Tree marking in the forest

[Big Dave2]

Does any one know what the colored marks on trees mean?

We hunt in the Remer area which is in the Chippewa national forest if that means anything. I see orange spots and blue spots on trees fairly often when walking around. Sometimes I will see pink ribbon tied around trees in the same areas also.

Does anyone know what these markings mean? I used to think it meant that a parcel was going to be logged but I don't think that is the case. Most of this land is either county or state land.

[kingr]

Pink ribbon/paint is construction standard, so that's probably some guy marking his tree stand location. Or the pink ribbon is also used to indicate the edges of wetlands, but those ribbons have "wetland" written on them.

Orange paint in the forestry field means property line.

Blue paint in the forestry field means edge of a cut because of wetland/stream or just parcel line

[BID2]

They are likely marks for variouse surveys. Carbon surveys, Growth surveys etc. EX: All the dominate trees on the outer edge of an 8m circle would be marked. The Northern Research station in GR is out all the time conducting many surveys and they/we are marking almost all our stations in some fashion. Usually. Maybe they could be boundary markings or old ribbons marking some sort of trail. Also the logging industry may be doing some marking for future work.

[kingr]

If you want more information on the different color standards google "osha color standards" and "forestry color standards"

[sticknstring]

Future logging site. I've seen blue paint on trees for 2 years before the property was clear cut.

[Scott Stein]

Future logging site. I've seen blue paint on trees for 2 years before the property was clear cut.

yep ive also seen orange paint on trees and a yr or so later its clear cut

[Eng Ptr]

It sounds like Cass County Land. The orange paint is the boundary to a timber sale. The blue paint can be either trees to cut or trees to reserve. I used to work for them. Colors and their meaning can vary by what governmental agency it is. Their sales are usually a two year sale. Meaning the logger has two years to cut the sale under contract.

[Scott Stein]

you know ur stuff thats where i saw it by hackensack adjacent to our land

[tunrevir]

They use the blue hashmarks to show boundry lines and corners over in Wisc prior to doing selective cuts and or clearcuts. Maybe there is a forester in our FM ranks that can better explain the markings.

Tunrevir~

[BID2]

Unless they are put there by some timber company. They are survey markings. "Survey" as in a study, like a growth survey, or amount of carbon in an area etc. They are reference points put there for use while the study is happening. The forestry uses what ever color paint happens to be in the truck/garage when they leave. We use pink, orange, blue. There is a HUGE amount of research going on in the Chippewa National Forest.

[delta dude]

Area to be logged. orange tape and spray paint marks cut edge. Blue paint is used to mark cut ends or section markings

[Big Dave2]

It sounds like Cass County Land. The orange paint is the boundary to a timber sale. The blue paint can be either trees to cut or trees to reserve. I used to work for them. Colors and their meaning can vary by what governmental agency it is. Their sales are usually a two year sale. Meaning the logger has two years to cut the sale under contract.

It is Cass county. So you are saying that the county will sell timber off of land that they own? I hope that they do cut it. That area is way too thick, plus the loggers would probably fix up one of the roads that is really bad getting there.

[nitroant]

We hunt on St. Louis County land and they have logged many acres of it. I assume the sales money is used to fund the county. In our area blue an red are the most common along with ribbon of all colors. Some seem to be cut lines, others seem to be survey markers. It looks like they are about to log the 120 acres my dad and I have hunted almost by ourselves for 20 years.....looks like that will come to an end as I am sure they will cut in a huge haul road for all to use after that. Oh well, what can you do but be happy for the use of it over the last 20 years.