How long before new growth?

[Timster]

The power company just put a new road on my property and opened up the opportunity for me to tap some trees, I'm hooked! I was wondering how long will it take for the trees that are left to respond to the clearing for the road. Seems that the property was once a farm and the trees along the new road are a line of old maples >24". There is some old barbed wire in the trees but otherwise they seem healthy. These were the first trees I tapped. The trees are aligned north south with the west side open over the new road. Seems that these trees will be easy to tap and gather the sap from in the future. I will know just what they are when they leaf out but they seem to be a mix of sugar and red.

Taking all the felled trees to the mill I'm getting a little education on tree identification. Seems that there about a hundred trees or so large enough to tap. I will be spending the summer trimming, clearing and making trails to reach the trees easier.

[Cedar Eater]

If the trees are too close to the road, that's bad. Maples have shallow root systems and don't respond well to having their roots disturbed. If the road is well outside the drip line, then the trees will respond during the first summer to having more sunlight and possibly more water. You many not notice it, but they don't waste any time trying to edge out their competition for new resources.

[Timster]

Here is a picture of the new road. You can see my first attempt at tapping the trees. The timber has been hauled away and the firewood is a work in progress. I will have plenty of wood to fire an arch just need to find one at a reasonable price. The picture is facing ~north.

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[Cedar Eater]

That looks like a good sap road but I don't see any power lines. Are they underground or will they be routed down the left side of the road? There might have been some root damage. I doubt there will be much harm to trees that big. Tall trees with narrow crowns grow roots outside the drip line for water, but they grow in all directions.

[Timster]

The road is an access road to get to one of the power poles. Here is a picture facing south you can see the poll.
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Here is the actual power line. I could tap along this as well if I clear a trail.
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