I'm creating a habitat management reference document for the members of this forum. I need your help first.

[Hoytvectrix]

I started working on a document that I think will be a helpful reference for those looking to improve their habitat. The document is and will always be free once I publish the sharing link here. Currently, I have a reference chart for protecting trees by tree species and method, a habitat calendar template, and a hunting chores calendar. I need some help though. Please look over this list of tree species and comment below with others that need to be added. If you think they could be grouped in better way, share that as well.

Obviously, much of this will be a matter of opinion. This document will still serve as a template for people to create their own if they want.

Here is what the tree protection chart looks like currently:


Here is a list of the tree species and how they are broken down. Please look this over and let me know what is missing or if you think there might be a better way of organizing things:

Fruit species
Crabapple
Commercial apple
Pear
Persimmon - American
Persimmon - ornamental
Plum - American
Plum - Sandhill
Elderberry
Pawpaw
Nannyberry
Mulberry
Serviceberry

Oak species
White oak
Red oak
Swamp white oak
Concordia oak
Shingle oak
Sawtooth oak
Black oak
Bur oak
Chinkapin oak
Swamp chestnut oak

Nut species
Hazelnut - American
Hazelnut - beaked
Hazelnut - hybrid
Chinese/hyrbid chestnut
American chestnut
Ozark Chinquapin chestnut
Alleghany Chinquapin chestnut
Black walnut
Shagbark hickory
Pecan

Evergreen species
E. red cedar
White cedar
White pine
Norway spruce

Flowering tree species
Flowering dogwood
Red osier dogwood
Smooth / rough dogwood
Gray dogwood
E. redbud
Smooth sumac
Buttonbush
Carolina buckthorn

Other/Cover tree species
Hybrid poplar
Sandbar willow
Ninebark
Osage orange

 

[Hoytvectrix]

Here is a screenshot for the habitat calendar tasks broken down by month and task:


Here is a list of tasks and their respective category. I know there are a bunch of things missing, which is why I have been recruiting some extra eyes for it:
Summer food plots
Terminate winter annual weeds
Drill beans
Drill summer mix


Fall food plots
Terminate warm season plot/summer annual weeds
Overseed brassicas
Drill brassicas
Overseed cereal rye/small grain
Overseed crimson clover


Fruit/nut trees
Apple pruning
Collect scion wood
Apple bench grafting
Apple T-bud grafting
Spray fungicide
Fertilize
Correct branch angle

Acorn / nut trees
Direct seed nut trees
Competition release

Bare root trees
Planting
Tubed/caged pruning
Tubed/caged spraying/weed control


Timer Stand Improvement
Hack and squirt
Hinge cutting
Foliar spray for invasives
Prescribed fire (promote forbs)
Prescribed fire (promote woody)

Prairie management
NWSG frost seeding
Prescribed fire to restart early succession
NWSG + Forbs drilling

 

[Brian662]

Great idea! I look forward to seeing what you come up with! I'll be happy to help with anything I can.

Tree species I've planted that aren't on your list, at least I didn't see them.

Highbush cranberry
Black chokeberry
Chokecherry

Bebb's willow

Black hills spruce
White spruce
Red pine
Norway pine


Might also consider a section on switchgrass and miscanthus, always lots of questions about that stuff.

 

[Native Hunter]

Arrowwood Viburnum
Strawberry Bush
Witch Hazel

 

[buckdeer1]

Great idea and can't wait. Did misspell timber.

 

[SwampCat]

I think another big concern for fruit production is protection from the larger critters like coons squirrels and bears. The folks I know in the south will usually not ever have a fruit produced to maturity because of pest creatures.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Other evergreens -
Canadian hemlock
Balsam fir
Norway & white spruce were already mentioned - and are our biggies for evergreen cover.

Washington hawthorn - flowering smaller tree w/ red berries grouse and other birds love.

 

[rocksnstumps]

Great idea! I look forward to seeing what you come up with! I'll be happy to help with anything I can.

Tree species I've planted that aren't on your list, at least I didn't see them.

