A decision system for assessing stand differentiation potential and prioritizing precommercial thinning treatments

Abstract

A decision support system was developed to prioritize diverse young stands for precommercial thinning treatments. This system utilizes variables to characterize stand structure and assess the potential for stand differentiation. Stands with greater differentiation potential are considered a low priority for precommercial thinning because of their lower susceptibility to insects and diseases, greater windfirmness, options for future treatments, and faster stand growth rates as compared to stands with less differentiation potential. Key variables include mixed-species stratification patterns, live-crown ratio, variability in heights of crop trees, and number of trees/ac. These variables were organized in a decision key to provide a logical and efficient system to assist land managers in making precommercial thinning decisions. The decision key prioritizes stands for precommercial thinning over a wide range of environmental conditions on a common scale.