Tree growth

[Klunker]

I have a couple of questions relating to how a tree grows in reaction to thinning around it.
I'm specifically interested in Shagbark Hickory and White Oak. Most of these trees are around 10-18" with very few larger and all the small trees except for the 2 species I mentioned and Black Cherry removed. This means that I have cut out all Ironwood and smaller Sugar Maple. In addition I killed all Red Maple and left it standing.
I use the sugar maple and ironwood for firewood and as to me red maple makes inferior firewood I leave it standing as wildlife habitat. I will thin Hickories around White Oaks to encourage regeneration of the White Oaks. Hickories are the most prevalent tree specie  right now.

If a tree is growing in a forest condition, competition nearby for sun and other resources and the nearby trees are removed enough so that the remaining tree will start sprouting from the trunk. Will the tree spend more effort in growing branches and leaves on these new sprouts and stop or slow effort  to growing up as the competition forcing and upward growth is gone?

I have seen that the amount of sprouting is related to how much thinning is done around it. Alot of thinning lots of sprouting all around the trunk. A minor amount of thinning maybe just one or two sprouts primarily on the thinned side.

So if after a couple of years I could judge the amount of sprouting and either leave things the way they are or thin more on sides with no or little sprouting.

I'm not concerned with the marketabilty of my trees, I'm looking to encourage a habitat that balances trees and ground growth of grasses, forbs. I also practice prescribed burns in these woods as an aid to this end.

[Ianab]

Will the tree spend more effort in growing branches and leaves on these new sprouts and stop or slow effort  to growing up as the competition forcing and upward growth is gone?

I don't believe the tree is going to devote more energy to lower shoots than they can generate. If the canopy closes again quickly, then the lower branches stop producing, and the tree lets them die off and be shed naturally. If they are still receiving sunlight, then they are useful and continue to grow. This is why an open grown tree will have a very different form to a tree in a denser forest. The open grown tree retains and continues to grow those lower branches. 

It's usually discouraged because it reduces the grade of the logs when they are eventually harvested. But if that's not your management goal, you are free to manage for wildlife or aesthetics if you want, it's your trees.    

[Klunker]

Thanks for the thoughts.

I wonder this because before the thinning occurs there are no sprouts. Yet somehow the tree knows that its now getting more light lower on the trunk that can support sprouts. It must be beneficial to grow these sprouts. The additional leaves add to the trees ability to grow increases.

Logically I would think that the tree would continue to add growth to these sprouts as they are now an "easy" place to gain growth. Growing up isn't needed as there is much less competition after the thinning.

So asked in another way does a growing tree add growth (leaves and branches) where it is most beneficial?
I would think so, just thought there might be some discussion by those with more knowledge on this stuff than me.

[TreefarmerNN]

This may be more than you want to know about epicormic budding but it's a pretty good article: https://www.fs.usda.gov/nrs/pubs/jrnl/2012/nrs_2012_meier_001.pdf

[Klunker]

This may be more than you want to know about epicormic budding but it's a pretty good article: https://www.fs.usda.gov/nrs/pubs/jrnl/2012/nrs_2012_meier_001.pdf

Thanks, a tough read for a layman.

But I think i get the gist of it. A couple of things.
Sprouting is not fully understood at this point and more study is needed.
The ability to sprout (the potential sprouts, buds) can last for decades.
Sprouting not only on the trunk but especially in the crown is a way for the tree to renew and repair damage due to changing conditions.

I didn't see anything about where and how a tree might allocate resources using sprouts, maybe there I didn't catch it.

I have a couple of White Oaks that after a tornado years ago had the crown removed. Some sprouted heavily along the trunk and are now a bushy looking stalk. These were smaller trees (8-10"). One large tree (26-28") eventually died due to crown loss I suspect. This was mentioned in the text that larger older trees have less ability to sprout on the trunk than younger trees. Most would of cut these "trees" but I left them to see if the sprouting would keep them alive. On the smaller ones it has. I'm glad I left these trees, they may never be a marketable tree but they will no doubt produce mast and be able to feed wildlife and help with future Oak regeneration. The large old tree that died, I cut it down, had it sawn for lumber for myself.

[Ron Scott]

Don't over thin your hardwoods as you will get epicormic branching which will lower the grade and value of the hardwood logs when harvested.

Thin the hardwoods to no more than 70-90 sq. ft. Basal Area to prevent epicormic branching. An explanation of Basal Area can be found in a Forum Search.

[Klunker]

Trouble with basal area measurement is the woods are very patchy. As mentioned a tornado went thru a few years ago. I have areas, maybe 50-75 ft in dia with nothing growing, where a large tree went down and took everything with it or broke them up so bad that they were cleared when the logs were salvaged. Other areas that have no damage. So I can measure Basal area in the center of one of these openings and get a very low number less than 20-40, move 50 ft and get 90-100. During basal measurements at 25 ft a 9" tree is counted just for ref. And my woods have lots of smaller trees, few large ones. That makes the basal area measurement very sensitive to where I stand in a patchy woods.

I can average several samples and come up with a basal area of the whole woodlot area that I'm working with but its kinda useless.

I'm looking to get White Oak regeneration. There is some and on the edges of the existing openings where there are Oaks growing on these edges. No Oak regeneration in the thicker patches even tho there are Oaks there. So I'm thinning around these Oaks.

Again, I don't care about future marketability of the trees, I'm looking to create a more open woodland with heavy ground growth of grasses and forbs dominated by Oaks and Hickories. After a survey that I had that looked at the existing growth of grasses, sedges and forbs it was determined that this area was previously just what I'm pushing it towards, Oak/Hickory open woodland.

[Ron Scott]

You have a forest stand with patch openings. The timber species should be managed with the silviculture appropriate for that species management.

Check with the Soil Survey for your County to determine some recommended management objectives for your property.