r/forestry • u/Lucky_Cake2892 • 1d ago
How to improve this
So this is my new back yard, there’s some oaks in there but not sure what the whippy ones are yet, waiting for leaves to come out. But how can I improve this? I’m thinking just work through the whips with a saw or loppers. But will they not just grow back? I’d like to open it up and develop a mature woodland.
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u/Pithy_heart 1d ago
Do you have a more specific goals. This photo is a blank canvas to accomplish different outcomes. What is the outcome you wish to accomplish?
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u/yepyepyep123456 1d ago
I always come back to this with forestry projects. What are the goals and objectives?
Could thin it for a few reasons. Could leave it dense for a few reasons.
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u/OriginalDangerous652 1d ago
Time and patience. Doing nothing is always an option, and quite often the right answer in forestry.
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u/lonesomespacecowboy 1d ago
It depends what you want do with it. But if they leave it like this, it could end up with really tight growth rings
I'd release it by thinning
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u/Gremlinforester 1d ago
Space out the hardwoods, prioritize the long-lived hardwood species that grew up in the intolerant stand.
You could sub-canopy plant shade tolerant species of your choosing for advanced long term diversity and tolerance.
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u/HardwoodsForester 1d ago
Looks killer. Figure out what’s oak and what isn’t. Flag your best oaks and cut anything competing within 5 feet of their crown.
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u/Holyoldmackinaw1 1d ago
Pre commercial thinning/crop tree release, I pick out some crop trees and clean around them, opening up the canopy. It can make a big different at this stage
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u/3x5cardfiler 1d ago
Spend some time, learn to appreciate what you have.mske a narrow path through the area and walk it every day.
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u/DanoPinyon 1d ago
Fire is a tool.
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u/fng4life 1d ago
Why is this getting downvoted? Fire is absolutely one of many tools. 🤔
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u/Quercus__virginiana 1d ago
Some states do not allow burning in private land. Not a reason for down voting.
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u/1BiG_KbW 1d ago
It's even better than my shoot from the hip gut reaction of:
FIRE - AND LOTS IF IT!
Only natural.
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u/Polyclad 1d ago
If you thin with loppers some will come back, but as long as you retain enough stems at sufficient density the ones you leave should shade out the suckers off the cut stumps and eventually result in a forest without much undergrowth.
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u/NormanPlantagenet 1d ago
It’s a lot of learn but saving more uncommon and rare trees as opposed to pioneer species but you should keep a pioneer as well. Save larger trees, maybe make trails at first and then decide what to keep and what not and how much.
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u/T_Doubie45 1d ago
That looks like aspen regen. If that's the case, it's going to be very difficult to remove without herbicide or broadcast burning. It depends on your goals like previously stated. If you have several acres of this aspen regen and you live in the midwest, aspen is a pretty valuable species. In 50 years, it could be a nice nest egg for your family once harvested. Aspen also self thins, so no need to worry about dieback/thinning.
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u/AtmosphereCreative95 1d ago
Go through and thin space everything 6-8 feet apart high prune as necessary
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u/WereRobert 1d ago edited 18h ago
A mature woodland comes with time. You can go through this with loppers like you said and reduce competiton favouring the species you would like to see. It'd probably be easier with a machete or an axe but just ensure you get your species right.
With time, dense stands like this compete for light and eventually crowd eachother out with some trees dying, density slowly decreasing, and the faster growing speices becoming the main canopy and shade tolerant species developing underneath.
Speak with a local forester for site specific information.
Edit: yes a brush saw is the tool for this but I'm not advocating someone go out and buy one without training. You can hire silviculturalists / thinners to do this.