If it were my property I’d be thinning them out some so they would grow.
I used to work for Hardwoods of Michigan in Clinton. I saw some beautiful and high dollar lumber come through there. I have a 2x10 plank of white maple that I laid on the ground over a small creek in my yard. Its been there better than 15 years now and is still rock solid.
Not yet Creek, not yet. Unless they would want to mark it and sell some for firewood. For commercial thinning its still a tad small. Ten more years. Then comes the question if there is a good market for pulpwood/firewood down there. My guess is that it would yield about 10 cords per acre in ten years in a proper thinning. Then, after the thinning, the wooden nickles will grow fast.