Home Woods Management

[hiker88]

Anyone know of any good websites where I can do some reading about managing the woods around my house? I'm going to start taking some wood off the property, but I want to do it responsibly.

Here in Maine, it looks like I could get a State forester to come out for free if I had 10 acres, but I'm well shy of that. I know I could probably hire a forester, but I thought i might just read up on things first.

Thanks

 

[peakbagger]

Northern Woodlands magazine may be of interest, its based in VT but covers ME NH VT and NY. They have several books available on small wood lot management. It comes out quarterly and has a nice mix of information on woods wildlife, wood lots and some practical tips on chainsaw use. You may want to check with your local cooperative extension or the small wood lot owners of maine (SWOAM) for info.

Realistically, on such a small lot, management is to go take a close look at what is standing and keep the good trees from harm. Good trees are usually straight trunks with no branches for the first 16 to 20 feet with no major rot. If you are lucky you have mature woods you may have a hardwood veneer tree or two. Then once you have identified the good trees or future good trees, you cut the 2/3rd of the remaining trees taking care not to damage the good ones. The key is to cut the "weird wood" that may be harder to split and keep the straight stuff for the future. This opens up the woods and lets the remaining good trees grow bigger. A key point is the woodlot management is for the long haul, think 20 to 50 years. You should get a lot of good wood for several years by thinning and then eventually it will taper down. If you have softwoods, you do have to be careful on over thinning and in general overgrown mature softwood stands are resistant to much thinning before you risk blowdown.

If you are in SW maine might as well plan on dropping the ash at some point and definitely dont manage for them as the EAB will make it into the area within 10 or 15 years and wipe them out.

 

[paul bunion]

Northern woodlands is an excellent magazine, definitely worth subscribing to.

 

[Thistle]

Your State DNR and/or district forester is a good place to start.

 

[jackofalltrades]

Any land grant university will have an extension service that offers papers, articles, and personal help concerning woodlot management.