#97: How to Love a Forest with Ethan Tapper

Forestry is incredibly interesting and important, and it really speaks to me personally, because it’s one of these fields that is inherently interdisciplinary. You have to understand how things relate and connect to create a healthy, sustainable system. But traditionally, forestry was all about resource extraction, which often is done at the expense of long term sustainability.And my guest today, Ethan Tapper, is just the person to help us understand how forestry is changing. Ethan is a professional forester, and has incredibly unique personal experiences, which have helped him gain a compelling perspective on what makes for a “healthy” forest, and the trade-offs involved in getting there.Ethan personally manages a tract of forest called Bear Island in Vermont, and has had to deal with expanses of invasive species, disease, mismanagement, and much more to turn the tides and make the forest healthier.Today, we discuss exactly how Ethan defines what a healthy forest is, the trade-offs he considers when facing challenges such as invasive species and disease, the use of herbicides and forest thinning, and much more.And by the way, Ethan has packaged his personal journey into a book, due out in September 2024 called How to Love a Forest. And you can find him on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Also find Ethan at ethantapper.com, and his new consultancy, Bear Island Forestry.FULL SHOW NOTESLINKSBraiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall KimmererBringing Nature Home – by Doug TallamyThe Hidden Forest Biography of an Ecosystem by Jon R. Luoma [Amazon Link]Nature’s Best Hope – by Doug Tallamy, Dr. Tallamy’s 2020 releaseThe Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees – by Doug Tallamy, 2021Runes of the North by Sigurd Olsen Previous Podcast Episodes MentionedDoug Tallamy on Nature's ArchivePeople and OrganizationsGriff Griffith TikTok / Facebook and Redwoods Rising TikTok / FacebookKyle Lybarger at The Native Habitat ProjectTom GrovesSupport Us On Patreon!Buy our Merch!Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz MusicLicense (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseArtist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!