Hinge cutting

Kind of.
There are different reasons why you may want to cut high or low. High permits deer to travel thru out the cut. Low cuts are often used for a blockage.
High cuts allow the stump to sprout just below the cut and helps keep the deer from browsing it to death which can happen with a low cut.
Another tip for high cuts...drop each succeeding tree so it gets supported on the stump of the last cut tree. What that does is reduce cambium pinch so survival is better. It also keeps a barrier free travel/bed zone beneath the tangle of tops.
This is where a hook is very helpful. You can lay the tree exactly where you need it with a minimum of cut...which also helps boost survival.

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Cousin is an arborist and his take was all those ash will be dead in 10 years I need to figure out what I am going to do. The ash borers are not far away.
 
Cousin is an arborist and his take was all those ash will be dead in 10 years I need to figure out what I am going to do. The ash borers are not far away.


Cut them now. All mature ash will be dead or compromised in a few years making them much more dangerous to cut and worthless in the timber market.

I have many ash that still survive, but it's only because I cut them while they were still alive. From what I can see, the ash borer only attacks the more mature trees. Large ash will stump sprout and small ash can be hinged and kept in an immature state. I have young ash that I've hinged and those trees have not been attacked. Had I let them continue to mature, I believe they would be in the age class that the borer would attack and kill them. Maybe if we can keep a presence of living ash, they may outlast the borer infestation. I believe it's worth a try by cutting them while they are still alive.

Ash stump-sprouts provide decent browse, at least around here, anyway. My deer browse those sprouts heavily. Cutting those larger trees now, while they are still alive, will allow the root system to survive, for how long, I can't say, but once the borer attacks and kills the tree, the roots will be dead and you won't have any stump sprouting from dead rooted stumps. If you cut them low, deer may browse the stump sprouts to death. Cutting slightly higher allows the tree to re-sprout above the deer's reach.

I don't know what the percentage of your forest is ash. Around here, it was quite high. And now, the woods are total carnage. There are constantly trees and branches falling. The ground is littered with the parts of dead ash. It's a losing battle just trying to keep access roads open because ash are constantly falling and blocking them. I see standing, dead ash all over this region, It would be a suicide mission to attempt to cut them after they're dead. They are nothing but widow makers.

To add insult to injury, the extra sunlight is now allowing the Japanese Stilt Grass to explode and it covers all the dead ash parts on the ground. It's really difficult and a bit dangerous to walk through those areas. Every foot placement risks tripping or twisting an ankle or knee.
The extra sunlight has also allowed the Mile-a-Minute to go crazy.

There is absolutely nothing to be gained by allowing the borer to kill all your ash trees. Put them on the ground now while you can safely drop them. Either allow a timber operation handle it and get what you can for them, or, if logging isn't an option, then cut 'em anyway, they are going to die anyhow. May as well make firewood if you can't sell the timber.
 
property is surrounded by soybeans and corn. But this hinge cut maple tree continues to be a part of the deer browse travel pattern. 20180810_113950.jpg
 
What is the thoughts on coming back with buttonbush since that area is kind of swampy anyway. Gives birds cover, deer browse and thickens it up. Also gives the bees a source of nectar. They can also tolerate flooding.
 
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