Northern Hardwood Timber Stand Improvement

Depending on the type of trees in the forest, there are a number of different recommended harvest prescriptions.

Before Harvest:

Northern Hardwood Select Cut is the recommended harvest method when a forest is a mix of hardwoods, more specifically Maples, Oak, Ash, Birch, Elm and Hickory.

After Harvest:

If the forest is overstocked and little sunlight is penetrating the canopy, the idea is to selectively harvest trees in order to create small canopy gaps. This stimulates seedling growth and improves the vigor of the residual trees. The trees to be cut should be marked by a Forester. The trees to be marked should be those that are over-mature, poorly formed, over-topped, diseased or storm damaged.