The 2 best habitat improvements I have made are #1 implement CRP and #2 a selective timber harvest. We removed 350+ mature maples, cottonwood, ash, hickory, sycamore, hackberry and poplar off of my place 2 or 3 years ago now. Now I don't have much timber to speak of to start with so when they started felling trees I wondered if I had made a mistake. It looked like a tornado hit the place. It was just what I needed however. The additional light has allowed my stunted oaks to grow as well as caused an undergrowth explosion. I am actually looking forward to another cutting in 20 years or so to take my walnut that will be in prime condition by then. Should have seen the look on the guys face when I told him, "NO oak, no cherry and no walnut are to be cut". You would have thought I had run over his dog. We both still made money as his face lit up when he saw all the sugar maple and I told him he could have then all as far as I was concerned. Timber is just another crop that needs to be managed and that means there will come a time for harvest.