PEOPLE MAKING A DIFFERENCE
A Forest to be Reckoned With By Dave Anderson
A
s a role model, an impassioned landowner, and a dedicated tree farmer, Charlie Niebling has been a respected leader in the New Hampshire forestry community for decades. Niebling is a forestry industry consultant and a prominent spokesperson and advocate for forestry and tree farming, and he has been employed by and has served on the board of trustees of numerous forestry and open space–related organizations in the state. Renowned for working long days yearround, Niebling walks his talk by tirelessly pursuing forestry improvements on his family’s certified tree farm in Boscawen and by sharing the lessons he’s learned with the larger community. Over the years, he has encouraged his peers to consider traditional and innovative forestry approaches. “Every landowner has a different perspective [when it comes to managing land]. You’re not just managing timber, there’s also wildlife habitat, recreational use, protection of natural communities and ecosystems, and water quality—all those have to be considered,” he says. In recognition of Charlie and his wife Mabel’s dedication and commitment to conservation, the couple was recognized by the N.H. Tree Farm Program as the 2021 Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year. Charlie and Mabel purchased their 67-acre tree farm in May 2001 from the Forest Society. Prior to the purchase, the tract was permanently protected via a Forest Society conservation easement. The woodlot was officially certified as a N.H. Tree Farm in 2003. Although Charlie often works alone, Mabel and their four children have worked on a variety of projects on the woodlot over the last two decades. Ahead of his time perhaps, Charlie quips, “I’ve been socially distancing out here for the past 20 years.” 16 | FOREST NOTES Spring 2021
From top: Mabel and Charlie Niebling celebrate and recreate a family photo taken 20 years ago when they acquired their Boscawen tree farm. Charlie Niebling socially distances himself on his family’s property.
The history of the tract mirrors the majority of forestland in central New Hampshire. The land was originally cleared in the 1800s and used as sheep pasture into the early 1900s. The forest regenerated first as a crop of old field white pine that was harvested in 1949 by Colby Lumber using a John Deere crawler. Following the first pine harvest, the present stand of red oak regenerated. The Niebling’s forestry practice utilizes group selection to create smaller sunny openings
to favor regeneration of white pine and red and white oak. Careful attention to detail while harvesting wood at a small scale supports maintaining a healthy, productive, and attractive forest while maximizing opportunities for annual growth. In the summer of 2001, the Nieblings roughed in the access road to the timber landing and established a network of woods roads throughout the property. The roads were designed so a tractor can
