Ideas to become a better steward of the land?

[plowhog]

I'd like to learn some additional ways to be a truly good steward of the land. My rural property has a residence, barn, pasture, apple orchard, forest, creek, pond stocked with fish, and a lot of wildlife.

A recent success was trimming my large oak trees, which improved safety and the tree health. But the "win" was that I chipped the debris-- converting undesirable clippings into desirable mulch. I used to discard or burn the clippings-- not realizing I could turn them into mulch. I just wonder how many other things like this have I missed-- or am I not doing?

I currently use a riding mower and Cyclone Rake to cut lawn and suck up leaves. I've been dumping those piles into a remote area of the property, and they are kind of unsightly. Is there something better I can be doing with that debris?

Do you have ideas or suggestions about how to be a "good steward of the land?"

 

[skipperbrown]

Call your county extension agent. The county has folks who will guide you through best management practices. Years ago I worked with a county forester to develop a management plan for my property. I gave him my goals and he walked my property and determined what would work and not work. He then put together a 20 page plan of multi year steps to achieve my goals and get the best use out of my property for economics, land management, and wildlife management at no cost to me. Well, his services were free.

 

[jbrumberg]

Plowhog- It reads like you are already providing food, water, and shelter. I would recommend determining and planting insect and animal attracting plants native to your area as well as providing additional cover as previously recommended. Those unsightly piles can provide great shelter. Good luck.

 

[Diggin It]

I leave a certain amount of cut debris and uncut brush for critter habitats. Cardinals and other birds nest in low brush for one.

Generally, I don't bother with leaves since they almost always blow away off this hill. This year I gathered a few into an area to be tilled (if it ever stops raining long enough).

Chipping and shredding can be OK if you have use for the results, but it uses a lot of fuel. I leave most of it to rot naturally, use some of it for kindling in the wood stove and open burn some.

 

[ericm979]

I currently use a riding mower and Cyclone Rake to cut lawn and suck up leaves. I've been dumping those piles into a remote area of the property, and they are kind of unsightly. Is there something better I can be doing with that debris?

You can put a mulch kit on the mower. That rechops the grass and blows it back on the lawn. It'll decompose and return some nutrients to the soil. It also means no trips to dump the clippings. You do need to mow frequently enough that you're not cutting too much grass at a time or it'll end up in clumps on the lawn.

Or the lawn clippings can be used in the garden either directly as mulch or they can be composted first. Do be aware that some herbicides that you might use on the lawn can affect your garden plants.

A lot of kitchen waste can be composted and used in the garden. If you have chickens they'll eat some of that kitchen waste and turn it into food.

 

[jbrumberg]

".... I leave most of it to rot naturally."-DI

I agree. I let most of the dead trees on my property alone. As they decay they provide food, shelter, and nesting cavities for a wide variety of animal and plant life.

I also allow for plant succession; from new growth of old tertiary growth.

 

[EddieWalker]

I spoke to a Texas State Biologist and he told me that over the last hundred years, the natural state of our forests has been so severely modified that it is no longer healthy for wildlife because of all of the saplings that are chocking out the under story. Turkeys no longer live here and the deer numbers are very low. Perfect for wild hogs, which are invasive and shouldn't exist here. One of the best things that I can do on my land is to thin out the timber and allow the mature trees to develop. Before I started, you couldn't see 20 feet into the woods. Now you can see hundreds of yards and it's been amazing seeing the wildlife take over. Too many trees can be a bad thing.

 

[jbrumberg]

"... that over the last hundred years, the natural state of our forests has been so severely modified that it is no longer healthy."- EW

The same applies here in Western MA for different reasons. In the case here it's the dying upper story old growth evergreens and hardwoods choking out the understory plants like aspens/ poplars and fruiting shrubs.

Our property abuts on a "never to be developed" land trust that is slowly rehabilitating the +100 acres to encourage the repopulation of ruffed grouse and woodcock. I've had a couple of talks and walks with the land trust forester and associate field biologists and they concur with the Texas State Biologist.

Plenty of turkeys and deer here.

 

[Trillium Farm]

I'd like to learn some additional ways to be a truly good steward of the land. My rural property has a residence, barn, pasture, apple orchard, forest, creek, pond stocked with fish, and a lot of wildlife.

A recent success was trimming my large oak trees, which improved safety and the tree health. But the "win" was that I chipped the debris-- converting undesirable clippings into desirable mulch. I used to discard or burn the clippings-- not realizing I could turn them into mulch. I just wonder how many other things like this have I missed-- or am I not doing?
I currently use a riding mower and Cyclone Rake to cut lawn and suck up leaves. I've been dumping those piles into a remote area of the property, and they are kind of unsightly. Is there something better I can be doing with that debris? Do you have ideas or suggestions about how to be a "good steward of the land?"

Oak chips donot make good mulch, they take forever to break down and add acidity to the soil. Much better to leave the whole branch to decay naturally.
Others have already said to add plants/flowers indigenous to your area and I'd like to suggest to you "Earth Worms" if you don't have enough.

 

[Trillium Farm]

I'd like to learn some additional ways to be a truly good steward of the land. My rural property has a residence, barn, pasture, apple orchard, forest, creek, pond stocked with fish, and a lot of wildlife.

A recent success was trimming my large oak trees, which improved safety and the tree health. But the "win" was that I chipped the debris-- converting undesirable clippings into desirable mulch. I used to discard or burn the clippings-- not realizing I could turn them into mulch. I just wonder how many other things like this have I missed-- or am I not doing?
I currently use a riding mower and Cyclone Rake to cut lawn and suck up leaves. I've been dumping those piles into a remote area of the property, and they are kind of unsightly. Is there something better I can be doing with that debris? Do you have ideas or suggestions about how to be a "good steward of the land?"

Oak chips donot make good mulch, they take forever to break down and add acidity to the soil. Much better to leave the whole branch to decay naturally.
Others have already said to add plants/flowers indigenous to your area and I'd like to suggest to you "Earth Worms" if you don't have enough.