Silvicultural system

Forest Harvesting System
by
Javed Iqbal
PhD Scholar

1. Silvicultural System
(Harvesting System)
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague

2. Introduction
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague

Need of Silvicultural System
•Systematic Management
•Decisions for ideal aimed
•Bring Forest to the normal condition

3. Definition
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
•A set of Silvicultural Operations by which
forest crops are tended, harvested, and
replaced by new crops constitute a
Silvicultural System.
•Silvicultural Operation (Any Operation for
the benefit of the forest crop)
•Tended (Behave for the Crop value)
•Harvested (Systematic cutting of Forest
Crop)
•Replaced (Afforestation, Refforestation,
Regeneration

4. Characteristics of Slivicultural
System
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
•Each system must cover Whole life
•Produce stand of distinctive Form
•Maintained Soil Fertility or improve Future Yield
•Risks of damage from adverse factors (wind, insect, fungi, snow)
•Mature tree must be removed
•Adequate regeneration

5. Silvicultural System
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
Silvicultural System

Coppice System
High Forest System
Coppice With Standard
Two Storeyed High Forest
System
System of Concentrated
Regeneration
System of Dispersed
Regeneration
Selection Coppice System
Simple Coppice System
Selection System
Group Selection System
Clear Felling System
Shelterwood System
Strip System Group System Uniform System
Irregular Shelterwood
System

6. Classification
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
•Method of regeneration

7. The Selection System
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
SS of regenerating a forest stand, and maintaining an uneven-aged structure, by removing
some trees in all size classes either singly, in small groups, or in steps.
Types:
Single tree selection system
A method of creating new age classes in uneven-aged stands in which individual trees of all
size classes are removed more-or-less uniformly throughout the stand to achieve desired
stand structural characteristics.
Group selection system
A method of regenerating uneven-aged stands in which trees are removed, and new age
classes are established, in small groups. The maximum width of groups is approximately
twice the height of the mature trees, with small openings providing microenvironment
suitable for tolerant regeneration and the larger openings providing conditions suitable for
more intolerant regeneration. In the Group Selection System, the management unit or stand
in which regeneration, growth, and yield are regulated consists of a landscape containing an
aggregation of groups.
Group Selection with Reserves
A variant of the Group Selection Method in which some trees within the group are not cut to
attain goals other than regeneration within the group.
Overtopped:
Trees of varying levels of vigor that have their crowns completely covered by the crowns of
one or more neighboring trees.

8. Procedure:
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
Individual trees or groups of mature, unhealthy or other selected trees are harvested
periodically. Most of the trees are left to regenerate the stand naturally. Before any
harvesting is done, an inventory of the forest is completed. The inventory identifies the tree
species, the different sizes of trees, the quality and health of the trees and the availability of
habitat in the forest. Based on this information, a tree marking prescription is written and
all trees to be cut are marked with yellow paint. Crop trees are usually marked with blue
paint. Crop trees are the trees you want to grow for their future commercial value, for their
value to wildlife or as sources of seed for regenerating desired tree species. Every eight to
15 years, the stand is thinned to give crop trees room to grow, and some unhealthy and
mature crop trees are harvested. Care is taken during the thinning and harvesting
operations to avoid damaging the site and the crop trees. Damage to young and old trees can
lower the future value of the wood. Road access and a good network of skid trails are
important. Good access will improve the efficiency of each thinning and also minimize the
damage to crop trees. The selection system can be adapted to encourage the growth of
different species. Cutting individual, mature trees in the canopy encourages the growth of
shade-tolerant species, such as maple, beech and hemlock, which are growing in the
understorey. Cutting groups of trees, in an adaptation called the “group selection system,”
encourages the growth of intolerant species, like poplar, and mid-tolerant species, like oak,
basswood, cherry and white pine. The group selection system creates sunny gaps in the
canopy where these species can grow.

9. RESULTS
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
This system maintains a diverse, all-aged forest with a wide range of
species of different sizes and ages. These natural looking forests
provide continuous supplies of wood, fuelwood and other forest
products, as well as habitat for wildlife and attractive areas for
recreation.

10. Applicability:
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
The selection system is well-suited to the mixed hardwood forests.
Mixed hardwood forests rely on small-scale natural disturbances,
such as lightning, fire, wind, ice storms and disease, to kill individual
trees or groups of trees and create the space that young trees need to
grow. Deodar, Fir, Spruce and Blue pine forest also in some of the chir
forest.

