fugazi42
ArboristSite Lurker
Hi Everyone,
This week I finished cutting and hauling firewood from a wood lot near my house. I applied for and received a permit from the DEP to cut in a state forest. This was the first time I've actually cut in the woods- actually the first time I ever dropped a tree .. Prior to this I've only cut trees and logs that were on the ground. It was a good learning experience, and a heck of a lot harder than I ever thought. My thanks to everyone who posts to AS. I learned a lot from you all. Most importantly, I learned how many different ways I could get killed while cutting and how to stay as safe as possible.
The forester from the state I worked with was very helpful. This land hadn't been managed in quite some time. The goal was to get rid of the less healthy trees and to remove the weedy red maples to open up the canopy to allow the sugar maples to grow. The lot I was assigned was probably 2 acres or so. I cut a total of 16 trees, mostly red maple and cherry with a few white oak mixed in. Felling in a crowded forest, trying to not get trees hung up while trying to protect the smaller sugar maples and undergrowth was pretty tough. I'm proud to say that I only got two trees hung up, and I got both out pretty easy with a 2-ton strap puller. By far the most time consuming part was trimming the tops and making the brush piles- a requirement of the firewood permit. Hauling the wood out wasn't too bad- just a lot of wheelbarrow time.
In all I think I spent about 15 hours in the lot, and hauling back and forth. The lot was estimated at two cords, but i think there's a lot more wood than that. I won't know how much 'till it's split. for reference, the wood shed in the background is 6x8 and holds about 2.5 cords when full. I think it was worth while, and I'll definitely do it again, but not anytime soon!
Josh
This week I finished cutting and hauling firewood from a wood lot near my house. I applied for and received a permit from the DEP to cut in a state forest. This was the first time I've actually cut in the woods- actually the first time I ever dropped a tree .. Prior to this I've only cut trees and logs that were on the ground. It was a good learning experience, and a heck of a lot harder than I ever thought. My thanks to everyone who posts to AS. I learned a lot from you all. Most importantly, I learned how many different ways I could get killed while cutting and how to stay as safe as possible.
The forester from the state I worked with was very helpful. This land hadn't been managed in quite some time. The goal was to get rid of the less healthy trees and to remove the weedy red maples to open up the canopy to allow the sugar maples to grow. The lot I was assigned was probably 2 acres or so. I cut a total of 16 trees, mostly red maple and cherry with a few white oak mixed in. Felling in a crowded forest, trying to not get trees hung up while trying to protect the smaller sugar maples and undergrowth was pretty tough. I'm proud to say that I only got two trees hung up, and I got both out pretty easy with a 2-ton strap puller. By far the most time consuming part was trimming the tops and making the brush piles- a requirement of the firewood permit. Hauling the wood out wasn't too bad- just a lot of wheelbarrow time.
In all I think I spent about 15 hours in the lot, and hauling back and forth. The lot was estimated at two cords, but i think there's a lot more wood than that. I won't know how much 'till it's split. for reference, the wood shed in the background is 6x8 and holds about 2.5 cords when full. I think it was worth while, and I'll definitely do it again, but not anytime soon!
Josh
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