11/17/06 - Reaping and Sowing--This is another timber management update.  If you have ventured by Ochee Yahola lately, you will have noticed the log piles.  Some is the result of our timber sale, and the small pile at the end is the result of our classroom project. 

The ecology class has taken on the timber management role at Ochee.  To this end, the woods has been broken up into 2 acre plots.  Each year, a plot will be harvested or otherwise managed.  It will take at least 40 years to work our way through the woods. 

As earlier mentioned, this management work has the goal of renewing the forest resource.  Money generated from timber sales is being reallocated back into the forest property.

For instance, if we look at the two acres, the economics lesson is interesting.

The ecology class and I cut the 2 acres.  This was a clear cut.  We brought out 60 or so trees in this space.  The trees totaled almost 10,000 board feet of lumber. 

Sale of this timber brought almost $3000. 

Work to reforest the sight has already commenced.  First the invasive buckthorn left behind was grubbed out by bulldozer.  That was quite a process, but without removing it, the new growth would have little chance of competing with that weed species.  Cost to run the dozer will be around $1400.

Next, I have already purchased tree seeds to spread on the soil, and finally, the tree seeds will be covered with soil by running a tractor over the area.

If all works as planned, the tree seeds will be fruitful and cover the area in a thick growth.  Thick enough for deer to eat some and yet still leave enough behind to be the next generation of mature trees.  They will periodically have to be thinned to produce your eventual mature tree.  In a healthy forest, a mature tree every 30 feet is about ideal thickness.

If you drive north of Northwood a couple miles, you can see a tree seed planting in progress. (there is a log cabin on the hill east side of the road).  Tree seed was planted there a couple years ago, and now the trees are growing fast and thick.  The thick growth encourages them to grow tall and straight.  This is what we are trying for.

The tree seed expense is going to run around $500.  I did pay a premium this year as I needed it as kind of a last minute plan, otherwise, that would have been lower priced.  And we still will have to spread it.

To hire this work (seed and labor) would probably run around $200 an acre.

If you chose to plant large quality seedling trees and include a tree shelter to keep the deer damage down, and herbicide to control weed growth the cost per acre is closer to $800 (again hiring private contractors).

So, all in all, we have a little “seed” money ahead on this first harvest, but not a great deal.  The important thing is that the harvest can pay for the future reforestation and not be a drain on the budget.  In the long run we get a better, more healthy forest resource.