How do I indentify trees for thinning?

[J Beyer]

Just a few simple questions about thinning plantation planted pines, just want to be sure of what I know.  Almost all pines are red pine, with some white pine scattered about.

First one is "How do I identify a tree that is growing slower than the rest?"  All of the pines were planted at the same time.  The trees along the fire lanes are about 1-2" bigger than the ones towards the center of the woods.

Two:  "Would a good candidate for thinning be a tree that is 1-1.5" smaller than the average "big" tree (average big tree is 14" at chest height, the rest average either 12 or 13)".

Three:  Best time for Red Pine harvest is early fall through early winter, right?  The trees are planted in about 80-100acres.  Harvesting can be done anytime in the winter, provided the snow is not too deep to walk through.

[Tillaway]

1.  Select the trees that show disease or insect infestation first.  Then take the trees that have some sort of mechanical damage (broken tops, dead tops, scars, animal damage etc). Then space the rest to achieve your ideal basal area per acre (determined by site index, species) taking the weakest crowns first regardless of diameter. Leave healthy, vigorous dominant and co-dominant trees.  Ideally your leave trees should have about a 50% crown ration ( 100' tree will have 50' of live crown all the way around starting at the tip top going down).  This crown ratio may not be applicable in some stands, I have worked in stands that are very healthy but the average tree had only 30% CR and were growing well.

2. Not always see above, sometimes at least in Oregon a slower radial growth is preferred because there is a price increase for higher ring counts.  This will depend on your local market.  The fat open grown trees (like possibly the ones along your fire lanes) are often worth less out here, in fact too open grown (wolf trees) are nearly culls.

3. Harvest when the bark is tight.  During the growing season when the bark is lose is the worst because if you rub a tree during harvest the bark will pull off in sheets seriously damaging your crop trees.  Late summer, fall and all winter are best.  Sun scald can be a problem in the summer if you open them up too much.  Not to worry, it will heal and not effect your trees too much.

[Bro. Noble]

Jeff,

We have a yellow pine plantation that was planted in 1958 at about 1000 trees per acre with about 80% survival.  They weren't thinned soon enough and are stunted as a result.  Probably only 20% crown on some----- not enough photosynthesis taking place.  They are coming out of it after a moderate thinning about 5 years ago but would have made much more total growth with an earlier thining.

In addition to what Tillaway said, I would go ahead and use anything that is overtopped and a lot smaller than the average tree because they will likely die from crowding. (Tillaway said this in different words)  Also you would take out trees that are forked and crooked along with the ones with mechanical damage if your long term goal is sawtimber.

Using base is the correct way to figure spacing.  There are other methods that are easier to use in uneven stands.  The one I like to use is to look up.  If crowns are touching all around, the trees are competing with each other.  If you see a lot of sky between trees,  you are losing potential photosynthesis and the trees may not achieve as much natural pruning and form.  Thats just a rough guide that the layman can use.

Noble

[J Beyer]

Thanks for the info.

Tillaway provided exactly what I was looking for, and Noble added to it.  It's great to have such knowledgeable forum members here.  The best way that I  can think of to pay you guys back is to pass on the info to others, and put into practice what you have given me.

JB