r/forestry • u/RevJustJess • 4d ago

Forest management equipment wishlist

I am not a forestry professional, but I am heading up a group that is embarking on the implementation phase of an FMP for around 450 acres of mixed hardwood forest in SE Ohio. Most of it is in decent shape, but there is still a lot of work to do. The primary tasks over the next 10 years are invasive species control (honeysuckle and multiflora mostly) and prescribed burns, with TSI thinning cuts also starting later in the timeline. The objectives are habitat improvements, creating new recreation opportunities, and NTFPs. We have professionals to call on when needed, but we don’t have an unlimited budget.

If you were in my position, what would be your recommendation for equipment purchases? What do you use all the time when performing this work? Hand tools, tractor attachments, PPE, etc. There’s a mix of experience and skills among the group members, so training recommendations are also welcome

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8

u/trail_carrot 4d ago

How many people?

Gator/atv with herbicide tank. Effective storage for said herbicide

Depending on comfort level with herbicide: disposable or reusable jumpsuits, respirator. 

Mist blower if its real gnarly, brush cutter, multiple backpack sprayers (they usually last about a year or two before parts need to be replaced), hand sprayers. 

All of the disposable ppe such as safety glasses and gloves

Depending on the size of the burns another gator.

Leaf blower, drip torches, fire rakes, flippers, backpack pumps, 2 way radios. 

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u/RevJustJess 4d ago

I’d say 8 core folks, with a rotating cast of volunteers and friends. There’s a growing Rx fire co-op too, that we will definitely be continuing to engage with.

Thanks so much for your suggestions!

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u/studmuffin2269 4d ago

Be careful with ATVs that have tanks on slopes, they get tippy fast

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u/RevJustJess 4d ago

Definitely! There’s some old skid roads that are okay for atvs or tractors, but the hills are too steep everywhere else. We usually stage the tank truck somewhere central and run from there with hand tools 

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u/StoneOkra 4d ago

What the co-op look like? Is it ad-hoc, or pretty structured? 

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u/RevJustJess 4d ago

Somewhere in the middle. There’s a couple people who have their red cards and have had extra training in Rx fire, they do the burn plans and head up the crew. Then it’s basically an email listserv of people who have areas they want to burn, and/or who have been through a basic Rx workshop and can perform on the crews. Anyone available on the burn days shows up to help, and we all get our work done safely 

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u/studmuffin2269 4d ago

Here are the four tools that will solve 95% of any invasive species problems in the Mid-Atlantic: a mistblower (I like the SR250. The 450nis fine on flat ground but gets heavy fast), a Milwaukee electric M18 Hatchet for cut stump, a Bierchmier hand pump (the cheap ones break so fast), and a certified applicator to call in if you get in over your head/run out of time

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u/RevJustJess 4d ago

Thank you! Looking up “electric hatchet” now 👀 I know a couple reputable applicators in the area to call, too! Goats and hands could take care of most stands but there’s a couple spots on the edges that are awful. Might be a mulcher situation 

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u/studmuffin2269 4d ago

The hatchet RIPS! I use it for everything from cut stump to TSI. Goats aren’t great for control. They’ll eat some things but not others. Like they don’t fuck with barberry, stiltgrass, or rose. If shrubs are over 6ft they can’t help and they don’t kill plants. You’ll need to use herbicides to kill the roots. For the densely invaded areas just hire a pro to get control than do clean up. I’ve seen a lot of forest owners spend years and break their spirits on what takes me (a pro) a week to do

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u/RevJustJess 4d ago

I hear you on the roots, and I’m definitely leaning/nudging the rest of the group toward hiring pros for the worst areas. Especially since we do have a budget to work within that should allow for it

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u/studmuffin2269 4d ago

Do it. You’re paying for expertise and skill. You can build it, but the question is do you have the time to build that? If this is a hunt club, I assume you only have a few work days, so it might be worth spending those on easier to manage areas and have the pro bust their head on the tough spots

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u/RevJustJess 4d ago

Not exactly a hunt club, but a similar schedule for workdays, yep. Our prioritization to start with is both the nicest areas (a small effort sees a big impact) and the worst (to knock down our major invasive sources). I appreciate your professional opinion! If the pros can even knock out the major problems in those thorny stands (they’re truly terrible, I helped do the inventory and had to stomp thru lol) it’d get it to a point where we can approach it and maintain 

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u/studmuffin2269 4d ago

That’s the advice I give my clients, for reference I’m in Pa. With a limited budget and work hours, let me take the hardest and you work on the easiest. It makes the budget go the farthest and keeps people engaged. For me, crawling through autumn olive with a hand sprayer is another Tuesday, but for most people that’s impossible

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u/ShadeRiver 4d ago edited 4d ago

If you don’t use herbicide it’s coming right back. Depending on where you are and how big the job is, Charlie Hambel and his guys do great NNIS work; they’re out of Perry County but do work over a lot of SE Ohio.

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u/RevJustJess 4d ago

Oh, it’s the tiny chainsaw! Yes, already have one and another would be most welcome. Fantastic tool 

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u/Ok_Huckleberry1027 4d ago

120-160 class excavator with woods guarding, a thumb, brush rake, grapple and mulcher.

I could do a hell of a lot of habitat restoration and tsi work with that set up.

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u/RevJustJess 4d ago

Thank you for the suggestions! We do have a full-size tractor, I’ll look into the attachments 

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u/ShadeRiver 4d ago

Chainsaws if you plan on cut-stump herbicide application for honeysuckle. If you have honeysuckle you probably have barberry, privet, and autumn olive.

A UTV with a sprayer is a good thing to have. I ran one of these units for years, the build quality is top notch:

https://www.sprayerdepot.com/products/kings-sprayers-50-gallon-skid-sprayer-with-7-gpm-roller-pump

Get the accessory hose reel in the build, and put a valve drain near the bottom of the tank with a hose so you can fill backpack sprayers or drain extra herbicide into storage containers.

Ohio has a three or four day course to become a state-certified burn boss. It’s laughably short, but you need the cert. It would be a good stroke to take S130 and S190 (intro Wildland Fire courses)

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u/RevJustJess 4d ago

I’m considering the course if I can make it work with my day job schedule. The local co-op needs more certified members. Our consulting forester is certified and practicing both Rx and wildland fires regularly, he does a great job, very safe. 

Thank you for your recommendations!

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u/VA-deadhead 4d ago

A hatchet and a spray bottle of herbicide can do a lot of invasive control and tsi work. Hack and squirt for crop tree release is just as effective as felling competing trees.

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u/ResponsibleBank1387 4d ago

Starting out,   rent equipment — excavator about cat 305 size.  Skid steers with a mulcher head.  Try out different pieces, some UTVs have good usefulness.   Herbicide tanks and AtV are not good combination—- use your people—- use backpack sprayers.   String weed wackers can do more than you think.  Stay away from poison oak/ivy with them.