11. BENEFITS
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
• Preserves the genetic diversity of the forest
• Full canopy protects site from erosion
• Maintains natural-looking, diverse forest
• Provides good wildlife habitat and areas for recreation
• Generates long-term income and a steady supply of wood products

12. DISADVANTAGES
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
Requires investments in evaluating the forest, selecting and marking
crop trees, thinning and harvesting
• Assistance from forestry experts is recommended
• Large areas are required to generate sufficient volumes of wood
and income
• Crop trees and regeneration can be damaged during harvest
operations

13. FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague

14. Clear Felling System
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
The clear Felling system Consists of clear felling parts of the area
each year and regenerating it either naturally or artificially
The area can be divided into no. of years
A method of regenerating an even-aged stand in which a new age
class develops in a fully exposed microclimate after removal, in a
single cubing, of all trees in the previous stand. Regeneration is from
natural seeding, direct seeding, planted seedlings, and/or advance
reproduction. Cutting may be done in groups or patches (Group or
Patch Clearcutting), or in strips (Strip Clearcutting). In the
Clearcutting System, the management unit or stand in which
regeneration, growth, and yield are regulated consists of the
individual clearcut stand (see Group Selection). When the primary
source of regeneration is advance reproduction, the preferred term
is Overstory Removal.

15. Block-clear felling system
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
When the area is large you adopt the Block clear felling system for
sustainable yield production.
e.g If you have 50 compartment and the rotation period of the
species is 50 years then number of block you felled in a year is
Felling Block=Number of compartments / Rotation Age =1

16. Clear strip system
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
•In this method we divide the area into strips and the felling practice
done in these strips.

17. Clear felling with alternate strip
system:
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
The area is divided as in the clear strip system but alternate strips are cut down in
the felling time.
Procedure:
All the trees are harvested in one cutting operation. In a modification of the
clearcut system, called the “seed-tree method,” individual trees or groups of trees
are left standing to provide seed for regeneration. The seed trees are large-
crowned (capable of producing large quantities of seeds) and able to survive in
windy, exposed conditions.
The clear-cut area can be regenerated by:
• Windborne seeds from nearby areas
• Seeds from trees left on the site, singly, in strips or in groups
• Coppice growth (the shoots that grow from the stumps of trees when they are cut
or stressed)
• Artificial seeding
• Planting seedlings or trees
You may need to thin the regenerating forest and protect the young trees from
competition with other vegetation and from small mammals.

18. RESULTS
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
Clear cutting produces an even-aged forest with trees that are about
the same age. Although maple and other shade tolerant species can
become established in clearcut areas, Clear cutting strongly favors
the growth of shade intolerant species, like jack pine, poplar, cedar
and white birch. These species, which need full sunlight, grow fast
and quickly dominate clearcut areas.

19. FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague

20. Applicability:
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
Clear cutting is a good choice for the irrigated plantation and riverain
forests, Where it give little disturbance to eco system. Clearcut
system regenerates forest naturally to even-aged growth. Clear
cutting is not recommended for general use in the mixed hardwood
forests.

21. BENEFITS
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
• Simplest harvest method with no need to protect remaining seed-trees from
damage
• Generates highest immediate financial returns
• Favors intolerant species, which do not grow well in shade

DISADVANTAGES

• Makes land more vulnerable to erosion from wind and rain
• Erosion can carry silt into streams and rivers, reducing water quality and
damaging aquatic habitats
• Regeneration in hot, exposed areas can be difficult and may require investments
in preparing the site for seeding or planting, thinning, controlling competition and
protecting young trees from small mammals
• Can reduce the genetic diversity of the tree species in the new forest if the seed
came from a few seed trees
• Unpleasant to look at and of little value for recreation

22. SHELTERWOOD SYSTEM (Also Called
Controlled by Area)
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
A method of regenerating an even-aged stand in which a new age
class develops beneath the moderated microenvironment provided
by the residual trees. The sequence of treatments can include three
distinct types of cuttings: (1) an optional preparatory cut to enhance
conditions for seed production; (2) an establishment cut to prepare
the seed bed and to create a new age class; and (3) a removal cut to
release established regeneration from competition with the
overwood. Cutting may be done uniformly throughout the stand
(Uniform Shelterwood), in groups or patches (Group Shelterwood),
or in strips (Strip Shelterwood).

