Garlic mustard (Aliaria petiolata) is a cool-season biennial herbaceous plant first observed in the United States in the mid 1800s. It was introduced from Europe either accidentally or intentionally as a cooking herb. It is extremely tolerant of shaded conditions and is capable of establishing extensive, dense colonies in woodlands.
Autumn and Russian olive are non-native, upright, deciduous shrubs that commonly reach heights up to 20 feet tall. Both species are widely distributed in the United States, since planting began in the mid-1800s to provide food and cover for wildlife, ornamental use, road bank stabilization, erosion control, strip mine reclamation, and shelterbelts.
Ailanthus (Ailanthus altissima), also known as tree-of-heaven, is a moderate sized (60 to 80 feet in height), deciduous tree first introduced into the United States from Asia in the late 1700s for use as an urban landscape tree and in strip mine reclamation in the Eastern United States. In many ways ailanthus is an ideal invasive—it grows rapidly (sprouts can attain a height of 6 to 12 feet the first year and grow 3 feet or more per year), is a prolific seeder, a persistent stump and root sprouter, and an aggressive competitor that thrives in full sunlight.
Approximately 84 percent of Ohio's forest land is owned by private, nonindustrial woodland owners. Each year many of these individuals receive significant income from their woodlands by properly marketing timber. In addition, by following management guidelines in selecting those trees to be harvested and those to leave standing, they improve the health and vigor of their forest as well as its quality for other uses.
Woodland owners often need to measure the merchantable board-foot content (termed "volume") of certain trees in their woodland. In order to sell timber, for example, an estimate is needed of the quantity to be sold. If trees are to be cut to provide lumber, an estimate of volume is needed to determine what size and how many trees to cut. Using the methods described in this article, a woodland owner can estimate the board-foot volume in one or several trees.
The tree measuring stick is a useful tool for measuring trees and logs. Although not as precise as more specialized tools, it is inexpensive, easy to carry, and accurate enough for most of your tree and log measurement needs. This stick incorporates several tools that are commonly used by foresters and the forest industry, and can help woodland owners better understand and manage their forest resource.What can you measure with this stick?
When someone enters another person's property and knowingly cuts and removes a tree or trees without the permission of the landowner it is known as timber theft. Since many cases of timber theft go unreported or are settled out of court, it is difficult to obtain reliable statistics. However, many in Ohio's forest community believe that there has been an increase in the incidence of timber theft since timber prices have been rebounding since the recent Great Recession.
Approximately 84 percent of Ohio's forest land is owned by private nonindustrial woodland owners. Each year many of these individuals receive significant income from their woodlands by properly marketing timber. In addition, by following management guidelines in selecting those trees to be harvested and those to leave standing, they improve the health and vigor of their forest as well as its quality for other uses. However, some woodland owners sell their timber for only a fraction of its value because they do not market it properly.
Ohio's Appalachian hardwoods are unique in their variety, quality and beauty. Ohio's forests contain well over 100 different hardwoods and 25 different softwood tree species. Historically, humans have used wood and wood products for shelter, fire, and in war, making wood an integral part of our civilization. We use wood because it is easy to work with, inexpensive, durable, and readily available. Early settlers relied heavily on old growth yellow poplar to make barn siding.
