Promote Beauty & Privacy

For many forest landowners in Tennessee, the top reasons for owning woods are simple: peace, privacy, and natural beauty. Whether it’s a quiet place to relax, a scenic view from the porch, or a bit of space away from the outside world, your forest can offer all of that—and more—with a little care.

Left unmanaged, woods can become unhealthy, overgrown, or overmature, making them harder to enjoy and impacting their long-term ability to provide beauty and privacy. Small, thoughtful steps can help your land look better, feel more private, and stay healthy for years to come.

What Are Your Goals?

Your specific idea of the perfect wooded property may vary, so management strategies can be tailored to help achieve your goals. Examples of objectives include:

• Create a quiet, personal retreat
• Enhance views and the overall look of your land
• Increase property value and enjoyment
• Establish a natural privacy screen

Simple Management Steps

Once you determine your objectives, select the management actions that will best support that goal. Activities may involve:

• Thin crowded, invasive, or weak trees to promote fuller growth and natural screening
• Keep or plant native evergreens for year-round privacy
• Let native shrubs and small trees grow along edges for a soft, private border
• Remove invasives like privet and kudzu and replace with native species to protect and highlight native beauty and visual diversity
• Clear low limbs and add a simple path to make the woods more inviting

Managing your woods doesn’t have to be complicated. A few well-placed changes can turn your property into the private, scenic place you’ve always wanted.

So What's Next?

Talk to a consulting forester or TDF area forester to find professional guidance on cultivating sustainable beauty and privacy on your wooded property.