Damage to appalachian hardwoods from diameter-limit harvesting and shelterwood establishment cutting

Abstract

Residual stand damage was assessed in 10 ac stands harvested with either a 12 in. diameter-limit harvest, a 16 in, diameter-limit harvest or an establishment cut of the shelterwood method. Each stand was logged using manual felling and cable skidding; treatments were replicated four times. The 12 in. diameter-limit harvests had the lowest residual basal areas but residual stems had the highest percentage of damage and largest stem wounds. In all three treatments, as tree size (dbh) increased and distance to skid trail increased, the probability of individual tree damage decreased.