damaged small red oaks

[TomG]

I have several small red oaks (~4-5") that have been bent over by big trees that came down in storms. Their lower stems are unharmed for a foot or more and roots undisturbed. I plan to cut them all the way back to near ground level but wonder if there is more I should think about. Also, not 100% sure of ideal height to cut back to. Appreciate any input. Land is in central Maine, mixed hard and soft woods. My overall plan is forest health and animal habitat. Timber value is a consideration but not my main one.

[mike_belben]

Hinge cut them at waist or chest height just enough that they can be buckled and the tops hit the ground but live, dont sever.

 The critters will appreciate access to ground level browse in the thick of winter and they will no longer throw shade on any rising star seedlings below.  Deer like bedding under the bows.  Even better if you toss some brush on top.  It breaks up their visible outline and offers good concealment. Important for fawning.

[TomG]

Thanks for the input. I do waist-high cuts with maples but had not thought of adding brush on top of that and will from now on. Oak is much less common where I am so I want to cut these in a way that is best for a strong healthy tree to regenerate.

[mike_belben]

It just adds a little structure that seems to give deer comfort.  They like having multiple in/out paths to these bedding tangles for escape too, based on studying the beds ive found.


If you sever the whole oak stem it will probably resprout from the stump and deer will mow that to a perennial nubbin every time it tries to start.  


I think the best bet for natural oak seedlings surviving the deer and squirrels is to stomp some fall acorns into the dirt around where youve dropped a sizeable tree top, then brush it up a bit more for sheltering the seed.  The sprout will come up through the rotting brush and It reduces the tendency for deer to girdle them, i think because standing in the crackling brush is noisy and deer are a creature of stealth.   The top will mulch and fertilize the new tree long term.


In my experience, culling a bunch of small junky maple will cause a lot of stump sprouting, which i cull again every few years, a bit higher abover the new nodes each time, so the regen thickens it into a low hedgy bush like a pinched pepper plant or fruit tree with many leaders.

 This provides a ton of little tender maple tops for the deer and a baby oak in this dense thicket will have to grow straight up for light and usually be left alone in it. 

 I think deer favor maple over oak sprouts, or so it seems in my woods.

[TomG]

great points, thanks. when I find an oak seedling, I protect it with tree tops, branches. I am going to cut those couple damaged oaks back to near ground level and put balsam tops all around them