"Undesirable" Trees?

I have been tagging sweet gum trees for future hack and squirt, but also saw some tulip poplar.
I started researching trying to find a list of trees that are not beneficial for deer, and their killing would allow more under story growth. But every article just talks about undesirable trees, and never mentions what they are. So far the list I can come up with is:
sweet gum
tulip poplar
maple
old sassafras

What are some others I should be looking for?

Re: "Undesirable" Trees?

A lot of times, it's relative to the site and what else is growing there. Where is your property?


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"Undesirable" Trees?

Paulownias get on my nerves, as do walnut and locusts.


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Giles
Looking to keep beneficial hard and soft mast.

In addition to those already mentioned I include ironwood, sourwood, hornbeam, cedar, winged elm, privet hedge, red maple and holly.

Thanks.
I was wondering if deer eat privet. That stuff gets thick, so I assume it is good cover.

Beech is what I cut,then hornbeam,sassafrass.I try and cut only huge trees,therefore making a big impression when I do cut,usually beech trees.I cut a big hole until I see daylight in a big way.I usually cut in a bottom somewhere.

Re: "Undesirable" Trees?

Deer will eat privet, and a homeless man will go dumpster diving. I don't assume either prefer to. Privet is not native so I attempt to control it where possible.


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You have some good replies so far. I was at our Humphrey's County Tree Farm this weekend doing as you say and cutting the junk trees. There is a long list of undesirable trees and a short list of good trees. I keep the oaks, tulip poplar, white dogwood and even a few junk trees if they are big enough to bring some money in the next timber sale. The dogwood is a good wildlife tree and it looks good in the spring. Tulip Poplar isn't the best wildlife tree but it is a good looking tree that has timber value, grows straight and grows fast plus it's the State tree. Congratulations, you are one of the best forestland owners that will leave your forest better than you received it.

Do hackberry trees furnish anything but shade ?

Cutover":2qnmntk4 said:

Do hackberry trees furnish anything but shade ?

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Not much unless you are interested in song birds. Pretty sorry timber too.

treefarmer":2pwcbdif said:

You have some good replies so far. I was at our Humphrey's County Tree Farm this weekend doing as you say and cutting the junk trees. There is a long list of undesirable trees and a short list of good trees. I keep the oaks, tulip poplar, white dogwood and even a few junk trees if they are big enough to bring some money in the next timber sale. The dogwood is a good wildlife tree and it looks good in the spring. Tulip Poplar isn't the best wildlife tree but it is a good looking tree that has timber value, grows straight and grows fast plus it's the State tree. Congratulations, you are one of the best forestland owners that will leave your forest better than you received it.

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This is part of what I was getting at with site- some places, like a dry ridgetop, will grow oak easier than others. North facing slopes are much better poplar sites, and I would manage for poplar instead of oak there. You will still get a thicker understory by removing overtopped stems, undesirable species, trees with cat faces, butt rot, crown damage and dieback, etc. Keep in mind where you are killing trees, as they will fall down eventually, and can cause damage or injury when they do.

Do you have a forest management plan or a wildlife habitat plan? Either would help you know what to do, and when, where, how, and how much is enough. Both are free through TDF andTWRA, respectively.

A forest management plan is my next step. I would really like someone with QDM experience as well.
I have marked all sweet gums (they HAVE to go) and tulip poplars. We've had good weather and it is super easy to spot and positively identify them at this time of year. Plus, I get some quality time and exercise learning the land.
I don't want to go killing willy nilly and find out I should have left some along the creek, or hinge cut instead of killed them outright. Plus, I need someone with knowledge of forest management in a wet environment.

My neighbor said the big poplars can bring $1,000 a tree. He is wrong about a lot of things, and I think this is one of them. But if they can be logged instead of killed, that is a bonus.

Re: "Undesirable" Trees?

Get a habitat plan and a forest plan then. The free ones provided by the state may not go into minute detail but they will help you make decisions for your property.

I don't know that poplar will bring that much. Poplar bring good $ per acre because they can grow fairly close together and grow great volume per tree. And I completely agree on the sweetgums.


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Do turkeys eat the small berries they produce ?

Re: "Undesirable" Trees?

Turkeys will eat them but I wouldn't say they prefer them or that hackberry is of any significance to turkeys. A turkey will eat just about anything it can fit into its beak.


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Poplars are great honeybee trees and good stand strre that's why I give them a pass,same with black locust.

Like Mick said, get a forest management plan. The best move I ever made was to ask the State Area Forester to visit (free) our property. He was busy so he sent a technician. I learned 95% of what I needed to know in an hour. Forestry isn't intuitive, it's much more difficult. I didn't realize all big diameter trees aren't valuable due to the limbs, or a quality oak seldom grows on a dry ridge - but 40 yards down the North-facing ridge they will. After the visit I planted ridge tops and south facing slopes to pine and am now doing timber stand improvement in the hardwoods - getting rid of the junk trees left from previous "select" or "diameter limit" harvests. Also, the trees we like such as the oaks and poplar are sun-loving but the junk trees are shade-tolerant so over time if we keep taking out the oak/poplar, all that is left are the shade-tolerant trees because we don't allow enough sun to come in to allow the sun-loving trees to flourish. This spring the ag. extension service is having a couple free field days at State Forests and the talks center on "diameter limit" cuts and why they are harmful to your forest - I attend them because I always learn something. Consider joining the Tree Farm program offered through the Tennessee Forestry Association (free) and it includes a free visit from a forester. If you sell timber use a Consulting Forester (paid) so you have someone on your side giving impartial advice and overseeing the sale, contract and harvest. If you have several hundred acres you can operate the forest as a business and your travel and expenses are tax-deductible. There's a lot more to forestry than meets the eye if you take the time to learn, but the benefits can last for generations. The best part is the satisfaction you get from a high quality forest.

These have been some great responses.
I need to get some folks scheduled to do a walk through.

Tree of Heaven or Alanthis Alltissima. Invasive POS tree that will eventually outgrow anything else. Worse than worthless tree. It's a scourge on my property.