Is leaving the woods alone really the best way to preserve them?
According to forester Ryan Trapani of the Catskill Forest Association in Ulster County, “doing nothing” comes with hidden costs—and a whole lot of shade-loving trees.
In this immersive forest consultation, Ryan pays a visit to Kaatscast host Brett Barry’s property to explore hands-on stewardship, the limits of laissez-faire ecology, and the surprising power of sunlight in shaping forest health.
Image: Ryan Trapani prepares to mill a sugar maple. (Credit: NorthernWoodlands.org)