More logging questions

[Multidigits]

Gents, I'm working on gathering some facts for a project. I'd appreciate any response, if you have the answers.

1. Have you ever been advised by a PLB or Forestry Div. employee to open you woods by a Timber Stand improvement or a regular logging operation?

2. Did the PLB explain the benefits to logging and how it would help different species of wildlife??? What are some of those benefits???

3. If you ventured into a logging operation of any kind, did you loose money on the sale of the timber????

4. On average, how much did you make on the operation, based on a per acre basis???

5. Did you see an increase in the numbers of wildlife that you expected to help after the logging operation was completed.

Thanks for your paticipation!

[Xi Bowhunter]

The only thing I have ever seen come out of logging is a loss of wildlife and very ugly woods. Seems like all the logging companys leave the tree tops in the woods around where I live, it makes for difficult hunting.

Matt Goetz

[INKYHUNTER]

I know that the biologist recommended to my neighbor to clear cut, an they followed those instructions. It will create browse for deer and the turkey seem to use the area. However, it is a mess and it will take years to become attractive again. My youngest grandchildren will be my age before it grows back. Like XI Bowhunter mentioned, you can't get through the tree tops. Also, in a few years the saw briars further make the going impossible. Mine hasn't been cut in 35 years and it wasn't clear cut then, it has some nice timber now but I don't plan on cutting anytime soon. I wouldn't think lumber prices would be very good at the present. I would wait until the economy gets humming and I sure wouldn't clear cut the property unless it was just small area's.

[deerhunter5555]

Multidigits, I can't comment on the economic end of it yet because I'm currently in the stage you're in- gathering info. to log one of my farms. However, I do have firsthand experiance on the effects of logging on a property. I bought about 300 acres in Lewis County about 4 years ago that had just been logged. This was very steep, rugged country to begin with so the process of logging only made access even more of a problem. They cut all the desirable trees that were 24" and bigger and left the smaller ones. This created a system of logging roads that went all over the property. Sounds good for access right? Well,it was the first year and then the battle began. Since then, erosion became a big problem on those roads. There were waterbars put in by the loggers but just not nearly enough of them. Each and every road was washed out and began to look like the beginning of a small creek - in other words they were impassable by truck and fourwheeler. We have hired a dozer two years in a row now to come out and fix the roads by putting in many more waterbars and sloping some of the roads to funnel the run-off into the ditch. Then we have sowed the roads in both winter wheat and clover heavy to establish a "carpet" effect to shield the roads from rainfall and to provide food for the wildlife. I think we have the problem under control now, but it has been a very costly and frustrating part of the process.
Treetops have been a big nuisance as well. They are piled up everywhere and really haven't decomposed much at all in 5 years. I think they will take a really long time to break down. One solution to this problem would be to cut it up and sell it for firewood if you were really ambitious. This was not an option for us because the terrain is too steep to get a truck to.
Next we have to address the problem of sticker bushes and briars. These are great for wildlife but make deer and turkey hunting a real chore. The tangle that the logging creates will make your property as thick as the jungles of Vietnam for about 5 to 7 years. We are in the fifth year of the process and its still almost impossible to walk in the woods if you're not on a logging road. The briars will also try to take over these roads if you don't keep them trimmed back several times a year.
Lastly, to answer your question about the wildlife, I am positive that it has improved the habitat for the animals but in turn has made them much more difficult to hunt. The grouse are everywhere! The deer like it both for added browse and bedding cover. The turkeys seem to stay out of the thick but use the roads.
All in all, I think the whole process is a pain in the butt and makes hunting much more difficult. But, if you really want to improve your habitat for wildlife, this is one way to do it. I think a happy medium would be to do your property in stages. Maybe split it up in thirds and log a third every 5 to 7 years so you always have diversified habitat. Hope this helps, I just wanted you to know the whole picture.

[Multidigits]

I'm mainly interested in if Dept. PLB's are recommending logging operations as a habitat improvement idea on large tracts of timber country. thanks again for any comments

[deerhunter5555]

My PLB did recommend some TSI (Timber Stand Improvement) but we have spent 2 years trying to get the forester to come out and ours is a joke. So to make a long story short, we've got a great biologist but a pathetic forester that we need to get the details from and to get the financial assistance from. It's been a real nightmare.

[GSP]

I had a PBL come out to my farm. Recommendations were to clear cut an 1-2 acres of 25 year old timber (18" white pine & ash). This was in a patch of 20 acre woods. Reason, needed browse and cover.
Dept would help finance!!!!!!!

[Multidigits]

deerhunter5555--first of all, thanks fro the reply. Second, you can get financial aid to repair the damage done by logging operations done before the new law took effect. Through the SIP program, they will pay for additional or breached water bars and to reseed and fix these areas. if you do the work yourself, it can end up costing you nothing. Start with your locaal FSA office and go from there.