Timber Stand Improvement

Instructor’s note: About this slideshow This slideshow includes somewhat detailed slide notes. The notes convey the key ideas of each slide. This should allow the slideshow to be delivered well by any knowledgeable instructor. Note that several slides include built-in animations. The word [Click] in the notes is the cue to advance to the next animation. The slideshow is somewhat complex. In order to deliver it well, the instructor must be familiar with the sequence of animations and slides. Adequate preparation is important. Like every slideshow, this one is best delivered in the instructor’s own voice, not by reading the notes. The notes should be viewed as a guide, NOT a script . Any questions about this slideshow can be directed to Eli Sagor at [email_address] .

Instructor’s note: About this slideshow

Workshop objectives Terminology and concepts Design two TSI treatments Tradeoffs How your company can profitably do more TSI Talking with landowners about TSI

Workshop objectives

What to expect today Overview – now Break Outside: site visits develop TSI plan discuss Lunch Outside: crop tree mgmt. Inside: review morning economics & operations Adjourn at 4pm

What to expect today

Housekeeping Break times Lunch Restroom locations Please turn cell phones off, or at least set to vibrate. Feel free to stand, move around, ask questions, etc

Housekeeping

What is TSI?

David P. Shorthouse, University of Alberta, www.forestryimages.org

Timber stand improvement Any treatment designed to improve the FUTURE health, vigor, and value of a stand Primary goal is to improve the future condition and value of the stand.

Timber stand improvement

Remove all vegetation Remove few dispersed trees Spectrum of harvest intensity Remove groups of trees Remove trees evenly through stand TSI Single tree selection Clearcutting Group selection Shelterwood (also thinning)

TSI vs. Thinning Textbooks: TSI = precommercial Thinning = commercial Today: TSI = precommercial AND some commercial Primary goal is to improve the future condition and value of the stand.

TSI vs. Thinning

Key ideas MINIMIZE residual stand damage

Key ideas

Key ideas Balancing costs and benefits

Key ideas

Key ideas Plan for repeated entries

Key ideas

Key ideas Risk of windthrow from heavy thinning

Key ideas

Key ideas Developing a specialization Match your equipment & markets to TSI type

Key ideas

Developing a specialization

Match your equipment & markets to TSI type

Key ideas Markets for harvested products Biomass Chips Specialty Lance Sorensen image

Key ideas

Markets for harvested products

Biomass

Chips

Specialty

Examples: Four different kinds of TSI

Maps of public ownership Crop tree release Identify the BEST trees in the stand Remove competing trees Focus on CROWN competition USFS image

Kraft Crown Classification DOMINANT – trees with crowns extending above the main canopy—receiving direct sunlight from above and partly from the sides CODOMINANT – trees with crowns forming the general level of the crown cover—receiving direct sunlight from above but little from the sides

DOMINANT – trees with crowns extending above the main canopy—receiving direct sunlight from above and partly from the sides

CODOMINANT – trees with crowns forming the general level of the crown cover—receiving direct sunlight from above but little from the sides

Kraft Crown Classification INTERMEDIATE – shorter trees in the main canopy—receiving direct sunlight from above but not from the sides SUPPRESSED –crowns entirely below the main canopy—receiving no direct light from above or from the sides

INTERMEDIATE – shorter trees in the main canopy—receiving direct sunlight from above but not from the sides

SUPPRESSED –crowns entirely below the main canopy—receiving no direct light from above or from the sides

Only dominant or codominant trees should be crop trees.

USFS image

Maps of public ownership Row thinning Thin overstocked plantations Simple, efficient Focus growing space

Maps of public ownership Species thinning Remove undesirable species Leave desirable species

Maps of public ownership Cull tree removal Deformed, defective, undesirable trees Usually precommercial Girdle, herbicide, knock down

© NC State University Extension

Visualizing TSI

TSI: Before Wisconsin DNR image

TSI: After Wisconsin DNR image

Highgrade: Before (Wisconsin DNR image) Wisconsin DNR image

Highgrade: After (Wisconsin DNR image) Wisconsin DNR image The OPPOSITE of TSI

TSI impacts (and talking points)

TSI and… Wildlife habitat Mast Structure Dens Species

TSI and…

Wildlife habitat

Mast

Structure

Dens

Species

TSI and… Big trees Wisconsin DNR image

TSI and…

TSI and… Forest health Remove insect & disease sources Invasive species

TSI and…

Forest health

Remove insect & disease sources

Invasive species

TSI and… Biomass Good source of small-diameter biomass But, a lot of work

TSI and…

Biomass

Good source of small-diameter biomass

But, a lot of work

TSI and… Productivity TSI trees dying anyway Focus growing space Higher value products

TSI and…

Productivity

TSI trees dying anyway

Focus growing space

Higher value products

TSI and… Money Wisconsin DNR image

TSI and…

Review Improve future condition and value Many different approaches: Crop tree Species thinning Row thinning Cull tree removal (Combination / variations) Balancing costs & benefits

Review

Questions?

Questions?

What to expect today Overview Break Outside: site visits develop TSI plan discuss Lunch Outside: crop tree mgmt. Inside: review morning economics & operations Adjourn at 4pm

What to expect today

Exercise 1 Visit treated and untreated stands. Exercise 2 Develop a TSI prescription for a new stand. Exercise 3 Crop-tree management: Prescription and mark trees.

Exercise 1

Instructor’s note: Consider adding a slide here with images from the sites that you’ll be visiting, and briefly describing the sites. A 1-2 minute overview of the exercise would be helpful here too.

Instructor’s note:

Break, then let’s head outside

Break, then let’s head outside

Timber Stand Improvement

What to expect today Overview Break Outside: site visits develop TSI plan discuss Lunch Outside: crop tree mgmt. Inside: review morning economics & operations Adjourn at 4pm

What to expect today

Review Treated and untreated stand comparisons Develop TSI prescriptions for landowner objectives Crop tree thinning: Mark crop trees Mark competing trees

Review

Exercise 4 Economic and operational considerations Small group discussion & reports Purpose: Tie today’s information back to your business

Exercise 4

What are your biggest concerns about making TSI a larger part of your company’s services? What opportunities does TSI present to market your services to new landowners? How would you market TSI to potential landowner clients in a way that makes it both profitable for you and attractive to the landowner? Different kinds of TSI are better suited to different kinds of equipment. What kind of TSI treatment is the best fit for the equipment that your company operates? Why? What would need to happen for TSI to be implemented on a more widespread basis in Minnesota? Questions for Exercise 4:

What are your biggest concerns about making TSI a larger part of your company’s services?

What opportunities does TSI present to market your services to new landowners?

How would you market TSI to potential landowner clients in a way that makes it both profitable for you and attractive to the landowner?

Different kinds of TSI are better suited to different kinds of equipment. What kind of TSI treatment is the best fit for the equipment that your company operates? Why?

What would need to happen for TSI to be implemented on a more widespread basis in Minnesota?

Evaluations

Evaluations