New land owner trying to save beautiful old trees

[chcrowder]

Greetings everyone,

I just bought 4 acres and am here to learn as much as I can so I can save the remaining large trees I have and to keep new ones healthy. It’s just me…a cheap ryobi chainsaw and pruners

Patient #1 is a big ole walnut tree with a tire around it. I swear I don’t know how it’s still alive.

I already lost this beauty to wisteria. It was alive last year .

 

[moxiemaul]

I had a cheapie ryobi chainsaw too- perfectly nice little saw. I straight-gassed it to an undeserved death...

We have a lot of wisteria also- awful stuff, I've been at war with it for 2yrs now, having ignored it for some time. Cut the ground runners with pruners wherever you find them. No idea what might be done for the tire- clearly some could be cut but not enough to remove it.

 

[Mad Professor]

Clear out the vines and invasives (bittersweet, buckthorn, barberry, honesuckle, burning bush, etc), be careful none of the vines are poison ivy.

Start with cutting , and follow up resprouts with a herbicide. Some herbicides work better in spring or fall. Be careful using them.

Pick out which trees you want to save and open the canopy around them.

You may want to contact a State Forester and consider writing a management/stewardship plan. Many states and the USDA will fund writing the plans. Usually about $1K. The USDA also has EQIP grants for management practices after you have an approved plan in place.

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2024-02/FY24 Forest Management Plans factsheet.pdf