I was able to get up to the land and check out the recent logging operation in action. I was extremely happy with the work both the logger and forester had done so far. The first pic and the one under it are after the select cut was all done.The top right pic is one of the small around 1 acre clear cuts that was done. This area was mostly mature aspen with hundreds of small balsams taking over the understory. The balsams were great cover,but I wasn't hurting for that anyway. Hopefully these clear cut areas will come back in thick with better trees such as oak,maple,and aspen instead of balsam. The balsams were starting to take over the understory and blocking out all the light were there was hardly any regeneration of other trees.
SteveI got 7 acres of heavily invested 45 year old balsam getting cut next winter. The sale contract just went thru. It was a great spot 15 years ago when there was still grass growing among the trees but now you can get on your knees and see 100 yds.
I am hoping by leaving a few seed trees that I will get some regeneration. However there are young birch and various other trees growing. Solid peat soil but stuff does grow. Before all the trees died in 1976....it was a vigorous tamarack forest. There has not been a tamarack tree growing for 35 years.[/QUOTE]
Disease?
Steve, I know you take great pics. Please share some of the before and after of your logging when you have it done.
What kinds of birch do you guys in Wisc. and Minn. have growing out there ?? I guess it's safe to assume white birch, but do you have others too ??
After a logging my camp did 18 yrs. ago, we had white, black, and yellow birch come up like weeds. Thick area for free.
The reason I ask is that when I drive around and see cedar and balsam swamps that have been logged as much as five years ago almost look the same today as they did when the logging crew left. Nothing has grown back because the ground is so acidic.
Basically after logging last year and sitting in a stund not far from the clear cut I found some areas of poor regeneration. So I'm going to be like Johnny Appleseed and plant plugs of red pine scotch pine plugs and some spruce. I will plant that area randomly this spring to jump start the growth. I did the same last year in the area that had some oak wilt. We only have so many days on this earth so the faster I can get cover the better the hunting. Maybe 5-6 years I hope. I think lime would be impractical and there may not be a good seed bank in those areas.Big Snow - I've had the same thing happen on my property. In one spot the forester even told me it wouldn't regen well. He was right, it's been 6 or 7 years and hardly a tree has come back. The same situation in an upland location is a jungle in the same amount of time.
Would lime help?????
-John
Did he give a reason why he knew it would not regenerate well? Was the soil bad,lack of seed, to wet?Big Snow - I've had the same thing happen on my property. In one spot the forester even told me it wouldn't regen well. He was right, it's been 6 or 7 years and hardly a tree has come back. The same situation in an upland location is a jungle in the same amount of time.
Would lime help?????
-John
Did he give a reason why he knew it would not regenerate well? Was the soil bad,lack of seed, to wet?
I honestly wouldn't care if mine regenerated or not as it is a 7 acre piece and tall nasty thick grass with some brush is a rarity these days. Everything is now pastured so heavy that grass cover is a magnet for me. Based in the regeneration of surrounding areas it will regenerate fine. Possibly failure for regeneration could be from being too wet?