Wildlife Habitat
Timber Stand Improvement Thinning
A timber stand improvement (TSI) is used to reduce competition in a hardwood stand and release selected trees to grow larger and/or produce mast. The primary difference between the two cuts is that a TSI is generally on a larger commercial scale with the objective of producing trees with a higher economic value. Timber stand improvement thinning can be a great value to wildlife if done correctly. The landowner needs to work closely with the forester to ensure that his goals to preserve and encourage mast producing trees and to save den structures is understood and properly implemented.
When planning this type of cut the landowner may want to consider laying out logging roads and skid trails prior to the cut to prevent damage to trees that are to remain and/or to act as fire breaks for future management practices.
Clear-Cut
A clear cut can be one of the most beneficial timber management practices for wildlife especially deer, turkey and quail. The value of a clear cut to wildlife is that it provides cover and forage in a fashion that is usable year around. A mature stand of hardwoods produces forage in the fall when acorn and other mast are available. Cover is not readily available in a mature stand of trees except in areas where trees have fallen or in dens. Within a year after a clear cut, early succession species begin to dominate the site and a variety of food and cover is available during most of the year. This type of early successional habitat is generally available in a clear cut for eight to ten years. Once the new trees reach a stage where they begin shading out herbaceous and other understory vegetation a landowner should consider creating a new clear cut or managing the existing cut via prescribed burn or herbicides to maintain early succession, herbaceous habitat.
The size and shape of a clear cut depends on a variety of factors including topography, economics, and wildlife. In general clear cuts should be irregular in shape, bordered on one or two sides by mature timber, and practically sized (10-30 acres). Many species including deer, turkey and quail like the edges of habitat. Creating an irregular border and surrounding the clear cut with different habitat types (i.e. mature timber, previous years cuts, agriculture) increases the amount of edge. In larger clear cuts landowners should consider leaving an island of mature trees (1/2 acre or so in size) in the interior of the clear cut to provide mast, structure and increase edge habitat.
Encouraging oak dominated regeneration in these areas is critical if hardwood management is the goal. If the forest was dominated by oak prior to the cut, a natural regeneration should occur from stump sprouts and seed. However, quicker growing species like maple sweat-gum and poplar can quickly dominate if close attention is not given to the site. Prescribed burning is the most effective method for increasing oak prevalence in a regenerating clear cut. Quicker growing species generally have thinner bark and put most of their energy into above ground growth. Oaks on the other hand are thicker barked and tend to put energy into root development during the first few years of life. For this reason, prescribed burns will shift species composition to favor various species of oak.
