Category Proposal

[4wheelin_fool]

This would be a listing for conifer forests planted by man for the purpose of harvesting Christmas trees and abandoned. I have been hiking in the past and stumbled on these places a few times and it is awesome! The first one I discovered(recently) is very unusual, as the trees were planted in the 1930s and are HUGE. Most Christmas tree farms were not begun until the early 1950s, as I have "rediscovered" another one nearby me last week which was planted in the 1950s. (I first found it in 1985 and had forgot all about it)The listing would only be for conifer trees planted in rows and too old for the purpose of using for Christmas. Trees planted for borders of a road, or property would not be included. I would set a minimum of 50 trees and they must be in a grid-like setting. I currently have a geocache hidden in one, and have been to another cache in north Jersey near one. Hopefully I will have a cache hidden in the 3rd one I've been to within a week. These are places that I would go out of my way to visit, and I know others would do the same. I am really curious to see how many are out there!

Edited October 15, 2005 by 4wheelin_fool

[rescue557]

Sounds like an interesting idea. I'd have to say that I'm neutral on the concept. Though for some this category proposal may be the best thing to ever hit the website.

[4wheelin_fool]

<bump>

Cmon! Id like to hear some opinions on this subject.

[+mini cacher]

I guess I would have a hard time knowing if it was an abandoned Christmas tree farm or just re-foresting. How does one tell? I grew up on the edge of a large logging area that had been partially cleared and re-planted in a very grid-like pattern. We actually picked some of the smaller trees and groomed them for a couple years and had some very nice Christmas trees... but I don't think they started out with that in mind.

[4wheelin_fool]

I guess I would have a hard time knowing if it was an abandoned Christmas tree farm or just re-foresting. How does one tell? I grew up on the edge of a large logging area that had been partially cleared and re-planted in a very grid-like pattern. We actually picked some of the smaller trees and groomed them for a couple years and had some very nice Christmas trees... but I don't think they started out with that in mind.

Thats interesting. I would not think that reforesting would include planting trees in even rows, but if it is being done like that I would like to see it. Its interesting seeing trees still alive, which were planted by someone long ago, knowing that the person who planted the tree has passed on, but the tree still lives.

[+chstress53]

4wheelin_fool

I like the catagory; but there would definately need to be specifics as

Reforestation is usually done in rows. I could show you dozens of (Row)plantings at Brendon Byrne State Forest alone where I was they naturalist for ten years.

This happens quite regularly. One example is when 100's of scouts both boys and girls and families do volunteer work. Every April all state forests in NJ have a tree planting day. Anyone is invited usually scouts show up. Some families come for the day and everyone plants trees. It works by the buddy system everyone pairs up and is given a hole digger and a bucket of baby trees and everyone starts at one end of the area to be planted and walks in a straight line till the other side is reached, then you start over until the acreage is planted. My son and his friends 27 years ago did one of these plantings in Brendon Byrne and most people think it is na natural growth area the site is 5 acres in size.. Then there are the reforestations for harvest by professional foresters, this is also done in rows.The trees that surround the fire tower where planted this way. Getting technical there is not really natural growth forest in the Pines all the forests are managed and have been managed for well over 100 years. I believe this is they way it is in the majority of states.. And rows is the way it is accomplished.

Edited November 11, 2005 by chstress53

[4wheelin_fool]

4wheelin_fool

I like the catagory; but there would definately need to be specifics as

Reforestation is usually done in rows. I could show you dozens of (Row)plantings at Brendon Byrne State Forest alone where I was they naturalist for ten years.

This happens quite regularly. One example is when 100's of scouts both boys and girls and families do volunteer work. Every April all state forests in NJ have a tree planting day. Anyone is invited usually scouts show up. Some families come for the day and everyone plants trees. It works by the buddy system everyone pairs up and is given a hole digger and a bucket of baby trees and everyone starts at one end of the area to be planted and walks in a straight line till the other side is reached, then you start over until the acreage is planted. My son and his friends 27 years ago did one of these plantings in Brendon Byrne and most people think it is na natural growth area the site is 5 acres in size.. Then there are the reforestations for harvest by professional foresters, this is also done in rows.The trees that surround the fire tower where planted this way. Getting technical there is not really natural growth forest in the Pines all the forests are managed and have been managed for well over 100 years. I believe this is they way it is in the majority of states.. And rows is the way it is accomplished.

That is very interesting, as I didnt know any specifics about reforestation. I would then change the title of the category to somehow include these areas. The main point would be to see spots that had trees planted in a grid-like fashion (but not planted recently) Thank you for your post, as I will have to investigate further to find some more of these areas. If the rows of trees are tall, and easily identified as planted that way, then I am interested in visiting. If the area was reforested, but the rows have disappeared over time, or the trees are only 20 feet tall or less, then that is not what I am searching for. I have caches in 2 areas so far that have the specifics of what I am looking for:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...dd-e0816c323c02

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...99-726ee5c83844

[+kbarhow]

is this a stretch? i guess there is something for everyone, or what ever floats ur boat.

[4wheelin_fool]

Ok. The title would be "Unnatural Forests". It would include abandoned Christmas tree farms, and reforested areas. The trees would be arranged in rows, (grid like)and not have been planted recently. A minimum of approx. 100 trees would be appropriate I think. Any more comments, anyone?

[+az_pistolero]

There's a watershed in Maryland that is exactly that, conifers planted in rows for miles around a reservoir, over 60 years ago (maybe more?). I haven't been back there for 30 years, bet the trees are huge there now.

 

I'm also neutral on the Abandonded Christmas Tree Farm. Would be a neat place to visit for sure. If what seems attractive is the massive acreage of neat rows of large trees, that might be a better way to define the category.

 

Not sure what to call it, though..

[4wheelin_fool]

There's a watershed in Maryland that is exactly that, conifers planted in rows for miles around a reservoir, over 60 years ago (maybe more?). I haven't been back there for 30 years, bet the trees are huge there now.

Thats exactly what I'm talking about. I would really like to see that area!

 

Not sure what to call it, though.. 

The title would be "Unnatural Forests".

Manmade forests would be a good alternate title also.

Edited December 5, 2005 by 4wheelin_fool

[+az_pistolero]

I like "Man Made Forests" better than "Unnatural Forests" (which sounds abberant to me rather than planned).

[4wheelin_fool]

Man made forests does sound better, but it infers that the forest is just planted, and not a grid of old trees planted in rows. If you are walking through the woods and come upon an area where the trees are in rows, it does really seem unnatural; but at the same time I can understand how the words "unnatural" and "forest" do not belong together. Does anyone else have any ideas for a better title?