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Thrush Presentation
The HKCD helps local
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Hardwood Forest Management - Two ExamplesClick on the Pictures to get a Larger Image Note: All pictures taken on the same day
Introduction: Both of these properties are located within 1/2 mile of each other and were harvested early in 2004. Property 1 was harvested in the winter with cutting being halted mid March - before spring breakup. Harvesting on property 2 was begun in late winter and continued through spring breakup. Property 1: This property is owned by a local landowner. It was last logged about 30+ years ago at which time most of the valuable yellow birch and hard maple were cut, leaving a stand heavy to soft maple. The timber in the stand was almost exclusively pole size (<12" diameter) with some smaller sawlog size trees. After checking references, the landowner hired a 
consulting forester to administer the timbersale. The consulting forester
bid the sale out on a "pay as you cut" basis to reputable loggers in the area.
From these loggers, the highest bidder was selected. All trees to be cut were
marked with tree marking paint on two sides and on the stump. The cutting was
limited to winter months due to soil conditions on adjacent stands (lowland conifers)
that are also part of the timbersale. If the hardwoods were the only stand being
cut, a summer harvest (mid July to late September) may have also been feasible. The
stand was marked to a residual density optimal for good hardwood growth. Marking was
done using the "Crop Tree Release" method where good quality, future high value
trees are identified. Low quality/value trees around these crop trees are marked for
cutting in order to allow the crop trees to obtain more sunlight and grow at a faster
rate. Marking also favored the retention of hard maple, yellow birch and hemlock while reducing the soft maple
component. This was done to increase diversity and maximize long term timber value (soft maple
is worth little compared to hard maple and yellow birch). Tree tops and branches too small to be
used for sawlogs or pulpwood were lopped down to a maximum of 4 feet high to improve aesthetics
following the harvest. The landowner was payed for all the wood that was cut and another harvest can be performed
in 15 years, with the landowner realizing a much greater financial return due to the
improved quality of the trees on the property. Property 2: Property 2 is owned by an out of town landowner who is going to be selling the land. It was a good quality harwood stand with many sawlog size trees and a good hemlock component. 
It appears to have been well managed prior to the last harvest. The logger/forester conducting the harvest was hired by a local realtor who either
neglected to check references or did not care. The logger/forester had a known poor reputation.
Payment, as with property 1, was "Pay as you cut". The logger/forester cut all the large, quality trees and left small and poor quality trees standing.
In many areas too many trees were cut and the trees that were not cut have begun to blow
over due to too much open space (windthrow). Due to the fact that logging continued through
spring breakup, deep ruts are common throughout the property. The ruts not only look unappealing,
but result in damage to roots of nearby trees thus creating a pathway for disease to enter the trees.
Soil compaction and the associated inability of roots to penetrate compacted soil will also lead
to reduced regeneration of trees and the inability of nearby trees to expand their root systems.
Other problems include: garbage left
in the woods, probable oil and hydraulic fluid leaked or drained onto the property, lower quality
logs and lots of pulpwood left in the woods, and tops of trees NOT cut down to a reasonable height.
In addition, the landowner did not get paid for all the wood removed from the property and the wood he
did get paid for was paid at a rate below market value.
The future of this stand is not good. Many of the remaining trees will blow over due to over-cutting.
Other trees will experience crown dieback and eventual death from damage to their root systems. Another
timber harvest on this stand before 50 years have passed is unlikely.
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HKCD • 600
E. Lakeshore Dr., #2 • Houghton, MI 49931 • 906-482-0214 • Fax 906-482-6074 |
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