Reviewed October 1993
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What is timber stand improvement? Timber Stand Improvement (TSI) denotes management practices that improve the vigor, productivity and quality of stands of trees.
In Missouri, young tree stands have become established readily following cutting or fire. But tree quality, species composition and individual tree form are often undesirable. Further reduction in quality comes when the better trees are harvested, leaving the bad ones, and when fire-scarred trees remain. The average Missouri woodland contains about 20 percent cull trees and produces at less than one-third its potential.
Many options are open to woodland owners. They may use a TSI program to increase the woodland's value for timber products, water, recreation, forage, wildlife, natural beauty, or for special products. Fortunately, work done to improve one use also benefits others in most cases.
Various practices used and tree species selected should fit the chosen emphasis for the woodland. The number of trees to keep depends on species, type of site, management goals and size of the trees. Professional foresters are available to help determine a woodland's potentials and limitations and to help develop and carry out a suitable management plan.
Types of trees usually removed are:
It is important to remove or kill these types of trees as soon as possible after an area has been logged to properly release younger trees. Variety is important in a woodland environment, so those trees necessary for den trees, aesthetics or special foods should be selected and retained in the stand when beginning a program of TSI.
The following practices are among those used in Timber Stand Improvement.
Site preparation for natural reproduction in understocked stands means preparing the site to allow natural seeding or resprouting of desirable species, or underplanting seedling stock to fully use the available growing space. This practice is used in poorly stocked stands to fill large openings and increase stand density, or to improve the species composition.
Thinning is cutting trees from an immature stand to increase rate of growth and improve the form of the remaining trees. Proper space varies depending on species, purpose of management and quality of the location (site). Table 1 gives a range of spacing for trees of various diameters.
Table 1
Tree spacing
| Tree diameter | Spacing range | Tree diameter | Spacing range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 inches | 4.6 to 6.5 feet | 9 inches | 14.3 to 18.7 feet |
| 3 inches | 6.1 to 8.2 feet | 10 inches | 15.6 to 20.4 feet |
| 4 inches | 7.6 to 9.9 feet | 11 inches | 17.0 to 22.1 feet |
| 5 inches | 9.0 to 11.6 feet | 12 inches | 18.1 to 23.8 feet |
| 6 inches | 10.3 to 13.4 feet | 13 inches | 19.4 to 25.6 feet |
| 7 inches | 11.6 to 15.0 feet | 14 inches | 20.8 to 27.2 feet |
| 8 inches | 13.0 to 17.0 feet | 15 inches | 21.9 to 29.0 feet |
Release is removing or killing undesirable older overtopping trees to encourage fast growth and better quality of vigorous young desirable trees.
Pruning is removing limbs to produce the maximum clear lumber or veneer in the butt log. Prune only selected hardwood trees where high-value species are grown on good sites. This is recommended primarily in managing black walnut.
In pruning lower limbs of young trees, don't remove too much of the food-producing leaf surface of the tree. At least one-half of the living crown of the tree should be left intact. In general, trees should be pruned before they reach 8 inches in diameter. Limbs to be removed should be pruned before they reach 2 inches in diameter to reduce the wound size, to ensure proper closing and to lessen the impact of entry by insects or disease organisms.
Vine removal
On some areas vines do considerable damage to trees. Vines not retained because of wildlife food value, fall color, etc., should be killed at the same time other stand improvement work is done. Remove them by cutting them as low to the ground as possible and immediately treating the stump with a herbicide.
Many Missouri hardwood species sprout heavily after fire or cutting. Sprouts grow rapidly and often form multiple-stemmed clumps. Use these guidelines for deciding how to handle sprout clumps.
Sprout stands are best managed before they reach 20 years of age. Early treatment permits better selection of trees from the standpoint of attachment to and size of the parent stump, and greatly lessens the danger of decay from wounds left in cutting companion sprouts.
The best trees to leave come from seedlings, seedling sprouts or sprout clumps arising from stumps 4 inches or less in diameter. Sprouts from larger stumps may be selected if they arise very low on the stump and if the parent stump wound is small.
If early treatment is made in a young stand, it will enter maturity with the crop trees primarily single stemmed. Where there has been no early treatment, pole stands of sprout origin are likely to consist of sprout groups. After companion sprouts, joined at the base with a V-shaped crotch, have grown several inches in diameter, it is usually difficult to remove one without leaving a large wound at the base of the other, through which decay will develop. Twins of this type should be left alone. Where the sprouts have a low U-shaped crotch between them, or are entirely separated from each other above ground, one or more can be removed.
Cost sharing practices are available for TSI. For further information, contact your local MU Extension center, Missouri Department of Conservation District Forester, or County Agricultural Stabilization Conservation Service Office.
Free technical assistance on all timber management practices is available through local District Foresters of the Missouri Department of Conservation.
The landowner should keep in mind that in many cases a properly conducted timber sale (improvement harvest) can accomplish a great amount of TSI. Undesirable trees that are not merchantable may be removed by cutting, dozing, brushhogging, girdling, or by chemical control. Chemically treating large trees is more economical than felling and is more certain to kill them than is girdling. Where control of resprouting is desired, chemicals are most effective.
Silvicides and herbicides are chemicals that act as translocation poisons, plant hormones or growth regulators, contact poisons, or soil sterilants. Some of the more common herbicides used in TSI operations are 2,4-D amine, triclopyr, AMS, picloram, glyphosate, dicamba, MSMA, or cacodylic acid.
All of these chemicals can injure sensitive trees, crops or ornamental plants if they are not used properly according to label instructions
Many are volatile and their vapors and spray drift will damage desirable plants, especially on windy days.
Silvicides and herbicides can be applied as follows:
G5150, reviewed October 1993