Thinning Operation question.

Underwor

Treehouser
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
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863
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Avon, IL
Had this question asked the other day by person planning a precommercial thinning operation in hardwood stand of 4-6" trees. How are the log portion of the trees handled normally. My experience with chippers were what prompted the question. The brush clearing type grinders on front of bobcat or payloader were mentioned. Trees are in a plantation planted on 7' centers in rows 15' apart. Thinking about the need for perhaps one more pruning of the remaining trees. Perhaps the final prune to about 18' should be done between marking for thin and thinning. I did not run into this problem too often in city and residential forestry.

Thanks, Bob

View attachment 90249
 
Feller-buncher would be my choice.
Then forwarded to roadside for chipping.

Your link doesn't work for me, so I'm sort of answering blindly.
 
I'm not sure exactly what you're asking. I did pre-commercial thinning or 'spacing' in the woods and the cut trees were just left to decompose, no hangups and sometimes spec'd to be slashed down below a certain height. I've also thinned a planted nursery before and we just cut out and chipped the little trees whole. Chipped into trucks and removed entirely.
 
My experience is the same as Justin's, so far "in the woods" pre-commercial thinning. Why do anything else?
 
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  • #6
Thanks for the help. Like the idea of a small feller-bunched and chipper.
 
I did something like this this spring about a three acre plot and removed and chipped about 250 white pine trees. We would cut about fifty tree and then chip went pretty quick.
 
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  • #8
Thanks for the help. Would be about 1500 acres on 7 X 12' spacing. Luckily all I have to do is watch!!!!! Some stands they may want to prune one more time. I think they should do this after marking, but before thinning. Then as you say, who cares about the trash for the next 20+ years. Anyone know where a small Bobcat track style feller buncher can be rented in Midwest? I am supposed to get some prices if possible.
 
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