New land owner

[the blur]

Never really owned any land before.   Now I have 10 acres of mostly wooden heaven.    There are a few dead trees on the property.   Do you guys generally cut them down, or let nature take its course ?      My intentions are to leave the land 100% natural.   No clearing, no building.    I just figure if I remove dead trees, new growth will happen that much faster.

What's your opinion ?

[ATbuckhunter]

Congrats on the property blur!! Where about's did you end up buying? Honestly removing the dead tree's wont do anything. For the health of the ecosystem you'll actually want to leave dead logs on the forest floor. If you want to encourage new growth you have to remove a few live trees, preferably ones that don't hold much value for wild life like sweet gum. 

[Curmudgeon]

You may want to identify the obvious plants, looking out for invasive species. In some areas they are a serious problem. I am making a distinction between non-natives that are not a problem and invasives which provide little or no benefits for wildife, or your timber, and can take over your habitat.

High numbers of deer exacerbate the invasive problem by eating the native plants thus removing those from competition and encouraging the undesirables. I ended up with a serious glossy buckthorn problem because I could not ID it. It was taking over the understory - it is good cover - providing no other benefits to native wildlife. By the time I figured out what it was, I needed herbicides to bring it under control. Another serious problem for me was its suppression of desirable timber species. Downstate seems to have more terrestrial invasives but we have our share. I also regularly control bush honeysuckle, multiform rose, garlic mustard and wild parsnip.

[left field]

Blur, leave the snags. There are a lot of animals that depend on dead wood for food and shelter. Take a look at this site for some general NYS info. 

If you want to there are a lot of simple things you can do to rehab your woods for wildlife: hinging, brush piles, felling large trees to bring some light to the forest floor. It amazing how quickly animals move into newly created shelter. On Saturday, I released an old apple tree on the back of my property, that is, I dropped the surrounding trees within 15' that were competing with the tree for light and nutrients. The cut limbs were dragged into the woods and I created a large brush pile. The next morning I went to check out my work and flushed 6 grouse from the pile.

 

[the blur]

I do have those invasive vines.  They strangle the trees, and grow like crazy.   They call them woody vines.    They are nasty, I call them strangulation vines.   I cut them at the base, but they still are attached to the trees.  

[growalot]

Are you talking about Virginia creeper vines? My worst are those,wild grape and potato vine. The brush honeysuckle is an important food source for many animals here.The Bush dog wood is as well.

[Chef]

I do have those invasive vines.  They strangle the trees, and grow like crazy.   They call them woody vines.    They are nasty, I call them strangulation vines.   I cut them at the base, but they still are attached to the trees.  

Where did you buy, I bet it's close to me


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[First-light]

I have about a 7 acre pine forest that is dying. A quarter of it is a mess of fallen trees. Great place that holds a lot of game especially deer and grouse. 

[Gencountyzeek]

Gotta watch vines, my woods are filled with vines. Unfortunately most are poison oak, I learned the hard way when hanging tree stands and cutting vines out of my way. This is our 2nd year on the property and I have gotten used to itching lol.

[the blur]

I decided to clean up some of it, and remove the dead debris.     The back 1/2 I'll leave more natural, although it looks completely overgrown, thickets,  I know there is wildlife in the underbrush.    Raccoons, rabbits, etc.

[Chef]

I decided to clean up some of it, and remove the dead debris.     The back 1/2 I'll leave more natural, although it looks completely overgrown, thickets,  I know there is wildlife in the underbrush.    Raccoons, rabbits, etc.

Are you in Sullivan county ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[the blur]

yes.

[gopher]

I have a few wood lots, the first thing I would do is have a logger come in and cut you a check... ask them to drag out the tops so that you could cut it up for firewood. I would then drag out anything else that was dead but not rotting for firewood, $65 to $75 a cord . Go in and get rid of the buckthorn which by the way makes good fire wood. I would then give any trees of lumber quality some breathing space and plant a few apple trees...thin it out a little bit and wait about 20 years for your next check. I have seen 10 acre lots pay for themselves in less than a year.

[Chef]

yes.

What town so did I


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Fantail]

the blur; what type of trees in general are there now? Any nut / apple, jazz like that.

Btw, congrats and get to work.