Highbush cranberry
Black chokeberry
Chokecherry

Bebb's willow

Black hills spruce
White spruce
Red pine
Norway pine


Might also consider a section on switchgrass and miscanthus, always lots of questions about that stuff.

Nit picky maybe but red and Norway pine are the same thing - pinus resinosa

There are so many oak hybrids maybe to limit extensive listing have red oak hybrids, white oak hybrids, and maybe have a few of the standouts called out. Agree Concordia oak is a special one

 

[Oleo]

I was going to start a habitat calendar for myself, but would appreciate the head start if you have it. Were you able to make progress on that part of this project? Are you still planning to publish a link for this spreadsheet?

Here is a screenshot for the habitat calendar tasks broken down by month and task:
View attachment 72769

Here is a list of tasks and their respective category. I know there are a bunch of things missing, which is why I have been recruiting some extra eyes for it:
Summer food plots
Terminate winter annual weeds
Drill beans
Drill summer mix


Fall food plots
Terminate warm season plot/summer annual weeds
Overseed brassicas
Drill brassicas
Overseed cereal rye/small grain
Overseed crimson clover


Fruit/nut trees
Apple pruning
Collect scion wood
Apple bench grafting
Apple T-bud grafting
Spray fungicide
Fertilize
Correct branch angle

Acorn / nut trees
Direct seed nut trees
Competition release

Bare root trees
Planting
Tubed/caged pruning
Tubed/caged spraying/weed control


Timer Stand Improvement
Hack and squirt
Hinge cutting
Foliar spray for invasives
Prescribed fire (promote forbs)
Prescribed fire (promote woody)

Prairie management
NWSG frost seeding
Prescribed fire to restart early succession
NWSG + Forbs drilling

 

[Thomasc19]

Vote to add American Mountain Ash to the list! Just got notification that the 15 I ordered have shipped

I've sporadically had a habitat/deer management list on my computer too - helps to keep things somewhat organized

 

[Bowsnbucks]

In the oak category - chestnut oak - different from swamp chestnut oak. Quercus montana, I believe. They grow on ridges, and dryer, rocky ground where other oaks don't do well. Sweet acorns too, as it's in the white oak family.

 

[fishin coyote]

Add blueberries, raspberry and blackberry to the fruit species

 

[Hoytvectrix]

I was going to start a habitat calendar for myself, but would appreciate the head start if you have it. Were you able to make progress on that part of this project? Are you still planning to publish a link for this spreadsheet?

Early spring is my busy season with work and of course habitat projects on the farms.

I set aside some time and will get it shared very soon.

 

[farmlegend]

A critical vector to take into consideration with tree/shrub/foodplot plantings is soil type. Any summary planning recommendations are incomplete without addressing it.

Having played around with this stuff for nearly 30 years, I have spent a long time playing whack-a-mole before figuring out that many highly recommended plantings and tactics that others have wonderful success with are epic failures on my heavy, greasy clay ground. As a habitat manager, you have to work with what you have.

Examples of things that don't work well at my farm:
Apple and crabapple trees - they may live a few years but soon succumb to mold/rust diseases; even when they make it to adulthood, they never really thrive. The local abundance of eastern redcedar may contribute to this.
Most any species which is specifically recommended for well-drained soils.
Hazelnut, dwarf chinkapin oak, chestnut, forget about ‘em.
Various other trees and shrubs don't seem to do well, even after repeated attempts.
Poor foodplotting and cover cropping choices include oats, most brassicas, winter peas, sunflower, flax, chicory, buckwheat, radishes. Some of these may grow, but you need goldilocks growing conditions for it to happen.

Things that do well on my ground:
Pear trees.
Eastern White Pine, Norway Spruce.
Eastern redcedar. I've never purchased the nursery stock, but it sprouts prolifically and I've never seen any other species which transplants so easily with virtual 100% success.
Clovers, especially white clovers. They grow wonderfully and deer readily consume them twelve months of the year. Pure stands are great for about four years, until the coolseason grasses and canada thistle take over.
Winter wheat. A+ across the board. Winter rye, which appears to work everywhere, does quite well but its desirability to my deer is lesser than all other cereal grains.
Japanese millet.

May edit this to update as I think of it some more.