23. Types of Shelterwood System
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
Uniform Shelterwood System.
As the uniform opening of canopy over the whole area of the
compartment with a view to obtain more less uniform regeneration.
Group Shelterwood system.
In this system regeneration of a compartment is started from natural
foci or groups of advance growth or where such foci do not exist, by
artificial created foci.
Shelterwood Strip System:
Felling is done in strips and after number of years enlarge the strips.
Irregular Shelterwood System:
Modification of Shelterwood selection system, retained the advance
growth up to 16″ I Deodar, 12″ in Chir pine (That is also called
Punjab Shelterwood system)

24. Periodic Blocks (P Bs)
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
According to the length of the regeneration period, the forest may be divided on
the basis of age classes into what are known as Periodic Blocks.



S.No P Bs Age of crop Activity
1. PBI 90-120 Felling/ Regeneration
2. PBII 60-90 Thinning + Preparatory Felling
3. PBIII 30-60 Thinning
4. PBIV 0-30 Regeneration/Seedling/Cleaning/ Also
Final felling if require in regeneration

25. Procedure
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
Mature trees are harvested in a series of two or more partial cuts.
The cuts stimulate the germination and rapid growth of a new forest
in the shelter and the shade of mature trees. The mature trees
usually provide seed for regenerating the site, but sometimes
regeneration is achieved by seeding, planting or stimulating coppice
growth. You will need good roads and skid trails to access the site to
complete each harvest. Care is taken at each harvest not to damage
the site or the regeneration. This system can involve three different
kinds of harvests:

26. Procedure Contn……
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
1. Preparatory cut
The preparatory cut is a thinning operation that gives selected trees room to grow
large crowns. Trees with large crowns provide more seeds than trees with small
crowns. A preparatory cut is only done if there is a shortage of trees with large
crowns on the site. The first harvest is usually done when the trees are 60 to 80
years old.
2. Seed cut
The seed cut removes about half the mature trees in the stand. It opens up the
stand, allowing sunlight to reach the forest floor, where it stimulates the
germination and growth of seedlings. The second harvest is usually done when the
trees are 80 to 100 years old.
3. Removal cut
The removal cut harvests all the mature trees. It can be done as a single harvest or
as a series of partial harvests. The removal cut is conducted after a dense carpet of
saplings (trees taller than 1.5 meters) is established in the shelter of the mature
trees. By giving the saplings full sunlight, the removal cut encourages the rapid
growth of a new forest. The final harvest is usually done when the trees are 100 to
120 years old.

27. FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague

28. RESULTS
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
The Shelterwood system produces an even-aged, fast-growing forest.
It favors mid-tolerant species, such as oak, white ash and white pine,
which can germinate in shade but later require some sunshine to
survive. This system can be adapted to quickly regenerate maple
sugar bushes.

Applicability:

This system is well-suited to mixed hardwood and conifer forests.
The area where lack of sufficient natural regeneration to grow
desired species. The Shelterwood system mimics major
disturbances, like wind, fire and insects, which create large gaps in
the forest canopy where mid-tolerant species can grow.

29. BENEFITS
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
• Preserves the genetic diversity of the forest
• Partial canopy protects site from erosion while new growth is
getting established
• Maintains some wildlife habitat
• Can be used to regenerate oaks which provide food for wildlife

DISADVANTAGES

• Requires investments in evaluating the forest, selecting and
marking crop trees, thinning and harvesting
• Assistance from forestry experts is recommended
• Can cause loss of habitat for animals that require a mature closed
canopy

30. ACCESSORY SYSTEMS:
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
•These systems are applicable in special areas Also Called Special
Silviculture systems.
•Two Stories High Forest Systems.
•The two stories High Forest of a crop arranges in the different
stories on above the other being approximately even aged and
Seed origin as opposite of Coppice.
•Natural Double stories forest is found in Chir Pine +Oak.
•In Plantation, Shisham and mulberry are two stories, Mulberry
is planted after its thinning.

31. COPPICE SYSTEM
FORESTER’S
By Javed Iqbal PhD Scholar
Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sc, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague
•When regeneration is principally from coppice shoots or root
suckers the Silvicultural system is known as the coppice system.
•The system is usually adopted for hardwoods when small
dimensional stock is required for firewood, basket manufacture,
small poles etc. the system is also adopted on arid eroded slopes
subject to heavy grazing where natural regeneration is scanty and
100% artificial regeneration is not economic.
Types of Coppice system
•Simple coppice system
•Selection coppice system
•Coppice with standards system