Standing trees killed by drought

[jasonb]

There is a terrible drought here in my part of south Louisiana and trees are dying.  Mostly what looks like Water Oaks(or at least that is what I call them) and pine trees.  I can see that come spring when these don't have any leaves that these will be cut down.  Will these trees be any good to saw?  I am interested in the pine trees mostly.  If I can get my hands on some Red Oaks, will they be worth sawing?

[Southside]

The oaks will keep better standing dead than the pine will, time is definitely the enemy here, and with pine it isn't kind.  

[esteadle]

if there is any green at all on them, they will be fine for sawing.
If the bark is intact and not falling off in sheets, you will make usable lumber, if not showpiece stuff.
I say get the logs and saw the boards.

[Magicman]

Anything that died this year is good to saw.  We are also seeing an outbreak of Pine Beetles.  

We had a freeze in March killed many Oak leaves making the trees have to put on a second set of leaves.  This stress coupled with the drought is having a devastating affect on our Oak trees.  LINK

The portable sawmilling business will be wide open next year.  Matter of fact I am already getting calls and I am already giving January appointments.  Two calls today.

[Ianab]

Salvage what you can. How long a standing dead tree is usable depends on species and climate. May be months, to several years.  Take care felling dead trees, the wood may be weaker, or the tree may shed branches from high up. Again, the fresher they are, the less hazard.

[jasonb]

I won't be cutting any of the trees.  I will get them through my friend that owns a tree service.

I have a small construction company and drive a 50 mile radius weekly.  It is amazing to see how many trees are dying.  The oaks were stressed during Hurricane Ida.  All Live Oaks are showing no signs of dying.

[kelLOGg]

We had a severe (to me) drought in 2022 and Davy Tree told me we would see trees dying in near future. Maples seem to be taking the brunt of it on my property. Most are only firewood size except for this one: Get a rope thru tree crotch? in Forestry and Logging (forestryforum.com) which I hope to fell soon. 
I wish we could help NYC and re-distribute some of their water, but I'm not in control.

[jpassardi]

In CT we've had record rain the last few months... Goes to show how regional weather can be.

[kelLOGg]

And regional can be micro climate too. For years I have noticed dark clouds, thunder and rain 3 miles north of my property near the city and we get no rain. I haven't tabulated our rainfall for comparison purposes but it certainly seems like we get less. Micro-regional rainfall would be an interesting meteorological study if it hasn't already been done. 

[esteadle]

Maybe a topic for the Forestry threads, but if you have a weather site subscription, you can usually superimpose satellite imagery over the current radar and satellite composites, zoom in, and if you have the time and patience, literally watch moisture rise from the forest, mix with the upper levels of atmosphere, moisture, and pressure systems, and see it rain down in real time. 

When I used to mountain bike in Ocala, across the florida greenways, we would giggle as we dodged rainclouds on our 30 mile epic bike rides by watching the early morning radar and 'ridin round the rain'.

[Ianab]

And regional can be micro climate to

Especially if you have some serious geography around. Growing up we lived up at the base of the local Mt. Annual rainfall was significantly different from the top of the farm to the house, 2 miles and 500 ft vertical away. Around 200 inches up in the National Park, down to about 60" at the coast, maybe 15 miles away.  Extend that into a range of Mts and a prevailing wind and you get rainforest on one side, and near desert about 20 miles away. 

[jasonb]

In CT we've had record rain the last few months... Goes to show how regional weather can be.

Bad part is that the rain has totally missed my little community.  A line of rain will be coming towards us, split before it gets to us, then reform after it passes.  Last winter it started raining in November and didn't stop until late February.  My sawmill area had 4" of mud for all of that time.

[Southside]

We are on a flat plateau, maybe 20 square miles or so, and in the summer you can count on storms splitting and going around us.  I have had folks standing here with phone in hand watching the radar as the storms approach only to leave a white spot right where we are, dry as a bone and 2 miles south or east it is raining.  

[Ianab]

So you can imagine the effect an 8,000 ft Mt sitting alone has on the local weather. Basically it's a rain magnet. A bit like a small hilly Island in the middle of open ocean.

But if you are downwind of that feature, you are in it's rain shadow, 

[Magicman]

The Pine Beetle kill situation that we are entering will be of epic proportions.  

The job that I finished this morning was from Beetle killed SYP but the reason for sawing was that the customer wanted lumber and had killed trees.  Not visa-versa.  

I got my first job last night that the reason for the sawing will be to salvage some value from killed trees.  The customer has no real need for the lumber, just does not want the trees to be wasted.  

I have already mentioned it several times; the portable sawmilling business here will be wide open for the next couple of years. 

[jasonb]

Finally have some rain here today.  Slow and steady all and into the night.  Hopefully the rain and cooler weather will not kill any more trees than what is already lost.

[handhewn]

I've got more dead/dying beetle plagued yellow pine on my property alone than I could possibly saw even if that's all I did seven days a week. and everybody else around me has the same beetle problem. It is very bad here particularly yellow pine. There are piles of beautiful logs all over town. Many of these piles have been offered to me for free. Can't hardly sell "blued" yellow pine hereabouts so all those logs will go to rot. My cedar, oak, fir, etc., seem to be doing fine so as far as the beetles are concerned.

[Magicman]

Yes Sir, we have an epidemic portion of Beetle killed SYP as far as the eye can see.  It could be described as a catastrophe or worse.  

[jasonb]

MM

I got a call last week from a guy in the back of my neighborhood.  He has about 7 pines that will need to come down due to pine beetles.

Gonna be a busy winter cutting pine I think.

[Magicman]

The Pine Beetle outbreak Coupled with the March Oak freeze and then the drought, I am predicting one of the busiest portable sawmilling years ever.

[jasonb]

Magicman

I made a run to Jackson yesterday.  Looks like you will be a busy man next spring.  Never saw so many dead trees before.

[Magicman]

Yes, it is depressing and I feel for the landowners who have dying trees, including myself.  I'll saw theirs but I have no time to salvage my own.  They will become termite food.

[KenMac]

MM check with WoodMizer and see if you can locate a local mobile sawyer to help you out........

[Magicman]

Yeah, come on over.  A Cooks sawmill would be just fine.  

My time is much more valuable ($$) sawing for others than it would be falling, skidding, bucking, and sawing my trees especially when I do not have a need for lumber.  Those falling dead trees, briers, and the open canopy will make great wildlife habitat.

[KenMac]

I decided very quickly that my Cook's mill won't be leaving the pole barn unless it's sold. Cook's can be mobile,but not esily like WM's. Thanks for the offer though.