My woods aren't really healthy-I think one of solutions is some deliberate thinning

[littletimber]

I will say I was also able to use the division of forestry to get my woods into CAUV which has saved me greatly on property taxes.

 

[woodfarmer]

You have a typical post logged woodlot. Between ash borer and the beech blight and a maple spore, hardwoods are in trouble. If you have large poplar, remove them and have sawn for lumber. You can never have too much when building.
As others have mentioned, thin out the undesirables for firewood being careful not to open the canopy too much or you will be left with a heavy growth of brush. This has happened to me as a result of removing all the dead ash. I have many large open pockets now that are being overgrown with brush. Some of the stumps have ash sprouts regrowing, so time will tell.
Another thing that is happening lately is we seem to get more stronger winds which ism lowing over many trees per year as having all the ash removed, the woods is not as dense as it once was. In a hardwood bush you really want the maximum trees per acre so they will compete for the sun and grow tall and straight without many lower branches.

 

[ATpro]

As others have mentioned, thin out the undesirables for firewood being careful not to open the canopy too much or you will be left with a heavy growth of brush.

The best way to control those areas is to plant fast growing conifers you can thin them later. I'm not a big fan of control burning of hardwoods but done properly it can be done.