FNC News

In our previous article, we discussed the methodology and importance of first-time thinning. As mentioned, every fifth row was removed, and the remaining rows were thinned. The second thinning is scheduled to occur 5 to 7 years after the first.

Now that five years have passed since the initial thinning, the next phase of forest management begins. FNC foresters will conduct a field inspection to determine if the timber is stagnated. With adequate rainfall, this timber should be ready for another thinning. Once it is determined that the stand is ready, FNC foresters will recommend a second thinning and prepare a forest management proposal outlining recommendations for the landowner. Upon the landowner’s agreement, we will proceed with the timber sale process.

A second time thinning is done to relieve stagnation and allow the dominant better-looking pine to continue to grow, by removing the suppressed, diseased, forked trees. This thinning is very important to continue the growth of the pine trees. The products removed during this thinning will primarily be pulpwood, with some 6” rough pine. The goal of planting pine trees is to thin them when they are ready, moving the plantation out of the pulpwood stage and towards the sawtimber stage as quickly as possible.

In order for pine trees to grow, they need sunlight to increase in diameter. Thinning the stand will open the canopy and allow the sunlight to reach the remaining trees. Without timely thinning, pine plantations become stagnated and fail to reach their maximum potential. Under optimal soil conditions, pine plantations can increase in growth by 10%-15% per year.

The objective of the second thinning is to ensure the pine plantation maintains a continuous maximum growth pattern throughout its life, as well as a healthy well managed stand of timber.

FNC foresters monitor the growth of the trees after each thinning to ensure pine plantations are growing and when they become stagnated, recommend they be thinned.

Are you ready to take the next step in managing your pine plantation? Contact your local FNC Forester today!