LEARN & EXPLORE
  • When you have questions, Ask a Forester!  

    Our "Ask a Forester" series answers questions you've had about harvesting timber, caring for the forest and managing forested lands to ensure they are as healthy and productive as possible.

    Jason Ellis, our Jacksonville District Forester, leads the series and shares his forestry knowledge to help established, new and prospective landowners and curious learners understand forest health and land management.

    "Ask a Forester" is both a video series on our social media channels and a regular newspaper column in publications throughout East Texas.

    Watch our latest video, "What is a blowdown?"

     

    "Ask a Forester" Columns appear in:

    • Polk County Today
    • New Waverly Community News and Events
    • The Cherokeean Herald

    About Jason
    Jason Ellis is a District Forester for the Texas A&M Forest Service in Jacksonville, Texas. His district assists forest landowners with implementation of forest management practices on their properties including reforestation, timber harvesting and thinning, wildlife habitat management, and forest management plan formation. In addition to serving forest landowners, Jason manages the forestry operations on the I.D. Fairchild State Forest near Rusk, Texas. He lives with his wife, Tiffany, and their daughter, Jesse, in Arp, Texas.


    New Topics

    If you'd like to suggest questions for upcoming "Ask a Forester" installments or if you'd like to see "Ask a Forester" columns in your local newspaper, email communications@tfs.tamu.edu

     

    Our growing list of topics include:  

     + What is a blowdown?
    For many landowners, land and timber represent their livelihood. When damaging storms or hurricanes reach timber stands, trees can be knocked down, blown over, snapped at the tops and generally devastated. This event is called blowdown, also known as a wind snap. Disaster sometimes strikes landowners on a large scale, like in 2005 when Hurricane Rita decimated pine and hardwood timber across East Texas and beyond. Much of the damaged land was owned by private, nonindustrial landowners who relied on their timber for income and other nest eggs, like retirement or college funds. Needless to say, such losses can be devastating and very personal. If a blowdown happens on your land, it’s important to take immediate action to salvage your timber for sale. To learn how to salvage your timber after a blowdown or ask any other forestry-related questions, visit https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/ContactUs and contact your local Texas A&M Forest Service District Office.