New landowner - lots to learn

[KennardTexasUSA]

Hi all,

I am one week away from closing on 160 acres in East Texas.   The property is almost exactly square and is a mix of pine and hardwood - mostly pine.    It is completely closed canopy timber that was last clear cut, best I can tell from satellite photos, in the early 2000s.    

All I need to close is the survey.  The survey field work is being done tomorrow.    Once that is behind me, I am going to work with the Texas Forestry Service to develop a long term management plan.

I plan to take the next year to make a comprehensive plan for the property that includes timber stand improvement, habitat development (turkey and whitetail), access trails, an opening for a future house and barn, etc.    So much to do and think about, I am very glad I found this forum.    

I think one of the first things I am going to do is a tree count.  I would like to get a feel for myself of the tree species, size and variability around the property.   I'm going to do a number of small 1/2 acre samples across the pine portions of the property and another equal number in the 'bottom'.   I have a seasonal creek bed/ravine that bisects the property from the north border down about half way into the property.

Advice is always welcome.  Thank you so much for all the advice and knowledge already available on this site.

Cheers

[WDH]

1/2 acre sample plots are very difficult to do.  That is a large area for a sample.  It is a circe with a radius of over 83 feet.  There could be more than 100 trees or many more than that in that area and the chance of making measurement or count errors is very high.  You would be much better off to decrease the sample plot size and take more smaller sample plots rather than fewer large sample plots.  Standing in the middle of a 1/2 acre plot, if is even a little thick, you cannot even see all the trees that you need to sample.  

It would be very rare for a Forester to choose a plot size of 1/2 acre in conducting a timber cruise.  

[KennardTexasUSA]

You would be much better off to decrease the sample plot size and take more smaller sample plots rather than fewer large sample plots. 

That is great advice.  Thank you.

[Texas Ranger]

In some stands I have been in in (Tom) east Texas a one tenth acre plot can be difficult.