How should I drop small trees?

[slowp]

Many places--Federal land for sure, our Warshington State does (don't move here) have laws requiring timber land to be restocked in X number of years after logging. Not every seedling will survive long enough. Deer, elk, rabid gophers, etc. all prey upon the baby trees. Some will be planted poorly and not survive. Some sites have harsh conditions which will kill a number of trees. It's easier to plant trees closely to assure that stocking level. Also, Weyco has a paper out there showing that seedlings actually grow faster when planted in the usual spacing. As they fill out a little bit, light bounces around in the stand and that makes for the better growth. Ideally, those trees would be precommercially thinned but the first commercial entry, if not a clearcut, can be "challenging". Think of it as a liberal plot.

Oldman47's stand looks good for using a processor to log it IF he had enough acreage to make it pencil out--and a market--and a logger. An easy way to thin it would be to take out every 3rd or 4th row and grab a few trees in between. Limb lock matters not to that kind of equipment. Straight rows are perfect for that.

One caveat about thinning or opening up a stand in conifers is wind protection. A newly thinned area is susceptible to windthrow for a couple of years until the roots compensate and the crowns fill in. There are areas on our coast that are pretty much in a precommercial thin then clearcut rotation because of the winds.

 

[Oldman47]

why do people have the habit of planting them sooo close together? then when they when hey grow a bit,,they are crowding each other??? state does it here all the time!!!

Its really simple. The state forester recommended the tight spacing to get the trees off to a good start growing straight. It also affords spares in case you have some die back. According to the forestry plan there are 2 thinnings of about 50% each time several years apart. Instead of 450/acre at planting you end up a bit over 100 stems per acre.

 

[TheViking]

A dozer might be quicker in your case.

 

[randy.hellebosch]

Use a reverse cut. You first make the backcut and then you do the facecut. This way you can use wedges or some other felling aid. If you use this technique you can also do the leaning trees.

 

[Cheesecutter]

Heck, you're only 3 hours away. Road trip... I would come and help you cut them just for fun.

 

[pantelis]

buwahahhahahahhahaha..what a joke..........

Tell us the joke............

 

[cali6construction9]

Lol man I just drop them little things as quick as the saw will cut nothin to it

 

[cali6construction9]

Hell I miss cuttin like that just me my saw and some heavy metal playin on the headphones when your in the woods like that their's no collateral damage to try like hell to avoid but since it sounds like you're really just trying to hone your skills more than anything they're no different cutting than the big trees just less to cut before they drop so just look at the basics of wind and how the trees balanced you might need to limb one side throw it's balance in favor of where you want it to land.. keeping in mind they're more likely bounce and or get twist around on you if they hit other limbs and yeah they do tend to get caught in the canopy.. but one way I've found to eliminate that problem is to cut um down to size literally go with a steep angle cut and their typically just drop strait down vertically if it's still gonna get caught up then hit repeat

stihl 026 husky 300xp mac 610 efco 132s craftsman 170 mac 1635

 

[Gypo Logger]

Too me that stand looks like it needs a pruning more than a thinning although you could cut out the ones that are failing to thrive. Dont prune the ones on the perimeter of the stand as they are the ones running defence for the other ones. Crowns of dominant trees of that size should be a foot or two apart.

 

[Gypo Logger]

BTW is that a stand of Windlewood?

 

[Oldman47]

BTW is that a stand of Windlewood?

I missed the windlewood even after I read through the thread again. WTF?

 

[Gypo Logger]

I missed the windlewood even after I read through the thread again. WTF?

As far as I know there is no such thing as windlewood, but is a farce based on a fast growing hybrid tree.
Craig and Terry wrote a funny song about windlewood.

 

[the GOAT]

Free firewood ad on CL.

 

[Oldman47]

Free firewood ad on CL.

I can't afford the liability exposure and I want at least some of the wood for my own stove.

 

[particleperson]

Oldman47, with so many trees to fell/prune, you are going to get very good at felling in tight spaces! For small trees that are unworkable for wedges, consider a felling lever:


51" lever looks like a good size. Several sizes of cant hooks will help roll a hang-up free.