Kaatscast: Tree Advice from Catskill Forest Association

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)