Managing Big Timber

The Germans do it,
              The Menominee do it...
Growing large high value crop trees on private forest land is now a wise choice for many people.    With timber prices rising at 10-20% per year, a major shortage of good quality trees looming on the horizon, and global markets for logs and lumber expanding - forest owners now face new opportunities to maximize the many benefits of sustainable forest management.  People who grow large high value timber for the future will reap great rewards.

According to traditional forest management in this region, these large oak trees are considered overmature and should be harvested immediately to make room for a new generation of timber.  When you look at the healthy growth of top quality wood in these trees, along with stumpage prices rising quickly, these trees are still producing over 20%/year return on investment - maturity is well in the future.  Other benefits of a large fully stocked stand are many.  Very few large tree forests have escaped the saw and skidder, giving extra significance to any remnant of forest that has grown without major human disruption.

A major windstorm toppled some of the giants of this woodlot.  This 24" cherry was uprooted by a downburst from a summer storm that reportedly spawned a tornado nearby.  Salvaging windthrows, cutting trees killed by oak wilt, and utilizing trees that are truly overmature allows the owner to produce income while maintaining the stature of the big timber.  Full utilization, low damage logging minimizes the mess left from removing these large trees.

Marilyn Thies stands among her giant oaks that date back to the time her family bought this land in 1869.  Some of these trees are falling apart from old age, but the vast majority of the big oaks are still healthy and growing toward the sky.  Marilyn wants to preserve the integrity of the forest, to continue to protect this rare spot that shows what a forest can become if allowed to grow.  She'd like to see horse loggers do the salvage work to use the wood that needs cutting, just as her father did when she was a child.  Stay in touch to see the progress she makes in her forest.     home