A Forest Management Plan

[Justin L]

One thing I've seen is some people will use too much pressure and make too fine of a mist that drifts farther. I learned from spraying lacquer & varnish to use just enough pressure to atomize and no more. I know it's not exactly the same, but the larger the droplets the less it will travel.

[Sprucegum]

Which type of log is a favorite for the Grouse? I hear them quite often but can't tell exactly where they are drumming.

BTW those marsh marigolds look just like our Buttercups  8)

[Jeff]

I think anything hollow with a solid exterior. In other words, Drum like. 

[Corley5]

The logs don't need to be hollow.  They don't actually beat their wings on the log.  The sound comes from air being moved by their wings.   

[Jeff]

They dont need to be, no, but I'm sure the birds know that hollow logs resonate the sound.

[Corley5]

Any log will do them fine.  They'll show no preference to a hollow log unless it's all that's available.  Ever see a video of them drumming  ???  They are standing tall and pushing air in front of them not down

[Ron Scott]

Yes, any larger diameter log will do, but a log with some cover around it is preferred. If you are placing "drumming logs", northern hardwood logs are also preferred over aspen since they will last much longer. The same goes for wildlife nest, den, snag, or cavity trees.

[Sprucegum]

I don't have any hollow logs - spruce and cottonwood blowdowns only in that area. They seem to hang out in the spruce more, guess thats why they are called Spruce Hens  ;D

[SwampDonkey]

BTW those marsh marigolds look just like our Buttercups  8)

Kind of similar. We have them here too, but not too common. The only place I see them is wetlands like in Jeff's pic, and usually where cedar have grown. It may be that they do best in those soils with calcarious bedrock. Just a speculation.

[SwampDonkey]

I don't have any hollow logs - spruce and cottonwood blowdowns only in that area. They seem to hang out in the spruce more, guess thats why they are called Spruce Hens  ;D

probably spruce grouse, which tend to be vocal during courtship like a blue grouse, and not a 'drummer' ruffed grouse.  ;)


In our hardwood stands we often have a light scattering of balsam fir logs on the ground. They do tend to be hollow because of the but rot during their devise. Often if they are drumming on old hardwood logs on the ground, those logs were near logging yards and trails. And edges tend to be thickets. There will often be decedent elm trees as well in low lands. Cedar blow downs are another nice platform, since they are often concealed by fir thicket. I see a lot of grouse in cedar stands.

[OneWithWood]

Jeff,

I am very glad for you and Tammy.  What a great feeling caring for a plot of ground and the vegetation on it is. 

If you wish for the grouse to remain be sure to leave a grove of pole size trees with a spacing comparable to the grouse wing span.  The grouse rely on the closely spaced pole size trees to escape larger predator birds.  The trees will not remain pole size for long so you might consider opening up an adjacent area that will grow saplings to become pole size about the time the current area increases to saw log size.  Of course with the wetter soils this may all occur naturally and all you will need ot due is observe  smile_banjoman

Anyway the one thing I have learned about managing a plot of ground is there is no need to be in a hurry or regret not being able to stick to a time table.  Nature moves at her own pace and is very forgiving.

Introduce yourself to your district forester and wildlife biologist if you have not done so already.  Local resources are invaluable.

I hope someday I will have the pleasure of walking your woods with you.

[Greg]

Ron using a prism to check the aspen stocking on the west end of the property. I have some very nice aspen trees that's time has come to do something with. I plan on using them for framing material. Ron explained to me that on this site, the aspen would be short lived and should be utilized now. Basically I will remove it from this forest type.

A quick question about the recommendation that the aspen being short lived on this site, and needing utilized.

Is this based primarily on the site index for aspen (and your poplar) on that soil or some other particular piece of knowledge in Ron's head? Also when you say you want to remove it (aspen) from the forest type, is that because these species are deemed less than desireable -  commercially or for some other reason?

I think I have a similar situation, I have a very robust abundant population with tulip poplar, and I plan to utilize/thin some of them to make room for other species, like swamp white oak. Another reason for doing this in increasing the species diversity.

