Regrowth rate question

[Brumalis]

Hi. I do some part-time carpentry for a logging company in northern Maine.

Looking at the harvest plans, I'm just curious about how long it would normally take for a harvested site to become harvestable again. Say some white pine were harvested in 2001, and replanted in 2002. How long before they can be harvested?

Thanks.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Because there ae so many variables to tree growth rates, the most accurate way would be to go to the site, find a stump of the same type and size of trees being planted, and count the annual growth rings.

 

[JJackson]

from what I can remeber on planted land, the first cutting will be pre-commercial silviculture to clean out the plantation and keep the spacing at around 15 years, at 30 year the enter again and do a commercial thinning where they take out wood that is suitable for pulp and sometimes studwood, thi again thins/spaces out the stand. Now I cant remeber when they usually do a regular type harvest...45-60years of age maybe, it depends on the growth rate of the species and site conditions. With the use of silviculture they are able to spead up the rate of volume gained by the stand and usually able to harvest it sooner. I would talk to a local forester from the logging company (Irving?). I am just trying to remeber what we used when I was in forestry in New Brunswick.

 

[logcutter429]

Here in Arkansas, Weyerhauser has this tree growing down to a fine art, after planting, the first thining is about 15 years they do it with chipping crews, and the second thinning is in about 10 years, some of them is 10" to 15" trees . Were logging a 35 year setting now that has 25" trees in them, but were talking about loblolly pine , dont know much about white pine in the north.

 

[woodshop]

Way too many variables to answer your question. How much moisture available, rich bottom-land or mountainside soil, are you planting good quality select nursery stock? In PA they get 25-30 year rotations for pulpwood, down in GA they have 15-20 yr rotations on their tree farms grown in rows like a crop, with harvesters doing the picking. Consult your local forestry board or tree farm board, I am sure the state of Maine has them like most states. They would be able to answer your question.

 

[JJackson]

Yah I have seen some of the operations in arkansas and mississippi back in oh maybe 99 or 2000. Viewed some Anderson Tulley? work and others, Potlach over in Arkansas near Montecello (forget correct spelling). They can grow em fast down that way.

 

[klickitatsacket]

Out here in Washington, International Paper has a hybrid poplar that is harvested in seven years. Now this is a pulp tree. They grind it leaves bark and all. For those who do not know most bark and leaves are concidered contamination in the pulp industry. If you have 20 or more acres they will come in and plant it and in seven years they return to 80' trees and take it all and give you a check. Weyerhauser also has a fir that is dubbed Weyerhauser Super tree and is about 24" in 20 years. I had some experience with it in a mill that made glue lam beems. The super tree wood had growth rings up to 1" and was crap. I can remember dropping a 8' 2x4 on the cement and it just shattered. The large growth rings provided no strength.