Firewood Cutting and Woodland Management

by John R. Piskac, Resource Conservationist
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Manhattan, Kansas

Cold weather is upon us and, if this is a typical winter season, we can expect several months of bone-chilling temperatures. Our home furnaces often run full-bore to keep the indoor environment in an acceptable comfort zone during the extremes of winter. Based on the recent increase in cost of fossil fuels, we can be assured that this winter will bring record bills for this necessity.

Higher energy costs have rekindled interest in alternatives to conventional heating systems. Many individuals are supplementing existing heat sources with wood stoves and furnaces. It is hard to beat the smell and warmth of a crackling wood fire on a cold, still winter morning. For these reasons, it is likely there will be a greater demand for firewood than in previous years.

What effect will increased woodcutting have on our future supply of firewood? How many years can this rate of cutting continue before the woodland resource is jeopardized? The answer depends primarily on how well we manage these woodlands.

Kansas has approximately 2.2 million acres (4.2 percent of the land area) devoted to forests and trees. Depending on the location in Kansas, these acres may be located on streams and small tributaries extending into uplands or, as is the case in the eastern part of the state, larger parcels of land in which trees dominate the topography. For the most part, our woodlands consist of mixed hardwood species, such as oaks, green ash, hackberry, and others depending on the specific location. Generally, these species make good-to-excellent firewood.

If managed properly, each acre of woodland can produce one cord of firewood per year. Thus, Kansas could produce 2.2 million cords of firewood per year or enough to heat 310,000 typical homes using wood as the only source of heat. Since most wood heat is used as a supplement to an existing system, total demand for firewood would be less and allow for use by more residences. From these basic calculations, it is obvious our future firewood supply can be sustained if proper management techniques are used and significant exportation of the resource does not occur.

What do we need to do to manage our woodlands wisely? First, the removal and use of all dead trees should be a top priority. Dead trees are only a detriment to the woodland resource, yet many standing dead trees will make excellent firewood as they may already be air dried. Second, all dying or diseased trees should be removed as they have, no doubt, reached their potential. By taking this action, we have effectively made room for younger, healthier trees. After the dead and diseased trees are removed, begin working on the rest of the tree stand. It is best to harvest equally from all the species present with an emphasis on more mature, less valuable trees. By doing so, others would be present in sufficient numbers to “fill the gaps” should disease or insect problems attack certain species.

Properly managed woodland should consist of different species in various stages of development with approximately 10-20 feet between mature trees. Cutting one cord of firewood per acre per year from wisely managed woodland will help maintain the quality and quantity of firewood produced rather than hurt it.

Keep in mind that a few tree species may have a greater value as a saw log rather than firewood. Many valuable black walnut trees are cut for firewood each year because someone “didn’t know the difference.”

Proper woodland management practices carried out on a continuing basis will result in a healthier, more vigorous stand of high quality trees. This will help ensure that we will have an adequate supply of firewood and wood for other uses in the future.

For conservation planning assistance and woodland management information, contact the Kansas Forest Service District Forester or your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office located at your local county U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Service Center. More information on managing woodlands for firewood production is available at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/forst2/mf773.pdf.

This article is also available in Microsoft Word format.

Firewood Cutting and Woodland Management (DOC; 40 KB)

< Back to Conservation Editions - Fiscal Year 2006 Index

Last Modified: 08/20/2008