Right now in Wisconsin and the US, the only mature tree is dead! 
With prices skyrocketing upward, and markets changing daily, timber is a great investment.
We are now harvesting trees that are dead, dying, diseased, deformed, defective - we harvest all d-ugly trees. 

Tree Disks  When we cut a tree, we stop and look at the growth rings, read the story told there - what can you learn about the trees still standing.  When you cut the worst first - you can learn from the stumps to manage the good trees - if you cut the good trees first - its already to late to learn.

We manage our crop trees to grow with an annual ring of 1/8 to 1/4" - totaling 1/4 to 1/2 inch diameter growth per year.  Vigorous crop trees are also the best insurance against the coming gypsy moths.  SWC local processing  will also be effective to  limit their spread.

We also manage the tree's crown to assure enough leaf area to produce the wood in the growth rings.  The 1/3 1/3 principle is our guide.
Tree spacing is another factor in this - our goal is a well spaced stand of high quality crop trees.

Managing a tree's growth is like managing your waistline. 
Yep, I like to grow a nice BIG FAT TREE.  A certain number of calories per day keeps you the same size.  You need extra food and water to be able to grow like this.
In a forest there are only so many "calories" per acre. 
If you have too many trees, each one only gets enough light, food, and water to subsist. there is not much growth.    Too many trees any many trees actually starve to death.
If you have just a few trees, much food and water is wasted - along with the opportunity to produce good timber.  You need to manage your calories and your trees to produce the best value growth in your forest.


Freestyle Forestry

I don't manage by BA or Volume/acre or # trees or age or Site Index or Species or stand or Habitat type....  Yep, I don't follow the old rules - I love to push the envelope - These factors are traditional, documentable, measurable, really more suited to large plantations than natural forests in this region. 

I think We have found a better way to manage timber on small woodlots.
We work with mother nature - encourage natural regeneration, succession, diversity.
I manage with a touch, a hug, I make contact with each tree - where its at - I want to know my trees and my forest.  That takes time and commitment. 
I consider many factors, spanning centuries yet making the most of each opportunity. 

Each run is a little different - a little air, a spin, or even a double back flip once in a while.  My goal is sustainable forestry - I get to the bottom of the hill - just like you are supposed to - I just take a different route and have a lot of fun on the way!!  Anyone want to go for the ride?? 
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