Champion Legacy Resources

What types of harvests can you conduct and which one should I use?

There are three types of harvest we can conduct for you: clearcut, selective, or thinning harvests. The harvest type(s) you select depend on your objectives and the health of your timber stand. Using the right harvest type can increase the health of the stand, add value to your property and maximize income. 

Clearcut harvesting – All merchantable trees are harvested over a defined area at one time. This works best with mature or low- quality timber stands. Seedlings (planted or natural) are exposed to direct sunlight, which allows for rapid regeneration as some tree species grow best under full sunlight. This is a good harvest type if you want to plant improved Southern pine seedlings or naturally regenerate hardwood species like oak, cherry and poplar. This cut generates the highest one-time income.

Selective harvesting (also known as single-tree selection) – Select trees in a forest stand are harvested based on some economic or other criteria agreed with the harvester. Individual trees are marked and removed. This is a good method to use for natural regeneration of hardwood forests. This harvest type reduces tree competition and removes poor quality trees, leaving the best trees to thrive. This harvest type is best for high-quality hardwood and pine stands. It is visually more attractive than a clearcut harvest. The downside is that more frequent manual harvesting generally results in an uneven-aged stand and can substantially reduce income since fewer trees are removed and removal costs are higher.

Thinning – Removes smaller, less desirable, lower quality trees in order to provide a better  opportunity for remaining timber to thrive. Thinning reduces competition between trees, can improve forest health, and enhances wildlife habitat. Timber stands are generally more aesthetically pleasing after a thinning harvest. This harvest method may also improve access to a site and reduce the risk of a forest fire. Thinning provides some income at an early age, and increases timber value for a future harvest.

Selective harvesting (also known as single-tree selection) – Select trees in a forest stand are harvested based on some economic or other criteria agreed with the harvester. Individual trees are marked and removed. This is a good method to use for natural regeneration of hardwood forests. This harvest type reduces tree competition and removes poor quality trees, leaving the best trees to thrive. This harvest type is best for high-quality hardwood and pine stands. It is visually more attractive than a clearcut harvest. The downside is that more frequent manual harvesting generally results in an uneven-aged stand and can substantially reduce income since fewer trees are removed and removal costs are higher.

Q. How will my land change as a result of harvesting timber?

It depends on which harvesting method you choose. A certain degree of aesthetic change should be expected.

Champion Legacy Resources would like to discuss your timber stand options with you.