I'm not doubting anything your doing. Just curious as to the whys ;-)
Greg

[Jeff]

Greg, I'm going to let Ron Answer that one when he gets back in town. He is gone for a day or three. I THINK the major reason is that the site conditions are not conducive to a thriving quality aspen stand. Good question, as I would like Ron to explain it to me again. :D

Robert, thank-you.   Plan an extra day or three after the pigroast and we could do just that.

[Ron Scott]

The Kalkaska Sand soil type on this area primarily favors a northern hardwoods cover type. However, the site is growing an overstory of mixed aspen of sawlog size and  pole sized balsam fir with included white cedar and lowland hardwoods with included white and yellow birch.

The area is part of a transition zone into the adjoining mixed conifer swamp and lowland hardwoods area to the east with a rising water table.

The sawlog size aspen is 60 + years of age and somewhat offsite in the transition to the are of a higher water table. The aspen is mature and starting to break down and should be harvested or it will become decadent and lost. There are no aspen clones on site to favor aspen aspen regeneration within the balsam fire, cedar, and lowland hardwood cover type.

This is the preferred area "soil's wise" for Jeff  & Tammy to construct their cabin. The management direction to meet Jeff's objectives is to clear the proposed cabin site, remove all sawlog size aspen for personal construction use, and selective harvest within the balsam fir, cedar, and lowland hardwoods, and included white and yellow birch. Retain all "heathy" white birch for diversity and site aesthetics.

The integrated resource management direction is to develop and improve a future cabin site and to develop and improve an aesthetic woodland in a boreal ecosystem surrounding the proposed cabin site.   

[WDH]

Great stuff ;D. 

Ron, what do you charge to come to Georgia ??? :D. 

[Ron Scott]

It depends upon how good the turkey and deer hunting might be?  ;)

[BrandonTN]

Congrats to you and your wife on the forest stewardshippin', Jeff!  I look forward to staying posted on the progress. 

That was the first formal management plan I've ever read....interesting.  ;D

[WDH]

It depends upon how good the turkey and deer hunting might be?  ;)

Ron, simply outstanding.  Our limit of deer is 12 per year, and you are most welcome to come and hunt them on my property (and while you are sitting on the deer stand, you can be thinking about the management plan ;D).

[Jeff]

I posted in another thread about starting to work on the powerline that crosses our property. THis work is part of the management plan that Ron drew up for us. I have some photos here of a week after I did a test spray to try and kill the canary grass.



This photo looks past where I sprayed to where I was going to continue spraying. Since it looked like things were working, I went ahead and sprayed about an acre, which is about two thirds of the area the powerline covers.

Well, I found one of the monster ruts that crossed the powerline. They dont dry out because of the grass cover. Every thing is hard other then in the ruts and if you drop all your wheels in one, you go down.  Luckily I was close to the edge here and used the winch for the first time to get out.  The mud was clear to the top of the tire.


Another note, the boom sprayer I built worked perfectly and is just what I needed.

[WDH]

The first shots have been fired ;D.  After the first skirmish:

Boss   1
Grass  0

Looking good ;). 

What was the concentration on the round-up?

[Jeff]

Actually I am using Pronto, which is Tractor Supply's clone. If I remember correctly the glyphosate is something like 43%.  The recommended mix was 2 ounces of concentrate per gallon of water. 

[WDH]

The kill looks good.  I usually mix a 2.5% solution to 3% solution, which is a little over 3 ounces per gallon, but I have never sprayed that type of grass. 

Would it be possible to burn the grass after the herbicide has done its work?

[isawlogs]

  I know how I missed this thread .. took a while to go throught it ...  :P  Nice job Mr. Ron , first one for me to . I like the way the property is discribed , you are a true professional .
 
   Jeff ...  I like your boom , I would like to see the " How I did my own boom sprayer "  ;D

  Tanks  Marcel  ;D

[Jeff]

Its right here Marcel.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=26061.0

[isawlogs]

 Thanks , I didnot get that far in my looking into the forum .. I gots lots of catching up to do ...  A whole few weeks  :D :D