Timber Stand Improvement
- Thread starter MW22392
- Start date
SD51555
5 year old buck +
If u have aggressive ferns and piling up leaves, you need lime.
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Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
This. Some logged / high-graded oak & hickory forest in NC Pa. mountains has become a nursery for millions of striped maple. Deer may browse it - but regen of oaks, hickories, and maples is being swamped by striped maple. NOT a good forest species if you want hardwoods for mast crops & future timber harvests = money. Striped maple is invasive in some logged areas, and the Pa. State Forestry agency has treated some fenced areas after logging to kill it.
MW22392
A good 3 year old buck
Good point, I will treat the striped maple too then. Just curious, I have one of those state forestry high fence regen enclosures right on my property line, would you happen to know how long the fence stays up for?
RGrizzzz
Administrator
It can vary, depending on the plan for it. Expect at least 10 years, maybe more. You can call your district forester and ask about the management plan.
I have never heard of a high fence regen enclosure. I understand the premise of the high fence but wonder what is done before the fence is up. I say I understand the premise is it to stop overpopulated deer browse? Do they just clear cut, do they kill stumps, do they add desirable seedlings? I would find any information interesting and helpful on the topic?
MW22392
A good 3 year old buck
Forest Habitats & Deer Fencing
www.pgc.pa.gov
RGrizzzz
Administrator
It's generally a mix of mature lumber harvests, shelter wood cuts and clear cuts, depending on state and age of the habitat. They're spraying for invasive species as mentioned. Fences keep out the deer which browse the species they want to Regen. There are gates on the fences so you can hunt small game inside of them. A family member went to one near by a year or two ago and said it was insanely thick, almost impassible.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
I don't know for sure. I believe the state makes those decisions based on the amount of regen in a given fenced area. From what I've seen of fenced areas near our camp, 8 to 10 years seems to be about the norm for fence duration on a logged area.
Near our camp, one particular logged-then-fenced area must have been treated for striped maple inside the fence. I've seen none in there, but a super variety of oaks, maples, cherry, poplar, hickories, white pine and hemlock have sprouted thousands & thousands of young seedlings and saplings inside that fence. Blackberries, red raspberries, and blueberries have popped up all over as well inside that fenced area. I don't know how much better anyone could expect regen to happen!!! It's beautiful in there.
I have a retired Pa. State forester in my family, so I've gotten a good amount of info from him over the years. Striped maple is undesirable.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Here, fences are put up to keep deer out of a logged area to give the seed bank time to sprout new seedlings, berries, & forbs. The process can vary, depending on what the existing forest looks like concerning the variety of tree species present, shady or sunny exposure, amount of marketable timber there, competing species present, etc. An area can be clear cut, select cut, cut for wildlife benefit or more for timber stand improvement (the emphasis on future $$$ from timber harvests). Before any logging is done, certified / degreed foresters survey a piece of land to assess all of the variables named above to decide how to proceed. If the area is shady & damp, expecting trees that favor sunny locations with drier ground to sprout & flourish is not realistic - and vice/versa. A shady north slope with mostly hemlock, yellow & black birch won't naturally sprout oaks, hickories, maples & poplars from its seed bank - because they weren't present in that location naturally.
Desirable seedlings should only be planted where nature would have them growing anyway. Some trees like wetter soil & shade - others prefer lots of sun and soil that drains well. What seedlings get planted - if any - depends on the local conditions. As for killing stumps - probably won't happen unless it's an invasive / noxious tree. Tree stumps, if caged individually or in a fenced area, will regenerate stump sprouts very quickly due to the well-established root systems of the cut trees. Why kill off FREE new saplings that will grow quickly from the stumps?? Beats planting new seedlings by hand - although that can be done in addition to natural seed bank regen and stump sprouting. If choosing purchased seedlings, make sure they'll grow well in the intended location. That's what the state does here, for the most part.
bigboreblr
5 year old buck +
Sounds like this property will stay with the family a long time. PAssed to kids, etc. Do a bit deer and a bit timber. Clearcut an acre or two, preferablly square. Best depth of seclusion to volume.
Clear out all competition, then do a dense planting of trees, like pine. The dense planting will make good cover. Then about 10-15 years in, do a thinning cut to make some mature timber. Do this rotation every 3 years or so, make a new spot, maintain an existing spot. You get a place for deer a few years, you get timber value.
Another somewhat easy way to make quick bedding, making an island. Got a wat area? Bring some dirt as close as you can, then add some dirt to a spot in the winter. IF they can walk like 10feet into water and onto a dry spot, theyll gladly do it. Especially they can walk down a path in water to loose their scent trail, then scoot left/right into their little bedroom. ITs kind of an easy PA forest trick. The real trick is to shoot them running out of it.
Take a swamp edge, dig a shallow hole around it with a tractor, then open the ends when done. Dont need to dig too dep, a foot to 18inches is about ideal.
Clear out all competition, then do a dense planting of trees, like pine. The dense planting will make good cover. Then about 10-15 years in, do a thinning cut to make some mature timber. Do this rotation every 3 years or so, make a new spot, maintain an existing spot. You get a place for deer a few years, you get timber value.
Another somewhat easy way to make quick bedding, making an island. Got a wat area? Bring some dirt as close as you can, then add some dirt to a spot in the winter. IF they can walk like 10feet into water and onto a dry spot, theyll gladly do it. Especially they can walk down a path in water to loose their scent trail, then scoot left/right into their little bedroom. ITs kind of an easy PA forest trick. The real trick is to shoot them running out of it.
Take a swamp edge, dig a shallow hole around it with a tractor, then open the ends when done. Dont need to dig too dep, a foot to 18inches is about ideal.
