Logging and the Environment

Unfortunately widespread tropical rainforest deforestation has tainted the views of many regarding the utilization of N. American hardwood lumber. The truth is, properly managed stands of hardwood lumber can generate high value harvests for a land owner while providing wildlife habitat and increasing the rate of regeneration and carbon-sequestering capacity of the forest.

The key to balancing the financial return from timber with the ecological health of the property lies in harvesting high-value, mature trees only.

Harvesting High-Value Timber

It is commonly the case with a forest that 80% of the value lies in 20% or fewer of the trees. So it makes no sense to harvest trees before they are mature and at their highest value as timber. Our logging crews employ direction felling to minimize damage to residual trees as well as practices to prevent soil erosion in the woods after the timber harvest is completed.

A tree’s capacity to sequester carbon peaks around the same time that as its timber value. As a tree moves beyond maturity, its ability to sequester carbon steadily declines. Further, a tree’s canopy grows larger and larger, limiting the availability of sun light to smaller trees below. Removing mature trees from a stand of timber encourages new growth and forest vitality.

Once these trees are sawed into lumber and used in furniture, flooring or cabinets, this carbon is essentially permanently sequestered in whatever objects the lumber is used to make.

Following the harvest of mature timber, increased access to sunlight provokes pole trees to rapidly add diameter and therefore volume—the board footage contained in any given tree grows exponentially with the trees diameter.

Removing mature trees keeps the forest stocked with timber of varying ages, which is essential to maintaining a healthy cycle of forest growth and timber harvest.

As timber ripens, so to speak, the canopy becomes very dense due to the percentage of mature trees. This causes smaller, residual trees to grow tall as they reach towards sunlight, producing what is commonly referred to as pole trees.

Pole trees are small in diameter and ideally have long, limbless stretches up the base of the trees. Following the harvest of mature timber, increased access to sunlight provokes pole trees to rapidly add diameter and therefore volume—the board footage contained in any given tree grows exponentially with the trees diameter.

Maximize the Return from Your Timber

With appropriate management, you can maximize the number of timber harvests possible from your forest while ensuring its continued health and longevity.

Having your standing timber assessed and properly managed can be the difference between having three timber sales per generation verses one or even none.

For more information about logging your timber click here.