Need a wood ID

[peakbagger]

What a pain in the Ash

Looks like ash to me. Ash has distinct bark when cut in section, that last shot confirmed if for me. I was guess ing Norway to begin with but switched to Ash with the second photo.

 

[Woodspliter]

That's good to know, I'll get a load of it next weekend. That should season for next year no problem

 

[jackatc1]

A little luck goes a long way.

 

[mark cline]

Looks like ash to me but bark is very similar to tulip poplar. I have a logger that’s going to log my woods soon and noticed , they marked 3 tulip poplar mistaking them for ash

 

[peakbagger]

My guess is part of the issue is first growth versus second growth ash may be adding confusion. Ash can move in after a fire or natural disturbance and grow like weeds with fairly wide spacing between rings. Its fairly light wood when there are big gaps between growth rings. This type of wood is generally called second growth wood. If you get Ash from a mixed stand of older trees where Ash is not dominate like maple forests, the Ash trees tend to fill the gaps in the woods and grow in where the maples do not, like near wet areas. A forester once told me that "ashes like their toes wet" so if you see them in mixed woods its usually next to stream or a damp hillside. I see a lot of big (to me ) ashes in northern NH in woods that haven't been cut for a long time. Forestry management generally leaves a buffer on both sides of streams and water courses so the trees tend to get big since they may have not been cut for 100 years. Those big ashes eventually take on the characteristics of first growth since little actual first growth survives. If you cut one of these large ashes up, the spacing between the rings get tighter as the tree get mature. My general rule of thumb is the tighter the ring count the denser the log is. I have cut up mature ash where it wasn't dominant and its plenty heavy and burns relatively long. I would take first growth ash over second growth maple to heat my house with anytime but its pretty rare to find it on a consistent basis.

 

[nrford]

Here it is up close

It's a no-brainer now...ASH 100%

 

[Simonkenton]

Again, I ask. Was the wood found beneath power lines? If so that is an ash tree that was whacked by the power company.

 

[Woodspliter]

They are cutting along the side of road, not sure if the are just cutting the trees back or widening the road. I believe the power lines where on the opposite side of the road. Mixed in with some pines I believe.

 

[baseroom]

If we had it in our hands we could know for sure!! I am burning and cutting almost 100% ash.. it seems to me that it is usually a bit darker than what the OP showed. It also can have a hole up the center which was previously noted. I have also cut a fair amount of basswood. It is very white like the OP and much lighter than Ash. If when dry and split it will stink more than ash when burned.
Bottom line? Firewood! Fun to guess from a distance......local conditions also make a definite ID tough!!