T oday’s Forest • Tomorrow’s Legacy T oday’s Forest • Tomorrow’s Legacy Specialty Wood Products Things to keep in mind: Maple Syrup Specialty wood products include the ➣ These outdoor activities include ski- It takes 40 gallons of sap to widest variety of products. They are ing, hiking, biking, hunting, fishing, make 1 gallon of syrup. products made from either the whole snowmobiling, horseback riding, and Working For tree or various parts. These types of viewing scenic beauty and wildlife. Wild & Cultivated ➣ Mushrooms products are gaining popularity with the There are legal matters that you will Alternative Forest Products people who desire an environmentally need to address with the public use of Wild edible mushrooms friendly lifestyle or natural and rustic your private lands for a fee. Consult a that are typically found in products that signify a local area. lawyer, discuss your responsibilities, Rhode Island are Chicken hile approximately 60% of sugar and red maple trees will be much and draw up any necessary legal doc- of the Woods and Honey Things to keep in mind: Rhode Island is forested, more suited to maple syrup production uments and paperwork. Mushrooms. ➣ Specialty wood products include bas- this valuable resource is than a dry, sandy site predominated by ➣ You may need to create a trail system on W Witch Hazel kets, barrels, buckets, bowls, butcher being lost and fragmented pitch pine and oak trees, which may be your property and maintain it regularly. The Native Americans blocks, trays, rustic furniture, frames, by intense development pressure. Due to more suited to producing floral greens, pine cones and other decorative prod- used it to combat a variety games, handles, lamps, planters, nov- You can also refer to factsheet Working for the small size, low productivity, and ucts. The types of trees and other vegeta- of ailments, minor wounds, elties, toys, walking sticks, dishes, Recreation and Aesthetics for more informa- short ownership tenure of many forested and abrasions. tion growing in your woods serve as an decoys, craft wood, trellises, and tion and ideas relating to this topic. parcels in Rhode Island, the production Ginseng whatever else the imagination can of traditional wood products (logs, fire- indicator of the type of soil conditions come up with. For additional information: wood, pulp, etc.) is often not feasible. and sunlight availability that exists. American Ginseng that is Alternative ➣ These products are especially popular TITLE 2 Parks and Recreational Areas Many groups and agencies within Refer to the attached Woodland Area found growing naturally Forest Products wild in Rhode Island is rare with seasonal visitors as they can take a CHAPTER 32-6 Public Use of Private Lands— Rhode Island have begun to tackle this Inventory Sheet and factsheet Where Do I and should not be collected piece of local “flavor” home with them. Liability Limitations SECTION 32-6-3 to Consider tough issue by encouraging landowners Begin? A Forest Is More Than a Bunch of or disturbed in any way. ➣ If you plan on clearing brush and This is a Rhode Island State Law regard- to adopt innovative forest-based busi- Trees to review your property features ing the liability of a landowner that Maple Syrup ness activities. Managing for alternative and characteristics. Floral Greenery debris from your woodlands, an option might be to locate a craftsman allows people to use his/her property forest products may provide landowners With certain options in mind, you A wide variety of craft for recreational use, Wild and Cultivated with ways to generate income--at least then need to thoroughly research the or gift and craft stores that would be Mushrooms stores, wholesalers, and www.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/TITLE32/ enough to pay property taxes, and it specifics for producing each product. florists could be interested interested in using these raw materials. 32-6/32-6-3.htm may have the potential to develop into a These specifics include: in what is growing in your Witch Hazel For additional information: small business. This may also provide woodlands. TITLE 2 Parks and Recreational Areas ➣ Identify land conditions, resources, Chapter 16 – Specialty Wood Products. additional incentives and opportunities CHAPTER 32-6 Public Use of Private Lands— Ginseng Specialty Wood Margaret G. Thomas and David R. for large acreage landowners to retain start-up costs and other issues neces- Liability Limitations SECTION 32-6-5 Products Schumann. 1993. Income Opportunities in Floral Greenery their land. The development of alterna- sary to produce the product (for This section covers the exceptions to These types of products are Special Forest Products--Self-Help Suggestions tive forest products is one proactive example, it can take 40 to 60 years for SECTION 32-6-3, gaining popularity with for Rural Entrepreneurs. Agriculture Specialty Wood Products approach that compliments many other a maple tree to achieve a tapable size, www.