Site prep for timber growers detailed at Cass County field day

By KARI KRAMER | East Texas Edition

NRCS Forester Charles Snowden (right) offers a tip on site preparation as Cass County Extension Agent Gene Bobo reviews his notes. At this site, the landowner’s cattle were pulled off the pasture a few days before planting. Any longer, and the grass would have been too high for successful planting of the seedlings.    -- Staff photo by Kramer

Nov. 3, 2005 - For landowners who are considering reforesting or putting their land in timber for the first time, there are several things to consider, according to Texas Cooperative Extension Agent Gene Bobo.

Bobo is Cass County’s agriculture and natural resources agent. He recently held a forestry field day in his county to help timber growers better understand the options they have when choosing a plan for timber development.

Timber is a large source of income in Cass County, ranking second behind broiler production. Bobo said that is one factor that prompted him to team with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and Texas Forest Service (TFS) to conduct research. In addition, he said the research was intended to sort out a variety of variables that influence timber establishment.

�Not all sites are the same,� said Bobo. �There is a need to match the regeneration method to the site (old pastures, clear-cuts, etc). Since timber production is a long term crop, new technology and techniques are needed to increase productivity, enhance specific product class, and shorten rotation age.�

For the past year, Bobo and his colleagues have spent time examining various reforestation methods at four different sites. Each site had a unique characteristic, and each site was prepared and planted in a different manner. He stressed the importance of weighing options and being educated before making any growth decisions.

�Timber production is a long-term investment and doing the proper establishment is a very important key to a financial return on the landowners� investment,� Bobo explained.

First he said what was previously grown on the land must be considered. He added that options for planting an old pasture and options for replanting a site that has already held trees would be different.

Site preparation methods include burning the land to free the area of unwanted plants, chemically prepping the land, raking, burning, or a combination of methods. Bobo said each site will require a different site-prepping regimen.

�Each site will dictate the method of preparation,� he said. �For example, if a site has a large hardwood residual component, a burn only may be an effective (prep) method.�

He added that old pastures should be treated for herbaceous weeds in order to promote seedling survival.

In addition to how the site will be prepped, growers must decide what type of trees will be planted. Charles Snowden is a forester with NRCS and said the brand of tree has little effect on the future of the operation.

�A lot of time that hasn�t got anything to do with whether the trees survive or not,� said Snowden.

Several companies and groups sell seedlings to those wanting to enter the timber business, or who need to replace harvested trees. Seedlings used in the Cass County properties were from International Paper and TFS. 

Bobo echoed Snowden’s comment that the seedling brand is not the most important factor.

�We�re in our third generation of seed improvement,� he said. �Most companies share seed genetics.�

When deciding what trees to plant, land owners must decide if they prefer to plant bareroot or container seedlings. Bareroot seedlings are placed in the ground with no soil attached to their roots, as the name states, it is a bare rooted tree. Container seedlings are planted with the soil from their growing containers. 

One of the Cass County sites was planted with the intention of examining the differences between bareroot and container seedlings. At that particular location, the bareroot survival rate was 79 percent and the container seedlings had a survival rate of 92 percent. Container seedlings cost more than bareroot seedlings, a fact that Bobo said should be considered when choosing a production plan.

�An obstacle is the landowner�s mind set to go with the cheaper route when establishing a plantation,� he said. �As with other situations in life, we get what we pay for. Cheaper is not always better.�

Trees can be planted manually or by hand.  Manual planting leaves room for human error and Bobo warned that an impact on survival rates may be seen if the work is not carefully executed. When seedlings are manually planted, there is a higher chance the roots will “J root.” This phrase describes what happens when the roots are smashed into the ground and not pulled to straighten the roots. 

Machine planting is popular, especially when planting more than a few hundred trees and Bobo said there can be less errors and fewer J-root occurrences when a mechanical planter is used. In one of the Cass County plots that was planted mechanically, the survival rate was 90 percent, an even higher 95 percent rate was recorded at another location.

Bobo said is important to remember when studying results that not one single factor is responsible for poor or outstanding survival rates. While one site that was prepared well may produce 90 percent seedling survival, another site with the same trees and same planting method may produce a lower survival rate in response to poor site preparation.

�There�s so many variables for seedlings� survival,� he said. To maximize survival Bobo recommended timber owners work with a qualified professional.

�Consult a professional to choose the right regeneration method and develop a long-term plan to properly manage their assets,� he advised and added that money can be better spent when consulting outside agencies. Both NRCS and TFS provide free consultations in most cases.

�Landowners have to make a large investment in establishing a new plantation,� he said. �There are cost-share programs that are available to qualified landowners that will help with those financial commitments.��

Both NRCS and TFS offer these types of programs. 

In addition to consulting a professional and considering timber production options, Bobo offered a few other tips. He said not to cut corners for the sake of saving money, consider the future plans for the property and if the property may have multiple uses, and plan access for the harvesting company. Access areas should be located at higher elevations in order to avoid erosion. Most importantly, plan fire breaks carefully to minimize the threat of a total loss in the event of a fire.

Texas Cooperative Extension, NRCS, and TFS have several educational tools available for landowners contemplating timber production and cultivation. For more information, contact your county Extension agent or visit the TFS website at http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/.