The goal of the "Full-Vigor" management system is to produce vigorous stands of high quality trees that fully utilize the available resources at each spot in the forest.   The quality & quantity of wood produced and the natural diversity of the trees in the forest will  be constantly improved.  Individual trees will normally be grown as long as they are sound and vigorous.  Natural regeneration, succession, and disturbance will be anticipated and incorporated into management systems. 

Trees are managed by looking at each individual - "on the spot" where they live - and working to maximize the many benefits available from that tree.  As individual trees are managed in relation with their neighbors, gradually the whole forest is treated for exactly what is most beneficial to the owner and the future of the forest. 

Trees growing vigorously are desirable for many reasons including;  timber production, forest health, and forest owner involvement.  Diameter growth should be maintained at 1/4" to 1/2" per year on most important trees.  Tree quality, diameter growth, crown characteristics, and stem spacing are important factors in management decisions. 
The 1/3, 1/3 Principle and The FVM Spacing Guide are useful tools in the field.

An average woodlot can produce a harvest every year, creating a regular income.  Harvests will be carried out in convenient management units called "working areas".  Harvesting will normally start by removing the "worst first".  A gradual harvest beginning with worst first allows us to learn about each area of the forest by "Reading the Stumps".  Knowing the history of each area, monitoring growth rates, and noticing patterns in defects, helps to make future oreinted decisions to keep the important trees healthy and vigorous.  ".  On good growing sites, thinning in a specific working area should take place every 1-5 years.  A 5-10 year harvest cycle will be used for lower quality sites. 

Minimum-impact logging creates a very small disturbance with an immediate return to full production.  The prefered method of harvesting will be a short skid to a trail using a horse team or cable system, then pre-hauling to the road.  Harvesting is accomplished with the precision of "Arthroscopic surgery". 

The "Full - Vigor"  forest produces optimum income for the owner while providing other high quality benefits - including wildlife habitat, clean water, aesthetics and recreation.

Nearly all forests in the region have been degraded by short-sighted management. 
The Restoration Havest System is the first step in rebuilding a degraded forest.  It may the  take decades utilizing the Improvement Harvest System to return a high-graded woodlot to full production.  Once a forest reaches full stocking of high quality trees, a Maintenance Harvest System will be adopted for long-term management.

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