# Scrub oak



## Sinngetreu (Nov 18, 2013)

Good evening.
I have a chance at getting a bunch of scrub oak. Is it worth it?
The trees are about 20-30 feet tall and the trunk is around 12" diameter. It doesn't look too bad in terms of ability to get some good rounds. 
They are at a local nature preserve and I can get a cutting permit on the cheap for as much as I want. I know there are a few guys that burn in my area, so I'm wondering if they know something I don't, or if they don't know about the trees.
Should I go for it, or is it a lot of work for nothing? Is it hard on a chain and hard to split?


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## AmarilloSlim (Nov 18, 2013)

Jump on that oak. Around here the scrub oak really isn't worth the effort.  5' tall and 2 or 3 inches diameter max.


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## Applesister (Nov 18, 2013)

The scrub oak I have here in NY is a shrub. Its called Bear oak here. 
Umm...not worth the bother.
But it may be a fun day out with the saw. Get some fresh air....


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## BrotherBart (Nov 18, 2013)

AmarilloSlim said:


> Jump on that oak. Around here the scrub oak really isn't worth the effort.  5' tall and 2 or 3 inches diameter max.



In Lubbock we called that a "Stately Tree".


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## BrotherBart (Nov 18, 2013)

Every time I flew back into Lubbock I picked a seat on the right side of the plane. On approach you could look down and see open irrigated fields as far as the eye could see. And that one big spreading Oak tree. It was in the middle of nowhere with a fence around it and obviously lovingly cared for.


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## AmarilloSlim (Nov 18, 2013)

BrotherBart said:


> Every time I flew back into Lubbock I picked a seat on the right side of the plane. On approach you could look down and see open irrigated fields as far as the eye could see. And that one big spreading Oak tree. It was in the middle of nowhere with a fence around it and obviously lovingly cared for.


The only big oaks I've seen are in yards. The Canadians river and Palo duro canyon have scrub oak. If I ever fly to lubbock I will take a gander.


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## BrotherBart (Nov 18, 2013)

It's a big'un and well protected and cared for. Of course it has been almost twenty years since I flew into Lubbock. It may have died and have been firewood some year since. 

It looked like a memorial with that fence and grass growing close around it.


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## MrWhoopee (Nov 19, 2013)

When you say scrub oak, are you referring to Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa, big acorns with a large, furry cap), the state tree of Iowa? If so, the btu value is about the same as Red Oak (Quercus rubra). Get all you can, but plan on waiting for it to season.


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## DanCorcoran (Nov 19, 2013)

In Colorado, scrub oak was also known as Gambel oak and was more of a large bush than a tree.


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## Brewmonster (Nov 19, 2013)

Any kind of oak will make good firewood, I think. 
"Scrub oak," though, is not a very meaningful common name. In CA, people call several species by that name. Where I live, they usually mean bear oak (Q.illicifolia) or blackjack oak (Q. marylandica) when they talk about "scrub oak."
I have to wonder what kind of "nature preserve" gives out cutting permits for "as much as [you] want."


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## AmarilloSlim (Nov 19, 2013)

Brewmonster said:


> I have to wonder what kind of "nature preserve" gives out cutting permits for "as much as [you] want."


Also curious about this?


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## BCC_Burner (Nov 19, 2013)

Sounds like a nature preserve that will be making way for a Wal Mart parking lot sometime in the near future.


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## Ashful (Nov 19, 2013)

BrotherBart said:


> It's a big'un and well protected and cared for. Of course it has been almost twenty years since I flew into Lubbock. It may have died and have been firewood some year since.


Google Maps aerial view?


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## dmmoss51 (Nov 19, 2013)

"Nature Preserve" may be there to preserve something else or these trees could be considered non-native etc.  Also it can mean land preserve.  We have a land preserve near us that allows all sorts of things including cutting wood. It is just preserved from building or other development as it is actually the wellhead for the drinking water system.  Would only want to cut wood near the road though as in the preserve itself is only foot/bicycle traffic.


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## Paulywalnut (Nov 19, 2013)

Unless its a bush. Go get it. Its still oak.


