In the woods

[Shawn]

Started to string out more pipeline for next year yesterday. At least its not pouring out or snowing out. Them darn wood ticks are out, along with the rest of the bugs, but love being out and doing it and thinking about down the road and hope next year is as good as this one was. Is it summer yet?

[madmapler]

I know what you mean about the ticks. 10 years ago you never even thought about them. Now (in my woods) you can expect to find at least a few of them on you every time you go out. Some guys I know have gotten into infestations of them and have had to vacuum out their cars afterward. I'm curious as to why that is.

[Shawn]

Got it done today and no ticks, of course that was in between the rain and all. Now worried about that ash bug and the Asian bug and keep checking trees, as the ash bug is in Concord NH in which is not far from here. If they hit up this way it will be not good.

[maple flats]

Yes, according to my forestry mentors, the Emerald Ash Borer will kill almost 100% of the ash trees. In a residential setting there are injectable pesticides that work, but in a forest it would be far too expensive unless Bill Gates takes on the project at 100% funding. He could do it for a few years before the money was gone.

[RC Maple]

We got to see firsthand what the EAB can do. The only ash trees left around here are brown, barren, and have the bark falling off. I dropped four of them last summer and if I were to get them all I would have to drop another 45 - some nice ones too. The bugs must not go after them til they get a little bigger because there are some saplings and seedlings in the woods.

[maple2]

ash is paying more than oak

[maple flats]

With EAB (Emerald Ash Borer) the price of ash will climb as time goes on, because it will become scarce. Usually only the butt log will be any good to sell because the EAB attack at about 12-13' high and will kill the tree above there. Then a flourish of new growth (brushy growth) will start above the infestation but it will be fairly short lived.

[madmapler]

I cleared two areas on my property. One for a building site and one for pasture. Both sites have/had some beautiful ash trees that I left standing for aesthetics. In three years three are now dead and the rest in the cleared area are going to be. The trees in the woods seem to be ok so far. These trees were pretty much in the open to start which contributed to their full shape so I dont think opening them up contributed to their demise. Just easy targets I'm guessing. I have a measure of good timber trees in the woods. I'm wondering now if I should take them out or wait a while.

[Shawn]

Bugs Bugs, killing trees you name it. Have a buddy who has a place in far nothern NH who says this year they are infested with the large black and flying ants.

[RC Maple]

I cleared two areas on my property. One for a building site and one for pasture. Both sites have/had some beautiful ash trees that I left standing for aesthetics. In three years three are now dead and the rest in the cleared area are going to be. The trees in the woods seem to be ok so far. These trees were pretty much in the open to start which contributed to their full shape so I dont think opening them up contributed to their demise. Just easy targets I'm guessing. I have a measure of good timber trees in the woods. I'm wondering now if I should take them out or wait a while.

You can wait a while to harvest those trees that are dying but if you are going to try to sell them you'll want to get them before the wood shows a staining effect that happens soon after it's pretty well dead. One guy showed me they use a hatchet to check for that just below the bark. After that shows up it's not worth as much and will just be pallet wood - so I'm told.