Applying silvics to stand management

Abstract

Three guiding concepts are proposed: (1) Any silvicultural decision affects all future silvicultural decisions. Failure to appreciate that management actions influence basic physical and biological processes of the site and thereby tree and stand growth in complex and longlasting ways can result in costly errors that may be difficult or impossible to correct. (2) Bringing a growth-limiting factor closer to its optimum level will increase production. Applying a knowledge of silvics to the concept of limiting factors can enable the silviculturist to diagnose and often correct site and stand conditions that prevent attainment of potential growth. (3) Silvicultural requirements change with stand development. Five distinct stages of develop­ment can be recognized in even-aged stands: regeneration/establish­ment, precompetition, competition/premortality, competition/self­thinning, and post competition. At each stage there are needs and opportunities for silvicultural intervention to maintain or improve growth. Taken together, these concepts provide a basis for develop­ing biologically and economically sound silvicultural prescriptions.

Citation

Harms, Williams R. 1984. Applying silvics to stand management. Charleston, SC. In: Proceedings Symposium on the loblolly pine ecosystem. 1984. March 20-22. Jackson, MS.