Getting rid of logging slash

[rd_macgregor]

In a forest, that slash is organic matter and nutrients that slowly return to the forest for future use. Many folks don't like the aesthetics of this slash, but Mother Nature doesn't really care about how things look. A really awful-looking clear-cut can regenerate back into an overgrown riot of vegetation in a few years and be a respectable, if young, forest again in a few decades...even without intensive forest management.

Compared to normal human life span, this forestry cycle seems pretty long, so a change in the landscape is dramatic to our eyes, but (in commercial forest operations, at least) it isn't functionally different from annual crop farming...we just tend not to see it that way.

Of course, in converting a wooded/brushy area to an open field, stumps and slash are impediments to land maintenance and interfere with operations to keep nature from growing back the trees. As a landowner, management of the aesthetics is also up to you and may demand prompt removal of slash, chipping it, burying it, burning it or piling it out of the way somewhere to rot on its own.

 

[CobyRupert]

I'd say if your debris pile is out of sight, it's out of mind. In my area back in the woods where I hunt I've seen several old sawmill slabs from old sawmilling, my guess 1940s, they was size of a big house in the 70s, now there gone or not much left. Back then, 30s and 40s, people must of moved sawmills out in the middle of the wood and sawed the logs up there, but what'd they use for power, pto from old tractor, did tractors have pto, a rhetorical? for those who cant stand rabbit trails .

I think the first widespread engines where steam powered, then the first common internal combustible engine power sources where smaller stationary "hit and miss" engines that ran equipment with belts connecting pulleys on the engine and the equipment. Theses small affordable engines could directly replaced animal powered treadmills or human powered equipment.
The earliest tractors by and large served as just larger wheeled, portable version of these engines and ran stationary equipment on power belts, they also had the additional benefit of being able to pull plows, displacing the steam engine, on a smaller scale, then eventually other moving equipment became more common.
:2cents:

 

[rfc143]

We've decided to go down multiple paths. First, with regard to the forest management aspect of things: We've consulted a friend/forest manager, a licensed silviculturist, who has done a complete assessment of the plot (25 acres). His sentiments match those of many here who say "let nature do it's thing", but has told us many of the downed trees and tops have not been allowed to "hit the dirt" and as a result are high and dry and will stay that way for many years to come. He has noted that the logging done years ago was not done really well, and that logging does not necessarily need to leave the mess they left. We're left to deal with what we've got.

So, we're doing some burning, mainly of the dry stuff; we're mushing into the dirt (using the tractor itself and the grapple), those trees that are well on their way, pushing a lot of the wet stuff into pre-defined areas away from the walking paths we're developing. Fortunately, most of the slash is hemlock, and does seem to decompose pretty well. I appreciate all the cool ideas here though.

 

[CalG]

There are no right answers, only intelligent choices.

Good Choice!

 

[clemsonfor]

We've decided to go down multiple paths. First, with regard to the forest management aspect of things: We've consulted a friend/forest manager, a licensed silviculturist, who has done a complete assessment of the plot (25 acres). His sentiments match those of many here who say "let nature do it's thing", but has told us many of the downed trees and tops have not been allowed to "hit the dirt" and as a result are high and dry and will stay that way for many years to come. He has noted that the logging done years ago was not done really well, and that logging does not necessarily need to leave the mess they left. We're left to deal with what we've got.

So, we're doing some burning, mainly of the dry stuff; we're mushing into the dirt (using the tractor itself and the grapple), those trees that are well on their way, pushing a lot of the wet stuff into pre-defined areas away from the walking paths we're developing. Fortunately, most of the slash is hemlock, and does seem to decompose pretty well. I appreciate all the cool ideas here though.

yes hemlock is very prone to rot and decomposes fairly quickly compared to other species

 

[JRobyn]

I was surprised to find that our hickory (mostly pignut) also decomposes rather quickly, even when it is off the ground. 2-3 years and it's very punky.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Don't have time to read all this but Burn it.

