ENVIROFOR, LLC.

BILLY H. NEWMAN, CF, M.B.A.

GENERALLY, OUR EASTERN HARDWOOD FORESTS ARE RELATIVELY EVEN – AGED. THIS MEANS THAT THE YOUNGEST TREES OF POLE SIZE AND LARGER IN A FOREST STAND ARE WITHIN A FEW YEARS IN AGE OF THE DOMINATE, OLDEST TREES IN THE SAME STAND. THROUGHOUT MANY OF OUR EASTERN HARDWOOD FORESTS, NON-SCIENTIFIC HARVESTING PRACTICES OVER THE YEARS HAS DEVELOPED MULTI-AGED STANDS THAT SUFFER POOR FOREST HEALTH.

HARDWOOD TIMBERSTAND IMPROVEMENT (TSI) IS A SILVICULTURAL PRESCRIPTION THAT IS DESIGNED TO REMOVE THE POOREST TREES IN A FOREST STAND AGED 35-65 YEARS. CORRECTLY IMPLEMENTED, THIS PROCEDURE ALLOWS ROOM FOR THE BETTER TREES TO FULLY GROW AND DEVELOP WITHOUT HIGH-GRADING THE STAND.

ALTHOUGH AN AGE OLD TIMBER PURCHASING AND HARVESTING TECHNIQUE, HIGH-GRADING IS NOT A FOREST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE. IT HAS BEEN TERMED “TIMBER MINING” WHICH RELATES TO REMOVING THE BEST TREES WHILE ALLOWING THE POOREST TO MAKE UP THE RESIDUAL AND THEREFORE, FUTURE FOREST STANDS. BY REMOVING THE BEST PHYSICAL AND GENETIC COMPETITORS, PERIODIC HIGH-GRADING WILL ALMOST ALWAYS DEGRADE AN EASTERN HARDWOOD TIMBERSTAND. TERMS SUCH AS “SELECTIVE HARVEST”, OR HARVESTING TREES ONLY ABOVE A CERTAIN DIAMETER ARE EXAMPLES OF HIGH-GRADING PRACTICES.

THE ACCOMPANYING POWERPOINT PRESENTATION PROVIDES PICTORiAL EXAMPLES OF SILVICULTURAL HARDWOOD TIMBERSTAND IMPROVEMENT HARVESTS. OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO THE VIEWER IS THE REMOVAL OF MUCH OF THE RESIDUAL, HARVESTING DEBRIS FROM THE UNDERSTORY OF THESE TWO TRACTS. ALSO NOTE THAT LARGER TREES HAVE BEEN FAVORED TO THE COMPRISE THE FUTURE FOREST STAND.

CONTACT ENVIROFOR, LLC. IF THIS IS THE TYPE OF FOREST MANAGEMENT WOULD YOU WOULD LIKE TO APPLY TO YOUR FOREST!
ENJOY!!