tree growth spans before logging

[stihlaficionado]

A local contractor that specializes in the restoration of historic homes
(Bob Yapp) made a comment about the quality of pine lumber that sounds a bit strange to me:

Bob said that in the US trees are harvested when they are 15 yrs old +
But in Canada the wood is harvested when the tree is 60 yrs old +

Is Bob loony?

 

[kkottemann]

I cannot speak for all species, but in the respect to harvest cycles and growth rates he is correct. Here in the southeast we can harvest in 12 years in some sites. its all about the site index and the growing season. we have 250 + days of growing down here where as in canada i would say mabe 90 days....thats just a guess though.

 

[371groundie]

trees need water, light and soil nutrients.

canada. frozen for half the year. trees dont grow then. less rainfall. less nutrients in the soil. more diffuse sunshine.

SE USA. warm enough for trees to grow almost all year. more rainfall. better quaility soil. more direct sunlight.

i dont know about the western states/provinces, but in the east the pine grown in southern states (southern yellow pine, longleaf pine, slash pine) is a different species than the pine grown in canada (eastern white pine, norway pine). so its apples and oranges.

the SE USA also does alot of plantation silviculture. plant, thin, thin, thin, thin, smash it, burn it, plant....... that first thinning might happen at 15 years, but you arent getting clear 12inch boards out of it. youre getting small pulpwood and/or biomass. that first thinning may not yeild cash for the landowner, but the residual stand now has more space to grow, improving the future value of the stand.

 

[stihlaficionado]

Thank you for the replies

 

[RPM]

trees need water, light and soil nutrients.

canada. frozen for half the year. trees dont grow then. less rainfall. less nutrients in the soil. more diffuse sunshine.

SE USA. warm enough for trees to grow almost all year. more rainfall. better quaility soil. more direct sunlight.

.

Its the sh*ts when the igloo melts in July and I have to move the family into the teepee.....

West coast of BC / Vancouver Island - 35 years for douglas-fir / western hemlock / red alder and big leaf maple. A 35 year old doug-fir stand will yield approx. 350-400m3 (cubic meters)/hectare and will average 30-35m in height. Growing season 6-8 months along the coast and even then the root sysytem probably doesn't shut down. Soil quality, nutrients, moisture are all site specific and will vary .... its not all frozen up here - come for a visit!

In the interior ... 4-5 months growing sean lower elevations ... high elevation (5000ft+) ... 2 - 3 months.

 

[redprospector]

I don't know what it is now, but they used to figure a 35 year cycle around here.
A lot of pecker poles though.

Andy

 

[kkottemann]

35 years is considered old growth down here!! ha!

 

[371groundie]

so i was being stereotypical and generalizing.... but i got the point across.

i almost live in canada, and visit there frequently. so i think im allowed to raz you a little.

 

[hammerlogging]

35 years is considered old growth down here!! ha!

or utility poles