Collecting in SW WA or Portland, OR area

jferrier

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Hello. I went to the Gifford Pinchot Nat. Forest last spring and got a couple of trees for free with the forest products permit, but had a hard time finding anything of much interest. Plenty of young ponderosas, hemlocks, firs, shore pines, to be found, but mostly just overgrown saplings. Anyone here familiar with that area or any other areas near by where I might find some nice older ponderosas or shore pines? Thanks.
 

reddog

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Fishing Holes

Good areas to collect nice material are like secret fishing holes. I'm not sure that anybody is going to give any specifics on their secret collecting "holes" in a forum. Probably the best thing is to go to your local bonsai club, meet some of the people and get to know them. Who knows, they may be willing to share some information with you.
 

jferrier

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Good areas to collect nice material are like secret fishing holes. I'm not sure that anybody is going to give any specifics on their secret collecting "holes" in a forum. Probably the best thing is to go to your local bonsai club, meet some of the people and get to know them. Who knows, they may be willing to share some information with you.

Well I was just hoping for general areas, but I see what you mean.
 

Dan W.

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Look for areas with a lot of exposed rock. Bald knobs or at least large boulders, these are most often the areas where the trees grow interesting shapes in dwarf form. Think "Yosemitie," only it doesn't have to be on a large scale... just big enough to have cracks or depressions for trees to grow in.

I don't know the area out there so you're on your own as far as location... but if you know what topography/landscape you're after you should be able to locate the right environment.

Other areas with harsh environments can work as well... bogs or even meadows where the shrubs are eaten/trimmed down or trampled by livestock and wildlife.

Rock is my favorite... the root systems are already confined to a tight space. Some come out easily, others take work and many should be left right where they are because it would cause too much trauma to the root system to get it out.

Good luck! :)
 

yenling83

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Great response from Dan. Just do alot of walking and explore alot of territory! Any area someone tells you about would just be picked over anyways. Walk further and more often than any body else, only then will you find the best yamadori.
 

jferrier

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Look for areas with a lot of exposed rock. Bald knobs or at least large boulders, these are most often the areas where the trees grow interesting shapes in dwarf form. Think "Yosemitie," only it doesn't have to be on a large scale... just big enough to have cracks or depressions for trees to grow in.

I don't know the area out there so you're on your own as far as location... but if you know what topography/landscape you're after you should be able to locate the right environment.

Other areas with harsh environments can work as well... bogs or even meadows where the shrubs are eaten/trimmed down or trampled by livestock and wildlife.

Rock is my favorite... the root systems are already confined to a tight space. Some come out easily, others take work and many should be left right where they are because it would cause too much trauma to the root system to get it out.

Good luck! :)

I'm in the foothills of the Cascade Mtns. so I've got more miles of rocky land than could be walked in a month. I just can't seem to find anything but straight tall trees. I've found some interesting ones around some of the snow parks, but they have been too big or nothing but taproots. Maybe I'll try asking the Park Rangers when I get my next permit.
 

Brian Underwood

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download Google Earth and scroll around the satellite images looking for rocky spots at somewhat high elevation. Hope you find something good!
 

Poink88

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Just remember that as you change your "hunting" area, you should consider the proper safety equipment you should have... like harness and lifeline (if need be).

Good luck and be safe!
 

BrianBay9

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Even Google maps and Bing maps have great satellite images that let you survey large areas quickly. I usually cross reference the area with topographical maps, since I have a hard time telling the steepness of terrain from the satellite images. The topo maps can also help in deciding what is private vs public land. Mytopo.com lets you look at free topo maps of most any place, and you can order printed maps from them for about $10 to take with you on the hunt.

Personally, in the satellite views I look for rocky ridges on public land at the right altitude for the species I'm looking for, that are relatively close to a road or power line easment.

Brian
 

jk_lewis

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You are looking for areas where trees are exposed to the elements -- wind, water, snow, ice; areas where survival of any tree is perilous. This means getting well off the beaten path. It means areas that may be perilous to YOU as well -- riverbanks, exposed knobs, cliffsides, etc.
 

dick benbow

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Finding good trees is a process that takes time. I have found permit offices to be a good place to ask for suggestions to hunt. Old logging roads that head up to the treeline can be good places to look. I have found over the years, it pretty difficult to have folks share their special places with others. Tho for sure you want to let people know where your going and take at least one person along with you for safety purposes.
here's a shot last fall where i was able to locate some decent hemlock.
 

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ghues

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Not sure if this applies in your area or not……. but up here we've found some great collecting areas where the larger radio/cell towers are located - usually at the tree line border and in some cases you can drive to them (others you’d need a chopper)....the communication businesses might be able to help and we often use Google satellite images/photos that show the newest logging roads.
Good Luck.
Graham
 

plant_dr

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This may seem like a dumb question, but how do you tell what land is public? Around here, a lot of the canyons and "mountain-y" areas are designated as either state parks or national parks and are therefore uncollectable. There are 5 National parks, 45 state parks, 8 National scenic byways, and 21 Utah scenic byways! Whatever is left seems to be private ranch land or something like that. Is there a way to find this "public land" where collecting trees is possible?
 

Poink88

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This may seem like a dumb question, but how do you tell what land is public? Around here, a lot of the canyons and "mountain-y" areas are designated as either state parks or national parks and are therefore uncollectable. There are 5 National parks, 45 state parks, 8 National scenic byways, and 21 Utah scenic byways! Whatever is left seems to be private ranch land or something like that. Is there a way to find this "public land" where collecting trees is possible?

Try here... http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/ethics/permit.shtml

...and probably your local county office.
 
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Dan W.

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Our forest service department carries maps, and so do the hunting/outdoors stores. You should be able to buy "transplant permits" for any National Forest... that isn't a National Park.
 

Dan W.

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If you go here: (http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/map/state_list.shtml), and then pick out which National Forest/s you're interested in, you should be able to buy any of the maps on line.-- They will show what land is state/FS/private/blm...etc. The trees will also show the borders of National Parks so that you know where not to collect.
Your best bet is FS though...as they are already set up to issue permits.-- They are called "transplant permits," mostly geared toward people who want to get trees for their landscaping.
 

BrianBay9

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Our forest service department carries maps, and so do the hunting/outdoors stores. You should be able to buy "transplant permits" for any National Forest... that isn't a National Park.

Unfortunately, this is not true. You have to check with each national forest for their particular rules. Most in the eastern US do not issue transplant permits.

Brian
 

Dan W.

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That's a bummer. -- Hopefully UT will issue these.

I would think that the eastern states have far more trees than those of us out west...and it would hardly hut anything to transport a couple here and there.
 

jferrier

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That's a bummer. -- Hopefully UT will issue these.

I would think that the eastern states have far more trees than those of us out west...and it would hardly hut anything to transport a couple here and there.

Actually, its the other way around. The West has more because most of the land in the Western US is owned by Uncle Sam. The Gifford Pinchot National Forest near me is one of the oldest in the US and is only a mere 1.3 million acres. Bet I could cover that by foot in just a few days!
 
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