I own 42 acres and would like to use more firewood from my land to heat my house so I can save money on fuel bills. I also want to do what's right for my woods, so I want to make sure I am cutting the right trees. Which trees should I cut for firewood?

Hi mtnman- do i guess correctly from your "name" that you are a mountain man who likes to be outside??
heating with wood is a great idea- especially these days. My wife and i heat exclusively with wood- we burn roughly 4 cord/year. but we unfortunately don't own any land, so we buy it cut, split, seasoned, and delivered in a pile! a really big pile!

the question of what trees to cut for firewood can be a complicated one. some species are better for burning than others. straight trees would have more monetary value sold to a sawmill than being cut and split and winding up in your stove. cutting too many trees on an acre might mean that your optimum growth/acre/year is less than it could be. on the other hand, you might just like to make an opening to improve the view. or create brushy openings for some wildlife. so there isn't a short answer for a threaded discussion on what trees to cut. depends alot on what you want to do!

best advice would be to get a second opinion on this. the state's bureau of forestry has Service foresters who can come take a look at your property and talk about options. and there are private consulting foresters that can come visit your land and give you specific advice, mark tees, make arrangements with a logger [if you don't want to do the cutting yourself]. in massacorn, click on FIND LOCAL HELP to find the service and consulting foresters who work in your town.

I have always believed as a former private forester that landowners willing and able to harvest firewood from their property are continuously able to improve the quality and quantity of timber products on their property. I would concern myself more with the "quality" and health aspects associated with firewood than the species. If you have a hardwood tree that is in poor health due to rot, disease, damage, etc. that tree is consuming some of the light, soil nutrients, and water that could be better dedicated to an adjacent tree of the same species that is in good health. I'd start by focusing on those trees that are never going to grow into more valuable timber products. That should give you a good start. Please feel free to contact you state DCR service forester and we'd be glad to walk the property with you and give advice and counsel specifically related to your landowner goals and your forest resource. Good luck, have fun, and stay safe.