Why did I do this

[rideau]

large standing dead trees are essential for wildlife and should whenever practical preferentially be left. Malformed, damaged, and leaning trees can profitably be cut. Woods can be thinned with no damage....simply speeds up nature's normal cycle.

Just as garden vegetables that are thinned, woodlot trees that are thinned grow faster, and are healthier. They will develop larger crowns and larger root systems. (They can usually profitably be left close together until they are about 5-6 inches in diameter, to encourage straight trunks.)

I had a great example of this at my home. Heavily wooded lot, cleared about a quarter acre to build, but left a few decent size maples and beech quite close to the house. One sugar maple to the North was only about ten feet from the house, but a good twenty feet in all directions from other trees, and at the top of the cliff, so not competing for sunlight. Grew from less than in12 to 31 inch diameter @4 feet in 35 years.
Huge crown. Trees in the woods grow at a vastly slower rate and have small crowns. Sadly, the tree had to be taken down for safety reasons this past Spring. A look at the growth rings on the stump revealed the tree was very old. You couldn't miss dating when I built my home from the growth rings.

 

[Monosperma]

Birds of prey love (and often need) to perch in standing dead, with a clear view of the buffet below.

 

[TimJ]

One down and laid up on 4" sassafrass runner

 

[bogydave]

One down and laid up on 4" sassafrass runner

Awesome picture.

 

[Thistle]

While I cut wood(and cheese) like everyone, I feel compelled to remind all of the importance
of standing dead trees to many species. Just sayin' if it isn't a hazard, we should leave some
and not feel like cleaning up these trees/habitat is more noble/humble than say
thinning healthy stands. I'm surrounded(figuratively) by natl forest,
and we cant touch anything there.
Not flaming or ranting, I have dead trees that need cutting too.
just making a stand for the underdogs.

I also scrounge alot.

I like to leave 2-3 snags per acre for habitat,per USFS & State DNR recommendations.

 

[TimJ]

I like to leave 2-3 snags per acre for habitat,per USFS & State DNR recommendations.

I concur