Surgical tornado

With Mother Nature spreading tree seeds everywhere, small areas in the woods can become very crowded.  In the first picture, one red oak was spotted in a packed bit of earth, a location that gets little sun.  Thinning can be a vital way to improve the forest by removing excess, less desirable species.  After the precision of a surgical tornado (thanks in this case to loppers and the bowsaw), the second picture was shot about 35 minutes later.  The oak, about eight feet tall, can barely be seen in either photo.  It started as a heck of an acorn to grow in a shaded, overgrown spot.  The tree leans a bit north for now.  Hopefully, light and warmth will make the tree stand straighter through the years.  Some additional thinning could be done in this area down the road.  Birches to the north and east of the photo (behind the photographer) will also benefit from today's thinning work.