Starting Sugar Maple under Sumac?

[IndyIan]

I have a lot of empty fields which I'd like to convert to a Maple forest.
My idea to get Maples established early in these fields is to plant sumac and then in a couple years plant maple keys or seedlings under the sumac.  

Will the sumac's provide enough shade to let the maples get established?  I'm assuming the maples will grow through the sumacs easily in a couple years when they can use full sinlight.

Am I wasting my time trying to skip a couple stages of natural succession?  Seeing the fall colours on neighboring drumlins has inspired me to put some work into this .

Thanks,
Ian

[Ron Wenrich]

I'm not so sure you have to plant the sumac.  Sugar maple is a tolerant species, meaning it will germinate and survive with less sunlight than a less tolerant species.  It doesn't mean that it needs shade to develop.  Sugar maple plantations isn't something you see very much of.

[jrdwyer]

If you plant seeds or seedlings, you goal should be to reduce competition for sunlight and moisture so that the trees grow faster and are more vigorous. That means herbicides or heavy mulch to control weeds and grasses in a 3-5 foot diameter around each seedling. And nearby non-desirable competing trees or shrubs should also be removed to give the desirable trees full sunlight. This advice applies whether you are planting white oak or sugar maple. And your site needs to be suitable for whatever species you choose.

As far as why more people don't plant sugar maple or beech? They prefer the faster growing species instead.

[IndyIan]

Thanks guys,
I guess its conventional "wisdom" around here that sugar maples need shade for the first few years.  I'll try moving a few maple seedlings this fall into the open with while eliminating the competition.  

I suspect it gets to dry most summers for seedlings to survive in the open here but we'll see.

I'm not really planting for future saw timber, just aesthetics, sumac turns a nice red too so I might as well plant some of that while I'm at it

Ian