The shelterwood system is a type of silviculture system that is classified as a high forest system involving concentrated regeneration. It involves the gradual removal of trees over time to allow for natural regeneration under shelter. There are several types of shelterwood systems including uniform, strip, irregular, and group systems that differ in how regeneration felling is conducted. The shelterwood system provides shelter and protection for developing regeneration through a series of preparatory, seedling, secondary, and sometimes final fellings over the regeneration period. While it provides benefits like frequent natural regeneration and protection for young crops, it can be more difficult to implement and control than clearcutting systems.

1. Essay on shelterwood
system of silviculture and
its types

2. At first let's be clear about Silviculture, Silviculture is the practice of controlling growth, structure
and quality of forests to meet values and needs. And Silviculture system can be defined as the
process of tending, harvesting and regenerating forest.
System of Silviculture can be classified into two groups on the basis of regeneration, they are high
and low forest system. Again this system is classified into different groups on the basis of felling
pattern. Among them Shelterwood system is the types of high forest system which lies on the
system of concentrated regeneration.
Shelterwood systems are those high forests system of silviculture in which the young crop is
established under the shelter (overhead or lateral) of the old one, depending upon the progress of
regeneration. The shelterwood system is also called “Seed Tree Method” shelterwood compartment
system or system of successive regeneration felling.
In other word, it can be defined as the system in which the tree are removed on the basis of their
capability of increment in value to make room for regeneration. Tree that are growing vigorously
are used or retained to provide shelter for regenerating species.
Shelterwood system includes the various systems of successive regeneration felling together with
the selection system.

3. As we say there are different types of shelterwood system classified as
Uniform system, Strip system, Irregular system and Group system.
In uniform shelterwood systems, treatments are applied uniformly over the same stand and is the
standard type of shelterwood. The uniform system is the system that most often relies on a series of
preparatory cuttings (thinning) to ready the stand for the regeneration/establishment cutting by
encouraging crown expansion, and promoting windfirm and cone production.
In strip shelterwood system, regeneration felling are done in the form of strip from one side of the
compartment. During the time of this system regeneration is to be done against the direction of wind.
In group system, regeneration felling are done in the scattered groups.
In irregular system, the regeneration is done as group system but the period of regeneration is long.
In actual practice these successive felling take a number of years, technically known as the regeneration
period, to carry out over any particular area.
The rotation is therefore divided into a number of periods and the age classes are allotted to respective
periods.
The regeneration is affected by different operations according to the stage of the regeneration at which
they are made. These are defined as
Preparatory felling, Seedling felling, Secondary felling and Final felling

4. Preparatory felling start with more or less Even-aged crop of average maturity that would consist
of opening out crowns of the mother trees of the future so as to get them ready for the
production of seeds and is carried out little before Seedling felling. This felling is used to promote
the development of a good crown and to ensure the production of high-quality seeds.
During seedling felling, the canopy is open to provide enough light for seedling to come up and
ensure their survival in the initial stage.
At the time of Secondary felling, mother tree are removed so that more light are gradually
admitted for the growth of seedling. The right amount of light and shade is required for young
tree and seed. There can be more than one secondary felling, greater the shade demanding
requirement of corps and seed the greater will be the number of mother tree and greater will be
the secondary felling.
In final felling all the remaining seed bearer are removed and the new regeneration is fully
established. Final felling may not be necessary for light demander and the crops which are
growing under the ideal conditions of growth. It is necessary during uniform system.
In modern forestry, the trend of treating seeding, secondary and final felling as separate stages is
been fast discarded.
This system is best for frequently obtaining natural regeneration and also afford protection during
frost, drought and clod winds compared to the system of Clear felling.

5. Shelterwood system require more skills and work is less concentrated and felling and
extraction cannot be carried out so economically than under the clear felling.
In this system, the rate of cutting and regeneration are difficult to control and damage of
young crops are more compared to Clear felling. During the implementation of this system,
there is little risk of soil deterioration and erosion.
The shelterwood system protect and shelter the developing regeneration. The tree which are
growing vigorously are retained to provide shelter, seed, rapid diameter and value increment.
Silviculture system are not as easy as they sound, it requires long term vision and intervention
of forest.