Clearcutting

Clearcutting or clearfelling is a method of timber harvest in which all trees in a selected area are cut. There is no agreed upon minimum area that constitutes a clear cut, but typically, areas smaller than 5 acres would be considered "patch cuts". The reasons for clearcutting can range from optimizing the regeneration of a forest to clearing land for other uses to taking every tree worth any money. Reasons for clearcutting rather than selection cut include:

regeneration: Some tree species do not grow well in the shade of larger trees.

logging costs: it is easier to move logs and logging equipment in an open clearcut than among standing trees.

ownership: loggers and land owners just have to agree on the boundaries of the clearcut, rather than agreeing on which trees are cut and which are left.

stand damage: Residual trees can be injured (often fatally) in the removal of the other trees.

Silvicultural issues

In many instances commercial clearcutting can be justified as sound forestry. In some cases an area of forest may be in such poor condition that it is nessary to "start over". High-grading and poorly planned partials cuts have done more damage to the forest, in some areas, then clearcutting^[1]. Abuses of clearcutting are often easily seen while a poorly managed select cut may be hidden from the public's view. Selection cut for the same volume of wood requires more total area of the forest must be harvested, with more roads and skid trail with more potential for soil compaction, eroison and residual stand damage. On the other hand clearcutting is often is used to maximize income regardless of silvicultural issues. Only trees worth money are removed and whatever regereration remains may be left in damaged conditon. Because silvicultural issues involved are complex with many factors to be considered, regulation of the over-use of clearcutting is very difficult. Clearcuts are also used to clear land prior to real estate development projects

Many trees species (e.g. aspen, pines, birch) are shade-intolerant. In other words, they don't grow well or perhaps not at all in the shade of other trees. In nature these trees typically establish themselves only after all the other trees in an area have died or been blown down (for example, in a fire or windstorm). Aspen, for example, will actually sucker (resprout from the roots) after being cut. There is no way to regenerate aspen in the shade of other trees, therefore clearcutting is the best tool foresters use to regenerate this species. Ecologically this would simulate a massive windstorm, a large fire, or perhaps a large insect or disease outbreak. Commonly clearcuts leave "reserve" trees that won't be cut. These can be left to mimimize the aesthetic impact of a clearcut, to maintain cavity or den trees for wildlife, to maintain biodiversity, or other similar reasons.

In an area where abundant seedlings and saplings are already established, clearcutting all designated trees 2 inches or greater in diameter at breast height would provide more sunlight to the smaller trees beneath. If this is the case the term "release cut" or "overstory removal" would be more appropriate. This done to maximize dollars and to maximize the amount of sunlight that reaches the ground.

Environmental impacts

Depending on when, where, and the scale of the clearcut takes place effect on the environment can be massive, especially in erosion-prone country if countermeasures are not taken. Production forests practicing monoculture reforestation techniques (plantations) often clearcut. Riparian strips on watercourses should be preserved. The long term effect of clearcuts on water-flow, erosion and soil nutriments Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest

Notes and references

^ The Northeast's Changing Forest, Lloyd Irland.

Clearcutting

Contents

Silvicultural issues

Environmental impacts

See also

Notes and references

Bibliography

Further reading