Site Prep

Perhaps the most difficult and critical decision the landowner will make is how to prepare the site after the clear-cut. There are numerous methods of site prep, with large variations is cost. The method you select will affect seedling survival and the future growth rates for the life of the stand. Every site is different so what works for your neighbor may not work for you. You can benefit from my experience in selecting the method that gives you the "most bang for the buck". I will assist you in selecting the method best-suited to your objectives.

Before any timber is harvested it is of utmost importance to look at the soil characteristics. Each site has a limiting factor, which limits the growth of your trees. The trick is to determine the limiting factor for your particular site and use the site prep that will alleviate this growth inhibitor.

Your site's limiting factor maybe soil structure, competing vegetation, or soil nutrients. Use of various types of plows (ripping or bedding) improves soil structure by breaking-up the clay pan. This also improves the drainage and root aeration, which increase growth and survival of newly planted pines.

One of the beneficial site prep methods used is aerial, or ground, applied herbicides. The reduction of competitive vegetation can increase growth of your trees by 2 to 3 years.

The two pictures above are from adjoining landowners. Both sites had the same exact timber type, soil, and were clear-cut at the same time. The site pictured on the left was site prep burned after the clear-cut. The site on the right was site prep sprayed and burned. Both sites were planted as a single tract with the same seedlings. If you look at the "Burn-Only" picture on the left you can see a 4.5-foot stick (yellow line) located on the left side of the picture. The "Spray Site Prep" picture on the right has the same stick located on the lower right side of the picture. As you can see the sprayed site has a well stocked stand of 8 -10 foot pines, while the burn-only site has no pines visible, just low value hardwoods and woody brush.