This is a view looking up the driveway from the cottage, with a small stand of Red Pines pictured. There are about forty pines in this small triangular area, which measures roughly 60' (along the left) by 40' (back) by 80' (curved along the driveway), each tree spaced about four feet from every other.
The pines are not quite twenty-five years of age, standing between 18' and 24' tall, and if you look carefully, the inner trees are experiencing a lot of die-off in the understory branches.
My plan is to selectively thin out the red pines by removing about two of every three or so, while also removing the dead understory branches for aesthetics (these would fall off eventually anyway). Then I plan to plant one new tree for every two pines removed, selected from local native species.
As such, I have just started the work, removing six trees, mostly to open up the row beside the driveway, as well as one each in the left hand row (south facing, left side of the photo) and one in the middle. The ones selected to remain have all had their dead branches removed. Further back, the trees have yet to be thinned, but over this summer and next I will work my way in.
Already I have relocated two Eastern Red cedars, a Balsam Fir, and a White Pine, which are all visible in the photograph. With the pines removed, more light will pass through the canopy, and with added room, these smaller fill in trees should begin to climb quickly skyward!
The two other 'saplings' are our kids, Rudi on the bike, and Alexander exploring in his newly discovered sandals!
The pines are not quite twenty-five years of age, standing between 18' and 24' tall, and if you look carefully, the inner trees are experiencing a lot of die-off in the understory branches.
My plan is to selectively thin out the red pines by removing about two of every three or so, while also removing the dead understory branches for aesthetics (these would fall off eventually anyway). Then I plan to plant one new tree for every two pines removed, selected from local native species.
As such, I have just started the work, removing six trees, mostly to open up the row beside the driveway, as well as one each in the left hand row (south facing, left side of the photo) and one in the middle. The ones selected to remain have all had their dead branches removed. Further back, the trees have yet to be thinned, but over this summer and next I will work my way in.
Already I have relocated two Eastern Red cedars, a Balsam Fir, and a White Pine, which are all visible in the photograph. With the pines removed, more light will pass through the canopy, and with added room, these smaller fill in trees should begin to climb quickly skyward!
The two other 'saplings' are our kids, Rudi on the bike, and Alexander exploring in his newly discovered sandals!
Those few trees closest already look a hell of a lot better, thinned out and dead branches off. Can't wait to see more pics as you work further back into the lot!
ReplyDelete