Ben Falk

13 de mayo

Black locust and osage orange on 3' centers within an oak, chestnut, butternut, black walnut
overstory planted at 9' centers. Land use history of the site: wooly mammoth pasture for a few
hundred thousand years then a chestnut overstory of 120-150' with 90' maple in the
understory and 180' white pines for about 5,000 years, then a sheep pasture for a about 35
years, then cropped in hay for about 75 years then planted into a monoculture of red pine for
60 years. Now replanted into a rapid topsoil forming carbon negative
megafauna#silvopasture lumberyard game park. #rewild#treecrops #reverseglobalwarming
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Matthew Davis What type of Chestnut? And why Osage Orange? Sometimes this "permaculture" stuff seems
like "let's just plant some shit and see what happens". Is there a method to planting these species together or
do you just need to keep your interns busy? Emoticn smile
Me gusta Responder 13 de mayo a las 21:16
Ben Falk All species except the GMO c nut.
Me gusta Responder 1 13 de mayo a las 22:51
Jordan Fink it seems pretty straight-forward from Ben's descripion. He's planting a succession of species.
Some fast growing useful species mixed with a functional overstory
Me gusta Responder 15 de mayo a las 16:57

Ben Falk Matthew, Osage fertilizes the others by fixing nitrogen, forms a quick shade of the understory to
reduce grass pressure, offers some of the best craft wood in the world and has many other yields and
functions in the system. Similar to black locust.
Me gusta Responder 4 13 de mayo a las 21:57
Ben Falk We also look to neighboring climate zones like the Appalachian forests where Osage has been for
awhile to assist in the migration of species which will help our forests be resilient in the face of shifting climate
patterns. We look to zone 6 and 3 as well.
Me gusta Responder 3 13 de mayo a las 21:59
Matthew Davis Cool. It is amazing wood, no question there. I have only ever seen it south of PA. Is this a
pretty warm site? Where you getting the Chestnut? Would like to plant some here.
Me gusta Responder 13 de mayo a las 22:14
Ben Falk All about how cold it gets in the winter, versus how warm it is of a site in terms of heat accretion. It's
not a particularly warm place but we've trailed it for a few years and in its first winter sruvied the historically
cold winter 2 winters ago. You should be planting Osage as well as a crafty guy.
Me gusta Responder 13 de mayo a las 22:50
Matthew Davis Turns out there is an Osage at Middlebury over 40" dbh. Would probably do well here as we
are at least a zone ahead of you. Pretty limited on space though as we don't want to clearcut our woods. Pretty
shade intolerant I hear.
Me gusta Responder 13 de mayo a las 23:01
Ben Falk Awesome there's a serious osage in vt. Yeah, this is all a clearcut.
Me gusta Responder 13 de mayo a las 23:03
Chaz Petersen I wasn't aware that Osage Orange fixes nitrogen
Me gusta Responder 10 h

Jack Spirko Ben Falk is the the project you asked for ideas about the pines on, if so what did you do with
them?
Me gusta Responder 1 14 de mayo a las 23:05

Ben Falk Yes jack... This is it. We had a logger cut them and sell to mills and biomass (chips). The forest floor
was left in better condition to plant than I was thinking it would. It's gone very well - planting wise. Instant
mulch. Little other understory - we got a couple years of head start for the new forest
Before it gets crazy in there. Machete tropical style management from years 2-5 likely before we get a good
canopy owning it.

Emma Avalos hey Ben Falk, curious what's your overall-goal for this planting? why are they spaced so
densely for chestnuts and locusts? we are doing something similar. are you planning on culling them as
younger trees before they are full grown?
Me gusta Responder 14 h
Ben Falk Indeed - part of the reason is to get ahead of undergrowth - quick shade and canopy control. Then
thin with machete. Also can harvest small poles depending on growth rates relative to the oaks and walnuts.
Also if the oaks and Walnuts simply don't do it it will still be an awesome locust woodland. Lots of function
stacking and hedging going on for unplanned for things happening.
Me gusta Responder 1 11 h