Here in NW WA where it rains 8 months a year we burn some pretty wet stuff; Key is stack loosely, fairly high (8'), 2 propane weed burners and, leaf blower, and all your waste oil. I'v have had firestorms going 40' in the air in heavy rain and little smoke. Fire Department prefers rainy days as fire danger is nil. Burning in good weather cuts into other real work. We are only allowed to bur during daylight hours and with a permit. Pile is supposed to be only 10' diameter; we all cheat on that. Not a problem as long as it is died down by sundown. In more urban areas fires are banned totally. Land developers either have to mulch on site or haul it away to a authorized disposal yard for recycle. That has really raised the cost of getting a subdivision ready to build.

Ron

 

[John_Mc]

We've decided to go down multiple paths. First, with regard to the forest management aspect of things: We've consulted a friend/forest manager, a licensed silviculturist, who has done a complete assessment of the plot (25 acres). His sentiments match those of many here who say "let nature do it's thing", but has told us many of the downed trees and tops have not been allowed to "hit the dirt" and as a result are high and dry and will stay that way for many years to come. He has noted that the logging done years ago was not done really well, and that logging does not necessarily need to leave the mess they left. We're left to deal with what we've got.

So, we're doing some burning, mainly of the dry stuff; we're mushing into the dirt (using the tractor itself and the grapple), those trees that are well on their way, pushing a lot of the wet stuff into pre-defined areas away from the walking paths we're developing. Fortunately, most of the slash is hemlock, and does seem to decompose pretty well. I appreciate all the cool ideas here though.

I'm glad you consulted with Forester. Humans may not like the look of slash, but nature loves it. Allowing the wood to decompose on sight returns nutrients to the soil. In the mean time, wildlife LOVES a messy forests. For me, the mark of a good logger is not whether he leaves your forest looking like a park, it's whether he got the logs out with minimal damage to the residual stand, left the access trails in good shape, and lived up to the other things we agreed upon in the contract: I like slash pulled back at least 15' from my trails. Generally, I like to see it lopped so it lies within 2' of the ground, though I do also like piles for wildlife shelter, and sometimes don't lop it down low so it serves as a deterrent to deer browsing, which helps to allow the new regeneration to get established.

rfc143 - since you are in Vermont, if you are interested in learning more about managing for forest health and wildlife, you should check out an organization called "Vermont Coverts: Woodlands for Wildlife". I'm a real fan of this organization. Their primary goal is to educate landowners on things they can do on their property to manage for wildlife and to integrate those goals with other goals you may have for your property (managing for timber/firewood, recreation, scenic value, etc). Their flagship program is a 3 day intensive training workshop dedicated to these subjects. The next one is coming up June 2-4 in Starksboro, VT sign-ups are closed, but I know they had some space left - I may still be able to get you in, if you are interested, but they'd have to hear very soon. The next one is coming up in September (usually the weekend after Labor Day). They also offer a number of half-day workshops throughout the state. Feel free to drop me a line if you want more info.

 

[EddieWalker]

I recently spoke with a Texas Game Biologist about the lack of wild turkeys in this part of East Texas. He is working on introducing them to areas where he can get the land owners to manage the land so the turkeys can survive there. One of the biggest misunderstandings that I had was in why they are no longer here, and what happened. Over the last century, the land was cleared and then let to regrow naturally. Mother nature has a way of overdoing things and the plants all come in so thick that the choke out anything else from growing on the ground. It becomes a thick, almost impenetrable barrier to many species. Fire is needed to open up the under story, and allow the bigger trees to grow while taking out the smaller ones. If left to nature, this would take hundreds of years to happen, and multiple forest fires. Eventually you end up with big trees spread out with open areas between and under them to allow animals like turkeys to live in.

I don't have hundreds of years to let nature do it on it's own. Clearing up the trash piles and allowing a mixture of trees to grow, spread out over the land to allow other plants to grow under them is my goal.

 

[Oldoak]

There are always extremes, which on neither end of the scale are good.

Here in my area, ne PA, we have the opposite problem with Whitetail deer and hardwood forests. If the logging slash is cleaned up the deer browse heavily on the new growth and the forest does not regenerate itself like it normally would. Leaving the slash where it falls acts like natural fences keeping the deer from eating all the new growth allowing the hard wood shoots time to grow as saplings and bigger. At the same time it provides cover for nesting grouse. Eventually the slash decays and fades away. A clean park like forest floor does not make good wildlife habitat.