Which Trees to Cut?

[Columbia34]

Our new house site on 10ac of almost 100% oak trees with some maple here and there. Once we are done cleaning up all the fallen stuff we wanted to know the best way to determine what trees we can cut down to open up for new growth. Most of the property has larger 12-16 dia trees with lots of 6-8 dia growing below, Does not look like any cutting has ever taken place. Is there such thing as a tree surveyor that can come out and mark out the best way to do this?

Scott

 

[JBinKC]

Are you interested in managing it for wildlife or timber value? The Missouri Department of Conservation has an excellent write up on this subject if you are interested in managing it for timber value.

 

[Brushwacker]

In Indiana we have district foresters that will come out and do a survey of your trees and then give you the survey report and reccomended maintnence.
Probably will recomend taking out trees that are not healing well as they grow and self prune,undesireable species,or the weaker tree if they are to crowded and all have desirable traits. When the branches of 1 tree grow to the point they are touching another, they are crowding and competing for sun. If the branches do not get enough sun they die. If your tops are getting shaded ,they slowly die, thus if you have a tree you want to thrive and a less desireable tree shading it considerably, (especially the top) it should be harvested so to let the top of the selected tree gets plenty of sun. Some crowding on the side may be desireable if you want tall strait logs.
One way to start is mark all your best selected trees you want with blue ribbons.Mark all your definate culls with red. Your intermittent trees you can use to keep proper spacing on your forest floor,mark with yellow the better ones till you have the proper spacing. Do not overdue it or you may have lots of briars or other undesireable growth come up when the forest floor opens up. If you have volunteer seedlings coming up , it may be a good idea to cull a bigger tree over them if you want them to grow.
Should find more complete information from your DNR, mabe on their website or call and ask for info.

 

[Columbia34]

The wood will be for burning in a outdoor wood burner, for heat.

Scott

 

[jags]

Ahhhh, thats easy. Cut the dead ones.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Wood Hick]

All good advice so far. I've done alot of this type of cutting, and its all common sense. You can do a good job yourself, just take out anything;
Crooked, tall and skinny,undesireable species. A stand of trees is just like a group of people, You will have fat ones, fit ones, ugly ones, etc. Leave the straight, tall, healthy looking trees, cut the others. Your good stuff will benefit greatly from not competing with the junk for food, minerals, water,etc.