Swampster
Well-Known Member
My annual habitat program is cutting wood for the winter. I have an outdoor wood burner, so I don't have to be picky about what I put in it. My harvest includes ash (limited - pretty tree that makes lots of seeds something must eat), box elder (also makes seeds but I hate them), birch, gum, ironwood, maple (I know, it drops seeds too), willow, sycamore, and elm. I intentionally leave behind the oaks and persimmons. Most of the oak is either white (swamp chestnut) or willow. I create openings where there are few oaks, and maintain an open trail through my 40+ acres of woods. I'll throw down some wheat and crimson clover in the openings, and just wheat on the trails. The deer and turkey seem to like the trails, and I hope the piles of limbs I leave behind provide some cover for the rabbits. I make an effort to concentrate my wood cutting to trees that are damaged, leaning, or crowded / split trunk.
I'm thinking of ordering 100 - 200 cypress seedling to add this winter. Maybe no food value, but they are pretty and they may do well in my bottoms which vary from damp in the summer to soggy in the winter. In the areas I open up, the swamp chestnut seem to establish well.
BTW, the mast quality seems moderate in my area. The wild pecans are bearing, persimmons have fruit, sawtooth have acorns as do the swamp chestnuts. None of these appear heavy with mast, but production is broad and consistent. Because of the abundant rains, forage is thick and healthy as well. No big deal for the deer, but the cardinalflower has been beautiful this summer.
I'm thinking of ordering 100 - 200 cypress seedling to add this winter. Maybe no food value, but they are pretty and they may do well in my bottoms which vary from damp in the summer to soggy in the winter. In the areas I open up, the swamp chestnut seem to establish well.
BTW, the mast quality seems moderate in my area. The wild pecans are bearing, persimmons have fruit, sawtooth have acorns as do the swamp chestnuts. None of these appear heavy with mast, but production is broad and consistent. Because of the abundant rains, forage is thick and healthy as well. No big deal for the deer, but the cardinalflower has been beautiful this summer.
