Be Thankful for the Five W's From Forests

Autumn is a time associated with being thankful; thankful for the harvest, our homes, families, work, friends, and upcoming holidays. Autumn is also a time to be thankful for forests, especially their displays of color across the landscape and all the things they provide us.

One way to consider the many amenities and things we value about forests is to remember the simple acronym WWWWW, or "the five W's of forests." That's one W for each finger on your hand. They each represent a separate word, packed with lots of meaning and examples: Wood, Water, Wildlife, "W-ecreation," and Wonder.

If you take a moment to think about these five words, it will begin to dawn on you. It's easy to think of examples. Here are a few for each forest W that you might be familiar with.

• Wood: furniture, paper, and guitars
• Wildlife: deer, owls, and fish
• Water: streams, waterfalls, and springs
• "W-ecreation": camping, hiking, and birding
• Wonder: colored leaves, scenic views, and places to relax

If you are interested in learning more about the amenities and things we value from forests, here's a short video with more information.