Advantages to leaving trees in place after cutting down?

Hello. New poster here.

I recently purchased a remote 4 acre plot of lake front taiga in the Nancy Lakes area of Alaska.  

I would like to understand through the principles of permaculture how cutting down the dead spindly spruce trees will affect things.  I would like to leave there trees felled in place. Both to save my own effort and to encourage biodiversity (perhaps morebeavers and varmints to hunt?).  Removing these trees is a must as I am concerned for the fire load on this property and these trees have died in place from spruce bark beetles.  I can post pictures from winter if that is helpful.  

Most generally, what does the permaculture community have to say about leaving trees on the ground after cutting them down?

Hi Hans, welcome!

I'm sure there are dozens of answers for you so here's mine.  What is the highest use for the wood in your permaculture system?

If the spruce can be used for building materials or to offset consumption of fossil fuels (heat), I'd tend to do that.

Next I'd wonder about things like using the wood for simpler heat options (birch syrup anyone?) or simple building projects (raised beds, junkpole fences, etc)

Next I'd wonder about using them for hugelkultur or biochar so that their carbon can return to the soil in a spot you want it.

Next I'd probably leave them where they fall.  I might think about ways to fell them so they work together to achieve some purpose (balance beam to keep your feet dry as you walk out there in the spring?).  But regardless, nature will use them wherever you drop them.

If you can drop the trees on contour they will been down and help capture run off, approximating terraces which help slow, spread, and sink water into the soil which is a key tenet of permaculture.

Thank you both.  The concept of a hugelkultur (new to me) or creating some minor dams or terraces in place with the natural slope are the kind of concepts I was hoping to find.

Fuel and building materials are also possible which I am considering.  These trees are very thin though and wood for fuel is available nearby for harvesting with a permit.