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High Grading

Started by ET, April 21, 2014, 10:15:40 PM

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ET

I just received my new foresters "Woodland Stewardship Management Plan".  The one that is provided to the tax accessors of my county. My question is that I have hundreds of Sycamore on my tract but the plan forbids "High Grading". I know that there are maybe a dozen or more many more that are large enough that I feel would be worth taking out, as long as it would not damage other trees when dropped. How would anyone recommend my approach to allow me to remove some of these big sycamores?  I need some inventory.
Lucas 1030, Slabber attachment, Husky 550XP, Ford 555B hoe, Blaze King Ultra, Vermeer chipper, 70 acres with 40 acres Woods.

Ron Wenrich

I don't know what the rest of your timber inventory is like.  Cutting sycamore isn't necessarily a form of high grading.  Usually high grading is where you go in and cut only the high quality timber out of a stand.  If you had a stand that was a mix of sycamore and ash and you cut only the ash, that would be high grading.  Ash is a higher valued wood than sycamore.  Generally speaking, you cut the worst and leave the best.  But, that doesn't mean that you never cut any high quality timber.  You mix in some of the lower quality timber when you do an overall thinning.

It sounds like a boilerplate type of statement in the plan.  I wouldn't consider taking sycamore out as high grading. 
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Phorester


Highgrading is the cutting of the highest commercial grade of trees in your woods. Basically, you're cutting the best trees you have and leaving the worst.  It's like weeding a vegetable garden by taking out the vegetables and leaving the weeds.

Another way to put it; the act of cutting sycamores is not highgrading.  Cutting out the highest grade sycamores is.

But sycamore is usually not a high value species.  I wouldn't think there would be any problem removing some of the sycamores.  But I'd suggest you give the forester who prepared your stewardship plan a call, and talk over the situation with him/her.

Ianab

Like the others have said, "high grading" is basically taking everything valuable, and leaving the rubbish, with no thought towards what the next harvest is going to be like.

So the main difference is you actually have a management plan that goes beyond just this harvest. So what do you take out? Some of the mature (and best) trees. The ones that have reached full size, and are in top condition to market. And the Junk, species you don't really want, deformed trees, weeds etc. Things that are just taking up space that could be used to grow a more desirable tree for a future crop. Might only be firewood, but you improve your forest by removing it.

What do you leave? The good medium size trees that are still growing strongly. Ones that you could harvest now, but will be bigger and better in 10 or 20 years more. And the seedling and saplings that are going to be your harvest beyond that. When you look around you can say " I'll come back for that tree next time, and those over there are for the kids to harvest."  See, now you have a long term management plan.

OK that's over simplifying things a bit as there are all sorts of factors with how forests seed and regenerate. Some species actually need clear cuts to regenerate, some need shade and shelter, and that affects how you plan you harvest. Small areas of clear cut encourages the sun loving species, removing single trees and leaving a shaded forest encourages the shade tolerant species. So things like that need to be worked into your plan as well.

Main thing is you have a plan, one that's better than "Cut down all the good trees"

Ian
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

jamesamd

Excellant reply ,Ian.Even I saw through the lawyers,lurking! :cheers: M8

Jim
All that is gold does not glitter,not all those that wander are lost.....

ET

Thank you Phorester and Ian for the additional insight into managing my woodlot. I'm still not ready to take out any of my own timber just yet, but now feel much more knowledgeable about the whole process.

My log stash (100+) from outside sources will get me going when I start selling lumber. Right now (for 2 yrs) I just custom saw and slab. My new barn just got completed and waiting for concrete floor. Then I will have a dry place to store and sell. A kiln is another future hurdle. 

One step at a time.  Thanks guys!
Ernie 
Lucas 1030, Slabber attachment, Husky 550XP, Ford 555B hoe, Blaze King Ultra, Vermeer chipper, 70 acres with 40 acres Woods.

JoeZ

ET, since you have a Stewardship Plan- you must have a forester who prepared it. What does that forester say about this concern of yours? I should think that forester would be happy to advise you on this- at no cost, since he or she already got paid for the plan.
Joe
"41 years a professional forester"

Texas Ranger

Izzat you, JoeZ?  Greetings from Texas.
The Ranger, home of Texas Forestry

ET

Hi JoeZ, Im sure he would advise me if I asked. Hes been my forester since 1996 when I did a reforestation project and he most certainly would answer my questions.  When Im ready to remove trees I will certainly call him, but I wanted to be a little more knowledable about the process before hand. This forum provides a wealth of information, and I thank Jeff for allowing it all to happen.
Lucas 1030, Slabber attachment, Husky 550XP, Ford 555B hoe, Blaze King Ultra, Vermeer chipper, 70 acres with 40 acres Woods.

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