Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Terminology
Tony D’Amato
Module 3: Certificate Course in Ecosystem
Silviculture
May 2011
Silvicultural Systems
– Planned program of treatments over the
entire life of the stand
– Includes regeneration treatments, tending
operations, intermediate treatments, and
protection measures
Silvicultural Systems
• Regeneration method
– Procedure by which the stand is established and
renewed
– Silvicultural systems are named after the
regeneration method (e.g., shelterwood system)
R T
Extended Transition-stage 35-115 years
• Determine
R outcomes of
treatments for
Old-Growth-stage >115 years maintaining species
T
and structures
M=maintenance harvest
T=transition harvest
R=regeneration harvest
M
Regeneration Methods
Classification of Regeneration Methods
• Based on two factors:
1. Distinction between sprouts (i.e., suckers,
stump sprouts) and seedlings (from seed) as
sources of regeneration (Low- vs. High-
forest methods)
Classification of Regeneration Methods
• Based on two factors (cont.):
2. The arrangement of cuttings in time (Even-
vs. Uneven-Aged Methods)
Low-Forest Methods
• Rely largely on vegetative regeneration from
stump sprouts, root suckers, or layered
branches
– Coppice method – any type of cutting in which
dependence is placed mainly on vegetative
reproduction
High-Forest Methods
• Regeneration of stands based on sexual
reproduction (germinated seed)
– Even-aged methods - entire community of mature
trees is removed in one or more cuttings over a
short interval of time to allocate growing space to a
new, even-aged cohort
Even-Aged, High-Forest Methods
• Clearcutting Method
– Removal of the entire stand in one cutting
– Regeneration occurs following harvest, either
through artificial means (seeding, planting) or seeds
germinating after harvest
Even-Aged, High-Forest Methods
• Seed-Tree Method
– Removal of the old stand in one cutting, except for a
small number of seed trees left singly or in small
groups
– Seed trees provide for establishment of advance
regeneration
Even-Aged, High-Forest Methods
• Shelterwood Method
– Removal of old stand in a series of cuttings
extending over a relatively short portion of the
rotation
– Encourages the establishment of one cohort of
advance regeneration under the partial shelter of
seed trees
Two-Aged, High Forest Methods
• Most of the mature forest is removed, but
widely spaced vigorous trees are left to
grow above the new cohort
Group shelterwood
components (small gaps)
Baden Femelschlag
thinned
matrix
gap
Final Point
• Silvicultural systems are an expression of
your collective creativity in meeting a desired
future condition
– Well-defined approaches exist; however, these
methods should be applied with flexibility and
creativity to meet ever-evolving objectives