tree planting

[howhill1]

i have about a 1/2 acre clear cut i want fill in. im planning on transplanting some maples and cedars and filling in the rest with white pines. what i need to know is how many and how close i plant them. my intention is create a sanctuary like conditions as it will be bordered on two sides by briar and locust thickets and a 1/2 acre food plot and a pond on the other two. any help or advice would be much appreciated.

[SyracuseBowhunter]

Here in New York State, the Department of Environmental Conservation (a state agency) has regional offices with a local forester that provides free services like land management plans, etc.  You should check to see if your state has something like that.  Your regional forester should be able to give you some good advice about planting trees and how far apart. The DEC also has a tree planting program that provides trees like you described at very reasonable cost to landowners.  Check to see if your state has something similar.  I hope this helps.

[howhill1]

im gonna check out our dnr site. good idea . thanks

[OHhunter]

Check with your local farm extension office or whomever regulates CRP programs in your state.  I know in Ohio there are many goverment funded tree planting programs that will, cut your cost tremendously.

[JPA]

If you are looking to create a sancuary you really should think about some spruce type trees rather than the majority being pines.  You can plant both, as the pines typically grow faster, but the majority should be spruce.  The downfall with a monoculture of pines is the lower branches will die and fall off once they close in the canopy.  The spruces shouldn't do that and will provide better cover for a longer period of time.
 
Another recomendation I have read is to avoid planting rows and instead make clusters of trees