Woods ground cover

[Kegonsa]

The woods on my property has a thick under growth of thorns and burs. I have been going through and taking out the boxelder and leaving the oak, walnut, and hickory. A place a couple miles away that I cut at has no thorns and has a ivy or small clover looking undergrowth. I was thinking of running goats and pigs through sections at a time to clear the undergrowth and then try plant something to try and keep the thorns out. Does anyone have any recommendations on clearing and planting for woods undergrowth?

 

[ATH]

Goats will eat the oaks you are trying to save! Unless there is nothing except a carpet of invasive species, putting them in there to eat everything is a bad idea.

The first step is to get better ID on what the under growth is, and why it is growing there. Maybe it is not bad? If it is something like blackberry or raspberry, it is not pleasant to walk through, but these are sun-loving plants that will die once the canopy shades them out. Maybe the woods is so wet, that what you have is the only thing that will grow there? Maybe the place down the road isn't so healthy...if the deer have eaten everything in there, it has no future crop. ????? All things I don't know because there isn't enough information here, and I haven't seen your woods...

Get a forester out to have a look with you. Start here: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/forestlandowners/locator/