trail clearing technique and tools

[Milo]

All those blow downs are going to make a very diverse habitat. I would imagine the diversity of life you get over the next several years will be fun to watch.

Probably so. Good habitat for small critters and that'll help the larger ones like fox.
I've never burned or mulched limbs and trees. If they fall in an area I keep cleaned up I just put them in piles in the woods or field for habitat to use while they rot.

 

[EscapedSuburbia]

I've got a dozen or so dead ash trees that I've decided to just leave standing until they fall on their own. I figure owls, woodpeckers, possums, squirrels, and other critters will make good use of them and they aren't going to hurt any of my structures when they fall.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

Like you, I have plenty of standing dead. I keep a close eye on them to make sure they don't become a hazard. Each heavy wind takes down one or a top, and I move to a big pile. Sure there are critters in there. Luckily, they are in compact areas, so most falls stay in that area.

 

[Milo]

I've got a dozen or so dead ash trees that I've decided to just leave standing until they fall on their own. I figure owls, woodpeckers, possums, squirrels, and other critters will make good use of them and they aren't going to hurt any of my structures when they fall.

Good. Yeah many insects, birds, and others utilize standing dead trees, I just leave'm as well if they don't pose a threat to a structure. Some have been standing for years!

 

[kenmbz]

It is weird how some can stay up for years and some Ash just splinter and fall within a year or so.
I can't use my trails right now with all the dropping branches.
I did cleanup the trail entrance recently where an Ash had fallen right along the path.

 

[walhondingMF]

Probably so. Good habitat for small critters and that'll help the larger ones like fox.
I've never burned or mulched limbs and trees. If they fall in an area I keep cleaned up I just put them in piles in the woods or field for habitat to use while they rot.

I've seen a great increase in those next level predators in my woods now. We've had a good bit of wind fall, dead ash, and me making some small clearings and brush piles. Amazing how fast you can increase your diversity.

 

[Milo]

Yeah for whatever reason Ash trees just fell apart and dropped pretty quickly. Fortunately I didn't have a lot of Ash.
Looks like most of the indigenous species are being killed off, black knot in cherry and fruit trees, elm, walnut, oak wilt.... I have mostly oak, cherry, and maple, with a smaller mix of hickory, birch, aspen, etc.

 

[kenmbz]

Yeah for whatever reason Ash trees just fell apart and dropped pretty quickly. Fortunately I didn't have a lot of Ash.
Looks like most of the indigenous species are being killed off, black knot in cherry and fruit trees, elm, walnut, oak wilt.... I have mostly oak, cherry, and maple, with a smaller mix of hickory, birch, aspen, etc.

Emerald Ash borer. Where I live was an Ash forest so we got hit hard with maybe a third or more of our trees dying off.

 

[Milo]

Emerald Ash borer. Where I live was an Ash forest so we got hit hard with maybe a third or more of our trees dying off.

What's coming up in their place? Hopefully trees and not stilt grass!

 

[kenmbz]

What's coming up in their place? Hopefully trees and not stilt grass!

Right now stiltgrass until I can get all the tree parts moved and the rest come down.
It's a mess.