Poor Regeneration

[Pete Jesse]

Ten years ago my forest had a harvest and thinning completed at the same time. In my opinion the harvest was carefully done with the work geared toward opening canopy gaps and allowing for regeneration.
After ten years about the only thing that is regenerating is hop hornbeam (ironwood). This is in Central NYS and the deer population is high. In fact when I was going to the area i am working on I chased out two deer.
I am cutting the ironwood hard and doing a TSI to create new gaps in the canopy. Hopefully something will grow and I can get more hunters in the woods this fall. It is frustration to see nice tall trees with little more that weeds (ironwood) growing underneath.

[carl ny]

If you need hunters in the woods let me know. Where are you located,I’m in the far north of NYS. Haven’t been to the Southern Tier in years because the land I use to hunt got sold and I don’t like state land…

carl ny

[Pete Jesse]

I am about half way between Binghamton and Albany.
If you are interested contact me in the fall.

I plan to use the ironwood for some poles for my horse equipment, maybe try making some handles for a broken cant hook and sledge hammers.

[Brad Johnson]

Carl-
I know that around here some foresters are recommending that in hardwood stands you leave the slash and top wood unchopped. The theory is that this strategy does not allow deer to browse the small seedlings as easily, sheltering seedling and increasing regeneration. Might be helpful in your case…
-Brad

[Pete Jesse]

One of the areas I am working in has many scrub pasture white pine that are 40+ years old. Most of them have multiple stems beginning at 6 feet. Among these pine there are numerous hardwoods developing. I have begun to leave much of this slash just for that reason. I enjoy going back and seeing saplings growing surrounded by these barricades.
I am hoping this new growth will get a head start.

[rusretfm382]

Something you might want to consider assuming you have draft animals is to try the following. Before you get too far along in your TSI (just so it is easier to get around) get a hold of an old engine block with the pistons removed. Run a chain through the cylinder hole and randomly drag it around your stand to scarify the forest floor. The engine block will do a surprisingly good job of scarifying and exposing some mineral soil. If there is a developing cone crop in it’s second year in the overstory White Pine now, you should get a good seed catch in August and September when the mature cones drop their seed. Without good timing between scarification and the presence of a seed crop achieving desirable pine regeneration is difficult. Cones that will mature later this summer can be seen with binoculars and should be on the outer perimeter of upper canopy limbs and be about the size of your index finger. Any smaller than that and you are going to have to wait another year or more. It’s a two year process after fertilization. Good luck..
Dave Richard

[Author]

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