As a girl born and raised in the country, literally with an entire forested mountain as my backyard, I have to say it is one of my most favorite places to live. However, being that up-close-and-personal with nature can have a downside as well. While people who live in the city may yearn for a home in the country, I am reminded of the movie Funny Farm with Chevy Chase and Madolyn Smith Osborne. Andy and Elizabeth Farmer are sick of living in the city and decide to move to the country. Buying a home near a picturesque town, then soon discover (to their horror) that things are done differently in the country. They must deal with all of the local characters, the local animals, as well as any skeletons in the closet.
If you remember the movie, yup, it’s pretty much like that.
If you’ve still got your heart set on moving out of the city into the country, view and compare these Carolina Forest neighborhoods. They will give you insight to make an informed decision or completely abandon such an undertaking. In the meantime, let’s take a look at some pros and cons, shall we?
Advantages of Forest Plots
Waking up to the sounds of birds chirping, the sun rising over the trees – paints a lovely picture and is a sight more pleasant than the concrete city boxes you are usually waking up to. While most cities have beautifully landscaped parks, it just does not compare with the clean air and the silence of all man-made contraptions except your coffee pot dripping in the background.
Healing Air
Hands down there is no comparison to the quality of air. The polluted sky over most cities can linger for several days or weeks. If you live in the country near a forest, the air is clean and filled with oxygen and phytoncides, a substance emitted by plants and trees and generally means the aroma of the forest in layman’s terms. There is nothing like it in the world, trust me! Of course, this kind of clean air is great for people with conditions that affect their lung health, as the Mesothelioma Veterans Center will agree. It’s not a cure on its own, but it will help and it will make life more pleasant!
Protection From The Wind
Don’t get me wrong – you still have wind that will whistle through the trees – but at the same time the forest actually will protect you from harsh winds. In addition, trees serve as a reliable shelter from the heat – it’s why people like to arrange a palm tree delivery if they don’t have any other trees around, for example. Having a home in the forest means no nosey neighbors peeking over your fence or from their kitchen window into yours. My dad used to love being able to run around in the backyard in his underwear LOL!
If the wind happens to be particularly strong and knocks over a tree or two, at least you will have firewood to keep your fireplace or wood stove fueled all through the winter!
Of course, if you happen to buy a plot of land in an open area with no trees – you can plant several seedlings around your home. But just how long will it take until they grow up and get stronger?! It is more likely that your grandchildren will see the trees reach full maturity before you do.
Happy Kids
Speaking of grandchildren – living near a forest is a double-edged sword if you will. The great aspect is your kids will be able to build a real treehouse headquarters and will (we assure you) spend 95% of their time in there. The downside of living near a forest, if it is the beginning of a mountain of forest such as where I grew up, it is extremely easy to get lost and not be able to find your way back out.
Thankfully where I lived, the state wildlife and game commission had a road that went all the way to the top of the mountain, so as long as we did not stray too far from the road and kept it within eyesight, we knew how to find our way home. However, if you don’t have something similar to help your children find their way home, it’s best to keep them along the edge of the forest and remind them not to stray. There is a multitude of wild animals that live in the forest and you must remember, they were there first, and that it was their home first.
Disadvantages of Living Near a Forest Area
We’ve touched on the advantages of living near a forest, now it’s time to touch on the disadvantages of staying near the forest. Admittedly the firs, birches, oaks, and other forest fauna have a beneficial effect on a person. But on the other hand, they are home to other inhabitants of the forest – animals, parasites, insects, snakes, and other living creatures.
- Insect pests. Such a wonderful space for you is also a wonderful space for insects of all types to claim as their home. If you wish to have any type of garden of flower beds, you will most definitely need to spray them with a special solution to keep the insects away. There are a number of things you can do, but one easy option is window glass replacement to ensure there aren’t any gaps (and that’s going to keep your energy bills down at the same time, so it’s a win-win).
- Animals. These are other permanent inhabitants of the forests, which can also cause a lot of trouble. Bears, foxes, raccoons, rodents, snakes, groundhogs, squirrels, hawks., etc. If you wish to protect your home, gardens, children, and pets from these animals, it is necessary to have a dense fence surrounding your property without any holes that these animals can squeeze through.
- Foliage. Keeping back the natural foliage of the forest can be an issue, depending on how far into the forest you wish to make your home.
- Fire risk. Living near a forest poses a fire hazard, as tall trees are beacons for lightning strikes. A single strike during a storm can decimate an entire forest.
- Egress access. As much as you love getting back to nature and living among the trees, you need to be mindful of several things. One such instance is the ability for fire and rescue to reach you in a timely fashion, regardless of weather conditions. You also need to ensure that you have convenient access to a road in the event you must leave in a hurry.
We truly could go on and on about the advantages and disadvantages of living near the forest, but I think we’ve made it pretty clear that the pros noticeably outweigh the cons. The only thing left for you to consider is whether it is the right choice for you and your family.
