Michigan Forests editor, and long time member, Bill Cook has offered the following report on this property when we were just receiving the gift.
The parcel is well-stocked with timber, dominated by white ash and sugar maple, with minor components of red maple, basswood, hemlock, quaking aspen, yellow birch, and paper birch. The harvest potential is high but the value may be somewhat low. The stand is in need of timber stand improvement. Due to wetter soil conditions across most of the parcel, I suspect harvest timing would be winter only. Topography consists of tip and mounds, due to wetter soil conditions. The eastern side of the parcel has better site conditions, roughly contiguous to the soil survey boundary. Over time, the ash component should probably be reduced due to the threat of the emerald ash borer. However, the nearest known infestation is just south of Houghton, about 65 miles to the northeast. Securing non-ash regeneration may be a challenge.
John MacInnis, Bill Cook, Lisa Parker, Georgia Peterson, Deb Huff, and local foresters Byron Sailor, and Dave Pogoreski visited the property in May 2017. We looked at the marking of the hardwood stand, which is to be cut in the near future. The goal is to improve the uneven aged hardwood stand, maintaining health and diversity!
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