| Imagine yourself as a landowner with enough of a | | | | costly management, then, the landowner is left with |
| hardwood forest that lumbering becomes an | | | | a forest that is no longer desirable. |
| economic option. A lumber buyer approaches the | | | | In contrast, consider the stand of pine that is cut. It |
| landowner with the hopes of gaining access to those | | | | is now unusual to find a lumbering company that has |
| choice hardwood trees on his or her property. After | | | | not been forced to become environmentally friendly. |
| a quick survey it is determined that there is enough | | | | When cut most pine stands are immediately |
| of a hardwood stand to make it economically viable | | | | replanted. Unlike our hardwood scenario, this is a |
| for the lumber buyer to make an offer to the owner | | | | win-win situation for everyone. Seedlings are |
| and the owner to take that offer as an unexpected | | | | inexpensive and the survival rate is quite high even if |
| economic windfall. Is it a win-win situation for | | | | left unattended. They will grow to a harvestable age |
| everyone? Not necessarily. | | | | again in about twenty to twenty-five years. Unlike |
| When the cutting of a hardwood stand occurs it is | | | | the degraded hardwood stand, the replanted pine |
| usually done by what is called diameter-limit cutting, | | | | plantation will grow to its former stature. |
| or select, high-grade cutting. Trees taken are those | | | | In the meantime if it was a plantation stand, or one |
| that are considered the choice trees with large | | | | that was purposefully planted, all of the trees will be |
| diameters and taller trunks. It is these trees which | | | | the same age and pretty much one will be as |
| naturally yield the highest amount of desirable lumber | | | | desirable as the next. The amount of usable lumber |
| with the least amount of labour effort. At the same | | | | gained for today's uses will be higher than a |
| time it is often thought that the smaller trees are the | | | | comparably sized stand of hardwoods and the cost |
| younger trees and if the large, "older" trees are | | | | will be considerably less expensive to the final user. |
| removed it will allow these smaller trees to grow and | | | | For the furniture industry the use of pine for its |
| regenerate the forest. That may not be the case. | | | | products becomes an attractive wood for all |
| Just because a tree is smaller does not mean it is | | | | concerned. It is a sustainable resource with a |
| younger. | | | | relatively short regeneration period. It is less labor |
| In the case of poor soil conditions the smaller tree | | | | intensive to harvest and leaves less of a long term |
| may actually be older than the larger diameter trees. | | | | impact on the environment. These are all important |
| The large trees that were cut may have been the | | | | considerations in today's green conscious world. In |
| ones that were genetically superior and were better | | | | addition, because of the already mentioned factors, |
| adapted to the soil and other conditions. Cutting | | | | pine is cheaper to produce and use as furniture; an |
| these choice trees does not improve these | | | | important factor for the manufacturer and the |
| conditions and the forest that is left is therefore | | | | consumer. All of these things, plus the fact that pine |
| compromised. The result will not be a strong | | | | is a very adaptable wood for the many of styles of |
| regeneration of the forest but a sudden growth in | | | | furniture on the market today, such as a pine |
| "scrub" or undesirable brush that overtakes the floor | | | | wardrobe, make pine a very desirable alternative to |
| of the forest and actually prevents strong new | | | | hardwoods. |
| hardwoods from developing. Without intentional and | | | | |