Top twenty forestry questions???

Gordon · November 10, 2002, 10:19:43 AM

Ok here is a question for all of you. What do you think the top twenty forestry questions are.

Hay there is an idea for you Jeff a FAQ area of the forum.

Have to go put up fence will check back later

Gordon

Jeff · November 10, 2002, 10:49:37 AM

Hmmm. Well I know what the top 1 is. At least tree question.

(paraphrased) "I have a walnut tree out back growing in my kids sandbox and it is huge! I know its worth thousands and thousands of dollars cause all the neighbors have told me so I know its true. Will you buy it? If not where can I sell it?"

Tom · November 10, 2002, 10:57:26 AM

Everybody's yard tree is worth thousands. I'd hate to be an insurance adjuster after a hurricane.

Another forestry question that may be frequently asked is " What are we going to do when all the trees are gone?

Jeff · November 10, 2002, 11:03:43 AM

The answer to "what are we going to do when all the trees are gone?" is the same as what are we going to do when all the gas is gone. What are we going to do when all the aluminum is gone.

PLANT MORE TREES!

Tom · November 10, 2002, 11:18:30 AM

It amazes me to find how many folks don't know that trees are a renewable resourse. :P

CHARLIE · November 10, 2002, 04:30:21 PM

Here's tree questions.... ;D

Has the quality of construction lumber gotten worse over the past 40 years?

Are the fast growing trees planted by the major lumber companies sacrificing the quality lumber so they can get boards to market sooner?

Do you think large corporations (not just lumber companies) really and truly give a rip about the environment when it conflicts with making money?

Frank_Pender · November 10, 2002, 05:08:45 PM

Charlie.

  Question #1. Yes. What is now called #1 in Douglas Fir was #2 a few years ago, and so on down the grading scale.

   Question #2. Yes. Out in the box stores they are selling a new species called Hemfir. I had a call for some 32' 8 x 8's a few months ago and the broker tried to sell me Hemfir. I asked his age and he said 28. I told him there was no suc species as Hemfir. I wanted Douglas Fir. He counld not ablidge my request for a quote. I wne on to another broker. The big boys are developing super trees that will have growth rings like a Sequoia, 3/4" to 1". What will then happen I suspect, is that the studs in a home will have to be close as well as the rafters and trusses. Then we have more demand for the raw product. The circle continues. I mentioned on a different thread some time ago that Willamette Industries had a growing cycle of 45 years then harvest. Now with the takeover, the new owners have a cycle of 37 years. With the Super Trees I hear talking of 25 to 30 in a cycle, depending on soil site.

   Question #3. I often feel that they really do not have much concern, but are forced into doing so of else there is a heft consequence in the form of dollars or prison or both.

Fla._Deadheader · November 10, 2002, 05:52:08 PM

Hemfir. HHHMMMMM. I ran across a strapped bunk of hemfir 2x4's in the late 60's early 70's. It was delivered to a construction site for building a house. It rained that night and the next day, the growth rings ALL seperated. It was like a bad glue job. I talked to the builder and he said " it wasn't meant to get wet" ???? I have told this story several times, and everyone thinks I am NUTZ. Wish I had a camera then.

Tillaway · November 10, 2002, 06:01:06 PM

The Hemfir is a lump grade sort. It can be either Hemlock or Fir or a combination. Hemfir sort on a westside mill is almost exclusively Hemlock. Hemfir at a eastside, mill is all Grand or White fir. The construction / strength properties are similar between the species so they are graded the same.

Eastside refers mills located east of the Cascade Mountain range. Westside refers to mills West of the range and on the coast in Oregon and Washington.

woodman · November 10, 2002, 06:39:50 PM

After i cut there logs thay ask whit do i do now, how do i sticker it ,whit should i use ,how long to dry outside inside cover no cover, and on and on.

Brian_Bailey · November 10, 2002, 06:49:52 PM

Here's one - What bandmill's the best on the market? Sorry, I couldn't refrain myself ;D.

Scott_R · November 11, 2002, 04:36:18 PM

#6 How long do I have to let my logs dry before I cut them into lumber? Scott

Tom · November 11, 2002, 04:53:16 PM

You don't have to let them dry at all. The fresher the tree is off of the stump, the less drying degrade you will be apt to find.

I want my trees as fast as I can get to them. You will find some grace period. Some species will hold up longer than others. The weather permits longer grace periods.

I don't like to let them sit.

Some sawyers that cut pine will say to let them sit 4 or 5 weeks but I think it is because they don't want to mess with the liquid sap. It's messy but managable.

Look at a fresh plant cell as a water balloon. You touch it and it pops. That leads to truer milling.

Look at a drying plant cell as a concrete block. The cell wall gets harder and harder until you are smoking your blades to get it to come apart. If a blade fails to cut true, this situation will make it worse.

