Shelterwood

Shelterwood

• Regeneration cut

• Modify environment of regen

• Provide seed source

Even-age regeneration

• Length of regeneration time varies by circumstance

Process

• Create available growing space for regen– Removal of part of the overstory

• Remove remaining overstory before growth of regen is overly inhibited

Stages

• Prep cut(s)

• Final removal

Difference from Thinning

• Purpose is regeneration

• Main objective is not future growth of residual stand– Can be secondary objective

Usually for natural regeneration

• Can be supplemented with planting

– Species– More uniform stocking

Classic 3-cut Shelterwood

Money Upfront

Irregular shelterwood

Strip shelterwood

One cut shelterwood

Framework

• Age structure

• Species composition

• Disturbance regime

Yield

• Growth of regen

• Growth of remaining overstory

Possibility of carrying some trees into next rotation

• Not part of “shelterwood” per se

• A variation worth considering

• Turns a single cohort stand into a two cohort stand

Veg Management

• Difficult

• Major problem if competition is more shade tolerant than the desired species

Logging equipment

• Almost anything can be used

• Cable on steep slopes can be difficult

Cost

• Can be lowest cost

• Two or more harvests– Increased growth of overstory– Regen can be cheap

Aesthetically desirable

• Continuous green cover