Balance and sustainability in multi-aged stands: a northern conifer case study

Abstract

Foresters in the Northeast are both blessed and cursed by the inherent complexity of the region's forests. Thousands of years may pass between natural stand-replacing disturbances, though partial disturbances, such as blowdown, defoliating insects, and various forms of partial cutting, are common (Seymour 1995). Foresters in the region typically deal with multiaged stands and often seek to maintain or enhance structural diversity through selection cuttings. Selection forestry is complicated and prone to misapplication, however, especially in the mixed-species stands that dominate this landscape.

Citation

Seymour, Robert S.; Kenefic, Laura S. 1998. Balance and sustainability in multi-aged stands: a northern conifer case study. Journal of Forestry. 96(7): 12-16.