Sustainable Management - page 2

Commercial Low Grade Harvesting:  The first time through a forest we work to remove as much low grade, defective, deformed and undesirable timber as possible.  Pulpwood and sawbolts are the main products, though some sawlogs may also be cut.  All logging must be done very carefully to protect the residual trees from damage.  Often a forest will begin to regenerate with desirable trees species following this initial treatment.  We want to release good crop trees from competition of lesser value trees and create conditions for natural regeneration of desirable tree species in this harvest.

Every five to fifteen years (depending on site quality and stocking levels) we again harvest the poorer quality trees in the stand. It is important to cut less volume than the annual growth, so we will build up inventory towards our full stocking level.  We cut the low value trees and keep the better timber for future production and regeneration. Each time we mark timber, the average size and quality will increase. 

When selecting trees for cutting, first we mark the obvious dead, dying, damaged and defective trees.  Put a big bright circle all the way around them so you can see them from any angle.  Then we step back and look around, mentally erasing those marked trees from sight.  Next we mark stunted trees with poor crown development and trees of lesser value that will never make good crop trees.  Again paint them well, and then 'see' the forest without them. Finally, thin out potential crop trees that are too close together.  Use the Timbergreen Crop Tree Spacing Guide to help determine proper spacing.  The goal of each marking is to create the best stand of well spaced crop trees possible.

It is essential to keep the biggest and best quality  and most vigorous crop trees standing in the forest as we build up our stocking levels over the years.  Good crop trees should be grown to 24" to 36" diameter to reach their full value for the forest owner.  Gradually, more and more large trees are harvested if they begin to decline in value or are not expected to survive until the next harvest.

A variety of species and age groups is also important to the long term productivity of the forest.  It is important not to over harvest the more valuable species.  Management is based on maximizing the many returns from each individual tree.

Summary: Sustainable Forest Management involves building up the quality and quantity and diversity of your forest until you reach optimum stocking levels for each stand.  This is accomplished by systematically  and carefully removing the poorer trees from the forest, while nurturing the larger better quality trees for the future.  Harvesting must be less than annual growth, to build inventory.  Once full stocking is reached, harvesting should remove the annual growth on a regular basis.  A ten year cycle in each area is a good average.  Now the quality of timber cut will be quite high, though every harvest will start with the poorer trees first.  This fully stocked stand will provide all the multiple benefits of a healthy forest for generations to come. 
          example of Sustainable Forestry
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