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In Stead Of Cutting Trees

Started by Autocar, March 16, 2017, 06:34:47 PM

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Autocar

I was planting trees. Our logger chapter has a concern about sustainable forest products from western Ohio. So today I was planting swamp white oak in a 60 acre river bottom. Maybe farm ground will win in the end but if we don't try to change things who will ?
Bill

Catenaut

I've been part of similar discussions in North Carolina and Virginia. It's important for folks to appreciate that we are, nominally at least, still a free people and as such will, generally, behave in a manner consistent with our best self interest. Freedom and self interest are fundamental to any topic about reforestation because the landowner will, generally, act to maximize his betterment and utility from owning the land. Consequently, if the Land Expectation Value for managed timberland is less than farmland, solar power fields, or other potential uses it is perfectly natural for the land to get converted. If we communicate, through our dollars, that we dont want forestland then we can expect the economy to produce less forestland. Although planting trees has significant personal value, it rarely creates a lasting impact beyond your immediate sphere of influence, as the economic forces that limited forestland production are not changed by simply forcing a bit more trees into the system. If you truly want to "change things" and still respect the individuals right to self determination (in other words don't go crying to the government) the best thing to do is work with your local forestry/logging associations to market the value of what you've got. You might have heard the studies many paper mills are fond of quoting "we have more trees now than we did 100 years ago", and that's true, but its only true because we have more mills now than we did 100 years ago. No forest has ever been converted that's within 50 miles of a paper mill.

Autocar

Catenaut I am sorry but I don't agree with much you have to say .  In my opinion planting swamp white oak in a river bottom is better then letting natural reforestation of box elder and soft maple. If your growing timber for tomarrow oak trees are better then willow just my two cents !
Bill

wolf nemeth

Well,  it's an interesting difference of opinion. Really, it's more an contrast between theory and practice. Yes, we can organize and advertise and proselytize and ize, ize, but someone who goes out and plants is  ultimately responsible for literally changing the landscape. Now, if you can get a doxen others in your neighborhood to think and do likewise, that's a movement!
If you  don't know where you're going, you'll probably end up somewhere else!

nativewolf

Paper mills really don't have anything to do with reforestation.  Reforestation has most to do with the decline of small farms and the shift in coastal and Piedmont regions from agriculture to off farm jobs.  Rural populations fled and income from rural properties declined.  The other huge factor was the advent of industrial forestry where an acre produces 4-8X growth in biomass as it did pre wwII.  Taken together you see a lot of forest land converted to ag and to housing/development within very close proximity to pulp mills.  Plenty of it.  You also see old cotton fields being planted in improved loblolly.  Just look at imagery taken in 1930 (we photographed almost the entire US in 1930s) vs that of today.  It's a stark change.  Much much more forest everywhere in the Atlantic NE/Mid Atlantic/South .  Not so much difference in the midwest, some in northern midwest.  You can see the same shift in forest cover 200 miles from a pulp mill as right next to a pulp mill. 




I'm a huge fan of Swamp Chestnut oak and good on Autocarr for planting more.  Great tree and will complement the maple/boxelder/ and other wetland trees. 

By Western ohio are you on the other side of Dayton or further north. 
Liking Walnut

Lookin4GoodLife

I have a lot of white oak trees along a small, spring fed creek running through my 60 acres.  I will slowly start clearing out the briars, privet hedge and other nastiness down in there as I learn more about managing my trees.  I did not realize white oak was a "wetland" tree, but did wonder why those were all growing down there and not further up on the property.  :)  I have a lot to learn.  As I gradually clear out the thousands of sweet gums on the property, I will replant various hard woods or maybe some type of heritage pines once I get a better grasp on what I'm doing.  I hope this will be somewhere my kids, grandkids and tons of nieces and nephews can go in the future and be an on-going concern for them when there are not a lot of places left like this.  I'm not holding my breath on that, but that's my plan.  :)

mike_belben

Praise The Lord

Al_Smith

For reasons I don't know it seems oaks from acorns aren't as prolific as say hickory .I even have sprouts from ash growing areas where the EAB killed the big trees but not oaks and I have about 40 big red and white plus a  few burr oaks .These are 100 footers and have acorns galore .
Maple on the other hand will grow any where .In the eave spouts,cracks of a side walk .The bed of a dump truck with a little bit of soil left in it .It's almost a weed .Seems funny also I've never seen a soft maple growing in the woods,all sugar maple .The soft in the country are usually in fence rows blown in by the wind from somebodies yard tree .

thecfarm

I own family land. My Father and me started to cut wood here for logs. The land had never been logged that my Father could remember,he was born in '23. There was not much small stuff growing. But after a few years,white pine started to come up. We had disturbed the ground and that's all the seed needed to grow. Most places are so thick now,a deer 20 feet away can be heard,but not seen. Yes,I should go in and thin,but with all the projects I have and about 150 acres that is doing this,it's hard to do.The regen is incredible to see.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

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