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What size trees to cut down for forest floor growth?


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I live on a mountain that has thousands of acres, and millions of trees, on my plot of land back out of site I've been experimenting with opening up the canopy to allow for more forest growth on the ground on a very small scale, maybe only 140 ft. Anyway is it better to take down a couple large diameter trees or a fair amount of pulpwood trees (14"- under). I will take down any sick tree regardless of size if doable(as the most advanced piece of machinery I'm using is a 36" bowsaw, seconded by my double bit axe), and In terms of species I take down mostly sweet birch as they help little from what I understand to the animals besides giving food in the form of buds when they fall and bud in spring.

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That's not as easy to answer as you may think, but you are on the right path.  By sweet birch, I assume black birch?  It has little value other than as firewood and our forests have bad Nectria canker (AKA black birch canker) and won't often live to reach full maturity.  Your goal is to allow sunlight in to spur herbaceous, shrub and tree growth is my guess.  Make sure you can cut in your town and be careful in the Highlands area as well as near flowing water where certain buffers may need to be maintained.  How much forest opening depends on the end goal.  I strongly suggest you reach out to your local NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Service) and discuss hiring a forester approved by that agency and they will cost share for any forestry plan the approved forester creates and files on your behalf.  That ensures you are doing the right and legal thing if that is of concern.  But if on a small enough scale, I'm sure you can do a lot on your own.  If you want a meaningful clearcut/modified seed tree practice, think 5 acres minimum to make much of a difference.   

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I wasn't thinking a plan so complicated as to contact the state, my property is secluded by at least a couple hundred yards in terms of my development, and a few miles to the next ones, of which the only waterways are springs which are nowhere near the area of tree removal. All the cutting is on my land. While I do like the idea of opening the canopy, I like my woods to look nice per say so I was thinking really more along the lines of removing sick trees to help maintain health in the general area, thinking back now I got a lot of the Nectria canker I'd imagine I'd want to target those that have the canker on the trunk as I can't imagine it's good to keep it alive to allow the spores to spread as easily.

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All of them.

 

Oh wait, that was Jay's place.  On your property I would find nice healthy oaks and then drop or girdle the maples and birches that surround it.  Do it in such a way that there is open sky all the way around the oak. This is called crown release.  

 

This will:

1. increase the productivity of the oak tree.

2. generate new growth on the forest floor.

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I wasn't thinking a plan so complicated as to contact the state, my property is secluded by at least a couple hundred yards in terms of my development, and a few miles to the next ones, of which the only waterways are springs which are nowhere near the area of tree removal. All the cutting is on my land. While I do like the idea of opening the canopy, I like my woods to look nice per say so I was thinking really more along the lines of removing sick trees to help maintain health in the general area, thinking back now I got a lot of the Nectria canker I'd imagine I'd want to target those that have the canker on the trunk as I can't imagine it's good to keep it alive to allow the spores to spread as easily.

 

With Nectria canker, it must be facing the forest floor entirely if you cut down an infected tree, otherwise it will just keep spreading throughout your woods.  But Rusty gives good advice, keep your oaks.  First, they provide mast crops for wildlife.  Second, they are fire resistant unlike thin barked trees like maples and birch.  But leaving standing dead trees also creates wildlife habitat.  Don't fall into the trap the Europeans did and "groom" your forest, removing necessary nutrients and negatively impacting your forest's health.  If you've ever travelled over there, you will know what I mean.  And disease is a natural occurrence which allows over time an opening in the forest canopy for sun to penetrate and grown the next generation of plants.  Ironically, a "healthy forest" has unhealthy areas within it, that is Nature's way.  We want fires and wind and disease and ice storms to create openings.  We want some old growth and we want some early successional habitat and we want some middle aged habitat if we were to desire a truly healthy forest.  Many of those things are difficult for a variety of reasons in our state, but all can be achieved if done on a large enough scale with a certified forestry plan approved by the state.      

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I had my woodlot logged off this summer, it was predominately tulip poplar, and the invasives are loving it. Been doing a lot of spraying. The stuff you want to come up will likely struggle compared to the stuff you don't want.

 

On a secondary thought, my woods is looking good for a 3d shoot/firewood splitting party! 

without me, my rifle is nothing

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