Small Woodlot Management

(Page 8 of 8)

February/March 1995
By David L. Israel  
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Birds and mammals that use trees for feeding and nesting may decrease but small rodents such as deer mice and wood rats may increase. Seed trees or clumps of trees left standing in the area help provide food for birds such as the mountain bluebird and Stellar's jay and provide perches for birds of prey that come to feed on the rodents and small mammals in the area.

RELATED CONTENT

When cutting ponderosa pine using the shelter-wood method, the best wildlife conditions are created when the wood is harvested in three or more cuts, with individual cuts being less than 50 acres each. Opening a stand of ponderosa pines may decrease the numbers of pygmy nuthatches but could increase the number of western tanagers, some warblers, juncos, and siskins.

Other Wildlife Management Techniques

For information on management of specific wildlife species, contact the sources listed in the sidebars accompanying this article. Some general management items to increase wildlife diversity are listed below. Notice the wildlife habitat around you and attempt to supply the elements that are missing.

Maintain small (one to 20 acres) forest openings. If openings are not present, they may be created by making a clear-cut and seeding the disturbed area to a grass/legume mix. The openings may be maintained on a permanent basis, by periodic mowing, burning, grazing, or spraying. Be sure to exercise care and observe all state and local regulations if burning or spraying.

Also, maintain some brush land, attractive to so many animal species. Opening the tree canopy may stimulate shrub growth in some areas. In aspen areas it can be accomplished in part by clear-cutting another patch of aspen trees every 10 years or so.

Leave wildlife trees. During any harvest, leave three to five living trees, 12 to 25 inches in diameter, per acre, and as many sound dead snags for wildlife. These can be cull trees but should be free from transmittable diseases. Finally, leave at least two downed logs per acre for downed-log habitat.

Follow these suggestions and you can be on the way to a healthy and productive forest.

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Comments

  • jimhenry 12/6/2007 9:09:28 PM

    I'm new at this, have 5 wooded acres in the country now. It looks
    like most of my trees would make great utility poles, some kind of
    Oak, straight as an arrow and 60-80 feet tall. I wouldn't cut
    living ones but have a couple dead ones. Is there any market for
    these in small quantities? I live in rural Chester county, Pa.

  • mailhill 12/6/2007 9:00:35 AM

    Good article. Comprehensive, unbiased, informative, accessible
    typos - from the top Forests usually begin as brush and sun-loving
    tree seedlings that take over grasslands or recently disturbed
    "sights". Should be "sites" "The" are shade intolerant and cannot
    reproduce even in their own shade. Should be "they" There is some
    market-sized "timbe" Should be "timber"

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