Forest Management
Forests are actively managed at Sandhill Wildlife Area by allowing well-planned commercial logging. A logging operation conducted under a carefully prescribed forest management practice creates greater habitat diversity than a solid stand of mature forest and that, in turn, supports a wider variety of wildlife. However, loggers are not allowed to simply come in and cut away as they please. Timber harvests designed to benefit wildlife must be carefully and properly designed by our forester and wildlife biologist to ensure a good mix of various sizes, ages and types of trees left behind. Size and shape of the logged area is also important to consider when designing a timber harvest that is beneficial to wildlife. Our logging operations generally do not exceed 40 acres, and they have irregular shapes to maximize edge. Wildlife diversity is high at the edge of two different habitats, so the more forest edge, the more wildlife.
To help loggers know what to cut and what to leave, the timber sale boundary is painted red to alert the loggers. Some trees are painted blue. These are to be left standing. "Blue" trees may have cavities used by woodpeckers, chickadees, raccoons and squirrels, or may provide especially good sources of acorns or other food for deer, grouse, squirrels, blue jays and other wildlife. Older white oaks are an example of one type of tree we often leave standing. Their acorns are highly prized as food because they are less bitter than acorns from the more abundant red oaks.
Many cuts on Sandhill allow for natural regeneration of the trees. This works especially well with aspen and oak. These sun-loving trees readily sprout from the stump. By cutting these trees, our Wildlife Management team is able to retain the presence of these trees in the forest, and stagger the age of timber stands throughout the area. This benefits many types of forest wildlife that utilize different age classes of trees for food and shelter.
In some areas of Sandhill you may wonder if a tornado ripped through the area. Actually, our Wildlife Management team replicates the effects of natural wind storms. During winter, our Wildlife Management Technician crew shears off the standing brush and small trees with a bulldozers and chainsaws while the ground is frozen. Sunlight penetrates to the forest floor stimulating the cutover area to resprout. The downed and rotting logs provide a moist and earthy "home" for salamanders, moles, shrews, centipedes and more! Toppled trees are also important for forest regeneration because they provide a good growing medium, rich in nutrients that are slowly released as they rot. Tree and shrub seedlings need this to get a healthy start in life.
Learn more about Sandhill Wildlife Management Programs:
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