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Comment by Pfhreak | Hacker News Reader

I've used my tech salary to buy some formerly clear-cut acreage near National Forests with a plan to rehabilitate and protect the forest there. One of the first things I want to do is set up some trails for hiking to the ridge and creek on the property. Thanks for sharing this, super interesting to read!

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Forest trails aren’t just useful for people.

We bought 5ha of scrubby forest in Portugal two years ago, absolutely cluttered with dead trees, brambles, and stunted, overcrowded saplings. 30 years ago it was agricultural land, but with abandonment has rewilded, but badly.

We cut a number of trails through the forest, cleared some of the undergrowth, and we now have boar and deer maintaining said trails and cropping the undergrowth down in the areas around them.

What was just dense thickets of dead thorns is now grassy and flowering, and we’ve started seeing all sorts of wildlife appear that just couldn’t get in previously.

I recommend volunteering with a local trail organization. You'll likely find some interesting old timers who can teach you a ton about building trails.

My father in law has a few decades doing trail building, and we're already trading notes. :D

Would you be willing to chat (either here/privately) a bit about how you went about buying this land, where and how much it cost you, etc.? Completely understand if you want to keep this information private. I tried to look at your profile for a social handle/email, but couldn't find it.

Do you plan to remove invasive weeds and plant native wildflowers/trees?

I did this to cleared land outside of Spokane and it was immensely rewarding. What I learned in the process is that selecting the correct seed/seedlings is very important. Attempt to find a resource that has locally native seeds. The same species of plant from two states over will not have the same genetic makeup ( think disease resistants, etc ) as the local varieties and can potentially impair the locals when they cross pollinate.

There are groups and individuals that specialize in gathering wild native seeds for this type of activity. They are extremely passionate and helpful.

Yeah, working with a local forest services company to contract some of that out, but yes, the intent is to build up a native habitat.

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