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/TITLE32/ the people who desire an Information Bulletin AIB–666, U.S. statewide programs, which promote the depending on the overall site quality). environmentally friendly 32-6/36-6-5.htm Recreation Department of Agriculture, Washington, sustainability, viability, conservation, ➣ Identify the amount of product you lifestyle or natural and and preservation of rural lands. At the rustic products that signify DC. This chapter describes types of spe- David M. Rathke and Melvin J. need to produce to make the venture a local area. cialty wood products and their marketing Baughman, Minnesota Extension Service, least, these suggested products might feasible, practical and profitable. considerations, available on-line University of Minnesota Recreational Trail provide you with personal satisfaction ➣ Recreation Determine whether you want to pro- www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/usda/ Design and Construction. This publication and enjoyment, which include medicinal duce the product for you and your Due to overcrowding at and edible products, floral greens, spe- agib666/aib66616.pdf gives detailed step-by-step instructions family or to sell for added income. If popular public parks, and cialty wood products, and recreation. and tips for the design and construction you plan to sell, identify markets and an overall dwindling of nat- Recreation of various trails. It also describes types of ural areas, people are look- means of distribution. Due to overcrowding at popular public hazards and obstacles that will require Where do I begin? ing to private lands to ful- ➣ Identify any other special considera- parks, and an overall dwindling of natu- maintenance during and after trail con- As with traditional timber production, fill their outdoor activities. tions such a legal or liability issues. ral areas, people are looking to private struction and how to handle them, producing alternative forest products Programs and activities are available to all per- sons without regard to race, color, sex, disabili- lands to fulfill their outdoor activities. www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/ requires time, research, and preparation. ty, religion, age, sexual orientation, or national What are some alternative forest origin. Fee-for-use and property leasing are ways naturalresources/DD6371.html The first and most important step is to This project is a collaboration of the Southern to earn income by charging people for complete a thorough inventory of your products that I should consider? New England Forest Consortium, Inc.1, and Hunting Leases and Permits the University of Rhode Island Cooperative access to your property for various recre- property to determine what resources The Rhode Island Rural Lands Coalition Extension Home*A*Syst Program 2. Written This is an Alabama Cooperative by Holly K. Burdett 2, Christopher Modisette1, ational purposes. You can lease your and features your land has and which and the Rhode Island Department of Alyson McCann2 and Brianne Neptin 2. Extension System publication. It was Special thanks to all publication reviewers. property to an individual or an organiza- products will be the most suitable to Environmental Management (RI DEM) Funding for this project was provided by the designed to make people aware of leases USDA Forest Service in cooperation with the tion and allow them a previously agreed your site. You may wish to enlist the have identified alternative forest prod- Rhode Island Department of Environmental for recreational purposes and the need Management Division of Forest Environment upon type of access to your property. help of a consulting forester or other nat- ucts suitable for Rhode Island. Their and the USDA Renewable Resources for proper legal advice. With Fee-for-use, you can set up your ural resource professional (contact RI findings are summarized below. Contact Extension Act, URI Cooperative Extension. www.aces.edu/department/extcomm/ property to be used for specific purposes DEM Division of Forest Environment to the RI DEM Division of Forest publications/anr/ANR-0541/ and then charge people for access. talk with a service forester and obtain a Environment and the Sustainable anr541main.html list of Consulting Foresters). For exam- Watersheds Office or see the Alternative ple, a property with an existing stand of Forest Products website T oday’s Forest • Tomorrow’s Legacy www.state.ri.us/dem/programs/bpoladm/ For additional information: vate ginseng or grow wild-simulated gin- Ginseng, section from the Alternative Field stratpp/forprod/forstprd.htm, for more Growing Mushrooms Commercially – Risks Where do I turn for more information seng to export to Asia. Crops Manual, University of Wisconsin & detailed information about each of these and Opportunities. This is a publication & help? University of Minnesota. It gives a Things to keep in mind: products, including brochures with a list by the University of Idaho College of detailed description of the steps required ➣ American Ginseng that is found of additional resources. A factsheet on Agriculture that is accessible on-line.