Question

Explain how a timber company could decide whether to "clear cut" a forest plot or to harvest only the annual increase in growth. What variables will they take into account?

Answer 1

The main aim behing clearcutting is not to collect the timber, but to revive the forest with more healthier trees.All of the trees having diameter greater than 2 inches are cutdown by the means of clearcutting. Clearcutting regenerates shade intolerant species and it also creates openings similar to those which are naturally created by tornadoes and fires.

Clearcutting is not done by the timber companies because it is the good economical method of timber harvest because it actually doesn't save them profit. As clearcutting costs more money and time on cutting unuseful trees, many timber companies doesn't follow this process.

Trees having diameter less than 10 inches are referred to as inferior trees having the same age as larger trees but doesn't grow further. It is better to cut those trees as they take up the soil nutrients.

The variables that a timber company take into account include various sustainable problems such as legal and financial careful measures, timber cost, providing enough regenerating time, taxes, liability and logging contracts.