Forest Stewardship: Nurturing the Nature That Nurtures Us

Forest stewardship is the practice of actively caring for woodland so it can remain healthy, resilient, and ecologically productive over time. It’s not just about preventing harm—it’s about enabling the forest to do its job to the best of its ability: filtering water, stabilizing soils, moderating temperature, storing carbon, and supporting diverse plant and animal life.

In Mount Gretna, that job is critical. Our woodlands—whether in the Southern Chautauqua Woodland, Soldiers Field, or smaller communal and private parcels—are living infrastructure. They protect the character of our community and the health of our environment. Stewardship is the ongoing, thoughtful management that ensures this natural infrastructure remains intact for future generations.

The Lebanon County Natural Areas Inventory (2003) identifies oak-dominated forests in and around Mount Gretna as ecologically significant natural communities. These forests are prized for their biodiversity and are recognized as key components of regional wildlife corridors and watershed resilience. The inventory also highlights how such forests are vulnerable to invasive species, development, and environmental stress—underlining why thoughtful stewardship here has county-wide implications.

Across North America, experts such as Doug Tallamy (University of Delaware) and Suzanne Simard (University of British Columbia) have shown that forests are more than collections of trees—they are complex, interconnected communities. Trees communicate through mycorrhizal networks, support pollinators and birds, and influence the health of entire watersheds. Locally, our forests also protect our source water supply and buffer our homes from storms, heat, and erosion.

Who Does Forest Stewardship?

Forest stewardship can be practiced by anyone—large landowners, municipalities, nonprofits, and individual residents.

• Large landowners (like the Pennsylvania Chautauqua) have the greatest potential to protect contiguous habitat and maintain mature tree canopy.

• Municipalities can set policies that protect urban forests and encourage best practices.

• Private residents can manage their own properties with ecological principles, adding up to significant impact when done collectively.

Why Stewardship Matters

Without active care, even forests that look “wild” can degrade over time. Invasive species outcompete natives, pests and diseases spread unchecked, and human impacts such as trail overuse, tree removals, or poor planting choices reduce canopy and biodiversity. The result is a weaker forest—less able to provide the essential benefits we depend on, from clean water and moderated temperatures to habitat for wildlife.

As examples of threats that, if left unchecked, can reshape our forests: 

• Beech leaf disease, caused by a microscopic nematode, is spreading across Pennsylvania and threatens to devastate one of our most iconic canopy trees. 

• Chestnut oak decline, often tied to repeated spongy moth outbreaks, leaves trees stressed and vulnerable to further decline. 

• Meanwhile, invasive species such as the Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) continue to spread aggressively, outcompeting natives for light, water, and nutrients. Once valued for its toughness, it is now recognized worldwide—even in Europe—as one of the most destructive invaders.

Simply leaving forests alone, while once thought sufficient, is no longer enough. In today’s changing climate, with unprecedented pest pressures and fragmented habitats, neglect leads more often to decline than to resilience. Stewardship cannot prevent every loss, but it can make the difference between rapid collapse and long-term health. Maintenance may not save every tree, yet it can prolong the life of many, slow the spread of disease, and give woodlands the strength to adapt. This care is what allows forests to continue protecting our community and sustaining biodiversity for generations to come.

The Cost of Not Stewarding

Failing to care for our forests carries real costs—ecological, social, and financial:

Locally, tree removals are already happening at a significant pace. Recent removals have been significant—over two dozen in the Southern Woodland alone in 2024, and likely over 80 across all Chautauqua-owned land. Combined with private removals, this pace risks a steep decline in mature canopy within a generation. Mature trees take decades to replace; the ecological and economic costs of their absence can persist far longer.

Closing Thought

Stewardship gives us the chance to slow these losses, strengthen what remains, and ensure that future generations inherit the same sense of shade, beauty, and resilience that has defined Mount Gretna for over a century.