Forestry Stories - by Bruce Wakeland (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

In Forestry Stories, longtime Indiana forester Bruce Wakeland shares a campfire-worthy collection of tales from a life in the woods.

Growing up in northern Indiana, Bruce Wakeland struggled in school, worked in the summer heat laying asphalt to pay for college, and finally entered Purdue University as a freshman already on academic probation.

"Well, there's only one major that looks good for me," he told a friend. "Forestry."

That decision would shape Wakeland's next four decades as he served woodland owners through a consulting forestry business rooted in natural curiosity, pay-it-forward mentorship, and a profound respect for the forests he tended.

His stories take readers for a ride with his tree-planting crew, into kitchen-table timber sales and courtroom testimonies, across frozen swamps, and through woodlands filled with wild creatures from killdeer and pileated woodpeckers to spiders and yellowjackets--and even to the site of a mysterious "spaceship landing." He recounts the embarrassing mistakes, oddball clients, difficult weather, and moments of pure awe that come with a lifetime of working in the northern Indiana woods.

Like Aldo Leopold's A Sand County Almanac, Wakeland's collection is imbued with the Land Ethic philosophy- the belief that people must care for the land and for the interdependent community made of humans, plants, water, soil, and animals. Aspiring forestry professionals, conservationists, readers of Indiana history, and lovers of America's forests will find Wakeland's contribution to the environmental literature filled with warmth, humor, and wisdom.

Part memoir, part regional conservation history, Forestry Stories is a literary walk in the woods with one of Indiana's most passionate environmental professionals--and best storytellers. Straight from the heart, Wakeland offers an inspiring look at a career grown tree by tree, mile by mile, in harmony with the natural world.

Review Quotes

"Forestry Stories describes a journey through woods--a journey not alone but with people who share a connection, a dedication, and a love of the woods. Our journey through life."
--TOM CROWE, Consulting Forester

"After experiencing Bruce Wakeland's telling of so many of his stories on our stage over the last several years, I was filled with joy at being able to hold his book in my hands. Forestry Stories unfolds with the same gentle sincerity that Bruce exudes on stage and conveys his deep love for the trees and the land he still manages. The book follows Bruce's development not just as a lover of trees, but of the fabric of the natural world and all it has to offer a lifelong student of the environment."
--GEORGE SCHRICKER, Director of the Wild Rose Moon Performing Arts Center

"Bruce tells us about the processes involved in planting and managing forests, about how foresters sell timber, and about the physical challenges of forestry--especially weather. Many of these tales are worth a good laugh, too. His commendable work on restoring the American chestnut will be of keen interest to readers. If you've ever wondered about the life of a self-employed field forester, Forestry Stories is sure to enlighten and entertain."
--WILLIAM HOOVER, Professor Emeritus of Forestry at Purdue University

"Bruce Wakeland is a highly accomplished and respected forester--and an equally talented storyteller! Forestry Stories is a delightful and poignant read for anyone who enjoys the outdoors, especially those who have spent time in hardwood forests and yearn for the restoration of the American chestnut tree."
--BARB TORMOEHLEN, U.S. Forest Service (ret.) and Board Member of The American Chestnut Foundation and the National Museum of Forest Service History

"Bruce's journeys are admirable and noble. In recounting his experiences, future foresters will understand what success can look like. It's a great legacy."
--JOHN R. SEIFERT, Indiana State Forester

"They say foresters choose the woods because they don't like crowds, yet they'll happily stand in a circle swapping stories for hours. Bruce Wakeland is a master of that tradition. With this collection, he has successfully translated the magic of his spoken storytelling into print, making you feel like you are standing right next to him in the field, getting to hear the best tales, his wit, and his wisdom firsthand."
--SARA FITZSIMMONS, Former Chief Conservation Officer of The American Chestnut Foundation

About the Author

Bruce Wakeland is a free-thinking forester with a strong conservation ethic. As a certified and registered forester, Bruce has served in leadership roles with the Society of American Foresters, the Association of Consulting Foresters, and The American Chestnut Foundation and has been recognized with honors in each organization. He created the 129-acre Starke County Forest and, in 2011, donated it to Starke County for public use.

Bruce graduated from Purdue University in 1972 with a bachelor's degree in forestry. In 1976, he founded a consulting forestry business serving private woodland owners in northern Indiana and the extreme southwest corner of Michigan, providing forest management plans, timber stand improvement, tree planting, timber appraisals, and timber sales. Along the way he employed and mentored six other foresters. From 2003 to 2006 he taught a section on consulting forestry at Purdue University.

Forty-six years and over three thousand clients later, Bruce retired in 2022. He remains busy volunteering and managing his own two hundred acres of woodlands and working in his sawmill and woodworking shop. He lives in Culver, Indiana, with his wife, Margaret, and their dog, Luna.

He is the manager of the Starke County Forest for life.