About Us:

The Woodland Steward is all about sharing our love of nature and allowing others to experience Oak Haven, the 60 acre woodland in southwestern Ohio that we call home. When we purchased this property over twenty years ago it was a wonderful natural area, but was quickly becoming overrun with non-native invasive species such as Garlic Mustard and Honeysuckle (among others). We have worked long and hard to remove those non-native invaders, and along the way have gotten up close and personal with the plant and animal community that lives here. We are Jim & Julie Varick. We both have Bachelor of Science degrees in Botany from Miami University (‘82), which doesn’t necessarily make us experts on what we see in our woods, but it does give us the tools to learn more as we experience more. Please subscribe to our channel and join us on this adventure to experience the woods throughout the seasons and learn what we have done right, and what we have done wrong as Woodland Stewards.

Feel free to contact us at Jim@TheWoodlandSteward.com, or Julie@TheWoodlandSteward.com.

 
Find our channel on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOkMhIb_LMsE-8EJUKDbzA

 
Products We Recommend: We have spent a lot of time researching the products that we use to manage our woodland. We feel comfortable recommending these products to you based on their quality and cost. Some of the vendors will give us a little kickback if you order from the link below. For example, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We certainly appreciate that extra bit of support. We do NOT publish links below that offer products that we feel you could buy somewhere else cheaper, unless we clearly state that in the description. For example, sometimes it is cheaper to get something locally, but we will include a link to an online source for convenience.

This saw has been a workhorse for us! While we still sometimes use gas saws for cutting firewood, this saw is by far the best thing for us to take into the field to cut trees and brush. It has plenty of power to get the job done, but as soon as you take your finger off the trigger it stops. That means that I don't have to deal with a running saw while I am treating stumps or walking to the next victim. It is also quieter than a gas saw so that I can work without ear protection. That is particularly nice when Julie and I are in the woods working together. (Affiliate Link)

 

  
I find that a hand lens really adds to my appreciation of what I find in nature. For identification purposes, it is a necessity. This loupe has three lenses to flatten the field of view. The 21mm size is handy in the field, but a little easier to use than the 18mm versions. I like the 10X magnification for looking at plants. (Affiliate Link)

  

This little book is packed with good information at an affordable price. (Affiliate Link)