
Silvicultural Techniques Silviculture “use of sustainable management practices to establish or guide the development of forest stands in order to fulfill natural resource objectives”
Silvicultural Techniques • Differ by: • Even aged vs. Uneven aged • Occur at time of establishment as well throughout a stand’s existence
Silvicultural techniques • There is only so much “tree” one can grow on a site • Manage the site to grow the trees that meet landowner objectives
Establishment – Even Aged • Natural regeneration: seeding by existing trees • Artificial regeneration: applying seeds or planting seedlings
Even Aged Natural Regeneration • Seed Tree Method • Harvest a mature stand except for a few, specifically chosen trees, per acre • Over the coming years, seeds from those trees will regenerate the stand • Go back and harvest the seed trees 5-8 years later.
Even Aged Natural Regeneration • Shelterwood Method • Harvest a mature stand leaving a “fair number” of trees per acre • Over the coming years, shade tolerant species will populate the understory • Go back and harvest the shelterwood trees once the shade tolerant species are established
Even Aged Natural Regeneration • Coppice • Some species sprout vigorously from roots (aspens) or stumps (oaks and maples)
Even Aged Natural Regeneration Advantage: low cost Disadvantage: relying on nature for seeds/sprouts might get too many or too few
Even Aged Artificial Regeneration • Planting • Use clearcuts to remove existing stand • Seedlings grown for a couple of years in a nursery before planting (typically in Spring) • Does require some site preparation work before planting a site
Certification and Clearcuts • Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) http://www.aboutsfi.org/
Certification and Clearcuts • Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) http://www.fscus.org/
Patch Clearcut • Natural or Artificial Regeneration • Open up small areas in existing stands
Establishment – Even Aged • Planting • Advantages: stand establishment more reliable tends to lead to prompt reforestation Better control of species composition Better control of spacing between trees Use of genetically improved seedlings possible
Establishment – Even Aged • Planting • Disadvantage:
Establishment – Uneven Aged • Generally occurs on its own • Managers should ensure the desired species establish and grow