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Shelterwood cuts will be used on the project as a type of improvement and to achieve advanced seedling densities. The idea behind the shelterwood cut is to remove 40-50 percent of the forest canopy to allow more sunlight to the remaining trees which increases growth and also to allow sunlight to reach the forest floor to promote seedling germination and growth. This measure will also be made marketable by selling the pulpwood and the lower quality saw logs. These systems will result in stands where all the trees are about the same age. They all became established at the same time, and will mature together. As the trees develop, they may be thinned to provide the remaining trees with more sunlight and nutrients. When the stand is mature, it will be regenerated by any one of several methods. Using the shelterwood method, generally one-third to one-half of the mature trees are removed. This lightens the understory, but leaves a reserve of tall trees to serve as a source of seed and to partially shade the ground. A second cutting will remove all of the mature trees as soon as the regeneration reaches 5-10 feet tall. That leaves the new age class free to grow. The proportion of tall trees removed at the first cutting and the timing of the removal of the remaining mature trees can favor the regeneration of shade-tolerant or intolerant species. As an alternative, some of the widely spaced mature trees can be left to grow well into the future. Because of the wide spacing, these trees will not interfere with the younger trees. Choice of an appropriate method for regenerating a mature stand where all of the trees have similar ages depends upon many factors. It requires careful planning to insure success in fulfilling all of your goals. |
