Silvicultural Treatments
Following the development of a forest management plan, our specialized staff can continue to assist landowners in attaining their silvicultural objectives.
Commercial Thinning
Commercial Thinning consists of removing between 20% and 40% of a stand's basal area in order to favour the development of remaining stems. This treatment is used in even-aged stands that have not yet reached maturity.
The trees selected for removal are generally of low quality, display signs of short to medium term mortality, or are less desirable species.
In plantations, the trees selected for removal are the smallest diameter stems. When they are similar in size, selection will be based on well distributing the remaining stems.
Before treatment, the stand will be tree marked by a skilled forestry technician to identify the trees for removal.
The goal of this treatment is to increase the growth in diameter for stems of a desired species who show a potential for lumber production. The rotation, the period between commercial thinnings, is between 10 to 15 years for natural stands, and 8 to 12 years for plantations. In theory, at the end of the rotation, stand growth is equivalent to the initial harvest. However, several favourable conditions must be converge to allow for this; a productive site, a low intervention intensity, and a young stand.
