Forest Harvesting

For people to have products that are made from wood trees must be cut. Today, the harvesting of trees has become controversial to some people The good news is that trees are renewable. Foresters have studied for years to learn the best ways to harvest trees and plan for their renewal.

While to some people it may appear that timber harvesting destroys the forest, from a forestry standpoint, different harvest techniques are methods of renewing the forest. Depending on the type of tree species involved, harvesting methods are chosen to maximize the conditions that will favor the next forest generation. Clearcutting, which is the cutting of all trees on an area, is a method to open the forest for new sun-loving trees to grow. The Shelterwood harvest method leaves enough mature trees to “shelter” the new forest that grows from the seed of the “shelterers”.

Explore the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, timber harvesting methods, and Best Management Practices by following the links below.

Web Links:

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative

Learn About Silviculture - Search for “Silviculture”

Woodlot Harvesting Methods

Woodland Owner’s Guide to Oak Management

Forest Resources

Sustainable Forestry: A Guide for Virginia Forest Landowners