Black Maple seeds

[DLC]

I am contemplating collecting several thousand Black Maple seeds and
walnuts and just spreading them over several acres of an old pasture we
recently purchased adjacent to our 55 acre woodlot.

The portion of the pasture at this point has some honey locusts and
walnuts, but is mostly just goldenrod and milkweed. It hasn't been
grazed or mowed in many years.

As this will cost nothing and will not take much time to do, I think it
is worth trying.

My major energies will be going into planting 13 acres of wet pasture
along two streams with red maples, black willows, and swamp white oak
seedlings. This is a riparian area.

Will enough seeds germinate to be of any effect?

Thanks

[Don Staples]

"DLC" <D...@dlc.biz> wrote in message
news:x9jtk.20516$89....@nlpi069.nbdc.sbc.com...

Probably, always a codicil when you ask a forester. On the walnut, step
them into the ground when you drop them, simulates rodents planting them.
On the seedlings, get good quality ones, or be real selective if you dig
your own. Keep the roots wet through out the planting, dry roots are deed
seedlings. If you have a good seed take, let them go a couple of years and
then begin to look at the ones that need to come out. Black walnut responds
well to pruning, so cut the "y" tops back to the strongest side.

If you have a local forest service office, or extension service, check and
see if they have pamphlets that will show you the ins and outs of your
project.

[Joe]

Funny, but here in Mass.- our forestry establishment says such "old fields"
are wildlife paradises- since such old fields are rare, they're now doing
humungous clearcuts on state land, as if clearcuts would replicate old
fields. It's Orwellian. Actually, IMHO, they're doing those huge clearcuts
because the wood industry loves them- it's the cheap way to harvest wood.
It's possible that there might be a marginal advantage to wildlife, but it
won't last long as, within several years, those sites will have a super
dense thicket of saplings which won't be so great for most wildlife.

I know there's at least one Mass. state forester who lurks here so he'll
probably forward this to the his bosses. <G> If he happens to come out of
the dark, I'll have a great deal of respect for him. <G> Hey, why not openly
debate these issues? Oh, that's right, the state forestry leadership has
told its people to not discuss policy- that is, they have lost their freedom
of speech- the price they pay to have a steady paycheck.

Joe

"DLC" <D...@dlc.biz> wrote in message
news:x9jtk.20516$89....@nlpi069.nbdc.sbc.com...

[DLC]

These "old fields" are far from rare in south eastern Ohio.

I do observe that my new "old field" does have much wildlife:
Butterflys, frogs, box turtles, broadwing hawk, turkeys, and of course
white tail deer.

The area where I plan the riparian planting is covered with dense canary
reed grass which, I believe is not at all good for wildlife. If my
planting is successful, this area (about 13 acres) should be improved
for wildlife.

When I shared my message, and the responses with my wife, I got quite a
lecture about my phrase "just goldenrod and milkweed" in my original
message. She argues for leaving the field alone for the butterflys. I
may have to compromise a bit here.

Thanks for your comments

[mhagen]

Leaving a field alone doesn't mean things won't change. And, even if
you plant, it won't change all that fast. Butterflies still have a long
time to hang around. Forest restoration is sorta slow...

[Joe]

Right, about forest restoration being slow- but, once anything is planted,
that shouldn't be the end of your involvement- I say keep staying involved
and keep shaping the composition of the species- cutting some, planting
others- perhaps mowing some of the grass- keep at it and keep experimenting.
Install bird houses- get advice from groups such as Audubon, etc.

Joe

"mhagen" <mha...@nospamolympus.net> wrote in message
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