TIMBER MANAGEMENT
Timber Management
There are multiple types of timber harvests available and we will help guide you through the harvest process with knowing your timber value, finding a logger, managing the sale, and prescribing the type of harvest that best suites your goals. We work for you!
Timber Harvesting Systems
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Whole tree or full tree- In this system the entire tree- including the stem, limbs, and top – is brought to the landing with a skidder. This system removes the most amount of material from the woods. This system also manages moving the tops and limbs to the landing for processing, burning, or firewood production. However, since the entire tree is being removed from the woods other standing residual trees may be damaged in the process.
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Tree Length- In this system, trees are felled and the top and limbs are removed before the trees are brought to the landing. By leaving the tops and limbs in the woods there is more of a mess, but it retains more nutrients and there is more available forage and cover for wildlife.
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Cut to length- In this system the tree is felled, the top and limbs are removed, and the tree is cut into individual products (pulpwood or sawtimber) right there in the woods. The slash (limbs and tops) are packed down by equipment to reduce soil compaction and the mess.
Types of Timber Harvests
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Clearcutting- This harvest involves harvesting all the trees in a stand regardless of their species or marketability. Clearcutting simulates regeneration conditions after a large windstorm, fire, or other disturbance.
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Seed Tree or Selective Harvest- This harvest leaves mature trees of desirable species (such as oaks) scattered throughout a harvested stand at pockets close enough to throw seeds to the entire cut area. This thinning allows more sunlight to penetrate to the forest floor which will increase wildlife forage and habitat.
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Shelterwood- This harvest involves making two or three cuts in a stand to stimulate advance regeneration before a final clear cut. In a three-cut system, the first is a heavy thinning that removes undesirable species and poorly formed trees while leaving the best trees with plenty of growing space to expand their crowns, grow aggressively, and produce more seed (acorns). The second cut is a thinning made when there is good seed crop. It leaves around 50-70 percent crown cover, but allows enough sunlight to reach the forest floor that seeds new desired trees species to germinate and survive, but keeps undesired species from taking over. The final cut is made 3-10 years after the previous cut when the desirable tree regeneration is well established.
How are the trees cut?
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A single chainsaw felling trees with a skidder, slasher is at the landing.
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Feller-buncher and skidder or forwarder, slasher is at the landing.
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Processor with a skidder or knuckle-boom loader.
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Whole tree chipper and chip van.
Processor thinning a Red Pine stand
Let's Work Together
Fill out the contact form if interested in a timber harvest!