As Cyrus says. Now black walnut and english walnut are easily distinguishable. Google for images of their leaves. English has a leaf similar to hickory, smooth edge with the peculiar shape that becomes slightly wider getting farther from the stem, whereas black has a leaf which is much smaller, serrated, and somewhat similar to very large hornbeam leaves. Hickory and english walnut both produce minimal amounts of juglone. One can grow anything nearby. Black produces copious amounts of the stuff, but even with a BW around you can grow a successful, if limited, garden. Greens: beet and chard. Roots: onion, garlic, beets, carrots, and parsnips. Fruits: all cucurbitae. Beans: beans and favas. These, plus most herbs, make it near a BW. It is not a bad selection, if you ask me. I have lost ostrich ferns and thyme planted near a BW, as well as a couple of ornamental shrubs (firebush, I think, and rhododendron). I have never dared try any of the sensitive vegetables (the most sensitive are reputed to be the solanaceae), although I had a volunteer tomato from compost last year, growing 30 ft from a 70 ft BW, and it grew fine, without the minimal sign of stress. Composted BW leaves, mixed in small amounts with other nontoxic leaves (oak and hickory), do not appear to cause harm. BW nuts are the best nut there is, but they are a real nuisance to crack and eat. Finally, IMHO plants die only when really on top of a BW root. one foot away and the plant may live.

Yes, esh_ga, I'm in the Netherlands, in a relatively cold inland area. It's a zone 6 on the map, but I think it's more 5-ish. Yes, I was concerned that the laurel hedge was allelopathic; I'd read conflicting reports on this. But certainly, I do see a lot of healthy trees growing next to laurel hedges, so perhaps I don't need to worry. Whatever I plant, it's going to look pretty puny for a few years next to that monster hedge. (Which I wouldn't get rid of for the world, what with the barn and all.)

Pteroceltis: Looks like you'll have plenty to look forward to for generations to come. I only have one general comment on something from your list above. "Quercus prinus and Quercus michauxii (Chestnut and Swamp Chestnut Oaks): Will flank part of an alley that runs along side a pumpkin patch. Will be interesting to have a side-by-side comparison of these uncommon (around here at least) very similar Oaks." Actually (other than leaf morphology) these are quite dissimilar trees. Quercus prinus, the Chestnut Oak, occurs naturally around here on xeric upland sites in association with Blackjack Oak, Scarlet Oak, and White Oak, has huge flattened ridged and furrowed bark more like a Red Oak group tree than like the White Oak group it is a member of. It has big long oblong acorns, with a relatively shallow cap. I have never seen much more than yellow to yellow-brown fall color on this species, though it is supposed to be able to produce some orange. Quercus michauxii, the Swamp Chestnut Oak, on the other hand occurs naturally here in bottomlands, swamps, and along sedentary streams in association with Sweetgum, Blackgum, Overcup Oak, and Pin Oak, and has the typical scaly flaking bark like White Oak and Swamp White Oak. The acorns are also large, but not as long relative to width, and the cap covers more of the seed. This tree often has nice red fall color, though not quite up there in fluorescence with Nyssa or Acer rubrum. None of this will matter when under the care of a patient plantsman. It may matter in siting them, if you are looking for longevity and for natural reproduction of the species. Have fun with your menagerie, and report often.

Another book you might enjoy is Reading the Forested Landscape, by Tom Wessels. I'd want to add Beeches and American Chestnuts just cause they're lovely. Such wonderful species you have. The warmer temps we've been having are hard on the Sugar Maples here. They are so graceful and magnificent in the fall with their color, and their sweet scent in the spring. They don't seem to annoy other trees and plants, growing hard by, but the roots are in a woodsy spot covered with leaf litter, not under a lawn where there's more of a struggle for resources. The Osage Orange used to be used as fence posts, as it takes them years to rot [15, I think]. People used to grub them out[dig ]to use. Black walnut can be a strong allergen, although I hear it's a handsome tree. The idea of leaving most of the woods to grow would give you a chance to observe which are pioneer species [like tulip trees]and which are coming into their own now. What do you mean by land management exactly? Do you mean as a woodlot, for firewood, for hardwoods, for furniture? Since it'll be another 50 or 75 years or more before the trees are good sized, you might as well grow it for enjoyment. It's most efficient in terms of growth, & production of oxygen, the way it is. Forests have been working out growing, competing for sun, pulling carbon atoms out of the air, making food, cooperating with bugs and animals, for millions of years. The pioneer species slow down, as the big guys crowd them out. You get to watch a miracle in progress. Don't be afraid to make your mark and influence things, but you don't have to. If you have shaggy edges, you might want to add some native ornamentals, by the road. One thing, sometimes, cutting back along an edge in a way that exposes quite tall skinny trunks, without the protection of buffer trees of an intermediate height, can expose them to wind damage. Good luck !