Designing a woodland
Before planting a forest a forester usually get together with a
landscape design forester to decide the reasons for planting the
trees.
Forests are generally designed with multiuse objectives such as
timber, recreation use and support wildlife.
Different trees prefer
different soil, shelter, have different timber products
In the tree nursery
Tree seeds are collected in the autumn. Different trees will
produce heavy seeds years such as the oak, which produces seed every four years.
Once collected the tree seeds are stratified
The trees seeds are planted
in the nursery protected from frost, mice or birds.
Generally the trees stay
in the nursery for 3 years.
Tree planting
Before planting can occur the forest needs to design the
woodland.
Before the trees can be planted the ground has to be prepared to
help the trees grow.
Mounds of soil are created using a digger, ploughed or
the ground could be scarified.
Sometimes a deer and or rabbit fence is make
sure the trees do not get eaten by these animals Tree planting occurs from
November to April. An experienced tree planter can plant up to 1200 conifer
trees a day
Thinning
Most conifers are thinned when they are about 25 - 30 years old. This
depends on the growing conditions
Thinning creates more space between the
remaning trees so that they grow thicker and stronger
Thinnings are used for
making paper plup or boards
The forest is thinned again about every 5 - 7
years
Harvesting or Cutting down the trees
When conifers are 50 - 70
years old the trees are cut down as they do not grow much more.
Harwoodwood forests are left for 100 - 150 years. (See Forest Equipment and Machines)
