Season 6 | Episode 11
How to Love a Forest
December 1, 2025
Sometime the hardest thing and the right thing are the same. It is true of relationships, and it is true of forests. In this episode, we talk with author Ethan Tapper about his new book, How to Love a Forest. A Vermont Forester, Ethan dives deep with us into what it means to love a forest as a landowner and a forester, and to work with those who may not see the potential in restoring their forest.
This episode of SilviCast is dedicated in memory of our friend and fellow Wisconsin DNR forester and UWSP alum, Adam Zirbel, who passed away unexpectedly on September 22nd, 2025, while serving the citizens of Wisconsin. Adam dedicated 24 years of service as a forester and wildland firefighter, sustainably managing and protecting Wisconsin’s natural resources.
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Guest On This Episode
Ethan Tapper
Forester, Bear Island Forestry and Author, Birder, Naturalist, and Digital Creator
Ethan Tapper is a forester, digital storyteller, and the bestselling author of How to Love a Forest: The Bittersweet Work of Tending a Changing World. For more than a decade, Ethan has been recognized as a thought-leader in the world of ecosystem stewardship, winning numerous regional and national awards for his work. More recently, he has been recognized as a writer – since its publication in 2024, How to Love a Forest has been named the winner of the 2025 New England Book Award for nonfiction, and received international acclaim.
Ethan’s message of relationship, responsibility and hope reaches millions of people each year through his writing, social media channels with hundreds of thousands of followers, and the hundreds of walks, talks and keynotes that he delivers across North America each year.
Ethan works, writes, hunts, birds and runs a small consulting forestry business from his home at Bear Island – his 175-acre working forest, homestead, orchard and sugarbush in Vermont – and plays in his punk band, The Bubs.
Learn more about Ethan Tapper.
How to Love a Forest by Ethan Tapper
Have a question for our hosts? How about an idea for a future episode? Let us know, we’d love to hear from you!
Send a note with your questions, comments, or ideas.
Continuing Education
Wisconsin Cooperating Foresters do not need to complete a quiz to claim continuing education units. For reporting purposes, please note the date viewed, episode number, as well as title, sponsor, and hours. Silvicast episodes are rated for qualifying continuing education hours on an hour-for-hour basis.
We are no longer offer Continuing Forester Education (CFE) through the Society of American Foresters for new SilviCast episodes published after September 2025.
However, CFEs are still available for episodes published prior to September 2025.
If you would like to earn CFEs for past SilviCast episodes, let us know which episodes you are interested in. We will send the registration links so you can take the quizzes. Upon completion, the system will automatically generate a certificate that you can submit to SAF.
