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Abstract
In preparation for intensive logging mechanization and for the subsequent silvicultural treatments of clearcut areas the Woodland Division of Georgia-Pacific Corporation started a pre-commercial thinning trials in young softwood and mixed wood stands during the spring and early summer of 1970. Pre-commercial thinnings were intended to be a backbone of a large scale silvicultural system which relied upon natural regeneration of clearcut areas and early thinning of subsequent pre-merchantable stands. It was hoped that through this cycle of treatments the average diameter growth occurring on individual stems could be more than doubled in comparison to natural stands. It was also automatically assumed that the treatments would make considerable shorter rotations possible. Only a few years later when the techniques of growing viable seedlings in containers had been fully tested and proven, it came obvious that even further reductions in length of rotations were possible for a private landowner who was willing to risk a modest investment on productive greenhouse facilities. As a result of these observations the Woodland Division of this corporation initiated in the spring of 1974 a comprehensive program on intensive silvicultural practices which consisted of raising container-type planting stock in large numbers and hand planting it on clearcut sites which in turn had been prepared for planting by heavy mechanized crushing and rolling equipment. It is expected that pulpwood rotations of twenty-five to thirty years and sawlog rotations of forty-five years are possible within the scope of this approach.
Parent Publication
Citation
Selin, L. Oscar. 1977. Field experiences in pre-commercial thinning, planting and container growing of northern softwoods. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-29. Upper Darby, PA: U. S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 179-184
