With the absence of periodic fires, that occurred during pre-settlement of this region, maintaining a healthy forest now requires active management through occasional timber harvests. Scheidegger County Forest is managed primarily as an oak/hickory forest community with a goal of maintaining species and age diversity. The forest was thinned in 2009. Poor quality and high-risk trees were removed and all of the aspen, elm, red maple, black locust and cottonwood trees were harvested as well. Areas where black locust were dominant were cleared and planted with a mix of black walnut, red oak, white oak, black cherry, and shagbark hickory. Groves of aspen were harvested for pulp and large black walnut trees were removed to create canopy gaps that will allow greater sunlight penetration and help establish a diverse, native forest community. High-quality oak and hickory trees were left for future parent trees, which will also aid in the natural regeneration of the forest. The forest will continue to be monitored to determine whether it should be thinned again.