wood lot management

[hl_tree]

What does proper wood lot management entail? I had gone with a class being taught by Dave Hawkins to this MASSIVE preserve near UMASS. For a couple sessions we would go into the woods and cut small poplar trees down, slashing the brush for the grouse? to come and make homes in, and taking out the wood to sell for timber. Some other people like to take out all of the dead trees, but then what will the birds do? And how do you replace their carcasses when they are removed? Some people like to remove all the small growth, but then what happens to the homes for small woodland creatures, and the future forest?

 

[Tom Dunlap]

What does proper wood lot management entail?

What did you learn? You related some of the short term activities that you did in the class. Give me an idea of what long term management ideas you learned.

Tom

 

[hl_tree]

Tom, it was actually just a chainsaw class. The purpose of going out into the woods those days was to learn about proper felling techniques and other proper chainsaw techniques. Different people I will talk with have different ideas of how to manage wood lots depending on what function they will be serving. One guy was talking about going in and clearing away the small trees from around mature shade trees so that they can develop full crowns and attempt to correct leans. Other people were talking about getting rid of the small trees so they can go in and log more easily. Others just want path ways so that they can ride their horses, bikes, walk, etc through the woods. But what is the proper way?

 

[Tom Dunlap]

But what is the proper way?

There isn't a proper way that will work for all conditions. This quesion needs to be answered by finding out where you want to be, then come back and make managment decsions to support that conclusion.

If you want old growth then you won't be high-grade logging. Lots of variables.

Tom

 

[hl_tree]

Tom, I know that different people are going to have different needs and wants. But I was wondering if there is an ANSI standard, or something of the like which dictates how we manage a wood lot. Ie; you shall not create monocultures.

 

[hl_tree]

Maybe I should rephrase my question as; what is the standard for wood lot management? From my take on things from what I hear from other "tree services" they basically go in and take out the dead trees, and the smaller trees and underbrush.

 

[Kevin]

There is no standard for woodlot management, it's pretty much specific to the intended goal.
What you want and what is best suited for your specific woodlot as an end result will dictate the best management practise.
Take a sugar bush for instance, you don't want anything other than healthy sugar maples to produce maple sap.
Now if you want to add wildlife habitat you'll need to manage for that purpose also keeping it seperate from your sap trees.

 

[Kevin]

Some basic management would be to clean up the deadwood and some underbrush.
Clear some access trails and tidy up the lot.
You could leave any sound standing dead trees and pile brush in piles for animal habitat.