Cedar Silviculture

[OntarioAl]

A few years ago the local Conservation Authority planted 6 ft. root balled 
White Cedar at their lakeside park. 
 Well by Christmas they all looked like Charlie Brown Christmas trees  ;D
Replanted with White Spruce in the spring
Cheers
Al

[SwampDonkey]

Where I lived in Grafton for awhile, all the cedar hedges where trimmed up nice by the 20 resident deer. :D

I'm lucky, or not, but deer don't stay up here in winter, they head south along the Presque Isle River to Charleston area. Another week or so I will see them start moving back up my way for the warm seasons. A deer wouldn't stand a chance around here in winter, with all the packs of coyotes within 4 miles of my place. Had a cousin who shot and snared 30 or so one fall, that winter there were still coyote tracks everywhere. :D
I seen more hare this year than usual in the thicker softwoods, and we do have lynx around here. I see one hare in normal times once in awhile. Last time I walked the extent of the woodlot I seen 4. Hares browse cedar to, the main stems of small trees as well as the leaves.

[wisconsitom]

@ Ron Scott, yes, that is the premise from which any white-cedar discussion that I'm a part of is starting from.  Yet, from swamp donkey's and some other pictures we've seen, regen can be prolific.

In my situation, deer were not molesting cedar on my land.  Then, this past winter, they did.  That was the point.

[PoginyHill]

About 10 acres of my property is designated as eastern white cedar stand and to be managed as the primary species. Treatment simply calls for deadening red maple, quaking aspen, and grey birch. I've also removed some fir of poor form or smaller ones that impede the cedar. In some cases I've removed the targeted removal species for firewood, but mostly just cutting up and reducing the slash to about 1 ft or less.

Also been trimming the multiple stem clumps of cedar to the single best stem. But I'll do this over several years so as to not shock the tree.

This type of work is fun for me - can easily do some if I have a couple hours to spend and doesn't take much investment in prep work. Just my chainsaw and supplies. Of the 10 acres, I've only tackled 3-4 acres, so plenty of "fun" left to do.

[SwampDonkey]

We are suppose to leave every cedar we come across now when thinning with clearing saw unless it's a thicket, then space out. On my own land, I'm inclined to leave a cedar over anything, but hate cutting down a nice straight spruce. 

Fir and cedar both produce a lot of seed. On old grown up field here, where there might be a dozen mature fir, on 5 acres, the ground has fir everywhere regenerating. Not thick, but not hard to find fir that are 1/2" to 1' tall.