, truckloads of sand are imported, dumped, and spread. Soon the adjoining lots are sold, and eventually the entire waterfront is naked. The view from a boat shows a ring of development suggesting a subdivision or a golf course, depending on the size of the lots. The wildness is gone. The shoreline is clean. A turtle cannot find a log on which to bask. The sedges, cattails, alders, and pickerelThis homeowner in Oglethorpe County, Georgia, has tastefully managed his lakefront (top). The author's waterfront (bottom) includes a natural looking shoreline with alders at the water line. JEFF Jeff Jackson is a wildlife management consultant, based at his Tree Farm in Arnoldsville, Georgia. He is a retired professor of wildlife management and former Extension wildlife specialist at the University of Georgia. Reach him at (706) 543-2656. 26 Tree Farmer MAY/JUNE 2008

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Tree Farmer - May/June 2008

Tree Farmer - May/June 2008
Contents
Sharing Your Experiences
Cover Story
Botanicals: Marketing Non-Timber Forest Products
An American Land Ethic: Protecting the Family Farm
Taxing Issues
Timber Talk
Tools & Techniques
Wildlife Matters
Gadgets & Gear

Tree Farmer - May/June 2008