Depending on your goals, there are a number of additional forest operations that can help you achieve your management objectives. These operations also simulate natural disturbances and can be used to enhance and maintain wildlife habitat.
Thinning operations in a stand are prescribed by foresters to increase the growth rate of the best trees, to provide for periodic income, and to harvest trees that would die if left to natural forces. The remaining trees grow better because moisture and soil nutrients are more readily available. Understory growth is improved because of the increase in sunlight penetration to the forest floor. Thinning sets back succession yet leaves the mid- to late-succession trees. Deer, quail, and rabbits have more food and cover in the understory. Therefore, thinning operations can be managed in a way that enhances both timber production and wildlife. For additional information on thinning, see Woodland Owner Note 13, Thinning Pine Stands.
Prescribed or controlled burning is a forestry operation that helps reduce the risk of wildfire and the costs of preparing harvested areas for tree planting. Burning sets back succession just like a natural fire does. It is beneficial for many species of wildlife, including quail, deer, and turkeys.
Controlled burning uses a low-intensity surface fire on a one- to four-year schedule, depending on fuel conditions. Burning helps control woody vegetation, releases nutrients to the soil, and increases seed germination and herbaceous vegetation, including legumes and grasses. Controlled burning can simulate natural, lightning-caused fires that are required to regenerate and maintain longleaf forests. For more information see Extension Service publication AG-457, Wildlife and Prescribed Burning.
Burns also help the development of oaks in hardwood forests. Much of the predominantly oak forest present today is thought to be a result of repeated fires, grazing, and cutting practices throughout the past 200 years. A prescribed fire in a hardwood stand kills the undesirable, thin-barked tree species, such as red maple, and gives the oaks a chance to develop and dominate the stand. This reduces the need for herbicides to control the undergrowth.
Before you initiate any controlled burns on your property, be sure to enroll in the Hazard Reduction Burning Program offered by the North Carolina Division of Forest Resources (NCDFR). Through this program, you can learn to use prescribed burns safely to remove undesirable vegetation and enhance wildlife habitat in your forest. For additional information on this program, contact the NCDFR or your county Cooperative Extension Center.
Den and Mast Tree Selection. Regardless of the harvest system you use, you must consider the potential of den and mast tree selection on your land before you begin harvesting.
Den trees are trees that have one or more hollow chambers that are used by birds, mammals, and reptiles for nesting, roosting, and cover. As a rule, two to four den trees per acre should be left in any harvested or thinned area. Den trees can be as small as 5 inches or as large as 5 feet in diameter. The smaller trees may house chickadees, woodpeckers, screech owls, or flying squirrels, while the larger trees may house raccoons or occasionally a bear. If suitable den trees do not exist in your woodlands, installing man-made boxes or nests is a good alternative (see Working with Wildlife 16, Building Songbird Boxes).
Consider also the importance of mast-producing trees, those that produce fruits and nuts used as food sources by wildlife. While hickory, beech, persimmon, serviceberry, blackgum, American holly, hawthorne, and dogwood are not highly valued species for wood products, they produce food that is important for wildlife. Grapevines also are important mast producers, but the vines can deform your hardwood timber and reduce its value. Concentrate wild grapes on arbors in select areas where timber potential will not be affected.
Make your wildlife objectives known to the professionals conducting timber and forest management operations before those operations begin. Specify that mast and den trees be left undisturbed and that islands and buffers be clearly marked and protected. Wildlife management activities do not have to be expensive, but they must be planned before you harvest any timber.
Road Construction and Maintenance. Whether you enter the woods for management or recreational purposes, easy, reliable access to your property is essential. Proper location, design, and construction of roads increases the value of forest property and reduces upkeep and costs. Multiple benefits can be gained from roads having good drainage, good construction, and the application of best management practices (BMPs, or standards that minimize soil erosion and maintain water quality).
One practice that benefits wildlife and improves roads is known as daylighting. In this process, trees bordering access roads are removed to maximize the amount of sunlight that reaches the road surface and side banks. Sunlight not only enhances the growth and proliferation of shrubs, grasses, weeds, and insects available for wildlife, but it also dries the road surface. Daylighted logging roads maximize forest edge and allow year-round use. To reduce erosion, be sure to seed roads, banks, log landings, skid trails, and other areas where soil has been disturbed.
Try to restrict or regulate the use of motorized vehicles on access roads so that wildlife species fully use the newly seeded areas. Minimize disturbance and vehicle access on roads from the first of May until October to prevent disruption of nesting and brooding activities.
Ground Cover Along Roads and On Logging Sites. Establishing ground cover controls erosion, improves water quality, and can enhance the quality of wildlife food and cover. Seed germination is best in the spring and fall. Successful plantings generally require fertilization, liming, and soil preparation, so plan ahead. Have your soil tested and prepare the seedbed properly for best results. Table 5 shows appropriate combinations for general geographic areas. Because seeding recommendations vary by site, consult your county Cooperative Extension Center or your local soil conservationist about seed mixtures, rates, shrubs, and soil treatments for your area and the wildlife species you want to help.
These seed mixtures will provide valuable areas in which wildlife can graze, gather seeds, or hunt for insects. Open grasslands scattered through woodlands provide brood range for turkeys and grouse. Hens will take their broods to these open habitats to feed on the high concentrations of insects found there.
Wildlife Food Plots. Forest properties can be further managed to attract wildlife by planting specific food crops, although such farming can become a monumental task. If you are not experienced in growing agricultural commodities, seek assistance from your county Cooperative Extension Center.
Cost is the other deciding factor in planting food plots. For example, in the mountains, the cost to convert some areas to fields that can be worked with farm machinery can cost as much as $400 to $600 per acre. It costs about $125 per acre each year to reseed and fertilize annual food plots once they are established. While these costs include labor and machine time, they are still extremely high and have forced many wildlife biologists and landowners to abandon food plots in forest stands. Another alternative is to coordinate wildlife habitat improvement with on-going farm and forestry operations.
If you decide to plant food plots, remember that annual plots tend to be more productive (and more expensive) than perennial plots. Annual plantings of field corn or grain sorghum are particularly beneficial, especially when mast production is low. If you decide to plant perennial plots, plan on disking, liming and fertilizing, and replanting about every three years. Make sure you plant in areas that receive adequate sunlight. Try to create openings at least 30 yards wide for permanent plots and, whenever possible, orient the long axis of the food plot to the south so it gets more sun. Also, keep in mind that perennial plots must be clipped or mowed early in the fall.
Wildlife management opportunities abound for private landowners in North Carolina. Forestry operations can be used to provide and enhance wildlife habitat, and information is available to help you get started right away. Talk to your Cooperative Extension Service agent about publications and technical assistance. Cost-share assistance is also available to help landowners manage their forestland for multiple benefits, including wildlife and other resources. Forest stewardship management can be effective and rewarding for you and the generations to come.
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