FAQ

What is Silviculture?

Silviculture refers to the art and science of tree cultivation; more specifically growing trees for timber and wildlife. Silviculture includes a wide variety of management practices used by foresters and land managers to achieve their objectives.

Why conduct Timber Harvest?

Timber harvest is a critical component for management of working forests. During timber harvest, trees are cut and transported to various sawmills to be turned into a variety of products including, paper, packing materials, dimensional lumber, and veneer.

What is a Stand?

A stand refers to an area of forestland with similar history, species composition, and age, that is managed as a single unit.

What is a Forest Rotation?

Forest rotation refers to the time beginning with stand establishment and ending with the final harvest moving into the next stand establishment. Forest rotation length can vary depending on dominant species, site quality, management intensity, and objectives for the Tract.

What is a Clearcut?

A clearcut is a silvicultural method for forest regeneration where all trees are harvested to begin a new rotation. This regeneration method is typically used for the establishment of pine forests because pine trees are not tolerant to shade and will compete for sunlight creating a tall straight stand.

What is a Seed Tree Cut?

A seed tree cut is a silvicultural method for forest regeneration used for shade intolerant trees. This method utilizes some of the trees from the previous rotation as a seed source. The “seed trees” left behind during harvest are selected by species, spacing, and seed production potential. Once the other trees have been harvested, these trees will be left for 1 to 3 years or until the next stand has been established. The quantity of seed trees per acre is enough to cover the entire tract with seed but spaced far enough apart to establish the shade intolerant species.

What is a Shelter Wood Cut?

A shelter wood cut is a silvicultural regeneration method similar to a seed tree cut. The primary difference between these methods is the quantity of trees retained for seed production. A shelter wood cut leaves more trees per acre to create a more shaded and sheltered environment. This method is usually implemented in hardwood forest regeneration because they have heavy seeds that don’t travel as far and are generally shade tolerant.

Why Conduct a Thinning?

Thinning refers to harvesting a portion of the trees in a stand to reduce competition for resources between remaining trees. Thinning increases future growth, improves forest health, and also provides an income for the landowner.

What is Geometric Thinning?

Geometric thinning is a systematical method of thinning where the trees removed are determined by their location, rather than their individual attributes or spacing. For example, a first thinning on a pine plantation may be a 3rdrow geometric thinning, where every third row of trees is removed. Geometric thinnings are mostly used on plantations and first thinnings.

What is Selective Thinning?

Selective thinning refers to a forester choosing each individual tree to be removed during a thinning operation. This is often implemented during a second or third thinning, where individual tree quality is more important. Thinnings often consist of a geometric thinning plus selective thinning.

What is Crown Thinning?

Crown thinning refers to a thinning method where the forester’s decisions are guided by the crown spacing of trees. Trees are harvested to allow additional space for the crowns of the remaining trees to grow into. This method of thinning typically also removes overtopped trees in the midstory.

What is Timber Marking?

Timber marking refers to the identification and marking of trees to be harvested. Timber marking is most often implemented for a second or third thinning of a stand. During these types of harvests, selecting the correct trees and correct number of trees is critical in achieving a positive result. Marking allows foresters to identify trees for harvest based on, diameter, height, dominance, spacing to other trees, damage, disease, crown spacing, and more.

Why do you I need a Timber Inventory?

An important step toward effective timber management is often a timber inventory, also known as a timber assessment or timber cruise. Foresters collect tree data at sample points or plots to estimate current timber value, health, stocking, age, and future potential of the stand. This data allows foresters and landowners to make the best decisions for their forest management.

What is Stem Exclusion?

Stem exclusion is the natural process through which a forest will thin itself. As trees become larger and competition for resources increases, weaker trees will begin to die off. In forestry, stem exclusion is usually replaced with thinning. Foresters prefer thinning which allows more control over species composition, is more likely to prevent disease, and will prevent lost income.

Why should I Conduct Site Preparation?

A site must be properly prepared prior to planting trees to maximize seedling survival and growth rate. A Forester’s site preparation recommendations must be carefully matched to conditions, based on previous harvest, amount of woody debris present, species composition before harvest, species to be planted, and other factors.

Why use Herbicides?

Herbicide application is a common management practice used to control undesirable weeds. Herbicides are often used on a broader scale during site preparation and a smaller, more targeted scale when controlling individual invasive plants. Matching the right application method and herbicide are critical to achieve a successful herbicide treatment.

What is Shearing?

Shearing is a mechanical site preparation method that uses bulldozers to push down and sever remaining shrubs and non-merchantable trees at ground-level after timber harvest. This reduces competition from undesirable species and allows for better planting.

What is Raking?

Raking is a mechanical site preparation method that equips dozers to “rake” woody debris into piles. This is most commonly implemented on sites with large quantities of woody debris. Often these piles are later burned.

What is Forestry Mulching?

Forestry mulching grinds woody debris, shrubs, and small trees into wood chips using a spinning drum mounted on a skidsteer or skidder. This method is very effective for quickly improving aesthetics and reclaiming areas previously taken over by invasive vegetation.

Why use Prescribed Fire?

Prescribed fire is a useful tool for forest management and grassland management. In a forest management application, fire can be used mid-rotation to reduce understory density, improve aesthetics, and create a more wildlife friendly forest. During site preparation, fire is often used to reduce woody debris to improve aesthetics and facilitate planting. In grassland management, prescribed fire is used periodically to reset succession and control undesirable species.

What is an SMZ?

Streamside Management Zones are vegetative buffers surrounding streams. These areas are usually managed differently than the rest of the stand to ensure there is continuous woody cover to create soil stability within the SMZ.

What is an AMZ?

Aesthetic management zones are buffers along roadsides or other visible locations managed specifically to ensure forest stands remain aesthetically pleasing throughout timber operations.

What are BMPs?

Best Management Practices are guidelines provided by the Texas A&M Forest Services that are implemented by foresters and landowners on a voluntary basis. BMPs focus of long-term sustainability, forest health, and soil conservation.

What is Stumpage Value?

Stumpage value is the price a timber buyer pays for the right to harvest trees “on the stump”. Stumpage value is usually determined by weight in tons, species, and product class.

Frequently Asked Forestry Questions