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## Sinngetreu (Nov 19, 2013)

MrWhoopee said:


> When you say scrub oak, are you referring to Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa, big acorns with a large, furry cap), the state tree of Iowa? If so, the btu value is about the same as Red Oak (Quercus rubra). Get all you can, but plan on waiting for it to season.



It does look like bur oak. It seems to be a shorter tree than others that I have seen. 
To be clear, the name "scrub oak" was said by my dad. He knows a lot, but proper names is not one of them.


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## Sinngetreu (Nov 19, 2013)

Brewmonster said:


> Any kind of oak will make good firewood, I think.
> "Scrub oak," though, is not a very meaningful common name. In CA, people call several species by that name. Where I live, they usually mean bear oak (Q.illicifolia) or blackjack oak (Q. marylandica) when they talk about "scrub oak."
> I have to wonder what kind of "nature preserve" gives out cutting permits for "as much as [you] want."



This preserve is trying to restore the wetlands to a much earlier date which didn't have any trees to really speak of. They referred to the oak as an invasive species.There apparently is a bird that will mate and nest only if there isn't any trees around. I don't know what the details of this bird is, all I know is there is free oak. They have a map that they want you to cut in, and it sounds like if someone didn't cut, they will cut and shred it. Might as well get good use of it. 
You have to stay within an area, but they don't have trees specifically tagged. 
Admittedly, Its a very unique situation.


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## Sinngetreu (Nov 19, 2013)

dmmoss51 said:


> "Nature Preserve" may be there to preserve something else or these trees could be considered non-native etc.  Also it can mean land preserve.  We have a land preserve near us that allows all sorts of things including cutting wood. It is just preserved from building or other development as it is actually the wellhead for the drinking water system.  Would only want to cut wood near the road though as in the preserve itself is only foot/bicycle traffic.



Luckily, most of the trees in this wetland is near a scenic road that goes through one side of it, so getting trees shouldn't be too much of a trek. They do consider the oak to be non-native. There is also Ash and cottonwood that they want cut down. I dont think I will bother too much with the cottonwood, but the Ash is on the list.


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## BurnIt13 (Nov 20, 2013)

My parents have some land in SE Mass and it is mostly red oak.  My dad calls it scrub oak because of the way it looks.  The soil conditions are poor so it takes a long time to grow and can be kind of stunted looking.  There was a fire 50-60 yrs ago that wiped out the area, and with everything growing back all at once the trees were further stressed and grow even slower.

My point is....get it.  It is the densest oak I've had my hands on.  If I threw a round in the pool it would probably sink!  A 50+ yr old tree is only 12-15" in diameter, It takes a couple years to season but it burns great!


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## Sinngetreu (Nov 20, 2013)

BurnIt13 said:


> My parents have some land in SE Mass and it is mostly red oak.  My dad calls it scrub oak because of the way it looks.  The soil conditions are poor so it takes a long time to grow and can be kind of stunted looking.  There was a fire 50-60 yrs ago that wiped out the area, and with everything growing back all at once the trees were further stressed and grow even slower.
> 
> My point is....get it.  It is the densest oak I've had my hands on.  If I threw a round in the pool it would probably sink!  A 50+ yr old tree is only 12-15" in diameter, It takes a couple years to season but it burns great!




Well, I think its unanimous, I will be all over it like white on rice as soon as I can get to it.


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## Backwoods Savage (Nov 20, 2013)

Oak should be great. Just be aware that in your area, you will need at least 2 years after being split before it will be ready to burn. In our area, we look at 3 years.


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## Sinngetreu (Nov 20, 2013)

Backwoods Savage said:


> Oak should be great. Just be aware that in your area, you will need at least 2 years after being split before it will be ready to burn. In our area, we look at 3 years.



Yeah, thankfully I have quite a bit of Ash on hand. I'm working on my wood store now. Its fun collecting different varieties.


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## Backwoods Savage (Nov 21, 2013)

Ash is very good and is our most abundant at present. Any oak we get is saved for January burning.


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