Clear cutting is an important forest management practice that encourages growth of new valuable timber and keeps forest land healthy. Clear cutting has a bit of a reputation problem resulting from the forest management practices of timber barons from the 19^th century and earlier who did not replant or manage the land in the timbering process.  Now clear cutting is a tool for stewards of the land to keep forest lands healthy and enable future growth of the most valuable timber species through planned plantings.  Responsible stewards of the land learn the environmental and forest health benefits of clear cutting and this is often the best choice for many landowners.

Trees compete for light and nutrients in a forest stand.  If your trees are too close together their growth is slowed, and the land produces substantially less value over time as the trees become weaker.  Trees will start to die without sufficient light and mineral nutrients.  This puts the entire timber stand at risk from insects and wildfire.  Thinning your timber stand is important to remove sick trees, poorly formed trees and to optimize growth and health.  Thinning at the right time allows the owner to recoup value from trees that would otherwise be wasted and reduce the growth of healthy trees. Many landowners do not know that thinning can be a commercially profitable transaction if done at the right time. It also makes the pine stand more habitable for game animals and other wildlife.

Select cutting is about maximizing the current value of timber by harvesting the most valuable trees and leaving the remainder to grow. It can also help clear forest and make it more pleasant, though it tends to leave the less valuable trees for the future.  If a landowner wants to capture the economic value of their timber stand and still retain woodlands for recreation, aesthetic appeal, or timberland crops such as mushrooms and ginseng—then select cutting can be a good choice for timber owners.

Many commercial pine stand growers prefer to thin their pines before they get to the point of commercial viability for posts or other uses.  This practice maximizes growth potential and economic returns.  It can also cost less to thin pines earlier so there are mixed considerations to pre-commercial thinning.  If you are uncertain it may be best to get an expert assessment.  Our service providers can give you the information you need to make the best most responsible decisions for your land and trees.

Cruising is the process of measuring forest stands to determine stand characteristics, such as average tree sizes, volume, and timber quality. On a timber cruise species of trees and tree types will typically be divided into at least two grades by quality level with an estimate of useful tonnage for each grouping.  This lets the landowner verify the value of their trees against current publicly reported timber prices.