Hello,
I'm in a bit of overload from reading and thinking so I'm looking for some improvement. I've done several habitat projects on other properties, mostly related to grasslands, and some small hinge cuts in poor timber, but the situation I am in now, is the property where I live is 52 acres. 19.5 of that is In ag production and so it is what it is. There is about 1.5 acres for my yard/ shed etc and the rest is woods. I have a 1 year old estimated timber value on it and there is some very nice mature oak and hickory timber- BUT I DO NOT WANT TO DO a full out timber harvest. I'm looking for some less extream options, to try and ease into getting comfortable with some of the more major approaches.
What kind of projects could I implement- almost as starting small, to improve the forest habitat? does everything I could do involve cutting? The ridges and points on the property are all good standing timber and the creek draws and slopes are thicker. I'm not opposed to larger scale logging, but what I'd really rather do is start small, improve my comfort level and work bigger. My main goal is not timber harvest or production, I want to improve for deer and turkey, but at the same time, I don't want to be hinge cutting my valuable oaks if I can monetize some of the timber.
I know this post is all over the place. As I said, I'm kind of in a paralysis mode, just trying to figure out how to start small and get more comfortable. I talked to a consultant, but they want 2k to come out, and my local NRCS wont return my recent emails. IN the past they told me that wildlife was not their focus on a property like mine......
I'm in a bit of overload from reading and thinking so I'm looking for some improvement. I've done several habitat projects on other properties, mostly related to grasslands, and some small hinge cuts in poor timber, but the situation I am in now, is the property where I live is 52 acres. 19.5 of that is In ag production and so it is what it is. There is about 1.5 acres for my yard/ shed etc and the rest is woods. I have a 1 year old estimated timber value on it and there is some very nice mature oak and hickory timber- BUT I DO NOT WANT TO DO a full out timber harvest. I'm looking for some less extream options, to try and ease into getting comfortable with some of the more major approaches.
What kind of projects could I implement- almost as starting small, to improve the forest habitat? does everything I could do involve cutting? The ridges and points on the property are all good standing timber and the creek draws and slopes are thicker. I'm not opposed to larger scale logging, but what I'd really rather do is start small, improve my comfort level and work bigger. My main goal is not timber harvest or production, I want to improve for deer and turkey, but at the same time, I don't want to be hinge cutting my valuable oaks if I can monetize some of the timber.
I know this post is all over the place. As I said, I'm kind of in a paralysis mode, just trying to figure out how to start small and get more comfortable. I talked to a consultant, but they want 2k to come out, and my local NRCS wont return my recent emails. IN the past they told me that wildlife was not their focus on a property like mine......