I'm working on oak savanna in south east Iowa and I tell you what it is well worth it. Our biggest issue is cedars. They have over taken my farm. I made the mistake of shearing them and dispersing them lightly across the 24 acres were working with. At that that no one had a Fecon head now they're everywhere. We're doing another 16 acres next spring with a Fecon. The 24 that have laying cedars were going to burn, but waiting for the fuel load to calm down before we light it up. May have to spend some coinage to mulch around some white oaks because my foresters are freaked out the fire will kill the oaks due to the fuel load. This is a learning curve and a lesson learned!!
Jesse, good luck in your oak savanna restoration projects! Our UM Extension staff created a video on Eastern Red Cedar that you may find interesting, extension.umn.edu/forestry/agroforestry#windbreaks-2013764 Also, if you cut red cedars and most conifer trees below the first branch, you usually don't need to stump treat them with a brush herbicide the trees should die naturally. If you are in southeast Iowa there may be some Amish farms (or other woodworking enterprises) that would purchase or use the Eastern Red Cedar trees for non-timber forest products (crafts, furniture, etc.). You may also contact Billy Beck, ISU Forester for other possible contacts that may want these red cedar trees/logs. www.extension.iastate.edu/news/billy-beck Yes, you probably should protect your young oak trees from fire. You may ask your foresters about tree tubes the first 5 years of growth or so. Tree tubes will not protect from fire but will help protect from wildlife, rabbits and deer browsing or antler rubbing.
Use high density grazing for short periods of time to control the sprouts and to stimulate the soil. Unroll hay in bare areas to cover the ground and feed carbon to the soil.
Hi Greta! Tom mentions starting at about 4:37 that he's sowing oats and possibly rye in order to create enough material to carry a fire for burning. Once that opens the space up a bit more, he hopes that native grasses grow from the seedbank that's already there.
I'm working on oak savanna in south east Iowa and I tell you what it is well worth it. Our biggest issue is cedars. They have over taken my farm. I made the mistake of shearing them and dispersing them lightly across the 24 acres were working with. At that that no one had a Fecon head now they're everywhere. We're doing another 16 acres next spring with a Fecon. The 24 that have laying cedars were going to burn, but waiting for the fuel load to calm down before we light it up. May have to spend some coinage to mulch around some white oaks because my foresters are freaked out the fire will kill the oaks due to the fuel load. This is a learning curve and a lesson learned!!
Jesse, good luck in your oak savanna restoration projects! Our UM Extension staff created a video on Eastern Red Cedar that you may find interesting, extension.umn.edu/forestry/agroforestry#windbreaks-2013764 Also, if you cut red cedars and most conifer trees below the first branch, you usually don't need to stump treat them with a brush herbicide the trees should die naturally. If you are in southeast Iowa there may be some Amish farms (or other woodworking enterprises) that would purchase or use the Eastern Red Cedar trees for non-timber forest products (crafts, furniture, etc.). You may also contact Billy Beck, ISU Forester for other possible contacts that may want these red cedar trees/logs. www.extension.iastate.edu/news/billy-beck Yes, you probably should protect your young oak trees from fire. You may ask your foresters about tree tubes the first 5 years of growth or so. Tree tubes will not protect from fire but will help protect from wildlife, rabbits and deer browsing or antler rubbing.
Use high density grazing for short periods of time to control the sprouts and to stimulate the soil. Unroll hay in bare areas to cover the ground and feed carbon to the soil.
what grasses are you utilizing in the savannah? all natives?
Hi Greta! Tom mentions starting at about 4:37 that he's sowing oats and possibly rye in order to create enough material to carry a fire for burning. Once that opens the space up a bit more, he hopes that native grasses grow from the seedbank that's already there.
Maybe leave some large dead wood, or woodchips to provide food for fungus
The logs could easily be turned into firewood or lumber, that would be better than shoving them into a ravine.
The main reason for not grazing in the Fall, is because, the acorns from the oak trees are toxic to cattle and other domestic animals.
Not hogs.