Stand 1
Acreage:
24 acres
General Description: This stand has a high density of pole-sized (5-11” dbh or diameter at breast height) northern hardwoods and a low density of small sawlog (11-15” dbh) northern hardwoods. Maple is a major species. This stand was thinned five years ago by salvaging the dying white birch, removing the mature aspen and thinning the mixed hardwood areas. There are now some areas of dense aspen saplings. The soil is a rolling sandy loam and silt loam. There are scattered large white pine trees and a few white pine saplings less than 15 feet tall.
Objective: Maintain this area for long-lived, healthy trees for periodic income from the timber. Aesthetic considerations during a harvest are important along the trail and near the house. It is desired to keep the area near the house in an open, park-like condition but with a visual screening between the house and Maple Lane.
Recommended Practices: Thin by the years 2006 and 2020.
To maintain the growth and health of the residual trees, it will be necessary to do a selective removal of trees that are competing with the desirable trees in 2006 and again by 2020. The thinnings should reduce the Basal Area down to 85 ft2/ac (between 70 - 90 ft2/ac) (or crown closure to about 70 percent). The selective thinning will yield sufficient board feet and cordage to be a commercial harvest. The best quality trees should be retained to grow to a larger size. Trees with poor form or obvious defects should be marked for removal. Where an oak seedling or sapling exists, it should be released from competing trees by cutting gaps (small openings) in the canopy above them. This will improve the vigor of the oaks resulting in an increased growth rate and acorn production for many wildlife species.
Near the house, the thinning should remove fewer trees to keep a dense tree canopy so that ground plants will be shaded out or remain small. Between the house and Maple Lane a greater number of trees should be removed so that a dense understory of trees and shrubs develop for a sight and sound buffer zone. Shade tolerant trees such as hemlock could be planted to enhance the buffer zone.
During the first thinning, an attempt should be made to regenerate white pine. All scattered large white pine should be retained, even if defective, to provide a seed source. Since white pine can regenerate under partial shade, the residual stocking level should allow sufficient light to reach the forest floor to stimulate pine regeneration. This may require a heavier thinning then prescribed for the rest of the stand. Mineral soil should be exposed around these pines where practical and where residual damage to the hardwoods can be minimized.
Stand 1