Why do they ask that question? It never fails. "I've got some Live Oak that's been down about three years now. Probably good and dry now and ready to be sawed." 8)

Yeah, right. It was ready to be sawed three years ago. :P :D

Ron Wenrich · November 11, 2002, 05:01:03 PM

#7 A logger paid me X amount for my timber. Was that enough money?

Answer: The value of a product is what a willing seller will pay to a willing buyer. If you agreed to the price, without checking anyone else, then that was enough. Could you have gotten more? Should have thought about that before you signed the contract.

#8 How soon can I cut my timber after a harvest?

Answer: As soon as the trees start to crowd each other or until you absolutely want to liquidate your stand. A lot will depend on how the present harvest is handled. Cut all your good growing stock and it will be a long time until your next paying harvest.

#9 A logger has cut my timber, but he hasn't paid me yet. How long do I have to wait to get paid? (I just got this one last week).

Answer: You should have money before any trees are cut. You shouldn't let all your trees be cut before any payment occurs. If you don't get paid, then you will have to go to court. You do have a contract, don't you?

#10 What will happen if I don't cut my trees?

Answer: Your forest will continue to grow, at a slower rate and mature until some of the weaker trees begin to die off. They will fall down and become part of the soil, and there is no monetary return. Eventually, your forest will become a mature, climax forest - probably well past your lifetime. These will eventually die due to insects or disease, and be replaced by a younger forest. It is a management option.

# 11 Is red oak worth anything?

Answer: It depends on the size, condition and location of the trees. Small trees are worth considerably less than large trees. Dead trees are worth less than live trees. Trees with lots of limbs are worth much less than clean boles. One isolated red oak on a mountain side is worth less than one that has ready access.

#12 Will logging damage my land?

Answer: Depends on how it's done. Logging can be destructive when you disregard things such as time of year, moisture conditions, tree length vs log length skidding, and the size of equipment used. The fellers skill and the skidders skill will help determine how many trees are damaged during the harvest operation.

Tom · November 11, 2002, 05:09:46 PM

DanG, Ron,

Your getting them all. I can't think fast enough.

A question I was asked by a ignorant, stupid, sit-behind-the-desk manager of the local TV Cable company when his crews drove their trucks all over my freshly planted six acres of pines as they used my driveway to service the cable on the power poles.that used my boundary for a right-of-way......

# 13. Well, why didn't you fence them in so everybody would know you were growing something?

Answer: Because I didn't figure that they would be going anywhere, you idiot. >:(

smwwoody · November 11, 2002, 05:20:39 PM

Quote The fellers skill and the skidders skill will help determine how many trees are damaged during the harvest operation.

very good point Ron as were the other ones. so many people forget this part.
not everyone with a chainsaw in the back of thier pickup is a logger.

as well as not everyone with mill is a sawyer

Tom · November 11, 2002, 05:32:23 PM

#14 Why have you clear cut that acreage and not left anything standing. It looks like a war zone. It's devastated.

Answer Because the species that was planted on that property does not grow in uneven stands and must be planted back as a crop the same as you would a field of corn.

Tom · November 11, 2002, 05:47:36 PM

Not to be a party pooper but Ron keeps coming up with so much good stuff that I went surfing for some help. I came up with this site immediately and was overwhelmed. Want to be a forester? Take a look at this.
http://www.webcom.com/duane/womfor1.html

There is an answer page for some of the questions.

If you want to learn who they are, take a look at this:
http://www.webcom.com/duane/

Scott_R · November 11, 2002, 06:31:06 PM

I had meant #6 as humor. Scott

Tom · November 11, 2002, 06:41:44 PM

I figured you had and I accepted it as such. I'm still confronted with the situation more times than you would ever imagine. The funny thing is that the assumption is made that a log should be dry to mill it. Why don't they ask?

woodman · November 11, 2002, 07:35:44 PM

Tom do you charge more for cutting dry logs.

Tom · November 11, 2002, 07:55:47 PM

No, I never have. That's not to say that I'm not thinking inside somewhere. :D

I have, on rare occassions, refused to cut a log that was too dry or too rotten or one that contained too much metal. I try to do what my customers want me to do. I give them my opinion and then trudge on. Usually they will see what is going on as soon as the blade enters the log and stop me.

The "goodwill" for trying to please them is much greater than the satisfaction of being right.

Scott_R · November 12, 2002, 04:13:11 AM

Educating the customer can be frustrating, but worth the effort in the long run. Scott

Jeff · November 12, 2002, 01:53:16 PM

How old does a tree have to be to be considered "Old Growth"?

CHARLIE · November 12, 2002, 02:03:50 PM

I always interpreted "Old Growth" to mean slow growth in a forest by a tree that was not planted by man. Not one planted by a lumber company. The lumber companies plant those super fast growing trees that have a lot of space. If you count the rings in some of those sunken logs that were cut back a 100 years ago, you'll see it took the tree 100 years to grow an inch. To me that is old growth. :

:P