Neil Schroeder and Wendell Walker

When our forebears went out into the woods they did not ride an ATV loaded with a toolkit geared to gasoline-powered equipment. They trudged from the landing on "Shank's Mare," carrying all that they needed for the day. In one hand they may have carried a bucket loaded with some small hand tools like a machete, a pair of hand clippers, wedges, a compass, measuring tape and perhaps a percent abney. On the opposite shoulder they would juggle a shovel, and/or a hoedad, and a small axe. Sometimes they would have a small hand saw as well. The tools had to be small and light enough to allow them to walk a good distance into the woods and still allow a day's work to be accomplished without becoming exhausted from hauling the tools into the woods and out again.

Today, we have the convenience of new inventions and improved versions of tools that have been used for many years. We get to our properties in 4-wheel-drive vehicles and often have that remarkable ATV to carry our heavier tools to the site. No matter what job we have in front of us, we have many options that will save us time, and with some planning and self control, some money as well. Don't even look in the catalogs if you must have the latest gadget in your shop! You will need to expand your shop if you desire the latest of every available new product.

Let's look at the tasks facing most tree farmers and talk about the tools needed to accomplish those jobs.

Site preparation

This implies that someone has just logged a piece of your property. If you hired a logger, the site preparation should have been a part of your contract. Good logging practices dictate that as much of the woody debris as possible should be left on the ground. Slash left by the logger should be cut up with a chainsaw so that all pieces are flat on the ground so they will decompose faster and not be fuel for that dreaded fire. All standing brush remaining should be cleared with a chainsaw and left on the ground.

Planting

Planting is done with a shovel, hoedad or specialized planting tool. Just be sure to keep the green end up and the roots deep enough so they do not curl upwards. Getting started might be a little easier with a hoedad. Some chainsaw dealers sell planting tools, but you may want to go to a mail order outlet for a larger selection (see article on page xx).

Releasing

Weed control is very important during the first three years after planting. You do not want any other plants competing with the young seedlings for available moisture. A three- or four-gallon backpack sprayer and the proper herbicide will cover around an acre of seedlings in no time.

Measuring Your Stand

Running property lines, measuring volume and estimating growth rates all require instruments. Many excellent products are available, including a compass, plenty of bright tape to run property lines and find corners, a clinometer, which is used to measure the heights of trees, a diameter tape to get both the diameter and circumference of a standing tree, and an increment borer to determine the age of a tree. Carry a field guide so you can make simple conversions quickly. These tools will allow you to measure your stand and to tell you how much growth your forest is making over a period of time.

Harvesting

This is one area where you can either save some money, or if you are not careful, spend it in a big way with little return. There are so many fine pieces of equipment available, most very expensive, that you must determine if you will be able to personally use them or if it would be better to hire professionals that possess their own. The minimum to own would be a good chainsaw no bigger than you can carry and handle with ease. In addition, you should have falling wedges, a falling axe for driving wedges and chopping, a 50-foot logger's tape for bucking, a fire extinguisher, and a scale book to keep track of the cut and bucked logs.

Fire Safety and Protection

Your local state forestry office can send you a brochure that lists the fire suppression equipment needed for a four-man crew. You should always have the following items close to your operation: a dedicated fire toolbox, two shovels, two axes, and a Pulaski or hazel hoe.

General Equipment

Let's say that you just bought a 40-acre tree farm and are starting from scratch. What equipment do you need first? No tree farm, no matter how small, can afford to be without a chainsaw. Fortunately, there are a lot of good ones on the market. The Swedes, Germans and Japanese all provide a "pro quality" product in the three- to four-cubic-inch displacement size. Quite often the best servicing dealer will sell the best saw. For most work applications, a 24-inch bar is adequate. These saws will automatically come with safety chain and an anti-kick-back clutch mechanism. Prices vary from $300 to slightly over $400. Be aware that service and maintenance can be a factor in happy chainsaw operation. For user satisfaction you should sign up for a chainsaw clinic.

Ideally, another piece of equipment one should acquire is a 40-50 horsepower tractor with a "Farmi" winch and a utility trailer. The Farmi winch is a wonderful machine that attaches to the power-take-off on a tractor. It has the unique capability to pull logs to the tractor from different angles. One person can operate the unit and thin a considerable acreage in a reasonable amount of time. There are models appropriate for the PTO-equipped tractor of your choice. Prices begin around $2,800. This piece of equipment will serve you in many ways for years to come. Later, you might want to add a front-end loader that will also amaze you with its versatility around the farm.

Unless you are exclusively into herbicides, a 35cc brush cutter with both blade and line trimmer head will be used frequently. Look at the Shindaiwa, Stihl and Echo brands.

There is always more to learn and many ways to accomplish your goals, so plan to spend some more time reading and attending those meetings and equipment shows. Even though landowners have a variety of tools at their disposal, our bet is that you will still carry that bucket with the small tools in it and will lug the shovel and axe on the opposite shoulder.

Neil Schroeder is president of the Washington County Chapter of the Oregon Small Woodlands Association. He is a co-owner and manager of 296 acres of family timberlands in Lincoln, Washington, Yamhill and Columbia counties.

Wendell Walker is secretary-treasurer of the Washington County chapter and owns and manages a 70-acre farm near North Plains, Ore.

This article appeared in the Northwest Woodlands Magazine, Fall 2000- Published quarterly by the World Forestry Center as a benefit of membership in the Oregon Small Woodlands Association, Washington Farm Forestry Association, Idaho Forest Owners Association and Montana Forest Owners Association.