I'm a little late to this dance, but I would love to see a Woodlot Management forum. I sometimes am asked to do cleanup on deadfall and some good forest management know-how would go a long way for value added service for my clients. Also, I note that a good percentage of posters here own woodlots or have access to woodlots and could benefit from the wisdom and experience of others.
Late here also, but I'm in for a Forestry section on FHC for sure. I look at AS & FF but never got the "warm fuzzy" feeling there. I quess that I didn't feel qualified to get into the conversation because I'm not an "Arborist" or a Logger, but I do have 700+ acres that need attention after being owned BY a logger. No cut on logger's intended.
I seriously would not take forestry advice from any loggers. Even the loggers I know and like. Very few if any would I listen to. Like I said even loggers I respect and admire as loggers. I would take tree advise from most arborists. Like on yard tree and hazard trees and disease. I would not take it from tree hacks that "top" trees or just do removals without being a certified arborist.
I have a lot of stump suckers growing back along with a lot of Beech that has a tendancy to grow back almost like a Thicket or hedge. WAY too thick. Also way to many "stems" per acre. I really should get into selling firewood but I'm about 20 years too old for that chit, and really don't want to gamble on the investment of a processor. I am also a little "tender" about the idea of sending the skidders back in for a thinning. I need to call the State Forester in for some advice.
Thats how hardwood regenerates. It will out compete itself eventually. Remember forestry is usually for future generations. With a person only seeing maybe two complete cycles of pine and maybe one of hardwood in their life. Fire with thin those stands back at the correct age as well.
I understand that I'll never have a big harvest, but their are things that I can do to help right? Like thining (release) the more valuable growth. I think the term is Silvaculture?
Yes your correct. You can do things to improve the stand health and vigor. Silvaculture is the study of tree growth and management. Silvicultural practices are things that you do to a stand. And I guess silvaculture could be used as you did. But we at least in this area dont use it like that. Things like premerchantable harvests and like we were taught in school "early and often thinnings" are best. Even the selective use of herbicide in hack/inject or basal spray application vs cut n leave practice. Those are was to pre commercial thin.
Another one that's late to the party, but I would like to see a Forester's page, Woodlot Management page or something along those lines. I too have been to AS and FF (one of which I'm no longer welcome to....) and I agree with the "not so fuzzy feeling". I have 66+ acres and I am involved with some programs with the NRCS with some of them which I'd like to share with the guys here, but I think it would be better suited to a forum specific to that vs. what we currently have....?
We are getting close to big enough to support this one. After the holidays we can take a look at it again, but right now I don't have the time to set it up.
I think we had a thread about what foresters do? Maybe it was buried in another post? I think there are three or 4 foresters here including myself.
Hokie is another one and we recently picked up another...and I can't remember the other if there is one? Kind of a bad memory on some stuff
I'm interested in it. We have 242 acres of wood lot. It's 185 miles away so I don't get there as often as I'd like. The land is in 'current use' to keep the taxes manageable, otherwise we wouldn't be able to afford it. I've dealt with foresters and loggers so I have some insight there. I've also entered into WHIP contracts with the NRCS (USDA). It can be nice getting funds to pay for stewardship projects on your land.
Great suggestion. I'm a forester but away from being directly involved for quite a while. Back in the day there used to be quite a bit of information and bulletins put out by the US Forest service and there is likely material available from the various provincial bodies here in Canada. The practices do not change so old material is just as valid as the latest available. We now live in a predominantly tolerant hardwood region. It appears here that very few woodlot owners around here practicing good management with an eye toward stand improvement over time. Good Luck. I will enjoy the threads that start up.
Its called tree search. Not sure what exactly the web address is bit something like USFS.gov....tree search. Just google tree search and click on the return from usfs. You can search all their publications and they give you e readable pages and you can print them out as well. All the research papers back to the beginning I believe are up including all new publications once published. I spent many hours crawling that site and reading in grad school. UGA has a good one if your in the south. They team with USFS and Ga forestry commission and have lots or regional stuff thats applicable to the deep south.
