Many of us on this site use fire as a habitat tool. On my family’s property it is essential: a few years ago we harvested slash and loblolly pine and replanted with longleaf pine. Longleaf thrives with the help of fire.
Last year we had a mild, wet winter with a very warm February. This caused the longleaf seedlings to candle earlier than expected, so we were rushed. We were unable to get a good burn.
This year we HAVE to get a good burn to remove competition for the longleaf. They are slow growers and will be out-competed by other volunteer pines. If we don’t kill the other pines this winter, many of the longleaf will be lost. Herbicide is not an option.
Here’s what we are dealing with now.
The mature, tall pines in the pics are not longleaf, and they will be harvested when the longleaf are first thinned at 10 years.
At this point we (me and the forrester) are waiting for ideal conditions. We need low humidity, high wind, and low fuel moisture. I will update as we go along. The area to be burned is about 35 acres.
Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum
Last year we had a mild, wet winter with a very warm February. This caused the longleaf seedlings to candle earlier than expected, so we were rushed. We were unable to get a good burn.
This year we HAVE to get a good burn to remove competition for the longleaf. They are slow growers and will be out-competed by other volunteer pines. If we don’t kill the other pines this winter, many of the longleaf will be lost. Herbicide is not an option.
Here’s what we are dealing with now.
The mature, tall pines in the pics are not longleaf, and they will be harvested when the longleaf are first thinned at 10 years.
At this point we (me and the forrester) are waiting for ideal conditions. We need low humidity, high wind, and low fuel moisture. I will update as we go along. The area to be burned is about 35 acres.
Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum
