When growing oaks for timber production on good sites, plant northern red oak. You also can plant a mixture of desirable hardwoods, such as oak, walnut, and ash, that are adapted to the site. To improve the wildlife or aesthetic value of poor, dry sites, plant white, black, or bur oak. Fields can be planted with a mixture of pine and oak. Pines will shade the ground, providing early weed control, and they'll grow to marketable size sooner than the oaks.