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Tennessee Hunting Forums
Quality Deer Management
Clear cutting is good? whod've thought?
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<blockquote data-quote="BSK" data-source="post: 5326351" data-attributes="member: 17"><p>It's all about diversity. Studies exist that show the more the canopy of a forest is removed, the greater the diversity of plant species that grow back, with the highest diversity being for clear-cut areas (zero canopy remaining). This is also true of bird species using the area. The greatest diversity of songbird usage is in an early-stage regrowth clear-cut. Now that said, I wouldn't recommend all timber harvests being clear-cuts. I want to see diversity of timber harvest practices as well. I would use a mix of clear-cutting, heavy thinnings and moderate thinnings. The one timber harvest I don't like <em>for wildlife production</em> is light thinnings where only the most valuable trees are removed.</p><p></p><p>Another positive aspect of clear-cutting is that it lets Natural Selection work with timber regrowth. Because all saplings are starting from zero in the same year, only those with the genetic make-up to grow fast, tall and straight win the race to sunlight. This usually produces better quality timber at maturity.</p><p></p><p>Without question there are some real downsides to clear-cutting as well, and that is why those decisions need to be made on a site-specific basis.</p><p></p><p>In addition, there are ways to keep from having to constantly clear-cut more timber to get the same benefits from the earliest stages of regrowth (basically, the first 4-6 years). In essence, there are "restarting" techniques that can be used over and over again in the same area to restart the regrowth process instead of having to cut a new patch of timber.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="BSK, post: 5326351, member: 17"] It's all about diversity. Studies exist that show the more the canopy of a forest is removed, the greater the diversity of plant species that grow back, with the highest diversity being for clear-cut areas (zero canopy remaining). This is also true of bird species using the area. The greatest diversity of songbird usage is in an early-stage regrowth clear-cut. Now that said, I wouldn't recommend all timber harvests being clear-cuts. I want to see diversity of timber harvest practices as well. I would use a mix of clear-cutting, heavy thinnings and moderate thinnings. The one timber harvest I don't like [I]for wildlife production[/I] is light thinnings where only the most valuable trees are removed. Another positive aspect of clear-cutting is that it lets Natural Selection work with timber regrowth. Because all saplings are starting from zero in the same year, only those with the genetic make-up to grow fast, tall and straight win the race to sunlight. This usually produces better quality timber at maturity. Without question there are some real downsides to clear-cutting as well, and that is why those decisions need to be made on a site-specific basis. In addition, there are ways to keep from having to constantly clear-cut more timber to get the same benefits from the earliest stages of regrowth (basically, the first 4-6 years). In essence, there are "restarting" techniques that can be used over and over again in the same area to restart the regrowth process instead of having to cut a new patch of timber. [/QUOTE]
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Quality Deer Management
Clear cutting is good? whod've thought?
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