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laurel_VA
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# Posted: 14 Oct 2013 03:23pm
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Hi all.
We own 14 acres just off the New River near Independence VA. The land is heavily wooded and relatively steep in some parts. I'd love to clear some of the trees so that we can have a view of the river.
How would we even start going about finding a way to do so? Anybody done anything similar? Thanks!!
RS
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TheCabinCalls
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# Posted: 14 Oct 2013 04:13pm
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Before you clear cut an area:
- make sure you have permission (water shed areas are strict for good reason)
- You can often thin trees without removing. Often you can just raise the canopy of a tree to get lake and river views without removing the valuable trees. It is hard to replace the shade and usefulness of 50 year old tree.
- Pick and mark the trees worth keeping. Pick hardwoods and trees that will last. Carefully thinning dying or junk trees. Any junky trees to close to a good tree can go if it will compete too in size.
- Work is cheaper and easier in the winter.
- If you are south facing you'll want the shade so don't take too much.
- As for shrubs any invasive shrubs are fine to clear without permission. Tall shrubs can be replaced with low ground cover that have roots systems as useful at preventing erosion and may even be better at slowing runoff.
We had an arborist friend help us mark good trees. We had his crew do tree work to raise the canopy, but we also enlisted cheap help to clear the ground area (friends and cheap labor). We replaced weeds and invasive plants with ground cover so we didn't have to mow and to prevent erosion.
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Martian
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# Posted: 14 Oct 2013 07:14pm - Edited by: Martian
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There needs to be a "like" button for your post, The Cabin Calls. 
Tom
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 15 Oct 2013 08:35am - Edited by: bldginsp
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Agree with all the above. Along with that, not knowing what the local wood cutting market is like, I would suggest trying to get a local woodcutter involved. He/she may be willing to take out a certain number of trees at no cost to you if they can be sold as firewood or lumber. Where I am in N. California there is a big local market in firewood, I have no problem getting local guys to take what I have cut, and occasionally take out trees themselves. You just want to be sure you know what they are cutting and that they know what not to cut.
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trollbridge
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# Posted: 15 Oct 2013 10:35am
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Definitely agree!
I had to fight tooth and nail to keep every tree possible! Seriously...I was up against 3, 4, 5 men at a time, all trying to convince me it would be easier to clear more space for equipment and ease of getting around. My goal was to keep the trees and then thin them as time went by after seeing what benefits each tree offered. We are still thinning here and there but don't underestimate the value of trees.
Also, look into local reg. on clearing views on lakeshore. Here there is a 30' max along shoreline.
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laurel_VA
Member
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# Posted: 16 Oct 2013 02:23pm
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Thanks all
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TheWildMan
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# Posted: 16 Oct 2013 03:47pm
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your not in the same state as me so I don't know what conservation laws apply, but I generally recommend a general cleanup first (aka thinning as mentioned)
cleanup and remove any dead and down wood, if its under 4 inch in diameter just leave it as flat as you can on the ground (helps prevent erosion and breaks down over time like compost), anything bigger can be cut up for firewood.
then cut down any dead or very sick trees, then any shrubs that are invasive (autumn olive, tartarian honeysuckle, European buckthorn, etc, they provide little or no food value to wildlife and aggressively outcompete native plants and disrupt local ecology, you local conservation office will like that and often provide you information on the worst ones in your area).
keep good shrubs like blueberries, huckleberries, etc.
prune lower branches flush with the stem only during the winter months (the tree grows and heals over it fastest in the spring).
don't cut every lower branch, leave some trees un-pruned, this supports wildlife (some songbirds) and makes the lot look more natural.
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sparky1
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# Posted: 11 Nov 2013 07:55am - Edited by: sparky1
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the trees on your property are a "accet"(sp) ---& are a hidden Lumber/Timber Tax on your property, there is ia new law about clearing land in Va,& moving Dirt-(stormwater management) the name of it but it cost a fortune to get a permit-1-5 acres $2700.oo better check this out where you are.
sparky1
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