Hinge Cutting: A New Way to Bring the Forest Floor to You

If you’re looking for a way to bring the forest floor to you, then you need to know about the hinge cut. This technique allows you to bring the top of a tree down to the ground without killing it. After cutting most of the trunk, leave a portion of the trunk intact to act as a hinge as you push the tree. Before you know it, what used to be 15 feet in the air is now 3 feet above the ground. Now you have food, food and cover in a place that you didn’t have before.

The reason why the hinge cut works so well is because the cambium layer, which is responsible for the transfer of nutrients and water within the plant, remains intact. You get immediate ground cover and now keep new navigation where deer can reach it.

The Drawbacks of Hinge Cutting

Although hinge cutting can be a great way to create ground cover, it’s important to remember that many Forest Stand Improvement (FSI) projects are hard to undo. If the cut is done poorly, it can take years to regenerate the area. I’ve seen it often with the hinge cut. If a landowner creates a horizontal structure, deer can be conditioned to loiter in that spot. Unless heavy equipment such as a forest chipper or bulldozer is used, the landowner is left stuck in the mess until the trees finally succumb to their injuries and are shaded by the remaining standing timber.

When the hinged tree is dead, you have to wait for the trees to decay and break. In total, you might be looking at a 10-15 year commitment until evidence of a bad cut is cleared, depending on the species and local conditions.

Foresters can also have a problem with hinge cutting. If a landowner completes a 1 acre hinge cut project within the confines of a future timber harvest, the branches and trunks of the hinged trees are still alive, strong, and a nightmare for any lumberjack to safely maneuver while wielding his saw. It becomes a liability for the landowner, and logging crews will often leave these sections standing in the name of safety.

Finally, the biggest mistake I see in any FSI project is invasive plant species taking over the project site. These intruders are often present at the time the project runs, but are simply ignored. Since these non-natives generally have a longer growing season and lack natural enemies, they can quickly consume the site, rendering it impenetrable and virtually useless to deer. The most common culprits tend to be vining species such as bittersweet, wisteria, kudzu, or Japanese honeysuckle, depending on the region of the country, although shrub species such as blackberry, bush honeysuckle, rose multiflora, Chinese privet, and the autumn olive tree can thrive in these disturbed places. Do yourself a favor and take the time to combat these invasive plants before running an FSI project! A simple foliar spray or cut stump treatment will extend the positive impacts of your efforts.

Hinge Cutting: A Tool You Should Consider

Hinge cutting is a great tool to have in your toolbox if you’re looking to improve your land. Just remember that it’s important to consider the potential drawbacks before you get started. If done correctly, hinge cutting can provide immediate ground cover, navigation, and food and cover for deer. So the next time you’re looking to bring the forest floor to you, consider giving hinge cutting a try!