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WNY Forest Management Plan.

Started by chainspinrunner, February 05, 2010, 10:24:28 AM

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chainspinrunner

Howdy Y'all!

   I am currently beginning to plan out, writing a Forest management plan in Western New York.  I will start cruising and evaluating the forest in May. Has anyone on the forum written any plans in WNY and is willing to share helpful hints or tips. This is my first mgt. plan as a NYS certified forester and I am looking for some professional experience to help me do a professional job! Thanks a lot.
G.Rose
Grose

Ron Wenrich

I do my cruise with my plan in mind.  Figure out the intensity of the cruise and the method.  My preferred method is to do a 5-10% cruise using prism plots.  I also take regeneration plots of 1/100th of an acre.  That's a circular plot. 

I start off with making a map of the area.  I have a starting point, and simply use the compass and pace method to locate my plots.  I don't stick to any regimen that states a plot has to be exactly located.  I also alter the map as I do the cruise.  It will have any existing roads or trails, waterways, drainage, and timber type changes.  I also number my plots.

At each point, I take the data as dbh, ht, species, condition, grade and figure if I want to leave the tree or take it.  I do this for all count trees that fall within my prism plot.  Regen is simply count by species.  I will also take some growth samples of a few trees.

When I get back to the office, I will crunch the numbers for each plot.  There you will find the species mix, and the timber classification.  When you go to your map, you will see how well they fit together.  Then I finish the map.  I use a dot grid to figure out the acreage.

From there, I will take all the plots per timber class and figure out the average per acre volume, then expand it out to the full acreage of that class.  I also will figure out what I would be removing.  Important if you are considering any cutting.  Then, bring the whole property together by adding all the timber types. 

One important thing about which trees to remove.  You cut the worst first.  If the stand doesn't have enough for a decent timber sale, then you are looking at a non-commercial thinning or TSI.  If you don't have enough regen, you are looking at a regeneration cut before you do any wholesale clearing out of trees. 

That's my method, but I'm old school.   ;)
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

beenthere

Good for you.
Are you working for the State, doing the job for the State, or self-employed, or working on a professional staff?

south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Ron Scott

Work with your local and state DNR Stewardship Plan Coordinator and have them provide you with a sample of a good plan to help you along. They usually have a checklist of all the requirtements to be met in a writing a stewardship plan.

Be sure that you get the landowner to disclose their specific management objectives and be sure to address them in the plan. Addrss all resources as necessary. A timber inventory and soils map are required along with a map of the existing condition and planned future condition. A 10 year project schedule is also required to meet the planned condition.

Address all the points in the following:

http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/45934.html
~Ron

chainspinrunner

Thanks for the help guys.

beenthere, I am self employed for these plans. I will probably hire a friend to help with cruising and inventory work. Most of them are happy to be inthe woods anyways so it works out nicely.
Grose

ID4ster

Before you start cruising the timber you need to talk with the landowners and find out what their objectives for the forest are. That will determine what type of cruise you will do and what you'll be looking for and at while you do the cruise. Walk through the forest with the landowner(s) first and develop the objectives from their comments. Also check into cost share money through the EQIP program with the NRCS though you will need to be a TSP before they'll cost share the plan.
Bob Hassoldt
Seven Ridges Forestry
Kendrick, Idaho
Want to improve your woodlot the fastest way? Start thinning, believe me it needs it.

Brian Beauchamp

Ron and others offered some good information. To elaborate a little more, it is absolutely crucial to know what data you need to collect for your calculations before you go out. Do you need you know tonnage or board feet? ...and total height, height to a 4-inch top, 6-inch top? Do those specs change by species? Measure to your local markets and to the objectives of the client. Knowing exactly what you need will save you time by keeping you from collecting unnecessary data and by making sure you collected all data needed on the first pass through. If you are doing to calculations by hand (or using Excel), make sure the volume tables or equations you use match up to the data you collect and as closely to the local markets as possible...it, again, will save you time, but will make your data more relevant as well.

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