Race to the light!
Trees all grow towards the sun, but space is limited. Foresters remove some of them to let the most promising ones grow and become the timber for our homes and furniture.
This silvicultural operation is called a «thinning» and specifically aims to:
- Promote growthThe selected trees benefit from more resources to grow in volume and quality.
- Select the bestWeak, diseased, misshapen, or poorly sited trees are removed, leaving only the most promising ones (trees of the future). These trees of the future will provide timber for buildings, furniture, etc. Thinnings, on the other hand, are used for pulp or firewood, for example.
- Improve healthTrees affected by disease or insects are removed to preserve the health of the forest.
- Manage densityThis reduces competition between trees on the same surface.
What an atmosphere!
The forest is a cocoon unaccustomed to sudden changes. Foresters intervene with small touches, respecting the natural atmosphere of the forest and its inhabitants.
To do this, foresters carefully select the trees to be felled through an operation called «hammeringwhich consists of marking the chosen trees.
In short, it's a targeted intervention to sculpt the forest and ensure that the trees which reach maturity will be of the best possible quality, thus optimising timber production and the maintenance of a forest atmosphere.
Spotlight on the new arrivals!
This clearing also encourages the arrival of young trees that will ensure the future of the forest, accompanied by flowers and small animals that love the sun.
The removal of certain trees also allows light to enter the stand, benefiting the seedlings present under the canopy. These will, in time, be able to ensure the succession for regenerate the forest.
Certain flowers, like the foxglove (Foxgloveand many others also benefit from this windfall as do various insects, birds, and reptiles.
Good to know
Thinning operations are repeated throughout the life of a stand at regular intervals called «rotations». The duration of a rotation depends on the species, the stand structure, and the type of silviculture. For example, «Continuous Cover Forestry» specifically aims to control light supply through targeted harvesting while maintaining a permanent forest canopy.