The forests of the Pacific Northwest have evolved interdependency with human, animal, and fire disturbances for its health. The suppression of these influences has resulted in unhealthy forests and loss of biodiversity. Permaculture Artisans understands appropriate techniques for mimicking beneficial disturbances in stewarding these forest ecosystems.
Living in West Sonoma County, many residents are witnessing a die-off of Oaks, Madrones, and many other sick trees such as Bay and Buckeye. Much of this is the result of Sudden Oak Death devastating the area. Dead trees that pose fire danger must be removed, but we can also build the immune systems of healthy trees, and plant native successions to replace the forest we are losing.
Permaculture Artisans’ ultimate goal of stewarding TRUE healthy forests is carried out through rehabilitation, native plant succession, and a comprehensive management plan. We focus on rehabilitating the immune functions of forest ecosystems through soil re-mineralization, increased ventilation, proper plantings, and biological inoculations such as compost tea and mycorrhizal fungi. The comprehensive forest management plan includes strategies for managing biomass, the forest understory, and the canopy.
The process of bringing a forest back to health is a multi-year endeavor and is best to begin as soon as you’ve identified the need. The longer one waits, the greater the risk of fire and the harder it will be to bring the forest back to health. Working with the seasons, the right activity in the right time of year brings effective results.
It is a scary scene right now for forests throughout the Bay Area, and Permaculture Artisans is passionate about helping people restore their land and ecosystems in response to this catastrophe. We offer full clean-up, redesign, and management plans for small-scale forest systems.
