May / June, 2003
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Winter storms wreaked havoc on many Michigan woodlots. Landowners can learn to minimize their damage and increase timber stand yields during a demonstration at Ag Expo, July 22-24 at Michigan State University (MSU).
Getting the most from a woodlot means more than cutting the biggest trees. Presenter David Neumann, a forester with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), will discuss timber stand improvement (TSI) techniques that focus growth for trees with high value as timber and as wildlife habitat. He'll discuss practical methods used to double the growth of hardwood stands, non-commercial thinning, three techniques landowners can use to weed their woodlots, thinning for wildlife and assessing damage from storms "TSI can benefit wildlife; it can also improve your existing woodlot, reduce disease and help you make the most efficient use of the space in your woodlot," Neumann says. "Most landowners don't effectively manage their woodlots. Consequently, they don't realize the profit that they could. A well-managed woodlot on good soils in southern Michigan can earn between $250 and $350 per acre per year." Funds are available to help defray some woodlot management costs under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP). EQIP and WHIP are among the federal cost-sharing programs designed to encourage wise resource management use. Additionally, TSI costs can be deducted from timber sale revenues when calculating federal income taxes.
"We'll also be talking about how to identify good quality trees in a woodlot, how to assess storm damage and how to decide when to cut the tree that has been severely damaged," Neumann adds. "Landowners should be looking at their woodlots before the leaves pop out completely so they can assess the damage in the crowns of the trees and decide whether it is time to harvest."
Ag Expo will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 22 and 23 (Tuesday and Wednesday) and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 24. All Ag Expo events and parking at Farm Lane and Mt. Hope Road are free. For more information about Ag Expo, call 1-800-366-7055 or visit www.agexpo.msu.edu.
Agricultural Engineering
Michigan State University
A.W. Farrall Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824-1323
(517) 355-4720
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