Forest and Woodlot Management
Forests and woodlands cover roughly 17 million acres of land in Minnesota, and are one of the main ecosystems we work in. From the beginning, forests have been a core part of our work, and they continue to play an important role in our journey as a company. We love our forests, and we love bringing our forest expertise to new places and people--including neighboring states across the Midwest.
Forests provide a unique management challenge, as they may be managed for timber, recreation, scientific research, hunting, or old growth preservation. As such, we make sure our management and restoration plans account not only for ecological best practices, but also for the desired management goal. Our skills and services extend from tree removal to inventorying to coring and more.
Selective Thinning and Understory Release
Overcrowding of native species is very common in early successional forests following disturbance, or in invasive species-dominated forests. Sometimes desirable species such as oak seedlings can get shaded out by faster growing species that come to dominate the canopy. Alternatively, timber stands may require multiple age thinnings. In either case, thinning the canopy allows for greater light penetration to the understory to promote seedlings and improved growth of adult trees. We offer many thinning services:
Large Tree Removal: With boots on the ground and saws in hand, our skilled sawyers can fell and buck diseased, dead, or undesired trees. When appropriate, we can also use heavy felling equipment.
Hand Cutting: We have a variety of saws for removing trees and shrubs of all sizes. We can cut back competing stems or treat cut stumps to kill invasive or aggressive species.
Girdling: Girdling kills trees and shrubs while leaving them standing as dead snags. These snags provide wildlife habitat, and eliminate the need to pay for removal costs.
Hack and Squirt: Similar to girdling, hack and squirt is a method of treatment that leaves stems or trunks standing. It involves applying herbicide to a slight cut made in the stem. Often projects will combine hack and squirt with full circumference girdling.
Tree Cores and Inventory
Tracking forest stand health and age is important for planning long-term forest management. Often, vegetation surveys and tree cores are used to gather this information. Core samples can provide meaningful insight into a stand's health and history. We have experience and tools for collecting tree cores. We also have forest inventory experience.
Seedling Protection
Forest plantings are investments, and sometimes those investments need protection. Whether your planting is brand new or years in the making, we can provide materials and labor to help protect it. We can protect individual seedlings with biodegradable plastic matting or wire cages, or we can help with large enclosure planning. Alternatively, seedling protection may mean spot spraying or mowing surrounding species to limit competition.
Other Management Needs
Forest management may require a lot of different services. Check out our other services that may pertain to your forest or woodlot.
